HBO: Game of Thrones

[DRW50]

I think that's a rightful interpretation. I don't think there's any conscious love at this time, especially on Jaime's side. I'd say the material is ambiguous. At this time I'd rather the show not go anywhere beyond ambiguity. I think it would spoil what they have. With that said, scenes like this are what I used to get on soap operas - it's understated longing and not knowing how to say goodbye, and it's so beautifully written, acted, and directed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSzf7haBapc

And things like his getting her new armor (custom designed perfectly for her body and the perfect color for her), and her naming her sword "Oathkeeper" (essentially telling him that in her eyes he is a man of honor, this being said to a man who has spent most of his life being known as dishonorable and traitorous) - that's more romantic writing, intentional or not, than anything I've seen on a lot of shows in ages.

Edited April 29, 2014 by DRW50

[Antoyne]

I honestly almost teared up during their scenes. They were amazingly acted and then Podrick popping up as her squire was the icing on the cake.

[rhinohide]

I see love, or at least a genuine deep and abiding affection, but I never saw sexual attraction I guess. I think Jaime respects and trusts Brienne in a way that he's never respected a woman before. I mean she's the antithesis of what he considers women to be. She's the polar opposite of Cersei. I think he is intrigued and puzzled by her. I'm not sure what Brienne feels for Jaime. She might be attracted to him, but I don't think she's ever allowed herself to want a man or feel sexual desire for a man, because she thinks she's unappealing and that was just something that wasn't going to be a part of her life.

This is just another one of the many relationships on this show that can't be pigeonholed into some soapy standard. It's both more complex and in a way more simple all at once. I loved the scene where he walked in on Brienne in the bath. I think he was attracted to her in a way there, and it surprised him. There was something more intimate about that sharing of a bath than in the sex scenes on this show.

[Cheap21]

You say that as if its a bad thing....LOL

[Vee]

io9 discusses last week's final scene and reminds me of the legend of the Night's King, which I'd watched a piece about in the lore section on the Season 1 Blu-Ray but forgotten about. Potential spoilers in that HBO Go apparently let slip with a name in the cast list re: the White Walkers shown at the end, but it's mostly just spec.

If it's true that the Night's King's forbidden human name was

well, that's interesting.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Vee

[Vee]

Ser Pounce reacts to the news of his being benched via Twitter. ("I make my own fate")

I had no idea Dean-Charles Chapman (our new Tommen) was also one of the Billy Elliotts. I saw the show here on Broadway, it was a good time.

[DRW50]

He's pretty good. I imagine him tap-dancing on Joffrey's grave...

I hope we will see the cat again next season. Apparently the episode was written with a kitten in mind and then someone cast an adult cat instead.

They didn't really mention it in the episode (well, they said Joffrey threatened to skin Ser Pounce), but in the books, Joffrey killed most of Tommen's pets, so to me that adds a little more poignancy to him finally having one.

Edited April 30, 2014 by DRW50

[Vee]

That was one big-ass cat. I do hope we see a Ser Pounce again, though. Depends on how long Tommen's day in the sun is, I suppose.

[DRW50]

There was some fan jokes that they aged the cat because they aged Tommen.

I think you already mentioned this, but that boy played Martin Lannister in a few episodes last season.

[Vee]

IDK if I did, but yeah, he sure did.

I have my suspicions that this season is curtains for at least a couple of the key Lannisters - specifically, Tywin and Cersei. Tywin seems too secure with the line of succession and the frame-up on Tyrion, and Cersei, well, what has she got left? The Tyrells are edging her out (and I'm in their corner, frankly, though I find Cersei a fascinating character) and Tywin has no respect for her either; I think he's manipulated the throne and mishandled his kids for the last time.

I dunno if poor Tommen could possibly outlast his elders, but who knows. It's all so exciting! I just hope poor Jojen doesn't die a horrible death at Craster's Keep Thrill Kill Kannibal Kamp. He looked beyond sick. And Hodor!

[DRW50]

I saw someone wondering if Jojen has some type of epilepsy or something based on the way his sister was with him and how she seemed very used to it.

This show does such a good job casting kid actors and teen actors. I hate to see any of them go.

What would you do with Cersei if you were writing the show?

[Vee]

Unbelievably enough, Thomas Sangster is actually in his twenties.

Jojen has had seizures apparently related to his warging or visions or whatever since Season 3; Meera was used to them. I don't know if this new illness is a side-effect of that or if he's become ill since they went over the Wall. He certainly never looked like that before that I can recall.

I have no idea what I'd do with Cersei or anyone; it's one thing to play fixer-upper on the soaps, but with GOT I think they've got their heads on straight with the story trajectory. I think a lot of these characters have expiration dates and I suspect Cersei may be nearing hers. She's a tragic figure, but she's also contemptible, rootable - she's a lot of things at once, like most of the characters on the show. I have no reason to believe Tyrion is going to go down for Joffrey's death and I don't think Cersei is capable of sitting still for watching the Tyrells wed themselves to their House as everyone but Cersei herself has planned, so unless the status quo holds indefinitely or unless she pulls a Hail Mary and eliminates them, or simply learns to cope, I don't know what Cersei would do going forward. I look forward to finding out if they surprise me, but if this is her Waterloo I will definitely enjoy that too.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Vee

[DRW50]

I just read that Sangster was the main boy in Human Nature/Family of Blood, probably my favorite Doctor Who story in the revival. It makes so much sense now - I kept wondering where I saw him from (maybe you told me, I don't know) before GoT. He looks exactly the same.

And he was on Phineas and Ferb (or his voice was, anyway), with Vincent Martella, who gave such an affecting performance on TWD this past season as Patrick.

Small world.

[Vee]

Yeah, I mentioned it a while back, I think. He was also the little boy in Love Actually lo those many years ago. Now he does magazine shoots where he's in leather jackets smoking cigarettes rocking the James Dean pose and I feel very confused.

[Vee]

Lena Headey comments on The Scene. I don't care for the blog I'm linking to, I never have, but they reprinted her take and I pretty much agree with it. The scene is ambiguous, those characters are ambiguous, the show is ambiguous and people will get over it.

She also apparently indicated that she will

I've been following her since she was in that silly little teen thriller Gossip with Norman Reedus over a decade ago. And if anyone still hasn't seen her as futuristic drug kingpin Ma-Ma in Dredd, it's on Netflix Instant and she is incredible. (Though it's one of the few 3-D films that deserves to be seen and truly appreciated in 3-D - it is a gorgeous spectacle designed for that format.)

Edited April 30, 2014 by Vee