[Book Spoilers] EP305 Discussion

[Sniraga]

I also thought this was a good episode.

The Stannis household dynamics were perhaps the most pleasant surprise. While Selyse with her jars was too much for my taste, the discussion she had with Stannis was delightfully awkward. And Shireen was a darling! I liked how she interacted with both her father and Davos.

The scene with Arya and Gendry was heartfelt as well. Really enjoyed the discussion between Jorah and Barristan, too. I don't remember well how Jorah-Barristan relationship was handled in the books, but it seems like more interesting here (perhaps because of the actors, they're both stellar and charismatic). I like the mix between camaraderie and suspiciousness they're expressing.

And on a more shallow note, the nakedness (and there was quite a lot of it) felt finally like an integral and natural part of the story. Who would've guessed?

The Queen of Thorns and Hammy Writing: I like Lady Olenna and I enjoy her scenes in bite sized portions. But … every week it appears to be the same thing: Lady Olenna sits down next to an established character; the established character immediately losses all the intellect, charm, wit and danger they possessed up to the moment they met Lady Olenna and act ham-handed, clumsy, foolish and boarder-line stupid. Started with Sansa, continued with Cersei, reached ridiculous heights with Varys and culminated this week in the show utterly neutering its best character… all to make Olenna seemed smart. This week was the worst because Tyrion is the best character on the show and to make him seem tongue-tied, awkward, clumsy and intimidated by her is utterly out of place.

I actually liked the scene because it was nice to see Tyrion tongue-tied for a change. I mean, even he has to experience that sometimes and is there anyone better to outwit him than QoT? Although I'll admit that since QoT has done the same thing over and over again, it's getting a bit repetitive.

On the other hand, Tyrion's comment to Tywin about getting the Tyrells to pay half of the wedding expenses made me think that perhaps Tyrion had in fact played Olenna... or maybe he was just trying to impress his father, I don't know.

[Sun]

One further note; I get the feeling that this is an episode that will be loved a lot more by book readers than non-book readers.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Sun

[VladofWallachia]

I am kind of sad that they've eliminated Willas Tyrell (even if we don't see him) and that he's been replaced in the plot by Loras. Also I hope they'll make Loras a King's Guard sooner or later, to not lose some scenes with the Captain later on.

Also, where are the Dornish? At least reference them, because they must be coming towards King's Landing as all of this takes place. I was disappointed that Tywin didn't suggest the Red Viper as a possible husband for Cersei. That would have been a good way to introduce the character.

THEY CUT OUT PATCHFACE AND EDRIC STORM! THE FUCK?

Also, I didn't care much for the way the Selise-Stannis-Shireen relationship was presented.

And do we really need more Fifty Shades of Loras? I'm not a huge fan and I'm not judging, but it's very gratuitous and also it denigrates his character by making him betray a family plot to this random squire he just met and banged.

Now, the good stuff: Karstark execution spot on, Jaime confessing to Brienne straight from the book, Beric vs. the Hound great, Jon+Ygritte bow-chika-bow-wow, Grey Worm scene spot on.

Despite all those little faults, it's a good episode.

[The Monkey]

Why did Robb say that Walder Frey remained neutral in the war, when in season 1 we learned that he supplied levies to Robb's army after they had crossed the Twins (implied to be 2000 men). Stupid writing, they could just have said that the Frey troops left the army in early season 3, and the whole wedding business would have been a way to win them back.

[GeorgeIAF]

I hoped to see Patchface because i believed that his story is important in the books, the tvshow seems to be giving less credit to prophecies than the books ...

[harre]

Very good episode. Not sure if I liked this one better than last week's though, but probably yeah :)

Especially good:

-Hound vs Beric (even though I wish they hadn't shown the 'resurrection" at all, like in the book

-Shireen was so amazingly potrayed! Cheers to the girl actress!

-The Jaime and Brienne bathtub scene was awesome! Minor changes to the book, but all in the right place.

-The acting from almost everyone was terrific, but NCW stands out of the pack a bit this week

Which brings me to one minor critic about season 3 and this episode: Why does Littlefinger think he's Batman? What the hell? Just rewatched some season 1 episodes and he's talking normally there. What does Aidan Gillen want to accomplish with that stupid tone? Remind us he was in TDKR? Yay for you Aidan, now keep it together!

Edited April 29, 2013 by harre

[Conchobar]

Roose was great in this episode.

[Ser Cookie Monster]

Just watched the episode....thoughts:

- The Beric vs Sandor fight started a little bit weird... but then got awesome and was excellent and had a great end. Althoug I missed the Hound's badass quote :( Thoros: "For the night is dark and full of terrors" Sandor: "This cave is dark too, but I'm the terror here" gotta love Sandor.

- Beric's resurrection... meehh.

- Why isn't Tormund Har-ing?!.

- Jon and Ygritte's love seemed too forced.

- Arya and Gendry :crying: The way I understood Gendry's line is that she wouldn't be his family but his "liege lady" (does that make sense?).

- Jaime and Brienne: badass awesomeness.

- Selyse.... just no NO!!.. ugh.. :stillsick: :stillsick: :ack: :ack: :bang: :bang:

- Aww Shireen is so sweet and cute, but she is BLONDE??!!

- Whatever happened to the "when the sun has set, no canddle can replace it" Loras I knew and loved?

- Middlefinger you are so creepy and you are NOT Christian Bale playing batman.......

- Charles Dance is an amazing Tywin, I'm glad he's not smiling any more. But can't he decide how to pronounce Tyrell?

- Tyrion is one of my favourite characters. but WHY THE HELL do they have to whitewash him SO MUCH???!!!!!!!

Overall it was a very good episode, it didn't have so many OMG WTF moments, but it was better written.

[Dove]

- Middlefinger you are so creepy and you are NOT Christian Bale playing batman.......

I cracked up at his pronounced growl when he replied to Cersei. It's like he's just trolling us now.

[FattyPeon]

Loras needs his, guys. Seriously, its not a big deal. He's not a robot, daddy gets lonely. Even if he never loves again, which is unlikely no matter what he says, his gears still works.

I've found that people whining about character assassination usually just have a wrong (shallow and robotic) idea of the character in question to begin with.

And Cersei marrying Loras is important to Tywin not as an alliance, since they already have that, but I saw it more as Highgarden eventually being ruled by his blood.

Edited April 29, 2013 by FattyPeon

[Joyful Union]

- Beric's resurrection... meehh.

- Selyse.... just no NO!!.. ugh.. :stillsick: :stillsick: :ack: :ack: :bang: :bang:

- Aww Shireen is so sweet and cute, but she is BLONDE??!!

- Whatever happened to the "when the sun has set, no canddle can replace it" Loras I knew and loved?

I thought the Beric resurrection was pretty true to the books, in that no-one really saw it, and then he suddenly just reappeared.

What was wrong with the Selyse thing in the end? She seemed almost exactly like the books, her scene with Stannis was strong. The babies in the jars were certainly not the focus of the scene.

Yeah, that Shireen hair colour thing pissed me off. At least she was well written and portrayed

That Loras was a nauseatingly grating adolescent caricature. Loras in the show seems like a real person.

[Pinkie Baelish]

Roose was great in this episode.

Oh yes. There were at times where I felt his voice was too loud, but his line delivery of "Your sister....is alive and well" seemed very Roose-ish. I'm glad that the show is slowly clearing my doubts on the casting choice. Oh, and those eyes. Those eyes are just creepy....

[victim]

Alex Graves seems to be a very good Thrones director. The theme of Fire was prevalent throughout the episode, and was a really good way of tying scenes together visually.

[Joyful Union]

Oh yes. There were at times where I felt his voice was too loud, but his line delivery of "Your sister....is alive and well" seemed very Roose-ish. I'm glad that the show is slowly clearing my doubts on the casting choice. Oh, and those eyes. Those eyes are just creepy....

I'm definitely feeling him now. I like how he has been slowly built up from a background lord into a major player. The leeches were cool in the book, but as soon as I read about it I was like "This guy is definitely evil". I think the subtlety is really paying off now. And if the preview for The Climb is anything to go by, we'll get to see the dinner scene too (even down to Brienne's frilly pink dress!)

[Dove]

I think I'd like it more if he was a little more grim too but Loras can still have a fling or two and still be a badass romantic knight. People still have urges, and sexin' up a dude doesn't mean he's forgotten about Renly.

It was dumb for him to be all "hey random squire I just fucked, here's my family's plans" but it's not like he was a genuis in the books. He's very young, brave, and good at knocking men off horses with sticks. :lol:

[Xasthur]

I really liked this episode. They reduced the jumping which makes it definitly more comfortable to watch - and the cuts were better (cutting to Daenerys for instance when Shireen talks about Aegon).

Showing Stannis as a family head was also a good idea, he still repelling to me but the scenes had some sort of eerieness, even though Selyse is too pretty.

Bathtub scene was nailed. I didn't think it would be legit if Jamie changes that much after being such a villian in the show, but I bought it. Well delivered.

I am still wondering who will reveal Jorahs former betrayal, did Barristan just lied straight to his face when he was talking about small council knowledge??

Littlefinger doesn't come off as creepy enough for me, maybe because they made him Cerceis bitch last season.

The fight between the Hound and Dondarrion was nicely performed, even though I expected to see some differences in the fighting style between them. It looked like both of them were just doing hack 'n' smash.

And no story about Grendels children. Actually unnecessary for non-book-readers, but the lacking of some kind of monologue by either Ygritte or Jon made that scene look like a sex-scene for the sake of a sex-scene. But that's just minor complaining...

[SerMixalot]

How does Tywin know that Ramsey killed the Stark boys when Robb and Cat don't?

[Pinkie Baelish]

This has probably already been mentioned, but I thought flicking away to Daenerys as Shireen starts talking about Aegon the Conqueror was a nice touch.

[Joyful Union]

The fight between the Hound and Dondarrion was nicely performed, even though I expected to see some differences in the fighting style between them. It looked like both of them were just doing hack 'n' smash.

I though they were very different The hound kept trying to batter Beric, but Beric was dancing around him. Beric was also twirling and spinning an awful lot. It almost looked like he was possessed. he was hardly even looked in the hounds direction, yet still parried him at every turn.

[Ser Cookie Monster]

How does Tywin know that Ramsey killed the Stark boys when Robb and Cat don't?

What? He said that Theon murdered Robb's brothers.

Edited April 29, 2013 by Darth Zyroth