Jack's Smirking Revenge

Agreed. I know GRRM has a massive number of characters and you can't possibly fit every story line or characters into the show but the show seems to add alot of pointless bullshit that makes it difficult for them to cover important story lines later on. I just don't get what they are doing with the show. I look at some of the scenes they added in season 1 like the Jaime/Tywin scene which was excellent and brought some much needed attention to both characters but I don't understand why the creators keep adding characters (Ros) and scenes to the show that add nothing at all.

Agreed. Look when I watched The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo I was totally fine with some of the changes made to the storyline...in fact the changes improved the story immensely but also because I thought the movie really showed the core of Lisbeth Salander. Obviously there are major differences between that book and ASOIAF but the point is that adaptations can do a good job at showing the depth of characters and get the basic storyline down right. I can't believe how much people love Game of Thrones. The characters are far more shallow on the show and the writing is weak IMO. I've pretty much given up on the show (haven't actively watched it for three years) but every time I check out an episode I am disappointed in how shallow the adaptation is. People shouldn't be bashed for criticizing how the series has been adapted. It is perfectly valid to be critical of the producers for how they have adapted Martin's work.

Arya was extremely skilled in this scene. She cut his femoral artery and then had the awareness to act as if she was scared and that he was frightening her which ensured that Raff couldn't do anything to her before he became disabled. I assume that Arya has continued her training, honing her assassination skills and that someone in the House of Black and White taught her where a person can be killed quite easily.

Some of the changes from the book are great. I love Tywin and Arya together and their scenes have been my favorite of the series. Ygritte is fucking amazing...she's an improvement from the books. However alot of the changes this season are driving me crazy. For the life of me I cannot understand half of them, and most of them seem completely unecessary. So far I haven't liked this season that much. Just way too many changes that weren't for the best IMO.

This was a pretty good episode. My main issue is that the some of the scenes are clunky and season 2 has been pretty bad in that aspect. Season 1 really had a good flow but season 2 has been clunky I.E Renly being assassinated. Just wasn't as well done as it could have been IMO. That said there were a few things I loved. The scenes on at The Fist was great. I loved seeing Ghost in the background. Rickon was hilarous. All the Arya scenes are brilliant. I'm a little worried about what they'll replace the scene where Arya kills the Tickler with. I mean that's a very poignant scene for Arya and I'm worried baout what they'll do. That said Maisie brings so much intensity to the role that I couldn't imagine anyone else. The scene between her and Tywin was awesome. I also don't agree with people who think that Tywin would kill Arya just for that...Tywin was never really needlessly brutal...he was very pragmatic and he always had others do his dirty work. He doesn't just mindlessly off people all the time. Jaquen was awesome and the Arya/Gendry scene was great. Again Maisie is fucking incredible.

I'm a little annoyed that some people think that people didn't like the Joffery scene because it was disturbing. I for one appreciate actors, shows, movies what have you that can make you feel uncomfortable. It's just that it was so fricken long and redundant that it just felt like a massive waste of time. Same with the Catelyn/LF scene. It was just drawn out. I've already made it clear that I'm not a complete stickler when it comes to how the show adapts the books but when it feels like something is a massive waste of precious time (only 50 minute episodes and there are only 10 of them) I think the show deserves the criticism for changing or adding things that weren't in the book. Also I'm excited to see Williams and Dance interact next week. They'r both brilliant.

Well your rant wasn't needed. I know The Tickler wasn't supposed to look creepy but he's supposed to be creepy and questions someone. Arya gets the chills in ASOS when he asks a question at the Inn. That's what makes The Tickler so creepy, he looks ordinary but he's far from it. I don't think most people are complaining because The Tickler doesn't look creepy but rather how he goes about questioning just wasn't what most interpreted him to be like.

I'm not so sure that he's that much more sadistic in the show. He's fucked up in the book, he enjoyed shooting people with his crossbow. They should have just had the Sansa scene like it was in the book...much more brutal. Would have saved some time. Also I was a bit disappointed in The Tickler. Just the fact that he wasn't as creepy as I imagined. Still the Harrenhal scenes were the highlight IMO.

I love that they keep changing the opening credits seeing Harrenhal this week was awesome. Things I loved: All of the Arya scenes. Harrenhal looks fricken amazing...like I can't believe how good and creepy it looked. Charles Dance - Some of the best casting there IMO. He is incredible as Tywin and that whole scene was fabulous. Shadow baby was fricken creepy. Tyrion/Lancel scene - So funny. Bronn Sansa Stannis on the ship with Davos. I loved the line about how a good act doesn't wash away the bad while a bad act doesn't wash away the good. I think I'm going to love Dillane. Maragarey and LF scene. I liked Margarey much more this week. Greywind! No Cersei. Things that were meh: Dany...even though Qarth looked great I just dont like the her or the storyline. I missed seeing Bran or the Night's Watch but it's understandable. Things I hated: Joffery/Whore scene. I agree it was redundant and not needed and it was way to long. They could have spent time elsewhere. This is my problem with the series...they spend too much time on made up scenes that are usually redundant (sometimes they strike gold I.E Jaime/Tywin in season 1) or completely pointless. The budget...would have been cool to see a fight in the beginning.

No. I actually didn't like that scene as much as others. It kind of felt heavy handed...like "this is Theon's motivation for betraying Robb". Maybe I'll like it better when I watch it again.

Yeah same here except with a little shorter hair. I kind of thought the Ironborn would have a little bit of "pirate" about them mixed with Viking. I just don't get the complaints about the Renly/Loras scene. It establishes the personalities and motivations of three characters. I mean it was way better than every other sex scene in the series besides the Jaime/Cersei scene because that actually has some bearing.

I don't understand why people say she isn't supposed to be attractive. The description Theon gives is that she's attractive, Victorian thinks she's attractive, and Tristan does also. Of course this wouldn't matter if Gemma Whelan would actually act like Asha/Yara had a personality. She's so bland. Agreed. I really didn't understand why there was that long of a scene. Nothing happened. No he said he idn't care if Winterfell wasn't taken after 7 months. Winterfell was not his priority. The Direwolves have looked fantastic this season. THe wolf dreams have been great IMO.

.......except it wasn't a sex scene. They made out and that's it...I mean you think it would have been as gratuitous as every other sex scene in Game of Thrones.

Exactly. I just don't see any resemblence at all to Asha from the books. That said I'm still sso happy about that scene between Yoren and Arya (Maisie is fucking amazing) and Brienne that they made up for whatever misgivings I had about this episode.

That's one artists vision....She's described in the book as being tall, athletic, with a wicked grin. The only thing that Theon states is unattractive is taht her nose is a little big. Other wise she's supposed to be good looking....she kind of looks frumpy like all the Greyjoys do in the show...which isn't how they are described in the book.

I agree with you. I'm a woman but that was one of my complaints. However I could have ignored her look (Like I ignore the fact that Theon and Balon look nothing like the books) if she actually played Asha like she's supposed to. She' funny, witty, and has a great deal of charisma. Gemma is just....bleh.

Nothing was wrong with it though. It wasn't gratuitous like the scene where the chick is fingering the other chick while Littlefinger was talking. I have a feeling it bothered you seeing two men making out.

I liked that scene. I liked Loras for the first time in this episode. I think it's important to establish Margarey and Loras for the benefit of future seasons. Also all they did was kiss...I mean you didn't see Renly give him a BJ...also "unattractive"? Also it explains the actions of Loras in future seasons.

That said I like Alphie as Theon though I dono't like Gemma Whelan as Asha. She's very "blah" in the way that he delivers dialogue. Asha has a lot of charisma, it'd be nice if they didn't change that part of her personality. Also I don't know why they keep making Cersei so likeable.

I have to say that the budget restraints sometimes bother me. I liked the scene between Yoren and Arya but I woiuld have liked that they showed that the men fought the Lannisters plus Arya, Gendry, and Hot Pie kind of shine in that moment. The Craster scene was kind of strange. I was surprised that Mormont was so accepting of the fact that Craster gives his sons to the others. Maisie was great in this episode. Sophia did a pretty good job...I liked the Renly stuff though I'm a little questioning about Margarey. Idk there was a lot of Tyrion in this episode I could do with less. However the guy who plays Varys nails it everytime he's on screen. Shae is a waste. I loved the Bran scenes.

First time I've been able to get on the boards since Sunday. Here are my observations: 1. The Arya parts were the best part of the episode. The dynamic between her and Gendry plus Lommy and Hot Pie really works. Tom seems like he's going to be awesome as Jaquen. 2. Pyke looks pretty awesome. I wasn't very excited when I saw Balon but he was awesome. Alfie is pretty great as Theon. As for Asha er excuse me "Yara"....eh. She doesn't exactly have the charisma of Asha but it was only the first episode. Also it was awesome they added Pyke to the opening credits. 3. I'm not that big of a fan of Lena Headly. 4. Peter Dinklage continues to kill it. Still not a fan of Shea. 5. Dany is boring. Of course I thought that throughout the books. 6. The scene between Stannis and Mellisandre was awkward. Just the way it was executed it seemed....awkward. I thought Stannis was sleeping with her in the books so that didn't bother me but it was just weird. 7. Davos is awesome but they didn't need to make him an Athiest. He was a believer in the Seven in the book. I guess it was an attempt to show his devotion to Stannis...It works for Jaime but not him IMO. 8. Ros....oh Ros. At least that scene with Littlefinger actually proved a point but Ros is awful. Please stop wasting time on her. 9. Cliff hanger was lame. Showing Jon seeing the White Walkers was fine but Craster knocking him out was silly IMO. 10. Ghost looked great! I felt like the pacing and some of the scenes were pretty disjointed this episode. I didn't like it as much as the first episode but the addition of Arya made it pretty great. I'm hoping next week is better though, the lack of Robb and his storyline or Bran kind of hurt it.

Dany definitely has three dragons.

Well it's not clear yet so who really knows if they did change it. I gave it a 9. We only saw a little of Craster's Keep but the outside looks awesome. Some people are upset about it jumping around too much but I expected it. My two complaints are why the creators added two pointless scenes. The Littlefinger bit I get. It establishes why he would work against Cersie but I hated the Ros scene. It was just pointless and the Ros character adds NOTHING to the series. There are already a shitload of cahracters I don't see the need to add another one. Other than that I loved it and it has me pumped for the rest of the season.