Game of Thrones (spoiler-free zone)

[keg in kc]

A few have suggested it, might as well test the waters. The idea is to give people who haven't read the books a safe place to talk about the show.

A few quick ground rules:

• No Spoilers!!!!! for upcoming episodes.
• Larger Song of Ice and Fire discussion should be limited to the other thread although I think a tiny bit of book delving to fill in holes should be okay (example of this would be talking about Catelyn and her treatment of the wolves in the novel, which was alluded to on TV but never really made clear...)
• Everything that happened that week is fair game once an episode airs. So if you don't watch on Sunday night, I'd stay outta here until you do...

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by blazzin311

What a great episode!! My favorite from last season was the "Barlor" episode....however they really went all out with this one. Last night's episode really set the standard for special effects on the small screen and it actually mattered because we care about the people fighting. Plus, I love to see big groups of men with swords and shields run into each other. I thought the shooting of the single arrow was brilliantly done directed. I also loved Tyrion's line "Oh, f**k me...." when thousands of Baratheon troops charged right after they stopped the ram at the gate.

The best part of it all, though, even better than the special effects, was that you really got to see the main players for who they truly were last night. Tyrion is a true leader stuck in the wrong body and last night's episode was a true display of his genius. Sansa would make a great queen someday. Stannis is a warrior, not a king. Joffrey is a sniveling coward better fitted to cleaning stables. The Hound is more than just a killing machine, even though he'd kill you if you said so. And Cersei is, well, a stunning ****....she's very beautiful and she's as smart as any man, and certainly more politically savvy than Jaime, but she gets treated like crap. Even as queen her power derives from the men around her, and she's rightfully pissed off. She tells Sansa of some very difficult truths in this episode....she has to grow up very fast in this world if she's going to make it.

My favorite characters in this episode were obviously Tyrion and probably Cersei. I wouldn't be suprised to see Peter Dinklage or Lena Headey win an Emmy for that episode....they were both fantastic! This episode to me, was easily the best hour of the series thus far, and it might not be a stretch to say its in the top 5 of all episodes of all shows....ever! Which is really a nice suprise but also a cure, because next week could do an insanely awesome job of tying up all this year's loose ends and setting up next year, but it probably still will not hold a candle to last night's episode. I do hope I'm wrong about that theory!

I've loved Lena Headey. Ever since T:SCC.

[Bambi]

I think Shameless, Revenge, VEEP, and GOT are my favorite shows at the moment.

[KcMizzou]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

I think Shameless, Revenge, VEEP, and GOT are my favorite shows at the moment.

I forgot about Shameless. Haven't seen the second season. Emmy Rossum... yes please.

[Bambi]

Originally Posted by KcMizzou

I forgot about Shameless. Haven't seen the second season. Emmy Rossum... yes please.

Just as good as the first. They pulled back a little on the shock value stuff and I think realized they actually have something really good going.

I'm really pumped to see what Jeremy Allen White (Lip) does with the rest of his career. He's extremely talented.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by eazyb81

I was going to post the same thing.

This season is nowhere near as good as the first season. No real twists in the story at all. Almost just a bridge season from the first season.

Last night's episode was great TV but nothing crazy really happened at all (did anyone actually expect Stannis to take King's Landing?). After Ned was killed, I was under the impression that the show would be full of unexpected twists, but this season has been predictable. The preview also ruined the one interesting storyline, as it appears Sansa did not leave with The Hound.

I'd give season 1 a 9.5/10 and season 2 a 7/10.

Thank you. I am glad I am not the only one and basically that is my take as well.

If I was being generous I might give season 2 a 6 so far.

[blazzin311]

Originally Posted by Wickedson

I've loved Lena Headey. Ever since T:SCC.

I never really got into that show....is it worth my time?

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

Yeah, well, it's not realistic for a four-and-a-half-foot man to chop off a grown man's leg with one swing from a tomahawk, or for archers to hold their bows at full draw while a ship slooooowly sails by, or for experienced knights to charge into battle helmetless, or for a teardrop shield held an inch above someone to deflect a soccer-ball sized rock dropped from a great height without so much as dipping from the force and bonking the target on the head.

But it's heroic fantasy. You gotta just run with it.

Touche.

[Swanman]

Originally Posted by KevB

I wouldn't put anything past Cersei, but doesn't compute in this case. Either Tyrion is needed to help win the war (which is more of an immediate threat to Cersei than Tyrion) or he'll be killed as a result of Stannis taking the throne anyway.

That level of hatred between Tyrion and Cersei (both ways) pretty much transcends everything.

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

If Stannis is really retreating, he might want to go find his priestess. He certainly could have used a few of those shadow assassins for that battle.

That's what I was wondering throughout the battle. Where the **** was the shadow man?

[Shag]

Originally Posted by okcchief

That's what I was wondering throughout the battle. Where the **** was the shadow man?

Davos convinced Stannis to leave her behind. She's not in the battle...

[okcchief]

Originally Posted by Shag

Davos convinced Stannis to leave her behind. She's not in the battle...

Thanks

[arrowheadnation]

Posted this in the other thread, but...

Per HBO...finale is now 70 min!

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

Stannis certainly was a warrior born. Watching the fleet blow up and then ordering the attack; riding on the prow of the first landing boat in; being first up the ladder and taking on all comers. He may be cold, but he's certainly not afraid.

Yeah, Stannis was a huge badass in the episode. Hadn't seen that side of him yet.

To answer the criticism in this thread, I would say that this season isn't as good as the last, but my understanding from those who have read the books is that is mostly due to the source material. Not as much is happening with the plot in Book 2 as Book 1. It's still fantastic television, though, on the whole, and I think the character development has been very effective. They've done very well for a show that lost its central character at the end of last year and three of its other main ones (Jon Snow, Daenarys, Jaime Lannister) not doing all that much this season.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by arrowheadnation

Posted this in the other thread, but...

Per HBO...finale is now 70 min!

Awesome. If there are cliffhangers at the end of it (as it seems there will certainly be), I doubt I'll be able to help myself from reading Book 3 after it. I'm in the middle of Book 1 and just may not stop.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Shag

Davos convinced Stannis to leave her behind. She's not in the battle...

Well, that was a bad move. She was the game changer in the "victory" over Renly.