[TV/Book Spoilers] PTV Unsullied Thread Part 9

[The Anti-Targ]

Looks like a new thread hasn't started up yet, so...

Here's a link to the new Unsullied thread on Previously TV and the NeoGAF Unsullied discussion. (I'll work on putting an indexed archive up over the weekend; that's going to take more effort than I can afford at the office).

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I'll start with the polarised views on the big battle at Hardhome. It is interesting that the Unsullied received it similarly to bookwalkers, some loving it some hating it. It is another fine example of a major scene (act?) that never happens on the page failing to really hit the mark with the whole audience.

One comment from the naysayers of the battle

I wish I could share your enthusiasm about this episode, but I am squarely with Janjan on this one - A Show has become a laughable, fast forwardable parody of its former self. It is official, this show is fucking lame. Lame. LAME. For realz. Congratulations show runners, way to cock up what was a glorious show into a laughable cartoon version of itself. Dimwitted assholes in charge.

Do you - and by YOU I mean the show runners - know how motherfuckingly difficult it is to remain Unsullied or FIVE fucking seasons?! DO YOU? Do you know what its like to be, say, on a plane and try to shut up a bookwalker who is in ear shot just to remain Unsullied? Do you know how challenging it is to do most of your work on a computer and manage to AVOID SPOILERS all the damn time to remain Unsullied? And for what? So we can be entertained with an army of the lamest, most laughable CGI'd to death (pun unintended) Army of the Dead?!? I mean shit, man, at least when we saw the WWs or whatever the fuck we saw march past Sam, it was scary but not cartoonish and laughable. But this? THIS? It's just a bad joke. It is becoming more and more difficult to justify remaining Unsullied because the payoff is, well, stupid and lame. Whoever is making these decisions on CGI needs to be fired immediately because they suck and have no aesthetic understanding of when things cross over into cartoon territory.

Personally I was happy to see some action like this, but I am not a fan of the fast moving wights, and some elements of the battle were rather cheesey, so I do think some of the negative points are valid, albeit blown out of proportion such as with the above critique.

[The Drunkard]

From neogaf:

http://i.imgur.com/U0NnaaM.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Yqyde5J.gif

[Spidey]

from Previously.tv:

What the fuck, show? What the FUCK? My husband walked out of the room saying, "That's it. I'm out. i'm just going to read the goddamn books."

LIKE THAT'S GONNA HELP!

[The Lash]

That first image from The Drunkard is hilarious.

[ebevan91]

They don't think that big ass group of Dothraki were Dothraki lol.

[kephv]

One of the long time TWoP/PTV unsullied, and one of my favorite posters :

Basically I'm saying that I think it is time for this particular member of the Unsullied to go ahead and get my balls back. I think I've personally reached the end of this road for me. If anybody wants to go over the wall with me, to figure see the shit we've missed? I'd like that. If not, I think it's time for me to go ahead and watch from beyond the spitball wall. Read the books, watch the extras, find out what has made this story so popular.

Five years is not a bad run to sustain interest.

I'm sorry, guys.

But I think it's time to end my watch. I promised elsewhere that I wouldn't do anything today that I couldn't undo tomorrow and I'll stick with that through the end of the day. That's just where I'm at with it though and I don't think it's going to change this time.

And other unsullied are saying the same.

To be honest, they'll have some of the same issues with Feast and Dance at least, things like GRRMs overabundance of cliffhangers in Dance, but a lot of what they complained about have been the same things bookwalkers here have complained of--all things D&D have done.

[ebevan91]

Looks like several of them are definitely about to jump ship. Honestly I think it'll be good for them to see the story in a different (and better) light.

[Darryk]

If it's "For the Watch" that's made them jump ship they're not going to get much consolation from the books.

[kephv]

If it's "For the Watch" that's made them jump ship they're not going to get much consolation from the books.

They've been upset the entire season; most had to do with the same illogical plot points and story additions that a lot of book readers complained about, and also they are saying that there's been too much nihilism on the shows part, like setting Stannis up to be a loving father, only so we'll be shocked when he burns Shireen; setting up Sansa to be a player, only to put her right back in a position to be beaten down further; letting us finally think Benjen is back, for the sole purpose of murdering Jon in a shocking way.

They're also annoyed (for more than one season now) by the fact that the show has simply failed to explain things properly, or just forgetting plot points entirely (e.g., Alister and the zombie hand, who hired the guy to kill Bran), or the fact that some plots points are illogical.

And they're completely right. This is just what happens when the show is carefully analyzed; you see the cracks in places and it starts to fall apart.

However, they've also mentioned that the season was boring at times, and whether or not Dance and Feast will convince them otherwise is anyone's guess. My take is that D&D took the two weakest books, focused on what they thought were the important/good parts, and watered it down so much as to come off as boring when it could have been some of the strongest material yet if adapted properly. Instead the show has done what it has increasingly done these past few years, which is focus on creating spectacular and shocking scenes at the cost of removing the deeper parts of the story.

[kephv]

It seems they're actually going to start a book thread over there! Can't wait to read that.

I remember a few years back, on this board, where a new reader (Isgrimnur) decided to start a thread chronicling his first read-through of the books, posting his theories and such (he figured R+L=J readily enough). Very entertaining thread to say the least.

While the unsullied aren't exactly as unsullied as Isgrimnur was, I don't doubt it will nevertheless be just as good or better -- these are some of the most insightful posters I've ever come across after all, and it will be glorious watching them learn just how poor the show writers have translated the material, in certain instances.

[Mya Stone]

Here's a direct link to the poster's reading the books thread.

I've become close with her, and I'm thrilled she made the choice. I'm a little surprised that more didn't do it...yet. There's 2 still on the fence about it, and others who haven't responded.

I can tell you from my conversations with her, the reason she decided it was time was because 1. she was spoiled on Shireen's death being a D&D choice, which to her, meant it colored her thoughts on the show too much, 2. she felt she was missing significant chunks of subtext, and 3. she pretty much knew the books and show were caught up by the end of the finale; it wasn't that she knew she would get more answers from the books, but she kept saying to me, "So many people I know and love, and respect, love these books - there has to be more to it than what's been on the screen."

So she made the choice to read, and has kindly agreed to post about the series. She's hopeful more will come with her, but for now, it's just her...and she's totally okay with bookwalkers interacting with her. :)

[ebevan91]

She's definitely noticing lots of differences so far and she's reading the book that was the closest to the source material. AFfC and ADwD are going to hit her like a freight train.

[kephv]

I'm loving it so far. :) Definitely hope more of the Unsullied climb the Wall to see what they missed.

[Arkash]

Just read the whole thread !

Damn, I look forward to her reactions to some scene !

(By the way, I'm Triskan over there !)

[Mya Stone]

Just read the whole thread !

Damn, I look forward to her reactions to some scene !

(By the way, I'm Triskan over there !)

I had a feeling that was you! ;)

[The Anti-Targ]

What pisses me off most about this contrivance is not only how naked and cumbersome it seems now-- like Mountainstein, undraped -- but how A Show hopped right over a chance to create a real dilemma for Brienne. Not just the pathetic, "Oopsies!" when she missed Sansa's signal, but a tragic dilemma entirely in keeping with the theme of the season: justice, mercy and revenge.

Brienne had sworn two vows, to Renly and to Catelyn. She was about to be given the epic chance to act on either, both or none. With her magic key, Sansa is taking advantage of the distraction inside Winterfell to escape and light the candle. And now? All that is required to give Brienne a hero's choice between two internal imperatives, is to have her see Sansa's signal. Stannis is advancing on foot, in mud: Brienne has plenty of time to be torn by her decision and then, nonetheless, put it into action, shouldering the consequences. Instead, she and we were spared that searching of her soul. Her decision between now, and then: between an act of mercy or an act of justice. Instead of a hero's dilemma, what we got was just another girlish mix-up.

My thoughts completely and exactly. What a monumentally wasted dramatic opportunity. If there was to be a saving grace for the way the show screwed up the whole of the North, south of the Wall, it would have been to place Brienne in that dilemma.