How would you rate episode 204?

[The Greenseer]

I gave it an 8, but on further consideration probably should have been a 7.

If the show has to make cuts due to screen time & budget constraints, why add so much crap in that isn't even in the books?

Examples:

Joff and hookers-Joff is already evil enough we don't need additional made for tv scenes to drive that point home.

Robb and silent sister: has no point unless that turns out to be Jeyne, which seems to make no sense.

LF and Cat: 'let's get it together baby, here's your husbands bones!' what lame BS.

Dany getting belligerent with the Qarth: whats the point? There will be plenty of time for her to grow into her royal self. Highly unlikely after starving in the desert and begging for food.

Other disappointments:

The mountain that rides: looks more like the tree that walks, put some stuffing under that armor, and bulk homeboy up a bit!

Mel's shadow babies: looked more like a black fog machine, than a shadow. I think it could have been done more like, well... a shadow!

Also my wife who has not read the books, was lost and had many questions, which has me fearing for the overall viewership of the show. The fast dialogue with thick accents are not helping much. Particularly the Stannis/Davos scene, any non book viewer had to be wondering WTF they were talking about. Same with the Arya prisoner scenes, IMO it was not clear as to where they were, and what info the torturers were trying to get, if you were a non reader.

Edited April 23, 2012 by The Greenseer

[Lord Godric]

Not as good as last weeks, imo. But still phenomenal. I gave it an 8. Some very greatly acted scenes. And this is one of those episodes where they rewrote things for the show, and it really works well to push the story along. I'm thinking mainly of the Cat/Littlefinger stuff and the reworking of the boat scene with Mel and Davos.

[Tadco26]

gave it a 7. Some really great scenes that were like watching the book come to life and some really poorly written scenes that made me cringe.

I liked:

Tyrion. They have kept his scenes very close to the book material and his character and scenes have flourished because of it. Lancel did a great job with his part as well.

Tickler: Looked as I imagined, nice mention of the brotherhood, though it brings to question why they didn't have Ser Amory looking for the brotherhood instead of Gendry last episode. As I suspected, we are asked to believe that Ser Amory personally went searching for Gendry by name with his patrol but didn't even get the basic physical description that he was dark haired, and so they believed Arya's lie. Harrenhal looked pretty cool, but one of my non-reader friends was confused on where all these other people came from and what village they were asking about during the torture since we never saw a village on the show or any captives being taken from them.

Shadow baby: Awesome scene. I didn't like some of the dialogue leading up to it, such as Mel suggesting that Davos wanted her, but the birthing looked about perfect. Apparently there is some confusion among non readers because it was more black smoke baby than shadow, but it worked for me.

Dislikes:

Joffrey and the whores. Not because it was poorly acted, it wasn't, and not because Joffrey wouldn't possibly do this, he might. It just was a REALLY long scene when you include Tyrion's dialogue with the Hound setting it up, and it didn't add anything of importance to the story. This is the type of original scene that I really dislike, not because it wasn't in the book, but because so many great scenes from the book have to be cut due to time restrictions, but they find so much time for this rather pointless scene. If there was 20 episodes for this season it would be a minor foot note, but with only 10 time is precious and there are better things they could spend that time on.

Qarth: This scene was really awkwardly written. Dany threatening that she is going to come back and burn the city down later, when she admits that if they don't let her in, she and her group will die? In the context of TV game of thrones, why don't the Thirteen just force her to give up her dragons? Her Kalisar in the books is weak, but still several hundred people even if many are women, elderly and Xaro comes to her in the dead city that Dany is camped at and recovering and invites her to come so that the 13 can pay homage and see her dragons. But in the show for her to threaten them when they are basicly her only hope for survival rather than just show them at least one of the dragons seemed silly.

The fart joke leading up to the Stark attack. Two fart jokes in the first four episodes isn't exactly what I would go with if your trying to get fantasy to be taken seriously and not as sophomoric entertainment. Disappointing that all the battles have to be cut due to budget. Nice to see the flash of Grey Wind though. I also think they are way over playing Renly and Loras' relationship, it's something that many readers miss on until it is pointed out, and never struck me as something that common men-at-arms would have any knowledge of.

Other thoughts:

Cat and Littlefinger was well acted, but I'm not sure I like where it is going if it results in Jamie being released before

Rickon and Bran's "death"

Missed not seeing Renly's peach and seeing Lightbringer glowing for the first time.

Reserving judgement on Talisa from Volantis and what appears to be a romantic story line for Robb.

Reserving judgement on Arya being Tywin's cup bearer. It seems like Arya not "thinking" about naming Tywin as one of her 3 is much more far fetched if she is interacting with him daily.

Wish they would just have had Stannis recount the entirety of how Davos became "Ser" Davos. Leaving out the onions and the history is the type of thing that could have been covered if they weren't spending so much time on Joffrey and his whores sadist scene.

Edited April 23, 2012 by Tadco26

[The Greenseer]

Sorry dbl post

Edited April 23, 2012 by The Greenseer

[flame7926]

I think it was better than last weeks and the one before, way better flow and structure. Liked it a lot, gave it an 8. Arya parts were great, only the Mountain wasnt very visible. And the Tickler wasnt named, and didnt do the torturing himself. Liked the Stannis stuff and shadow baby. Littlefinger acts too childish. Sansa thing was good too, but the prostitutes and Joffrey had me cringing, just too much. Unnecessary IMO.

[Kozma]

Joff and prostitutes is just grizzly scene. Sceptre as sex toy is beyond my comprehension.

[EgoistMusketeer]

Great episode

The Dany scenes were sooo awkward but I did enjoy watching them.

I may be one of the few, but I love naive show Renly. next week will be so saaad.

Robb Stark was crushin it on the battlefield. next season will be so saaaad.

For some reason that was the theme for me this episode, everything seemed optimistic and it bummed me out that nothing will go that way.

[TyrionFan82]

I gave it a 9. I did like Harrenhal's look, much how I expected it, but I was disappointed Tywin and not Roose was there. I mean I understand some story alterations, but others seem unnecessary.

I liked seeing Littlefinger though, he's such a compelling character I'll make excuses for him lol. Let's see....what else....the scene w/Mel at the end was crazy. I wasn't sure how that'd be done, but thought it was done well, every part.

[Oberyn King]

Gave it a solid 8.

So, is Joffrey the new mad King? Was that kind of violence necessary?

But Lancel was great. And Roose and Xaro. And the shadow baby.

[Robin Of House Hill]

For the first time, I gave an episode a 10. Harrenhal was outstanding. Melisandre's shadow was awesome. Showing that the result of battle isn't pretty gave the show realism. Tyrion, as usual, was so much fun to watch. The scene with Joffrey and the whores, though not really necessary, fit my, "anything that makes people hate Joffrey, is good", criteria.

[Hot Pie Targaryen]

I gave it a 9. I did like Harrenhal's look, much how I expected it, but I was disappointed Tywin and not Roose was there. I mean I understand some story alterations, but others seem unnecessary.

I liked seeing Littlefinger though, he's such a compelling character I'll make excuses for him lol. Let's see....what else....the scene w/Mel at the end was crazy. I wasn't sure how that'd be done, but thought it was done well, every part.

Tywin controlled Harrenhal in ACOK when Arya and co. first arrived iirc. Roose took the castle later in the book.

Edited April 23, 2012 by Hot Pie Targaryen

[BoldAsYouPlease]

I rated it a 4. I don't mind the fact that changes are made from what's in the book - it's TV, changes have to be made. But so much time devoted to wholly new scenes that add nothing new and take time away from an interesting story, or else change the story in ways that make no sense to me. OK, we got it - Joffrey is a very bad person - why spend more time trying to convince us he's no good? He's already one of the most one-dimensional characters in the story. Where are they going with Robb and this battlefield surgeon working for the Lannisters? Dany is for some reason rejected by Qarth and threatens to come back when her dragons are grown and wipe out the city of Qarth? Why wouldn't they simply exterminate her now? Catelyn meets Littlefinger with anger and hatred, rejects his baffling attempt to woo her and yet is manipulated into the start of her decision to free Jaime?

Oh, and why is the smoke monster from LOST crawling out of Melisandre?

As the saying goes, the opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference. The show is starting to get boring.

Edited April 23, 2012 by BoldAsYouPlease

[_Oberyn_]

9. Great episode. For reasonns all mentioned already. The Mountain was parhetic.

It's a good thing Deny is spazing out already, starts giving the viewers the right idea about what shes like,and the "true targ" coment was ment to emphasize it.

Seems strange that you peeps gave last weeks episode a better rating, so far. Imo last week was a 7-8 at best.

[vacendak]

OK, I understand time issues and such. I hope the change we saw with Davos bring Melesande to deliver the shadow baby doesn't change the Cortnay Penrose scene. Also, this change seems silly as Renly is living in tents. There is no need for Davos to take her into a sea passage tunnel system like the one under Storm's End. Hope they don't screw my Cortnay Penrose! "Set Down Our Deeds."

Edited April 23, 2012 by vacendak

[rmholt]

How could they pack all of Ned's bones into that tiny box?

These episodes are so damn short, what the hell?

We got a box containing a whole skeleton for study and the box was about right. I think in the book he was laid out however.

[rmholt]

Oh, and why is the smoke monster from LOST crawling out of Melisandre?

Bahaha - my thought precisely. I guess bc he is so damn effective.

[rmholt]

Well I gave it a 9 and a few "holy cr*p"s but perhaps on the re-watching will change. Among the non=unsullied are the HBO GO extra features worthwhile? I imagine they are beneficial for those who havent read the books.

[Monday]

Oh, and why is the smoke monster from LOST crawling out of Melisandre?

It even had the smoke monster sound effects. <_<

[rmholt]

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news/game-of-thrones-recap-baratheon-psycho-20120422

You're welcome

[Eira Seren]

The Melisandre scenes, Harrenhal, and Tyrion scenes were great. In fact, the Arya, Jon, and Tyrion scenes are mainly the best the season has had to show so far. Unfortunately, I feel like whatever momentom occurs, it is not happening in the right place in the episodes. so that somehow the vitality is getting diffused. There's a lot of odd changes, and some truly bad dialogue (the gates of Qarth, for instance). Robb is fighting all these battles, I was glad to finally get to see one, if only the beginning.

This was the best episode OVERALL this season. I feel the good parts are where the show ought to have been, starting out, on episode 201. Am getting a little disappointed in this season. Feel like I'm watching Camelot again, where there were spots of brilliance and I would think, "Oh, good, now it's starting to take off, next episode will be really good"--only it was the exact same experience the following time. Cohesively, as a whole, an entire episode - and season- should have us watching because each scene, moment, second is important. Like good writing, where every word is working to earn its keep. I can't say I feel this way about a lot of the footage so far this season. Hopefully the season will get it togther and I won't be at this point again next week, hoping for the best. . .