(Book Spoilers) Positive Nitpicking thread...

[PatrickStormborn]

I agree with this. Seeing all of the interaction between characters who have never been in the same geographical area before now was extremely interesting. In fact, for the first time ever, the KL sequences were my least favorite, although I imagine that will change as the season goes on.

Definitely. My biggest problem with the show (from basically 3x06-4x10) was that the material was just stretched too thin across too many episodes, and it meant the characters stayed flat most of the time. That doesn't appear to be as much of a problem this season, and I'm enjoying it so much more.

But King's Landing is definitely suffering for now, you're right. I don't think that'll last long though considering we know how fast they're moving through Cersei's material.

[Mark Antony]

Ciaran Hinds, best part of the episode for me.

Young Cersei was really good as well

[MarieAntoinette]

This episode made me appreciate Ciaran Hinds as Mance. I've been sceptical of Show Mance in the past, but now I'm kind of sad that he is most likely gone.

[Janicia]

I really liked the Lancel / Cersei conversation. Cersei was bemused when Lancel apologized for seducing her, but she reacted much more seriously to Lancel's apology for his part in Robert's death. It seemed like Cersei had forgotten that Robert's death could still come back to bite her and was not at all happy to be reminded of how much Lancel knew.

Which I guess was a bit of a theme in the episode. Unimportant people know too much. Pod picked up quite a bit in KL, LF and Sansa worry about the people around them, Varys insisted on keeping Tyrion in the box for the whole journey, White Rat's prostitute betrayed him, Margery worries that too many people know too much about Loras, and we were seeing a bunch of unimportant people's minds working in those reaction shots to Mance's burning.

I think it is also interesting that they're shifting Sam's motivation for influencing the election. He's going to do it for Gilly rather than for the greater good or for Jon. Gilly and Sam aren't important people, but they have as good a feel for what's going on at the Wall as anybody else and they know what buttons to push.

[GeeMan]

"Are you a virgin?"
"No".

"Good".

And Tormund showing affection during Mance's burning!

[Littlefingers In The Air]

Seeing Kevan Lannister was great.

Tyrion and Varys are always great together.

Anytthing with Davos/Jon/Stannis is something I'll get behind.

Mance Rayder being a badass until the end.

[protar]

Ciaran Hinds certainly gave the best performance of the episode. It's going to be sad if he's fully dead in the show, but at least he got to go out with a bang.

[First of My Name]

Everything at the Wall, particularly Mance. I like him much more than I did before, better late than never.

Young Cersei was excellent.

[protar]

It does make me sad that he got so little time to shine. I think he's literally had like 15 minutes of screen time.

[Tolsimir]

More than anything I've liked some of the actors' performances. Dinklage was amazing and so were Dillane and Harrington.

[Just Maid]

For all of those who want to discuss what they liked about the show without repercussions.

My personal favorite moments are:

1. Tyrion's stubborn drunkeness

2. Jon shooting Mance

3. Dany meeting the dragons (they are out of control)

Yours?

First, I would like to thank you for opening this thread. People tend to focus on the things they don't like but they miss what good things the show does.

- I really like how they focus on the dialogue scenes to make the plot advance. Favourite scenes: Lancel/Cersei, Jon/Mance, Dany/Daario, Jon/Stannis, Tyrion/ Varys.

- Cersei and Jon's scenes, I think it's safe to say that this will their season. It's their time to shine. :cool4:

- Young Cersei was perfect.

- Ciaran Hinds performance was perfection, his facial expressions when he found out he was going to be burn alive or when he saw the stake. Wonderful actor.

[Hos the Hostage]

Young Cersei was brilliant. Exactly what you expect from the girl who grew to birth a monster like Joffrey. I want more flashbacks with her, and Tywin too if possible! Is it too much to hope for one more scene with the valonqar bit? After all, it was a recurring dream in book 4 for Cersei.

[Hos the Hostage]

I think it is also interesting that they're shifting Sam's motivation for influencing the election. He's going to do it for Gilly rather than for the greater good or for Jon. Gilly and Sam aren't important people, but they have as good a feel for what's going on at the Wall as anybody else and they know what buttons to push.

Jon's sympathy towards the wildlings is for the greater good. Gilly represents what Alliser Thorne and co hate so much and would love to see the end of, but what they want is not what's good for the wall. So even if Sam is helping Gilly, he is helping the Wall's greater purpose(defeat the Others).

[HexMachina]

She said Viserion and Rhaegal's names! :D :p

[Janicia]

Jon's sympathy towards the wildlings is for the greater good. Gilly represents what Alliser Thorne and co hate so much and would love to see the end of, but what they want is not what's good for the wall. So even if Sam is helping Gilly, he is helping the Wall's greater purpose(defeat the Others).

I think the difference is that in the show, Sam is thinking "I have to make sure that Thorne doesn't become the next LC, because he'd send Gilly away. Maybe I can swing the vote to Jon. Jon would be a better LC than Thorne anyway." In both cases, Sam believes that Jon in charge is for the greater good, but Sam's primary / starting motivation in the show is about Gilly.

[Ser Arthur Hightower]

Sorry about the disjointedness of this comment, I am just pouring out thoughts as they come to me.

Please no; the show might actually make me like Daario somewhat, at least show Daario has a backstory and personality besides being a killer.

Also Emilia really did fairly well this episode. She certainly isn't the best actress but she's not terrible, thinking about her worst scenes I can't think of any way that they could be delivered convincingly. The show writers have really fucked up writing Dany on several occasions, particularly seasons 2 and 4.

Tyrion was amusing enough.

Loras/Margaery scene was okay, but I'm picturing the possible consequences of the Sparrows and Loras' homosexuality so clearly it isn't even funny.

Good to see Kevan and Lancel after so many seasons, gives me hope that the show will finnish the storylines of Edmure, Brynden and Balon properly, though Illyrio (despite one mention by Varys) seems to have been forgotten completely. Ian Gelder (Kevan) really seems to have aged since season 2 though.

Stannis' scenes were okay, but I think they are being overrated a fair bit here, according to Ran he has a great scene in episode 3 or 4, so I will look forward to that.

I'm split on whether I like the Harpies in the show or not. White Rat's death was brutal enough, but I still feel it would have been better if he resisted like in the books. I like the masks from an aesthetic point of view, but I'm not buying it, fiction is just obsessed with secretive groups that wear fucking uniforms, why do they have to play into this dumb trope? I also like the implications of Mereen maybe turning into a police state in this season.

Underwhelmed by Sansa and Littlefinger, but not expecting to enjoy what they are doing there this season anyway.

Denys Mallister's actor dying might actually be convenient for the plot (though obviously the actor didn't have to die for the character to die), they can simply say he caught a chill and died offscreen, and Jon can be championed as the replacement candidate, thus coming to command in a far more believable manner than in the books. Though it works much better anyway, since he is ~21, not 16, and has been at the Wall ~4 years.

Bit sad we got nothing of the Boltons.

[DarkRose_9]

Young Cersei was very good. And Lancel as a sparrow.

[Lion_Eyes]

Like others have said it good to have a thread focussing on the positivity :cool4:

• Nell Williams absolutely nailed it as Young Cersei. I am not normally a fan of flashbacks but she perfected older Cersei's mannerisms and attitude (there will defiantly be another flashback I reckon/Maggy distinctly said 3 questions and Cersei only asked 2
  
• As always I loved Cersei acting snarky to everyone and generally bitchy. She excels at that combination of mean and smug :smug: and her looking down at everyone is nice foreshadowing
  
• Dany's dragons have names!
  
• Jon's storyline is already so much more interesting with Stannis & Co present
  
• It was nice to have Stannis actually speaking instead of Davos being his mouthpiece
  
• The Unsullied scene in the brothel was oddly sweet - poor soul all he wanted was a hug
  
• Liked that Dany was alllowed to be vulnerable - it makes her so much more likeable than the stoic breaker of chains thing. I found Daario's story interesting as well - can't remember if it was in the books or not?
  
• Brienne/Pod I find it very sweet how loyal Pod is and hope that Brienne doesn't stay jaded for too long
  
• This was the only episode I found myself caring about Mance - too little too late I guess :dunno:
  
• Sam/Gilly were sweet (as always) and I am glad Shireen didn't want to watch the burning - hope she is kept safe
  
• Like that they had Royce from last Season and the re introduction of Kevan and Lancel (though I miss his Season 1 hat :dunce: )
  
• Lancel/Cersei conversation :lol:
  

Only a few minor issues - thought Peter was kinda overacting in the scene he came out of the crate - all his actions were so forceful and I find his lines sometimes like he is reciting them (I think it might just be an accent thing) although he was fine in the 2nd scene. No idea what Varys motives are? I kinda miss him being a bit dodgy! And Sansa/LF was a bit meh - I hope Theon doesn't become a background character in his own story. Not sure about the Loras scene though I am glad he is getting a chance to do something.

[ToTheWolves]

I enjoyed the subtle nod or foreshadowing(whichever you prefer) towards jon becoming lord commander, when stannis or Davos tells jon something like "we've talk to your brothers they seem to love you" not the exact quote but still...

[lostinwesteros]

Agree with pretty much all that's been said. Also liked the Cersei/Margaery tidbits and I thought Cersei's acerbic exchange with Lancel was a scream. Glad to see that Tyrion has kept his sense of humor, though it's much darker now - and why wouldn't it be?