[Book Spoilers] Nitpick without repercussion!

[WeirwoodTreeHugger]

I miss Beth Cassel. It made the fall of Winterfull so much more traumatic.

[kairparavel]

Every time I make a concession for a change something else happens. Give an inch and they take a mile.

Speed up Arya to Harrenhall. Ok.

Arya is Tywin's cupbearer. WTF?

Arya is Tywin's cupbearer. Ok

Tywin engages in conversation with his cupbearer. WTF?

Littlefinger arrives in Harrenhall. WTF?

Littlefinger seemingly recognizes Arya but keeps it to himself. WTFF?

I'd like to send Peter Dinklage around with a list of people to slap. He does it quite well.

And I hate/loathe/despise/bemoan/wail and thrash in angst/wring my hands/gnash my teeth over Alfie Allen as Theon. How do people think he's so great? He's so pure awful in my eyes I want to cry. He and Loras and The Hound and Shae kill me every time they are on screen. Argh.

I'm disappointed by so much it makes it hard to enjoy the little things that I do: Arya, Robb, Davos, Jorah, and now Ygritte.

[SerMixalot]

arya the cupbearer is clearly high born cause she says My Lord instead of M'lord, didnt anyone learn anything from Lord Bolton's lessons!?

[kungtotte]

Littlefinger keeping his knowledge of Arya to himself is perfectly in line with his character.

[Magjee]

Not episode specific.

Asha is a main character, has her own POV, but they change her name.

Osha is a side character who disappears for 2 books and yet she gets a larger role.

*grinds teeth*

[Evamitchelle]

I think they're seriously overusing Littlefinger. At least this time he's not threatening prostitutes to show how *evil* he is, but still. Besides Tyrion and Arya, he's had the most screen-time out of all characters for episodes 1-5 (thanks hk47 for the info). He's had more screen-time than Sansa and Bran combined. That's just wrong.

Also I'm wondering what's going to happen to Irri. She's supposed to hang around until Dance at least (though Jhiqui was apparently killed in favour of Doreah).

[Lord Over]

A silly nitpick, I know, but I didn't like the fact that they've showed us Myrcella crying.

Tyrion remarks how she is a true Lannister for facing her departure with courage...and the exchange between her and Tommen was heartbreaking.

I suppose it's logical because most viewers would go 'WTF' if she didn't cry and it's not a big deal but Myrcella is one of my favorite non-POV characters that I'd like to know more about. We've explored almost every Lannister, from Kevan to Lancel to Tywin's sister but we never got to see what goes on in her head. That little nugget was a fun find for me. Really hope we see more of her in TWOW.

[DragonSpawn]

I had a mix of love / hate in this episode...

The 2nd death where Jacquen in the books apparently poisioned the dog to attack it's master was replaced by a very potent poison dart - which despite the change i actually loved. Jacquen is amazing, he has a brilliant aura about him! it also conveys that Arya doesn't put up with nonsense from him, which in the books is conveyed in the third death, after so much tension it was a nice bit of comic relief. So i can see how they have jiggled it around to make it work without having to develop the stories of loads of random sub characters. Good work D&D - that must have been bloody tricky to do! Littlefinger most definately did not recognise Arya ... but the tension was brilliant. I'm actually liking Tywin more and more coz he keeps being nice to Arya and rude to all his own men! He still needs to get the fuck of out of Harrenhall sharpish though!

With regards to LF - this interaction definately took place in the books but there was no POV to cover it and it took place while Tywin was storming back to KL... LF does get about during this time - although i didn't like the interaction with Cat previously. Although maybe it's to indicate a softer side to Cat which will help the viewer see the difference between her and Stoneheart later down the line. With Tywin and Littlefinger sat talking together i really got the impression LF was a Lannister for some reason... who was that older Lannister that disappeared to the free cities in search of the lost Lannister valyrian sword? the one who never took the game seriously and didn't like living in Tywins shadow...? hhhmmm... something for the theories threads...

If Roose Bolton / the Bloody Mummers don't end up in Harrenhall in the next episode i will be very distraught! As it will mean they have completely re-written the story for all characters with the exception of Tyrion which is still relatively close to GRRMS version. If they keep adding in Joffrey slaps too - i got no problem with that! But i wanted to see Arya as Roose's cupbearer too to get a better feel for his darker side. If they can waste so much screen time on irrelevant whores then D&D can develop some of the stronger and vastly more significant characters like the bloody mummers and Edmure Tulley IMHO. Roose adds nothing to Robbs scenes so why bother keeping him there at all - i just don't see the point.

I don't know what's going on with Jon Snow and Ygritte... i'm sure the way it's played out is to stop the viewer from bad-mouthing Jon for letting her go easily and then have them get attacked by a bunch of Wildlings... it could easily be seen as his fault... i think it was in the books but maybe on-screen we are missing too much of Jon's inner thoughts for a viewer to understand he had no choice... but my major nitpick with this is that: Ygritte was way too clean!!!! it didn't ring true at all.

Still no sign of Orells Deathawk / Hellcrow... although i thought at one point the sound effect of a hawk circling above could be heard - which may be a nod to it. And this brings me to my other key nitpick - the episode title... would have been much more fitting for the last episode... if you call it the old gods and the new... then why leave out Jon and Ghost's connection... Orells Deathawk / Hellcrow... all conversations involving Quorin explaining that he wants Jon along because of his connection with the Old gods. Title probably should have been swapped with the last episode.

I loved Theons scenes - there were changes, but they worked really well... and i was gritting my teeth before he took off Ser Rodricks head... coz i just knew they were going to make that the messy death that we could have missed out on from the books! BUT.... going back to the stupid / pointless Roose story line changes... what a way to drag down Robbs character even further... sending the bastard of the Dreadfort to take back Winterfell... that's a fuck up they have put on Robbs head instead of Theons... Boooo!!!! :(

Major nitpick - Danys story-line. They left out most of the crossing of the red waste... a deeply traumatic and challenging harship that all her followers went though as an act of faith in their Khaleesi and the mother of Dragons. GRRM rewards them in the books with some peace and refreshment and a turn-around in fortune when she reaches Q(u)arth. Despite not getting the ships she wants in the end.... Quarth was meant to be the 'metaphorical' cool refreshing pint at the end of a long hard day of travelling... (an engrossing style of writing that was employed a lot by Tolkein). D&D in some fit of madness... left out the full red waste story and then realised there was no payoff in Q(u)arth. So they rewarded Dany's followers by completely killing them all off... all her handmaids all her Dothraki bar a couple of randoms, and had her Dragons stolen!!!! :Facepalm!!!!: As for Dany getting all desperate and full of herself in her attempt to acquire ships... this kinda did happen in the books off screen in various different parts that were summed up in this episode, so no issue there - she's still learning to be a queen not a khaleesi - so i expect a few more weird scenes like that from her... but the dragons being stolen was a bad move... i have heard others say they are sick of the line "blood and fire" already - me too... but i expect that to be used a thousand more times once she gets her dragons back... as she can't not be pissed off with Q(u)arth for allowing her dragons to be taken (i think this is why they made Pyatt Pree one of the 13 - so she would be pissed at them all and not just the Warlocks) ... all in all though - hated the Dany scenes... D&D are being very impatient with stuff happening with her... they messed up the red waste and looks like we will pay for it in every Dany epsiode till the end of the series now :(

ETA: Ser Rodrick died after the letter was sent by Maester Luwin - so how would Roose have known..? Need to re-watch episode to see if 'Reek' is hiding in the background somewhere... otherwise - poor continuity of story... almost as bad as Mel giving birth to her shadow beneath storms end... it was a great scene - exactly as it was in the book... except for the massive blunder with the locale.

[Storms End]

I think they're seriously overusing Littlefinger. At least this time he's not threatening prostitutes to show how *evil* he is, but still. Besides Tyrion and Arya, he's had the most screen-time out of all characters for episodes 1-5 (thanks hk47 for the info). He's had more screen-time than Sansa and Bran combined. That's just wrong.

Also I'm wondering what's going to happen to Irri. She's supposed to hang around until Dance at least (though Jhiqui was apparently killed in favour of Doreah).

Sansa/Bran story is pretty trash in clash, Sansa just hangs around getting random beatings from Joffery and Bran just dreams untill Theon arrives, Doesn't make for good television, nor a good adaption, it'd be terrible, seeing what Littlefinger is up to is much more interesting.

[Jamie Lannister]

Talisa sucks. I don't even care if she's a spy. The premise of her story (spunky girl wearing rags mouths off to the noble king; noble king falls in love) is precisely the contrived "budding romance" that GRRM wanted to avert at all costs to begin with.

I don't like you, "Lady" Talisa. I don't like your face. I don't like the words that come oozing out of your mouth. I don't want you in my tent one minute more than necessary.

[Onion Smuggler]

And I hate/loathe/despise/bemoan/wail and thrash in angst/wring my hands/gnash my teeth over Alfie Allen as Theon. How do people think he's so great? He's so pure awful in my eyes I want to cry. He and Loras and The Hound and Shae kill me every time they are on screen. Argh.

I'm disappointed by so much it makes it hard to enjoy the little things that I do: Arya, Robb, Davos, Jorah, and now Ygritte.

It's not just you, I really don't rate Alfie Allen. I want to like his portrayal of Theon but it's so wooden. He doesn't convey enough emotion for me and all his lines sound like he's reading the script for the first time.

[insertname]

Every time I make a concession for a change something else happens. Give an inch and they take a mile.

Speed up Arya to Harrenhall. Ok.

Arya is Tywin's cupbearer. WTF?

Arya is Tywin's cupbearer. Ok

Tywin engages in conversation with his cupbearer. WTF?

Littlefinger arrives in Harrenhall. WTF?

Littlefinger seemingly recognizes Arya but keeps it to himself. WTFF?

I'd like to send Peter Dinklage around with a list of people to slap. He does it quite well.

And I hate/loathe/despise/bemoan/wail and thrash in angst/wring my hands/gnash my teeth over Alfie Allen as Theon. How do people think he's so great? He's so pure awful in my eyes I want to cry. He and Loras and The Hound and Shae kill me every time they are on screen. Argh.

I'm disappointed by so much it makes it hard to enjoy the little things that I do: Arya, Robb, Davos, Jorah, and now Ygritte.

It would be absolutely not like Littlefinger to recognize Arya and give that information to Tywin. He would wait until the very best moment to use it. I don't see why this bothers you?

As for Tywin, to be honest, I don't think we get enough, and more important, objective, information about Tywin to be able to clearly say that he wouldn't engage in conversation with Arya. It definitely fits with the Show character and imo with the book character as well.

[Silverx2]

1.) Who ever is the wildling dentist has incredible talent. Did you see the chompers on ygritte? Flawless and pearly white.

2.) ygritte runs like a duck waddles. go ahead and watch it again she waddles as she runs.

3.) "oh i didnt even notice that time" i laughed.

4.) "Where are my dragons?!?!?" is the new "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" from revenge of the sith

5.) Sandors killing of three guys was really REALLY cheesily done, like something you would expect to see on a scifi movie like megashark.

6.) I like Lady Talisa, Shes quite a lovely young lass.

7.) Technically speaking, yes bran and rickon are princes's because robbs a king now.

This episode was very middle of the road for me. I liked everything north of the wall, I like Arya's scenes and how little finger when he got a look at her, was looking as much as he could to verify yes, that is ned starks little girl. But i wanted Sandors rescue to be a little less cheesy, Joff needed two slaps one for being an idiot, and one for being cruel.

[SerMixalot]

My problem with the Tywin Arya story is that it represents all of the guts that have been ripped from the book. It is a brutal shortcut to characterization and storytelling. And it cuts out so much of the great characters and their izations. THe bloody mummers, Lorch, etc.

[My Little Kraken]

1.) Who ever is the wildling dentist has incredible talent. Did you see the chompers on ygritte? Flawless and pearly white.

I think this is one of the reasons why I like the older actors so much more. Some of the younger ones have such perfect teeth. Dany's teeth bug me also. I know she is supposed to be ridiculously beautiful and all, but her teeth look so white, even and oddly thick whenever she's bellowing about something (which is half the time she's on screen).

[Silverx2]

I think this is one of the reasons why I like the older actors so much more. Some of the younger ones have such perfect teeth. Dany's teeth bug me also. I know she is supposed to be ridiculously beautiful and all, but her teeth look so white, even and oddly thick whenever she's bellowing about something (which is half the time she's on screen).

Danny i can live with, shes a princess and has been living with illirio. Yrgitte has been living in the frozen tundra.

[Evamitchelle]

Sansa/Bran story is pretty trash in clash, Sansa just hangs around getting random beatings from Joffery and Bran just dreams untill Theon arrives, Doesn't make for good television, nor a good adaption, it'd be terrible, seeing what Littlefinger is up to is much more interesting.

I also think that Littlefinger is interesting in the books. In the show he spends half his time being a pimp and the other half a complete moron ("hey Cersei let me tell you around witnesses how I know about the secret that would cost you the throne and your children's life. you know, the one I helped you killed Ned Stark for" or "hey Cat I know that your husband died like two weeks ago and that I've been lying to you about a whole lot of things but I totes love you so marry me maybe ?).

And I used Sansa and Bran as examples only. He also had more screen-time than Davos, Daenerys, Theon, Catelyn and Jon. You know, POV characters. Or maybe their storylines were trash in clash too ?

[Great Dayne]

A silly nitpick, I know, but I didn't like the fact that they've showed us Myrcella crying.

Tyrion remarks how she is a true Lannister for facing her departure with courage...and the exchange between her and Tommen was heartbreaking.

I suppose it's logical because most viewers would go 'WTF' if she didn't cry and it's not a big deal but Myrcella is one of my favorite non-POV characters that I'd like to know more about. We've explored almost every Lannister, from Kevan to Lancel to Tywin's sister but we never got to see what goes on in her head. That little nugget was a fun find for me. Really hope we see more of her in TWOW.

Forgot about that, but I agree. I liked how Myrcella was the tough one in the books and it was an interesting twist. I know this is television and not the books and I have no problem with a lot of the changes (except Tywin, see above), but all it would take was Myrcella not crying and one comment from Tyrion to stay true to her character. People watching television without the knowledge of the books are not completely lost.

[Dread Pirate Euron]

-I'm not happy with Jon's storyline changes. They've changed him from dark, brooding, and talented to incompetent and emo. They literally could have let Ygritte go and the scene would have been fundamentally the same but instead we got a lame spooning scene.

-I'm losing faith that the Bloody Mummers will ever appear. I already know that the Reeds are gone.

- I think Littlefinger is actually from the 23rd century and has a teleporter.

-Talisa-Robb is stupid. It's making me excited for the RW.

-Dany's changes don't bother me (besides the fact that she's acting like Viserys constantly with this blood and fire business). Her Red Waste bit was expressed enough and Quarth wasn't all that interesting except for the House of the Undying and Belwas/Barristan. At least now there's some suspense. My only hope is that she goes through Meereen like she does the Red Waste.

[Greywolf2375]

My friend noticed that too! My excuse was he probably carries a one-handed sword on his belt when he needs his other hand, and another across his back for when shit gets real.

He's been carrying two since he was introduced - not sure if it is just to increase the badass factor or not, I don't think he even used it when he faced off against his brother at the joust, but that I might just not remember clearly enough.