mrlukeduke

Ha! :cool4:

For me this was one of, if not the best, episodes of the last few seasons. Not quite on par with season 1 YET, but they're bringing it back. They slowed everything right down, no cheesy scenes. Some odd choices yes, but on the whole, stunning character-based performances all-round. I really want to know what the 'beatles' conversation meant! Really cryptic.

Oh! Forgot to add: while I don't like any of the build-up scenes with the Reeds (annoying, inexplicable characters IMO), the whole weirwood green dream sequence was truly amazing. Kinda blew me away actually, almost spot on as far as what I had imagined from reading all the books. It was a bit like Frodo's ring-visions. I watched it back and there are tons of little clues, whispers, book references and so on. I also like how they hinted that Bran might be the "promised prince" (where book readers know where that whole thing is going...). But sorry, I don't like the Reeds' given dialogue, it's too corny, i.e. any of the scenes where Bran is "awake" with them. It all seems rushed and over-staged with obviously "derp derp" lines. When he's a dire wolf or in vision states it's cool. Also he was great with Rickon, but something about his new adventure seems a bit hammy.

Didn't like most of it. Hammy acting, lines and sequences felt rushed. I have no idea what's going on with Ramsay's new sidekick. Feminist lobby maybe?! Also, Theon does NOT look like a traumatised mind-raped torture victim, he looks like a good-looking guy in makeup who's "a bit scared". Didn't get the dinner scene with Mel/Stannis/Selyse either. (Had to chuckle at Stannis' line, when he said not to strike his daughter, but he's just come back from burning people alive!) Having said that, all the Lannisters were superb. Oberyn does very well with the crap scenes he gets (episode 1, in a brothel, wth?!). The costume and set design is just... unparalleled. Beautifully done. The final scene I enjoyed, although they really drew it out in an obvious way. Actor that plays Stannis is brilliant, again given the crap scenes he gets. Basically my main criticisms of the show as a whole have all come down to one or two things: it feels rushed and/or not subtle enough, i.e. they're trying to appeal to too large an audience but at the expenses of integrity (but look at a show like Deadwood or Breaking Bad, they were successful but kept their consistency, characters, plot depth and overall integrity in tact).

All the Dani stuff was horrible, just horrible through and through. The rest was ok, a few bizarre changes as usual. The RW was brutal though! I give it 6.

Assuming this is the case, what do you think Cat would demand (from Cersei/Tyrion) for Jaime's safe return?

Liked: — The change from the books re: Melisandre. I thought it was a cunning way to sneak in more info about and reinforce the workings of R'hllor, and the Red God's connection with and significance to Beric and Thoros. Also makes Mel more politically active. Grass roots movement baby yeah! — The change to Gendry's story. I didn't like the scene with Selyse and her "foetus jars" in the previous episode, but it makes sense they'd use Gendry now to simplify things for the viewership. Also, it gives Stannis a nice background context to his cold/hard nature. He lost all his children "to the gods" except the strange and facially scarred Shireen, and since clearly they're skipping out Patchface they can make Shireen more creepy, while using her to educate Davos instead of his sons (also all dead). — No Podrick and his "talents". — No more whatsherfacewhocarestheonethatJoffkills. — The "chaos" scene with Littlefinger. Scary shit. Thrives in chaos; nice book nod. Nicely edited sequence. — Ramsey and Theon. So, so good. Had to hide behind a pillow for THAT scene I knew was coming... — Beric looked more scarred and generally messed up as per booky wooky. Disliked: — That they used Tyrion to speak to Sansa rather than Cersei's cruel surprise in the books. — Mel meeting Arya. I totally get WHY they did it. Simplification, too good a chance to pass up. But still... it's like everyone's meeting everyone. Again, maybe I'm too harsh. I did like the subtle many-faced-god reference I suppose. — The Wall scenes. Why can't they have some non-important extras walking/climbing about in the distance. THey did the whole perfectly predictable Star Trek thing, where the non-introduced new guys in the yellow shirts die... 8/10 coming from a book "purist". Great episode. Great show.

I think it's also connected to events at Hardhome.

http://iceandfire.wikia.com/wiki/Small_council Just think they could have added maybe one line for Randyll Tarly as Master of Laws. Maybe someone as Master of Ships talking about Stannis/Aurane etc etc. Just my thought and opinions is all! Not bitching. I still enjoyed the episode!

Not what I said. Of course it's a small council. Still too small though, and musical chairs could have been replaced by better dialogue IMO. And I'm talking about generally anyway, at King's Landing. It feels empty, sparse, not like the Kingdom's at war internally and externally.

Excellent points. All stuff I recall thinking about when watching but never took such consideration over. You're right, although I feel more or less strongly about certain scenes for different reasons. Plot holes are crucial to plug. It's not that they can't fit things in. They have the time, but they're using it in inexplicable ways. IMO they're trying to broaden viewership and losing a bit of artistic integrity. Which is fine, but not what turns me on, personally.

The good: — The woman who plays Catelyn is sensational. The scene where she cries in front of the Blackfish was so heartfelt; what a talented actor. Although they forgot to edit the tears back in on the cut to the close-up! :) — Blackfish, Blackfish, Blackfish. — The changes made to Theon/Ramsey etc. Perhaps the biggest departure from the books yet but I thought it was ok actually, no biggie. Sped things along a LOT! Understandably they can only have so much violence in one show. And months and months of perpetual medieval torture doesn't make for great TV... — Daenerys scenes in Astapor. For once she acted fine for a whole show! Just one or two corny lines, which I'll forgive her for. She looked incredible and lost a bit of her self-entitlement and became strong and more dragonlike. — The reference to the Meereneese knot. CHEEKY! — Most of the Jaime/Brienne scenes; if much more toned down in cruelty and suffering compared to the books (expected) until... — Jaime's hand getting cut off. Holy, holy crap. For a while didn't think they'd do it. They did, oh boy did they. It looked so realistic and I felt sick watching his arm slide away and hearing his cry of agony. But it captured the book perfectly. It's such a critical scene. Even though they used Bolton men (a bit wtf, but they have to simplify everything so it's fair enough). — The guy who plays Kraznys, the slave master. He's an utterly superb asshat. — Riverrun. The funeral scene. Robb Stark's actor, as usual, being amazing. The meh: — Corny watered-down dialogue between Selmy and Jorah, for the viewer's benefit. — Missandei aka the translator who cannot act, aka Inexplicably Posh Robotic Slave Girl, who now tragically works for Dani. — Jon/Mance etc. Boring. Corny. The ugly: — The council meeting. Er... where are the Kingsguard? Where is, oh I don't know... EVERYONE?!! King's Landing is apparently empty and 5 or 6 people rule the entire Kingdom with all its logistics. I'm not saying give them all lines. Just show a few more important people here and there, in the background, nodding or talking privately. Throw in a grumpy lordling or two. A serving wench, a knight, a captain, a page, a scribe... someone, anyone! It's the capital city for goodness sakes. No time for musical chairs. Stupid. — The Podrick getting laid scene. Funny yes. Pointless otherwise yes. — Stannis acting completely out of character from BOTH previous scenes AND the books. I think they're over-playing the "he's getting weaker, Mel's sapping him of life/dignity" card. Dunno, just did not work IMO. (Mel's sexy though). — That stupid bloody song in the end credits. What. The. Hell. Think that's all. Overall, I liked it. 8/10.

Oh oh and Lady Olenna the Queen of Thorns. She was perfect. Wish they'd kept in the Butterbumps scene while meeting with Sansa, but hey, no biggie. Liked the way they had Marg use Joff's cruelty as a tactic to have him "aroused" and trusting her.

Great episode IMO. Things I liked: – Changes made from the books seemed more acceptable to me than the previous episode. – Timing and pacing was great; no rushed scenes like I thought there were in Ep1. – The Hound, superb. Liked the way they recut the whole BwB scene overall. – Didn't mind the Theon/Ramsey changes despite that being my biggest concern. Torture scene was disturbing/tense. – Surprisingly, I liked the Jon Snow references by Catelyn. Thought it fit well, i.e. she even misses HIM because she's devoid of any comfort any more. – Thoros! – Orell too; the bit with his creepy whited-out eyes while warging the eagle, was a lovely subtle addition IMO. – Pretty much everything tbh. Things I disliked: – Completely unavoidable of course, no one's fault, but Bran seemed to have aged too suddenly and grown a deeper voice! :) – Jojen was too well spoken for a Stinky Bog Dude. – That it was only an hour long.