How would you rate episode 201?

[An Ironborn Son]

I'm going to start with two things that I really, really liked. The first being the moment where Stannis brings forth the flame sword. For me this will go down as the first real moment of grandeur this season. Robert's elder brother is ready to throw down and that scene came across beautifully. The other was Lord Mormont's reaction to Jon Snow. Yes, I know that Jon was a little out of character in the way that he reacted but it gave the Lord Commander a chance to talk it through with him and provide a key bit of mentoring.

I thought all of the new characters were great, though I had similar problems as others did with Dontos and Craster. I think in my head that I pictured Dontos as being more Quixotic as a drunk and not just looking like a more out of place Samwell. Although he may surprise us, we'll have to wait and see. I think for Craster it was more that I didn't get the overall feel that I wanted, it didn't seem like a more than slightly dangerous place to be. I also thought that this would be the scene that if you were new to the show and had only seen season 1, this would probably seem out of place as you'd be waiting to see if Jon was going to do something more related to the other characters.

Shae's portrayal continues to bother me and I don't blame the actress I think it more has to do with her lines being akin to Storm in the first X-Men movie. Basically, Shae's supposed to be a worldly gal who isn't just a floozy and has substance but you wouldn't know it from her very basic and cliched lines. I keep reminding myself that this girl has captivated one of the greatest minds in the Empire and I just can't see it with the bland pillow talk that seems to fall from her mouth. I know that HBO wants her to be some sort of sexpot vixen but whoever is directing them needs to tell her to try a less is more approach to the whole thing.

As to that, my biggest beef with the brothel scene is that it is setting something up but how big can this moment really be? Readers of the book can probably figure out where I'm going with that notion but it seems like the whole scene then gets digested as nothing more than an execution which kind of takes away from Eddard's death, a death that worked so well because it comes out of almost no where and is a shown act of violence where so much of the other acts of brutality are off stage. Bringing it to the forefront seems like a mistake.

I give the acting an overall 8

I give the feeling and mood after the episode a 10

I give the pacing and build up a 5

[Hyper]

I agree - each time I watch Ros' pathetic explanation about a brothel - I grind my teeth and wonder why the HBO writers didn't put more effort into Stannis' scene at Dragonestone. If I wanted to watch porn - I'd get it from the Adult Channel- I came to watch GoT d@mnit not the Playboy channel!!!

Not familiar with HBO I gather? Nor the vivid descriptions from the GRRM novels?

[Red Raven]

I gave it a 7. Overall I enjoyed it except:

1) Littlefinger tipping his hand so obviously to Cersei. He reminded me of a Bond villain who boasts, "Before I kill you, let me tell you, complete with charts and graphs, about my detailed plan to conquer the world!" Someone as practiced as Littlefinger should know better than to make such a rookie mistake; dumbing him down was a disappointment.

2) Shae was ridiculous; they turned her into an airhead.

3) The CGI for the direwolves. It was done so poorly it was distracting.

4) Melisandre's hair. A little conditioning could go a long way to making it not look like a cheap wig.

[Helyn Snow]

I gave it 8 out of 10, as they did a good job in adapting Clash for the screen. I'm I the only one though who shouted Cleos Frey at the screen - it seems trivial but they could have explained the Frey/Lannister marraige in one sentence - if they've renamed him Alton Lannister, does that mean we'll never meet Genna Frey?

Other problems - I too didn't get the LF/Cersei scene. I know that they are trying to set it up for Littlefinger's future schemes against the Lannister's, but it was completely out of character for him; he's one of the best players of the game, and he wouldn't be stupid enough to goad Cersei in such a way.

Also, the bastard killing scene made it look like King Bob had fucked the whole of Kings Landing - does this not marr Maggy The Frog's prediction revealed later on (you'll have three children, your husband will have six).

Maester Cressen's death was a bit weird - why have him drink first and be noticeably poisoned even before Mel drank the wine, and therefore why would she drink it..?

I didn't buy Dontos - not so much that it wasn't the tourney in the book, but just that he didn't appear drunk, just bumbling.

If Dany is already going to Qarth, does that not mean she's going to barely have any scenes in this season - and they killed her silver..!

For casting, I have to admit that Davos was cracking, not too sure about Mel and Stannis (I've still got Mark Strong as the ideal casting in my head), and I take it we're not getting Shireen and Patchface - so therefore we're not getting the retaliation rumour from KL about Stannis being cuckolded and Patchface being the real dad.

Anyway, overall I enjoyed what they did. I may have more problems next week as it looks like they will catch up with my favourite character of the series, Arya, and my favourite guest character of the book, Jaqen H'ghar, but I hear they've got a hot guy for the role ('... if a girl was to ask a man...[swoon]). And I'll also be shouting ASHA at the screen...

[Tywin's bastard]

Also, the bastard killing scene made it look like King Bob had fucked the whole of Kings Landing - does this not marr Maggy The Frog's prediction revealed later on (you'll have three children, your husband will have six).

Maggy actually says "six-and-ten for him" so there's nothing contradictory there.

[Hot Pie Targaryen]

Give it an 8. My major issue was the omission of Patchface, who would work really well on the show. Just watched episode 2 yesterday, and it's damn near perfect.

[DannySpud]

Damn that's a sexy bell curve.

[lostinwesteros]

I'd just posted on another thread my primary 'negative' reaction to this first show, i.e., Mel's saying her lines about the night being dark and full of terrors over and over and over and over again. Then, the night of the opening show, I'd just mentioned, not really a complaint, but an observation that I thought Craster was MUCH too well groomed and attractive (his depravity should have shown in his face ! )and his keep was much too decent.

Other than that . . . I watched the first show a second and a third time, right in a row, so I voted it as a 9 -- very, very close to perfect (I even liked the additional scene with LF, though it shocked me, and really liked the scene where Cersei slapped Joffrey and got put herself put down in a big way). Hated to see Robert's bastards hunted down and killed so ruthlessly (especially the baby), but thought it was true to the themes of the story. Also thought the Ser Dontas scene played out very, very well by all involved.

Edited April 6, 2012 by House of White and White

[HyacinthGirl]

Why is everyone bitchin about everything ?

I know, right? Stop playing Spot The Difference, everyone.

Edited April 7, 2012 by HyacinthGirl

[Relic]

"Knowledge is POWER!!!"

"No, power is POWER!!"

Terrible episode, imo. I was watching it with someone who hasn't read the books and had to pause about 15 times to explain things to her.

[Iotun]

"Knowledge is POWER!!!"

"No, power is POWER!!"

Terrible episode, imo. I was watching it with someone who hasn't read the books and had to pause about 15 times to explain things to her.

Were these things that 'needed' to be explained to her? If she had question like 'Who is this woman? What is this Lord of Light? Who are these people who are gathering in the North, where and under whom?', I'd say these aren't things that should be explained to her.

The purpose of the episode is not to serve as detailed exposition for every single character and circumstance. Some initial confusion and lack of understanding is good, so that the viewer has something to solve in the coming episodes. The judgement of a good episode is not whether the viewer has left understanding everything, but whether the viewer leaves interested enough to want to see more, and with a desire to understand many of the things he was confused about initially.

Mel, Mance Rayder, Stannis, the Lord of Light, Balon Greyjoy, the dynamics of the war, these are all things that we'll be coming back again and again in the next episodes and which the viewers will eventually get. Did viewers understand everything in the first episode of Season 1? I'm sure there were many people confused about who Dany was, how Robert became king, who all these people were, what were the relationships between them. But because the show was interesting, rather than these questions pushing people back, they instead made them want to find the answers, and after 10 hours, things became clear.

I guess what I'm saying is, if you're stopping 15 times during the episode so that you give an encyclopedic background on every character and situation to your friend, you're not really making the experience better for them, nor does it reflect bad on the episode. The episode is not meant to be crystal clear, some things are wisely left still obsure, so that they are pieced together slowly as the season progresses.

[seeyouintee]

I watched the first episode with a few people that haven't read the books and the only parts that were unclear to them were exactly who Melissandre was and the significance of what was happening during the whole idol-burning scene. It was a little abrupt and disjointed. Throughout the first season, I was never sure which parts I was going to have to explain because of the pacing and how much they had to cut from the book story, but the people I've watched it with seem to be following fine.

[redriver]

I gave it an 8.The episode seemed to pass too quickly.

The sets looked fantastic,the acting excellent.It's a good start and I expect it to improve.

Looking forward to episede 2.

[Relic]

Were these things that 'needed' to be explained to her? If she had question like 'Who is this woman? What is this Lord of Light? Who are these people who are gathering in the North, where and under whom?', I'd say these aren't things that should be explained to her.

Yeah all of those, and a slew of others. Some I didn't answer, but others i thought were valid. Mel, Cressen and his suicide (i gave her his back story so she would understand why he would kamikaze), the Wildlings, the hunt for Robert's bastards, amongst others.

Anyway, that isn't why I disliked it. One of the things i love about GRRM is how subtle he is, how you have to be really paying attention to catch all the intricacies. This show is about as subtle as a hammer to the face. It beats you over the head constantly, utilizing spotty dialogue in the name of exposition. The scene between Cersei and Littlefinger comes to mind. It sets up a theme (the nature of power) and gives Petyr a clear reason to undermine the Lannisters. Black and white. Clear as day. Boring and trite. Been done a thousand times before. It also sets Littlefinger up to look like an idiot, in exact contrast to how he is in the source material.

I want to say that i feel the show is poorly written. It's seems strange to be saying that about something based on the best written fantasy series...ever, but there you have it. is it unfair to compare two different mediums? Perhaps. Yet i've watched shows that felt like i was reading a book, so i know it CAN be done. Are my expectations too high? Clearly.

My loss? Yup.

[miguel sanchez]

Anyway, that isn't why I disliked it. One of the things i love about GRRM is how subtle he is, how you have to be really paying attention to catch all the intricacies. This show is about as subtle as a hammer to the face. It beats you over the head constantly, utilizing spotty dialogue in the name of exposition. The scene between Cersei and Littlefinger comes to mind. It sets up a theme (the nature of power) and gives Petyr a clear reason to undermine the Lannisters. Black and white. Clear as day. Boring and trite. Been done a thousand times before. It also sets Littlefinger up to look like an idiot, in exact contrast to how he is in the source material.

I want to say that i feel the show is poorly written. It's seems strange to be saying that about something based on the best written fantasy series...ever, but there you have it. is it unfair to compare two different mediums? Perhaps. Yet i've watched shows that felt like i was reading a book, so i know it CAN be done. Are my expectations too high? Clearly.

My loss? Yup.

wow. I agree with you to the word, and I saw the first season before I even read the books.

I hold out hope for the show. I can't wait to see certain scenes from storm of swords. Fingers crossed they can do that epic book justice in seasons 3 and 4.

GRRM wrote the blackwater episode, I eagerly await that episode, should be about the same time dany goes the the House of the Undying!

[teemo]

It's a shame they were only given

wow. I agree with you to the word, and I saw the first season before I even read the books.

I hold out hope for the show. I can't wait to see certain scenes from storm of swords. Fingers crossed they can do that epic book justice in seasons 3 and 4.

GRRM wrote the blackwater episode, I eagerly await that episode, should be about the same time dany goes the the House of the Undying!

It's really a shame they were only given one ship after pleading for nine :\ But I can't wait..I bet it will be awesome regardless. And to see how they do the House of Undying....that should be interesting. They can't give away too much in there, so they might cut out a couple things... if you know what I'm getting at.

Edited April 8, 2012 by dannister

[boojam]

It's a shame they were only given

It's really a shame they were only given one ship after pleading for nine :\ But I can't wait..I bet it will be awesome regardless. And to see how they do the House of Undying....that should be interesting. They can't give away too much in there, so they might cut out a couple things... if you know what I'm getting at.

The one ship is for on-board scenes , if the CGI work is a good as it has been, there will be as many ships as can fit on the screen. Now days they can even take 1 ship or 10 men and multiply them into thousands, and still have it look real.

[Ran]

Neil Marshall has noted they have green screen to set up a number of different ship sets, as well. I would not worry about it. Probably they wanted th extra ships built to be able to actually show boarding actions or "ramming" without the need for CG effects, but we'll see plenty of that, I expect.

Removing outliers to normalize results, the episode rates 7.63 among viewers on the board. This is, BTW, also the most-voted episode of the show to date, by quite a margin.

[The Sleeper]

Having read the books I feel I can't be really objective about it. One of my main objections is blatant exposition in place of Martin inviting the readers to make their own conclusions. On the other hand Grey Wind looked awesome and TV Joffrey is a much more intriguing character.

[Lany Freelove Cassandra]

I watched the first episode with a few people that haven't read the books and the only parts that were unclear to them were exactly who Melissandre was and the significance of what was happening during the whole idol-burning scene. It was a little abrupt and disjointed. Throughout the first season, I was never sure which parts I was going to have to explain because of the pacing and how much they had to cut from the book story, but the people I've watched it with seem to be following fine.

Pretty much the same thing. My husband, son and ex-husband (non-book readers) all have been able to follow along with very little explaining.