I'm giving it a 9. Although I have been pretty pissed at D&D since season two, I still expected this episode to be pretty good, and I am kind of a book purist with high standards. I don't think they have the capabilities to produce something totally and utterly brilliant, but they did very well when adjusting my expectations. The Bad -The pathetic, transparent attempt to emotionally manipulate the audience by having Robb and Talisa pick out baby names literally minutes before she was stabbed in what looked like a prison shanking from Oz -The fact that there was no real sense of foreboding until the doors closed. Missed an opportunity by not having some clever foreshadowing at all, but I don't think D&D can do that. -Grey Worm being ridiculous with his spear -The way Roose killed Robb felt weird. I always imagined Roose slowly walking up to Robb and quietly saying the words to Robb (in the low voice he always uses) and then quickly and deftly stabbing him and twisting the knife. This was like a more quick and furious stab that felt like a couple more seconds should have been dedicated to. -The throat-slitting CGI was terribly bad and some of the editing during the final moments was inexcusably sloppy. -Only seeing Wendel Manderly for half a second. -Richard Madden and Oona Chaplin's acting -The Hound seems more like a watered down babysitter. I miss "wolf-bitch." -Don't really like the dynamics between Jon and Ygritte at this point. Feels too forcefully romanticized and I'm still pissed that they made viewers think she was cool with knowing Jon is still a crow. I thought they did that so he would have more of an outlet, someone to talk to about his true feelings, but then that never happened. -Dany's storyline didn't fit in this Stark-centric episode and felt more like an afterthought. -GW dying without getting to do absolutely anything -The lack of bannermen. It really did kind of suck, and I wasn't expecting to. Not knowing anyone in that room except for Wendel for half a second definitely made it have much less of an impact on me than it did in the books. -Walder took it a little too far with his comments to Talisa, with the "inside her" remarks in particular -Tormund blowing off Orell's comment about hearing noises in the tower. Neither or Indifferent -I wish they built up the importance of guest right more in previous episodes and it was kind of mentioned in this one, but I think it will definitely be addressed in this weekend's episode (how terrible breaking guest right truly is). -The Blackfish department was weird. It's gotten a lot of people now too to think that Edmure and the BF were involved in the wedding. Not sure if that was intentional or what, but makes me wonder why BF had to even be there in the first place considering he barely said more than a sentence or two. -I kind of wanted to see Cat go mad and although I think the Freys had no issue with killing her, in the books I always assumed she would have been taken hostage if she didn't lose her mind. At the same time, however, the catatonic state worked alright. -I love the famous "Jaime Lannister sends his regards line," but I understood why it was changed for television. -Talisa being stabbed. It was definitely shocking but I'm in the middle between good idea and over-the-top. I know it definitely gave more of a "shock factor," but with how much I hated that romance story, it felt a little heavy-handed. The Good -Michelle Fairley's amazing acting -David Bradley's acting -Maisie Williams acting -Loved how it ended with no music in the credits. -Appreciated that the final scene felt like it was in the eyes of cat like it should be and not all about the lame twu wuv story between Talisa and Robb. FINALLY, it was about Cat. Damn right. -The scene where Cat finds Roose's chainmail gave me book chills. -I'm glad Cat didn't talk about her hair. It was a THOUGHT. So it wouldn't have made sense or translated well at all. -Lots of book dialogue, especially toward the very end and I thought the apology scene with Robb was one of the most true to the novels. -Tobias Menzies is such a perfect Brutus. -I like Jorah's jealousy. -I actually found the brief Sam/Gilly scene sweet. The length of it was perfect for the show. -The Hound and Arya have great chemistry. Love the fierceness they both share. -"Stop hodoring!" And everything Hodor did. -The attack of the direwolves. Awesome. -I'm glad Bran and Rickon finally broke up and liked the conversation between them all and the chemistry. -Art Parkinson in a fabulous young actor. -Jon finally got attacked by Orell the eagle. First time I've given a 9 since Blackwater.
