This week's Sand Snake scene was brought to you by the most beautiful woman in the world (or else) [book spoilers]

[Gustavo Fringed Sleeves]

So true. I've seen far too many comments like "Sand Snakes officially redeemed in one scene!"

Also, welcome to the forum!

Thanks, dear host!

Luckily, there is hope for humanity. I remember I told a friend that he should watch 2 Broke Girls for THIS TWO REASONS and he told me "We men are simple, but I'm not that simple".

Men will watch a movie or an individual series episode for one actress' boobs, but to follow a series? Too big a commitment. Shows like Entourage, Californication, True Blood and GoT are a different case (they supply a steady set of different boobs, plus a few other things that hook the male demo).

[Valyria Steele]

Who doesn't enjoy a little deadly poison in their flirtation?

As an American, I enjoyed the nudity & the poisonous seduction. I don't think it was so awful. This is an adaptation which is why I don't take things so literal. In other adaptation series like Dexter & True Blood, there were changes made that were different from the books. I expect there will be changes with Game of Thrones as well. (Not all Americans are so uptight about nudity).

[ummester]

Men will watch a movie or an individual series episode for one actress' boobs, but to follow a series? Too big a commitment. Shows like Entourage, Californication, True Blood and GoT are a different case (they supply a steady set of different boobs, plus a few other things that hook the male demo).

Speak for yourself, the day I pay $15 just to see some knockers on a big screen, is the day I know I've sold my soul to Hollywood - paying to go to a strip bar, on the other hand :)

[Gustavo Fringed Sleeves]

Speak for yourself, the day I pay $15 just to see some knockers on a big screen, is the day I know I've sold my soul to Hollywood - paying to go to a strip bar, on the other hand :)

#NotAllMen

Strip clubs frankly are only good if you enjoy the dancing, and to share a few beers with buddies. Going there with (open minded) female friends is also awesome.

[Primalsplit]

#AllMenMustSeeBoobs

Sorry. I'll be going now.

[DemiNymph]

Aren't there enough free boobs on the internet for people to see? What's so enticing about it being in a show? It's never enough for men.

[teemo]

As an American, I enjoyed the nudity & the poisonous seduction. I don't think it was so awful. This is an adaptation which is why I don't take things so literal. In other adaptation series like Dexter & True Blood, there were changes made that were different from the books. I expect there will be changes with Game of Thrones as well.

Those aren't great examples...both of those shows are terrible.

[nastydream]

LOL nobody said men watch game of thrones for boobs

people just say it as a joke

[voodooqueen126]

That was a ridiculous scene: a woman throws away a rare and valuable poison just to fish for a compliment.

If you were using a poison in battle it would need to fast acting.

[Sardorim]

So what did y'all think of the Teenage Ninja Snakes this time around?

On the upside, the sexposition brought fond memories of past seasons, where sex was used to monologue and not to traumatize the viewer.

But what on earth was the point of Bronn's cut? And why did Tyene flash her boobs? Of all the gratuitous nudity we've had on the series, this takes the absolute cake.

And Tyene came off so petty/childish with the whole "was the most beautiful woman in the world, who?" shtick. It's like "women, amirite? Always concerned about their looks"

I don't know, man, not a fan. I mean, the actress has nice boobs, sure, but even Bronn was like, "Oh, you Dornish girls, you so horny!"

Bronn was cut because Tyene intended for him to die. After all, she only knew he was an enemy when they fought. Later she changed her mind when he proved interesting and possibly a useful tool for later.

Tyene flashed her boobs and her lower region to get Bronn aroused and his blood pumping thus speeding up the poison. So no, it doesn't take the cake as it had a clear purpose - Tyene wanted to humble and manipulate Bronn.

Tyene is her father's daughter, that guy had a huge ego. Besides, this is part of her manipulating Bronn so that he actually believes it thus wrapping him around her finger. It was also ingrains into Bronn's head that he could have died if Tyene hadn't given him the antidote and clearly Bronn is interested in Tyene now. Thus he'll be much easier to manipulate for later, she doesn't even need to bed him now to get what she wants from him.

If Tyene was horny than she would have offered to bed him, instead she only seduced him after his comment because Bronn wasn't feeling the effects of the poison yet. After he drank the antidote she covered up again with no offer of giving him a "favor" for his trouble.

-

I'm actually quite surprised that anyone couldn't figure this all out right away, it was quite obvious. Especially with how often Tyene kept asking about his arm than his head and considering which characters were cut.

[DigitalCount]

Yeah, this was actually far and away one of the most justifiable instances of nudity in the entire show. I feel dumber for having read this thread. Considering that they took great pains to have her ask "how's your arm? how's your head?" every two seconds, it seems bizarre that this is being called out.

And earlier in the thread someone pointed out rather astutely that any other ultimately pointless scene wouldn't have had to justify itself so fervently, but because it involves nudity it's a big deal, leading me to believe that there's actually no way to do female nudity on this show anymore. As soon as the top comes off, people complain, even when it has a story purpose, and even when the exclusion of such is unrealistic. People complained to high heaven when Loras' crotch was hidden by candlesticks, his thigh, etc., but thus far I have seen not a single post commenting on the realism of Dany huddled under the covers while she was alone with the guy who's just had sex with her.

There was also a laughable implication that a guy going full frontal (as in genitalia) is somehow equivalent to a woman showing breasts, which, no. The tiers of nudity are primary sex characteristics (genitalia), then secondary sex characteristics (breasts and buttocks), then everything else. And of course, the issue that governs is each individual contract. This is why randoms will have nudity more often than named characters, because the named characters usually have more clout in determining how much nudity they'll do. Hence, Emilia's insistence that she will do no more nude scenes gets upheld, because she's the main character/villain.

And accusations on how I must want to see nudity in 3, 2...

[dndmn422]

Yeah, this was actually far and away one of the most justifiable instances of nudity in the entire show. I feel dumber for having read this thread. Considering that they took great pains to have her ask "how's your arm? how's your head?" every two seconds, it seems bizarre that this is being called out.

And earlier in the thread someone pointed out rather astutely that any other ultimately pointless scene wouldn't have had to justify itself so fervently, but because it involves nudity it's a big deal, leading me to believe that there's actually no way to do female nudity on this show anymore. As soon as the top comes off, people complain, even when it has a story purpose, and even when the exclusion of such is unrealistic. People complained to high heaven when Loras' crotch was hidden by candlesticks, his thigh, etc., but thus far I have seen not a single post commenting on the realism of Dany huddled under the covers while she was alone with the guy who's just had sex with her.

There was also a laughable implication that a guy going full frontal (as in genitalia) is somehow equivalent to a woman showing breasts, which, no. The tiers of nudity are primary sex characteristics (genitalia), then secondary sex characteristics (breasts and buttocks), then everything else. And of course, the issue that governs is each individual contract. This is why randoms will have nudity more often than named characters, because the named characters usually have more clout in determining how much nudity they'll do. Hence, Emilia's insistence that she will do no more nude scenes gets upheld, because she's the main character/villain.

And accusations on how I must want to see nudity in 3, 2...

100% agreed, thank you for putting it perfectly.

I don't understand why people get so up in arms about nudity. This is the 21st century people not 1600's puritanical society. We have billboards and commercials with half naked people flashed in front of us constantly, 20 seconds of toplessness is that big of a deal?

Again I say the scene served a purpose to show non-readers that the sand snakes are dangerous and should be taken seriously, they're not just a bunch of whiny girls.

[protar]

Yeah, this was actually far and away one of the most justifiable instances of nudity in the entire show. I feel dumber for having read this thread. Considering that they took great pains to have her ask "how's your arm? how's your head?" every two seconds, it seems bizarre that this is being called out.

What does that have anything to do with anything? The scene had a purpose because it cured Bronn from poisoning? But...the only reason Bronn was poisoned is to facilitate this scene. Like that is some seriously circular reasoning there. I feel dumber have just read that.

Now maybe - quite likely even - Bronn is going to be seduced by Tyene. But if that happens this scene has diddly squat to do with that. Why would Bronn be suddenly enamoured with the girl who poisoned him? Because she has a nice rack? This is Bronn for god's sake, not Tommen. If there is a seduction subplot I guarantee that you could cut this scene out and it won't make any difference to said plot.

[protar]

100% agreed, thank you for putting it perfectly.

I don't understand why people get so up in arms about nudity. This is the 21st century people not 1600's puritanical society. We have billboards and commercials with half naked people flashed in front of us constantly, 20 seconds of toplessness is that big of a deal?

Again I say the scene served a purpose to show non-readers that the sand snakes are dangerous and should be taken seriously, they're not just a bunch of whiny girls.

No one is complaining about the mere existence of nudity. How many times does that have to be pointed out before people stop attacking that strawman? You seriously think if I had a problem with nudity that ASOIAF would have been my favourite series of books for the past 7 years? The complaint is that this was a scene taking up perhaps 3-5 minutes in a show which is notoriously pressed for time. And yet it serves little - if any - point.

I certainly don't see how this establishes the Sandsnakes as being anything other than a bunch of whiny girls. All this scene tells me is that Tyene is so petty and insecure that she'll apparently poison people to get them to call her pretty. What a great female character.

[robasp2]

No one is complaining about the mere existence of nudity. How many times does that have to be pointed out before people stop attacking that strawman? You seriously think if I had a problem with nudity that ASOIAF would have been my favourite series of books for the past 7 years? The complaint is that this was a scene taking up perhaps 3-5 minutes in a show which is notoriously pressed for time. And yet it serves little - if any - point.

I certainly don't see how this establishes the Sandsnakes as being anything other than a bunch of whiny girls. All this scene tells me is that Tyene is so petty and insecure that she'll apparently poison people to get them to call her pretty. What a great female character.

Oh cool down will you?

The season is not over yet and here you are assuming the scene is useless.

What if the antidote needs to be consumed again?

What if he joins Tyene cause? Hes a sellsword, he'll do what he feels like. Its not like he is a Jamie loyalist.

What if they have merged Bronn character with another?

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Oh, darlings. My darlings... do you think we have a problem with nudity? There is nothing wrong with nudity. People shouldn't be shamed for like it nor ashamed to show some skin.

Which is not the same as exploitation.

When you see that scantly clad girls are used (because they ARE used) by advertising to sell the most innocuous things, that is exploitation. It does sent a terrible message. Not that "sex sells" but that "women can be objectified" in order to sell.

Game of Thrones has a plot, and a story. Yes, we know Martin's world is not stranger to sex and sexual situations, and that's part of the main attractive of the show. But we're talking here about twitching the situations so a plot would orbit around nudity. If you want to make one and millions excuses in order to show sex, to the point that the plot HAS to adapt to the nude scene, then I think the genre of porn would be more suitable for your needs.

The line between what is empowering for women is very subtle nowadays. Telling a women, specially a young aspiring actress that is ok for her to show her body is not the same as telling her "look, if you want to be part of this, you HAVE to take off your clothes". Tyene actress have been terrible portrayed in this adaptation, and her plot is dumb and bland. The acting has also been quite mediocre. And now she show her breasts, everything is ok. "We forgive her!". With that in mind, then why a young woman should even bother on taking acting classes if all she needs to do is to walk around naked to get roles, lines and appreciation of the audience?

HBO seems to believe that because they cast pretty actress that's enough justification for showing them naked and that's all they need. Hence, why the very probable rumour of they killing Esmee's character as soon as she asked them to drop a bit the nudity and give her some lines or a different work to do.

[Denam_Pavel]

No one is complaining about the mere existence of nudity. How many times does that have to be pointed out before people stop attacking that strawman? You seriously think if I had a problem with nudity that ASOIAF would have been my favourite series of books for the past 7 years? The complaint is that this was a scene taking up perhaps 3-5 minutes in a show which is notoriously pressed for time. And yet it serves little - if any - point.

I certainly don't see how this establishes the Sandsnakes as being anything other than a bunch of whiny girls. All this scene tells me is that Tyene is so petty and insecure that she'll apparently poison people to get them to call her pretty. What a great female character.

You're the guy that claims this was THE most gratuitous in a series with dozens of meaningless brothel scenes and other displays of nudity. And yeah, it took up some time, something no other scene with the Sand Snakes was allowed to do until now. And she didn't poison her blade to get random people too call her pretty. She poisoned it to fight the Kingslayer. She didn't ask to get put in a cell adjecent with the random nobody that happened put himself in her path. She had the antidote on her, why not kill time and teach him a lesson after he made fun of her last episode.

[DigitalCount]

What does that have anything to do with anything? The scene had a purpose because it cured Bronn from poisoning? But...the only reason Bronn was poisoned is to facilitate this scene. Like that is some seriously circular reasoning there. I feel dumber have just read that.

Now maybe - quite likely even - Bronn is going to be seduced by Tyene. But if that happens this scene has diddly squat to do with that. Why would Bronn be suddenly enamoured with the girl who poisoned him? Because she has a nice rack? This is Bronn for god's sake, not Tommen. If there is a seduction subplot I guarantee that you could cut this scene out and it won't make any difference to said plot.

She probably changed her mind regarding wanting him to die between poisoning and prison. Thus, she needed to give him the antidote, which meant she needed to give him a very good reason to accept a secret potion from a daughter of Oberyn Martell. If he feels fine, he's never going to take anything she gives him, so she needs to speed up the process.

Or maybe she just wanted to taunt him, and she could more readily take credit for his wooziness if it occurred shortly after the fight. If it's a slow-enough acting poison one could write it off as quick sepsis. She wants him to know that this little girl is the one who knocked him on his back.

Furthermore, remember the context. Jaime took him from his castle and wife and told him he'd get a bigger castle and a better wife. He's now in prison while Jaime gets a beautiful guest room to hang out in. This is Bronn, who openly flipped on his actual friend Tyrion once he got a miniscule holding. Given what's likely on deck for this story, I don't even need to complete the thought.

But yeah, nudity bad.

[Valyria Steele]

100% agreed, thank you for putting it perfectly.

I don't understand why people get so up in arms about nudity. This is the 21st century people not 1600's puritanical society. We have billboards and commercials with half naked people flashed in front of us constantly, 20 seconds of toplessness is that big of a deal?

Again I say the scene served a purpose to show non-readers that the sand snakes are dangerous and should be taken seriously, they're not just a bunch of whiny girls.

I agree. Nudity has always been woven into television and cinema for decades. Suddenly, the sand snake topless scene is a crime. Really? lol There wasn't an uproar when the Melisandre (aka The Red Woman) bared her breasts in more than one scene. Critics have been very selective it seems...

[Valyria Steele]

100% agreed, thank you for putting it perfectly.

I don't understand why people get so up in arms about nudity. This is the 21st century people not 1600's puritanical society. We have billboards and commercials with half naked people flashed in front of us constantly, 20 seconds of toplessness is that big of a deal?

Again I say the scene served a purpose to show non-readers that the sand snakes are dangerous and should be taken seriously, they're not just a bunch of whiny girls.

I agree. Nudity has always been woven into television and cinema for decades. Suddenly, the sand snake topless scene is a crime. Really? lol There wasn't an uproar when Melisandre (aka The Red Woman) bared her breasts in more than one scene. Critics have been very selective it seems...