[worry]

I agree with you thematically, I just found the execution a bit perfunctory.

[QuickTidal]

Renewed For 2 More Seasons, on 06 September 2022 - 02:12 PM, said:

I agree with you thematically, I just found the execution a bit perfunctory.

Fair enough.

I like picking beans with grandma perfunctory.

[QuickTidal]

Diving into things I loved in this episode:

Spoiler

- I LIVE for Daemon being on screen. I'd watch a whole series of just him. Matt Smith is exquisite as the character.
- The sword spin in his hand before he went to work. Chef's fucking kiss.
- The aforementioned "Fuck you Viserys, I don't' need your help, Hail Mary, should not have survived that madness" run at the enemy army was very much Viserys: I'll come help you. And Dameon: The Fuck you will.
- Rhaenyra and Cole and viscerally killing the boar, juxtaposed against Viserys rather feebly taking out a brown stag (With a Lannister Weapon!? The symbolism writes itself!) was well done....as was the white stag appearing FOR her, and then her refusal to kill it.
- Her walking into camp covered in blood in that stunning hunting/warrior outfit? Amaze.
- Laenor on Seasmoke coming in from the upper deck at the last minute to route the remaining crab feeders, was excellent.

I'm sure there's more, but for now I loved ALL that.

Can't wait for next week!

[ContrarianMalazanReader]

Daemon's dragon slithers like a snake.

Rhaenyra's dragon looks very regal, a perception enhanced by the golden scales.

Laenor's dragon looks like a rehashed model from GoT.

[Malankazooie]

Isn't it interesting the intersection of things? The passing of queen Elizabeth irl and one of the early themes of HotD being the successor to the Iron Throne. The universe has a sense of humor, don't it just? Anyway, do you guys think this event in irl will increase viewership of the show even more?

[Slow Ben]

Finally got to watch the first episode, and gods dammit, just like that i'm hooked and back in Westeros.


Makes me want to do a rewatch and pretend it ends after season 7.

[ContrarianMalazanReader]

Malankazooie, on 08 September 2022 - 08:14 PM, said:

Isn't it interesting the intersection of things? The passing of queen Elizabeth irl and one of the early themes of HotD being the successor to the Iron Throne. The universe has a sense of humor, don't it just? Anyway, do you guys think this event in irl will increase viewership of the show even more?

It most definitely will.

[Briar King]

I think a resurgence of The Crown is more likely.

[worry]

I bet you’re right. I haven’t followed the show but I did see that the next season is gonna have a lot of Charles & Diana too.

[ContrarianMalazanReader]

Nice episode tonight.

One detail I forgot to mention. In the books dragon bones are described as black, as if made out of onyx, but in GoT the dragon skulls have the off-white colour of typical vertebrate bones, but HotD has thankfully corrected this oversight.

[Olga of the Birch Forest]

Stopped after 2 episodes. Very derivative of the original series. Compared to prequel and spin-off series like Better Call Saul, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Frasier, Caprica and Stargate Universe it's appalling how disinterested it is in doing something new.

I like Alicent's hair.

This post has been edited by Olga of the Birch Forest: 12 September 2022 - 11:36 AM

[QuickTidal]

Firstly welcome...

Olga of the Birch Forest, on 12 September 2022 - 11:35 AM, said:

Stopped after 2 episodes. Very derivative of the original series.

Sorry, but how? The difference is literally The Wars of the Roses and the much earlier English conflict The Anarchy (during which Henry the 1st without male heirs, made his daughter Matilda the heir and the wars that followed when's nephew seized the throne from her)...two entirely different conflicts that have two entirely different plots.

Olga of the Birch Forest, on 12 September 2022 - 11:35 AM, said:

Compared to prequel and spin-off series like Better Call Saul, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Frasier, Caprica and Stargate Universe it's appalling how disinterested it is in doing something new.

These are odd choices for comparison. What things do you feel it is repeating from GOT? I'd love to know.

Olga of the Birch Forest, on 12 September 2022 - 11:35 AM, said:

I like Alicent's hair.

Um, okay.....?

[QuickTidal]

Great 4th episode.

Mostly sex, but also not really sex in this one...if that makes sense.

Didn't feel gratuitous as the GOT sex often could be.

Intentional juxtaposition between lonely Alicent enduring Viserys' affections and Rhaenyra not only allowing Daemon's, but embracing it to a level that left him once again impotent (as we've seen him before)....only to get it on with Cole because she was still horny was a good choice. Especially when Alicent is the one who accuses her later privately on the info Otto tells the King...I assume mostly becuase she wants her son on the throne, but also I feel like there is also a small portion of it that evolves from jealousy that whoever Rhaenyra was sleeping with, it was warmer and better than being starfish-humped by a geriatric king, and lastly she misses her friend. Their differences become much starker as time marches on and this upsets Alicent because she's the stuck one.

Otto is a such a prick. Rhys Ifans is playing him perfectly...you've come a long way from the goofy comedy sidekick in NOTTING HILL my man.

Next episode been nth midway point for the series, and will thus likely be the last with Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra and Alicent respectively in those roles, and Milly especially has been phenomenal so she will be missed. Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke have big shoes to fill.

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 12 September 2022 - 03:42 PM

[ContrarianMalazanReader]

QuickTidal, on 12 September 2022 - 12:45 PM, said:

Great 3rd episode.

Mostly sex, but also not really sex in this one...if that makes sense.

Didn't feel gratuitous as the GOT sex often could be.

Intentional juxtaposition between lonely Alicent enduring Viserys' affections and Rhaenyra not only allowing Daemon's, but embracing it to a level that left him once again impotent (as we've seen him before)....only to get it on with Cole because she was still horny was a good choice. Especially when Alicent is the one who accuses her later privately on the info Otto tells the King...I assume mostly becuase she wants her son on the throne, but also I feel like there is also a small portion of it that evolves from jealousy that whoever Rhaenyra was sleeping with, it was warmer and better than being starfish-humped by a geriatric king, and lastly she misses her friend. Their differences become much starker as time marches on and this upsets Alicent because she's the stuck one.

Otto is a such a prick. Rhys Ifans is playing him perfectly...you've come a long way from the goofy comedy sidekick in NOTTING HILL my man.

Next episode been nth midway point for the series, and will thus likely be the last with Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra and Alicent respectively in those roles, and Milly especially has been phenomenal so she will be missed. Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke have big shoes to fill.

This is the fourth episode, actually.

[QuickTidal]

ContrarianMalazanReader, on 12 September 2022 - 03:26 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 12 September 2022 - 12:45 PM, said:

Great 3rd episode.

Mostly sex, but also not really sex in this one...if that makes sense.

Didn't feel gratuitous as the GOT sex often could be.

Intentional juxtaposition between lonely Alicent enduring Viserys' affections and Rhaenyra not only allowing Daemon's, but embracing it to a level that left him once again impotent (as we've seen him before)....only to get it on with Cole because she was still horny was a good choice. Especially when Alicent is the one who accuses her later privately on the info Otto tells the King...I assume mostly becuase she wants her son on the throne, but also I feel like there is also a small portion of it that evolves from jealousy that whoever Rhaenyra was sleeping with, it was warmer and better than being starfish-humped by a geriatric king, and lastly she misses her friend. Their differences become much starker as time marches on and this upsets Alicent because she's the stuck one.

Otto is a such a prick. Rhys Ifans is playing him perfectly...you've come a long way from the goofy comedy sidekick in NOTTING HILL my man.

Next episode been nth midway point for the series, and will thus likely be the last with Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra and Alicent respectively in those roles, and Milly especially has been phenomenal so she will be missed. Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke have big shoes to fill.

This is the fourth episode, actually.

Right sorry, got mixed up with the 3rd ep of RoP.

[QuickTidal]

Also:

Stolen from a reddit comment:

That kid was not putting up with one more second of that guy's bullshit.

Way to assert yourself, medieval nerd prince.



The Bracken V Blackwood feud in full effect. LOL

This post has been edited by QuickTidal: 12 September 2022 - 04:06 PM

[worry]

That episode was really good. I agree with you QT on the above. I'd also say both Viserys as written and Paddy Considine in playing him really shined the most this ep. He's not a fool, even if he's made some pragmatically 'foolish' choices and isn't really suited for his station in this world. But it speaks to the rot inherent in the system -- that the 'most powerful' man in the kingdom has to spend so much time and energy keeping and ensuring that power that it distracts from all else. The show is really returning to how effective a metaphor the Iron Throne is in defining that so-called power. Like what good could a 'good' king do for the realm if he wasn't so preoccupied with all the politicking? Like GoT when it was good, this show is hopefully (and this episode demonstrates it can be) about what opportunities are lost when the sole objective of those with the means to do good is power. And for such a talky episode, it remained really dramatic and even 'juicy' so it was great on that level, I just think this show's really on a good trajectory to land the bigger themes too.

Speaking of GoT though, can we say HotD's showrunners heard the complaints about warping around the map and really listened?

[QuickTidal]

Renewed For 2 More Seasons, on 12 September 2022 - 07:08 PM, said:

He's not a fool, even if he's made some pragmatically 'foolish' choices and isn't really suited for his station in this world.

Indeed. I'd even go so far as to say he's generally "good" and wants to do good things and finds the bad things he's had to do wildly distasteful, but even the things Rhaenyra does (let alone everyone else) are so uniformly rooted in the goal of unseating him and gaining the throne/power, whether they mean to or not. The show does a really good job of showing the sheer entropy that swirls around the iron throne, even in times of relative peace.

Also, as a funny aside: I saw a really funny meme that showed Viserys in his room with his model, and the caption was "Viserys is really hard at work on the opening credits of GAME OF THRONES" and I LOLed.

[Malankazooie]

Solid episode. I liked that is was focused on one plot line for the most part.

Daemon now banished back to The Vale of Arryn. Guessing his hated wife is not long for breathing above ground. Probably will happen off screen, although, the way he talks about her with abject disgust we have to be given at least a glimpse of her, yeah? If she is breast feeding an eight year old and that lad is latched on and furiously sucking away, imma be salty af about it.

Tea/concoction at the end (morning after pill). That won't, ummm, how to broach it delicately, fix certain things though. Being the princess of the king, is she exempt from the ritual of checking for purity prior to (and after ) the wedding night bedding? Or does that only apply to the common citizenry who are marrying up and improving their house's station? Maybe it doesn't matter, with the rumor of her night out with Daemon swirling around, and the embellishments that no doubt will be attached to it.

Thumbs up for the comic relief at the beginning. Little kid representing House Blackwood doesn't take kindly to being mocked and called a craven. "sheathe that steel, you twats!".... *shplort.

Four episodes in. I think it's pretty solid. By no means as good as early GoT, but not bad, not bad. What do you think?

This post has been edited by Malankazooie: 13 September 2022 - 01:39 PM

[Malankazooie]

Excellent episode. Thought the ending was a little over the top, but dang, I was riveted throughout.

Guess some things from my previous post were answered, ha!

The tension throughout the wedding fete was *chefs-kiss

Princess Laena had a glow-up... hubba hubba!

Kinda feeling it's on par with GoT at top form.