[Terez]

QuickTidal, on 26 May 2015 - 05:27 PM, said:

Benioff from EW about Tyrion and Dany meeting already.

Creatively it made sense to us, because we wanted it to happen. They’re two of the best characters of the show. To have them come so close together this season then have them not meet felt incredibly frustrating. Also, we’re on a relatively fast pace. We don’t want to do a 10-year adaptation of the books, we don’t want to do a nine-year adaptation. We’re not going to spend four seasons in Meereen. It’s time for these two to get together. It’s hard to come up with a more eloquent explanation, but this just felt right. [Varys] puts Tyrion’s mission out there [in the season premiere] and the mission ends in Meereen.

I notice they didn't rule out 8 seasons.

[blackzoid]

I am starting to get annoyed by the predictability of the general season dynamics.
AKA: lets (somewhat) coast until episode 9 and then hit the audience with a WHAM episode.

Season 1 bucked this as in I was excited with the entire storyline. Season 4 to an extant bucked this too, what with Joffrey's death taking place so early. But season 5 is following the dreary patterns of season 2 and season 3 to me. I dont recall other HBO shows been like this to such an extant. Am I wrong? I only ever watched the Wire (and Rome) to be fair. And bits of the Sopranos. Maybe its normal. Its almost like, I could have just waited till episode 8, then binge watched in preperation for the big episode 9.

This post has been edited by blackzoid: 26 May 2015 - 07:19 PM

[Ceda Cicero]

QuickTidal, on 26 May 2015 - 05:27 PM, said:

Ceda Cicero, on 26 May 2015 - 04:28 PM, said:

REASON #2: The show is suffering because it's struggling to adapt material from books 4 and 5 that's (on the whole) pretty subpar compared to material from books 1-3 it was adapting for seasons 1-3.
WHY THIS SCARES ME: It doesn't, really. At that point I start to feel the same way about the remainder of the show that I feel about TWoW and ADoS: anxiously hoping we're through the semi-troubled midpoint and "back on the rails."

I think this is almost certainly the reason. Books 4 and 5 don't have a lot to go on...so they've had to pick and choose the stuff they know (VIA GRRM telling them how the story goes) is important and move forward with that, and then start to mash that up with the stuff book readers don't know yet. As a result this season was always going to be uneven. I think the strength of the show in this season has been that they are aware which characters need more bolstering or growth or just plain more depth as characters to entertain us...which pays off for us, eg. Stannis talking to Shireen, Bronn in Dorne, or more recently Sam facing off with Ghost against assclown Night's Watch. There's a cognizant push with characters we love to be front and center doing things we want them to do.

I think everyone who read the books spent SO long wanting the Stark kids to cross paths again, to help each other, to vanquish the baddies who had done their family wrong...and it never really happened (except near misses, like Bran meeting Sam) So HBO gives us stuff like, Brienne is now outside Winterfell and as a viewer/fan we get to think "maybe she'll get a chance to wade in there and kick some Bolton ass".

At least that's how I see it. So while the overall subject matter of the plotlines for AFFC/ADWD (the cleanup after ASOS, and the subsequent insane power vacuum, and all the meandering plots) is not any roaring hell...HBO is giving us more of other things we've not had the pleasure of in the books. I'm glad that Tyrion is now with Dany, for example. Eliminate the froth from his plotline and let's get this show on the road. And in episode 7 they've done just that.

EDIT: Benioff from EW about Tyrion and Dany meeting already.

Creatively it made sense to us, because we wanted it to happen. They’re two of the best characters of the show. To have them come so close together this season then have them not meet felt incredibly frustrating. Also, we’re on a relatively fast pace. We don’t want to do a 10-year adaptation of the books, we don’t want to do a nine-year adaptation. We’re not going to spend four seasons in Meereen. It’s time for these two to get together. It’s hard to come up with a more eloquent explanation, but this just felt right. [Varys] puts Tyrion’s mission out there [in the season premiere] and the mission ends in Meereen.

Agreed on most all counts, QT.

As to Tyrion/Dany meeting, I legitimately, 100% in my head think of that less as Benioff and Weiss "accelerating" the plotline and more as Benioff and Weiss doing what GRRM should have done. I pretty firmly believe, after a DANCE reread, that Martin was flat out stalling on that meeting because he didn't yet have an idea of exactly what would come of it.

Hopefully that's no longer true...

[QuickTidal]

Terez, on 26 May 2015 - 06:41 PM, said:

I notice they didn't rule out 8 seasons.

I noted that too. But then I'd be fine with that as long as it's quality.

Ceda Cicero, on 26 May 2015 - 06:43 PM, said:

As to Tyrion/Dany meeting, I legitimately, 100% in my head think of that less as Benioff and Weiss "accelerating" the plotline and more as Benioff and Weiss doing what GRRM should have done. I pretty firmly believe, after a DANCE reread, that Martin was flat out stalling on that meeting because he didn't yet have an idea of exactly what would come of it.

Hopefully that's no longer true...

Ah, yes I could definitely see that being the case.

[amphibian]

So any new takes on the Sansa sexual assault by Ramsay scene now?

[Terez]

My thoughts are the same as they were last week, but then I'm not one of the people who had a problem with it. It was expected when Sansa took over Jeyne's role.

PS: The Night's King is cast for next week.

This post has been edited by Terez: 26 May 2015 - 08:22 PM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

blackzoid, on 26 May 2015 - 06:42 PM, said:

I am starting to get annoyed by the predictability of the general season dynamics.
AKA: lets (somewhat) coast until episode 9 and then hit the audience with a WHAM episode.

Season 1 bucked this as in I was excited with the entire storyline. Season 4 to an extant bucked this too, what with Joffrey's death taking place so early. But season 5 is following the dreary patterns of season 2 and season 3 to me. I dont recall other HBO shows been like this to such an extant. Am I wrong? I only ever watched the Wire (and Rome) to be fair. And bits of the Sopranos. Maybe its normal. Its almost like, I could have just waited till episode 8, then binge watched in preperation for the big episode 9.

According to the team, ten is the one they're quoting as "breaking the internet" this season. I think they were always going to struggle a bit this season to buck the trend with that pattern.

As to Sansa - I'm in the same boat as Terez. Fully expected once it became clear she would be in the Jeyne role, and I felt it actually could have been handled far worse considering how gratuitous HBO are capable of being.

[worry]

My reaction has more to do with characterization than the event. Ramsay's actions were fine (as the show has drawn him). The Sansa developing as anti-Littlefinger though is progressing in such fits and starts that it seems really uneven. I would think it more consistent if Sansa (who knew wedding day sex was coming, especially the show's aged up character) showed fear to the camera but not to Ramsay in those moments. Not faking willingness or anything, but just not giving him the satisfaction of her breaking down. I dunno. She should be trying to play him (he's not the brightest bulb). The verbal sparring this past episode was pretty great (as it was with Myranda last week, and the more subtle stuff at the dinner table the week before), and Ramsay -- being dumb but ambitious and insecure -- is the perfect starter kit for an apprentice mind-games player.

This post has been edited by worry: 26 May 2015 - 08:26 PM

[QuickTidal]

Ramsay is the new Joffrey for character I want to die in the most horrible way ever. And before he goes I want Theon to rip his junk out with a rusty spoon.

[worry]

That's pretty mean.

[blackzoid]

Joffrey seemed more entertaining then Ramsey. I don't know why, maybe cos he was dumber and was been restrained a lot of the time. Too much Ramsey is boring and dreary. Not enough Roose at the moment to knock him down. (by god he is a hell of a lot more entertaining!)

Big props to Sophie Turner and Alfie Allen for their scene this week though. That was amazingly well acted.

This post has been edited by blackzoid: 26 May 2015 - 11:15 PM

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

Terez, on 25 May 2015 - 06:06 AM, said:

Based on the title of ep 9, it does seem likely she'll take off on Drogon. And if the Dothraki play any part in GRRM's plans for Dany at all (which seems likely) then I don't think the show will skip it, since it's an element they've already developed.

I'm really interested to see where that part goes - I did half wonder if they'd conflate her with Aegon at this point and send her back to Westeros (after some Jorah/Tyrion "you don't belong here" stuff) - and we've already had Drogon return to say "Hi mum" at the pyramid once. If they run with the poisoned locusts thing, it could also trigger her taking Daario's advice and leaving Meereen to burn, but that does make the whole of the last couple of seasons a bit pointless, so probably not.

"Remember who/what you are" I assume will crop up again at some point.

This post has been edited by TheRetiredBridgeburner: 27 May 2015 - 05:51 AM

[worry]

I believe Tyrion and Dany will "join forces" to start ruling Mereen with proper governance. Dany will learn what she needs to learn, and Tyrion will snap out of his funk by getting to do what he genuinely loves doing. He got a taste of it in King's Landing but had so much against him that it came to naught; in Mereen he will be liberated and find purpose.

[Terez]

It's really a good plan on the part of the showrunners; if Dany makes Tyrion her Hand before she takes off on Drogon, then she'll have someone competent running the city while she's gone rather than Ser Barristan whining about how it's not his thing. And if she spares Jorah, she'll have a general too... but I honestly don't know what to expect on that score.

[QuickTidal]

worry, on 27 May 2015 - 07:56 AM, said:

I believe Tyrion and Dany will "join forces" to start ruling Mereen with proper governance. Dany will learn what she needs to learn, and Tyrion will snap out of his funk by getting to do what he genuinely loves doing. He got a taste of it in King's Landing but had so much against him that it came to naught; in Mereen he will be liberated and find purpose.

That would be a really elegant way forward. I like it.

[champ]

Terez, on 27 May 2015 - 08:18 AM, said:

It's really a good plan on the part of the showrunners; if Dany makes Tyrion her Hand before she takes off on Drogon, then she'll have someone competent running the city while she's gone rather than Ser Barristan whining about how it's not his thing. And if she spares Jorah, she'll have a general too... but I honestly don't know what to expect on that score.

Jorah, I imagine, will be sticking around as they'll want to show what Greyscale does to him.

[Terez]

Forgiven, or in a dungeon? Perhaps he will demand a trial by combat.

[worry]

Or perhaps a trial by wombat, and we'll finally get to see the southern hemisphere.

[Terez]

The finale's title has been announced.

8: Hardhome
9: Dance of the Dragons
10: Mother's Mercy

[QuickTidal]

Terez, on 29 May 2015 - 02:58 PM, said:

The finale's title has been announced.

8: Hardhome
9: Dance of the Dragons
10: Mother's Mercy

And the synopses seem to indicate that the things we assumed were coming are indeed coming. Including Arya meeting/confronting (hopefully killing) Meryn Trant, Jon's ADWD event.