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How would you rate episode 502?  

475 members have voted

  1. 1. What's your rating from 1-10, with 10 being the highest/best

    • 1
      11
    • 2
      10
    • 3
      16
    • 4
      12
    • 5
      37
    • 6
      64
    • 7
      83
    • 8
      145
    • 9
      65
    • 10
      32


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These should be taken into account.

A good many people have left the forum due to the prevailing sense of bitterness about the show finishing before the books around these parts. This same sense, I think, accounts for this marked disparity between critical and fan consensus about 501 and 502's quality too. That and folks trying to counterweight the opinion of many Sullied TV critics that s5 was right to cut a ton of stuff from AFFC and ADWD and is an improvement on them story-wise. ;)

But the season 5 episodes currently have more ratings than the season 2 polls do anyway...

I generally think the difference in ratings is based on increasing disappointment with the show. I was more generous in ratings back in season 2 than I am now, partly because of how great season 1 was and partly because I thought the show was still finding its feet. 5 seasons in and it's impossible to make those same defenses. The Night Lands was an awful episode with very little resemblance to events in ACoK, but at the time it looked like a temporary hiccup in adapting the series; now, obviously, we know that's not the case.

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I liked it, but I really thought Brienne seemed kind of dumb in it.



She should have left Sansa well enough alone, along with Arya. Whenever I hear her going on about keeping the Stark girls safe, I feel like quoting the Hound, and his piquant phrase about where the f**k safety is.



Brienne meant well but she had to realize that Sansa just wouldn't be safe with her the way she is with Littlefinger. Littelfinger has deep, powerful connections plus 15 Knights of the Vale. Brienne only has herself and Podric.



Even if she had the Stark girls, where on earth would she take them? Tarth?


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But the season 5 episodes currently have more ratings than the season 2 polls do anyway...

I generally think the difference in ratings is based on increasing disappointment with the show. I was more generous in ratings back in season 2 than I am now, partly because of how great season 1 was and partly because I thought the show was still finding its feet. 5 seasons in and it's impossible to make those same defenses. The Night Lands was an awful episode with very little resemblance to events in ACoK, but at the time it looked like a temporary hiccup in adapting the series; now, obviously, we know that's not the case.

To me, it looks like the season 2 polls still have slightly more ratings, and Seasons 3 and 4 have a lot more (the Rains of Castamere for instance has over 1,200 ratings); which makes sense since the show was getting ever more popular (in terms of viewers). Its even more popular this season, and the board continues to have technical issues from all the people coming, but I think there are less people here than the past couple seasons, and I think that's due to a lot of people who really like the show not posting as much anymore. I know I don't (at least, not in the show forum), because the people who don't like show are so... let's say exuberant, in their dislike.

There are many other places where people can discuss the show online, and in all the ones I've seen, the show is significantly better received than it is here. There's some dissatisfaction with the pacing so far this season, a complaint that I also have, but that's pretty much it.

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Spent some time away from the forums so I'm a bit late for this.... Anyway, I rated this ep 8/10. It was a tie between 7 and 8 but I wanted to round it upwards since I also gave the first ep an 8.



My favourite parts about this episode were the Varys-Tyrion conversation, finally seeing Dorne and Cersei's face when Kevan defies her. The choosing of the LC was pretty good too, although I miss all the sly preparations that Sam did in the book. Things I didn't like so much: Arya's encounter with the Kindly Man (I didn't like the whole Jaqen H'ghar thing, and the lack of worm-eating); the inn scene with Brienne, Sansa and LF; and Jaime's Dorne mission.


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To me, it looks like the season 2 polls still have slightly more ratings, and Seasons 3 and 4 have a lot more (the Rains of Castamere for instance has over 1,200 ratings); which makes sense since the show was getting ever more popular (in terms of viewers). Its even more popular this season, and the board continues to have technical issues from all the people coming, but I think there are less people here than the past couple seasons, and I think that's due to a lot of people who really like the show not posting as much anymore. I know I don't (at least, not in the show forum), because the people who don't like show are so... let's say exuberant, in their dislike.

There are many other places where people can discuss the show online, and in all the ones I've seen, the show is significantly better received than it is here. There's some dissatisfaction with the pacing so far this season, a complaint that I also have, but that's pretty much it.

Where are these positive forums? I would very much like to visit them.

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Season 5, episode 2: 9 (strictly speaking, more like 8.5)

Much better than last episode. It helped that there was less hopping about; the pacing was better. Also, having set things up they can now have things actually happen.

Braavos was very cool (although it could use more colour). MW speaks Valyrian quite well.

Brienne/Pod/Sansa/LF: Very good. But Sansa is still trusting LF too much. Of course, she doesn't know Brienne from a hole in the wall; but isn't it suspicious in the least that LF is trying so hard to keep her away. (In fairness, maybe Sansa just doesn't buy the shadow story.)

Dorne good but short.

Kevan defying Cersei: In itself, I thought the scene was excellent. I did wonder, though… In the book, K defies her (or at any rate refuses to serve her) because he doesn't think she's fit to rule; in the show, it's because she's only the queen mother. So it seems more a matter of pride than of Cersei's fitness. Perhaps this is because the conversation is at a council meeting rather than in private.

Once again, the Wall was well done, and Stannis comes off better here. I could quibble at Sam suddenly having the courage to address the entire NW, but it's arguably more effective than his politicking in the book. (To be honest, Jon becoming Lord Commander as a teenager isn't the most plausible thing anyway.)

Okay. I enjoyed the Meereen bits, but I found myself wondering where they were going with this. My theory is that Daenerys putting the freedman to death for murdering the accused Harpy is the act that leads the aristocracy to pursue peace. SB telling Daenerys about the Mad King was excellent (although her reaction seemed quite calm, considering). I loved the scene with Drogon at the end.

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I think there are less people here than the past couple seasons, and I think that's due to a lot of people who really like the show not posting as much anymore. I know I don't (at least, not in the show forum), because the people who don't like show are so... let's say exuberant, in their dislike.

There are many other places where people can discuss the show online, and in all the ones I've seen, the show is significantly better received than it is here.

The above is true in my case anyway, not that I have a high post count. I enjoy listening to a number of the different podcasts - they're often intelligently critical of things.

This episode: gave it an 8. Thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I'm still not entirely sure what if any test Arya passed to suddenly be allowed entry when she wasn't before. I miss the Ellaria of the books - it's nice to have SOMEONE who thinks vengeance forever and ever may be a bad idea - but they're doing the streamlining for a good reason, and I respect that. Great introduction for Doran. I thought the Night's Watch election was streamlined quite well, and they're continuing to make Ser Alliser an excellent "sympathetic" (but still dickish) adversary. I'm glad Show-Sam isn't constantly going on about how he's craven. (And remember that, in the book, Jon is elected commander at about the same age as that kid Olly is.) I love how some scenes are open to widely different interpretations: just what is going in Sansa's head? Is she out-and-out rejecting Brienne, or trying her best to subtly warn her to get the heck out of there before Littlefinger's goons kill her? I enjoy the dragons showing Dany's options: chained up and angry in a city that no longer wants her, or setting off free with a dragon that, oh yeah, eats children. And the Gilly/Sam/Shireen scene was great.

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Any poll says something about who it polls. Non-sequitor. And please, please, don't get back to responding to people by spamming us with contrary reviews/polls/etc. This is how members of the forum rate the episode, not how other people rate it or how other people think they should rate it.


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First watch I would have given it an 8 if I'd have voted. But the site was experiencing troubles, so I watched it a second time and decided that it was worthy of a 9.



Jon and Stannis (and Davos) are becoming a real treat for me, and the acting is as great as had I expected.


Shireen/Gilly/Sam warmed my heart, and though the greyscale storyline wasn't necessary, it deepened my concern for Shireen.


The Lord Commander voting was short and therefore very sweet.


I gave an extra half point for Lyanna Mormont's note on second watch. On my first watch I chuckled, the second watch I was anticipating it and was tickled all over again.



Kevan Lannister! Oh dude! He got an extra half point on my second watch. I was able to savour the moment and it tasted good.


Jaime and Bronn's medieval mission impossible. I'm already imagining all sorts of wild and crazy outcomes.


Guess I'll have to go read the 'rant and rave' thread to find out the hulabaloo about Cersei's necklace. :/ I thought the scene was fine.



Dany is starting to realise that ruling is a life and death matter. She can die as easily as anyone else without her dragons close enough to toast her enemies. Good. I'm finally intrigued by her storyline.


Barristan is no Jorah, but he means well.



Doran was much better than I thought he would be. I swore I could hear Oberyn when he started talking. It was eerie and heartbreaking at the same time.



I am really enjoying how much mystery there is for me in watching. I know the books enough to not worry about connecting dots...but damn! I am so curious about what's going to happen in Meereen! And Dorne once Jaime and Bronn get there. And Winterfell! I'm damn near salivating with excitement right now.






I am going to be in Spain for a couple months this summer. As such I will report back on accent authenticity with the kind of objective niceness only Canadian tourists can pull off.




As Canadians, we have rather diverse dialects here. Though most of us speak English, someone from northern Manitoba won't sound the same as someone who is from Vancouver Island or Nova Scotia. Same goes for someone speaking Chilean Spanish to someone from Spain. Quebec's French is much different than what is spoken in France. Though they speak the same language, they do sound different.





These should be taken into account.



A good many people have left the forum due to the prevailing sense of bitterness about the show finishing before the books around these parts. This same sense, I think, accounts for this marked disparity between critical and fan consensus about 501 and 502's quality too. That and folks trying to counterweight the opinion of many Sullied TV critics that s5 was right to cut a ton of stuff from AFFC and ADWD and is an improvement on them story-wise. ;)




I agree with most of what you are saying here. Quite a few posters on other sites have mentioned the fervour that tends to overwhelm new posters... fans that come here to Westeros.org to share their enjoyment of the show simply because this site is usually the first thing to pop up when googling anything to do with GoT. I actually enjoy the innocence and enthusiasm that the newer posters have, but I've given up trying to defend their right to express their enjoyment of the show as the backlash can get pretty colourful. Like swimming in the Amazon River Basin kinda colourful. :(


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Any poll says something about who it polls. Non-sequitor. And please, please, don't get back to responding to people by spamming us with contrary reviews/polls/etc. This is how members of the forum rate the episode, not how other people rate it or how other people think they should rate it.

Where do I put that link?

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