[Malankazooie]

End of Disc One, on 04 August 2017 - 07:51 PM, said:

Everyone be careful on the internet. The next episode has leaked and many people are watching it (and saying good things).

It's the first episode this season where there is not even a little bit of a description about it when I look at it on my cable grid. It just displays the title: "The Spoils of War". And that is it.

Not sure if that means it is going to be a good episode or not, but sorta suggests that the show runners are holding all their cards to their chest and didn't want to reveal anything.

[Andorion]

So I am slowly taking a dislike to this season.

The showrunners seem to have realized that they made Dany too OP, and they need to cut her down to size, and so that is exactly what is going to happen, nevermind logic. So we now get OP Euron who somehow manages to surprise ambush a fleet in broad daylight and had the most accurate catapults in naval history. Also the fall of Highgarden made little sense. Even if Tarly had taken 60% of the Tyrell army over to the Lannisters, taking the Tyrell strength at 100000 from The War of the Kings, that would have left Olenna with 40000 soldiers, and considering Dany specifically told her that she would be a major part of the attack on Kings Landing, that army should have been mustered at Highgarden. Given the defensive advantages of a huge castle, in no way should it have been an easy victory for Jamie.

Secondly, the cure to Greyscale was really underwhelming - just cut t off? No one had tried that before? And for all the pus and gross stuff, Jorah did not really seem to have a problem - I mean his literal skin was cut off, that takes months to grow back.

Thirdly why was Bran's arrival a shock to Sansa? Why didn't Ed send a raven? In fact the entire presentation of Bran as someone who no longer knows how to talk to people properly is silly as he was fine when ice-Benjen dropped him off near the wall.

[Aptorian]

Down South, on 06 August 2017 - 05:21 AM, said:

A lot of that is because of the shorter seasons. They are trying to get to the end game so it's on fast forward navy, armies, Jorah. I can see how this would piss people off but I think they will probably make it up to us in the end.

You can't really make up for bad writing.

"Hey, we shortened the season but somehow also rushed them, so the writing made less sense and we lost internal continuity, but at least the ending was good, right? ... Wait, what do you mean we lost half our viewers?"

[Aptorian]

Sure, at this point in GOT's run, I think it will be hard to stop their momentum. The series is a juggernaut. It just seems a shame to suddenly begin making blunders like this. They'll earn their money but might tarnish the legacy.

Hopefully, it's just a time thing and you don't start seeing more important aspects slipping as well.

[Andorion]

Down South, on 06 August 2017 - 05:40 AM, said:

Seduce Goose, on 06 August 2017 - 05:26 AM, said:

Down South, on 06 August 2017 - 05:21 AM, said:

A lot of that is because of the shorter seasons. They are trying to get to the end game so it's on fast forward navy, armies, Jorah. I can see how this would piss people off but I think they will probably make it up to us in the end.

You can't really make up for bad writing.

"Hey, we shortened the season but somehow also rushed them, so the writing made less sense and we lost internal continuity, but at least the ending was good, right? ... Wait, what do you mean we lost half our viewers?"

Time will tell. I haven't looked at the viewer numbers since ep1's record breaking 16 mil. It will be interesting to see afterwards. As I said I can def see how people would have a problem with things this season but I have faith that it ll come together.

Seduce Goose, on 06 August 2017 - 05:54 AM, said:

Sure, at this point in GOT's run, I think it will be hard to stop their momentum. The series is a juggernaut. It just seems a shame to suddenly begin making blunders like this. They'll earn their money but might tarnish the legacy.

Hopefully, it's just a time thing and you don't start seeing more important aspects slipping as well.

I get the idea about hurrying things up for the endgame, but decisions like this seem are seriously detracting from my enjoyment of the series.

Before, after an episode, I often had to take some time to think and digest about all the implications, now the flaws in the narrative just stick out. I was very annoyed with the sand snake blunders in the earlier seasons, and Sam's episode with his father was painful to watch, but the overall narrative was still pretty good. Now the general tone of the show seems to have gone down.

[Terez]

End of Disc One, on 04 August 2017 - 07:51 PM, said:

Everyone be careful on the internet. The next episode has leaked and many people are watching it (and saying good things).

I watched it. Definitely not going to spoil anything here, but hoo boy. The leak did not have the NEP, and I'm starving for that right about now. Less than 12 hours....

[Andorion]

Terez, on 06 August 2017 - 01:44 PM, said:

End of Disc One, on 04 August 2017 - 07:51 PM, said:

Everyone be careful on the internet. The next episode has leaked and many people are watching it (and saying good things).

I watched it. Definitely not going to spoil anything here, but hoo boy. The leak did not have the NEP, and I'm starving for that right about now. Less than 12 hours....

NEP?

[Terez]

Next Episode Preview

[Coco with marshmallows]

i think it's becoming more obvious this season (and it was starting to show last season) that the writers didn't really have a clue how to tie up all the ongoing plot threads.

As such, they decided to kill them all off.

[worry]

Hmm I dunno. I think the Sept thing was probably directly from Martin. The Dorne & Sand Snake stuff though, I'd imagine you're right.

[Cause]

Seduce Goose, on 06 August 2017 - 05:26 AM, said:

Down South, on 06 August 2017 - 05:21 AM, said:

A lot of that is because of the shorter seasons. They are trying to get to the end game so it's on fast forward navy, armies, Jorah. I can see how this would piss people off but I think they will probably make it up to us in the end.

You can't really make up for bad writing.

"Hey, we shortened the season but somehow also rushed them, so the writing made less sense and we lost internal continuity, but at least the ending was good, right? ... Wait, what do you mean we lost half our viewers?"

This is what puzzles me. Why cut the season short if you actually could have used the time! I suspect budget was the more important factor

[Malankazooie]

Did anyone else fist pump the air when . . . well do I need to even ask?

Creepy Bran is... well, creepy.

Arya blade dancing.

Dothraki horse gymnastics.

One thing that I saw right through though. So, Jon is showing crude drawings to Dany down in dragon glass caves. And they are crude. And then he points his torch onto very precise and accurate drawings of the Night King and the White Walkers. Who knew Jon was such a talented artist.

Oh, and guys, the cable grid description on my cable box for next week's episode just says "Episode 5" and that is it. So if it follows the trend, it should be a doozy.

[Andorion]

That battle was quite something... I would have thought that Dany would have preferred capturing the crops as opposed to destroying them though.

The Dothraki put on a really good showing in their first battle on Westeros and Drogon proved a ballista shot is not necessarily mortal. Also this spikes Cersei's big surprise and Dany will be more cautious from now on.

Pretty sure Bronn saved Jaime. He will never shut up about how much gold he is owed.

Someone needs to kill Littlefinger.

Jon vs Dany sexual tension.... please no more incest!

Davos is so jovial around Missandei

I did not totally understand Cersei's conversation with the Iron Bank - she asks for investment, and then says something about getting back things which belong to her.... what?

[Aptorian]

That was a very cool episode.

I think this episode did a great job at showing how terrifying just 1 dragon would be in that kind of war.

That after the credits montage of next weeks shows has me thinking though.

This would be wild speculation I assume but that scene with Daenerys standing before the soldiers with the dragon in the background had me thinking.

Has it ever been discussed what effect the dragons actually have on the Targeryns? We know the dragons are linked to Valyrian blood and they somehow bond to Daenerys. And of course they are some kind of Magical conduit.

However has anyone ever discussed whether it might be the dragons that made the Targeryens mad and not the inbreeding? What if the Dragons make the ruler more vicious and bloodthirsty?

Eh, it was just a thought that dropped into my head when I looked at Daenerys after that battle.

MORE TIMELINE SHENANIGANS!

Anyone done some calculation on how long it would take to get the Dothraki Army across or around southern Westeros to attack Jaime's army? Weeks? Either that was a very slow moving army or they took an incredible amount of time looting and resupplying at High Garden.

This post has been edited by Seduce Goose: 07 August 2017 - 07:11 AM

[Malankazooie]

There's been talk of spin-off shows, right? Please let there be one of an alternate timeline that explores the buddy dynamic between Jamie and Bronn. That would be television gold and a top winner for HBO.

[Terez]

Andorion, on 07 August 2017 - 02:42 AM, said:

That battle was quite something... I would have thought that Dany would have preferred capturing the crops as opposed to destroying them though.

I thought the same thing. And it looked to me like they could have won that battle with the Dothraki alone; the dragon seemed excessive.

I wonder if Jaime is going to be one of the people to whom Dany is issuing the ultimatum in the preview. Probably not, though. He'll probably get away somehow.

I thought Jon had made it back to Winterfell somehow since he was talking about Bran, but apparently he only got a raven, or something. He's still at Dragonstone when he's talking about it; they're in the map-table room and Varys and Dany are there.

Can't wait for that scene with Jon and the dragon.

[Primateus]

Terez, on 07 August 2017 - 01:48 PM, said:

I thought the same thing. And it looked to me like they could have won that battle with the Dothraki alone; the dragon seemed excessive.

From a purely military point of view, you may be right. But I think the whole point of bringing the dragon was to send a message. I think it points back to when Olenna told her to stop thinking like a queen and start thinking like a dragon. Or something like that.

She sent a message, and I think the message was clearly received.

[Traveller]

That was a wish come true episode...

Sansa and Arya reunited, Arya water dancing in the courtyard (a mistake to reveal that ability to anyone, let alone Littlefinger) Dothraki taking out Westerosi knights, Drogon on the battlefield (clever to have shown the ballista effect previously to add some tension) and Jaime being the knight at heart and charging the Dragon.

Awesome Dragon effects and shots.

I wonder if Jon thought that adding the blue eyes to his picture might be ott but then thought what the heck.

Edit.. I know destroying the wagons was a dumb move but it was an absolutely beautiful shot when she did so!

Anyone hear what Tyrion says when he first sees Jaime eyeing that lance?

This post has been edited by Traveller: 07 August 2017 - 08:30 PM

[Coco with marshmallows]

the Dothraki probably could have won the battle themselves - Bronn states they were going to overrun them before the dragon showed.

However, use of the dragon to create the first break in the line and then attack significant pockets of resistance means significantly fewer Dothraki casualties, meaning better for Dany in the long run.

Remember,this was just PART of the Lannister/Tarly army - the majority had already entered kings landing with the gold, or at least crossed the Blackwater - this was the straggling group that Tarly wanted to start flogging.

The bulk of the war is still to be fought.

[Gorefest]

Tyrion said 'flee, you fool' or words to that effect.