See my post in the Episode 3 "What we Know" thread, I think he's a dead boy walking. A waste on the show's part IMO, but they're blood thirsty this season to see all the bodies pile up and to stop spending so much money on all the good actors so they can spend more on the CGI budget that they'll need next season...
color me a blasphemer, but i really enjoyed this episode. loved the flashback to winterfell, and BR going into the Jojen role in teaching Bran to use the weirnet (can't stay too long, you don't use it to "go home" type stuff). the wildlings retaking castle black with Edd almost got me to cheer, loved everything in the North, and this was the first time i've enjoyed KL in a while. i loled at frankengregor smashing the peasant's head, but it did seem like filler. nice to see Arya move on in her training, and interested to see the storyline that was leaked for a couple of her episodes. first time in a while i enjoyed an Iron Islands storyline... Euron has an ego larger than, well, everyone... lends to the kinslayer title, but Balon did make the first move...
AND DRAGONS! still just a setup scene for later in the season i'm sure, but loved Tyrion interacting with Rhaegal and Viserion... The way it was done i don't think necessarily points to J+A=T, but you can see the premises for that argument.
absolutely loved Tormund and Davos, and Mel was great as well. loved how Ghost looked up and the homage to Bran in season 1...
And the Emmy goes to... Carice Van Houten. Seriously, that scene with Davos is the best bit of acting I've seen from the actress in her entire career on this show, and she deserves a nomination for it at the very least. Best scene this entire episode--heck, this entire season.
color me a blasphemer, but i really enjoyed this episode. loved the flashback to winterfell, and BR going into the Jojen role in teaching Bran to use the weirnet (can't stay too long, you don't use it to "go home" type stuff). the wildlings retaking castle black with Edd almost got me to cheer, loved everything in the North, and this was the first time i've enjoyed KL in a while. i loled at frankengregor smashing the peasant's head, but it did seem like filler. nice to see Arya move on in her training, and interested to see the storyline that was leaked for a couple of her episodes. first time in a while i enjoyed an Iron Islands storyline... Euron has an ego larger than, well, everyone... lends to the kinslayer title, but Balon did make the first move...
AND DRAGONS! still just a setup scene for later in the season i'm sure, but loved Tyrion interacting with Rhaegal and Viserion... The way it was done i don't think necessarily points to J+A=T, but you can see the premises for that argument.
absolutely loved Tormund and Davos, and Mel was great as well. loved how Ghost looked up and the homage to Bran in season 1...
I agree there was far much more to like about this episode than last episode. There's little things I might quibble with it, but overall it's got a much higher episode rating from me than last episode.
I still can't help but feel that they should have trimmed the fat from last episode and tightened up this one and made an Hour and a Half premier episode... but that's just me.
So, the spoilers were completely right again, despite my terrible Spanish.
Never even bothered with the Spanish. One semester in college leaves me very little ability. I have a hard enough time picking up English words at times and that's my only real language. I do somewhat better if I can read it.
And so the parallel that the showrunners made in Season 5 between Ellaria and Ramsay continues in this episode where we essentially get a bastard wiping out the entire family they're connected with in order to help the family that they're tied with.
Maybe. But in Ramsey's case, at least, and possibly with Ellaria as well, it's not like it was really done to help or strengthen the family position, more for their own selfish interests.
I was satisfied with Bran's vision in past Winterfell. We get a quick sense of Lyanna, Benjen, and Ned each--with Ned having a moment I last recall Jon giving to Olly last season (the "keep your shield up or I'll ring your head like a bell" line was stated by Jon and the holding the head affectionately was definitely something both Jon and Ned share. It's interesting that even if the show is going to go R+L=J that they're emphasizing through a small thing like that just how much Ned was a father to Jon Snow--or perhaps they're hinting that Jon is "like his father". Either camp has evidence after this. I kinda missed big brother Brandon, but oh well.
I really suspect that the show will NOT follow through with RLJ. Not after the polo shirts. I think they were trolling. Wasn't there talk of an episode this season breaking the internet?
Also, is Lyanna just growing bigger than her brothers (because girls hit puberty before boys do)--or are they trying to hint that she's older than Ned in this story? They could go either way with that IMO. Great to see a young Old Nan who cares about Wyllis Hodor.
I was wondering about that (Lyanna looking older than Ned) too. I liked seeing a young Old Nan. Nice surprise.
And of course the show goes a bit heavy handed on showing us that Thorne has no intention of keeping to his promises, but at this point I don't care, throw him in a cell and be done with it.
I'm not sure if that's what they were trying to do or not.
Watching Tyrion this episode was like watching the show runners do this. voice , do enjoy. Mrs. Voice might be needed nearby to bring you back from hitting "replay" too many times.
Imagine the above visuals with the below vocals, because no offense Natalie, but they really foreshortened the song to keep from dubbing you.
And the Emmy goes to... Carice Van Houten. Seriously, that scene with Davos is the best bit of acting I've seen from the actress in her entire career on this show, and she deserves a nomination for it at the very least. Best scene this entire episode--heck, this entire season.
Yes--she is really fabulous as broken down Mel.
But one thing I just noticed--when she is praying over him, they make sure her ruby is in the camera frame. All the time. And no flash.
So, whatever brought Jon back, seems like it's not Mel's power but someone else's.
We probably won't ever know for sure. But the did establish "rubies are magic!" pretty clearly. And in this scene, the ruby's just an accessory.
All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Oscar Wilde.
I really suspect that the show will NOT follow through with RLJ. Not after the polo shirts. I think they were trolling. Wasn't there talk of an episode this season breaking the internet?
I'm expecting the worst, so I don't get disappointed, but I might be surprised. Don't hate me, but I'd settle for having Rickon getting killed next episode if it means we get no R+L=J confirmation.
However what are these polo shirts you speak of? I think there was talk of an episode breaking the internet as well, but it's been a while... there might have been more than one episode on "break the internet" list.
And the Emmy goes to... Carice Van Houten. Seriously, that scene with Davos is the best bit of acting I've seen from the actress in her entire career on this show, and she deserves a nomination for it at the very least. Best scene this entire episode--heck, this entire season.
Yes--she is really fabulous as broken down Mel.
But one thing I just noticed--when she is praying over him, they make sure her ruby is in the camera frame. All the time. And no flash.
So, whatever brought Jon back, seems like it's not Mel's power but someone else's.
We probably won't ever know for sure. But the did establish "rubies are magic!" pretty clearly. And in this scene, the ruby's just an accessory.
Very good point here, that I can't emphasize enough. Though I think in the Behind the Episode they both hinted that Mel did something at at the same time gave Ghost credit that he's the last loyal one and "knows when Jon's coming back". So I think we're meant to see the obvious here.
Maybe. But in Ramsey's case, at least, and possibly with Ellaria as well, it's not like it was really done to help or strengthen the family position, more for their own selfish interests.
Maybe my point wasn't as clear as I thought it was, but I thought that's essentially what I had said.
I liked most of this episode, But Damphair and Euron were. . . . flat.
The actor who plays Balon--I'm prejudiced because I've seem him in other things, but he's great. Enron. . . meh. But maybe he'll perk up next episode he's in.
Damphair seemed like something out of a skit.
But, again, maybe he'll improve.
All art is at once surface and symbol. Those who go beneath the surface do so at their peril. Those who read the symbol do so at their peril. It is the spectator, and not life, that art really mirrors. Oscar Wilde.
More no penis jokes Tyrion? Seriously you're better than that.
OMG I know. What. The. Fuck. Is that really the best they can do? It came off incredibly flat. Maybe I'm spoiled on all the great Varys/Tyrion dialogues over the years, but holy shit. That was bad.
My money is on Rickon. Its not enough murder yet for Ramsay.
Seems like that might be what they're up to right? I share your fear SlyWren, but they put Osha/Rickon with the Umbers for a reason, and now they have allied them with the Boltons for reasons that defy logic....
I guess we should have expected such jumps of sharks after Dorne, though.