Mockingbird Episode Guide

[Westeros]

Our episode guide for “Mockingbird” is now updated with the first of our content: the book-to-scene breakdown and our review analyzing various scenes, as well as a number of HBO’s post-episode videos (including an interesting one from GRRM discussing Littlefinger’s feelings towards Sansa). Besides that, HBO has placed the trailer for episode 8 on-line, which we’ve placed over in the episode guide for “The Mountain and the Viper”. Remember, that episode won’t be airing until two weeks from now, as the show takes a break for Memorial Day (replacing it in its time slot is the HBO original movie, The Normal Heart, starring Mark Ruffalo and Julia Roberts; heard some good things about this harrowing look at the early days of the AIDS crisis in New York City, so it’s worth checking out).

We hope to get our detailed recap of the episode posted tomorrow evening, but for those who want to discuss the episode, rate it, and more, the A Song of Ice and Fire forum is full of like-minded individuals, so give it a try!

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[Old Man River]

Besides the treatment of Ser Barristan, The Mountain is my biggest quibble with the show. I know he's hardly in the books too, but he still is great villain in the minds of everyone who has read the books. In the show I feel like people don't really know who he is, because he's only been on screen three times and each time is a different actor. Such a great villain should be front and center. What's our reintroduction to him in this episode? They're throwing a few schmucks at him to get slaughtered? That way we know he's a mean guy? The big fight doesn't seem to have the tension that it should.

On the other hand I loved Oberyn and Bronn's scenes in this one. I hope Bronn continues to be on screen going forward.

[Beric175]

Well, they mentioned the Mountain constantly since episode 1 of this season, which is exactly how it was in the books: the Mountain's reputation precedes him and he is rarely seen.

[Old Man River]

Well, they mentioned the Mountain constantly since episode 1 of this season, which is exactly how it was in the books: the Mountain's reputation precedes him and he is rarely seen.

Yeah they've talked about him a lot throughout the series. Rob and the Blackfish laying into Edmund about the Mill when they were trying to lure The Mountain across the river, The whole description of his raid in front of Ned, Poliver talking about him at the Inn earlier this season, etc...

But if you have to make changes from the book to the show (and you do) then I think putting your chief psycho on screen is good idea. They put Ramsey on screen a lot more than in the novels. Why not manufacture some more use of the Mountain? I've asked various people who watch the show who the mountain is this morning and they had no idea. Even after watching the episode last night they weren't even able to say "...that guy is the Hound's brother."

[Ice Wolf]

I would love to see a scene between The Mountain and Tywin next episode that further establishes their history. A discussion on Tywin's role during the Sack would be awesome.

[boojam]

No really good place to put this.

With only three episodes left...

We have only seen the only ~(A-) lister once , in a preview, that was for about 2 seconds.

Will Ciarán Hinds only be in episode 9 ... and I guess episode 10?

Very little screen time for one the show most popular and featured actresses Rose Leslie, who I think is a terrific actor.

Well... makes sense , book wise , not that much time spent with the Wildlings in SoS after Jon escapes .... we only have Jon's POV.

Only in Jon VII the southern assault on castle black and then Jon X (where the Wildlings appear in a big way)(The Battle of CB)do we really see them again.

Since the show has rearranged the story,we have seen the Wildling southern S4 in the story more than in the book.

Of course we know new that the southern and northern attacks take place at the same time, so maybe a lot of screen time for Leslie and Hinds is episode 9?

No more Rose Leslie after episode 9, alas, we won't see her on the Red Carpet again.

Hinds is , I am guessing, in episode 10. No time to pull Wildling stuff from Feast and Dance. How that plays out in season 5 will be interesting.

[Old Man River]

.

Will Ciarán Hinds only be in episode 9 ... and I guess episode 10?

Very little screen time for one the show most popular and featured actresses Rose Leslie, who I think is a terrific actor.

I feel like this season should have really focuses on the wall and fit everything else in less time.

[boojam]

And another thing.

So the Eyrie ‘throne room’ has been torn down and put into storage (I guess?).

That makes things seem weird for season 5.

Will LF and Sansa leave the Vale?

Is that Winds stuff we don’t know about?

[Dreams and Prophecies]

And another thing.

So the Eyrie ‘throne room’ has been torn down and put into storage (I guess?).

That makes things seem weird for season 5.

Will LF and Sansa leave the Vale?

Is that Winds stuff we don’t know about?

Only the set with the moondoor is torn down. They could film the other scenes in other rooms.

[boojam]

Only the set with the moondoor is torn down. They could film the other scenes in other rooms.

Yeah I understand that.

But just seems weird.

Well in the books it is very murky and slow moving with Sana's story... so...?

[Beric175]

The fact that Oberyn mentions Elia's and her children's fte in the right order in this episode makes me doubt the Mountain will utter that sentence in episode 8, simply because the guy is a strongman, not an actor so I don't know if he'd carry it. I expect he'll smash in Oberyn's face in silent efficiency.

[WTFSalami]

The Eyrie evacuates when the heavy snow starts to fall, so there might just not be any more scenes set in the Throne Room.

[Ser Oromus Locke]

Jeez guys, normally you have such a hard, critical view on everything on the show, but you're really letting the Mountain's dramatic casting fail slide? Instead choosing to whine about the context of the scene? Not that this casting makes it completely unbelievable for him to have been at Tywin's side as a commander 17-19 years ago? It makes the rest of the review seem like total gibberish when deliberately choosing not to discuss this in text.

Well, they mentioned the Mountain constantly since episode 1 of this season, which is exactly how it was in the books: the Mountain's reputation precedes him and he is rarely seen.

Though when we see him, the reputation falls flat 100%. This guy is 25 years of age, meaning he would've been SIX!!! during the Sack of KL. Sure, he'd be large enough to smash his younger brother's head (who now looks about 15 years older, btw) in a fire, but not even remotely old enough to sack a city, command a batallion, and take Maegor's Keep.

Yeah they've talked about him a lot throughout the series. Rob and the Blackfish laying into Edmund about the Mill when they were trying to lure The Mountain across the river, The whole description of his raid in front of Ned, Poliver talking about him at the Inn earlier this season, etc...

But if you have to make changes from the book to the show (and you do) then I think putting your chief psycho on screen is good idea. They put Ramsey on screen a lot more than in the novels. Why not manufacture some more use of the Mountain? I've asked various people who watch the show who the mountain is this morning and they had no idea. Even after watching the episode last night they weren't even able to say "...that guy is the Hound's brother."

Because:

- A. This guy is - by far - too young to even be considered as being able to do all that he is claimed to have done during the Sack of KL.

- B. He looks NOTHING like the Hound.

- C. He looks like the exact image of how I would've imagined Strong Belwas.. or Goghor/Belaquo..

The Mountain, despite all his cruelties has still been described as Ser Clegane, and his wardrobe normally reflects that. This guy just looks like a Meereenese pitfighter to be quite honest.. Not a spat of Westerosi in his demeaner.

I would love to see a scene between The Mountain and Tywin next episode that further establishes their history. A discussion on Tywin's role during the Sack would be awesome.

Lets not, it would be the total destruction of believability on this show. You want the Mountain and Tywin to have a discussion? That said, this Mountain doesn't even look a day older then 28.. The sack was 17-19 years ago... HOW IS THIS BELIEVABLE TO ANYBODY!!?! THE MOUNTAIN WAS A SEASONED WARRIOR AND RAPED AND MURDERED ELIA WHEN HE LOOKS AS IF HE WAS 11??? BS. BS. BS. BS.

Only the set with the moondoor is torn down. They could film the other scenes in other rooms.

Wait what? There's still Eyrie scenes in season 4, but perhaps they shot those before tearing it down?

[boojam]

Well hell, if WIC is not going to do it I will.

Curtain Call for Kate Dickie.

She put the hammer down on Lysa Arryn , amazing performance.

I am surprise in the 4 seasons she was in only 5 episodes.

It's still a mystery what she filmed before season 3 that was not used.

Dickie is a highly regarded Scottish stage actress who has won two BAFTA's.

She has been in film, I was a bit flabbergasted to see her in Prometheus.

(Alas a big scale film , totally lackluster, full of great actors, directed by a guy who still has his sense of production value but has totally grown a TIN EAR for a story!)

Kate should have made the Red Carpet this year. (At least I did not see her.)

[Old Man River]

Jeez guys, normally you have such a hard, critical view on everything on the show, but you're really letting the Mountain's dramatic casting fail slide?

Now that we've seen it that scene was a pretty big let down for me. The big boy didn't really come through in the big scene as an actor or with the action. I guess that's still on the filmakers though.