Howdyphillip

All of the calls for people being upset that Stannis didn't appear yet are about as unwarranted as any criticism that I have ever heard about this show. This episode was about the first night of battle. There is no Stannis in the first night of the battle for the wall. I have a few issues with the episode, but they are mostly budget related. I didn't think that the show actually was able to capture the scale of the battle.

9 - This was a fantastic episode. Peter Dinkledge was tremendous throughout, and Rory McCann was fantastic. Another nod to the lighting crew. The Dungeon scenes are some of the most complex work that can be shot, and they are hitting it perfectly

10 of 10 Best intro episode of the series. The Red Viper was all I was hoping for and more. Arya and the Hound were incredible. Rory McCann knocked it out of the park.

Thanks for the history lesson here Jaxom. I am still kind of a whipper snapper here on the board and this is my third season with the group. Last year was my first year to play in an "official" Westeros league and it was a feeder league. I have been hosting my own league with people here on the boards, and since the change is upon us I took it upon myself to rename my league to Westeros 2 in hopes that it might become a feeder league to the big boys. YDub has started Westeros 1. In a discussion today, it was brought up that these leagues should be set up using different rules. I whole heartedly agree with this. Westeros 1 will be an auction draft with an expanded roster of QB,QB,WR,WR,WR,RB,RB,TE,TE,W/R,K,DEF,DEF Westeros 2 will be a 10 team snake draft with a plain format of QB,WR,WR,WR,RB,RB,TE,K,DEF. There are a number of openings left in this league.

10 - The most solid episode of the season. I loves the added scene with Ygrette. If you are going to change Jon Snow's character as much as it has been changed, that was a needed resolution. I also liked Yara/Asha deciding to go for Theon. I am looking forward to the non cannon story next year.

Quit pirating and pay for the show... That way, It will make more money. have more budget and be a better product. Or... you could go to a forum and whine because someone disrupted your theft.

His spear is incredibly large, and he is practiced at thrusting it using proper motion.

The Merenese knot comment had my laughing more than anything this series has ever done. Great scene with Pod, Tyrion, and Bronn. I know there are some that don't like the sex in the series, but I thought that it was well done tonight.

That woman is Sibel Kikkeli and she is one of the finest young actresses in the world. She is from Germany and has won two Lolas which are the most prestigious award given for German film making. If you are having problems with her, it is not because of her acting. She is doing an outstanding job. She has been written completely different from the books, so that is probably your issue. She is immensely talented.

There is one sentence when she meets Mya Stone and she is reminded of Ned's bastard because Stone is a bastard name. It is not about what she said to Jon Snow, it is about their relationship in general. It also starts out that she felt angry as well as guilty. I don't think that completely exonerates her for her actions.

Although I can have empathy for the character and understand the place she is when she reviles Jon Snow, I also can feel it was an absolute terrible thing for someone to say to another. She also never apologized or in her inner dialog thought to apologize for this the entire series. I love the character of Catelyn Stark in the books, but it is painfully obvious that she is flawed in several ways. I personally feel like her treatment of Jon Snow was one of them. edited to say that no one has ever accused me of being in my right mind, so Ran may be correct...

Actually, this was the only bit of dialog in the whole scene that didn't resonate with me. I personally don't mind the changes that they have made to Catelyn. In the books, we get to understand her through her thinking. We are not privy to that in the show. If they were to just show her actions as written, I think that the character would be completely different than how we as readers interpret her.

I gave this episode an 8 as well. Overall, a better opening than season 2, but as has been mentioned it did have some issues with pacing. I personally liked a lot of the changes that others here seem to have not liked as much. I really liked the scene with Margaery. In the books, the fact that she is loved by the people was a note that I had been interested in, and I am glad to see how this is happening take place on screen. I personally like the actress playing the role as well. I thought Dormir did a convincing job of playing someone who is smart and adept enough to join in the machination of King's Landing politics, yet still truly concerned for the small folk. I am probably one of the only people here who is a long term book reader and also likes Ros as a character as well. I enjoyed the scene between her and Shae. I like the fact that the writers have decided to expand both of these roles for the sake of character continuity

That is probably the most amazing commercial I have ever seen.

What holds the North together with the exception of White Harbor and the Manderly's worship of the faith, is that they all have the same gods. The King of the North is followed not because people want to give their gold to the Starks over the Lannisters or Baretheons. What holds them together as a region is the worship of the old gods. This is established even in the show. The people that I was watching the show with didn't understand why I got as upset as I did, as I have not once this year been angry at any of the changes. This was not a change. This was a fundamental misinterpretation even in the realm of their own writing. . No you wouldn't unless you went through Catechism first...

Or a godswood when a weirwood is unavailable in the south. There are plenty of those. Even if you couldn't find a godswood, do you convert religions? Ok... maybe converting religions is acceptable if you are doing so for your spouse even though your bannermen would like as not quit following you for this. The problem with this, is that Rob's bride is from Esos, and she wouldn't be a worshiper of the seven either. This was flat out bad writing. If they would have just watched the special features on their own blu ray, it would have been figured out. I am as big of a defender of the writing of this show as there is, but this was just wrong. The producers need better fact checkers. I am available by the way...

I gave this an 8 for it was an outstanding piece of television... I was left as a book reader with considerable wanting though.

I thought that taken as a whole, this was a great season. There were also a lot to love in this episode as well. The dragon fire was absolutely amazing, and it was nice to see Brienne kicking ass as well. The relationship between Shae and Tyrion has grown even more complex and enjoyable than even the books at this point, and I personally liked the addition of Jason Mamoa even though it was vastly different than what happened in the books. I would like to have seen glimpses of other visions though... I finally found a scream out loud and flip over a table moment though, and it was Rob's wedding. There is plausible explanations for almost every faux paux and mistake in the writing up to this point, but to set a wedding scene and not know what gods either of the characters in the scene worship is just blatantly lazy. I don't understand how this was let through. I am watching the show with a bunch of the unsullied, and I had to pause it to go on a rant. Twin's horse shitting in the throne room was a perfect shot, and Sophie Turner and Natalie Dormir did amazing jobs as the betrothed girls with Jackie Gleeson again playing an impeccable little shit. Allen Alfie was incredible. I also think they show, just as the books gave the possibility of Luwin being still alive. (Hooded man in Winterfell anyone?"

Triesk... It was a day battle in the books

I want to write a long and elegant post about how amazing this episode was, but I can't because I shit myself and I have to go clean up...

I don't know where they found this hack of a writer, but he RUINED it... The guy they got must have known NOTHING of Westeros... Just kidding... That was absolutely brilliant. Perfect television. I gave it a 10

I am not the police, nor will I try and hunt you down. All I am doing is helping you to further clarify your dubious immoral nature. I don't really need to be doing this, as it seems you are doing an outstanding job of doing it on your own. Feel free and take my advice or not, either way it means nothing to me. If you would like to hear it again, I will reiterate it. Quit stealing this television show. Then stop running as fast as you can to random fan sites to spurge it. This will do two things. First off, you would no longer be a thief, and secondly, we wouldn't have to listen to your drivel that doesn't even make sense in the content that you spout it in. If you hate this show, then why are you stealing it at work? Isn't there something that you would like that you would rather be pilfering? In the end of things, it is really up to you what you do. All I am pointing out is just how shitty this is for everyone involved.

You do realize that you have just announced yourself a thief, and then followed it up with a hateful tirade against the show that you are going out of your way to steal? Please do yourself a favor and quit robbing the producers, actor, writers, and workers of this show and just stop watching it for free... It would also be nice if you wouldn't take the cowards way of anonymously bashing people on fan sites, but to each their own I guess. I don't mind hearing a legitimate opinion, but since yours is obviously flawed I implore you to just please remain silent

Yes, I had a brain fart and said the Times instead of the Daily News, and I made a generalization that all critics loved the show. I will take that back, and say the vast majority of the critics love this show. My point here is that we, as ASoIF fans have an incredible television show to watch. As a lifelong fan of fantasy in particular, this show is unparallelled in acclaim, and rightly so. I watch A list actors give emmy and golden globe performances. I then come into the forum, and I read about how the show is "terrible", and all of the characters have been "ruined". If you are reading this, the next time you want to say how bad this show is, go and read the fabulous works of Jim Baker called the Dresden Files. Right after you finish that incredible series, watch the adaptation of that for the sci fi channel. You can use the terms "terrible" and "ruined" for that. I am not talking here about the people who just point out things that they didn't like in an episode. I myself have little bits every week that may or may not make me want to turn a table over. I am talking about the people who have nothing to say but how horrible this show is, and incessantly whine for thread upon thread about how the whole thing if full of garbage because Lommy only said the word yield once instead of six or seven times like in the books.

First of all, I didn't highlight the first part of your post, but I just wanted you to know that I thought it was eloquently put as for some of the reasons that you question the writing in places. I make note and compare as well, and I do believe that some of the changes aren't as good as what I read in the books. The Bran story arc is one of them. That said, This TV series IS universally loved by critics and audiences alike. Not only is it the highest rated scripted show on a cable channel right now, but it has also been showered in awards. A show doesn't win Emmys and Golden Globes without being an incredible hit with the critics. I have personally seen hundreds of critics put it as the finest show on TV over the shows that you named. http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/top-10-tv-week-20-2012-article-1.1079108?localLinksEnabled=false NY times giving the highest scripted episodic television ranking on the best shows on TV this week.