HBO : GAME OF THRONES - Spoiler Thread

[XXXIV]

I felt this Rolling Stone piece summarized most of my feelings on the show and the finale:

http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/news ... newsletter

Overall, I really liked season 2. It's one of the only shows I make a point of watching the actual night it's on, which says a lot to its staying power. And with so much stuff going on in each episode, the dull storylines (WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS?!) didn't take up too much screen time. Still, the loss of Ned and King Robert hung over the season, as I don't think even Tyrion was able to fill the void. That's the danger of killing off two of your best characters.

Minor quibbling aside, GoT rocks and I think I'm even more eager for season 3 than I was for season 2.

I'm kind of stunned that the RS recapper totally whiffed on the Jon Snow storyline. Half-Hand forced Snow's hand (no pun intended), clearly sacrificing himself so that Snow could more effectively pass himself off as a traitor to the Men in Black. It wasn't a matter of Snow simply overreacting to being teased.

At least, that's what I assumed... LOL

You are definitely correct Rob, though I watched this series knowing that was the story, and wondering if the tv show made that clear enough.

It was clear enough.

My two problems...
1) The season is over already?!
2) I still thirst for Lannister blood.

I agree with the article. Its one of only two shows I watch the night they are on.

[Brando70]

You are definitely correct Rob, though I watched this series knowing that was the story, and wondering if the tv show made that clear enough.

I can see how someone missed it. There was kind of a quick explanation about it in the previous episode.

Loved Greyjoy's speech scene last night.

[GameSeven]

I'm kind of stunned that the RS recapper totally whiffed on the Jon Snow storyline. Half-Hand forced Snow's hand (no pun intended), clearly sacrificing himself so that Snow could more effectively pass himself off as a traitor to the Men in Black. It wasn't a matter of Snow simply overreacting to being teased.

At least, that's what I assumed... LOL

I agree that that was quite a miss in an otherwise good summary. In fact, having telegraphed the orchestration in the prior episode and repeated in the pre-finale recap, you watch the unfolding scene with a foreboding as you sympathize with Halfhand and his necessary sacrifice. His urgent look just before the deathblow and his quote of the Night Watch's oath after says everything in that scene.

I also think it was an unfortunate omission to not mention Arya and Jaqen H'ghar. The reveal at the end was a succinct closure to Arya's arc with him (at least for the time being) and a nice peek into the mystery of the Faceless Men of Braavos.

[webdanzer]

Greenwald's recaps have been first rate this season.

I think he tries too hard on occasion, but this one had me LOL:

Robb..spent the entire season wavering between inspiring and impetuous. The would-be King in the North saw his southerly parts perk up dramatically thanks to the careful ministrations of Talisa, but otherwise he’s been stuck in place for weeks. It’s one thing to send someone else to defend your brothers, but it’s another to delay an entire war just to hold some sort of slam poetry wedding underneath a sycamore tree. (“Father! Warrior! Maiden! Stranger!” Was this a ceremony or the end of Chinatown?)

[vader29]

[XXXIV]

[XXXIV]

WTF was that? ...and still no lannister blood?

From The Big bang Theory the word I am looking for is befuddled.

[RobVarak]

That was positively brilliant.

I love the storytelling device at play here. You knew some bad $hit was coming for Robb and his girl when they had the scene a few episodes ago and she told him she was pregnant. They did everything but put a red shirt on her. But there was absolutely no way to be prepared for THAT!

That was some last act of the Godfather stuff going down right there.

I was pretty emotionally wrung out when it was done. Then I was stoked. This is just more fuel for the fire for when Arya gets her game together and starts to call in the old accounts.

[Inuyasha]

I am a Lannister fan, so it was all good for me!

[Naples39]

Having read the first 3 books, I was waiting for this episode all season. Arya watching the wolf die, Catelyn getting her throat cut were as brutal as I imagined. Robb's pregnant wife viciously being stabbed in the stomach, that was new and perhaps most nasty of all.

[Brando70]

That was like an episode of Oprah, only everyone got a throat slash instead of a car.

Incredible stuff. My favorite episode since the season one finale.

[Naples39]

Back in 2011, the show writers said their goal for this series was just to make it to this event.

[RobVarak]

Having read the first 3 books, I was waiting for this episode all season. Arya watching the wolf die, Catelyn getting her throat cut were as brutal as I imagined. Robb's pregnant wife viciously being stabbed in the stomach, that was new and perhaps most nasty of all.

Just watched the last 15 minutes again, and I'm afraid that the excellence of the film making is being overshadowed by the shock and brutality of the thing. The pacing of the episode overall was very good, but the way the editing switched gears down the stretch was perfect. The callback to the Rains of Castamere ballad was totally genius, particularly the faith that Weis and Benniof had in the viewer to pick it up without some obvious exposition.

The build up to the thing, with Cat reacting to the song, then noticing the mail underneath Lord Bolton's clothes and finally the soldiers bolting the doors was wonderfully done.

What I wonder, as a non-reader of the books, is Martin's overall worldview. It feels like at this point like he's an outright nihilist. Everything falls apart, honor is never repaid in kind and evil and virtuous men fall prey to fate without distinction. I feel like there's still a faint chance that he remains a romantic though, albeit a cynical one. If the young Starks ultimately survive and thrive (after taking vengeance, naturally), there would be at least some sense of the traditional fantasy idea that in the end the good will win out.

I'm not advocating for either position, mind you. But in my experience vicious nihilism is oxygen for arrogant undergraduates and seldom a rewarding place from which to spin great art. Could be wrong with Martin though, which is fascinating.

[Naples39]

Honestly I stopped reading after book 3 because I glanced at quick previews of book 4 and 5 and couldn't shake the feeling of "where is this story going?" It seemed like book 3 largely concluded the storylines we're familiar with (in a fairly unsatisfying manner), and books 4 and 5 were all over the place. I decided it was enough for me.

[Brando70]

But in my experience vicious nihilism is oxygen for arrogant undergraduates and seldom a rewarding place from which to spin great art.

"Nihilists! f*** me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos."

This is what has made Jaime Lannister so interesting this season -- that he has his own brand of honor and isn't simply a smooth-talking, sister-bopping villain.

[Danimal]

It's a hard show to watch if you're looking for the bad guys get their moment. It does come at times like droplets from a facet but in this world the bad guys, rightfully so usually end up on top.

I have no idea what they will deliver in the last episode but anyone looking for the moment described above will surely be disappointed.

[XXXIV]

"Nihilists! f*** me. I mean, say what you like about the tenets of National Socialism, Dude, at least it's an ethos."

This is what has made Jaime Lannister so interesting this season -- that he has his own brand of honor and isn't simply a smooth-talking, sister-bopping villain.

Everything you need to know about can be found in the Big Lebowski.

Just when you think Jaimie isnt the worst d***** on the planet a bigger d***** takes his hand.
...There is no real good guy in all this but they sure do like to punish the better guys. ..Im now fearing that when a Lannister does get whacked it will be the dwarf. It would follow the pattern.

Anyway... at this point Im hoping for the cute lil girl to get on a ship, cross the narrow sea and burn them all to ashes with her dragons.
I can dream

GREAT SHOW> Fastest hour on TV.

[Danimal]

Anyway... at this point Im hoping for the cute lil girl to get on a ship, cross the narrow sea and burn them all to ashes with her dragons.

It's disappointing she has only been naked once this season.

[vader29]

I've never read the books but did see a few spoilers on what was going to happen this episode and watching it play out just left me sitting there in shock, didn't think Ned getting killed in season one could ever be topped but that was just a super crazy ending scene.

[wco81]

http://www.vh1.com/celebrity/2013-06-03 ... nes-scene/

[Inuyasha]

Lannisters have killed 2 Ned Starks in the last year (story time line), one living, one unborn.

[Pete1210]

Honestly I stopped reading after book 3 because I glanced at quick previews of book 4 and 5 and couldn't shake the feeling of "where is this story going?" It seemed like book 3 largely concluded the storylines we're familiar with (in a fairly unsatisfying manner), and books 4 and 5 were all over the place. I decided it was enough for me.

I read them all. 4 was criticized for not advancing the main story much and introducing too many new charcaters. I didn't mind as you get more of the surrounding geography and kingdoms (plus some fluff). 5 got back on track and once I finished it I absolutely could not wait for the 6th book.

I only watched the first season on disc so far. Knowing everything it just didn't get me as excited to continue with it as I was and did with the books. I was also dissapointed that there were no large battle scenes as I pictured them in reading.

[wco81]

A lot of the readers of the books don't seem to have too many issues with the choices the series made.

They have a big budget but they're skipping things, especially probably the big battles, which would be expensive to film. The Rome series was just like that, they'd show the aftermath of the battles and the characters kind of alluding to what happened.

Again, the budget is in the tens of millions for these shows but to make a believable big battle would probably cost too much.

[Inuyasha]

I was also dissapointed that there were no large battle scenes as I pictured them in reading.

Wait till season 2.


Good Grantland Podcast recap - http://espn.go.com/espnradio/grantland/ ... id=9342264

[XXXIV]

I enjoyed that podcast.