A Dark And Stormy Knight

Changes from the book notwithstanding, I give this a 9 out of 10. Mostly because PYAT PREE OH MY GOD Other things happened this episode, sure, yeah, whatever. PYAT PREE, friends.

Having done some Shakespeare before, I tend to approach the show versus the books the way I approach Shakespeare's plays versus their source materials. The historical Macbeth was totally different from Shakespeare's Macbeth. HBO-Shae is very different from book-Shae. Even HBO-Theon, much as I ADORE the character, is sorta different from book-Theon in a lot of ways. But both source and adaptation tell good stories about interesting characters. Just as Shakespeare would take a pre-existing chronicle and tweak it (often to a degree historical 'purists' would consider outrageous) to make it into fine drama, so D&D are taking ASOIAF and tweaking it to make fine television. And while in the back of my mind I know that the tweaks are not canon, are not 'historical' in the context of the history of Westeros as outlined by GRRM, I just don't think in terms of blind adherence to fact when approaching an adaptation of anything anymore. I guess I've already sort of come to terms with the fact that inaccurate adaptations can also simultaneously be rollicking good ones - and compared to Shakespeare, this show hardly qualifies as inaccurate to begin with. A slight tangent, but I just thought I'd throw my two cents in.

When I was in high school, I fell in love with the girl who played Juliet in a production of Romeo and Juliet...which I was directing. I have always rooted for Jorah.

One thing I remember feeling very strongly while reading the books was that while Stannis is definitely a stubborn, often obnoxious, lobster-personality-having hardass, I just wanted to give him a big hug and make everything better for him. For the first time, I felt that way towards HBO-Stannis at the end of the Davos scene tonight, which is part of why Dillane's performance gave me warm fuzzies.

Another thing I just thought I'd throw out there: I'm not exactly sure why, but after that scene with Davos, I am totally behind Stephen Dillane as Stannis now. I had a few doubts at first, but something about his acting in that scene was just so perfectly Stannis.

That's right, Game of Thrones. That's more like it. More episodes like this (+Varys), please? A man is reminded how amazing this adaptation can be.

Oh man, I can only imagine how non-readers must have reacted to the shadowbaby...I mean, it was horrifying enough for someone who already knew it was coming... And then I find myself wondering...if Shadowbaby can induce this kind of jaw-drop reaction in me, how in the HELL am I going to deal with the House of the Undying? That is going to be a sight.