Game of Thrones (TV, fantasy) Thread

[sneakyblueberry]

No I mean so much happened in S1-4 that it feels like it would be at least 2-3 acts in and of itself.  Unless you're just talking about how the book officially separates the acts  - I haven't read em and probably never will so I can't comment.

[BlackInk]

Yeah that 'act' thing is referencing how the author has stated that he sees the story. It was originally planned as a trilogy of books but just grew too large for that. The first book, or the first act of the story as he now calls it, turned into the first three books (and the first four seasons of the show). The second book, act 2, turned into books 4 and 5 and will likely all be covered in season 5. The final two books is act 3, and will likely be seasons 6 and 7.

[faizoff]

I'm done with book 2 now and starting book 3. I always thought season 4 was a mix of book 3, 4 and a little of 5. Regardless, I'm hoping to finish the remaining 3 books before the end of season 5 which is a pretty tall order.

[BlackInk]

Yeah, there is some book 4 and 5 stuff in season 4, but the 'main' stories are the climactic parts of A Storm of Swords. There was still book 3 stuff going on in this season though, so the timeline is a lot more jumbled than it used to be.

[Tanatra]

One thing that did bother me about this week's episode was the scene between Roose and Ramsay - it was written in direct contrast to last week's scene with Stannis and Shireen. I think the show did that to highlight the less apparent differences between Roose and Stannis, because the outward demeanors of both characters are quite similar if you think about it. However, both scenes followed the exact same formula, so it came off as unnatural and contrived to me.

That being said, both scenes were outstanding. My last paragraph was just the "overly analytical and incapable of appreciating anything" prog fan in me. 

[faizoff]

This show is fucking awesome and the story lines I was most looking forward to (Arya & King's Landing) did not disappoint one single bit. Just when you start feeling good for Sansa, she gets fucked right in the ass.

[cramx3]

Littlefinger is good at playing the game!  What a sly dude.  He is planning this out so he wins regardless of who actually wins the fight, although one day his manipulation is going to have to catch up to him.

Awesome seeing Queen of Thorns back in Kings Landing.  From the look on her face, you know she is going to do something to strike back against Cersei. 

Dorne... well Dorne seems to be the most uninteresting and poorly written things this show has done so far.  Also seems poorly cast with regards to the Sand Snakes which is surprising since the casting has always been done really well.

And.... Arya in the House of Black and White is badass.  The basement was pretty crazy!

[hefdaddy42]

Loved the episode last night.

Due to the differences from the novels, I'm not sure what the hell is going to happen.

[gmillerdrake]

I don't see how Theon doesn't kill Ramsay by the end of the season....and for a brief second I actually thought the episode was going to end with him 'saving' Sansa by killing him then.

Little Finger thus far has really been the only character who has nothing happen to him by cause of his actions. He always seems to be one step ahead.....but as cramx3 suggests....you'd just think that eventually it's going to catch up to him. Hopefully it's in a grand fashion.

Arya....just Wow! She's a quick study....

[cramx3]

I just read this on the westoros.org forum but thought it was fitting

LF's scheming aint going to mean shit when the dragons and white walkers come to westeros 

[gmillerdrake]

LF's scheming aint going to mean shit when the dragons and white walkers come to westeros 

Or when Sansa figures his scheme all out and how she's just another pawn to him and stabs him in the heart........

[faizoff]

Is it just me or does it seem like Tyrion's journey in this season somewhat echoes his journey from season 1? Being a captive and then having someone fight for him, bargaining for his life, etc..

[BlackInk]

Loved the episode. Although yes, the Dorne stuff feels a bit underwhelming. Everything else is wonderful though. Some really tense scenes this week.

The face-room was really cool. Very excited for Arya's story and what the hell 'Jaqen' meant by that last bit. And holy shit, that was a brutal scene with Sansa and Ramsey. I also believed for a second that Theon was going to do something.

[gmillerdrake]

the Dorne stuff feels a bit underwhelming.

I feel the same way. It's just boring. Knowing that Jamie can't fight is boring....it'd have been more interesting had he somehow excelled in his training and was just as dominant sword fighter still. But....like as has been mentioned, the Dorne storyline has been a drag on the season IMO.

The face-room was really cool. Very excited for Arya's story and what the hell 'Jaqen' meant by that last bit.

Yeah....that had a real 'Alien' feel to it.....all the little heads in their pods so to speak. I was even prepared for that womans eyes to pop open as Arya stroked her cheek. Very curious as to what Jaqen meant as well.....

I also believed for a second that Theon was going to do something.

That actor did a great job because just behind the fear and obedience that "Reek's" face and emotion was giving off looked like to me utter hate and revenge from Theon....like he was just at the brink of breaking through the 'Reek' persona and doing something.

[BlackInk]

Yeah....that had a real 'Alien' feel to it.....all the little heads in their pods so to speak. I was even prepared for that womans eyes to pop open as Arya stroked her cheek. Very curious as to what Jaqen meant as well.....

Haha yeah I thought the same thing.

That actor did a great job because just behind the fear and obedience that "Reek's" face and emotion was giving off looked like to me utter hate and revenge from Theon....like he was just at the brink of breaking through the 'Reek' persona and doing something.

Indeed, Alfie Allen plays Reek/Theon brilliantly.

I also thought that he'd confess to Sansa that he didn't kill Bran and Rickon in that scene after Sansa said "you think I care what he does to you?".

[Tanatra]

Another awesome episode.

Littlefinger is good at playing the game!  What a sly dude.  He is planning this out so he wins regardless of who actually wins the fight, although one day his manipulation is going to have to catch up to him.

Dorne... well Dorne seems to be the most uninteresting and poorly written things this show has done so far.  Also seems poorly cast with regards to the Sand Snakes which is surprising since the casting has always been done really well.

Indeed. There wouldn't even be a war in Westeros had it not been for Littlefinger's political games. He convinced Lysa to poison Jon Arryn, he persuaded the Tyrells to side with the Lannisters, and in this week's episode he played Cersei like a boss.

I thought the casting was good for the Sand Snakes, but the writing is not - every scene they're in is just over-the-top feminist cheese.

[Evermind]

Arya's scenes were awesome, real highlight of the episode. Especially the hall of faces. I also thought the face she touched in that hall looked eerily like her mother's. Another highlight of the episode was indeed Alfie Allen's acting.

Dorne's stuff was ridiculously bad to be honest. I'm really surprised it made the cut in a show like this, they usually do a great job, and Dorne is a huge miss for me so far. Casting (except Doran), storytelling, everything is just isn't doing it for me at all.

I'm also not sure about the Loras' birthmark. I mean, Olyvar was his squire, alright, but (in the books, at least) squires sometimes are asked to prepare a bath for their knights, this kind of stuff (Peck, Jaime's squire in AFFC does exactly that). So Olyvar could've spotted Loras' birthmark in some other circumstances, I guess.

[cramx3]

I thought the same thing about the birthmark but then just took it for what it is.

Indeed. There wouldn't even be a war in Westeros had it not been for Littlefinger's political games. He convinced Lysa to poison Jon Arryn, he persuaded the Tyrells to side with the Lannisters, and in this week's episode he played Cersei like a boss.

Yup, plus he worked with the Tyrells to kill Joffrey.

[BlackInk]

I wouldn't say that the Dorne stuff was "ridiculously bad", it was just a bit underwhelming.

[hefdaddy42]

I don't think enough development has been done for the entire region of Dorne to make sense of the things we are seeing.

[ariich]

I wouldn't say that the Dorne stuff was "ridiculously bad", it was just a bit underwhelming.

I don't think enough development has been done for the entire region of Dorne to make sense of the things we are seeing.

Agreed with these two points.

[cramx3]

I really thought that Jamie and Bronn just walking up to Trystane and Myrcella was ridiculous.  Then add in that the Sand Snakes happen to be going after her at the exact same time too...  and then the fighting was ridiculous too.  Easily one of the worst scenes in the show IMO.

[orcus116]

I also thought that he'd confess to Sansa that he didn't kill Bran and Rickon in that scene after Sansa said "you think I care what he does to you?".

If he did it the moment later on when he says his actual name wouldn't have as much of an impact because before that we're still used to him identifying as Reek.

[seasonsinthesky]

I thought the casting was good for the Sand Snakes, but the writing is not - every scene they're in is just over-the-top feminist cheese.

if this were true, their fight with Bronn and Jamie would have been something non-farcical, but... it was. just a horrid scene overall, really.

i hope Sansa gets to exact her own revenge for once, rather than Reek becoming Theon again and doing it for her.

aaand i am increasingly worried about who the inevitable 'big death' will be this season. there have been a lot of tender/deep scenes with several characters i like the most, which means at least one of them is probably going down

[sneakyblueberry]

one of them is probably going down

come oooooooon Sansa

EDIT: Though, I have to say, did they really have to do the rape thing again?  I realise TV Sansa's story is a fusion of another character's storyline from the book, but that rape scene was ultimately unwarranted; there was no need to show Sansa as a victim again, nor did we need any more proof that Ramsay is a piece of shit.  You'd think after the shitstorm they had after 'Breaker of Chains' they would think twice about using rape as a plot device.

[Evermind]

I really thought that Jamie and Bronn just walking up to Trystane and Myrcella was ridiculous.  Then add in that the Sand Snakes happen to be going after her at the exact same time too...  and then the fighting was ridiculous too.  Easily one of the worst scenes in the show IMO.

All of this.

[ariich]

one of them is probably going down

come oooooooon Sansa

EDIT: Though, I have to say, did they really have to do the rape thing again?  I realise TV Sansa's story is a fusion of another character's storyline from the book, but that rape scene was ultimately unwarranted; there was no need to show Sansa as a victim again, nor did we need any more proof that Ramsay is a piece of shit.  You'd think after the shitstorm they had after 'Breaker of Chains' they would think twice about using rape as a plot device.

It's what happened to Jeyne, who Sansa seems to have basically become now.

[Prog Snob]

This season has definitely been the least exciting. I'm curious about what happens but I feel like something is missing.

[sneakyblueberry]

^Yep.

[cramx3]

one of them is probably going down

come oooooooon Sansa

EDIT: Though, I have to say, did they really have to do the rape thing again?  I realise TV Sansa's story is a fusion of another character's storyline from the book, but that rape scene was ultimately unwarranted; there was no need to show Sansa as a victim again, nor did we need any more proof that Ramsay is a piece of shit.  You'd think after the shitstorm they had after 'Breaker of Chains' they would think twice about using rape as a plot device.

It's what happened to Jeyne, who Sansa seems to have basically become now.

I dont think the rape was meant to be the main focus on the scene, it was more about Reek/Theon IMO.  Hence the large focus on his face at the end.  Not to downplay Sansa, but this rape had a lot more purpose to the storyline that Sansa being tortured some more.

This season has definitely been the least exciting. I'm curious about what happens but I feel like something is missing.

This.  Its not to say I am not enjoying the season, it's just been the least eventful.  I have a few theories as to why, one being the large amount of deaths in the last two seasons have ended lots of smaller storylines meaning new ones need to be built and thats whats happening and I also think the fact that the show writers have little GRRM source material to follow means that they need to be more creative and they just aren't as good as GRRM.  While you can argue that they have a lot of material from the last two books, most of those pages in those two books are internal struggles of characters and other scenes that dont translate to TV, hence all the changes from the books.  Plus lots of characters just aren't in the show now.  All of that means more weight is put onto the show writers shoulders than previously

[faizoff]

I've been loving this season so far and in retrospect seems a lot like season one with the buildup of characters and story lines. I get why people may be less enthused I mean you're coming off a season with some major events and compared to that it's definitely going to not hold up. However, this buildup is what I think is one of the main identity of the show, the slow burn is what sets up for the payoff later.

I agree with the posts talking about how the Dorne fighting scene seemed rather tame, I mean on just the first viewing I thought it looked really oddly choreographed or maybe the footage was from rehearsals. Just very unlike GOT.

[Prog Snob]

This.  Its not to say I am not enjoying the season, it's just been the least eventful.  I have a few theories as to why, one being the large amount of deaths in the last two seasons have ended lots of smaller storylines meaning new ones need to be built and thats whats happening and I also think the fact that the show writers have little GRRM source material to follow means that they need to be more creative and they just aren't as good as GRRM.  While you can argue that they have a lot of material from the last two books, most of those pages in those two books are internal struggles of characters and other scenes that dont translate to TV, hence all the changes from the books.  Plus lots of characters just aren't in the show now.  All of that means more weight is put onto the show writers shoulders than previously

That makes sense. I was thinking myself that there is a lot of build-up this season. We might get a couple of deaths by the end of the season but nowhere near the massiveness of Season 4.

[sneakyblueberry]

one of them is probably going down

come oooooooon Sansa

EDIT: Though, I have to say, did they really have to do the rape thing again?  I realise TV Sansa's story is a fusion of another character's storyline from the book, but that rape scene was ultimately unwarranted; there was no need to show Sansa as a victim again, nor did we need any more proof that Ramsay is a piece of shit.  You'd think after the shitstorm they had after 'Breaker of Chains' they would think twice about using rape as a plot device.

It's what happened to Jeyne, who Sansa seems to have basically become now.

I dont think the rape was meant to be the main focus on the scene, it was more about Reek/Theon IMO.  Hence the large focus on his face at the end.  Not to downplay Sansa, but this rape had a lot more purpose to the storyline that Sansa being tortured some more.

Yeah, I guess that makes sense.  Something about it just doesn't sit right with me.  It's almost the same thing with the Jaime Lannister character, how there was this massive redemptive arc going on, culminating in him raping his sister again.  Sansa has gone through all this bullshit, her character has been through the wringer, been at the mercy of men ever since she left winterfell, all to return home and become prey for another male.  It's just getting a bit old for me - perhaps that's the reason I'm not digging this season as much, there haven't been any new tricks as of late, just the same old shit.

[ariich]

Big events =/= deaths. Whether there are any important deaths or not (and let's face it, even book-fans have no idea who's going to die anymore), I'm expecting there to be some big events towards the end of the season.

But what I loved about season 4 was how nicely spread out it all was. Joffrey's death in episode 2, much of Tyrion's trial in the middle of the season, Oberyn's fight in episode 7, the battle at the wall in episode 9. By contrast, season 5 has been taking the slow build approach, which there's nothing wrong with in principle (and there are some shows like that which I love), but which I think the writers are not so good at. They are brilliant at event-TV, but aren't so far as engaging with slower plot development.

[Prog Snob]

I've grown to like Sansa's character over the last couple of seasons mainly because I don't know where her character is heading. Maybe it's because she's in LF's company and you never know what's going on with him.  I did not like the rape scene with Ramsay. Even though she is filling in for someone else's character I still do not think she needs to go through this nonsense again.