HBO: Game of Thrones

[DRW50]

Up to now i'd always assumed Tywin knew. I think maybe he had just deluded himself into thinking it couldn't be true, one of those, "If I don't see it, it didn't happen," mindsets.

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

I think my problem is that the ambiguity of it all was what made the character and the actor so great. Charles Dance sometimes came across in certain scenes as if he knew but since it wasn't spoken out loud it wasn't true.

Then in other instances it seemed like he had absolutely no idea. And for me the way the show just decides to plant the flag down on something that is meant to be ambiguous (or at least is so in the books) cheapens it for me. And given how important the throne is to Tywin (and even to Cersei) I just found the whole thing unbelievable.

Arya was amazing last night though. I wish they had had her say "You don't deserve the gift of mercy". The last scene with The Hound tho was very powerful as it was made clear how he was saying all those terrible nasty things about the butcher's boy and Sansa only to goad her into killing him quickly.

Dany and the dragons.... Her's is the one story that destroys me and only because I love the idea of dragons and her being their mother. I honestly don't know if I'd do what she did. I know you're just not starting on the books DRW50 but I'll be curious what you're reaction is to the events of Book 5 and the ramifications of her actions re Rhaegal and Viserion.

Edited June 16, 2014 by ThePrinceOfSunspear

[DRW50]

I was much more upset with the dragons scene than I thought I'd be...I guess because Rhaegal and Viserion were still her babies, yet they were the ones who paid the price. Emilia Clarke really sold the pain Dany was going through. I know in the book there was a lot more effort about trying to trap Drogon. I'm kind of glad they didn't do that here.

What did you think of the Ygritte funeral? Wasn't that new for the show? I'm glad they had that.

Stephen Dillane interview.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/entertainment/blogs/the-tribal-mind/why-stannis-would-rather-solve-murders-than-seize-the-iron-throne-20140614-3a3s6.html

Maisie Williams.

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2014/06/15/maisie-williams-on-arya-stark-the-hound-and-the-game-of-thrones-finale/

The episode director on

Edited June 16, 2014 by DRW50

[quartermainefan]

There have been many books adapted into movies and not a single time has any one of them remained completely faithful. What works well in a book does not always work well in a movie since they have different needs. Brienne vs The Mountain being a case in point. I gather this did not happen in the books, but it was the best scene of the episode. The criteria for judging a TV show based on another source is not how faithful it remains to the original and if that is the only way you base your taste then you are in for a lifetime of movie and tv disappointment.

Edited June 16, 2014 by quartermainefan

[Vee]

When would the show have found the time this season to stop dead, dredge up the old story of Tyrion's first wife, and have him and Jaime have a sit-down over it that ends badly?

That spare time certainly did not exist in the finale, or in the onscreen narrative that led up to it. It would've been very kludgily forced in, IMO, if they'd tried to drop it in tonight as Jaime is freeing Tyrion. "Oh, by the way..." They could get to it someday, but it would not have worked last night.

As for Jojen, I thought the scene was quick but realistic - and I thought his last moments, as the fire came down, were great. If, as is alleged, Jojen is all but dead in the books now anyway I can see why they'd want to economize and let him have a good death here and now. Especially since, up til now, he's been the much more prominent of the Reeds, whereas I understand in the books Meera has had a larger role as well. And now, presumably, she will take prominence on the show.

Books can do those things - they can balance infinite time, they can stop dead for little roundelays. GOT already gives so much time over to character scenes, monologues, etc. but when it's time to move I don't think they can just allow something to drag the plot to a halt.

Edited June 16, 2014 by Vee

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

Like most of the reviews have noted (and you and I have talked about this elsewhere) Jon and the Wall is/has been kind of an afterthought for me throughout most of the book series and even worse on the show. It's hard to really feel connected to them sometimes given how little time it seems we spend on them. In short I do remember that Jon did something special for her in the books but I don't remember if it was a private funeral or not. He does mourn her tho and continues to remember her (at least into Book 5). That being said I thought the actress who played her was hilarious during the first season she appeared and her funeral (plus Kit Harrington's acting) really got to me.

I'm with you on Dany and her babies. When I was reading it for the first time in the books I couldn't believe it. That she felt compelled to do that and actually went through with it. There's only two MAJOR scene I'm looking forward to for Dany next year and I really hope HBO pulls out all the stops for it when the time arrives...

The Hound is who Brienne fought. The Mountain was "killed" by the Red Viper. And I agree with you that the fight by itself was very well done and very visceral. The overall need for it was lacking and I felt like it was just thrown in there and it felt very unrealistic.

Instead of HBO showing countless scenes in the brothel or numerous useless scenes of Cersei with Jaime that never happened in the books they could have provided that back story with said time. The Bronn/Jaime scenes barely added anything to this season. If anything the show did a good job of showing how much Jaime cares for Tyrion so having that scene in there would have made a lot of sense and added to the pain and frustration that Tyrion as a character would have felt when he saw Shae and then encountered his father (who was behind the whole lie about his first wife to begin with).

I will miss Charles Dance though. Completely owned the role of Tywin Lannister. From the very first scene he had with Jaime while cutting up that animal (a cow I believe) to the very end.

[Vee]

I think Jon and the Wall were far, far from an afterthought this season or last.

[DRW50]

http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/game-of-thrones-finale-spoilers-tywin-shae-dead-battle-1201220973/

[YRBB]

Showrunners talk Season 5 (very minor spoilerishness):

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/06/18/game-of-thrones-season-5/

[DRW50]

Queen Elizabeth is going to visit the studios. I can't see her agreeing to sit on the Throne, but that would be hilarious and brilliant.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/06/18/queen-of-england-game-of-thrones

[DRW50]

This is from a week or two ago, but it's an interview with Carice van Houten and Liam Cunningham (who was at the World Cup apparently, going by a photo on tumblr).

http://www.westeros.org/GoT/Features/Entry/Season_4_Interview_Carice_van_Houten_Liam_Cunningham

[quartermainefan]

This was cute

 

[Juliajms]

She might. She agreed to that James Bond stuff at the Olympics.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/19/game-of-thrones-finale_n_5503715.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Interesting read, although it discusses a major spoiler and why it didn't happen at the end of season 4.

[Bright Eyes]

Lena Headey being awesome.

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[DRW50]

Lena's great there.

I love this so much.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjyK0R-lD8I

Someone made a list of screentime for each character this season, and over every season.

http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/112748-a-game-of-screentime-season-4/

Some of this is misleading, as, for instance, Jorah/Missandei/Selmy spent a lot of time this season standing in the background.

Kit Harington interview.

http://www.accesshollywood.com/game-of-thrones-kit-harington-on-jon-snow-meeting-a-king-and-his-season-5-melisandre-prediction_article_95621

Edited June 21, 2014 by DRW50