Jump to content

[NO SPOILERS] "Positive Nitpicking" - What you loved about the episode (READ OP)


Recommended Posts

My God it was a good episode wasn't it? Perfectly done IMO.

Favorite Bits;

Roose, my God, ROOOSE he was played so well in the exact way I wanted him to be played. His little smiles made me shiver. Also how he didn't drink any wine to 'keep his senses sharp' got me smiling (well not smiling as such).

Liked the Arya and Hound dynamic. It worked surprisingly well. I thought it would be a bit boring.

Rickon, the hell, didn't expect that from him. Loved him this episode and Hodor, gotta love Hodor.

Jon got attacked by the eagle (took a while) happy that actually happened.

Lord Walder's face during Edmure's vows to Robb had me chuckling.

Lastly when the Rain of Castamere came on and Catelyn turned with that face of shock it sent goosebumps all over.

Oh and also, the regards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Near perfect. The addition of Talisa paid of big i thought. However much one could complain that it's different from the books I was able to build a connection with her way more than with boring non-character Jeyne, and to have her slaughtered like that made a huge impact on me.

I would like to point out that Thomas Sangster is boss. His voice holds amazing gravity for a young man and I'm glad to have him as mr exposition for 2 more seasons, hopefully.

Rickon is another gem that's been hidden for very long. Him and Osha are probably going to have a little side adventure for some scenes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everything. It was just a great episode. The first episode I would rate a 10. This and Second Sons redeemed the season for me after what I thought was an awful episodes 6 and 7.

- Walder Frey is great

- Roose Bolton is great

- Catelyn was great for once

- Bran and Rickon scenes were great

- Jon was great. Liked all his scenes.

More character-focused episodes like this please. If every episode was structured like this and cut out the useless crap it would be the greatest show on TV.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The meaning look on Roose's face when Cat sees the armour under his clothes.

Cat almost visibly going to the dark side at the end - good set up for UnCat.

Nice way to remind us what is going on with Robb and Cat discussing strategy at the beginning.

Compressing Bran's discovery of his powers into one action sequence. Good: no more stringing it out.

The look on Ygritte's face when Jon rides off. She has acting chops.

The fight scene with Jorah, Grey Worm, and Daario versus the guards.

Osha telling Rickon she'll look after him.

Rickon finally getting some lines!

Edmure telling his wife to be she is a delight to him.

"The Lannisters send their regards".

Walder Frey being his nasty self. Good acting.

Arya persuading Sander not to kill the old man...then hitting him on the head. Made me laugh.

Jon killing Orell, then being attacked by his eagle.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So much to like in this one. Since I'm thoroughly confused about what constitutes a spoiler, I'll just put it all in tags. (And note: if you haven't read to the end of book 4 - I think - there's at least one big spoiler below.)

Spoiler

As Beowulf777 says above, the fact that Bran took a big jump in the warging, without dragging it out too long.

"How can you pretend to sell pork if you eat it all?", or whatever she said.

Being completely unable to identify whatever piece of the pig the Hound was eating.

A detail: after Bran wargs, the rest of the group are sitting somewhat away from him, facing him - he's been cut off from what was once more of a circle.

The faint faint suggestion that maybe, just maybe, Robb "saw" Arya through Grey Wind at the end. Really doubtful and not a plot point but nice to think about.

The conflicted hope when Arya found Grey Wind's cage: "Oh, great, she's going to let Grey Wind go, and then ... ah, crap, I know Grey Wind will die no matter what happens. Uh, never mind."

As others have said, Edmure being more of a likeable doofus. And the Blackfish being thankfully toned down a bit, talking about how he loves his nephew. Both characters end the episode quite a bit more appealing.

Blackfish (presumably) not being dead.

Robb and Talisa both doing a brilliant job at their end.

Not having to see Grey Wind shot. That would have done me in. Brutal but not too visually disturbing, much like Lady's death two seasons back.

Robb's army, with Grey Wind at the lead! Yay House Stark, looking back in the fight! Oh, nevermind.

The fact that I was actually shaking after the episode ended! I knew it was coming, and I knew it'd be intense, but TREMBLING?! Wow. I tear up pretty easily, but the trembling was a surprise. Plus the little queasy feeling in my gut around the forty minute mark: "Huh?", I thought. "Weren't you looking forward to this? Why so serious?!"

The fact that I now think the way they've handled Talisa and the wedding is a good thing (I've never disliked it, but I was worried how it was going to go).

Arya's fate not being much of a cliffhanger (at least not in the "What?! Is she dead too?!" vein). The conclusion to her chapter from the book would have been cheesy on the TV show.

Rickon! Where the heck did THAT come from?! Why have they been hiding this guy?!

The Wildling military strategy in which surrounding a hut apparently means everyone run straight towards it and make no effort to surround it. Callback to Jon's remark last episode that they don't know how to fight together.

A nice job of moving Bran's, Rickon's, and Jon's stories all forward quite a bit - leaving House Stark not utterly forlorn.

Jon pushing Ygritte out of the way so she didn't have the chance to fight on his side and therefore get killed. I have no idea if that was in the book or not.

The different ways Tormund and Orell turned against Jon: the latter because he's just a shit, the former with some regret, but recognizing this guy he likes is unfortunately on the other side.

The switch from Jinglebells or whatever his name was to Frey's latest wife. An effective way to demonstrate where Catelyn's arc is heading. Not that it looks like her arc is heading much of anywhere!

The fighting threesome in Yunkai. Will have to watch that again, and would love to hear a critique from someone that actually knows their stuff on martial arts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I loved how seamlessly/breathlessly Walder Frey's antics moved from comical/farcical in the first act to horrifying in the last act. I watched it with a bunch of non-reader friends and they laughed loudly at Frey's treatment of Stark and of his own daughters through most of the episode. but the room was silent as the credits rolled. That was another thing I liked. No music over the final credits, just silent horror.

And how amazing did Grey Worm's balletic spear moves look?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This whole episode was done well. The highlight was of-course the wedding and Michelle Fairley, but just as spectacular-NO THeon torture porn, Gendry torture porn or gratuitous tits and ass. It's amazing what one can do without trying to pander to the lowest common denominator.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In addition to every thing that has already been pointed out regarding the wedding, I also really liked the fight scene in Yunkai.

Jorah and Daario tag-teaming one guard was really cool, as was the fight in whole (despite obvious flynning in some instances) and Greay Worm was fucking awesome with the spear. Which makes me really look forward to the Red Viper vs. Mountain fight.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another thing I loved (besides Art Parkinson's wonderful perfomance that many have mentioned) was Natalia Tena.

I've loved the protective/big sister relationship that she's developed with Bran and Rickon, and her performance in the scene where they had to split up was very sweet and moving.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Everything Michelle Fairley. Absolutely blew my mind. What an actress.

Also loved Jon saying "You were right the whole time, as he killed Orell, as well as Jorah (and the others, but Jorah in particular) being an absolute badass during the fighting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I agree on your first point. I loved how Gilly called Sam a "wizard". Didn't he say he always wanted to be one in S1? I think this approach they've taken in the past 2 episodes, where they only focus on about 3-5 plots rather than cram in about 9 is a much better form of storytelling. It would work better if they had more episodes per season though.

This may have been my favorite part. I loved that line in Season 1 ("My whole life I've wanted to be a Ranger." "I've always wanted to be a wizard."), and then seeing how happy Sam was to hear Gilly say it haha.

Almost made it worth them apparently ditching Coldhands.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The chainmail reveal and the look Roose Bolton gives Catelyn. Absolutely perfect, you can just tell what a conniving bastard he is from that one reaction. Probably the only character I prefer in the show to the book, in the book he's just a creep but in the show he's a very charismatic creep.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was suuuuuuuuper happy that sweet Rickon actually got some lines this episode! and mentioning old Nan, and what she said about drinking blood from skulls - this was one of my favourite little tidbits she had told the children over the years

Gilly calling Sam a wizard haha he loved that

I liked the work they put into weaving the storylines together, I was impressed I wasn't sure if they would pull it off but yeah they did.

I was happy Summer got to kick some butt

now I know this sounds bad but I liked Talisas death, I didn't HATE her or anything like that, I just liked how intensely horrific it was, and how they re-affirmed the baby and their love for it just before it happened. (don't judge me I don't hate babies or pregnant people or anything like that!)

Cat slitting the Frey girls throat instead of JongleBells was a fantastic touch IMO that was great the way she just ripped her out from hiding under the table by the hair!!

Jon finally Killing Orel, and getting his scar... although its very much not like the scars I imagined him to have :/ but still that's better than nothing :)

there were many other points I liked but I wont go into them all

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Talisa's inclusion and death was brilliant.

Replicating the emotional shock of an event all readers knew was coming seemed an impossible task, and I was really set to be slightly let down no matter how well it was portrayed. But Talisa was a wildcard. Different from the books, and pregnant, I really couldn't guess at her fate. Was she in on it, or not?

So for the RW to being the way it did was such an emotional gutpunch that I really couldn't believe what I was seeing. I was truly stunned/horrified/shaken, and then the Michelle Fairley picked up that baton and just killed the rest of the scene. But the ballsy move to include a generally disliked character, and start it off that way, was just brilliant to me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Loved the episode. Although some scenes a little too short, the overall emotional rollercoaster of the episode was so intense. I laughed, I cried at Rickon/Bran scene, I cried for Arya, and then I was just utterly shellshocked for the last couple of scenes - no tears, just intense staring and open-mouther shock (even though I knew it was all coming). And my god... Talysa :*(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...