[Poll] How would you rate episode 508?

[Ser Melons]

Hasn't been the greatest of seasons so far, but "Hardhome" is a 10 for me.

I'm actually reeling from the awesomeness.

[Trevelyan]

In my opinion this entire season has been rather underwhelming so far, but this episode fucking nailed it.

It was pure perfection, well, at least the last 30 or so minutes of it. I didn't care that much for the Dany/Tyrion stuff, it felt really flat and the way Clarke and Dinklage delivered their lines was weird. I don't know, maybe it's just me, but that scene didn't feel right.

However Hardhome was epic. For me it was the most exciting thing they've ever done on the show. The Others fill me with dread and horror, they were so well done. For the first time in the show, I felt like the danger beyond the Wall is real and it's coming and all the intigue in King's Landing, all the other conflicts around the world, have suddenly become absolutely irrelevant. That's a feeling that not even George has managed to convey in the books, although I'm sure he will in Winds of Winter. I had legit goosebumps, when the Night's King raised hundreds upon hundreds of corpses with a single arm movement, and there was no music, just the howling of the wind. It was easily one of the most horrifying scenes they have ever done on this show. Great stuff.

10/10. For me, this was the first episode since "The Rains of Castamare" that I think deserves ten points. Outstanding work.

[User inactive]

10/10 best episode of the entire series

[Theda Baratheon]

I haven't liked this season at ALL to be honest with you but HOLY SHIT this episode was a 10/10 all the damn way.

I actually screamed and cackled at my tv I was so excited about what I was watching, holy hell; bravo Game of THrones, this episode might have just about saved the season, if the last two episodes are even close to that good then the season will have been worth it.

[dbunting]

Gave it a 9, one of the best of the entire series. I am sure people will find something to latch on and bitch about but to hell with them!

Cersei licking water off the floor like a dog, my how the mighty have fallen.

Sansa and Reek, now she knows Bran and Rickon are alive.

Roose and Ramsey, looks like a raiding party is in the works.

Tyrion and Dany talking. Nice to see a little back and forth where neither trusts the other and both give some smart ass responses.

Hardhome - better than expected. Nights King appearance, seeing that Valyrian steel kills a wight, and a well done large scale battle.

Kevan Lannister back in KL

Varys getting some love to Dany from Tyrion

NO DORNE!!!!

Going to watch it again today.

[Yela]

Hardhome had this very... Titanic vibe to it as well - minus the mushy love story. Everything from Karsi putting the girls in the boat and saying she'd get in a later one, to Loboda closing the "Wighter"-Tight doors, to the icebergs and cold, to the rushing to the boats... its a good thing imo.

It was like Lord of the Rings meets Titanic.

This was what came to my mind aswell! God this episode is soo titanic-y in a very good way! Karsi + Girls leaving on boat = Rose + Jack leaving on boat

I also liked how they kept showing zoomout shots of Hardhome. It adds to the violence and craziness cause of what's happening. That's something the 2014 Godzilla didn't show, they kept only showing the buildings crashing which is annoying because in a catastrophic event like that, most of us would've wanted to see the people's reactions(like Titanic). And this episode delivered when it comes to that.

10/10

[Lyanna<3Rhaegar]

Or the Night King is like 'damn I wish I could swim!'.....

Either way I loved it too. Bang-bang pace and I hope they keep it up

Yeah! I was wondering that. Apparently they can't go in the water?

[lakin1013]

9 Great episode! Hardhome was terrific, NotVal was brave, the Thenn was ferocious, and Valyrian Steel!!!! The long, hard look between the Night King and Jon was fascinating. What was the NK thinking? Did he recognize something in Jon, or was he just showing off what he can do?

Two small reasons why I cannot give it a 10: Sansa/Theon conversation and Dany/Tyrion. When Theon told Sasa that he had NOT killed her two little brothers, she was thrilled. But as a viewer, I remember that in fact cowardly Theon ordered two innocent boys to be killed and burned (if he did not actually do the deed himself, I cannot remember). The scene bothered me and I felt manipulated like ....YAY, Theon didn't kill Stark boys, he killed other boys YAY.

The dialogue between Tyrion and Sansa seemed heavy or flat in some way. Tyrion's delivery is usually crisp. Maybe it was just Dany being regal-like but it just seemed like banter, not substance.

[lakin1013]

double post

Edited June 1, 2015 by lakin1013

[Tharvot]

I voted a 10 only because 11 wasn't available.

[DemiNymph]

10 straight. Superbly enjoyable, great action and suspense. Hardhome is the best action sequence of the series, even better than Baywater or the Wall and even some zombie movies. I haven't given a 10 in a long while.

We all need monsters vs humans!

Enjoyed the to and fro between Tyrion and Dany as well.

[A Redeemed Hound]

Last week was my fist positive rating of the season. I gave it a solid 7. This week is a solid 9. What a great episode. This episode is a perfect example of changes being made that make sense and pay off big time on television.

Lena Headey has been the best actor on the show this season and I hope it pays off for her. Her portrayal of Cersie has been spot on IMO. Very emotional and solid all season. Also loved Qyburn informing her that his work is still progressing. He he he.

Tyrion and Dany was actually very enjoyable. I think having a great actor like Peter Dinklage with her made her act far better last night. Normally I only think she is good when speaking Dothraki or Valaryian but last night she was very good and I enjoyed their conversation greatly.

I was thrilled to see Cat of the Canals. I figured that portion would be written off but I was pleasantly surprised. I was hoping for a face change but maybe that's coming up. But I am enjoying Arya and J'aqen a lot. Wish they could spend more time with them and a lot less time with Dorne.

Excellent moment between Sansa and Theon. I was okay with her being at Winterfell this season and so far it is paying off. Sophie Turner played her with great emotion last night. Alfie Allen is still one of the show's best.

I was utterly shocked when the Others attacked Hardhome. I was NOT expecting that. Not even a little. My only complaint is with Tormund. Only GRRM's episode a few seasons back gave him a "Har!" and had him act like his character in the book. But that's all. What a great television moment. Truly epic and horrifying in every way. Those kid wights freaked me the hell out. And the Wun Weg giant was just spectacular.

I will reserve giving this a 10 because of what SHOULD be a 10 next week. My only dread is that Dorne will be in next week's episode. Dorne has been the absolute worst idea of any given season but I hope it pays off somehow.

[Theda Baratheon]

It was pure fantasy and I fucking loved it.

[Vietnam Wolf]

Brilliant episode, as someone else said the best since Reins of Castermere. Finally seeing Tyrion gelling with Daenerys and the first good view of white walkers on the attack. That part where they all threw themselves off the cliff was so clever, and the dramatic ending when the ex windings all rose up. Stunning TV.

[Balerion's Whiskers]

First 10 ever for me.

* Sam..."Jon always comes back." Definite nod to us book readers in my opinion

* Screaming at the TV when Jon was scrabbling for the dragonglass..."get Longclaw!!...get Longclaw!! (my 'show only' hubby was shocked...I never yell at the TV...ever)

* ....and a big YESSSS when Longclaw shattered the WW (I knew it...I knew it!)

* Thought for a minute that we had a 'Val'...loved the Karsi character

* An Ice Spider shout out....maybe...hoping...maybe

* King Crow (enough said)

* that LOOK that the NK gave Jon...he knows who and what he is.

* for a totally fictitious scene from totally fictitious world...Hardhome worked

* NO DORNE!

* Cersei licking the floor...how the mighty have fallen...Lena did a marvelous job.

* slimy little Qyburn noting the his work was proceeding...yep, FrankenGregor is a'coming

* Lanna of the Canals...well, I wish it was Cat (and can't figure out why it isn't...but loved the scene)

* Sansa finding out her brothers live...Theon starting to humanize again just a little. (she may be the 'girl in grey' at the close of this season fleeing a marriage...bet she thinks the boys went to Jon)

* Finally,something happening in Mereen

* Dinklage said more with his eyes than a whole room full of Sand Snakes boasting and stripping.

* NO DORNE (did I say that already???)

Yep, this was a winner.

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

What a great episode. For some reason I can't vote 10, I voted 9 just because a couple of things made it not perfect. I thought Hardhome itself was a 10, and while I enjoyed the remaining scenes I thought Arya could've just poisoned the merchant right there instead of dragging it out to next week and Tyrion/Dany could've been a little better -- the dialogue was decent but not as great as it could've been.

[Ugly Little Girl]

10.

I don't have words to describe my emotions.

'don't worry about Jon, I've been worrying about him for years, he always comes back'

The sword!

Cersei!!

Wildling Warrior mum!!!

Adttggvvhjjggjjfghh

Edited June 1, 2015 by Ugly Little Girl

[Tlacenka]

Tbf in terms of the White Walkers, they are in the pilot and in the background as a threat for most of 5/7 seasons so they are at that stage in the lifecycle where there needs to be another decisive step forward in the primary arc of the entire story

Season 6 needs to go even deeper, eg they need to arrive at the Wall and even cross it, with the invasion proper in season 7. Similarly Winds of Winter as the name suggests needs to go deep into the Others invasion (which basically means the pace of the books need to speed up a lot more than the pace where they have been in Feast and Dance)

Also, as far as the general principle goes, it's harder in a visual medium to make something a nameless terror, it has to be seen in some way in order for viewers to be engaged which is why the harpies are seen although with masks

Fair point.

I do realize that they need to speed it up - and revealing the WW to hundreds of people instead of just Sam makes them more credible, thus easier for the survivors to persuade the rest of the world how much of a threat they are and that there should be something done about them already, until it's too late.

Still, I would love the series to be longer, so that they could take their time with these crucial things...

[Lordi Nietos]

Hardhome was great. I think the Pit might manage to top it. This was a deviation I'm not unhappy about.

I think the Cersei scene would have been better if she'd been deprived of sleep instead of water and asked if she wants to confess instead of being told to confess.

I don't know how I would have done it better, but the interaction between Dany and Tyrion seemed awkward to me.

9/10.

[Ghosts Lunch]

To be their man-slave? :lmao:

This episode gets 9/10 from me. Hardhome sequence was epic. Best battle in the series really... but Olly and Dany&Tyrion scenes weren't that great (once again)

Probably using him for his winter Stark bloodline, similar to how Stannis wants Royal blood in show Gendry/book Edric

Similar also to how the CoTF went to great lengths to get first Bloodraven and then Bran plugged into their Weirnet, CoTF planning something big too

As for female upper caste, it's kinda foreshadowed with NK story, but despite being a nominally mans world we see through history with Elizabeth 1 and now 2nd these days, Queen Victoria and Queen Mary of Scots even + Joan of Arc etc that female leaders seem to be the most iconic and they seem to inspire the most intense loyalty from the male masses, seems to be a mother/son type thing

So in the books the Lannisters are most focused around Cersei, the Tyrells around Olenna, there's something really funky about Barbrey Dustin, Sansa IMO will be a formidable Queen out of Harrenhall. The Starks were focused around Cat but that is adjusting, the Targaryens around Dany obviously, the Harpies around the Green Grace - in the show I reckon the Whore woman is actually the mother of the Harpies which is a great thematic twin to Dany - there's also Arianne to a degree though that is an even mix with Prince Doran her father. Ironborn need Theon as a figurehead but Asha is a driving force figurehead as a counter to Euron.

Ultimately for mine it makes sense there is a Queen figurehead at the apex of the Others although a bit like R'hlorr I expect the Great Other is a male form.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Ghosts Lunch