rocksniffer

perhaps this is only seen in the US but the Wyndham hotel chain has a new advertising campaign that features Kristofer Hivju...as the Wyndham Wizard...it is funny every time i see it...

i really dug this one imagining him saying the stack was as long as tormund's member, har, har, har.

eta: also just saw charles dance and art parkinson (rickon) in dracula untold...

Hizdaar dying was kinda of shock too.

yes him not being head harpy was interesting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfLScJVXBHQ

thank you for this and all book readers (of which i am one) should see that grrm was going to do this himself all along

Yo know what? I can cope with HBO/DD believing we the audience are dumb. I cannot, whatsoever, accept that people here believe we readers are plain stupid.

We DO KNOW that Shireen will likely die. That's because Martin is not an OMG WHAT A SHOCK! author as HBO make believe. There is a big chance she will die and get burn (which it has been kinda confirmed already, not spoiled). We aren't mad at that. We are mad at the fact that, for whatever reason, maybe to make the whole thing "different", they put Stannis to make it. Because Stannis is a character that WOULD NOT do that. Stannis is not real. But he's a character from a book that has been outlined in a way. This goes against that way. COmpletely.

i believe stannis has already decided it in the books which is why, perhaps he sent the pink letter as a signal to red witch to do it....else why didn't he leave her at dragon stone

Stannis is worse than Selyse. We've come to this. Also, Sansa won't become LS. There have been spoilers saying she and Ramsay have a relationship change. So I'm betting she kills him whilst Stannis invades Winterfell?

killing him or him killing her would be a change in the relationship...

also who will shadow baby kill, roose, or ramsey...or will it be a bad enough baby to kill both?

Hmm...Stannis finally shows his true colors.

i knew he would...i figure it was the plan all along, in books it probably happens at the wall instead

Wait at the trailer... sooo will Sansa be LS after all?

yes

great epi...what do we think is happening next...

i am convinced the white walkers are in control of the north now...what is happening at the wall...

EVERYTHING in literature happens because "the plot needed it to". This isn't remotely a criticism of anything.

Why did Jon Snow have brown hair instead of silver? Because the plot needed him to.

Why did Dany survive the pyre? Because the plot needed her to.

So yeah...the plot needs Dany and Tyrion to meet. It will happen in the books, the show has simply beat them to it.

and i for one was happy with how that meeting went down...i am an old man i need some resolution before i die...

and now i can check that off my list dany and tyrion meet and my money is on him flying back to westeros astride a dragon

The Stannis scene? him bringing up the leeches made me wonder whatever happened to Gendry?

oh i think i remember, Davos cut him loose right?

well i guess he should have tacked starboard instead of port...or perhaps like varys, he has discovered the magical pissing tree that has had the blackfish in its grasp since the red wedding

Bronn being saved has to be some sort of future blackmail or something. It's the only thing I can think of to make it have any kind of purpose.

i believe as others do that perhaps the "antidote" is short lived and must be replenished from time to time, thus making bronn a virtual slave to the sand sisters

I wish we could see less flaying, torture, rape and brutally graphic deaths. This show doesn't need all this "shock value" to be good. I find it quite demoralizing to think that producers might believe we as an audience need it to be satisfied.

ok i don't get this...the books are jam packed with all of the above, and my imagination has always produced worse imagery than what finally showed up on screen...

and in just 3 short seasons deadwood had more tits more killing, though less flaying...and backed it up with feeding people alive to mr. wu's pigs..all backed by the cocksucker soundtrack...oh yeah and don't forget the degenerate tit-licker...

as always these are just the random opinions of a salty old asshole...feel free to disagree

edited because even sober i can't spell for shit...

:smoking:

and for shits andgiggles i delete this double post...

....everyone laugh with me

i don't agree he was in the old tower... i believe he went straight to ramsay in his chosen space to snitch.....

a strong 9 though i am watch again to see if bronn got the antidote for the poison...this might change my vote

The existence of fantasty elements does not mean that a series cannot have realism. It boggles my mind how many people can say that on a fan forum for a series of fantasy novels, and it makes me realise that the reason the show continues to get praise is because people literally think the books are boobs and dragons and nothing more.

The key is internal consistency. When a series introduces fantasy elements it must still have logic and consistency. For example dragons work a certain way, we know a fair bit about their behaviour and biology. If that knowledge is contradicted, then there is a lack of internal consistency. Martin puts a lot of effort into building a consistent world, and to telling us about politics, military strategy etc. He takes a quasi-historical approach to the series, drawing upon the real middle ages to make his world more believable. The fantastic can only be believed if it is grounded in reality.

When discussing "realism", I think people want the world to have consistent rules, whatever those rules are. If you say dragons exist in the world that's fine, but unless you explain why some people take months to travel the same path that others can travel in one scene then it breaks emersion. If you explain it by saying they can teleport then that's fine too. You probably then need to explain why everyone doesn't teleport though. Likewise if characters behave in ways that make no sense, that's a problem whether it's a fantasy world, science fiction, or historical film. The reason the show is popular in the first place is because it is based on books where the characters behave in "believeable" ways relative to the situations they are placed in. The show has increasingly been putting characters in situations that make no sense and having characters behave in ways that aren't particularly believeable. I think that is the focus of most complaints about "realism" in a fantasy show.

1) I admit, James Bond was not my most judicious choice, but still. Even him wouldn't survive a 100m fall without any gadgets.

2) If you really believe that this is a series about magic, dragons, zombies and shapeshifting, I don't see why you could have liked the first book/season, since these elements are so small.

So, if next week Sansa uses her magical necklace to kill Ramsey and escape flying on top of it, would you be OK with it? It's a show about magic after all, so why not?

i find i have the same response for all these comments...realism isn't as important to me while reading watching fantasy...

you mean using her necklace or some other talismen to do magic like many a character in your other example LotR

that is just so it is a story about magic so i am pretty much ok with anything...

just my opinions...fell free to continue to disagree

just as an aside...any time i hear people who hate something so much but watch/listen anyway i always think of my boy howard stern and the scene in private parts where his ratings are discussed...more people who hated him listened than people who dug him though both had same reason, to see what he would do/say next...

First, back off with the personal attacks, we're not at the kindergarten.

Saying that we shouldn't expect anything to be realistic because it's a work of fiction IS the strawman argument I was tackling with my examples. I never said the show did such things.

Now if you have some understanding problems, think twice before posting offensive comments.

wow a saying about pots and kettles just popped into my head...go figure

<snip>

The books are fun, well-written pulpy genre fiction, nothing more; the show is also fun, well-written pulpy genre fiction, nothing more. The books aren't To Kill a Mockingbird and the show isn't The Wire. Deadwood.

well said, Fez...just tweaked it a little bit for ya!

Your argument cracks me up. Just because it's fiction doesn't mean that there are no rules anymore.

Would you still like movies like James Bond if the actor was able to fall from a tower and land without being injured? Or TLotR if Frodo transformed himself int a fucking fire breathing giant that destroyed Sauron's army in the blink of an eye?

<snip.

do you mean realism like this...

i love james bond in part because wild crazy shit happens with regularity...

Well I just can't agree with that. The books are modern classics, some of the finest work the contemporary fantasy genre has to offer. Some of the finest the genre has to offer period. But of course, some people see nothing more than boobs and dragons. If you only want to enjoy the books in that shallow manner be my guest, but you're missing 90% of the story by doing so. But the show? The show is just that top 10% layer.

I have no doubt that you can find plot holes in ASOIAF. But to this extent? No. For the most part ASOIAF is very tightly plotted with a lot of effort put into realism and believability. The show on the other hand has practically no internal consistency at this point, relying on pure bamboozlement to stop people from noticing.

i am a true fan of the books and the show...because as grrm has said each are a separate intity...but seriously man, this is a series about magic, dragons, zombies and shapeshifting...just what is realistic about any of that?

i gave it an 8...i am glad sansa is in winterfell since i always thought her story in books was the weakest...also i am happy with the changes to tyrions travels...might have gotten a nine or ten if the sand snake scenes were better...and please lose the stupid shoes...

i agree with you both Rhae and FoMN...i believe those words worked for every bit of the show this week...sansa's new struggles, tyrion's ability to protect himself even when you think he might not, ...and not nearly enough shit going on in dorne (or enough geographic space) for an entire epi...

furthermore as house words go i think these are pretty good for a show title...

as i sit trying to decide if this epi was good or bad.....

JonCon doesn't have to account for them. Someone talked about the poll results and he responded about them. Over 100 people -- 21% of the poll -- have rated it 5 or lower, which is arguably "many people" in the context of the poll.

Also, that's the overall series rating, boojam. The individual episode rating is 8.6, according to IMDB, from 5502 users.

yes i agree 1st epi left something to be desired ...but i am looking forward to arya and sansa's next happening....

Nice avatar lol.

thanks my brother...it is a navy dawg for my spamperical members suiting up in their life jackets....and wondering if they shall win or lose in the next epi ...

such is a navy dog's life...

:smoking:

i am surrounded by unsullied so i can say with no reference to books that episodes will need to improve for me to be as interested as i have been until now...

agree that loras and his ass map was the worst of a so-so lot

7 of 10. Typical opening episode in a lot of ways, too much to do, too little time to do it in. Varys-Tyrion and Mance were, I think, the best parts of it.

agree too much and too little time Ran....and since tyrion, varys and mance are my favorites i was glad to see them...sad though that mance really went...wanted him to go forward...

ah well such is life on the wall...

FLY, YOU FOOLS! RUN AWAY BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!

Gaaaannnnddddaaaallllfffffffff!!!!!

:lol:

New guy from Spain. I'm a recent fan of A Song of Ice and Fire... which i devoured mostly in the span of the last six or so months given frequent downtimes. Still need to finish ADwD.

I saw this page. I saw the wiki and it certainly looks a lovely place to crash. Looking forward to waste time with you guys!

i really dig your frog...welcome to the world...

and welcome to the rest of the new guys and gals...we are all happy to have you here...

...just stay off my lawn...

:smoking:

I agree.

I also liked Tyrion and Bronn. Sansa and Littlefinger scene was ok. Gregor was too over the top. Daario is boring.

8/10

yes why have daario at all... tyrion and bronn was expected ...felt sorry for tyrion but understood bronn's point

sansa and little finger was perfect but moon door scene was a let down....

...just my opinion... :smoking:

i thought i heard i only loved one woman...cat... before the push but granted i've only watched once and was slightly drunk...

...as all salty old asshole's must be.... :smoking:

ok 8 of 10...i would have liked a little more with tyrion and jamie and felt let down by the moon door where was the singer to blame it on.... a problem for me

...though just this asshole's opinion...feel free to disagree... :smoking:

8/10

at first i was leaning towards a lower score but the trial and the bit with Ramsey washing Reeks back made up for the pitiful effort to rescue him...i mean how did they get away....after (i think) he let the dogs out???

but overall a good episode with killer moments during the trial and the addition of the Tywin-Jamie moment... :smoking:

10/10...best episode since they chopped off Ned's Head.... :smoking: