[Traveller]

I thought the fight lacked impact... I guess mainly because in the book everyone was really expecting the Mountain to win. The spears break on his armor, he's big and quick.. it was much more of a surprise when Oberyn actually took him down and pinned him to the floor.

The show had Oberyon as the winner from the start, which meant the end result wasn't unexpected, and meant that it lost what was most memorable about that duel - the quickly changing dynamic between who was winning and who was losing.

This post has been edited by Traveller: 02 June 2014 - 09:30 PM

[Ulrik]

Traveller, on 02 June 2014 - 09:30 PM, said:

I thought the fight lacked impact... I guess mainly because in the book everyone was really expecting the Mountain to win. The spears break on his armor, he's big and quick.. it was much more of a surprise when Oberyn actually took him down and pinned him to the floor.

The show had Oberyon as the winner from the start, which meant the end result wasn't unexpected, and meant that it lost what was most memorable about that duel - the quickly changing dynamic between who was winning and who was losing.

Its because TV works other way than book and exposition was different. In TV, Oberyn is good guy, bisexual knight who drinks, whores and people like him. OK, you should expect its predestination to death
But then there is the fight itself. First cocky Red Viper makes chinese wushu and shows far superior fighting skills. "Yeah, piece of cake"
Then Mountain uses his armor and strenght to toss him aroung and break his spear. "Yikes, damn, when hero wins first, there comes turn, they are going to kill him!"
Then Red Viper harmstrung him and dances around fallen mammoth. "Yeeeeeah, he is death, will Mountain say Tywin's name?"
Smack, smack, splosh. "OMFG dafuq AND WHY LIKE THIS?!"

Mission accomplished

[Traveller]

I don't know, I just thought the tv version was 'he's light and confident and fast, oh look he's winning - oh shit no he's dead.'

And why change having the Mountain pinned to the floor? That was a really nice touch from the book that they bypassed just so they could add another head-splat.

[champ]

Oh I love watching this show with a friend who hasn't read the books!

They actually cheered when the Viper layed the smack down on the Mountain with the words, 'get in, chuffed for him!'

My inner demon laughing with glee, rubbing his hands just waiting for the moment... Splat... total shock on their face! Kapow!

[Spoilsport Stonny]

Something tells me that show watchers aren't going to go as gaga over the next two male Martell's we meet.

[Abyss]

.

[worry]

Whatever that was couldn't be hotlinked.

[Abyss]

That was awesome.

[HoosierDaddy]

Eh. I enjoyed it, but making Slynt so egregiously cowardly kind of didn't sit right.

Thorne with a couple good lines.

Hammerblow to the Thenn head and Giant arrow that launched that guy into the air were highlights, but the Vow in front of the inner gate was the best. They get good play from that.

This post has been edited by HoosierDaddy: 09 June 2014 - 02:53 AM

[worry]

Getting rid of Pyp and Grenn kind of hit where it hurt. Big, sad surprises. I guess they aren't 100% necessary for the politicking to come, but it does make me curious how they're gonna go about it w/ 2/3 of Jon's main dudes gone.

The Scythe totally made up for the lack of chain in Blackwater, btw.

[Terez]

I was also surprised about Grenn and Pyp, but I wasn't sure if my memory just sucked or what. I doubly didn't expect Pyp to die because he was the singer in the show, wasn't he?

I liked the lighting for Jon's scenes. As it went on he looked more and more like a ghost, or a dead person. It was too stark to be unintentional. His face was white as the driven snow in at least one shot.

I was also a bit annoyed with Slynt but I imagine they will play on it for the election. Only Sam and Gilly can speak against him with any certainty, and they're for Jon.

I hate that Jon knows who killed Ygritte, and that it's that kid. I like that kid.

This post has been edited by Terez: 09 June 2014 - 04:02 AM

[worry]

Yah they have mentioned that Pyp was a singer before coming to the Wall. However, Dareon has appeared in season 1 (once, briefly) and is mentioned by name as a singer in season 3 (while Sam and Gilly are heading towards the wall), but has essentially been a non-factor. I suppose the show doesn't need him till next season anyway if they're gonna use the character.

[Terez]

Good to know. I just remembered that Pyp was a singer because I like the character and the actor and I didn't want to see him turn into that person.



I rewatched the preview stuff. Looks like Hound meets Brienne next week. I suspect Arya will take the opportunity to get away. We will get Lady Stoneheart in the last scene but not with Brienne. That will be Brienne's story for next season--heading back to the riverlands after she fails at the Eyrie. She might think that Arya would have headed in that direction. I suspect that Arya will use her coin in the scene before we see her mother.

[Gothos]

Going all the way back to last week's episode, I really loved how they choreographed the fight. But it made it sting and burn all the more, you really root for Oberyn in that fight, you REALLY do. Kind of makes me want to punch GRRM in the gut for that (not that he'd feel it)

[Stalker]

Great episode! I'm glad the focus was solely on the fight, and the associated PoVs, rather than jumping around. I don't remember if they did the Blackwater episode the same way, but I thought this was a great way to do the battle. Best scene this week was holding the inner gate while reciting the oath. The aftermath of that was a nice shot too.


Also, props to Thorne this episode. He was definitely channeling his inner "we will not go quietly into the night" (from Independence Day) while rallying the men. The actor did a great job this week.


I read that this was the most expensive episode yet, and I can believe that with all the associated CGI / green screen stuff. Dropping the wall on the climbers must have been expensive.

This post has been edited by Stalker: 09 June 2014 - 06:43 AM

[Tarthenal Theloman Toblakai]

worry, on 02 June 2014 - 08:52 PM, said:

Mostly what I'm saying is when you visit the chamber pot, take your cell phone with you in case you need to call 911.

A guy I used to work with called this going for an iPoo, as he had an iPhone of course. I like his turn of phrase and the fact that I hate iPhones and Apple gives it all the more meaning to me!

[Abyss]

HoosierDaddy, on 09 June 2014 - 02:52 AM, said:

Eh. I enjoyed it, but making Slynt so egregiously cowardly kind of didn't sit right.

Why not? In the show he's betrayed Ned and was sidelined as soon as Tyrion became Hand, with much whining. It's pretty much consistent.
As far as the book goes, he's a pain in Jon's side from the election on iirc.

Quote

...t the Vow in front of the inner gate was the best. They get good play from that.

Stalker, on 09 June 2014 - 06:39 AM, said:

... Best scene this week was holding the inner gate while reciting the oath. The aftermath of that was a nice shot too.
...

Agreed, tho i really wanted them to show just a minute more of that fight because it was setting up to be fairly epic.
Yet another instance of the show improving on a neat bit from the book(where we also didn't get to see that fight).

Gothos, on 09 June 2014 - 05:58 AM, said:

Going all the way back to last week's episode, I really loved how they choreographed the fight. But it made it sting and burn all the more, you really root for Oberyn in that fight, you REALLY do. Kind of makes me want to punch GRRM in the gut for that (not that he'd feel it)

I think that scenes like this are worse for non-reader viewers, because anyone who read the book had their attachment to Oberyn (and Ned and Drogo and Robb and so on...) 'cut' once already and didn't get as invested as someone who hasn't already seen this character die once and knows it's a probability.

[Gothos]

Abyss, on 09 June 2014 - 02:03 PM, said:

I think that scenes like this are worse for non-reader viewers, because anyone who read the book had their attachment to Oberyn (and Ned and Drogo and Robb and so on...) 'cut' once already and didn't get as invested as someone who hasn't already seen this character die once and knows it's a probability.

Well, it's a bit different with Oberyn for me than the others (note that I HAVE read the books) - I actualy liked him a lot. Ned was way too rigid and "too dumb to live", I've no patience for such characters. Drogo was a blink on the radar, that unknowable badass that's just so obviously not going to take his people across a sea. Robb had a lot less "screen time" in the books than in the series and I've never really found any rapport with him - also I was very disappointed with how he lost the entire war in one stupid-ass decision. When all three of those fell, I was surprised (or not, with Drogo - kinda can see that coming), but not appaled.

Now, Oberyn I loved as a character, one of my very favourites in the series. He barely got any screen time. He's so very different from all those knightly lords. And he kicks the Mountain's ass masterfully, in a very Trull Sengar way, getting his vengeance... I was really hit by what happened, and that's taking into consideration me having been previously broken by DHG and MoI... I really wanted more for him. Ah well.

[End of Disc One]

Last episode was awesome but it really frustated me at the end. I kept looking forward to STANNIS! STANNIS! which was the best part of the battles in the book. But then they cut it off at around 50 minutes. I heard this was the shortest episode of the series to date.

[Gothos]

So it was a whole episode at Castle Black.... I must say I was a bit underwhelmed, personally.