The Bear

Woo, Gravedigger confirmed. So happy about that.

I'm in the minority because I actually enjoyed it. I love the long, detailed descriptions of locations. I find Arianne's thoughts and the Dornish plot interesting. I could read about the rainwood and the caves all day. It was smart of GRRM to release a Dorne chapter, ostensibly to counter the absolute bullshit that is GOT Dorne. It was lovely to see some characterisation for Elia (I felt like it was a bit of a 'take that' to the show and their blueprint for a single uncomplicated, hot-tempered, sassy, kind of slutty Sand Snake) and it was quite touching to see Arianne repeatedly worry about her brother. She never had a good relationship with him and always saw him as a rival, but she's maturing and seeing her concern helps to shape her as a character to me. It's funny how my first couple of times through I had almost no interest in Dorne or the Ironborn and now I actually really enjoy those chapters. The more I re-read, the more interested I am in almost all of the storylines.

Tyrion/Varys roadtrip is better than JonCon, Aegon and company? Okay, to each their own. Personally I really enjoy that storyline and the slave storyline.

A few thoughts: - I loved the Pod and Brienne part. It felt like they were back to their book characters, more or less. I loved the acting when Brienne talked about the ball. I was hoping for the Red Ronnet story but what we got felt satisfying to me. - I also loved Theon's reactions to Sansa and to Winterfell in general. 'The North Remembers' was a nice line but like someone already said, seems silly for Roose Bolton to have an old Winterfell resident personally attend Sansa. Roose would put in a spy. - I didn't like how the tone of things was still 'poor Cersei'. Cersei is scheming and trying to play Tommen every bit as hard as Margaery is. She is not a victim, she is an antagonist, and not a very smart one. She's not a lioness protecting her cubs, that's just a lie she tells herself in the books.

I thought it was a bit unkind (not to mention a cardinal sin of film) to reference the superior stories from the book that they weren't doing on the show. Like they show Edd in the 'Olly, fetch me my sword' part and have Tyrion reference greyscale while he's travelling to Dany. You never reference superior media in your media, damnit! It's like when a crappy horror movie shows a clip from Halloween on TV or something.

I just have to condemn the rat killing. Rats are my favourite animals. I LIKED you, Qyburn!

Love that they referenced a far superior storyline by having Tyrion make a witty remark about Greyscale. But, seems like the slave thing might happen!

Riiight so Ramsay's going to totally treat Sansa right because the power of boners is stronger than sadism.

but the Boltons are allied with the Lannister and Sansa is wanted for regicide...

I'm glad we got back to the real Brienne.

So I guess there's no need for a FArya...

Oh, poor, put-upon Cersei.

Tommen is a sweetie but jesus, I can't un-think of him as a pudgy 8-year-old

Oh, gross.

Not so much the little celebration of the books, but okay.

Interesting depiction of the HoBW

Not a bad episode. I like the friendship between Sansa and Magaery.