Lady Blackfish

I gave this episode a 7, though I actually wish I had given episode 3 a lower mark than I believe I did at the time so that I could score this one a little lower too and still be consistent. I didn't dislike it much but I did feel it missed the boat in terms of building flow and drama within the episode unit. I liked individual elements but the whole was perhaps lacking compared to the potential, I would have liked it more if the dramatic end felt like it had more build up throughout the episode. Off the top of my head I feel like it would've benefited from cutting between the different arcs more, so that each arc could make some use of some convenient cuts and the different dramatic peaks could play off each other. Going in to the finale, GRRM's episode, #8 (The Pointy End) is still my favorite.

While I had individual issues, overall this episode was such an improvement over last week's that I'm too aglow to be able to enumerate them (which means a lot, coming from me). It's definitely the most I've viscerally enjoyed an episode of GoT so far. Jon and Sam were terrific and the added Jaime scene with Jory was a neat idea -- you can tell the show gets these characters, at least. Not brilliant yet, but solid and entertaining.

IMO this was the weakest of the three episodes so far, and I don't buy the idea being shilled around that people who didn't like it prefer action to character development. I love character development more than chocolate, and as for action, ASOS is my least favorite book of the series while I adore AFFC, flaws and all. It was just way too choppy. I agree with Sancho, there's a notable difference in quality between this show and something like Mad Men, at least if episode three is to be taken as an example. It's good, don't get me wrong, there are watchable actors and fun lines and nice scenery and of course a very interesting plot, but I think the show could achieve so much more if they just tried to apply more thematic cohesion to each episode unit. This show is fun and involving, but it has the potential to be much better than it is, given the source material. Another thing I agree with Sancho on: the dialog is so expository, and I think it's beginning to lose its justification. I think with a more artistic bent the show could be confident in communicating more with less. When I watch a show like Mad Men I delight in being able to observe things for myself, and I love that Matt Weiner gives me credit for the intelligence to figure things out. While watching this episode it struck me what a lack of subtlety there is, which diminishes my perception of richness. I thought a number of the actors were a bit awkward, Aiden Gillen and Michelle Fairley in particular. There were some changes I couldn't really discern the purpose behind, like Renly's seeming friendship with Ned, Joffrey's entire characterization in the episode, etc. I gave this episode a 6 and probably would've rated it lower if not for the fact that I really want to love this show with all my fanatical being, and that I enjoyed two scenes near the end a whole lot: Benjen, Yoren and Tyrion, and then Arya's training with Syrio Forel. All three episodes so far have had good endings, IMO, I just wish the rest of the episode didn't feel like "This happened and then this and then this" until it was time to end it.

Welcome, Katja!

Welcome, anuhealani :)

I decided not to weigh in on things that I have been absent too long to have a good pulse on. For me, it's nice, it's a convenient way of passing opinion on posts. It can be abused, obviously, but I would hope we'd be above that. That doesn't make it true that it won't be a problem though, but it's still only as big a deal as you let it be. Speaking only for myself, I don't have problems with it, even the idea of people voting down all my posts*. *Doing so passive aggressively would be annoying, but I'd deal I think.

Sounds awesome, thanks for checking in.

If they were 16 it would look kind of bad that their parents hadn't arranged something for them already (guys can marry later, yes, but he's the crown prince and there probably should have been arrangements if girls of an age and proper station were available). But I don't know if the TV audience will care much.

I think I'd go for a bit of improbability on that one then. I doubt Robert would be waxing rhapsodic over Lyanna's statue if it looked that rudimentary.