Vee

FX's The Americans has featured some classic '80s soap from the period ('81-'83, thus far); tonight they featured some of the Grant/Celia DVX story, with Grant the Russian spy paralleling the show's premise.

I second that, who are these people?

David Nevins now says TP is in the editing room, but expects it to air in the second quarter of 2017 (April-June).

Ellie Kendrick discusses Meera's journey with THR. Jack Bender (director of the last two eps) discusses Hodor's original death.

The Jon story and Sam prank are the best, followed closely by tiny Bran shanking Theon.

Trump's veteran donations are a disaster. More from the NYT.

Final 3 episode titles and synopses:

An extensive BTS breakdown on the last two eps: I have heard other spec (and only spec) suggesting Arya will decide to travel back to Westeros with the theater troupe - I'd love that. It would be such a unique change of pace for her character. This whole subplot and her choice has reenergized Arya for me, and it would enable the show to keep using Essie Davis and Richard E. Grant, who I doubt they'd waste in a bit part unless his schedule was restrictive. Wikipedia's non-spoilery but still more than a logline synopsis of next week, spoiler-tagged anyway:

Two more notes: Ellie Kendrick and Meera really deserve praise for gutwrenching dedication - Meera has given her all for Bran, especially these last few episodes, dragging him through the tundra with the dead on her heels. Their scene during the chase this last episode with her collapsing on top of him and apologizing him was touching. I did wonder there if they intend to go for a romance angle Also, crazy fan theory of the day that I can see happening: Cersei, as she suggested to Jaime this week, uses the Mountain as her champion in her trial by combat before the Faith Militant, just as the Crown did when trying Tyrion. Her plan goes sideways when newly minted devotee Tommen serves as the Faith's champion, and the berserk Mountain kills her last son, just as the old crone prophecised.

Michelle Gomez is back next year.

I don't know much about Coldhands from the books but my assumption is Benjen is filling the role, presumably with Martin's blessing. I think Margaery's angle is to hoodwink the Sparrow and neutralize Cersei, but I don't know how far she'll able to get out from under the Sparrow in the process. I don't think she can take him down alone.

I honestly have no idea what Jaime will do. I think he got sucked back into the Lannister web with Cersei over the last couple seasons, especially after having to deal with what happened with Tyrion, Myrcella, etc.

Sam was already all but disowned when he was sent to take the black and become Night's Watch. Gilly had his back where his family didn't. I am fairly positive Margaery is playing the long con, and possibly angling to take out Cersei and the Sparrow in one blow. That's why I love her, not that I think it will all go to plan. The season preview a few months back showed a wild fight on the streets of Braavos, so I'm pretty sure Arya and the Waif are getting down next time. Oh, and another interesting point: Jaime has been sent to Riverrun to take down Brynden the Blackfish. Brienne has been sent to Riverrun to recruit Brynden the Blackfish for Sansa and the Starks. It's about to get lit!

A bit more: It is intensely satisfying watching so many ancient threads come home to roost - Benjen the undead warrior as Bran's new guardian, affirming Bran's place in things. It's so thrilling to see Bran, who's always been one of my (and apparently Martin's) dark horse favorites finally coming to full fruition in story. Same, too, with the welcome return of David Bradley and Walder Frey. This season is showing a lot of the show's lowest, most foul villains being unable to hold and keep power, because they're simply not made for it. First we see Frey losing his grip (despite the return of Tobias Menzies as Edmure), and Ramsay isn't exactly keeping his cool in the North either. Also loved Sam and Gilly facing off against his father, and then outright stealing the sword. I wasn't sure he'd have the balls for it, but this season has such a propulsive, truth-telling energy to it that last year and parts of Season 4 sorely lacked, partly because they were forced to begin to tread water in the narrative waiting on GRRM. Now they're off the leash, and it's made the show more powerful than before. I believe Margaery is faking re: her conversion - she was determined not to bow before the Sparrow, and I don't believe she ever would. The question, though, is did she bring Tommen across or is she using him to fake out the Faith Militant? I have no idea where this is going.

So I'm still watching, and I never, ever yas. But I shall YAAASSSSS!!! for this. I've been waiting for Arya to defy these dicks and end this tiresome storyline for so long - go back to being herself for herself and becoming an active part of the ongoing canvas, as opposed to wandering about glowering which she's been doing since at least Season 4, and which has been very irritating for me since at least the end of that year. Finally! I cheered when she dug up Needle. I've been waiting for that. Also: I'm pretty sure I mentioned her last week, but Essie Davis from The Babadook was fantastic as Lady Crane? Grey?, the faux-Cersei. I hope she just keeps getting more major US work. Also good despite her oft-annoying role throughout: Faye Marsay as the Waif, better known to me as the scene-stealer in Doctor Who's 2014 Christmas special, where she played a very, very different character.

Wow - I did not recognize Bonnie Langford. Age suits her. It's always nice to see classic Doctor Who alumni with busy careers here and now. It wasn't the same for many of them decades ago, whereas the 2005 revival has springboarded many, many actors to bigger things. The kid who played Jay grew up cute.

Natalie Dormer talks Margaery, women on GOT and the books vs. the show.

Nothing Sansa is currently doing is 'wholly reactive.' And she's the one that pushed for them to take back Castle Black, not Jon. She had to convince Jon.

Sophie Turner discusses Sansa's recent actions. Isaac Hempstead Wright and Kristian Nairn discuss Bran and Hodor.

I think she's possibly more cunning than Catelyn, honestly. Catelyn (and Ned) were both bound by the old ways of doing things which had kept them and the North both safe and conveniently noble for years. People like Joffrey and the Boltons had no regard for these ways and destroyed all of that. Sansa's seen all of those people up close, she's lived it, she knows the difference between courtly theory and practice. That's not to say Ned and Cat's ways didn't work in their time, but the world of GOT is a different time - that's why they died. Nor do I think Cat necessarily had a good solution to Robb's problems. People blame Catelyn for what happened to Robb and the Starks but I don't think that's right or fair; I think he was boxed in no matter what because of some of his own decisions, on the Karstarks and with Talisa. But I think ultimately they were doomed, whereas people who lived in the background, like Sansa, learned to play. Robb never bothered to learn because Ned and Cat didn't; they were heroic people for a heroic age, and he was a heroic son. The only kinds of heroes that succeed in GOT are the ones who are compromised, either physically (Sansa, Bran, Jon), morally (Jon and Sansa again, arguably Margaery and Jaime) or spiritually (Arya), or all of the above. Actually, Brienne's done all right so maybe I should worry about her. And yes, I do think characters like Sansa, Cat, Cersei, Margaery, Jaime, Varys, etc. are all complex and always have been. It's not like the writing changed hands. If anything it's far more propulsive this season - it's a marked difference from the last year-plus of what seemed like limbo in a lot of storylines, and they appear to almost be on the verge of having Arya repudiate the tiresome Faceless Men.

According to that logic, though, either the people loving Sansa's story this season are all clueless or they just see it differently from you. I don't think that story said that about Sansa at all. Arya is an afterthought at present - of the two girls Sansa's story is the one in prime position, and it's not because she got raped. Nor are they now presenting Sansa as some sort of gothed-out bitch queen. And it's not as though some other writers (let alone George R.R. Martin) have been sneaking in afterhours and writing the entire show of the first 3-4 seasons until now. It's the same people. It's just a story turn you (and I, and any number of other people) disagreed with Season 5. That does not invalidate their good works, it does not render null what they're doing with Sansa now and it doesn't mean they don't write complexity when they've done it countless times. Storytellers can make choices we disagree with without being inherently corrupt and exploitative, or without it rendering the whole of the work retroactively (or heretofore) [!@#$%^&*].

Skin and I do not watch the same show. All I hear from people these days is how emotionally invested they are in Sansa's growth and story this year, and how much they love her relationships with Jon and Brienne.

Piper Laurie narrates the audiobook version of her memoir, in which she discusses her time on the show.

They're not lying. Jesus Christ. These people are not supervillains designed specifically to piss you off. And Sansa is having a great year. She was sarcastic and bitter with how she described what was done to her, it's not that she couldn't bring herself to say the words.