Director Mark Mylod on this week's episode

[Lothar]

Want to have an even lower opinion of this week's episode?  Listen to the director talk about it.

http://www.techinsider.io/game-of-thrones-blackfish-and-the-waif-offscreen-scenes-2016-6

Quote

"He's a man who carries a lot of shame for not being in the right place at the right time at the Red Wedding," Mylod said. "He's carried that shame and here was a chance for at least a bit of personal redemption to give himself that moment of dignity.

So the Blackfish is again not going to be in the right place at the right time to help his family out because he's abandoning them to go commit suicide. That's a good thing.

It's personal redemption and a moment of dignity that he made a fool of himself for dying for no reason.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/06/13/game-of-thrones-maisie-williams-explains-why-arya-was-never-goin/

Quote

Williams explains that episode director Mark Mylod and his team wanted Arya's escape from The Waif in episode seven and subsequent chase in No One to be far more theatrical, but the actress maintained that it wasn't Ayra's style.

 

She said that in her mind, Ayra was really struggling, and wouldn't expend extra energy on pulling cool-looking stunts when she was just trying to stay safe:

"I wanted her to look like she was struggling. I didn’t want [the chase stunts] to be unnecessary or superhuman. I got on set and they were [going to have Arya] rolling around, and diving, and I was like, 'That looks amazing, but no.' I’d be like, 'Why would she run over there? She’d just duck under here and just get out.'"

 

Apparently they wanted the chase scene to be even more ridiculous but Maisie Williams finally had to stop and go "No, you guys are fucking retarded."

Can we petition for Mark Mylod to never direct another episode?  Not just on GoT but on anything?

[jandslegate]

7 hours ago, Lothar said:

Want to have an even lower opinion of this week's episode?  Listen to the director talk about it.

http://www.techinsider.io/game-of-thrones-blackfish-and-the-waif-offscreen-scenes-2016-6

So the Blackfish is again not going to be in the right place at the right time to help his family out because he's abandoning them to go commit suicide. That's a good thing.

It's personal redemption and a moment of dignity that he made a fool of himself for dying for no reason.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/06/13/game-of-thrones-maisie-williams-explains-why-arya-was-never-goin/

Apparently they wanted the chase scene to be even more ridiculous but Maisie Williams finally had to stop and go "No, you guys are fucking retarded."

Can we petition for Mark Mylod to never direct another episode?  Not just on GoT but on anything?

 

No joke. Sounds like they would have been better off letting Williams direct the episode. 

[Cas Stark]

These people are DEMENTED.

So, the Blackfish carries shame that he wasn't at the right place at the right time to save his family.  Therefore, when his family asks for his help in saving them...he tells them to fuck off.

I guess when you remember these are the people that had the Sand Snakes take revenge for their dead Martell relatives by killing the rest of their Martell relatives...it makes sense that this would be their take.

[TickTak7]

4 minutes ago, Cas Stark said:

These people are DEMENTED.

So, the Blackfish carries shame that he wasn't at the right place at the right time to save his family.  Therefore, when his family asks for his help in saving them...he tells them to fuck off.

I guess when you remember these are the people that had the Sand Snakes take revenge for their dead Martell relatives by killing the rest of their Martell relatives...it makes sense that this would be their take.

I think it all comes down to interpretation. 

I viewed that scene as the Blackfish realizing that Brienne could help Sansa so much more than he ever could, and therefore prioritized getting her safe (essentially staying behind to protect that tunnel so she could use the boat to get away). 

In that regard, he did what he thought was best for his family. 

I don't think it was a one or another decision here at all. 

[Cas Stark]

Just now, TickTak7 said:

I think it all comes down to interpretation. 

I viewed that scene as the Blackfish realizing that Brienne could help Sansa so much more than he ever could, and therefore prioritized getting her safe (essentially staying behind to protect that tunnel so she could use the boat to get away). 

In that regard, he did what he thought was best for his family. 

I don't think it was a one or another decision here at all. 

He's a tested battle commander who fought in 3 wars.  That is what he has to offer, the thing she needs:  a military leader and strategist. Brienne is none of those things.  Sansa doesn't need a shoulder to cry on, she needs someone who can win a military victory.

 

[TickTak7]

4 minutes ago, Cas Stark said:

He's a tested battle commander who fought in 3 wars.  That is what he has to offer, the thing she needs:  a military leader and strategist. Brienne is none of those things.  Sansa doesn't need a shoulder to cry on, she needs someone who can win a military victory.

 

I don't disagree. 

Merely just sharing my interpretation of that scene, and why I think the Blackfish prioritized getting Brienne back to Sansa over himself.

I don't think it's nearly as disastrous writing or pathetic directing as some of you guys are claiming it to be. 

[Cas Stark]

Just now, TickTak7 said:

I don't disagree. 

Merely just sharing my interpretation of that scene, and why I think the Blackfish prioritized getting Brienne back to Sansa over himself.

I don't think it's nearly as disastrous writing or pathetic directing as some of you guys are claiming it to be. 

If he is truly dead, the whole segment, whether it was well written or not, was a complete waste of GOT's precious time.  The Blackfish and Edmure scenes add nothing to the main story, because BF is dead, Edmure is off to be a prisoner at Casterly Rock.  Unless there is a twist coming, that was all pretty pointless.

We can agree to disagree on whether his actions are very logical, but his reappearance in the show was underwhelming to say the least.

[WSmith84]

1 hour ago, TickTak7 said:

I think it all comes down to interpretation. 

I viewed that scene as the Blackfish realizing that Brienne could help Sansa so much more than he ever could, and therefore prioritized getting her safe (essentially staying behind to protect that tunnel so she could use the boat to get away). 

In that regard, he did what he thought was best for his family. 

I don't think it was a one or another decision here at all. 

The BF could have gone with them. There was nothing stopping him, except his own stupid desire to stay.

[yakisikli123]

Its not late for BF, he hasnt any reason to stay and defense the castle, because of Edmure.

[SerMixalot]

"He's a man who carries a lot of shame for not being in the right place at the right time at the Red Wedding," Mylod said. "He's carried that shame and here was a chance for at least a bit of personal redemption to give himself that moment of dignity. "

 

Ummm where was he if not at the red wedding? Cause he was at the red wedding? Remember? He was sitting next to Catelyn.

He talked to Catelyn

He talked to Roose, about marrying Lady Walda-god bless her

He went to "find a tree to a piss on"

is the director implying that the BF ran away like a coward, cause it seems to me he would have had a chance to defend his family even while taking a piss

 

[grey_scale]

5 hours ago, TickTak7 said:

I viewed that scene as the Blackfish realizing that Brienne could help Sansa so much more than he ever could, and therefore prioritized getting her safe (essentially staying behind to protect that tunnel so she could use the boat to get away). 

In that regard, he did what he thought was best for his family. 

But, in that way, what was the point of the whole Brienne's mission? The goal was to arrive Riverrun, then come back to the North sneaking unseen? Is it a joke?

[Frejac]

5 hours ago, Cas Stark said:

If he is truly dead, the whole segment, whether it was well written or not, was a complete waste of GOT's precious time.  The Blackfish and Edmure scenes add nothing to the main story, because BF is dead, Edmure is off to be a prisoner at Casterly Rock.  Unless there is a twist coming, that was all pretty pointless.

We can agree to disagree on whether his actions are very logical, but his reappearance in the show was underwhelming to say the least.

Completely agree.

Unless something unexpected happens in the finale, the whole Riverrun plot this season feels like a waste of time, and a weird place to focus so much attention in the latter half of the season.

Without the Blackfish or any of the Tully men heading north, Riverrun feels like a plot device to get Jaime away from Cersei before the trial and Brienne away from Sansa.

If that's all the show really needed to accomplish, it could have been done much quicker (Jaime gets sent to Casterly Rock, Brienne gets sent to look for Arya), and then the show could have used the extra time to flesh out the other plot lines.

[Rhollo]

So this was the realistic version of Aryas escape, huh. Were they planning on exploding cabbages originally ?

[Hol Horse]

During the chase scene I had to double check and make sure I was still watching GoT and not a kung-Fu movie starring a discount Donnie Yen.

[ummester]

Ok, this is very clumsy storytelling, again, by the show - but I can understand how it is not a waste of time. Like the books, it shows the Lannisters/crown (via Jamie) is taking control of the Riverlands. Basically, Westeros (besides Dorne and the North) is coming under united control of Jamie.

I think this is setting up for some 3 way conflict in the end - where I have thought it has been going for a while. Team sexy chicks with their dragons and either dickless or dwarvern men attack from the south. Team winter has come with Starks and Ice mages from the north. And team humanity being destroyed under the Azor Ahai of incest in the middle.

But, fuck - the show is making a dogs breakfast of the narrative.

[Maid So Fair]

How the hell was BF not at the right place at the right time? He was right there at the RW! If he was so desperate to die, he could have just walked back in FFS. Why is everybody an idiot? Of course he has to redeem himself by pointlessly throwing his life away instead of actually helping his family.

I have no words for the Arya scene.

[NutBurz]

Maybe he wasn´t "desperate to die" before and during the Red Wedding? Maybe he lived with the shame ever since then and that took a toll on him? Maybe not all characters exist for the sake of this or that plot? Maybe not all characters act based on pure, cold logic?

 

Saying the Riverrun arc is useless just because things "didn´t change" is like saying Jon´s arc with the wildlings is useless. In the end, he´s still in the night´s watch, still has no girl, wouldn´t get killed just for that and it was still Stannis who saved them. Anyone who goes into "but the Wildlings could have taken Castle Back" and doesn´t consider that "Jaime could have not conquered Riverrun" is just choosing.

 

Arya´s scene is indefensible. If anything because she couldn´t possibly know that the Waif wouldn´t just slit her throat the first time she was trying to get her attention, but mainly because she should be dead in three different occasions throughout the entire thing.

[King Louis II (KLII)]

22 hours ago, Lothar said:

Apparently they wanted the chase scene to be even more ridiculous but Maisie Williams finally had to stop and go "No, you guys are fucking retarded."

Can we petition for Mark Mylod to never direct another episode?  Not just on GoT but on anything?

Seconded...  where do I sign?

Edit:  I am serious!!!! Where do I SIGN?

 

[The Dames do Moan]

Yeah, this episode was probably my least favorite of the season. After my first watch I was left feeling disappointment. Maybe because of some of the scenes I disliked, maybe the BF, or maybe because we figured out Arya's scene from last week was just that, Arya being cocky and stupid.

Now on subsequent re-watch's, after getting over that feeling a disappointment I did enjoy it a bit more, there were definetly some scenes I enjoyed, the Edmure and Jaime scene was one of my favorites of the whole season but overall still probably my least favorite episode of the season.

I think it was kind of the opposite of Book of the Stranger. I felt that was strong because the bookended it with 2 very strong scenes (Stark Reunion & Dany Khal Burning) and the stuff in the middle was just solid. "No-one" though, the stuffed in the middle was still somewhat solid but the bookended Arya scenes I really didn't like, so it left me unhappy.

Like I said, I did enjoy most of RiverRun, but the BF taking the easy way out was really weak, enjoyed Sandor and the BwB, Meereen. Arya's scenes were rough, cherry on the top was that we got this big buildup to Arya vs. Waif, then didn't even get to see them fight.

[No One of Importance]

55 minutes ago, NutBurz said:

 

 

Saying the Riverrun arc is useless just because things "didn´t change" is like saying Jon´s arc with the wildlings is useless. In the end, he´s still in the night´s watch, still has no girl, wouldn´t get killed just for that and it was still Stannis who saved them. Anyone who goes into "but the Wildlings could have taken Castle Back" and doesn´t consider that "Jaime could have not conquered Riverrun" is just choosing.

 

 

Except that without Jon's wildling arc, would he be trying to save them now?  Would he ever have gone to Hardhome?  Would Tormund et al be following Jon now?  It did have material consequences on the story.  Jaime's Riverrun arc still could have such consequences, potentially, but we certainly haven't seen any yet, and everything he's said indicates that he just wants to get back to KL.