[Abyss]

Sure, but we also get interesting new characters along the way like Brienne, Davos and so on.


The stable boy was a nice bit of casting. The second we saw him, we were totally comfortable with Arya jamming needle in his gutsack.

[worry]

What's gonna be horrible is, as is HBO's custom, there will be a two-week gap between episode 9 and the finale. It's gonna be especially crazy given where ep 9 will likely end, so I wonder how many angry viewers there will be stewing in the interval. But if 10 opens with that Bran/Rickon/Luwen/Osha scene from the book, I'll be overjoyed, as that is one of the most intense chapters in the entire book, I think.

This post has been edited by worrywort: 06 June 2011 - 09:37 PM

[Mott]

Ah this was probably my favourite episode so far, Syrio's last stand was just perfect, the way they played it, him telling Arya to leave and reminding her 'not today' was fantastic, not cliched or a long emotional monologue, it made his concern and his fight more heart wrenching, especially when the wooden sword was broken near the hilt I had to stop myself from shouting 'pick up a sword of one off the fallen nights dammit!' at the T.V.

Robb is just so...I really love Robb I liked him back in the beginning but my what a...commanding presence he has. The actor really knows how to express what the character is thinking without overacting it, the tension between him and the greatjon was intense. I loved the greatjon, really well cast, I'm really looking forward to the 'King of the North' scene now. Actually the tension between him and Theon seems to still be simmering in the background.

I liked Kevan, I always kind of pegged him as being less public, more of a soldier and somewhat over shadowed by Tywin but deceptively strong. I like that he seemed to show some fondness for Tyrion.

Had to feel sorry for Sansa and Cerci's smugness really made Sansa seem less annoying and more threatened than she did in the books. I loved that Joffrey flinched when Ser Barristan threw down his sword, I kinda wanted to see him fight all the Kings guard alone he just had that 'don't fuck with me I'm bad new' vibe down.

Lysa really does seem like she could just snap at any given moment and Robert is so...I kind of want to see him fall through the moon door, such an obnoxious brat.

[D'rek]

A good episode, though I was expecting one of the major upcoming events to be in it... I guess they're saving them all for ep 9 and 10. Drogo's cut was way too small, though, they should've made it huge (makes him look manlier/crazier and a bit more reasonable for it to get infected). I'm waiting to see if they'll actually show Sansa getting slapped around by Joffrey's knights or Arya being terribly poor and starving from not wanting to go near the pedophiles at the homeless fires. I don't exactly want to watch those things, but combined with the increased age of the kids I think they'll be lacking some of the much-needed trauma the characters need for later events if they don't include these parts.

[worry]

Agreed, they gotta show Arya struggling to survive, hunting pigeons etc., though I think the Sansa stuff really doesn't get started till we're post-Ned. And they also gotta have an early moment where Ned seems safe....the book is genius in that once Ned agrees to take the Black, he doesn't get another POV. And the reader, and hopefully the audience, is given a chance to feel actual relief before the big shock.

As far as Drogo's wound, they made it deep rather than wide, which is fine by me. Nipple slicing is one of my least favorite visuals anyway.

[Gothos]

The wound festering was the maegi's doing anyway, right?

[Traveller]

Gothos, on 07 June 2011 - 06:31 AM, said:

The wound festering was the maegi's doing anyway, right?

Yep, she made sure it got infected, in revenge for all the people that she used to treat that got butchered by Drogo's khalasar.

[Tyr]

Bran's chat to Rickon and Rickons "No they wont" was quite chilling, as readers of the book would know that he is right.

And Mirri Maz Duur; hell yes. Almost forgot how much I loved her in the books.

[Abyss]

Mott, on 06 June 2011 - 10:56 PM, said:

Ah this was probably my favourite episode so far, Syrio's last stand was just perfect, the ...especially when the wooden sword was broken near the hilt I had to stop myself from shouting 'pick up a sword of one off the fallen nights dammit!' at the T.V....

You, me and everyone else, but the Kingsguard was right there by then.

[Ceda Cicero]

Ratings spiked again on ep 8. It's well-within the realm of possibility that the show'll break 3 mill at the finale.

[Bauchelain the Evil]

A bite late but here are my comments.

Syrio's last stand was perfect, especially,more than the duel itself, which was very good anyway, his lines.

Robb really came in his role here. He had the proper gravitas when he told Luwin to call the bannersmen and both the death glares he gave the Greatjon were great. Also, over the top Greatjon is over the top, but then he was so even in the books. My only disappointment is that they didn't even mention Roose Bolton. I mean, in the books Robb is more scared of him than of the seven feet warrior who just laughed after a giant wolf chewed away his fingers.

Tyrion is good as always( man is it getting repeating ) especially, IMO, in his scene with Shagga but Bronn totally stole his thunder in the scene with Tywin. " You probably haven't heard of him". Man, I was laughing.

Finally, I think the last scene was well done on all fronts. Selmy's outrage, Joffrey flinching when he threw the sword, Sansa's pleading( the actress whodoes Sansa did a very good job in this episode,actually), Joffrey being a lying dick (not that those who haven't read the book know that).

[QuickTidal]

As to Syrio dead or not dead.

In the book it is of course ambiguous because Arya (who's POV it is) doesn't SEE it as she's been told to run.

Well, it should be noted that Martin wrote this episode himself, so I think it should be noted that the old standby film/TV rule likely fits here and puts an exclamation point on the he's dead/he isn't dead situation...

...if a character doesn't die on screen, then they didn't die. This will be especially telling if they leave in the scene where Trant tells Cersei that he killed Syrio...cause that fucker is a liar.

My feelings are that both GRRM and HBO didn't show Syrio's death for a reason. He was the First Sword Of Braavos. No fucking way he was going to fall to someone like Trant.

This bleeds over into ADWD...I personally think he may show up to help Arya in Braavos. Just my two cents.

LOVED the episode. Everything already mentioned in other posts I agree with.

My girlfriend spent the whole time while we were getting ready for bed asking me if Syrio was really dead. She even threatened to go online and spoil other stuff for herself if I didn't tell her. LOL. I said that I don't want to spoil anything, but that I HONESTLY don't know his fate, but I asked her if she SAW him die...and she was contented with that. She's super addicted to the show. Haha!

I kind of don't want to have to deal with my gf when Ned dies though...she's going to FREAK OUT.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 09 June 2011 - 12:34 PM, said:

...
My girlfriend spent the whole time while we were getting ready for bed asking me if Syrio was really dead. She even threatened to go online and spoil other stuff for herself if I didn't tell her. LOL. I said that I don't want to spoil anything, but that I HONESTLY don't know his fate, but I asked her if she SAW him die...and she was contented with that. She's super addicted to the show. Haha!

I kind of don't want to have to deal with my gf when Ned dies though...she's going to FREAK OUT.

Book-fan-dudes the world over are experiencing EXACTLY this situation now.

And I wonder how many ladyfriends are loving the show specifically because they think Ned and Drogo are hawt...

Y'know... there's got to be some way to collectively chart the non-book-fan-ladyfriend reaction when Drogo rots and Ned gets shorter....

[QuickTidal]

Abyss, on 09 June 2011 - 01:35 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 09 June 2011 - 12:34 PM, said:

...
My girlfriend spent the whole time while we were getting ready for bed asking me if Syrio was really dead. She even threatened to go online and spoil other stuff for herself if I didn't tell her. LOL. I said that I don't want to spoil anything, but that I HONESTLY don't know his fate, but I asked her if she SAW him die...and she was contented with that. She's super addicted to the show. Haha!

I kind of don't want to have to deal with my gf when Ned dies though...she's going to FREAK OUT.

Book-fan-dudes the world over are experiencing EXACTLY this situation now.

And I wonder how many ladyfriends are loving the show specifically because they think Ned and Drogo are hawt...

Y'know... there's got to be some way to collectively chart the non-book-fan-ladyfriend reaction when Drogo rots and Ned gets shorter....

When Rose stopped being companion on Doctor Who my gf swore she'd stop watching the show (she didn't and ended up loving Donna in Series 4) and I'm afraid she'll do the same thing when Ned dies....which she won't, but I'll have to tell her that she can still watch and enjoy Arya, Jon Snow and Daenerys (her favourite so far she says)

Also, as an aside. WTF is up with the shipping on the HBO shop?! Only a tiny smattering of items will ship to Canada...most of them are US Shipping only. I'm totally annoyed by this, because I could understand if ALL werte unavailable to us up here....but to only have select t-shirts ship to Canada is fucking bizarre. I want to get my gf the Khaleesi t-shirt and I want the point end shirt...but both say US shipping only...meanwhile I can get the one with just the logo if I want. LIKE wtf is up with that?

People have apparently emailed HBO about it and the response is tantamount to "tuff luck". How messed up that I can order one shirt and not another. Anyone know why the rules might be totally random like this?

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 09 June 2011 - 01:45 PM

[End of Disc One]

Ceda Cicero, on 07 June 2011 - 06:03 PM, said:

Ratings spiked again on ep 8. It's well-within the realm of possibility that the show'll break 3 mill at the finale.

I'm afraid next week's rating will be the highest, and the finale will have less viewers. I hope the fans aren't that lame though.

[King Bear]

End of Disc One, on 09 June 2011 - 01:47 PM, said:

Ceda Cicero, on 07 June 2011 - 06:03 PM, said:

Ratings spiked again on ep 8. It's well-within the realm of possibility that the show'll break 3 mill at the finale.

I'm afraid next week's rating will be the highest, and the finale will have less viewers. I hope the fans aren't that lame though.

I share your worry and your hope.

BTW what's the policy for spoilers on this thread? Can we discuss anything in the book or only to where the TV show is up to?

[Abyss]

Quick Ben, on 09 June 2011 - 02:00 PM, said:

...BTW what's the policy for spoilers on this thread? Can we discuss anything in the book or only to where the TV show is up to?

If it's public, it's in, no blocks necessary, so latest ep once aired, and all books already published.


Closer to when DWD comes out we'll have to put some breaks in for at least the first few weeks, but the TV show will be done by then so it shouldn't be a problem.

[Avatar]

Quote

Posted Yesterday, 02:35 PM

QuickTidal, on 09 June 2011 - 01:34 PM, said:

...
My girlfriend spent the whole time while we were getting ready for bed asking me if Syrio was really dead. She even threatened to go online and spoil other stuff for herself if I didn't tell her. LOL. I said that I don't want to spoil anything, but that I HONESTLY don't know his fate, but I asked her if she SAW him die...and she was contented with that. She's super addicted to the show. Haha!

I kind of don't want to have to deal with my gf when Ned dies though...she's going to FREAK OUT.


Book-fan-dudes the world over are experiencing EXACTLY this situation now.

Exactly! Omg...

[worry]

Tonight is gonna be glorious.

[Ceda Cicero]

worrywort, on 12 June 2011 - 10:28 AM, said:

Tonight is gonna be glorious.

Agreed. Here's hoping they hit all the right high points - no reason to suspect they won't if what's come before is any indication, IMHO. I personally am rooting for some serious catharsis out of the scene on the steps of Baelor's Sept. It killed me the first time I read it (though years later when I reread I was kicking myself for not seeing it coming... then again I was like 15 on my first read) and I'm hoping seeing it on screen will take me back to that moment.