How Would You Rate Episode 106?

[Renasko]

8/10

Pretty good episode. Not quite reaching perfect marks, though. Figure the second season will improve. They'll learn from their mistakes. More direwolves, less exposition. A little more Lannister gold.

Should be sweet.

[Daenerys]

Robb and Theon was again a bit too much. We get that Theon isn't a Stark, we get that he resents his position but they're overegging the pudding to the extent that Theon's betrayal is an inevitability. It was quite shocking in the books and i'm sad how much of that they will have lost in trying to justify and explain it early.

I agree, I'm almost finding myself rooting for Theon. First of all, he may be a bit of a cocky wanker, but at least he's got a personality, and some humor. Compare to Robb who seems to have the personality of a cardboard box. Second, all the Starks treat him like shit, seemingly for no reason. That's not the impression I got from the books. Yes, he's a Greyjoy and his family tried to rebel, but he was obviously a child at the time and should not be held accountable for that. The only scenes in the tv series where he seems a part of the Stark family is when he's joking around with the Stark boys when they get haircuts, and when he's present when Cat tells the small Winterfell group about the treachery of the Lannisters. Other than they, why wouldn't he hate the Starks? I actually loved it when Robb asked him where Bran is he said "It's not my house." and stalked off (and even there he STILL came back and saved their asses).

So yeah, it's not going to have the same surprise or impact when he...you know...

[YoDaddy]

Giving it a 6. I can't decide if I'm too much of a fanboy to be so dissapointed in certain elements that stray from the books or if those constantly passing out 10's are......

[YoDaddy]

Oh, and does anyone else find themselves singing "Satisfaction" whenever Theon enters a room? Could he look more like Mick Jagger?

[Bronn Stone]

Overall, I'm happy with the fighting scenes which seem quite realistic and brutal, although some of the characters aren't depicted as I had imagined them - Bronn for example. He is atleast 10-15 years older than he should be. Ser Vardis even more so. On the other hand, another fantastic performance from Peter Dinklage, brilliant actor. He really is the star of the series for me.

Dinklage is 41 - 18 years older than Tyrion but you are okay with that? In the books, Catelyn estimates that Ser Vardis Egen to be about fifteen years older than Bronn. So if this Bronn is 15 years older than the one in the books (truth is he's closer to 20), that would mean Brendan McCormack should be about sixty. I can't find his actual age, but he's clearly not sixty. Probably a good bit younger than Jerome Flynn.

[Daenerys]

Episode poll ratings (minimum 100 votes, top and bottom 5% thrown out):

Epi | Title                                   | Rating | 6.........7.........8.........9.........10
----|-----------------------------------------|--------|-------------------------------------------
101 | "Winter Is Coming"                      | 7.8    | *******************
102 | "The Kingsroad"                         | 8.2    | ***********************
103 | "Lord Snow"                             | 7.9    | ********************
104 | "Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things" | 8.2    | ***********************
105 | "The Wolf and the Lion"                 | 8.8    | *****************************
106 | "A Golden Crown"                        | 8.8    | *****************************

Overall series average - 8.3

[valacirca]

Tally of episode scores so far:

E06 - 8.68 (136 votes)

E05 - 8.63 (235 votes)

E02 - 8.14 (235 votes)

E04 - 8.00 (248 votes)

E01 - 7.88 (241 votes)

E03 - 7.87 (136 votes)

Overall series score: 8.19 / 10

(so few votes for the pilot episode)

[gypsyscarlett]

My first ten. Everything was topnotch. The acting, the writing, the directing. All the scenes flowed perfectly together.

And my gal Dany rocked! The powerful, yet quietly eerie way she delivered the final line gave me goosebumps.

I will miss the actor who played Viserys. But what a memorable way to go!

[Holymoly]

I'm not completely pleased with the series relationship between Rob & Theon. My understanding from the books was that they were friends and that Rob trusted Theon (else wise, why would he send him where he did later). My take was that Theon was treated fairly and equally with the "trueborn" Stark children.

I've been re-reading the first book after a few years and must say that I am surprised how I am picking up a different take on Theon second time around. First time reading through the books I think you miss much of the nuances the author included as you weren't neccessarily aware of the future importance of seemingly innocuous comments/occurences. When I read through the first time Theon's story was very surprising for me as it devloped. However second time of reading, and the wildling scene in particular, you get the suggestion of a certain cavalier, flippant attitude towards the Stark children that wouldn't be expected if they were blood relations. In the book Robb is incredibly angry with Theon for taking the shot. The TV series is using a slightly blunter instrument to make the point however I believe that it is a point present in the book.

[Greywolf2375]

9/10

Actually, over a 9, but not perfect. There are some things I still dislike about how the stories are being adjusted - Theon/Roz didn't fit well & some other minor quibbles, but to me this has been the best episode so far. If I can ever get HBO Go to work, maybe the next will bump it up a notch, but this was the peak to this point for me.

[Hombre de Murcielago]

9/10

Great episode, but not quite perfect. Maisie Williams and Peter Dinklage continue to nail every scene they are in, but I'm consistently disappointed when Sansa or Draco Malfoy (Joffrey) are in a scene. The lack of direwolves during the fight in the woods was also a disappointment. Overall the series appears to have finally picked up momentum and this episode did an excellent job of keeping it going.

[Abaddon]

Gave this one a 9, I'd say it's my highest 9 yet... maybe a 9.3 or 9.4. Very close to giving an episode a 9.5+ = 10 and I think that in Eps 8-10 there should be some great opportunities to do so...

[SFA-OK]

7/10

Solid. Like in all previous episodes, there were some unnecessary changes and scenes.

Really not a fan of how they continue to portray Theon. It's like who cares if and when he becomes a dick? He already is! Way too one-dimensional for my liking.

Didn't like the change to the Moon Door just so they could add a cliche into the Bronn fight.

Sean Bean was once again one of the big highlights.

Not a fan so far of Littlefinger or really anyone else in the King's council. Those characters (and the intrigue) was much more interesting in the book (so far).

Tyrion Lannister is great once again.

The crowning scene was done really well but when you start feeling bad for Viserys there might be something wrong! In the book I didn't feel bad for the character at all. It's strange how they made Viserys into a somewhat semi-sympathetic character but Theon is a complete douche who you feel nothing for.

I actually didn't mind the Sansa scene.

The Jeoffrey cast is great. That actor is creepy!

[Songlian]

8. I liked it a lot. Viserys again stole the show for me. Many great scenes overall.

They keep being too obvious with things, and it's beginning to bother me a little. Dany and the dragon eggs, Dany and the fire thing, Theon and his imminent betrayal (is it even betrayal at this point, given how much crap he gets from everyone?), Baratheon and the golden hair, etc. All these things came as surprises in the books; now they're so obvious, it's painful.

Otherwise, good episode.

[Davieboy]

My verdict is a 9.

I thought it covered a lot of ground well, with fab performances all round. I actually think Alfie Allen is capturing Theon very well - I can easily imagine him in the events we know are coming up in the future, esp. his initial meeting with Asha, a real highlight for me. Harry Lloyd's Viserys deserves all the plaudits it's receiving.

Enjoyed the Bronn fight - I always imagined Sean Bean (in his Sharpe persona) as Bronn whilst reading the books. Loved Mord - could not resist telling my wife about the gold teeth he later acquires, probably the only spoiler I've given her! She's never read the book and positively loves the show (as do all her workmates she convinced to watch based on my say-so). Dany's story is her favorite part.

Downsides - as SFA-OK says above the King's council is lacking something; I don't recognise Renly on TV as the Renly in the books and Littlefinger, one of my fave characters hasn't really shone yet. Early days for him I guess, and Varys is fine so far. I guess it's just Renly.

As always, the end of the show is a huge wrench back to reality.....

Watching from ep. 1 tonight as my friend from Oz is over - I have to do my BwB duty!

[The Fan]

They keep being too obvious with things, and it's beginning to bother me a little.

This is more than a little grating to me as well, I cannot tell if it's due to the fact I have read the books, or because they (D&D) believe that the American audience (perhaps rightly...) have no appreciation of any subtlety. Renly-Loras and the slurping, Littlefinger and Ned in the throne room, among a few others I have purged from memory.

I did really enjoy episode 6, the "crowning" scene was really the crown of the episode. Harry Lloyd played Viserys the Mad brilliantly, right to point he pitches forward, gilded.

As for the Theon bit, in the books, I was under the impression that Robb, Jon and Theon, of similar age were brotherly rivals, even though Theon was not a "Stark", he was not mistreated or mistrusted how they are portraying it. When he travels as an envoy, it is his poor experience running into Asha that (I had thought) causes him to decide to.... well, we know what he does.

...and the direwolves, where, oh where, are the direwolves? I started a topic called "HBO GoT: Where are the Direwolves?" to discuss it, but the wildling/Bran scene was one of the best scenes where the direwolves earn their keep. Couple that glaring omission with the vaguely wolf-like dogs they were forced to use (stupid Irish wild animal laws...) and what was a terrific aspect to the books is barely a footnote in the show. As near as I can tell, the only characters in the show aware that the 'Wolves exist are Bran's throatless assassin, Sansa and Joffrey. <_<

[Songlian]

This is more than a little grating to me as well, I cannot tell if it's due to the fact I have read the books, or because they (D&D) believe that the American audience (perhaps rightly...) have no appreciation of any subtlety.

I think it's a little bit of both. Having read the books, we are surely more quick to catch on the clues, but at the same time I get the impression that they really wanted to make sure as many viewers as possible understand what's going on. Because it they don't, or lose track of the events, they'll most likely stop watching. And that's bad for your ratings. Hence, the obvious-in-your-face thing.

Meh. :)

Edited May 26, 2011 by Songlian

[WinterBreeze]

It was a 9, until the death scene at the end. That brought it up to a 10 for me.

[Noir Dove]

I am a new reader. I have been reading the first book along with the show, stopped whenever the show stops. I have only been spoiled about one major thing. (An event that happens at the end of book 1) That being the only major plot point that I accidentally stumbled upon... I have to say... I'm finding everything else is quite surprising. I had not a clue why Ned was searching for Robert's bastards. And I realized the answer just as Sansa opened her mouth. So I know many of you are seasoned fans, but as a new comer it is VERY fresh and VERY interesting for me.

[Bronn Stone]

I am a new reader. I have been reading the first book along with the show, stopped whenever the show stops. I have only been spoiled about one major thing. (An event that happens at the end of book 1) That being the only major plot point that I accidentally stumbled upon... I have to say... I'm finding everything else is quite surprising. I had not a clue why Ned was searching for Robert's bastards. And I realized the answer just as Sansa opened her mouth. So I know many of you are seasoned fans, but as a new comer it is VERY fresh and VERY interesting for me.

That is great to hear. I hope you get similar enjoyment on the twists and turns yet to come.