Slowly reading some of the first book (I'm not great at reading a bunch in one go), and I love the whole multiple POV aspect. The show can't do that, for understandable reasons, but it adds a great deal to the relationships. I do think in some cases the more clear POV in the episodes adds more power (for instance, Lady's execution was more powerful for me on the show), but it helps add such detail in the books for characters like Tyrion.

There's a great scene, just gorgeously written, where he talks about his childhood, the first time he'd gone to King's Landing. I don't think this is a spoiler, but for people who don't want to hear anything about the books.

Tyrion had a morbid fascination with dragons. When he had first come to King's Landing for his sister's wedding to Robert Baratheon, he had made it a point to seek out the dragon skulls that had hung on the walls of Targaryen's throne room. King Robert had replaced them with banners and tapestries, but Tyrion had persisted until he found the skulls in the dank cellar where they had been stored.

He had expected to find them impressive, perhaps even frightening. He had not thought to find them beautiful. But they were. As black as onyx, polish smooth, so the bone seemed to shimmer in the light of his torch. They liked the fire, he sensed. He'd thrust the torch into the mouth of one of the larger skulls and made the shadows leap and dance on the wall behind him. The teeth were long, curving knives of black diamond. The flame of the torch was nothing to them; they had bathed in the heat of the greater fires. When he had moved away, Tyrion could have sworn that the beast's empty eye sockets watched him go.

There were nineteen skulls. The oldest was more than three thousand years old; the youngest a mere century and a half. The most recent were also the smallest; a matched pair no bigger than mastiff's skulls, and oddly misshapen, all that remained of the of the last two hatchlings born on Dragonstone. They were the last of the Targaryen dragons, perhaps the last dragons anywhere, and they had not lived very long.

From there the skulls ranged upward in size to the three great monsters of song and story, the dragons that Aegon Targaryen and his sisters had unleashed on the Seven Kingdoms of old. The singers had given them the names of gods: Balerion, Meraxes, Vhagar. Tyrion stood between their gaping jaws, wordless and awed. You could have ridden a horse down Vhaghar's gullet, although you would not have ridden it out again. Meraxes was even bigger. And the greatest of them, Balerion, the Black Dread, could have swallowed an aurochs whole, or even one of the hairy mammoths said to roam the cold wastes beyond the Port of Ibben.

Tyrion stayed in that dank cellar for a long time, staring at Balerion's huge, empty-eyed skull until his torch burned low, trying to grasp the size of the living animal, to imagine how it must have looked when it spread its great black wings and swept across the skies, breathing fire.

There's also a scene where

he talks about his fascination with fire and how when he was a child he'd sat at the fire and imagined Cersei and Tywin burning alive. I wish they'd put that in the show to help show more of his darker side.

Edited May 17, 201412 yr by DRW50

Lol you're making me want to start the series all over again. And yes Tyrion's chapters are very fascinating in the books. Almost everyone's is. The level of detail and the connections that are drawn are just so much more powerful. The relationships are that much more real. So all the stuff that happens later one really gets at you.

I was looking forward to reading Catelyn's chapters, mostly because I'd heard people talk about book and show changes for Catelyn. There are moments in the book I'm glad they didn't put on the show, as I think it would have become somewhat porny, like Catelyn and Ned being post-coital when they get Lysa's letter, and she throws off her furs in front of Luwin to change into a robe (Ned is shocked but she says it's not a big deal, as since Luwin delivered all of her children, he's seen it all before), but I still loved all of that.

I finally finished up season 3 a few hours ago. I just have to listen to the commentaries and then I'll blather on about it.

So...

"The Rains of Castamere"

Lannister-free, but not in the way that counted most.

I was sorry to see the breakup of Bran's group, as this has been my favorite group on the show since season 2 (RIP Maester Luwin) - they're like my Fleetwood Mac, in that the lineup changes, but they're still good. Considering that this was mostly somber teens, Hodor, and a perpetually annoyed and frightened Osha, they had some meaty scenes together. They made every scene count. I was very moved by Rickon saying goodbye to Bran. The tease over whether they'd interact with Jon was a nice touch. I think these scenes would have been a little less messy if they hadn't packed in him warging into Hodor and had instead had him go into Summer immediately, but I understand why they did it this way. I'm very glad that Summer got to rip some wildling throats out (one of those sentences you never expect to type...). I wonder if Jon processed that Summer was there.

The guy who played the old man did a good job with a throwaway role. I was glad to see Jon gut that creepy pig. I think they'd mentioned briefly that he was a warg, but I'd totally forgotten it until he went into the eagle. Were they saying that he is now the eagle? I wonder if we'll be seeing him again. Rose Leslie was wonderful at playing how confused Ygritte was in all of that. She still loved Jon with all her heart and was probably going to get herself killed for him (I wonder if Jon intentionally knocked her down to get her out of harm's way). Theodorus Monk, or whatever his name is, holding her down to save her life was more moving than it should have been - again, great acting.

Dany...most of this was decent enough material, nothing too obtrusive. I still don't see the purpose of Daario and if I didn't know better I would think he existed solely to pave the way for Dany/Jorah, which I doubt is the case. I do like this Daario more than the new one, though. My favorite scene was probably Jorah telling Barristan to stay behind - an uncomfortable and needed reminder to him that he is too old for heavy battle.

For the main event...

As I knew all of this would happen, I couldn't have the same reaction many had. Which means my own view is irrelevant, as this was designed to shock (and then make sense when you rewatch the season).

The scene where Robb included Catelyn in his battle strategy again was quiet and powerful, beautifully underplayed by Richard Madden and Michelle Fairley.

Arya/Hound...her insisting he not kill the food guy was very heavy-handed (showing she would soon stop caring about this type of humanity), as were most of their scenes before arriving at the Twins, but the image of her riding with him, a reminder of the child she still is even as she loses the last of that innocence, is striking. I think Maisie Williams did a wonderful job in the scene where she saw Gray Wind being murdered. She has a very expressive face. I also liked the scene where he knocked her out as he knew she was going to die otherwise. I intensely dislike the "buddy road trip comedy/he's her father!" fanon, but I won't deny that he cares about her in his own way, or that Rory and Maisie work well together.

David Bradley gave a superb performance. Walder Frey isn't a villain. He is a sty in the eye. He is a petty, pathetic, empty husk of a man, a loser, a coward, and a complete degenerate. And Bradley played that to the hilt.

I was very happy to see some of Catelyn being happy for her brother, as he'd just been portrayed as the family buffoon up to this point. Tobias Menzes did a good job with the moment when he first saw his beautiful bride.

I really loved Talisa and Robb as a couple, but I desperately needed a scene in an earlier episode where he tried to get her not to join them for the wedding, and she refused. I don't believe he would have included her in the wedding, for her own sake above all else. If this scene occurred, I missed it. I thought Oona Chaplin did well with what they gave her, and her last moments talking with Robb about their child were poignant indeed, but Talisa being at the wedding solely to gouge viewers with a gory Sharon Tate-style murder truly showed in this episode. Beyond the clear tragedy of a pregnant woman being murdered, I just did not have a strong reaction, and the gruesome shock value of the whole thing actually took me out of story, unfortunately.

The final moments with Robb and with Catelyn, the sick numbness of it all, were done with great care and skill, and felt much more "real" than most TV deaths. The husky despair and strength in Catelyn's voice as she tried to save Robb's life is something I won't forget for a long time. This started as Catelyn's story and I'm glad it also ended as such. Catelyn will always have my heart, and I'm glad this episode showed so many facets to her to remind me of why. Michelle Fairley gave one of the most committed and nuanced performances I've seen in some time. If I thought awards were worth a damn, I would give her all of them.

That Michelle and Richard were weeping at the end of the DVD comments made all this feel about 100x worse.

Edited May 18, 201412 yr by DRW50

"Mhysa"

This was one of my favorite episodes so far. For an episode that was more about establishing season 4 than anything else, they packed in some powerful moments, and some moments important for future episodes.

Arya tricking and then (with the Hound's help) murdering the Lannister men was a tragic scene, not "you go girl" or anything along those lines. Again Maisie Williams gave a great performance. The part where the Hound asked her if that was the first man she'd killed and she somewhat quietly replied, "The first man," reminding us of the boy she'd killed near the end of season 1 - this was the scene in the whole Red Wedding story that nearly made me cry. Her seeing the wolf's head on Robb's body was also a gutting moment. I think what was left of Arya died in that moment.

Loved everything with the Lannisters. That Tywin/Tyrion scene and how it went from being about the Starks to about their own dysfunction, reminding us that there are no happy victories with this group. Tywin once again shaming him, in the most hurtful way, for his existence. Even better was Joffrey's smugness being wiped away by Tywin. Joffrey calling Tywin a coward compared to his father was such a revealing moment, because Joffrey is pretty sure Robert was NOT his father, and Robert was never a father in any other way - he clearly hated Joffrey, if he even bothered to feel that much emotion toward him. But Joffrey needs to cling to his fantasy, because what else does he have, really? The scene with Tyrion and Cersei was also very good, mostly a setup to current events, but likely the closest they would ever get to civil.

Varys trying to send Shae away - I'm glad they had this, to help show her POV, even if I'm still not sure why she would later turn against Sansa (other than having no choice). Varys does try to give good advice to the few in power that he truly cares about or sees as worthy. Unfortunately they, whether it be Tyrion or sicko Aerys, do not listen.

Great to see Aemon Targaryen again. I'd almost forgotten he was still around. I liked the whole meeting with Gilly and Sam. I also liked their brief running into Bran and friends - it was a good way to wind down one story while starting another.

The guy who plays Roose manages to skirt the line of the "normal" face he presents to most people and the truly sadistic figure he is underneath.

The buildup of Yara going to rescue her brother was pretty great. Oh well.

The Dragonstone group was a mixed bag. I loved everything with Gendry and Davos (some of Liam Cunningham's best work) but Stannis being all, "I'm going to kill you/wait Melisandre told me we need you/you see how smart she is? IN YOUR FACE!" did not seem like Stannis at all. I can only assume he didn't want to kill Davos at all and was looking for a quick chance to change his mind. With that said, I do appreciate getting to see the complexity of Melisandre and how she knows the danger they face and she's not going to kill Davos just to hold onto power or prove a point. Overall I'd say I liked these scenes, I just wish the main one had been fleshed out a little better. And of course I loved Shireen and Davos.

The moment with waiting to see how Yunkei would greet Dany was so suspenseful. I also loved the whole bit at the end with her dragons flying around, Drogon's cry closing out the season. I can see why some people were upset about the Dany crowdsurfing scenes. I'm not necessarily bothered by them (although the imagery was questionable) as much as I think her leaving them all to fend for themselves when they were clearly still in need of guidance was extremely tin-eared. I guess that was the point, but I think they laid it on a little thick; after the reception she got here, I don't think she would have just moved on to Mereen.

LOVE Kalysee. I love how she started off as very timid and scared but grows stronger and more assertive of her place. Love her owning her role as wife of Khal Drogo. I cant stand her punk ass brother Viserys.

I just finished the first season and she was my fave. Loved her character's transition all throughout. The last two scenes? Breathtaking. I keep replaying! The Dothraki/Targaryen story was so fascinating to me. Really sad Khal Drogo had to go out. Him and Kalysee were badass. Viserys' death was beyond satisfying. LOL

Reading the the first season comments in this thread, can I just say you guys' comments on Joffrey cracked me the hell up. A few:

That evil blonde haired brother who gave away his sister is SUCH a little toad - Bright Eyes

Joffrey is such a snivveling piece of [!@#$%^&*] - Cheap21

Joffrey is a little disgusting bitch - YRBB

he is such a horrible, evil piece of sh*t and I love every minute of it - YRBB

I'm really interested to see what else that little prick stirs up. LMAO!

I just finished the first season and she was my fave. Loved her character's transition all throughout. The last two scenes? Breathtaking. I keep replaying! The Dothraki/Targaryen story was so fascinating to me. Really sad Khal Drogo had to go out. Him and Kalysee were badass. Viserys' death was beyond satisfying. LOL

Reading the the first season comments in this thread, can I just say you guys' comments on Joffrey cracked me the hell up. A few:

That evil blonde haired brother who gave away his sister is SUCH a little toad - Bright Eyes

Joffrey is such a snivveling piece of [!@#$%^&*] - Cheap21

Joffrey is a little disgusting bitch - YRBB

he is such a horrible, evil piece of sh*t and I love every minute of it - YRBB

I'm really interested to see what else that little prick stirs up. LMAO!He truly is an awful person, especially for someone so young and yeah he gets worse

If you are just getting into this show, be careful as this thread contains tons of spoilers

Edited May 18, 201412 yr by Cheap21

If you are just getting into this show, be careful as this thread contains tons of spoilers

Ya I stopped reading once the 2nd season teasers started getting posted (damn near 3 years ago) I refuse to get spoiled!

Ya I stopped reading once the 2nd season teasers started getting posted (damn near 3 years ago) I refuse to get spoiled!

My advice? Watch faster. Also, my comment you quoted was about Dany's brother, not Joffrey.

Edited May 18, 201412 yr by Bright Eyes

My advice? Watch faster. Also, my comment you quoted was about Dany's brother, not Joffrey.

OMG. Makes sense. LOL!

Ten minutes!!! This is my first time ever watching live, so I'm pumped.

As soon as that crazy bitch touched Sansa, I knew she wasn't long for this world.

Good episode.

Jon's strength and resolve already being quashed down by the Council. These men are so ridiculously antiquated and it's obviously all about a power trip. Some of the council clearly disagreed with the head guy. I hope they carry the day.

I wasn't really paying a ton of attention during the Dany story, but I kept wondering if she was pitting Jorah and Daario against each other. I felt like her Targaryen side was coming out a little tonight, especially when she told Daario to strip, essentially keeping him in his place (and, although I see no chemistry between them, he's a handsome guy, and it's been a long time for her...).

My jaw dropped when they had the bit where Oberyn told Tyrion about Cersei abusing him when he was a baby. I did not think that would ever make the show. Wonderful work from Peter Dinklage tonight, and I appreciated the roughness of his scenes with Jaime - they care about each other but there's a ton of baggage and boundaries. So is this it for Bronn? Given how popular Jerome Flynn is with fans, I wonder. Nice to see a reminder (through his plans of murdering his sister-in-law) that he's not any kind of good guy just because he hangs out with Tyrion.

I really wanted Barnabas to pop up and soberly tell Tyrion, "You have no friends," the way he did with Julia Hoffman.

The Selyse and Melisandre scenes fascinated me. I really wanted to see them interact in a way that didn't involve Stannis, and I finally did. I'm pretty sure Selyse has some "sinful" desires toward Melisandre that she doesn't want to face. Melisandre also likely knows this and uses it to her advantage. I'm scared of what it means that she insisted on taking Shireen with them when they leave. I hope they won't hurt her.

Brienne and Pod learning about Arya. I enjoy their dynamic. She has little patience for the guy, but in a good-natured way. I like seeing more of her humorous side. I was surprised to see Hot Pie again, and even more surprised that he wasn't brutally murdered as some type of punishment for returning. Nice use of continuity and interconnecting stories.

I'm not fond of the Hound/Arya relationship, but their scenes in this episode were sobering, beautifully acted, and actually felt like a genuine development of both characters. Maisie Williams and Rory McCann did some of their best work yet.

Those Sansa scenes...too brief, but impeccable to the eye, and some great acting. Sansa has dropped her guard at the Eyrie, somewhat, so when she sees someone who reminds her of Joffrey (although I don't think Robin is anywhere near on the level of Joffrey yet, and I don't think he will ever be), she lashes out. I actually felt sorry for them both in that scene. (and the snow and the castle were so gorgeous)

I felt so sorry for Lysa too. Deranged, broken. I just can't hate her. She's been used and manipulated and this is where it led her.

Aiden Gillen gave his best work as Littlefinger in that "Only Cat" scene. I truly didn't think they'd pull that moment off, so kudos to them. He gave me the chills.

Littlefinger/Sansa - ugh.

Edited May 19, 201412 yr by DRW50

I don't know...there's something about Arya that disturbs me these days on the show. The way she killed that guy out of no where. Without much justification.

I wasn't surprised they had Oberyn tell the story or Peter's little scene at the end with Lysa. Those are pivotal moments that drive the plot. Theres no way they couldn't include em. I'm just glad they were executed very well and had the emotional gravitas they had in the book.

The lack of chemistry between Dany and the guy playing Daario is evident but he's hot so its not unbelievable at least. I want Jorah gone asap....

I felt like that scene with Dany and Daario would've worked a lot better with the previous Daario. The recast really does just blend in with the rest of the bearded dark haired men on the show.

The current leader of the Nightswatch is a [!@#$%^&*] idiot. His ridiculous hatred of Jon is going to get everyone killed, and his is a death I'm very much looking forward to.

Edited May 19, 201412 yr by Antoyne