[Book spoilers] What you loved about the episode

[shiola]

There's a lot of criticizing and negativity going on, and that's fine. I've participated in it as well. But I also think there should be a place where we can pick out all the small details we liked as well. Or the large ones, whatever the case may be.

I'll start.

I love Nikolaj as Jaime more and more each week. You could see his inner battle when Brienne was about to be raped about whether or not he should help and how he could go about doing it. It was so perfect.

I love Missandei's dress.

I loved Varys' side glances at Littlefinger while talking about Harrenhal. Their rivalry is my favorite.

[HouseLark]

Dude! The internet is for bitching and whining! Get off it now!

Well, since you had two days without a response, and I am an eternal optimist, my glass is always close to being full, here goes:

Great things in this episode

1. Robb acting like the King in the North instead of mooning over Talisa.

2. Edmure played perfectly by Tobias Menzies.

3. Clive Russell storming it as the Blackfish - if he carries on like this he'll be even better than the character I had built up from the books.

4. The sweet-beyond-sweet Arya-Hot Pie scene.

5. "Lord Twat-beard" - the new name for anyone with a soul patch

6. In-jokes: "You little bastard", the Meereenese Knot

7. Jaime's dismemberment was just perfectly played. D&D made a good strategic choice in excising the Brave Companions. Locke is every bit as nasty as one could hope from a Hoat substitute and it pulls together the Harrenhal storyline without any of the unnecessary cloak-turning of the Companions.

8. Finally, and by far most importantly: Dany looking like she's becoming a queen. Her last exchange with Missandei was dripping with threat and intent ("all men must die... but we are not men"), kind of like whenever anyone says "the North remembers" in ADWD. It just has this chilling inevitability about it.

So lot's to love in my opinion. The one thing that could make this series better is to get Jon's story back on track and made prominent. His arc has taken a real kicking since season one and now Dany is back to being a recognisable character we need Jon back as well.

[Rhasgul]

snippy snippy

Completely agree with your things except for the first three. I don't really like the Blackfish and Edmure portrayal and Robb's character is being dragged through the dirt up to a point where i think some book-readers won't mind him dying in the show. Every other point is perfect tho.

The in-jokes got me to chuckle, Jaime surprisingly made me feel sorry for him, just as in the books and Dany seems to finally find her inner strength and pick up her role as queen! I'd like some minor adjustments but I still love the show!

[Ramsay B.]

Clive Russell is perfect, nailed the part.

Varys finally making an appearance, it made me laugh when kiss-ass Littlefinger rushed to be closest to Tywin and Varys's look during it.

Ramsay doing the long con is great, very Sawyeresque (The arrow to the face at point blank range was a nice touch).

The Jaime scene at the end was good too, that carving knife Vargo Locke has is huge.

[L’Age d’or]

1- Episode opened with one of my favorite scenes of the books.

2- Blackfish is my favorite character and I liked the actor's portrayal of him

3- Absolutely loved how accurate they managed to construct Riverrun, I'm mostly talking about the window with the view to the river.

4- Dany's bargaining with the slavers, Missandei nailed her part along with the asshole slavers, I'm gonna enjoy watching their faces melt. I just hope Dany roars like a badass this time when she commands her dragons.

5- Hotpite/Gendry/Arya farewell scene was very good as well. I think people don't give credit to Hotpie's actor, kid never let his character fade in presence of Arya and Gendry.

6- White Walkers' artistic piece was great, Mance was great especially with his last line. Giantsbane is going to be fun to watch too.

7- Pod and the whores scene

8- Loved Jaime/Brienne bickering as much as I enjoyed them in the books.

9- The attempted rape and Jaime losing a hand was nicely done.

10- Both versions of the Bear and the Main Fair.

[Kittykatknits]

Easy. Dany and the Jaime/Brienne storyline. Both have been the most enjoyable for me this season and the trend continued in to this episode.

[Theda Baratheon]

LF rushing to sit next to Tywin and initially looking very uncomfortable was hilarious. Cersei's chair move was ace.

''You little bastard''

Dany is starting to act like a Queen and not a petulant girl.

Jaime and Brienne's chemistry on screen is GREAT, those scenes are my faves so far.

[Is He Dead Yet?]

I'm in the minority, but I'd have what we can euphemistically call the 'Tyrion talks with Bronn about being Master of Coin scene' towards the top of the list.

Jaime and Brienne's relationship is picking up well. Also Jaime's Big Pivotal Scene At The End.

Oh, and I shall know refer to any bewiskered man who I dislike as Lord Twatbeard from now until the end of my days. And that's despite being a member of the hairy-faced community.

[greensleeves]

I really liked the dead horse art.

Sandor's little lines were pretty awesome too.

Jaimie and Brienne's reflection on their fight was great... actually I loved all their scenes.

I liked Theon's scenes too.

The Hotpie goodbye was adorable.

[Jamie Lannister]

Ramsay, Theon, Jaime, and Brienne.

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

Everything Bronn does is gold. The way he just walks around touching everything, his body language, the way he delivers his lines, facial expressions. It's really a joy to watch.

I loved seeing Tyrion rolling his eyes and pausing at Bronn poking around his expensive little things. You really feel like those 2 are a duo. They could have a Bronn and Tyrion's adventures spinoff and I'd watch it.

[gogorath]

I can't believe how much bitching there is about this episode.

Awesome things:

1. The opening scene with Edmure and Blackfish -- no words. Just perfect.

2. The chairs in the small council. Hilarious, revealing, perfectly executed.

3. Michelle Fairley.

4. The horse head arrangement -- brings an element of visual mystery and creepiness to the Walkers. Yes, it makes no real logical sense in a human context. Who cares?

5. I'm gonna light the biggest fire the North has ever seen!

6. Wolfbread. Gendry's little half tap instead of a hug. "Hot Pie! It's really good." Who DOESN'T like that?

7. Mereeneese Knot reference.

8. Starting to get some feeling for both Robb and Talisa.

9. "Rhaegar fought nobly, Rhaegar fought valiantly, and Rhaegar died." Yes, it's not the full line. Yes, Jorah said it. Who cares? It worked.

10. "He was not the last dragon." "We are not men" And the Valyrian semi-reveal.

11. Setting up the Iron Bank now.

That was one of the best episodes they've had -- just because the Pod scene (which I think was all Tyrion setting it up down to the rejection of money -- just like Tyrion thinks Jaime tried to do for him) came off a little too goofy or because they dared try something fun with credits music (which I liked, but whatever)...

[~Shiera Seastar~]

The things I love in this episode:

-Robb holding his laugh while Edmure missing his arrow shots.

-Dramatic Blackfish and Cat scenes.

-The musical chair, plus Varys saying Roose as the Lord of Harrenhal then looking at Littlefinger.

-Arya/Hotpie/Gendry goodbye scene. Sad but adorbs. And the Toink! "Watch your head."

-Brienne/Jaime scene. "Do you think I care about my teeth" and "Just close your eyes and pretend they're Renly."

-Dany scenes in Astapor. One of my favorites. "We are not men." Badass.

-And my favorite of all - Theon's hunting scene. Very cinematic. The chase and that guy who got shot by Ramsay remind me of LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring.

Whoops! I almost forgot - Locke chopping Jaime's sword hand.

[Theda Baratheon]

Everything Bronn does is gold. The way he just walks around touching everything, his body language, the way he delivers his lines, facial expressions. It's really a joy to watch.

I loved seeing Tyrion rolling his eyes and pausing at Bronn poking around his expensive little things. You really feel like those 2 are a duo. They could have a Bronn and Tyrion's adventures spinoff and I'd watch it.

I with they would, so that they stop clogging up the damn show

[Theda Baratheon]

I can't believe how much bitching there is about this episode.

Awesome things:

1. The opening scene with Edmure and Blackfish -- no words. Just perfect.

2. The chairs in the small council. Hilarious, revealing, perfectly executed.

3. Michelle Fairley.

4. The horse head arrangement -- brings an element of visual mystery and creepiness to the Walkers. Yes, it makes no real logical sense in a human context. Who cares?

5. I'm gonna light the biggest fire the North has ever seen!

6. Wolfbread. Gendry's little half tap instead of a hug. "Hot Pie! It's really good." Who DOESN'T like that?

7. Mereeneese Knot reference.

8. Starting to get some feeling for both Robb and Talisa.

9. "Rhaegar fought nobly, Rhaegar fought valiantly, and Rhaegar died." Yes, it's not the full line. Yes, Jorah said it. Who cares? It worked.

10. "He was not the last dragon." "We are not men" And the Valyrian semi-reveal.

11. Setting up the Iron Bank now.

That was one of the best episodes they've had -- just because the Pod scene (which I think was all Tyrion setting it up down to the rejection of money -- just like Tyrion thinks Jaime tried to do for him) came off a little too goofy or because they dared try something fun with credits music (which I liked, but whatever)...

Nope. Ran's made it clear the prostitutes turned down the money because Pod really WAS that good in bed. Which just takes away whatever light-hearted fun I MIGHT have felt about the scene once I'd gotten over it being a colossal waste of time.

[greensleeves]

Edit: Oops. I got ninja'd

A positive thing: I liked Cat's conversation with Blackfish

[1234567]

The Jaime/ Brienne storyline is brilliant and Coster-Waldau has nearly achieved what the books could never do: I'm beginning to develop a soft spot for Jaime.

The Arya and Hotpie goodbye was terribly sweet and sad. Also it was short and sweet, but it was fantastic to see the Hound get some characterisation and lines...FINALLY!

Brilliant scenes with Dany. She has really returned from the brink after the awful storyline last season where she was channelling Viserys. Her dialogue with the slaver was brilliant and his odiousness' death next week will be a joy to behold. Also really like the design of her dress.

The Theon storyline is good and it makes sense to move the moat Caitlin story to this season so that Theon has something to do apart from being tortured, which would be awful to watch for a whole season continuously.

[Theda Baratheon]

''You think you're good with a bow you little twat'' Oh, Sandor <3

[1234567]

''You think you're good with a bow you little twat'' Oh, Sandor <3

He's such a great character, hopefully we'll get to see him properly this season.

[Theda Baratheon]

He's such a great character, hopefully we'll get to see him properly this season.

Yes! Me too :)

The trial should be good.