Season 5 Impressions

[FreeParking]

As someone who has seen all 4 episodes released thus far, all I can say is (even as a longtime fan of the books), I understand the shortcuts that are being taken, and moreso (much to my surprise), I actually am excited to see them unfold on screen. I was shocked by a couple of them, as I hadn't seen any previews for this season.

I am completely with Ran on the one glaring Chekov's gun that the season has shown this far, and my feelings on it mirror his.

I do understand that this show can't cast the books exactly as is; with that said, I am still rather sad that, at least for this season, it looks like an entire portion of Westeros has been sidelined; I am optimistic that it will be brought back to play maybe next season.

All things said, the production values are top notch, and the two stories I'm enjoying the most are Jon's at the Wall (much to my surprise again, as his chapters in ADWD were somewhat tedious for me to get through), and Dany's (again, much to my surprise). I truly think that condensing the (sometimes) rambling arcs that these two have slogged through is making for compelling TV.

Can you give your opinion on the Winterfell story thus far, obviously in the vaguest of terms?

[Ser Creighton]

As someone who has seen all 4 episodes released thus far, all I can say is (even as a longtime fan of the books), I understand the shortcuts that are being taken, and moreso (much to my surprise), I actually am excited to see them unfold on screen. I was shocked by a couple of them, as I hadn't seen any previews for this season.

I am completely with Ran on the one glaring Chekov's gun that the season has shown this far, and my feelings on it mirror his.

I do understand that this show can't cast the books exactly as is; with that said, I am still rather sad that, at least for this season, it looks like an entire portion of Westeros has been sidelined; I am optimistic that it will be brought back to play maybe next season.

All things said, the production values are top notch, and the two stories I'm enjoying the most are Jon's at the Wall (much to my surprise again, as his chapters in ADWD were somewhat tedious for me to get through), and Dany's (again, much to my surprise). I truly think that condensing the (sometimes) rambling arcs that these two have slogged through is making for compelling TV.

Just wondering, but is there some kind of club I can sign up for to see the episodes early as well? Is it a web sight? Like who do I have to ki... talk to about getting some episodes? Seriously though how did you get to see them and can other people do this for maybe like next season or something?

This is not right, I lived like a few blocks from this man when I was a baby (Ok more like 8 blocks, but it was the same street.), I probably inspired Dying of the light (Probably not). I want special treatment too, we are practically related, we lived in proximity to one another, the same little town of like only 7 million people, I am practically his Nephew by my Logic. He clearly named two Characters in the book after me because we are so close even though we have never met or spoken. HBO needs to stop ignoring Chicago, we have rights.

[Beric175]

Apprently Alfie Allen has said in an interview that halfway through the season Theon bears witness to something really awful and that people won't be happy about it...also Iwan Rheon has said that this year we'll get to see Ramsay do the worst thing the character has EVER done....you guys, are they gonna have Ramsay force someone having sex with one of his dogs? It's a thing he does in the books and I think it's in Ramsay's character from the books but I was happy enough to see the toned down version of Ramsay on the show....I'm not sure I'm ready for bookRamsay to rear his ugly head on the show.

[Ser Creighton]

Apprently Alfie Allen has said in an interview that halfway through the season Theon bears witness to something really awful and that people won't be happy about it...also Iwan Rheon has said that this year we'll get to see Ramsay do the worst thing the character has EVER done....you guys, are they gonna have Ramsay force someone having sex with one of his dogs? It's a thing he does in the books and I think it's in Ramsay's character from the books but I was happy enough to see the toned down version of Ramsay on the show....I'm not sure I'm ready for bookRamsay to rear his ugly head on the show.

Don't know, but I doubt they get amimals involved, it's still TV and even the suggestion of it is pushing issue. He may be really cruel to a specific character, but I will wait to see it. I would guess from Pawn to Player explodes in rage this year.

[Mya Stone]

Can you give your opinion on the Winterfell story thus far, obviously in the vaguest of terms?

In the vaguest of terms?

Hmm...I really like it. There's a specific line in it that I got the chills from, and it was when that line was spoken that I realized the potential for this story line to effect both main characters involves - they can both grow from this, instead of just the one who did in the books.

If that makes sense, bravo to you. :P

Just wondering, but is there some kind of club I can sign up for to see the episodes early as well? Is it a web sight? Like who do I have to ki... talk to about getting some episodes? Seriously though how did you get to see them and can other people do this for maybe like next season or something?

This is not right, I lived like a few blocks from this man when I was a baby (Ok more like 8 blocks, but it was the same street.), I probably inspired Dying of the light (Probably not). I want special treatment too, we are practically related, we lived in proximity to one another, the same little town of like only 7 million people, I am practically his Nephew by my Logic. He clearly named two Characters in the book after me because we are so close even though we have never met or spoken. HBO needs to stop ignoring Chicago, we have rights.

:rofl:

No...no there isn't. I'm sorry! ;)

[dsug]

As someone who has seen all 4 episodes released thus far, all I can say is (even as a longtime fan of the books), I understand the shortcuts that are being taken, and moreso (much to my surprise), I actually am excited to see them unfold on screen. I was shocked by a couple of them, as I hadn't seen any previews for this season.

I am completely with Ran on the one glaring Chekov's gun that the season has shown this far, and my feelings on it mirror his.

I do understand that this show can't cast the books exactly as is; with that said, I am still rather sad that, at least for this season, it looks like an entire portion of Westeros has been sidelined; I am optimistic that it will be brought back to play maybe next season.

All things said, the production values are top notch, and the two stories I'm enjoying the most are Jon's at the Wall (much to my surprise again, as his chapters in ADWD were somewhat tedious for me to get through), and Dany's (again, much to my surprise). I truly think that condensing the (sometimes) rambling arcs that these two have slogged through is making for compelling TV.

I'm sure you can't say much, but can you give me and tidbits about Cersei this season? Like, does she by any chance burn something down? wink wink

[FreeParking]

In the vaguest of terms?

Hmm...I really like it. There's a specific line in it that I got the chills from, and it was when that line was spoken that I realized the potential for this story line to effect both main characters involves - they can both grow from this, instead of just the one who did in the books.

If that makes sense, bravo to you. :P

That sounds great!

Also, thank you for being a mod over on Previously. I enjoy reading the Unsullied over there.

[Rex999]

The thing that gets me is that he is criticizing the show for making the sands snakes exactly like they are in the books

He can try to pretend that they were deeper characters in the books as much as he wants but they were still the same B-movie bad girls who he is now criticizing in the TV show

What he also forgot to mention was that the sands snakes were barley in the first 4 episodes of seasons 5

They were in quick introduction scene and they barley even spoke during it lol

[Mya Stone]

I'm sure you can't say much, but can you give me and tidbits about Cersei this season? Like, does she by any chance burn something down? wink wink

I really can't say much...but I can say that ShowCersei isn't nearly as insane as BookCersei.

[Christi84]

Apprently Alfie Allen has said in an interview that halfway through the season Theon bears witness to something really awful and that people won't be happy about it...also Iwan Rheon has said that this year we'll get to see Ramsay do the worst thing the character has EVER done....you guys, are they gonna have Ramsay force someone having sex with one of his dogs? It's a thing he does in the books and I think it's in Ramsay's character from the books but I was happy enough to see the toned down version of Ramsay on the show....I'm not sure I'm ready for bookRamsay to rear his ugly head on the show.

I would assume if Sansa is taking place of Farya then her being assaulted in a similar fashion as Farya was in the books makes sense, especially if he knows Alayne is Sansa and bears witness to Ramsay hurting her and does nothing about it.

Id like to think that moving Sansa to Winterfell has got to mean her getting retribution for her brother at the very least, possibly killing Roose and becoming Lady of Winterfell?

[PatrickStormborn]

The thing that gets me is that he is criticizing the show for making the sands snakes exactly like they are in the books

He can try to pretend that they were deeper characters in the books as much as he wants but they were still the same B-movie bad girls who he is now criticizing in the TV show

What he also forgot to mention was that the sands snakes were barley in the first 4 episodes of seasons 5

They were in quick introduction scene and they barley even spoke during it lol

The thing that gets me is that he is criticizing the show for making the sands snakes exactly like they are in the books

He can try to pretend that they were deeper characters in the books as much as he wants but they were still the same B-movie bad girls who he is now criticizing in the TV show

What he also forgot to mention was that the sands snakes were barley in the first 4 episodes of seasons 5

They were in quick introduction scene and they barley even spoke during it lol

In all fairness, it is worth criticising them considering that they were included instead of the more fleshed-out Arianne.

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

One thing that interested me about the post was the "historical references" in episode 4, my first though was that it would be about the Blackfyres, and possibly relate to the eventual inclusion of Aegon and the confirmation that he is a Blackfyre. However someone else has pointed out Tysha, though that has been referenced before. Other than these 2 I really can't think what historical event would be brought up thrice in one episode.

[Ran]

Rex999,

Each of the Sand Snakes in the novel has a distinctly different demeanor -- one is a warrior, one is a femme fatale, one is a poisoner, and they each approach problems differently. They also don't wear uniforms.

The Sand Snakes in the first four episodes get, with one exception, a line or two and that's it. And, more importantly, they are followers: they do someone else's bidding, they are someone's cronies/minions, rather than each of them being presented as pro-active persons, persons who have a desire and who each has a distinctly different way of achieving that desire.

That's distinctly different, and it takes characters we've barely met but at least have a sense of in the novels into (almost) completely faceless characters who seem to be there to be Fox Force Five.

[Konradsmith]

^They have only one scene in the first four eps. from what I've gathered. I imagine their characterization will evolve from that point because Jessica Henwick has said that their demeanors are as different from one another as you describe above.

[Roose is Azor Ahai]

Apprently Alfie Allen has said in an interview that halfway through the season Theon bears witness to something really awful and that people won't be happy about it...also Iwan Rheon has said that this year we'll get to see Ramsay do the worst thing the character has EVER done....you guys, are they gonna have Ramsay force someone having sex with one of his dogs? It's a thing he does in the books and I think it's in Ramsay's character from the books but I was happy enough to see the toned down version of Ramsay on the show....I'm not sure I'm ready for bookRamsay to rear his ugly head on the show.

What if that person is Sansa? :ack:

I think he is talking about the wedding night. I seriously hope they don't have anyone having sex with dogs.

Where does he do that in ADwD, btw? I remember it being said, but don't know the passage.

[FreeParking]

What if that person is Sansa? :ack:

I think he is talking about the wedding night. I seriously hope they don't have anyone having sex with dogs.

Where does he do that in ADwD, btw? I remember it being said, but don't know the passage.

When Theon is trying to save Jeyne and she says that she would do anything with Ramsay or...the dog. Something like that. Anyways, nobody is having sex with dogs in the show. I wouldn't be surprised if it is the wedding night.

[ToTheWolves]

One thing that interested me about the post was the "historical references" in episode 4, my first though was that it would be about the Blackfyres, and possibly relate to the eventual inclusion of Aegon and the confirmation that he is a Blackfyre. However someone else has pointed out Tysha, though that has been referenced before. Other than these 2 I really can't think what historical event would be brought up thrice in one episode.

I was thinking rhaegar.

[Beric175]

I mean this might be where LF's power shows its limits: you can be as smart as you want but that won't save anyone if someone like Ramsay wants to hurt them in his own castle. Brute strength has always been the club to beat the scrawny inteligent kid and LF's scar can attest to that so if he sends Sansa to Winterfell it is likely because on the show Harry the Heir does not exist and so the only real powerful people in the North are the Boltons so LF trying to make a power move there on the show seems likely but he does not know Roose and certainly not Ramsy because the latter is not notorious like he was in the books where he was well-known throughout the North for his hideous deeds. On the show both Roose and Ramsay have been able to fly under the radar and LF has never interacted with Roose before: I think this is the early indication of where LF's schemes have their limits. LF might send Sansa there to try and avenge her dead family but that could also backfire horribly. But again, this seems consistent with the LF we've seen on the show before: a guy who risks everything in the most dire circumstances, no matter who gets hurt in the process. I think it's also interesting that he said 'I don't want friends like me' and so might this machination be just an elaborate idea to hurt Sansa because he noticed that she started scheming and emulating him?

Anything LF can provide Roose and Ramsay can already get on their own so this is someone attempting to run through a brick wall thinking it's made of paper and it is in character for LF to overestimate his plans and his own intelligence. He has no bargaining chip for this but on the other hand, this is the show's universe because Harry the Heir has been exchanged for Ramsay and it might well be that her WOW plotline is similar to what they do on the show, we don't know. Roose and Ramsay just seem like some real forces of nature and so this might be the time where LF gets burned in his plotting. If Sansa gets hurt in the process that's as much on him as it is on Ramsay and Roose on the show so that is maybe also the wake-up moment for Sansa where she realises that she has to get away from these 3 creeps and that is also likely where Theon and her escape and try to go to the Wall.

It might also be a nice opportunity for the show to portray Sansa as a successful manipulator as opposed to Cersei and Dany who are messing up their own situations royally (heh, puns).

[Le Cygne]

Thank you for this, Elio. There's no way I can watch this, the first time was bad enough:

I can’t say, but it’s been a common complaint of fans of the lore and history of the setting that they have largely left some very important parts of it out of the picture and so they won’t be surprised to see that they have put themselves in a corner. Better late than never, perhaps, as the old maxim says… but it does lead to its being expressed unsubtly, and also to some somewhat shaky approaches to divulging it. In particular, the key sequence in the three historical discussions comes at an important place, one seen before and providing some important visual touchstones… but the person revealing the history is not particularly connected to it, not someone for whom there’s any sense that the events of the past weight on him. No surprise, though, that this character ended up the bearer of unrelated exposition, however, as (infamously) this is not the first time he’s been the designated bearer of tidings from the recent past.

[Jamie Lannister]

Ramsay Bolton, now his father's official heir, is still making his point by flaying his enemies. So it's a relief to hear his father, Roose, the Warden of the North, tell him to dial it back.

"The best way to forge a lasting alliance isn't by peeling a man's skin off. The best way is by marriage." Fatherly advice for the ages.

My source is the Knoxville News Sentinel. An article entitled by Sara Smith entitled " Games of Thrones' Throws Books Out the Window". I AM NOT A HAPPY FAN!

"

Oh god, please let the "don't make me rue the day" line make it in. They can't pass up dialogue like that.