tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60756821176647972402024-03-14T06:32:15.519-07:00Lord Ned's HeadlinesLord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-49819431969954559602011-06-16T11:48:00.001-07:002011-06-16T11:48:49.046-07:00Episode 109 Recap : Hard Questions. Sharp Answers.(or How to Give Larry a Shit Fit)<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the hard-hitting "Baelor" almost every major character is forced to look into their core and make an agonizing decision that will live with them for the rest of their lives and/or the series as the case may be. Daenarys chooses to stand by Drogo in the face of certain destruction should he Khal ride off into the sunset lands. Robb chooses the path of the Lord, mortgaging his own personal future for passage across the Twins and Lord Frey's allegiance. Catelyn continues to deal with the aftermath of kidnapping Tyrion as well as restraining her motherly instincts to allow her son to merge into the leader of the North that he was born to be. The choice of Tyrion leading the vanguard is made for him, but the Imp decides to face the coming battle in his own unique way, namely by getting very drunk and having a sleepover. Jon learns of Robb's decision to call the banners and wrestles between opting to serve his duty or his family. In an extremely intriguing parallel, Eddard is torn between the honor of staying true to his title and best friend's memory or the safety of his daughter. It seems as though I hear myself saying this every week, but this was by far the fastest hour of the series thus far.</span> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><a href="http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmhnpkfKo21ql8nd9o1_500.png"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Credits</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> - The first change to the game board in several weeks gives us a fast look at the daunting obstacle of the Twins. I wasn't expecting to see them include the seat of Lord Frey on the map, but it was a welcome surprise!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Black Cells - Part two of the book conversation between Varys and Ned. I totally dug the anti-Sopranos tactic they used at the beginning of the episode. Just as I thought my TV was screwed up, I began to hear breathing and pale torch light came into focus. The dialogue between Varys and Ned was amongst the best written of the series. Similarly, Sean Bean and Conleth Hill play their parts to perfection. Varys uses cold logic to persuade duty-bound Ned to admit to false treason in order to save himself and live out his life on the Wall. Ned, finding humor in the madness that has shaped his world, resolves not to play along with the games of court and is at ease trading life and limb to keep his honor intact. It is only when Varys mentions Sansa's well being that Ned begins to waver in his convictions. Varys lets the threat simmer as he walks off and Ned is enveloped by the darkness once more left alone to brood upon his precarious position.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Later on Jon is asked whether Eddard would forsake his honor for his family. He answered immediately that his father would do what is right. "What is right" make for a very interesting question here. To Ned, it is bringing in Stannis who for good or bad is the true heir to the kingdom. Varys on the other hand is also trying to do what is right by convincing Ned to proclaim Joffrey as the King thereby avoiding the looming war between the various parties vying for power. This scene is a great microcosm of one of the series' biggest themes. "What is right" is dependent upon the views of the individual, especially the individual with the upper hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Riverlands, The Twins - I don't think it was intentional, but I laughed aloud as Theon brought down the raven leaving the Twins. We've come to expect that the birds go back and forth reliably. While it was surprising to see the bird shot down, it shows that information in Westeros is not often as readily available as might be suspected.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As Robb and his advisors discuss the most prudent approach to deal with the duplicitous Lord Frey, Catelyn devises a scheme to speak to the Lord of the Crossing that allows her to fulfill her motherly urges to protect Robb, while also being of sound enough logic to prevent anyone from arguing with her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Twins, Throne Room - David Bradley certainly brings the right amount of curmudgeon to the role of Walder Frey. His family and even the interior of the Twins come of similarly dingy and "frayed" . There were a few new lines such as "Your mother would still be a milkmaid if I hadn't squirted you into her belly" and "You son's got no fur to keep his balls warm" which gave Lord Frey a dry sense of humor, but I always read him a bit less gruff and a tad more weasely in his comedy. Almost like a lost-long brother to </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/statler-and-waldorf-excellent/9b7f2216c826746aea819b7f2216c826746aea81-892696854806?q=muppets+who+are+the+two+old+men+on+the+balcony&FROM=LKVR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Statler and Waldorf</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> from the Muppet Show.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Mormont's Quarters - Jon finally gets Longclaw. I loved the design they used for the pommel. Again, Mormont talks of the dishonor that his son Jorah has brought onto his house and seeing honor within Jon, he won't take no for an answer in giving the lad the blade.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Grounds and Dining Hall - Because of his actions against the wights, Jon has grown in status amongst the men of the Night's Watch. As he walks toward the dining hall, he's receives kudos and pats on the back from all he passes. In the hall, his close friends goad him into revealing the sword and a minor celebration ensues. Jon's good mood quickly dissipates however, as Samwell reveals that Maester Aemon has received a raven noting that Robb has gone off to war. Jon's love for his brother instantly begins to pull him away from his duty to serve on the Wall.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Outside the Twins, Robb's Camp - Negotiations over, Catelyn returns back to Robb to tell him of the bargain struck between Starks and Freys. In return for<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>passage and Frey's swords, Cat has agreed to allow one of Frey's grandson's to squire for Robb as well as arranged for marriages to Freys for both Arya and Robb. Alfie steals the scene here with his sniggers and smirks as he watches a crestfallen Robb forced to make a tough choice for the greater good of his men and his family. Even Cat seems to struggle to keep a straight face as Robb digests it all. She can't even finish her answer when Robb queries about the looks of the candidates to be his bride. Ultimately, the hard choice is made and the newly-fortified Stark army sets off to implement Robb's strategy against the lions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Rookery - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maester Aemon summons Jon to have their revealing conversation about honor versus family. We learn that the Night's Watch renounce former allegiance and forgo future love and families in order to prevent love from getting in the way of duty. When confronted, Jon bleats that Aemon can't know what he is going through, the goodly Maester begs to differ explaining that he is in truth Aemon Targaryen who has been tested himself as he stayed on the Wall while his family was overthrown and slaughtered.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It seems that the Targaryen bloodlines have been simplified a bit. Apparently Jaehaerys the Deuce was eliminated from the family tree to make the line easier to follow. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love the way that Aemon doesn't press upon Jon to follow his oath. He ends the conversation leaving Snow to consider and act on what his heart tells him to do.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Essos, Dothraki Horde - When we pick up with Dany and the Dothrakis, Khal Drogo is much worse for the wear than last we left him. While I knew the wound he received last episode was responsible for his weakened state, I found his deterioration much too abrupt. If not for the recap of previous events before the title sequence showing Drogo taking (or giving himself) the wound, I don't know if new viewers would have been able to surmised why the great and mighty Khal, so virile the last time we saw him, has turned into a delirious shell of his former self. Dany begins to receive resistance from Qotho and some of the other Dothraki when she orders them to strike camp. At this point they begrudgingly obey, but things are beginning to unravel.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lannister Camp, Tywin's Headquarters - Tyrion comes late to breakfast to learn that he and his clansmen have been given the "honor" of riding in the van. No mention was made of Ser Gregor commanding it which disappointed me, but the way things turn out the omission is understandable.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lannister Camp, Tyrion's Tent - Steaming from his father's orders, Tyrion storms into his tent to encounter Shae for the first time. The first few second of Sybil Kekilli's portrayal of Shae didn't resonate with me. I didn't particularly care for the fact that they made her foreign (though I loved that line). Shae's sly humor and ability to stay in control while talking to the wily Tyrion quickly reversed my opinion of selecting Miss Kekilli for the role.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dothraki Camp, Drogo's Tent - Dany summon Jorah to examine a vastly weakened Drogo. Jorah convinces her that Drogo will be dead soon, but he is unable to get Dany to leave, even after explaining the peril she and her unborn son will be in if Drogo dies. In desperation, Dany orders Mirri Maz Dur to use her blood magic to attempt to save the Khal. Qotho's unwillingness to obey Dany is now bordering on outright rebellion. Jorah leaves the tent to don his armor and the Maegi begins her dark work. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The death of Drogo's horse was very tense. For all the trouble they apparently had with the wolves in this series, they certainly got some very trainable horses. Too bad they keep killing them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dany leaves the tent to let the Maegi work, but not before she is warned not to enter again until the ceremony is complete.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dothraki Camp, Outside - Shortly after Dany exits the tent, we begin to hear other-worldly screams emanating from the tent. I was worried about how they were going to depict this scene since it begins in bright daylight. The scene takes place at night in the book and gives us the striking visuals of inhuman bodies writhing and dancing in silhouette from inside the tent. D&D came through big however opting for sound as opposed to sight to bring this crucial scene to life. The combination of the shrieks combined with MMD's ululating Dothraki Idol audition made my skin crawl. Interposing the sound effects amidst the happenings outside of the tent was a very cool way to deal with the scene. While it worked here, I do have to wonder if the production has some fear of casting at night. This is the second big night scene I can think of that was changed to daylight (Jaime and Ned's fight outside the brothel was the other). While both scenes ended up working out, I think they may have been more powerful shot at night (and in the rain for the brothel fight).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jorah's fight with Qotho rocked. Buster Reeves killed the choreography showing the more encumbers, efficient style of an armored Westerosi knight versus the quick, powerful grave of a dothraki screamer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The final shot of Dany being carried into the gaping maw of the tent scared the bejesus out of me!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lannister Camp, Tyrion's Tent - While not strickly-speaking a sexposition scene, there is certainly enough back story weaved into the pillow talk of Tyrion's pre-battle sleepover with Shae and Bronn. Playing a Westerosi version of "I never" we learn several trivial facts about Bronn including that he has been beyond the Wall and that his first kill was a woman. I can't imagine what possible reason anyone would have for sending him north past the Wall, but it would be great to find out about someday. Shae is less accommodating in revealing things about her past. She pwns Tyrion, forcing him to consume enough alcohol to reveal his history with Tysha.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The scene may have eaten a lot of time out of the episode, but it was so important in developing Tyrion's character. Peter Dinklage has been spectacular so far, but I personally haven't felt that he should get an Emmy nod over some of the other actors in the series. If he does end up with a nomination, I'd like to think that this scene will push him over the top for the win. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lannister Camp - Morning comes to find that the Starks have snuck up on the outskirts of the Lannister lines. Tyrion rushes to assemble his forces and gives a rousing speech (Go Painted Dogs!), only to be knocked unconscious by one of his own men's hammers in the press to get to the fight. He misses they entire battle, waking up on a sled drawn by Bronn in the aftermath of the Lannisters route of the Stark force. Tyrion is joylessly reunited with his father who informs him that the Starks didn't fight with more than a token of their full strength.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Whispering Woods - As Tyrion is left to wonder where the rest of the Starks are, we<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>see them returning to an apprehensive Catelyn waiting for them on a wooded rise. I've scoured the footage from this scene and can't find Greywind anywhere. We miss the entire battle and now apparently Greywind who was such an instrumental part of the attack was nowhere to be found. How hard would it have been to have him running along with the horses?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Robb is quick to remind his men that this is only one battle fought with a war still to win. Though the dialogue was a little cliché, Richard Madden is very much growing into his position as leader.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'd like to take a minute to discuss the two battles (or lack thereof). While I understand the concern for the huge costs associated with battle scenes, I'd like to point out that this series eventually begins to show more and more fighting. At some point, we are going to have to get a fight or two. Using clever tactics like Tyrion getting knocked out will stretch only so far.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'd also like to point out that including certain factors that appear in the books but aren't necessarily important to the battles themselves would go a long way to appease book fans. Showing Gregor in the Lannister camp for instance, would have given us a nod while at the same time reminding new watchers that the Mountain serves Tywin. We might not be able to see him leading the van or reaving the Riverlands, but showing him returning from one of his missions of mayhem would have been awesome. Similarly, letting us watch Catelyn wait through the night with the battle going on around her (screams, metal on metal, howling) could have given us a less abrupt method of handling the fight without actually having to have filmed it. There is a great scene in Battlestar Galactica that lets us experience a major dogfight between the cylons and the humans that takes place entirely on the bride of the Galactica. You never see a single ship, but you hear the action taking place over the comms of the pilots. The end result was a very creative and effective scene depicting a large battle without having to bleed the coffers for effects and extras. A device like this would have been fantastic to let us see a bit more of the Whispering Woods fight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Flea Bottom - We get a few seconds of Arya surviving on the streets of King's Landing before bells start to ring and she is off with the crowd to see what is happening with her father. There's nothing wrong with this scene, but as an Arya fan, I did feel a little short changed with the minimalistic approach they chose for this portion of her story. I thought it would have been a great place to expand instead of shrink. Instead of the boring "Piss off" baker, this would have been a fun place to introduce Hotpie into the story. Maybe Arya could have stolen one of her pies and while he is chasing her he accidentally does something to end up in trouble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe He could run into Lord Gyles<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>who bent over in a fit of coughing gets knocked into a pig sty. It would have made for a humorous moment as well as show us a reason for Hotpie's inclusion to the Night's Watch recruits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing …… ………… ………., Baelor's Steps- Part of the reason for my late delivery of this addition to the blog was my reluctance to write about this scene. It's also why I have less links than normal. As I blogged off the episode scene by scene I just didn't feel like links were appropriate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Aside from the less than grand steps outside of Baelor's Sept, it couldn't find a thing wrong with it. Even the slight change of Ned spying Arya at Baelor's feet served to strengthen the scene. The acting, the writing, the cinematography were all amazing. The last shot of Ned's neck right before Ice came down was so foreboding that my stomach clenched. Even though I knew this was about to happen, I was praying beyond hope that something would intervene. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Arya looks up at the pigeons in the sky (interesting imagery considering the scene begins with her snapping off a pigeons head, but now the bird fly free while it's her dad who's shorter by a head), and the show goes to the credits, I found myself literally shaking at the foot of my bed. I can't put into words how remarkable I think it is that D&D could draw this much raw emotion out of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>me especially when I have been expecting it all along. Amazing job with "Baelor HBO"!</span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-30039684253418864002011-06-08T19:07:00.000-07:002011-06-08T19:07:09.903-07:00Episode 108 Recap: Hail to the King, Baby!<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></b> <div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is was the one I was waiting for! Series creator George RR Martin dusted off his </span><a href="http://i.zdnet.com/blogs/commodore64.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Commodore 64</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> to give us his first attempt at script writing for television in decades! Though he's been away from TV for a while, he certainly didn't seem to have a problem shaking off the rust to give us a superb episode 8, fittingly titled "The Pointy End".</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Credits - Same</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tower of the Hand - Before I get into the details of the first scene(s), I just want to note the terrific change of pace that George implemented to start things off. There's no slow build up of tension here. Instead, the action comes right out of the gate and the bodies hit the floor from the onset of this installment (quite literally in fact). I spent the hours preceding the show trolling around on </span><a href="http://www.winter-is-coming.net/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Winter is Coming</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> with a bunch of other uber-fans trying to predict what might be in store for us. I certainly never thought we'd get the much-anticipated Syrio scene so early on. My popcorn bag was still too hot to open as the Lannisters began dispensing their beat-down on the Stark contingent. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Not only does the mayhem start right away, but in a most untypical mode, Martin hits us with a flurry of cuts back and forth across the Tower of the Hand to build suspense. He must have felt like the giant on </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xnsrIBYAaSyVEWtHWdcYz4LY6ouPViKMJ_h5CEzzZpuaIRBmlNGJIYBVKqKF4eOTk62so_Ox9bZiPhCua4FYhhPcBA3BStQj-SrAl0yMhnzoHDr2d76dsPzsLnbnbOWOSpRmLudYR8Wb/s320/144+-+Greatjon+Umber.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lexicopia.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html&usg=__sSoSmobzeZxzeg1xH6iWFXi_B7I=&h=320&w=208&sz=23&hl=en&start=50&zoom=1&tbnid=MnEbtxEJfdJEHM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=66&ei=xSnwTdS8CcLegQeB9cCVDw&prev=/search%3Fq%3DThe%2BGreatjon%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D963%26bih%3D387%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=297&page=5&ndsp=13&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:50&tx=40&ty=68"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">House Umber's</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> crest. For the first time writing anything concerning Westeros, he could break the adamant PoV chains and be free to go where he would. He certainly didn't take his liberty for granted. The first few scene jumped back and forth like </span><a href="http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/146/a/5/nightcrawler_bamf_by_raede.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kurt Wagner on crack</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! This episode is not only longer than the others, but it seems as though there are quite a few more scenes jam-packed into its fifty-eight minutes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">George skillfully cuts back and forth between Arya's training lesson in the tranquil practice hall to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the gates, the courtyard and finally the hallways of the tower where Sansa and Septa Mordane are making their way to the wagons. The Lannister's storm through the grounds of the tower like a rampant tidal wave leaving only destruction and chaos in their wake.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tramping into the practice room, Ser Meryn and his cronies demand that Arya come with them. Syrio calmly objects and proceeds to dispatch the full complement of Lannisters in about fifteen seconds. Trant steps up and breaks Syrio's wooden sword and we are finally about to get the answer to one of the most highly disputed controversies of the series! …only we don't! Instead of resolving whether or not Ser Meryn kills the dancing master after Arya flees, George ends the scene in exactly the same fashion he does in the book. The intellectual in me realizes that it was a brilliant "Soprano-esque " decision doing this. The irrational emotional fan boy will let </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhopF0-01sw"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Kyle Brofovski</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> express my sentiment towards George for making this (non)move. </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmd9gwCbYM1qeu3rso1_r1_500.gif&imgrefurl=http://waning-moon.tumblr.com/&usg=__jHQPROiq6rZ4F0G4IzR0PI9460E=&h=248&w=500&sz=482&hl=en&start=29&zoom=1&tbnid=nfhqUZm_mAP3FM:&tbnh=98&tbnw=197"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Miltos Yerolemou</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> hinted months ago that there was a little something extra to the end of this scene. It wasn't the resolution I had hoped for, but reciting the lines about telling the god of death "Not today" certainly leaves the door open a crack. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tower of the Hand, Hallway - What is it with this production and their lack of ability to utilize their canines? Thankfully, the direwolves get a lot of play time later on, but I'm not talking about them. I'm referring to what they are (or aren't) doing with the Hound. Removing the San/San angle is a regrettable choice for many ASoIaF fans, but<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose Sansa's age verses Sandor's might have made it a bit tough for a lot of people to watch. Whether or not they choose to develop this at a later point is irrelevant to the way they've turned a complex character into a thuggish, one-dimensional boogeyman. I'm at the point where I'm beginning to wonder if Rory didn't have the acting chops to make Clegane believable so they just decided to water his role down. I don't necessarily think this is the case, but at the very least, Sandor has been a rare example of extremely poor character development.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tower of the Hand, Stables - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This scene was a little stunted, but ultimately effective at exhibiting Arya's loss of innocence. I wish they would have held the camera on her face just a little longer to let the gravity of what she has done sink in a bit. Everything happens so fast the scene loses a lot of the power its counterpart in the book exhibits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Red Keep, Black Cells - In the dark below Maegor's Holdfast we get a dismally excellent recreation of Eddard's talk with Varys. The scene unfolds very closely to its written parallel, but it ends without Varys instructing Ned to give the queen what she wants. "The choice my dear hand, is entirely up to you." was not there either. Maybe Varys will be back to conclude their conversation next week?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Courtyard - Jon's party comes back from saying their words with the "corpses" of Othor and Jafer on a sled that instantly reminded me of the sleds they carted the sick and deceased around atop of on Deadwood. They held the shot of Othor's face pretty long. I guess they wanted to make sure you knew who he was later. As the Watch discusses what to do with the bodies, the Old Bear is informed that a raven has arrived. He heads up to see what dark words the dark wings have brought him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Mormont's Quarters-<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mormont gives Jon the news of Robert's death and Eddard's capture. Harrington and Cosmo do a fine job of portraying how difficult it can be for a man of the Watch when familial tragedies come into conflict with honor-bound duties.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SPOILERS</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Robert's Office - Sophie Turner does a fair job portraying a hopelessly outnumbered Sansa beset upon by the queen and the Small Council. Accused of being a traitor she promises not to hatch any plots and agrees to write letters pleading to Rob and her mother to come to King's Landing and swear fealty to Joffrey. I thought George's choice of words as Sansa promises be a "good queen" and not "hatch anything" was a sneaky foreshadowing to Dany's fate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">END SPOILERS</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I cringed a little when Cersei asked what Robb's name was. I wanted to hear Sansa answer "You know. He's the one named after the corpse you are married to!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe she's feigning ignorance, but I'm pretty certain that a plotting schemer like Cersei would know the names of anyone she viewed as a potential threat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The council is very effective playing good cop/bad cop and getting Sansa to write the letters to her family. This is a rare look at Varys, Pycelle and Little Finger all working in concert for a common end.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something that did occur to me here is that in the book it is Sansa who goes to the queen with her father's plans to send she and Arya back home. Always the opportunist, Cersei uses the information to take them hostage before their ship can sail. Here, the girls fall into the queen's hands by happenstance. They just haven't left before the Lannisters kill the Stark guards and find the girls. I think this is part of an attempt by D&D to make Sansa a more likable character. Many of her detractors point to her snitching as a big reason why they dislike her. While it puts her in a more amiable light, we end up losing a great example of Cersei's ruthless efficiency. Of course if my previous guess that D&D are trying to soften the queen is right, this move serves to shape both characters into the new mold D&D are attempting to create.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Great Hall - Richard Madden owns it as "Rob the Lord". Luwin sees right through Sansa's letter and Robb orders him to call the banners. The exchange between Richard and Alfie shows a rare glimpse of the brotherly affection the two boys share for one another. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In an act that would have sent </span><a href="http://thehitchcockpapers.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/h-hendren1773.jpg?w=450&h=351"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Tippi Hedren</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> into a year of counseling, Maester Luwin releases every damn raven in the rookery (and perhaps in all the North) to summon Robb's levies. Sheesh that was a lot of ravens!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eyrie - Catelyn has it out with Lysa when she learns that her sister has delayed mentioning the news of Ned's capture. Lysa refuses gibe Robb the support of her men. She is so intent on protecting her son that she can't see her best option is to strike. Sweetrobin is great as always as he demands a feeding and begins to unlaces his mom's top. Maybe HBO can get Tom Choliccio to whip him up a </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3_KtEC1rkk"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">happy meal</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> or something to get him off the teat?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eastern Road - Tyrion and Bronn are on their dangerous journey back through the Mountains of the Moon. Bronn warily tells Tyrion to shut up. Tyrion stops whistling just long enough to remind Bronn that he'll out-pay anyone who tries to bribe him away from Tyrion's service. The Imp is aware of the futility of trying to sneak past the clansmen, so he is attempting to draw them out with his racket.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eastern Road, Campsite - Bronn hears Shagga and his comrades approaching and wakes Tyrion who invites them into camp. It's great to see that Tyrion's unique option for death made it into the scene. I did miss the stuff about paying the Hill Tribes with their own coin though. It’s a tough sell, but in the end with some fancy maneuvering and a little bloodshed, the Dwarf succeeds in finding some new allies.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Kitchens - Jon is confronted and mocked by Ser Alliser as news of Ned's imprisonment has swept the castle. Kit builds the tension well before he lunges at Thorne with a butcher knife. Mormont witnesses the altercation and confines Jon to his quarters. I only wish that they would have let Jon knock Ser Alliser down before they broke up the fight. I would have loved to see Thorne bleed a bit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Jon's Quarters- Ghost senses the wights and goes crazy (crazy as in barking and whining like a dog again). Trusting the wolf, Jon opens the door and follows Ghost out. I'm not quite sure why, but they did away with the dead guards at Jon's door. I think it would have given the scene an instant sense of danger. It wasn't quite as suspenseful as I had hoped.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Mormont's Quarters - The fight with the wight was well done. I approve of the way Ghost was removed from the action. While I'd have rather watched wolf battle wight, at least they managed to have him present in the scene. Jon burns his hand differently as well but it worked. The wight's eyes didn't seem blue at first, but they were after Jon stabbed it. I would prefer it if they made wight eyes more distinguishable from regular blue eyes. I wouldn't even mind seeing a glow to them in the future. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Essos, Lhazareen Village - There is a thoughtful distinction at the beginning of the Lhazareen village scene that was one of my favorite additions to the series so far. As the pillaging is going on around her, Dany asks why the horde is attacking. In the book it is assumed that this is what the Dothraki do, but here GRRM makes the differentiation that the village has been plundered to finance the horde's campaign to Westeros. As it is explained to her, you can see Dany tense, then relax as she is resolved to do what must be done in order to achieve her goals. Even she is only willing to go so far however and she commands Jorah and her khas to stop any raping they see taking the women as her own personal servants. The scene was toned down a little from the book which I thought a bit strange. Still, the village set looked great.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lhazareen Village, Temple - Dany stands up to Mago and Drogo when questioned about her actions with the slaves. Drogo is impressed with her determination and rules in her favor prompting Mago to challenge him. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jason Mamoa proceeds to defeat his rival in the most badass moment of the series to date. Foregoing any weapon, Drogo makes quick work of Mago by ripping his tongue out through his throat. In yet another change to the plot, Drogo does not receive his wound from killing a rival Khal, but basically inflicts the wound upon himself as he consciously presses Mago's arakh into his own chest. This is a change I whole-heartedly support. What a great fight!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the duel, Dany frets over Drogo's wound. Apparently, the Lhazareen must live somewhere in Jersey,because Dany calls upon </span><a href="http://snookipics.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/snooki2.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Snooki's mom</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> to treat the Khal.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Great Hall - Robb is feasting his lords bannermen as they get ready to strike out to fight for Eddard. Surrounded by larger, more seasoned men, Robb is tested by the Greatjon. Umber threatens to leave with his men if he cannot have the vanguard position in Robb's army. Robb calls him an oath breaker and in his rage, the Greatjon unsheathes a blade against his lord.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For the second time this episode, I was grateful to see the direwolves used in a meaningful manner. Greywind lunges at the Greatjon and snips off a pair of fingers. Someone over at WiC suggested that maybe instead of Greywind, they would have Robb bite off Umber's digits. I'm glad this wasn't the case! With the Greatjon's challenge met, Robb cements his place as the liege lord in the North. Both Richard Madden and Clive Mantel do a masterful job of bringing this scene to life.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Bran's Room - Robb comes to say goodbye to his younger brother explaining that Bran is now the "Stark in Winterfell". <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once Robb departs, we get our first look at Rickon since the pilot. Art Parkinson doesn't have a whole lot of lines here, but he expresses the youngest Stark's dread at his family's separation in convincing style.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Godswood - Praying at the Heart Tree, Bran gets advice through a wildling's perspective from Osha. She explains that the Old Gods can speak through he northern wind and see through the heart trees, but that they have no power in the South. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Natalia Tena again presents us with an utterly intriguing Osha. I very much hope that D&D utilize this actress's talent more in season 2. Give Ros a little break and spend more time on Osha. I'm not really even that big of an Osha fan, but Tena's performance thus far<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>makes me want to see them flesh her out.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Outside the Wall - As the Watch burns the bodies of the wights, Sam divulges something about the White Walkers that not even book readers know. Apparently the Others create wights by touching their victims. In the novels George hasn't yet actually revealed that fact to us (to the best of my recollection). Sam's comment about the Wall followed by the extreme worm's-eye view of it was a great pairing of dialogue to imagery.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Moat Cailin? - Catelyn and Ser Rodrick approach the Stark host at a keep that I can only assume is a stand-in for Moat Cailin. Nice touch with the summer snow!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Robb's Tent - Mother and son are finally reunited in the heart of a war camp. Robb is hearing counsel from his lords. The Greatjon takes the forefront once again. I didn't notice it in the feast scene, but I loved the use of linked chains in Umber's wardrobe. How </span><a href="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y125/mediaman73/LukeCage.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Luke Cage</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As always Michelle Fairly is the consummate worrying mom. Her first look at Robb conveys everything a viewer needs to know about her feelings for her son. She is equally resolute in counseling Robb that a show of force is the only alternative they have left. She fears for her son, but realizes that she must let him become the lord that he was raised to be. I really hope she gets some recognition for her outstanding performance this season.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lannister Camp - Tyrion and company come out of the mountains and find the Lannister camp. Bronn issues the episode's funniest line when he replies "You wouldn't know him" when asked who his father was during introductions to Tywin. Chella's hairdo made me think of </span><a href="http://www.comicmix.com/media/2008/09/11/sigmund.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Sigmund the Sea Monster</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dinklage and Dance are simply phenomenal as they play estranged father and son. Tywin is cool in the face of Tyrion's quips. The business where he places the pitcher of drink just out of Tyrion's reach so that the dwarf must visibly struggle to reach it was extremely telling to anyone not versed in the Lannister's familial dealings. We learn that the Starks are mobilizing and next week's fight is set up when Shagga tells Tywin that the clans will fight only if Tyrion fights with them. Dinklage's expression said a lot, but I would have loved to hear him utter "Oh joy!" under his breath.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Robb's Tent - Using strategic cunning learned from his father, Robb misleads the captured Lannister scout to believe that the entire Stark force will be rushing headlong to meet his army to the south. The Freys are also introduced and it is made clear that the Starks will need to cross the Frey-controlled bridge at the Twins if they want to get to the Riverlands..</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The confrontation at the end of this scene between Robb and the Greatjon was another great change to the script. Robb has come into his own amongst his men as a leader.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Black Cells - Yep. Ned's still enjoying the Spa at the Red Keep's "Quiet Room".</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Throne Room - Its very surprising how much George was able to include in this scene. We see Janos Slynt raised to lord and given the seat of Harrenhal, the dismissal of Ser Barristan and Sansa promising to get Ned to confess.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ian McElhinney portrays the snubbed Ser Barristan amazingly. First confused at the unexpected decree removing him and finally outraged at his treatment. I loved every second for this performance. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The council again joins forces to bully Sansa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pycelle is especially nasty. Speaking of nasty, Joffrey is the perfect shit commanding Sansa to force her father's confession.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In exactly the opposite way the story began, it ends on a somber note with Sansa promising that "He will". I was expecting something more dramatic to go out on, but putting it into context, the episode resolved much as the same chapter in the book did. I could sense GRRM's hand all over it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"The Pointy End" was phenomenal. It's too bad that George can't write more of the episodes but I guess we'll have to settle for what we do get if we ever want the series to be concluded. I still haven't got the answer to my long-sought Syrio dilemma, but what I did get was the best episode in the series thus far. With only two left, I can't wait to see how they top themselves! Well, I have to go. One of Maester's Luwin's<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ravens ended up at my door summoning be to Winterfell. Looks like I need to beat a plowshare into a sword and go trawling for some Lannisters. Till next week, when we meet again on Baelor's steps!</span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-84573010052808967122011-06-01T16:13:00.000-07:002011-06-01T16:13:05.186-07:00Episode 107 Recap: Oh Deer!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The power plays in King's Landing finally come to a head in "You Win or You Die". We quickly learn that Robert has been "done in by a pig" and all the main players go into high gear making their bids for advancement before the king is even dead. Tywin finally makes his entrance as the Lannister host mobilizes. Across the Narrow Sea, Dany is lobbying for a resistant Drogo to invade Westeros after her brother's death. Following a two-episode hiatus for Jon and the Night's Watch, we are again back at Castle Black as things begin to heat up in the cold beyond the Wall.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; tab-stops: 119.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Credits - Same stuff.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Reach?, Lannister Camp - Its all crimson tents and golden lions as the Lannister host assembles and prepares for a possible war. We know from last episode that at least some of Tywin's men are harrying the Riverlands, but so far it appears as though the lions themselves are staying out of things directly. As striking as the camp appears, showing a purple shield with a Flement unicorn or a yellow Crakehall boar banner could have established a better picture of just who is along with Tywin at this point.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lannister Camp, Tywin's Tent -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Enter Charles Dance as Twin Lannister. He may not be bald and he may not have the robust sideburns of his literary counterpart, but Dance has Tywin's manner down to a tee. I believed him as Tywin from before he said a word. Obvious foreshadowing aside, what a marvelous way to introduce this character by having him coolly dress a deer while reprimanding and dictating to his son in an equally dispassionate manner.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">NCW looks devilishly dashing in his black and gold Lannister armor and he plays counterpoint to Dance very well. There is both contrast and tension between the two as the aims of the older lion do not seem to quite coincide with that of his cub. Chagrin flashed across Tywin's face as Jaime tells him that killing Ned Stark would not have been clean. Jaime has his own honor code. It's obvious that Tywin has long ago forgone any such restrictions in order to keep himself and his house waxing in power. To Tywin, family is everything (which is a trait he shares with Hoster Tully ironically enough), not personal gain or glory. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is sickened at the way his son is wasting his natural talents as a guard for the King. In Tywin's mind, it is high-time for Jaime to step up and take his birthright. Jaime is rash and short-sighted in his actions. Tywin is most definitely a long-term thinker and a very dangerous player in the Game.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While the grand swordplay and choreography of fights have been excellent so far, I think that the way Dance handled his skinning knife during the conversation was my favorite use of a blade in the series so far. The effortless way he butchered the deer and even more so the casual style in which he handled the knife while facing Jaime makes me think that Dance either has a lot of hunting experience or is just a consummate master at body language. Amazing work!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Courtyard - I love the camera angle the used for Cersei as she stands over Ned and notes "You're in pain" in a manner that is completely devoid of any compassion whatsoever. Heady's delivery of the line was inspired. When confronted with the truth about her secret that Robert's children are all in fact Jaime's, Cersei doesn't shy away from it and proudly owns up to her sins. D&D add more evidence of a subtle shift in the Queen's character here. In the book, it wasn't Robert that Cersei hoped to be with, but Rhaegar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, I believe this change was implemented to make her more sympathetic in later seasons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing that Robert never returned her love and in a sense dashed her childhood dreams to pieces might make viewers a little more able to feel for her as her life slowly starts to unravel. In the novels I delighted in watching her lose her grip on reality. I'm very interested to see if D&D can change my loathing for the Queen on television.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Further evidence of Cersei's softening would be in the omission of her come-on to Eddard. In the book she makes advances towards him in an attempt to sway him. Eddard of course shuts her down, wanting nothing to do with her. I don't know if the cut was because of time, or if D&D intentionally left it out, but either way, Cersei uses sex as one of her most reliable weapons. Making her softer is a good idea, but they should be careful about going too far. I would hate to see her watered down to the point where she won't cross this line.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even in the face of adversity, Cersei manages to handle Eddard with pride and a certain sense of grace. When she admonishes him that "You win or you die" it is made blatantly apparent how ineptly Eddard is vying for control in a game he neither wants to play nor is fully aware of playing. She may have a vastly over-inflated opinion of herself, but at least Cersei knows the rules of the Game. By contrast, Eddard is still sitting there with the newly-opened box on his lap trying to puzzle out the </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.purplepawn.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/a-song-of-ice-and-fire-campaign-guide.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.purplepawn.com/2009/01/a-song-of-ice-and-fire/&usg=__oMf-iqnAXd7_vhYCgtGbaw9qxA8=&h=580&w=450&sz=73&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=gKKQkmTS9zOC0M:&tbnh=121&tbnw=99&ei=asXmTY-8ONOtgQeDwfzECg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Da%2Bsong%2Bof%2Bice%2Band%2Bfire%2Broleplaying%2Bguide%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D963%26bih%3D387%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=117&vpy=-26&dur=63&hovh=255&hovw=198&tx=116&ty=197&page=1&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0&biw=963&bih=387"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">rule book</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Brothel - This scene completely exposes not only the children of King's Landing, Ros and her friend, but more importantly Petyr and his motivations for power. Another change from the books, Petyr's lust for power is being made much more obvious much earlier on. In this episode's sexposition moment, Little Finger lays out the origins of why he's become the man he is today while Ros and friend have some gender-confusing sex play in a medieval version of The Crying Game. Too bad </span><a href="http://homocinefilus.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/dustin-hoffman-tootsie.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dustin Hoffman</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> wasn't available to play Ros's buddy. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know there are a lot of nay-sayers regarding the "gratuitous" sex in this scene, but I would like to point out that Petyr does in fact own several brothels which is at least somewhat relevant to the plot. In my mind, there is a limited number of opportunities to really see what makes Petyr tick. He's certainly not likely to blurt out his little soliloquy in from of Varys or Pycelle. We also don't have the option of going into his or other characters minds as we could in the book. We are left with the Mockingbird singing his tune to a pair of inconsequential prostitutes. Perhaps when viewed this way, the sex isn't as gratuitous as it might first appear? Little Finger could just be talking to them and they needn't be shagging each other, but to paraphrase Ralphie from another great HBO show, "They are </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_87pRe1MUwE&feature=related"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">hooo-waaahs</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">".</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Great Hall - In the episode's only Winterfell scene, a chained Osha shambles into the great hall to replenish the rushes. She is quickly set upon by an obnoxiously pompous Theon Greyjoy. I cringed as Alfie whined that "My father is Balon Greyjoy, lord of the Iron Islands". That delivery was easily the worst part of the scene and probably the episode. The best part of this scene isn't Natalia Tena's lockdown portrayal of the captured wilding. It's not her blunt manner as she runs circles around Theon's logic demonstrating the differences in <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>value of social status north of the Wall. It's not in the way Luwin reproaches Theon reminding him yet again that he is just a glorified version of the lowly prisoner that he was about to accost. The coolest moment in this scene for me was when I noticed the </span><a href="http://www.broomshop.com/logo/nimbus500-2.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nimbus 2000</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> leaning on the table next to Natalia! Ha! I'm assuming it was intentional, but regardless, it was a great Easter egg moment!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Atop the Wall - Let it Snow! After a two week break, Jon and Sam are back on sentry duty atop the Wall. They spy a riderless horse making its way back to the Wall. I noticed that Sam didn't seem quite so scared to be looking out over the Wall as he did previously.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Yard - Jon rushes off the elevator to find that the horse was his uncle's. I know that Jeor's nickname is the Old Bear, but James Cosmo looks positively ursine as he frets over a panicked Jon.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Throne Room - The hunting party is back and a blood-soaked Renly delivers the fateful news about Robert and the boar to Eddard. I must have missed the press release that </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.funnycelebpics.com/system/items/85246.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.funnycelebpics.com/item/85246&usg=__CJPdFfRqkh6AxoI9Q4hf2GIKyd8=&h=497&w=316&sz=82&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=Kyz6u4xoLtlyJM:&tbnh=155&tbnw=98&ei="><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Fat Tom</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> had been cast by the lovechild of </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://roflrazzi.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/celebrity-pictures-fabio-cant-believe1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://celebs.icanhascheezburger.com/2008/12/07/celebrity-pictures-fabio-cant-believe1/&usg=__Qfj7v2dytyVaTl5T9q8zvyZOGA4=&h=400&w=400&sz=60&hl=en&start=28&zoom=1&tbnid=7aslmx0H3qAKlM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=103&ei=38XmTemGIsnogQfsmdjCCg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dfabio%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D963%26bih%3D387%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=219&vpy=4&dur=1217&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=131&ty=254&page=3&ndsp=16&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:28&biw=963&bih=387"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Fabio</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bp0.blogger.com/__QwjIqiA4j8/SJdZRpRh5GI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/ePlCjH46gjY/s400/shitty-seagal.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wargamer.com/forums/tm.aspx%3Fm%3D382438&usg=__2bC_jVN2MxQR5cX9YQI0QiqFGiM=&h=400&w=280&sz=27&hl=en&start=63&zoom=1&tbnid=oEfdfm2lDmQf-M:&tbnh=139&tbnw=96&ei=H8bmTdGnLcTVgQeEguXMCg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dsteven%2Bsegal%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26biw%3D1579%26bih%3D614%26addh%3D36%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=1167&vpy=210&dur=93&hovh=268&hovw=188&tx=96&ty=184&page=3&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:27,s:63&biw=1579&bih=614"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Steven Seagal</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. I can't believe it's not Buda!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Robert's Bedchamber - Not to throw out another Harry Potter reference, but Robert lying there reminded me eerily of </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0YA-9ff3mw"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dobby's death scene</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. You be the judge! It was a good touch showing Robert saying goodbye to Joffrey. Even on his deathbed he still has no idea how to be a father, but at least he is trying. Eddard walks in and sees Cersei. Awkward! Poor Ser Barristan looks like he needs a drink. Anything but Lancel's wine!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Robert clears the room and begins to give Ned his last will and testament turning the kingdom over to Ned for safe keeping.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was very glad to see them include Ned switching Joff's name with "rightful heir". It may have been a little forced showing him write it all down, but it’s a fine, yet important point that needed to be there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even though I knew how the scene would end, I was shouting "Damn it Ned! Tell him!" at the screen. Ned you poor, honorable fool!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A minor cavil for me was Ned's response to Robert's request that he <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>help Joffrey. Ned answered that he will<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>do all he can to honor Robert's memory. In the book he more pointedly replies that he'll look out for all of Robert's children which means his bastards. It's another case where the book dialogue was changed for the worse without any apparent purpose.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Hall Outside of Robert's Room - Ned walks out of the bedroom and consoles a numb Ser Barristan. Varys injects veiled suspicion towards Lancel and the Lannisters for possibly drugging Robert's wine. When Eddard directs the Spider to stop the hit order on Dany, we get a nice segue over the Narrow Sea after Varys retorts "I'm afraid those birds have flown".</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak, Dany's Tent - Using well-articulated Dothraki, Dany makes her case to Drogo for attacking the Usurper and winning back the Iron Throne. Drogo isn't interested. He gently rebukes her and ends the conversation with no hint of a desire to grant Dany's request.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mamoa and Clarke do a great job of speaking a made-up foreign-sounding language here in what is perhaps the longest conversation in Dothraki to date. I much enjoyed Dany's incorrect usage of the word "dirt" for "land". It shows that she is still learning to be a Dothraki while at the same time demonstrating the complexity of the designed-for-the-show-language.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This scene takes place almost exactly at the midpoint of the episode. I was starting to suspect that the Dany story would be put on hold this week. Instead, the writers were just letting things simmer longer. It seems as though they slowed the pacing quite a bit for episode 7. Most of the scenes until now have been lengthier than the choppier tempo used in previous installments. I think that for this episode it was a good idea to slow things down, but I expect to see the scene switches speed up again next week.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak, Western Market -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hey! The parrot made the cut!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Even though we lose the obligatory shot of the dragon eggs this episode, we still get plenty of obtuse dragon talk as Dany and entourage explore the Western Market. I have no idea why they felt the need to suggest that Jorah doesn't believe in dragons. I know they are trying to show that the people of Westeros do or do not believe in the existence of magic to varying degrees. Usually I think that this adds color to the world. When talking of the white walkers for instance, we get many diverse opinions on whether or not they are or were real. No one living (until recently) has witnessed any evidence that the Others ever truly existed. Dragons however, are proven to have lived. The average Westerosi, especially a noble, should know this to be fact not conjecture.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jorah heads off to look for mail. Varys' little </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBE8GspTEXQ3w_UQVd_Es6ZoAEC7RP_n8ukecne6LB3vAMOO1nZIW2F6Dr1eSsxSCNnydmHSeholdCIah02xQ74L06jmrq8y5GWURonZzCzZEt1DJgv-JWHm3WUcmCuLNg8mcNJYOxBw/s1600/oompa+loompa.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oompa Loompa</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> hands him his pardon and departs. I'm not sure if the average viewer will understand just what it is that Jorah is about to give up. All he has to do is disappear for a few hours and his status is returned. It's there to see, but perhaps it’s a bit too subtle for someone not familiar with the books to piece together.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Western Market, Wine Merchant's Stall - This scene is almost a verbatim recreation of the assassination attempt from the book and its executed extremely well. I loved the Redwyne Grapes on the cask! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great stunt work with the whip as well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Yard - Another very similar scene from the book with a few noticeable exceptions. The first was Pyp's assignment to the stewards. He's a ranger in the novel. In wondering why they felt it necessary to make the change. I can only surmise that as a steward, Pyp will have more of an excuse to be around Jon and Sam. It won't matter later when they go ranging because if you notice Pyp was sent to the kitchens so when they go out en masse later on, he will probably be a field cook.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the recruits gets sent to One-Eyed Joe. We never see him, but if they feel a need to cast the part how about this </span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/63598864@N04/5787970050/in/photostream"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">guy</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">? I wonder if the kid the cast as Dareon will come back in a few years or if they will just recast the part.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I assume they wanted to give Maester Aemon more face time here (he is in this scene in the book as well), but its seemed as though he has command of the stewards and not Bowen Marsh. If so it's another small, but inconsequential change.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One more small tidbit that we can glean from Pyp's story is that Lord Smallwood is apparently the second lord (along with Paxter Redwyne)we didn't know about who fancies boys. I doubt that the sexual preferences of either of these two lords will be important later in the novels, but D&D should take care using creative license in this manner. It definitely makes it interesting for ASoIaF nerds like myself, but you never know how something like this could come back to bite them later. Or maybe GRRM could become inspired by something of this nature and infuse similar character traits to his cast members in the book. Probably not, but here's to hoping!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Corridor - Renly urges Eddard to seize Joffrey before Cersei can act. He makes a pretty good case until he proposes to take the throne for himself. Again Eddard's sense of honor impedes him from taking a more prudent course. He just can't bring himself to do the easy thing over the right thing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tower of the Hand - Eddard orders </span><a href="http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures/12000/Fat-Tom--12074.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fat Tom</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> to Dragonstone to summon Stannis back to King's Landing. Little Finger enters and much like Renly, urges Eddard to act. Of course, I believe that Petyr knows exactly what Eddard will do and only suggests using Joff as a puppet to seem more sincere about securing the gold cloaks for the Hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Beyond the Wall, Haunted Forest - Enter wolf-gate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't have so much of a problem with Ghost barking as I do with him making any noise at all. At any rate though, I'm willing to chalk this up as a minor gaff. Maybe they can edit the woof out on the DVD? What's more important is that we actually get to see Ghost!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The weirwood Sam and Jon say their words beneath looks really spooky. As they roll off their pledge I'm reminded as I was in the book of the oath taken by another </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/green-lantern-oath/6109fcad082c37f277d56109fcad082c37f277d5-897660551748?q=green+lantern+oath&FROM=LKVR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR2"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">group of protectors</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. We all know what a huge comic book fan George is. I've always suspected that this was a nod to Hal Jordan and his extra-terrestrial<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>pals.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak - These scene demonstrates the final example of Robert's incapability as king. The only matter of state that Robert ever seems passionate about attending to is anything concerning the death of the Targaryens. We've seen his lack of ability to act when the forces around him pull him one way or the others. Now we see that its Robert, not Dany or Viserys that brings his own worst nightmare to fruition. If he would have listened to Ned and left things alone, Drogo would likely have stayed on Essos. Now he's got a mad-on for Westeros that no one short of a Maegi can cure.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is likely the scene that won Mamoa the job of Drogo. What power! As I watched Drogo rant, I kept thinking about Jason in a small audition room somewhere doing his </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/haka-vs-samoa-haka/0b5d553465b91afd96870b5d553465b91afd9687-874337534942?cpkey=0b5d553465b91afd96870b5d553465b91afd9687-874337534942%7Chaka%7C%7C&q=haka"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">haka</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. They were probably too afraid not to give him the role immediately!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Outside the Throne Room - Ned has just learned of the king's passing. As bells begin to toll throughout the city (nice touch), he meets with Little Finger and Varys on his way to confront the Lannisters. Petyr is a bit too calm and confident about securing the city watch. Varys does a nice job of setting us up for season two by delivering the news of Renly's flight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Throne Room - All of Robert and Ned's missteps come to a head as Little Finger and the gold cloaks backstab (literally and figuratively) the Stark contingent. Gillen is great as he slides the knife under Ned's throat and chides him about his previous warning.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Of all the shocks and twists so far this season, this scene has generated the most buzz amongst my personal friends. My wife clapped at the end of the scene (not because Ned was captured, but because the episode was so good). My best friend, who has been slowly warming to the series after a tepid initial reaction told me that he was going to have to start reading the books. He's not a reader at all (unless you count comic books) so I count this as very encouraging evidence that fever for the show is growing. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The ratings for the show have just come out and surprisingly they have stayed the same. With Memorial Day and the HBOGo promotion releasing this episode a week early, most everyone expected the viewing numbers to take a dip. I'm cautiously optimistic that after the great ending this week, next week's show (written for the small screen by GRRM himself) will be the most-watched yet! If you aren't familiar with the events of the book, I strongly advise tuning in!</span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-19484798532187798512011-05-25T13:01:00.000-07:002011-05-25T13:01:47.208-07:00Eoisode 106 Recap: "What Happened Next?"<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sweetrobin inadvertently sums up this episode very nicely with his query to Tyrion. Episode six deals with the consequences of several character's choices from previous episodes. Catelyn's choice to take Tyrion continues to pit the two against each other in the Vale and send shockwaves across the realm. Jaime's rash misjudgment in attacking Eddard and his men has the capital in an uproar and lords across Westeros are calling their levies. Viserys' decision to marry off his sister has begun to backfire on him whilst Dany continues to come into her own. Even Robert's incapability at making the difficult choices thrust on him in his role at monarch is beginning create ramifications for both king and kingdom.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is the second episode in a row to forgo the Wall, but we do get reacquainted with the Dothraki contingent. We also get duels,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>moon doors, more Arya and Syrio, Baratheon brotherly love and Khal Drogo's first attempt at millinery!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Credits - Nothing new as far as I could tell.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Eddard's Bedchamber - Last episode resolved with Eddard falling to the ground unconscious after a Lannister guardsmen speared him from behind. This episode begins with Ned opening his eyes to the scowling visage of Cersei and the troubled glare of Robert. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The king is forced into the role of unwilling arbitrator as queen and hand square off against each other. The quarrel ends with Robert bestowing an "honorable" bitch slap on the queen's royal cheek.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robert once again demonstrates his complete inability to make any meaningful decisions as a ruler. Instead of taking sides, he bullies his wife into silence and plays on Ned's honor, ordering him into obedience while resolving absolutely nothing. Then, everything still up in the air, he ducks out of the tough situation and goes hunting! In doing so he inadvertently sets off a chain of events that ultimately brings both he and Ned to ruin.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak, Dany's Tent - This scene starts out as it does in the novel, with Dany bathing a dragon egg in a brazier of hot coals. Unlike its counterpart from the book however, the outcome of the scene is drastically different. D&D seem to be taking Dany's belief that she is "the blood of the dragon" a bit more literally than George intends in his story. GRRM has been very specific in the past stating that while Targaryens feel a kinship with dragons, heat and fire, they are in no way fire resistant. One needs only to look to Aerion <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brightflame who died by drinking wildfire to perceive this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As Dany watches the eggs in the coals, she is overcome by a urge to pick them up. As she does so, Irri sees what she is doing and grabs the egg out of her khaleesi's<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hands. Dany, who handled the egg much longer than Irri is unaffected by its heat, yet the handmaiden suffers burns on her palms.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is the second allusion to Dany's imperviousness to heat (the first was in the bath way back in Pentos). It makes for interesting foreshadowing, but the change is another example of the blunt handling of Dany and her eggs. It's much harder to convey her connection to them in film as opposed to prose, but I can't help but feel that the adaptation handles this portion of the plot a bit too heavy-handedly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bran's Dream, Winterfell Yard -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We revisit Bran's dream from episode three. This time the dream goes a bit further with the three-eyed crow soaring off into the dark crypts of the Kings of Winter. It seems that this dream is something of an amalgam between Bran's green dreams and Jon's recurring dream of running through an empty Winterfell. How cool would it be to show a connection between the two with Bran going further into the crypts but when the scene switches back to reality it is Jon that opens his eyes! It would be consistent with some of the visions the Stark children have later in the books.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Bran's Room - Bran is startled awake by an excited Hodor who brings the young lordling his new saddle. It wouldn't have hurt to let Kristian belt out an excited "Hodor" or two as he presents the saddle, but both actors express believable glee at the prospects of Bran getting back on a horse.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wolfswood - As Bran delightfully canters Dancer around the forest, Robb and Theon have a discussion that provides us with several insights into Greyjoy's character. First off, in typical Ironborn fashion, he urges Robb to avenge his father against the Lannisters. Robb seems more thoughtful, hesitant and perhaps even a little scared of the consequences that aggression may bring. Theon reminds Robb that it is his duty to represent his house now that Eddard is incapacitated. Robb sullenly rebuts Theon that the duty is that of a Stark and not a Greyjoy. This is perhaps the first time I have ever felt any compassion for Theon or any other Greyjoy for that matter. Again, Theon is trying to represent for his foster family, but it seems that everyone whether it be Maester Luwin, Ros, Tyrion or now even his good friend Robb is keen to remind him that he is an outsider. D&D are setting Theon up nicely for the events of episode two. He is still an intolerable braggart that is much too full of himself, but he is slowly starting to become a more sympathetic figure than he has been portrayed in the novels.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bran, lost in his joy at being able to ride again, has wandered too far away from Robb and Theon. He is accosted by Osha and her band of wildlings. Natalia Tena is perhaps a bit shorter than the Osha I remember, but otherwise looks the part. I felt bad for Stiv and his </span><a href="http://www.hairdirect.com/community/forums/storage/3/30823/Phil-Spector-hair.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Spectorian</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> hairdo. I guess it makes sense if you consider the materials on hand for making a toupee north of the Wall.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The wildings begin to cut Bran down from the saddle. Stiv accidentally knifes Bran's leg. The boy's lack of reaction to being cut instantly reminded me of the black foot scene from </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVbqKOYBh5I"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Mr. Deeds</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! While Robb and Theon make fast work of the wildlings, the scene unfortunately stands as another example of the inability to make the direwolves work into the script. The scene works fine enough without them, but how much more would it have paid off with Grey Wind and Summer ripping into the attackers? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eyrie, Sky Cells - While Tyrion narrowly avoids getting up on the wrong side of the bed in the finished cut, I was able to find an alternate version of this scene with Tyrion and Mord that </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv7uJct8ltg&feature=related"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">didn't end so well</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I failed to noticed this last week, but I'm happy that Mord's facial injury was included in his television appearance. It’s a small thing, but every minor detail the television crew is able to include in their version of Westeros helps to make the show feel more like the original land from the story. People in GRRM's world are full of old wounds and deformities. Adding Mord's scar subconsciously reminds viewers of the harshness of the world in which the show's characters live.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The graffiti on the wall was another nice token. "Time to fly" was appropriate, but "The blue is calling" would have been cool too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tower of the Hand - I adored this scene between Arya and Syrio for so many reasons. D&D have thoughtfully decided to show us how Eddard's troubles are affecting his youngest daughter. We don't really see Arya take time to worry or be sad for her father until much later on in the events of the story. Syrio teaches her that learning to train in times of trouble is part of mastering both one's waterdancing skills as well as one's emotions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Arya's progression with her swordplay is growing. She seems much quicker and Maisie is able to portray her parries with enough aptitude to almost make them seem effortless. She is still nowhere near Syrio's match, but she is definitely getting better.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SPOILER</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The dialogue also manages to squeeze in plenty of Syrioisms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Syrio's line about Death being the only god sent a creepy shiver down my spine that brought me back to the statue of Death in the Kindly Man's house in Braavos from A Feast for Crows. Coincidence or veiled foreshadowing?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">END SPOILER</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak, Temple of the Dosh Khaleen - Dripping with blood, Dany performs the sacred Dothraki ritual of eating a horse's heart. It makes you wonder if </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bev1xkgK4HA&feature=related"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Mola Ram</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> might have started out a Dothraki. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kali Ma indeed! Dany barely manages to keep it all down, but as she swallows the last bit away, the coming of the stallion who mounts the world is prophesized.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While Daenarys is the focal point of this scene, its Viserys that interests me more. I think this is the first time he truly suspects that his quest for regaining the throne will never come to pass. He sees his sister basking in the glory of her adopted people and realizes on some level that he is incapable of inspiring followers in this manner.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This point is driven home in the next scene as Viserys attempts to make off with the dragon eggs and is thwarted by Ser Jorah. It’s the first time we are given a sense of the pressure that Viserys is constantly under being the last dragon. He has been the final hope of a dynasty since he has been five years old and now he sees his sister taking all of the glory after doing what he perceives as none of the work. Even his only sworn blade (Jorah) has deserted him for Dany. After dropping the first suggestions that Jorah's intentions towards the khaleesi might not be entirely plutonic, Viserys surrenders the eggs and stalks off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eyrie, Sky Cells - Tyrion continues to trick and tempt Mord into giving Lady Arryn a message that he is ready to confess. The spikes to keep birds off the cell walls are nice additions that I failed to notice in previous scenes. It's hilarious to see Tyrion have to tone down his usual persuasive vocabulary in order to present his argument at a level that the dim-witted turnkey can understand. After several failed attempts, he finally manages to convince Mord to present him to Lysa for "confession".</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eyrie. High Hall - Tyrion is presented before Lysa, and in her vanity, she unwisely assembles her court to watch the confrontation. The script writers have managed to out GRRM George himself with the Imp's crass confession. As good a Dinklage is here, the scene is stolen by Lino Facioli when he utters the line that also serves as the title for this recap.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm usually drinking a glass of red wine while I watch a new GoT episode. "What happened next?" was so brilliant and so unexpected that I did a burgundy-colored </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMUds6D4_a0"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">spit take</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> barely missing my wife's new white linen bed sheets. Through lewd humor and bold arguments, the Dwarf is able to maneuver Lysa into a trail by battle pitting Ser Vardis against Bronn. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We finally see the Moon Door opened and I have to say that I approve of the choice to make it a trap door. The benefits of this alteration will become more apparent later on during the duel.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kingswood - The first thing I noticed as I watched this scene play out was how well Lancel suddenly got at doing his job. Robert made it through the entire scene without criticizing his squire once.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The trek through the woods was a mixed bag. We were able to see Robert's aforementioned view of his brothers come to the forefront as he goads and chides Renly about his character. Thankfully Renly doesn't back down and ends up letting Robert have it. He then storms off in disgust. After the questionable shaving scene last episode, it is good to see that while he may not be the battle-hardened soldier<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that Robert is, he still has enough of a backbone to stand up and defend himself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was disappointed at the scope of the hunt. In the book, Robert leads a grand procession into the woods for days of hunting. Budgeting issues probably dictated the reduction of hunt participants, but they missed an opportunity by not including Joff. A few words of rejection by his dear old dad, followed by the young prince "bravely” shooting a mother robin in her nest at point blank range with his crossbow would have gone miles to establish Joffery's sadistic nature.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I felt for poor Ser Barristan as he quietly watched Robert gulp down more and more wine without intervening.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Throne Room - It seems the Lannisters have been busy. Groups of brigands have been scourging the Riverlands. Evidence, and an unusually obvious Little Finger suggest that the Lannisters and particularly Gregor Clegane are behind the attacks. Equally transparent, and agitated Grand Maester Pycelle does his best to defend the lions. Eddard isn't buying it and appoints Ser Beric Dondarrion to bring the Mountain to justice. He also goes one step further here than in the book and orders Tywin to court in order to answer for his bannermen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The writing and delivery of this scene was off. I think Gillen was attempting to be smug towards Bean's Eddard, but the sarcasm came off a bit too subtle for my tastes. Also, Pycelle is making it a little too obvious where is true loyalties lay don’t you think?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eyrie, High Hall - A lightly armored Bronn squares off against a much more encumbered (Dungeons and Dragons-learned vocabulary word) Ser Vardis. Bronn dances around to the jeers of the assembled, but he soon tired out Ser Vardis and takes the initiative (another word learned through role-playing). Great choreography showing Ser Vardis tiring and Bronn getting the upper hand. This scene was near the top of the list for me as far as recreated moments from the books that I was looking forward to and it didn't disappoint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ser Vardis' death was an amalgam of the death of </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-svD7t4ZTI&feature=related"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cicero</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> from HBO's other masterpiece Rome combined with the demise of </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-R5hxJxY6xM"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Emperor Palpatine</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. It might have been even truer to the book fight though if Bronn simply sidestepped a Vardis thrust and kicked the knight out the door while still alive.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tower of the Hand - Damn you Sansa! I always wanted to know where Septa Mordane was from!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Joff interrupts the conversation between Septa and charge and presents Sansa with a locket. This is perhaps the gesture that Cersei suggested Joff make a few episodes earlier. It works spectacularly as Sansa swoons head-over-heels for the little lying shit! It might have been nice to see the septa do something to cross Joff here. Nothing major, perhaps just a suggestion to wait to enter until the Hand was home for the sake of appropriateness. A small confrontation like this might have served to enhance a certain scene-to-come that takes place up on the top of the Red Keep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Road, Vicinity of Winterfell - Riding back to the castle, Theon spies Ros leaving town on the fantasy-genre cliché of a turnip cart. It's wonderful that Esme Bianco has been given a larger role in the series. Hopefully, D&D will add another new minor character or two in later seasons. I just have to question what purpose this scene served other than to help fill the nudity quota for the episode. If they want Ros down in King's Landing, she could have mentioned she was leaving in her last scene with Theon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of all the original scenes so far, this serves the least purpose. I would have much preferred using the time to expand the wildling attack scene or perhaps Robert's hunt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tower of the Hand - Eddard informs the girls of his intentions to send them back home much to their chagrin. Arya is worried about her lessons and Sansa is distressed at the thought of loosing Joffery. Maisie's utterance of "Seven Hells" was priceless! Sansa's bleating inadvertently gives Ned the missing puzzle piece to the mystery he has been trying to solve regarding Jon Arryn's death. Using the book for reference, Ned discovers the meaning of "the seed is strong" as he learns the entire Baratheon line with the exception if Joffery has black hair. Using this information, I guess it's safe to assume from evidence in the previous scene that Ros has no Baratheon blood in her either!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak, Temple of the Dosh Khaleen - Viserys shows up drunk and armed to Dany's feast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pulling his sword out, which is a huge no-no in Vaes Dothrak,Viserys attempts to strong-arm Drogo into paying him the crown he has been promised in exchange for Dany's marriage to the Khal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In one of the most horribly creative death scenes I can ever remember reading or watching, Drogo is true to his word and "crowns" the young Targaryen with molten gold. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think that Drogo might have gleaned the idea for the headgear from watching </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHG9AAM9czs5i9WanAZPaFarbFKiAHzWTvXREh9mnZP-XBae0UdL-j0-NHOgjWBOEGq2kMRgVQr26geB8C5Lp1WIEZEzG0c3QyMxaHGJuRjWUPWTuzRuS1VYRWoZ8aKkQzDHbARcistVO2/s400/LadyGagaSaturdayNightLive_LadyGagaLittleMonster_LadyGagaSNLPerformance_TheEdgeOfGlory_BornThisWay_Judas.jpg&imgrefurl=http://gagalatestnews.blogspot.com/&usg=__cvNuq68xsCNMiIMaehUqxMnmJXM=&h=273&w=370&sz=21&hl=en&start=72&zoom=1&tbnid=2PMCkG1T9txA7M:&tbnh=104&tbnw=161&ei=5l_dTfCOM4jKgQffhZUK&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dlady%2Bgaga%2Bsnl%2Bperformance%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D880%26bih%3D354%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=89&sqi=2&page=8&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:9,s:72&tx=77&ty=69"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">SNL</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> the night before.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Harry Lloyd's portrayal of Viserys took me a scene or two to get used to. The wonderful thing about his performance though was how he grew into and eventually surpassed the character that George created. I am still shocked to admit this some four<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>days after watching the scene, but I actually felt sick for Viserys when he visibly relaxes and states "That was all I wanted" knowing what was about to happen. Harry did a fantastic job!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Emilia was also splendid as a transformed Dany who knows that she is about to watch her brother die. Her last line was delivered perfectly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Well, that's all I have for this week. I'm going to take a short breather and try to get on to episode seven before my relatives begin to arrive. LHN OUT!</span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-29829305555314224792011-05-23T20:35:00.000-07:002011-05-23T20:35:06.185-07:00Programming NoteHey all! Just a quick note to explain how I plan to handle reviewing the last two episodes. I am working on the Ep 6 review as I type this. Hopefully it should be up by tomorrow night. I am going to wait until after Ep 7 airs on the regular HBO channel to give you my breakdown of that one.<br />
The bad news is that some of you will have seen the episode a week prior to my review, but the good news is that I will hopefully get to post an episode seven review immediately after it runs.<br />
I have both sides of my family coming in for the week starting this wedenesday so I won't make any promises other than I will do my best to be as timely as possible!Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-76401188182217959852011-05-20T20:41:00.000-07:002011-05-20T20:41:46.733-07:00Midterm MusingsI've just placed a new poll up in the margin. Now that we are half way through season one, I was curious as to what you all thought the best new original scene turned out to be. I've selected what I considered to be the finest examples from each episode and placed them up to vote on. If you have any other favorites,please post them below!Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-74610057120573217562011-05-19T14:37:00.001-07:002011-05-19T14:40:11.980-07:00Episode 105 Recap: Trading Blows<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There has been a little play-fighting, plenty of training, more than a few threats and even some minor skirmishes. This week, the steel comes out in earnest with "The Wolf and the Lion". We are treated to a dizzying display of lances, shields, battleaxes, tiny little daggers, great big two-handed swords, ugly bastard swords, long swords, spears, shaving razors, and even Theon's dirk (and no, that's not a typo)!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is also a lot of verbal dueling. Varys and Little Finger go a few rounds. Tyrion takes on the Tully sisters in a handicap match. Theon, Bran and even Maester Luwin go at it in a three-way slap fight! Theon comes back for round two as he and Ros give each other a few good jabs. Cersei and Robert square off in a slug-fest for the ages. Finally, it all ends up with a battle royal between Houses Stark and Lannister that starts with Eddard and Jaime trading barbs and quickly ends with them trading blows.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Arakhs and dire wolves are just about the only weapons you didn't see getting used this week. There is so much transpiring at the capital and in the Vale, that D&D wisely chose to forgo scenes in Castle Black and Vaes Dothrak to concentrate on the events in King's Landing. I'd like to say that I missed Dany and Jon, but this episode flew by so fast that I didn't have a spare moment to notice that they weren't being used until the end credits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Credits - For the first time in a few weeks there is a big shift in map locations in the title sequence. The Eyrie came up so quickly I almost missed it but it was great to see.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something I failed to notice before in the engraved metal rings around the sun/compass was the story it tells. I just saw the heraldry, but now I notice the history lesson. The Doom of ancient Valyria, Aegon's crossing of the Narrow Sea, Robert's Rebellion and installation as monarch are all included in the back story. I'm sure I'm late to the party in noticing this, but what a nice<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>touch!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tourney Grounds - The Red Keep looms in the background as Eddard makes his way to examine Ser Hugh's remains. Robert Stromberg's hand is readily apparent this episode more so than in any other since the pilot. I'm not certain where effects end and reality begins, but both merge into an absolutely gorgeous portrait of King's Landing's outlying grounds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As Ned approaches the lists, we see the medieval </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXqJ5jJlrgY&feature=related"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">grounds crew</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> getting ready for the day's events. Oddly I was reminded of my upcoming trip to Citizen's Bank Park this July. Of course, Philly's extracurricular field </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ6JoVp3ESs"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">entertainment</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> is decidedly more Westerosi in nature than Seattle's.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ned meets Ser Barristan inside a tent where the silent sisters are preparing Ser Hugh for the trip back to the Vale. Eddard asked Barristan who held the straws the knights pulled for their tourney order. A good question. Selmy only stares back at him and gives no answer. Would this likely have been a tourney duty for the queen? I'm speculating, but it seems plausible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The pair exit the tent and proceed to have a discussion about past battles that introduces Ser Barristan by name and reputation. We also get a little-known (in Martin's novel) fact from Selmy that Eddard is also reputedly very skilled with a blade. This nugget will come in handy later.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tourney Grounds, King's Tent - Upon hearing of Robert's intentions to joust (not enter the melee as he proposes in the book), Ned seeks him out. As Ned watches a distressed Lancel struggle to outfit His Overgrown Grace with equal parts pity and mirth, Robert relentlessly brow beats his squire with abject disgust. "Your mother was a dumb whore with a fat ass" slams into poor Lancel almost as powerfully as if Robert had hit him with his war hammer. I don't think I ever felt this bad for a Lannister on a read-through!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mark Addy continues to delight as Robert. Resembling a </span><a href="http://www.delawareonline.com/blogs/uploaded_images/drunksanta-743211.bmp"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">drunken Santa on a bender</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> he pontificates about his former prowess displaying both self-pity and self-deprecation while nearly leaving the tent half dressed. Great stuff!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tourney Grounds, Lists - Watching the Mountain gallop up to the podium, I am sadly reminded of the shows finite budget. Clegane looks appropriately foreboding in his Darth Gregor armor and Ser Loras' elaborate suit <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is the first full costume that comes close to matching Martin's fantastically descriptive plate (minus the cloak of flowers). I am well aware that financial considerations necessitated the exclusion and reduction of many elements at the Hand's celebration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just wish there were some way to have included more of the pageantry and heraldic imagery from George's written page. Excluding the viewer from the melee and archery contest is an obvious choice. The tourney itself <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just feels a bit too abrupt. It almost seems as though Hugh, Gregor and Loras were the only competitors. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Loras canters by and delivers his rose to the instantly enamored Sansa. The script writers have taken a subtle liberty here that while delicate and smart, would have played out so much better over the long run had they showed a little restraint with the Renly/Loras scene later on.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the novel, Sansa is besotted by Loras' attention. Knowing what we know of Loras' sexual preference, I've always assumed that the Knight of Flowers picked Sansa completely at random to deliver the red rose. He certainly doesn't seem to remember her when they meet again later in the story. The stroke of genius here is placing Renly directly behind Sansa in the stands. We never know why Loras gives Sansa the rose in the book, but on the screen we get a definite motive for his actions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The joust goes as it should. Loras tumbles Gregor from the saddle. Gregor goes </span><a href="http://www.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/godfather2.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Godfather</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> on his horse. The Hound saves Loras from his brother and wins the day. The choreography for the Clegane brother's swordfight was superb. The last move where Sandor kneels to Robert and avoids a head sweep in one motion was ultra-cool. As Gregor stalks off, we finally get a visual comparison of Conan Steven's size. It's harder to see when he's mounted and Rory is so big in his own right that Stevens just looks tall next to the Hound. But he makes the two Kingsguard he passes look like children.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eastern Road - Catelyn's party is making its way to the Eyrie with a captive Tyrion. The scene starts with some nice dialogue between Fairley and Dinklage. Catelyn reveals to the Imp that she purposely misrepresented which way they were heading at the Inn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tyrion for his part tricks Cat into revealing that the Vale is their true destination. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Out of nowhere the party is set upon by the mountain clansmen. While I was expecting the fight, the way it began with a sling shot to Marillion's harp was both funny and shockingly sudden. Bronn lets loose in a tornado of fury that cuts through his attackers with expert precision. Buster Reeves (the fight arranger) and Jerome Flynn (Bronn) combine to create a brutal dance that perfectly matches George's description of Bonn's fighting abilities. It reminds me of another actor with Flynn's </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UJ6g2Zhwgg&feature=related"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">surname</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. Jerome might not be as flashy, but he is easily more efficient! Never missing a thing, Tyrion slyly notes Bronn's abilities in the middle of the fight. You could almost see him file the information away for later use.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The attackers are fended off and Tyrion delivers his wonderfully dry "I'm willing if she is" line. Unfortunately, the scene is edited to the point that there are a few more great Tyrionisms that are missed. "Logs that Bleed", "Craven rhymes nicely with Raven" and "I never bet against my family" are all worthy examples. Another regrettable decision was the extracution of Lharys, Mohor and Kurlekut. I never truly expected them to make the cut, but they are missed nonetheless. A moment of silence please for </span><a href="http://www.artwallpapers.net/actors/three_stooges/03/three_stooges03.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">House Howard</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Yard - In the first of only two scenes at Winterfell this episode, we get another exposition through teaching dialogue. This time it’s a joint geography and genealogy lesson between Maester Luwin and Bran.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm not certain what metal is used in a Maester's link for geography, but perhaps Maester Luwin should brush up on his knowledge a bit before he is so quick to correct Bran. It’s a small thing, but the good Maester points to Lannisport as the seat of the Lannisters. Technically House Lannister uses Casterly Rock as its headquarters.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The lesson turns personal as Bran uses the words for House Tully to express his confusion and bitterness for his mother's decision to leave. I'm guessing that scratching the table with his mother's fish pin is symbolic of Bran's resentment for his mother's absence while at the same time trying to hold onto her in any way he can. Then again, he might just be bored.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Luwin is eventually able to appease Bran by suggesting that once he is back in the saddle he might be able to return to archery practice. The talk of riding, and also Theon's prowess with the bow he shoots throughout the scene will both be factors in following episodes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Theon's Room- No, this isn't the scene I was referring to in the last sentence. In what is becoming a Game of Thrones trademark, Theon and Ros disperse more back story while having sex. With the full frontal male and female nudity, this scene is probably the raciest of the series to date. Somehow though, I suspect that another less-graphic sex scene later in the show will be a much hotter topic around the Monday morning water cooler.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Through Ros' taunts, we get a glimpse of Theon's inner conflict for the first time. Caught between his duty to his family and his respect for the man that has taken him in, it looks as though Theon has buried his head in the sand to his true situation. He doesn't like being reminded that he is Ned's ward in name, but hostage in nature. I wonder how he'll react next season when he has his homecoming. Exploring Theon deeper is a smart choice by D&D. In GRRM's books Theon is largely out for only himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Giving him conflict between his family and his current home will make him seem more human and also make some if his later choices more believable.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tower of the Hand - As Arya chases cats outside, Varys and Eddard have a heart to heart. The Spider hints that something foul is afoot concerning Robert and that he believes Ned to be one of the few men in the capital that he can trust. After dropping several hints about Jon Arryn's death including the use of the tears of Lys, mentioning Ser Hugh's possible involvement and subtly leading Ned towards the Lannisters by mentioning that Ser Hugh's mysterious benefactor likely had money, the scene ends with Varys' line about Arryn being killed because he "started asking questions."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Lower Halls and Dungeons - Arya's cat chase leads her into the dungeons where she encounters three monsters. The first is what I assume to be Balerion's skull. This is an impressive prop but I fear it may not have been used to its fullest potential. In the gloom it's hard to make out what she is looking at if you don't already know the story. My wife wasn't certain what was going on here. Having a room full of skulls as opposed to just the one might have helped with recognition, but that would have probably been too robust a decision for the budget to handle.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I think it might have been easier to reconcile if one of the other two monsters (Varys and Illyrio) had made mention of it as they walked by. Hiding in Balerion's maw, Arya eavesdrops on their conversation inadvertently listening in on what amounts to the largest plot of the story. It’s the only time (in the novels) that we get a direct look at two of the masterminds of the Game directly pulling the strings. Yes, Little Finger is also a major player, but his schemes always seem to be used for personal advancement. Varys and Illyrio appear to have larger machinations in mind.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kings' Landing, Throne Room -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prophetic opening jib shot of Petyr intently staring at the Iron Throne. How much more can be said without words? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Varys enters the room and we are treated to an altogether different sort of joust than the one we enjoyed at the episode's opening. Varys leads out strongly with various snippets of rumors regarding the sexual improprieties going on in Petyr's establishment. The spy master reels off a litany of the secret sexual preferences of various nobles that patronize Little Finger's establishments <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for both his ability to accommodate and his discretion. It might not seem like much to a new viewer, but learning of Lord Redwyne's proclivity for young boys is a bombshell to more seasoned fans. Poor Horror and Slobber (his twin sons)! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The two trade punches back and forth for a while with an even flurry of threats. It looks like they may come to a draw until Little Finger visibly staggers Varys' when he reveals that he knows about the spy master's secret meeting with Illyrio. I was a bit shocked as well. From reading the books I've always placed Varys ahead of Petyr when it comes to information. Little Finger is possibly a better schemer, but I was surprised to see him come out on top of this verbal pugilism.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Renly interrupts the fun with news of Robert's imminent arrival and the scene ends with Varys landing a desperate parting shot about news from the East. Hopefully we'll get many more rounds between the two master schemers in episodes and seasons to come!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Outside the Walls - Arya finds her way outside of the dungeons via a secret tunnel that leads to the shore under the castle's cliffs. There's nothing really important here other than another great look at the Red Keep, but we're shown Arya's method of exiting the castle after events in later episodes ("The Pointy End").</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Gate - Finding her way back to the castle, Arya must convince the gold cloaks to let her back inside. They try to dismiss her, but with typical Arya fierceness, she stands her ground until they readmit her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have to raise a question with this scene. It isn't a criticism per se. It more of a genuine desire to understand the writing process of adapting a novel to the screen. There is a point in the conversation where a guard asks if he needs to give Arya a smack on her ear to help her with her hearing. Arya later throws it back in the guard's face when she asks him if he would like a similar smack the help him understand that she is the Hand's daughter. The lines are virtually identical to the book except that George uses the word clout instead of smack. I'm curious as to why the change was made. This isn't the first point where I have noticed tiny adjustments to the lines. Certainly some great lines will need to be cut altogether and some will need to be altered to better suit the differences occurring in the translation. Changing the word clout to smack though serves no apparent purpose. Is this an example of a screen writer adding his own voice to the material? Did someone think the word clout was harder to understand? Was it just a lazy translation? I know I am totally dissecting this point, but whatever the reason for the switch, I would love some input on the translation process that screenwriters go through.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tower of the Hand - Arya joins Eddard in his office. She blurts out everything she remembers from her trip to the dungeons. Eddard struggles to keep up with her. It is interesting to note that he seems less ready to dismiss her story than he does in the novel. There, he chalks it up to the overactive imagination of a young girl misinterpreting two mummers preparing a performance.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The discussion is interrupted as Jory leads a road-weary Yoren into the chamber. Yoren gives Ned the news of Tyrion's abduction while at the same time providing ASoIaF fan boys with a fresh sexual innuendo term when he tells the Hand that Catelyn has "Taken the Imp".</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eastern Road, Outside the Bloody Gate - Catelyn and party receive her sister's honor guard at the foot of the Eyrie. Ser Vardis looks the part of the Knight of the Gate in his detailed armor. Bronn fires off his "I'll impregnate the bitch" quip with a devilish smirk.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have a few problems with this scene. Unlike with a lot of Blackfish fans, the extracution of Ser Brynden Tully into Ser Vardis Egen isn't one of them. It's been speculated by some that the Blackfish will be cut from the series altogether. I'm confident that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he's too important to later events to be axed completely. By reading into GRRM's comments regarding the change, I'm pretty sure that he'll be showing up next season.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My largest issue is with the omission of Catelyn's night time mule ride up the slopes of the Giant's Lance to get to the Eyrie. I guess that filming this might have been considered too costly, but the exclusion of George's descriptive<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>narrative following Cat as she fearfully climbs higher and higher into the night sky is one of the biggest chunks of story that has been lost in translation so far. We also lose Mya Stone who could have been another opportunity to drive home the strength of Robert's seed.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Along with the failure to include Cat's climb, I have to take issue with the actual look of the Eyrie. I do like the extreme fantasy style they have decided to go with. With character development often (and rightly) taking precedence over magical gimmicks, It's important to find ways to remind viewers that we are in a different place.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But George's description of the seat of House Arryn is almost more fantastic than the matte we get. I would have loved to see the Giant's Lance and especially Alyssa's tears included with the Eyrie. With the attention to detail seen in similar shots of Winterfell and King's Landing, I feel like there was a deliberate choice to change the Eyrie's look and I really don't know if it was necessary.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Small Council Chamber - Robert is enraged at the news of Dany's pregnancy. He and the council try to convince Ned that assassinating the last Targaryens is their only option. Ned refuses to take part in the deed and resigns as Hand. He quickly exits the chamber assaulted by Robert's growling threats.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are two things I noticed while watching this scene that have been included in all the previous Small Council scenes but I haven't noticed before. The forts is the stained glass window. There is a similar one in the throne room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From what I can see, it is a blue winter rose (ice) surrounded by a seven pointed sun burst (fire). This is a wonderful nod to the title of the series.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The second thing I noticed was the absence of Ser Barristan to this and all of the other council meetings. As Lord Commander of the Kingsguard , Ser Barristan has a council chair in the book. I suppose D&D deemed it necessary to eliminate his presence to avoid too much clutter in scenes that already have so many players they can come across as a bit ungainly. Normally this would seem like a good choice, but Selmy could have been used here as the only other voice that agrees with Ned in the matter of the assassination.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tower of the Hand - Eddard makes plans to head back to Winterfell. He is interrupted by Little Finger who promises to show him the last person Jon Arryn spoke to before he fell ill. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Eyrie, High Hall - Catelyn and Tyrion are ushered into the Arryn's throne room for an audience with Lysa and Robin. Kate Dickie was an interesting choice for Lysa. In the books, she is described as a softer, rounder version of her sister. Here, she still very much resembles Michelle Fairley's Catelyn, but she is thinner and more brittle. Both Tully sisters had their lives chosen for them, but the one who accepted her position has grown healthy and strong while the one who rejects her lot in life has slowly begun to wither away. It’s a better contrast than the one that George presents. Lysa meets Catelyn's arrival with an air of fear and nervousness instead of the warmer greeting that Cat had expected. What's more, she's obviously panicked that Lady Stark has brought a Lannister to her doorstep.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If Lysa is paranoid, her son is an absolute loon! Lino Facioli's depiction of Sweetrobin adds a dimension of crazy to the young lord that I never picked up from the reading the story, but I must say that it's creepily pleasurable. I was amazed to see that they included the breast feeding in the scene. While I'm pretty certain they used a prosthetic boob, Robin's shifting demeanor while he takes turns suckling chuckling and raging at Tyrion all while sporting a milk moustache ala mommy was the most disturbing moment of the series so far.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The weirwood throne they are sitting on perfectly reflects the warped relationship between mother and son. There is no denying the throne's beauty, but its flowing, twisting shape more than suggests something unhinged about the pair sitting on it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Eyrie, Sky Cells - Tyrion is escorted to the famous Arryn "dungeons" by Mord the gaoler. Stromberg provides a great perspective of Tyrion's plight as the camera slowly zooms outward. Still, I would have loved to see the scene resolve to an even wider shot to give a better sense of scale.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Renly's Chambers - This scene is the low point of the episode for me. Yes, I knew Renly and Loras were lovers and no, I'm not bothered by it in the least. Exploring the Renly/Loras liaison more fully was actually something I was looking forward to seeing since the relationship is very off-screen in the novels.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'm disappointed for a couple of reasons. The first is the timing of this reveal. While I was hoping and expecting to get a closer look at the pair on television, I would have loved to see D&D drop a few more hints before letting us in on the secret. Little Finger's comment about them at the tournament was as subtle as a battleaxe. This is one relationship that new viewers should not have been able to piece together so easily. If Petyr's jape was an axe, then this scene was a projectile from a catapult!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I get that one of Throne's patented dialogue-driven sex scenes with a gay couple would only be fair considering all of the hetero action we have been given. Those scenes have all felt pretty natural and even germane to the story. Not only does this one scream of shock value, it is also absolutely too early in the story to show it. Develop the friendship for the viewer first. Let us see that they mean something to each other before you jump to the medieval manscaping session.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>D&D had an opportunity to slowly develop a mature relationship between two male characters in the unique environment of a epic fantasy setting and what they ended up giving us was an epic fail.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In addition to the timing, I'm not happy about the turn they have taken with Renly's character. I suppose that one could argue that he puts on a brave front in the book scenes and in truth he is a squeamish dandy incapable of living up to his brother's brand of machismo, but I much prefer Renly as the bawdy, braggadocios Baratheon brother who just happens to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>prefer lords to ladies. Renly's vanity will help carry him through some of the decisions he makes later on, but you would think that a fellow who attempts to pull off the power play he eventually goes for would have a little more backbone. Squirming at the sight of blood is something better left to Samwell Tarly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Robert's Chamber - We move from the episode's worst scene to what could be the finest scene of the series. Robert and Cersei begin a discussion about matters of state and finish with a soul-exposing confrontation about matters of the heart. Mark Addy and Lena Heady give Emmy-worthy performances here. In Cersei, I almost saw an older Sansa who's youthful, idealistic views of the world and her marriage have been splintered apart like broken dragonglass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You sense that at one point she loved Robert and believed that she would live happily-ever-after, but reality has beaten her dreams into ghosts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Speaking of ghosts, it's obvious that Robert has been living under the shade of one since before their wedding night. Isn't it interesting that the only time we ever see Robert<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>deign to practice the art of kinging is when it concerns the descendants of the man he believes took his love away. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For all of its masterful writing and amazing acting, it’s the way the king and queen approach each other that gives this scene its true brilliance. The discussion is handled almost as if they are two old enemies meeting out in no man's land during a truce. There is no love visible between the two whatsoever, but you do see a begrudging<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>respect as well as a deep familiarity between the two as they open themselves to the core. D&D have succeeded here in a way that George never has. Namely, they made me cry for a Lannister. I have always loathed the entire family (Tyrion excluded) and adding the Jaime and Cersei PoVs into the books might have shed more light on their motivations , but it has never brought me any sympathy towards them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I'm going to blame it on the wine I was drinking at the time, but tears were flowing down my cheeks as Cersei proclaimed "It doesn't make me feel anything" and walked off screen.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SPOILER ALERT!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I do feel the need to digress for just a moment. While I definitely felt for Cersei, I need to mention that I didn't fail to notice the subtle toast about seventeen years being a long time to keep the realm together. Could she be hinting at anything? Hmm? It was also apparent that she once again brought up the baby that she "lost". It looks as though D&D are going to exclude the fact that she actually killed the baby to make her character more sympathetic, but how crazy would it make her if in fact they kept that little surprise in the script for later?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">SPOILERS OFF!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Brothel - This scene serves two purposes. The first is that it shows us how busy Robert has been keeping the whorehouses of the realm in the black. Second, it sets up the episode's finale. I was delighted that Little Finger's comparison of prostitutes to naval vessels made it into the show. Jory staring at the girl was a funny addition and it also helps to present him in a more human and sympathetic light for what is about to come.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Outside the Brothel - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leaving the brothel, Ned and Jory are beset upon by Lannisters. Let me begin with the one negative. They've switched the fight from a rainy night to a bright clear sunny day. It might be more reflective of Jaime's character to show him attack in broad daylight, but I missed the melancholy image of Ned cradling Jory in the somber summer rains.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Other than that, the additional changes actually strengthened this scene from the one shown in the book. On the page, Jaime leaves his men to deal with Ned and his retainers. His men are slaughtered and Ned's leg is crushed by his horse. Jaime's character is much slimier in the book at this point, so having him exit and letting his men do the dirty work for him fits.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the adaptation D&D have been doing there best to show a few strands of honor in the Kingslayer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After the Lannister guards make quick work of Wyl and Hewett, and Jaime handles Jory in the blink, or stab, of an eye, we get a mano y mano confrontation between protagonist and antagonist that suits the changes to Lannister's character much better. Eddard too is changed for the positive. The book version portrays him as more of a general, a strategist if you will than a champion fighter. On television, it quickly becomes apparent that he is equally matched to Jaime and the Lion of Lannister is soon worrying that he may have bitten off more than he can chew selecting Ned Stark for an opponent. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Combatants and viewers alike are robbed of the outcome as an overzealous Lannister guard stabs Ned through the leg with a spear. Jaime is furious with his man for intervening. This shows us that he has his own sort of morals and isn't<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the black hearted villain he is accused of being by some. The episode concludes with a wounded Ned collapsing to the ground and the Lannisters making a hasty retreat to what we assume will be Casterly Rock and eventually the Whispering Woods!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Things have really begun to heat up. If the show follows the course of events in the books then we have much more to look forward to in the weeks to come!</span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-52720551784265578572011-05-10T21:03:00.001-07:002011-05-10T21:07:51.278-07:00Episode 104 Recap - Grim Grinning Ghost!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another week, another strong episode with "Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things". There weren't any Emmy-worthy stand-out scenes like last week and the ending didn't have the same impact of previous weeks. What the episode did have though, was consistency. Consistency and Ghost! The writing was much more consistent throughout. Pacing was just about perfect. Dialogue was dependably strong from start to finish. Even the one of the shows shortcomings, the dreaded exposition, was handled more cleverly <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another much more consistent factor, was the DWPE (dire wolf-per-episode) ratio! The lack of wolves in the Stark/Snow scenes has been a big flaw with the show to this point. I'm very happy to see Summer, Greywind and even Ghost make appearances!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The plot this episode begins to show Eddard mucking around King's Landing, inquiring about Jon Arryn's death. When the book reaches this point and begins to shift into a </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/scooby-dum-the-very-best/1b4831d2f4a856f22ffb1b4831d2f4a856f22ffb-635681767797?q=scooby+dumb&FROM=LKVR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">mystery</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, we get a glimpse of George's ability to writing genres within genres. My thanks to the blended Bayonne bookracks he brooded over as a babe! There is plenty of brotherly bonding at the Wall, and fantastical landscapes and lifestyles in Vaes Dothrak, but Eddard's plot arc gives A Game of Thrones a nifty little who-dun-it that grabs the reader in a way the rest of the books can't recapture as the tale grows in its epic grandeur.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Credits - Please tell me if you noticed anything different, but to my eye, they repeat from last week.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell…or is it? - We see Bran healthy and hale shooting arrows in the Winterfell yard. I caught on to what was happening pretty fast, but my wife fell for the trick and remarked with surprise that he was ok. My pondering about the three-eyed crow (and how it would be used) from last episode's post was answered. The crow dream<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>wasn't cut at all, just reworked to fit within the budget. While I obviously would have loved to see Bran's entire dream, I am very happy to see the crow was included in some way. Having the crow alight onto the stone wolf leading into the crypts was some nice foreshadowing! The initial pan into the courtyard was also well done. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Bran's Room - Bran wakes up revealing to the unsuspecting that it was all a dream. Theon walks in to help Bran attend Robb in the great hall. Wonderful touch having Summer growl as Theon enters. In the novel, Robb remarks that he thinks the wolves sometimes know things. Summer certainly seems to as he stares Theon down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We get the first true look at Theon's character here. His back story is delved into a little later, but for now, we get an indication that he's a bit pompous and unsympathetic.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The star of the scene though is Hodor! We saw him at the arrival of the king back in episode one, but he gets his first (and only) line in this episode. Kristian Nairn looks older than the Hodor I envision while reading, but he definitely has the Hodorisms down!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Great Hall - Tyrion an Yoren visit on their way back down from the Wall. While we don't get the chilling appearance of all three dire wolves surrounding and threatening Tyrion, at least we get to see Greywind for the first time since Robb took him from the wilds. This is the kind of placement that I've been hoping for. I know that having the wolves attack Tyrion would be very complicated. Its enough to just see Greywind chilling out at Robb's feet.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Yard - Tyrion prepares to leave Winterfell under the watchful eyes of Theon and the Stark guards. At first, I thought the Stark guards were scowling at the Lannisters to show that they weren't afraid of them, but then I realized that they were jealous of the Lannister's flip-up </span><a href="http://hamptons.guestofaguest.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/hamptonskadeem-hardison-as-dwayne-wayne-247x300.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dwane Wayne</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> visors!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There is a bit of exposition in this scene, but its well executed and needed to fill in Theon's back story a bit. Who he is and why he is at Winterfell has been very vague to this point. I can easily see how a new viewer would just assume he was a household guard, if not a family member. It might still not be readily apparent who the Greyjoys are, but at least Theon's position as ward and hostage is made clear here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This scene also starts a weird little theme that runs throughout this episode. There seems to be an overabundance of talk about whores, especially Ros. She certainly seems to be popular with the main characters!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Yard - The start of this scene is the first time I have had any trouble at all following the location switches. The way that it was edited made it look as though Tyrion's party rode out of Winterfell straight into Castle Black. I knew what I was watching, but I wonder if it confused new watchers. It’s a pretty jib shot as the camera moves up past the gate to expose the yard beyond though.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jon and the boys are practicing their swordsmanship in the yard. We can assume that some time has passed since Grenn and Pyp threatened to kill Jon last episode, but the casual, playful manner in which the boys respond to one another might be a little abrupt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In walks John Bradley-West as Samwell Tarly, another superb piece of casting. I got nervous as Sam squared off against Rast. The miserable look he gives Rast right before they begin, had me wondering if they might have given him a bit of an edge. All was reconciled a heartbeat later though as Ser Piggy falls to the floor in a pathetic display of trademark Samwell cowardice. Kit does another great job of emitting the proper emotions for Jon, struggling Ser Alliser's order but ultimately stopping the farce of a fight.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It seems like D&D are trying to bring a bit of GRRM's characters to Grenn and Pyp in this scene. Grenn is plodding and Pyp seems to be more cutting, but I still want to see some of the one-sided chats where Pyp always ends up getting the upper hand on his slow-thinking buddy.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak, Horse Gate - It took me a second to gather where we were as the long shot of the mountain came up on the screen. I pictured the Mother as both larger and not as lush. Still, it turns out that they picked another beautiful locale to stand in as the city of the Dothraki.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lloyd and Clarke do a great job of snipping back and forth as they ride under the Horse Gate. Viserys is still the self-important prick and Dany is still tolerating him to a degree, but his anger is restrained, and her patience is beginning to fray.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We see a more repentant Jorah than the book exhibits. George's Jorah blames Eddard Stark for his down turn in prosperity. D&D show a Jorah who seems to be regretful about selling slaves. We also learn of his ex-wife much earlier than we do in the novels.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak, Viserys' Tent - In a scene I like to call "exposition while exfoliating", we get a history lesson of the Targaryens and their dragons in the unlikely setting of a bathtub! You have to go back to 1945's Disney short </span><a href="http://imageshack.us/f/204/coldbloodedpenguin5.jpg/"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pablo the Cold Blooded Penguin</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> to find a more creative use for a tub. This is an exposition-laden scene that comes in at just under five minutes long and has every expectation of being a monstrosity. Yet somehow Harry Lloyd and Roxanne McKee present it in a sexy, funny package that manages to keep the attention from wandering. Their looks certainly don't hurt, but the chemistry they craft together is the biggest contributor to the scene's success. The sexual tension builds to an apex only to have Viserys completely pull the rug out from under us with "What did I buy you for? To make me sad?" <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and "You pretty little idiot". Its remarkable that the two young actors can deliver a scene that should be long and clunky in such a streamlined and polished manner. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Throne Room - More Targaryen history is discussed between Sansa and Septa Mordane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This scene works well for a few reasons. First, the history lesson we get as viewers feels natural because Sansa is in fact getting a history lesson from her teacher. Even though the writers have succeeded at disseminating the back story more creatively than in past episodes, I will concede that we are certainly getting a king's portion of it. But the exposition is handled most expertly here in particular, because the Westerosi history lesson suddenly turns into an all too personal discussion about the deaths of Sansa's uncle and grandfather. We don't get to see this side of Sansa in the book and I love the added dimension if gives her.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Spoilers in the following paragraph.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The other incredibly thoughtful nuance to this scene was the inclusion of Sansa's anger at Eddard for killing Lady. It might be implied in the book, but I never really connected Lady's death with some of the actions Sansa takes later in the story. This scene both sets up and sheds light on the motivation for her actions when things begin to heat up later in the tale. I don't think she goes to the Queen out of spite, but her decision to do so seems a little more believable knowing that she feels like she can't trust her father completely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Telling Septa Mordane to "Shut up" is the only poor line in an otherwise well-crafted scene. I can't see our young queen-to-be using language like this to her septa. Nor can I see Septa Mordane letting it go without comment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Small Council Chamber - Its business as usual in the small council room as Janos Slynt pleads his case for more help protecting the city while the tourney crowds are present. The various actors playing the council members seem to be falling into their roles and reacting to one another better than they did last episode.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dominic Carter as Slynt may be a rare miscast for the show. We aren't really focused on his character in this scene, but I don't sense any of the pompous traits he exudes in the novel. It's not very relevant yet, but it does become a little more important later in the series.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After the session breaks up, Ned begs a word with Pycelle and the mystery is afoot!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Pycelle's Chamber - Just a guess, but by the looks of it perhaps it was George who wrote that ginormous tomb of Lineages and History of the Great Houses of the Seven Kingdoms book. Ned throws out the question about poison being a woman's weapon. His implications towards Cersei are pretty clear. But ever the queen's creature, Pycelle effortlessly deflects suspicion in Varys' direction. There was so much smoke and paraphernalia cluttered amidst Pycelle's room that I almost mistook his meaning when he said, </span><a href="http://www.ak47seeds.com/images/ak47-3.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"The seed is strong"</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Red Keep Corridor - More Arya/Ned greatness from Williams and Bean in this very verbatim translation. One small omission what when Arya says, "No. That's not me." she leaves out the part where she says that Eddard is talking about Sansa. It’s a subtle but significant change giving Arya an air of self-confidence rather than one of juvenile frustration.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Atop the Wall - As Jon stares out into the Haunted Forest you can see him attempting to will Benjen out of the trees on his way back to Castle Black. Sam tells his story and Jon seems to decide right there that he will do what he can to help Sam survive at the Wall.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Courtyard - Gillen shifts fully into Petyr for the first time. As Little Finger and Ned walk around the garden, he uses both inflection and mannerisms to conjure up Petyr's smug, smarmy confidence. He smirks when Ned asks why Ser Hugh was knighted, smiles when openly admitting that the bookish septa is his informant and his eyes twinkle mischievously as he delivers the classic line, "Mistrusting me was the wisest thing you've done since you climbed off your horse."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tourney Grounds -<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The set in context of the show looks much grander than it did in the "making of" exposés we were treated to before the premier. The antlered stags on the king's podium look much more impressive than they appeared in earlier shots. Jory is ironically skewered by the up-jumped Ser Hugh when he requests a few moments with him.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Street of Steel - Eddard and Jory make their way to Tobho Mott's shop. We can divine from the conversation that pageantry isn't appreciated in the North. It's nice to see some more color coming into the background heraldry, but the two knights rode past too quickly to tell which house the belonged to.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing Tobho Mott's Shop - Eddard speaks to Mott and is introduced to Gendry. At first, Joseph Dempsie doesn't seem to resemble Robert all that well, but there is something in the area around his eyes that is oddly similar to Mark Addy. I must have felt a lot like Eddard did trying to see the similarity, but I did see it and the more I focused on that area the more striking it was. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another physical feature that I seemed to notice was that Gendry's hammer arm looked bigger than the other one. If it isn't my imagination taking over, it was a nice touch, but Dempsie should take care or he may end up looking like </span><a href="http://studyprof.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/big-arm-from-lady-in-the-water.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">this guy</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. Gendry's description of his mother and her yellow hair was probably subtle enough to a new viewer, but it stuck out like a sore thumb to me. It was hard to see the bull helmet but there is a great 3D image of it if you run the episode with special features turned on at </span><a href="http://www.hbogo.com/?camp=GoG7&tracking_ID=13834&K_CLICKID=1d4ce99b-332a-1e29-a363-0000467174bc#home/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">HBOGO</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. The plot thickens as Ned heads outside and tells Jory that he has found King Robert's bastard son.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Outside of Roberts Bedchamber - Its Jaime(Sives) vs. Jaime here as Jory and the Kingslayer reminisce about the Battle of Pyke. Jory seems slightly perturbed that Jaime doesn't recognize him. Lannister is typically nonchalant, treating the northern as almost a fanboy. There are some good lines between the two. Jaime mentioning how the Greyjoys stopped liking bloodshed so much near the end of the rebellion. Jory calling Theon a good Lad to which Jaime replies "I doubt it". Jory's unintended foreshadowing about remembering Thoros of Myr and his burning sword until the day that he dies. Then the door opens, whores cascade out and Robert, offstage utters the line of the episode. I had to rewind a few times before I heard it, but "I'll bet you smell like blackberry jam!" is an instant classic!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When Jory attempts to leave Ned's message, Jaime's amicability has reached it limits and he sends a snubbed <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jory on his way. Jory is cool and all, but the Hand's captain of the guard really need to grow a pair!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Dining Room - Jon further establishes his roots as a leader among the Brothers when he tells them all how it's going to be with Sam. Grenn and Pyp seem to capitulate easy enough, but Rast isn't ready to follow Jon's orders just yet. Looks like he might need some convincing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Barracks - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With Ghost's whereabouts in question, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was almost expecting a reenactment of </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCNqKrX1sx8"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">the Full Metal Jacket soap scene</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. The scene actually starts out almost identically. Even the music is similar.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Luckily it appears that Ghost is finally ready for his close up! What a scary-ass shot! I knew what was coming and loved every minute of it. I am curious to see whether new viewers understood where he came from though.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Practice Yard - Jon stages his coup and Ser Alliser is non-the-happier for it. Why he was so upset is anyone's guess though. The other boys look like they are going easy on Sam but if you check out all the guys sparring in the background you see that the entire Night's Watch spars like Tiger Woods on an Ambien-induced sex romp. A little effort please fellas!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak, Dany's Tent - This powerful scene between Lloyd and Clarke is one of the episode's best! Viserys is in full </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbFSYtv-i3c"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">looney</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> mode. Dany tries calming him to no avail. As he's about to hit her, she hulks out and slashes him with the copper belt. The look that Viserys gives her is phenomenal. He has just lost power over the only thing that he ever truly lorded over and he is finally exposed as the wretched incompetent he truly is. By the way, Viserys should stay the hell away from metal belts!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wonder how all of the people who disliked it last episode when Rakharo, not Dany made Viserys walk back to the Khalasar feel now? I rather enjoyed this alteration in Dany's development. Last episdoe Dany was growing, but now you see her fully coming into her own as a khaleesi and more than that, her own woman.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Dining Hall - Ros's fame again precedes her. It appears that Jon came close to losing his virginity to her. The playful banter about girls between Jon and Sam takes a step toward the serious side as Jon reveals his motivation for restraining himself. His efforts not to bring another bastard into the world shows him in a very noble light. We also can extrapolate through his story that he has a thing for red heads.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sam kills the tension for a heartbeat with "So you didn't know where to put it" right before an irritated Ser Alliser interrupts them and all levity jolts to a halt. Owen Teale gives a chilling speech about..well about the chilly cold out beyond the Wall. I don't want to say it's his version of tough love because he is far too demeaning and spiteful the way he warns the boys that they are so much fodder for the wildlings and the cold. He does bid the boys to take heed though and in some weird way it almost seems like he cares. It's probably more about his preservation and that of the Night's Watch than any compassion for his young charges, but the speech is an eye opener for Jon and especially Sam.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Vaes Dothrak, Dany's Tent - Dany is regretting striking Viserys. After so many years of his abuse it is easy to understand her trepidation. Jorah reassures her and helps her to realize what she has silently expected for some time. Her brother will never be the dragon. If she is going to get home it won't be Viserys who leads her there. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Tourney Grounds - This is a scene that may live in infamy for many fans of the books. It starts in the stands of the tournament with Sansa receiving a scowl from Joff. I think this was a missed opportunity. In the last episode Cersei bids Joff to be nice to Sansa. In the book he is actually pretty cordial to her, though he ends up ordering the Hound to escort her home. It might have shown some insight into Joff here if he would have at least appeared to warm back up to Sansa. If Sansa believes she is reconciled with her prince, it could be easier to forgive her for what she does that ultimately comes back to bite her and the rest of the Starks.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Little Finger makes his introductions. I missed Petyr's creepy opener about how Sansa looks just like Cat. I wonder if they are making a conscious decision to tune down the Petyr's improper feelings towards Cat's daughter. Arya then asks him with blunt humor why people call him Little Finger with precious delivery that recalls "Where's the Imp?" from episode one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Robert and Cersei evoke a sort of medieval Ralph and Alice Cramden on the podium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Boorish Roberts is deliciously crude much to Cersei's chagrin. The look of mortification on her face as she gets up and leaves without so much as a word is brilliant!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">After Robert's decidedly unroyal decree, the combatants enter the field the Mountain is introduced. Ser Gregor's armor looks the part, but I didn't think he hulked over Ser Hugh quite as much as he should have. Maybe next episode will do a more credible job of portraying his size.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ser Hugh's football helmet is ridiculously inappropriate for a joust. I have a hard time believing that any knight, newly anointed or not, would enter the lists with such an inadequate helm. Gregor, true to form notes the weakness and takes full advantage of it making Ser Hugh the </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdfD8TaFvnc"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Glass Joe</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> of the Westeros Jousting Circuit.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The scene runs pretty true to the book until this point. Then for some inexplicable reason D&D decide to give Little Finger the honor of telling Sansa of the Hound's origin. I can only guess that there wasn't enough time to include the scene between San/San in the script. It's either that, or they didn't feel right adding the San/San "relationship" to the adaptation due to the differences in age between the two. If they do cut out the tension between them it is probably the biggest change or omission we have seen so far.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Hand's Room - Switch to Ned's room where Cersei enters while Ned is pondering his evidence against her. Cersei is fishing for information here as she disingenuously attempts to bury the hatchet with the Hand. If Ned were a bit more politically savvy, he may have tried to give the appearance of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>letting bygones be bygones. In typical Stark bluntness he completely ignores the queen's niceties and gets to the point asking why she is there. Cersei's true colors come out as veiled threats are leveled on both sides.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inn at the Crossroads - The episode ends with the fateful meeting of Catelyn and Tyrion at Inn at the Crossroads. Marillion attempts to sell Catelyn a song at the prepare to dine. From his appearance and the way he held his harp sideways like a tray, I mistook Emun Elliot for a server at first. It was hard to match him to the Marillion from the book.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tyrion enters the Inn and the confrontation begins. The scene plays nicely, but it does illustrate another of my minor complaints with the series. The costume design as a whole is amazing. It is easy to see the differences in dress from the various regions throughout George's world. I am a bit disappointed though in the lack of heraldry within the clothing of the characters. High born members of the various houses oftentimes wear the sigil of their house in their every day dress in George's novels. I've missed it at several points throughout the series so far, but none more than here. Cat speaks of the black bat of the Harrenhal on the coat of Whent family member, but try as I might I can't find it except on his shield. This admittedly is a very minor point, but GRRM's imagery is such a huge part of bringing the story to life that I would hope we get family sigils integrated into the clothing more as the series develops.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I was surprised the episode ended with Tyrion surrounded. It was a strong enough ending, I certainly was left wanting to see what happens next. It just didn't feel like fifty-five minutes had passed when we reached the Inn. I see that as a good sign. Episode three, for as good as parts of it were, felt about right time-wise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was definitely expecting to see more at the end of four. The pacing this week was dynamic and sleek. Hopefully this trend continues!</span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-22710077614456157562011-05-08T16:15:00.000-07:002011-05-08T16:15:57.433-07:00Reread BluesSort of spoilers below so beware.<br />
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Rereading GoT for probably the seventh time. I just got to the part where in my opinion, everything starts to accelerate downwards. I'm talking of Eddard and Jaime's confrontation on the rainy night time streets of King's Landing.<br />
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I was enjoying my reread to this point. When I turned the page and saw what chapter was coming up, I had to put the book down for a while before I was able to cointinue.<br />
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Its a testament the series and GRRM's amazing writing that after reading the book so many times I can still feel my gut turning at what I know is coming up.Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-57123549913938717712011-05-06T16:40:00.001-07:002011-05-06T16:40:41.744-07:00Episode 3 Recap : Training Day<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If episode two was about journeys, then episode three is about the various characters settling in to their new lives. Jon starts training to become a member of the Night's Watch. Dany (who is still technically on a journey) is testing herself as a fledgling khaleesi. Ned starts learning to deal with the pressures of managing the capital, the various personalities of the Small Council and his personal relationship with his daughters<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as they arrive to court. Arya starts dancing. Even poor Bran is forced to deal with his new situation whether he wishes to or not.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Credits - Not much new this week, although I did notice that they reworked some of the sigil icons to match the actors with their character's houses. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, at the very end of the sequence I noticed the boar in with the other animals on the etched metal ring. Crakehall love? Interesting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Gate - It seems as though they've done away with the location captions that they used in earlier episodes. This was just fine with me considering how strikingly different the locations are. When a new scene begins, you can immediately tell you have changed locales. I suppose a new viewer might not know where they are exactly, but it's pretty obvious you've switched areas. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Winterfell party finally arrives at the </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/new-dallas-cowboys-stadium/75b091de8e537edb8ad975b091de8e537edb8ad9-767544722251?q=dallas+cowboy+stadium&FROM=LKVR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR34"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">wretched hive of scum and villainy</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> known as King's Landing. Can anyone tell me if the fellow that receives Ned is a named role? I was thinking Janos Slynt at first, or possibly Maester Colemon, but he seems too polite for Slynt and wasn't wearing Maester chains or clothes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Throne Room - Oh how I wish there was a way to listen in to the thoughts running around in Ned's head as he enters the throne room to see Jaime sitting on the steps under the throne! As it is, the initial set up of this scene is a great homage to the book where Ned vividly recalls riding into the same room with Jaime seated on the throne over the Mad King's bloody corpse. The scene turns into a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>battle of barbs between the two leads that gives us some insight into Jaime's character that we don't learn until A Storm of Swords.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I find this a very smart move by D&D. The way that George attempts turn Jaime into a sort of anti-hero in the books is one of the decisions that I have always had a tough time warming up to. I just haven't been able to make myself empathize with the Kingslayer after hating him so much in the earlier parts of the story. Showing that our Lion of Lannister has more facets to him early on, might give people more time to grow in their opinions of him after some of the despicable things he does in the beginning of the series.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Small Council Chamber - This is a good introduction scene for Varys, Renly, Little Finger and Pycelle. Going back to episode 2, I still wish they would have introduced Renly then. It's quite a lot to take in four new characters in one scene. Sean Bean is very strong here as the road-weary Ned who doesn't seem quite prepared to be thrust into the inner workings of the Small Council so quickly. I may be reading into the scene too much, but when Ned has his outburst, you can see the council members all tense up uncomfortably. Then upon his apology, Little Finger gets this subtle look of relief on his face. When Ned backs down, Petyr almost seems to relax, knowing that Stark's chivalry and sense of fairness will make him easy to manipulate. It is also noteworthy that Varys reminds him that the rest of the Small Council serves at the Hand's please. Could this be a subtle reminder to Ned to be more decisive?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Conleth Hill is fantastic as Varys, but a little part of me was hoping he would break out into </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuTzsi6WT6Q&feature=related"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">the Curly Shuffle</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Queen's Quarters - Lannister revisionist history? In yet another intriguing new scene, we get a glimpse of Cersei's hold on Joffery. While her line about painted whores was pretty flat, Lena does a good job summoning up the queen's paranoia here, thought the painted whore line comes off very flat. Jack Gleeson is the consummate budding tyrant, especially the "I'm not asking" line. What a dysfunctional love the two have for each other!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Hand's Tower - This scene is a secret look into the new lives of the Starks at the capital. We see the difficulties they are all having adjusting to their new home. Arya is obviously still tortured over Mycah's death. I really like the way they are developing the need she feels for vengeance. It's still manifesting as relatively normal tween behavior, but you can definitely see the seeds for what she will become germinating even now. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sansa seems typically concerned with herself and her image as a young lady betrothed to a prince. Does anyone else think that doll looks like Varys?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Poor Ned is completely lost in this scene. He's trying to bring everyone together, but he's failing miserably. "War was easier than daughters" is the line of the series so far!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Arya's Room - <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Beautiful scene between father and daughter. Sean is at his best here. Stern, yet loving. Cautious yet firm. He plays a very believable father. Maisie for her part, effortlessly holds her own. It was obvious from her </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=maisie+williams&view=detail&id=F51A4B4C28FEE838D8DFDDEC5D126BAD7A3F4ADF&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">early pictures</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> that she looked the part. Now though, we begin to see her truly become Arya. She is amazing!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">For as great as the acting between the two was,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was sorry to note that a few memorable lines from the novel were cut. Ned's<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>imagery about the lone wolf dying, but the pack surviving was especially missed. Looking at the line in context from the book, it seems like D&D may have felt it too similar to lines from<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Old Nan's tale a little later in the episode. The second line I missed was "For True". I know, I know. It’s a very minor thing. That line has just always seemed so incredibly Arya to me, I was disappointed to see that it got cut.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Bran's Room - Early contender for best scene of the episode! The scene starts with a raven flying onto Bran's window. I take this as another great homage to the books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No, we haven't seen the three-eyed crow dream (most likely due to budget issues), but the raven is definitely a nod to it. Speaking of the three-eyed crow, I remember an article about it in </span><a href="http://winter-is-coming.net/page/2/?s=effects"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Winter is Coming</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. I wonder where we will see it if they didn't want to use it while Bran was in his coma. Will see it at all? Maybe the dream sequence got too expensive and was just cut? I'd love to hear from someone if they have any more information on this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's a pity for the show that Margret John is no longer with us to reprise her excellent portrayal of Old Nan in later seasons. By, the way, if you watch the credits at the end of this episode, you will see that it was dedicated to her. Classy touch HBO!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">John's performance as Old Nan in this scene was magical. It starts out with her quip about knowing a story of a boy who hated stories. She then begins to weave her tale about white walkers even as she weaves the thread around her knitting needles. The story and the score build slowly as the camera gradually closes in on John's face. The scene is edited remarkably well. Even though I knew what was coming, I still jumped when Robb opened the door! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Isaac and Richard finish the scene off nicely. Richard portrays Robb as the caring big brother while Isaac is still obviously wallowing in grief for his loss. There was a little bit of everything here. Even a deft reference to the Hedge Knight and Ser Duncan the Tall!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Gate - Enter Cat and Ser Rodrick. Nothing significant in this scene except for the method of arrival differing from how they arrive in the novel. Obviously, creating a set for the docks at this point would be way too expensive. Still, they will probably need them next season for the Clash. It's easily forgivable, but I would have loved to see the area.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Brothel - I found this scene pretty weak. The actors did a nice job of it and watching Cat and Little Finger's reaccuaintance in a room full of whores was amusing, but the dialogue for most of the scene was cheesy. I know that Varys has his little birds, but it’s a stretch even for him to know that Cat was coming and an even bigger one that he knew about the dagger. In the book it's pretty easy to backtrack and piece together how he got his information. Here though, short of a little bird hiding out in the Winterfell godswood, I can't imagine how he would know about it. I guess it can be overlooked. I mean it is Varys, the most inexplicable figure in the seven kingdoms that we are talking about. On the surface it's easy to waive it away, but it adds to the sometimes puzzling unexplained plot maneuvers that have peppered the series at various points. How did Will get over the Wall? Who is raising those dire wolves?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It's nothing to ruin the series, but a few more thoughtful lines of dialogue here and there would help to strengthen it. The scene does end well though with a good segue from Little Finger naming the Imp to a shot of Tyrion braving the cold at Castle Black.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Yard - The fight scene feels just a little bit choreographed, but<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Owen Teal is appropriately biting as Ser Alliser throughout. Kit hits all of Jon's notes right on the head here too. His feelings of loathing for his new home and betrayal by those who cared for him are plastered all over his face in both this scene and his next one in the armory. James Cosmo radiates Mormont as he watches the sparring from the steps. It’s a minor point, but I feel the same sense of easiness between Mormont and Tyrion here than I did in the book.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Throne Room - Julian Glover huffs and puffs his way across the throne room to deliver news of Bran to Ned. Little Finger arrives and deviously hints that he may have news of Cat. Gillen becomes Petyr here more than anywhere else in the episode. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Streets Outside the Brothel - Sean Bean is a lucky dude! I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to throttle Petyr while reading the books. I was rooting for him to finish the job! Aiden delivers the "Quick tempers. Slow minds" line with a cool strength that hints at his true character for the first time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Armory - First off, this set is a wonderful example of the efforts the design crew undertook to make each area feel real. Equipment is thrown all over the place in this chilly, dirty hovel of an armory. King's Landing and Winterfell both look magnificent, but the attention to detail on less important sets like this one really makes you feel like you are living every scene.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The scene itself is a good one. Tyrion's "Interesting face" line is both funny and threatening in a way that only the Imp can deliver. Dinklage and Harrington parallel the chemistry between Tyrion and Jon quite well.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I do have a concern with the scene and surprisingly it's not the choice to extracute<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Donel<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Noye into Tyrion. I hope we get to see him in future seasons, but for now it's acceptable to lose him. My concern is in the way that they are using Jon's brothers, especially Pyp and Grenn. I understand that Jon hasn't established any ties to them yet. In fact, he pretty much loathes them. I also get that he has just embarrassed them while injuring both pride and person. My problems comes in that I don't see a hint of George's characters in them yet. Grenn and Pyp are both coming off as clones to Rast. Grenn should be played as an angry oaf here and Pyp deserves to be pissed at Jon, but his lines are much more thuggish than clever. It's only a glimpse of what we'll be seeing from them, but I hope they try to build on their characters later.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Brothel - Meanwhile, back in the brothel, Little Finger agrees to help the Starks. Ned is at a loss to do anything but accept.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Queen's Quarters - Cersei, learning of Bran's awakening, is in full paranoia mode. Jaime is in confident denial. Its creepy, but the scene gives us a good sense of how inseparable the pair is.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Gate - What a tender goodbye between Ned and Cat. The chemistry between Bean and Fairly is so strong that it reeks! Once again I am reminded of how smart D&D were to recast this role. The bit where Ned says that Little Finger still loves Cat and she replies "Does he?" was sweet. The final look they give each other says more than the rest of the conversation combined.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, King's Quarters - Another strong contender for scene of the episode. This scene is every bit as macho as the last one was tender. It opens making you believe that Robert and Ser Barristan are speaking about wenching. Even the line about "A spear to the heart" could fit this premise. But when Ned mentions that his first time was a Tarly boy at the battle of Summerhall, either he's getting himself confused with Renly or he's not talking about getting it on like Donkey Kong. The scene quickly goes from implied bawdiness to acute masculine self-aggrandizement. In a written masterpiece that conjures up images of my favorite monologue scene </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/a-scene-from-jaws/eec7875ff62c79a0bc0beec7875ff62c79a0bc0b-676615291541?q=jaws+uss+indianapolis+scene&FROM=LKVR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">ever</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, a drunken Robert bounds around in a soliloquy involving grisly battlefield conquests, self-pity, the humiliating debasement of his squire, and the venomous<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>dressing down of the Kingslayer. Mark Addy gives nothing less than the performance of the series so far in this scene. His "Lancel Lannister. What a St00pid name!" delivery made me laugh so hard that I had to pause the show for a minute for fear I would miss part of this wonderful display of acting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dothraki Sea - It looks as though the khalasar has finally made it into the Dothraki Sea. Dany is flexing her muscles as the budding khaleesi, an exercise that Viserys doesn't appreciate in the least. Harry Lloyd finally wins me over in this scene. Here is the delusional Viserys I wanted to see in Pentos. It's odd but not too distracting that Rakharo is the one to make the beggar king walk instead of Dany. I'm speculating that D&D want her to go through a more gradual change.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black - You can almost hear the design team boasting as Jon traverses the perimeter of Castle Black on his way up to the Wall. For all of its bleakness, there is beauty in this scene. They take a lot of time getting Jon up the Wall but I think in doing so, we get a close-up look at just how immense the thing truly is. My first thought upon finding Benjen waiting for Jon up top was sympathy for the guy at the bottom running the winch!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When Benjen rejects Jon, the point is driven home that prior status is forgotten in the Night's Watch and a man gets what he earns. Benjen's speech whether here or in the book has always made me wonder something. If what he says is true, then why in the seven hells was Waymar Royce placed in charge of the ill-fated group in the prologue? He is obviously less experienced than both Gared and Will. This is more of a GRRM question than a D&D question, but it is something I've pondered before. The best thing I can come up with is that Benjen, wanting his nephew to act in accord with Night's Watch principles is speaking idealistically to Jon while Waymar may have been the recipient of some favoritism as a respect to his family. That last overhead shot off of the Wall was gorgeous!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Dining Hall - Who would have thought that Yoren had such a sense of humor? In the novels, he is presented as much more grim. Indeed, I actually pictured him looking very much like </span><a href="http://img03.blogcu.com/images/c/i/z/cizgiromankulubu/6769e1bd53c28c0b3ec0f24cc52c3d0f_1301580223.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hogun the Grim</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> of the Warrior's Three fame (he's the one on the right). I never would have had him pegged as capable of comic relief.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fortunately, his banter with Tyrion in this scene make an adroit counter to Benjen's typical Stark sternness. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all unfolds as another of the episode's strongest scenes. I missed the crab-eating scene where Tyrion so completely skewers Ser Alliser, but I'll call this new scene an even trade. Peter looks even more comfortable in Tyrion's shoes now. "Do you think I'm plump?" was delivered perfectly.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Underlying the playfulness of this scene is one of the reasons this series is so successful in the fantasy genre. Tyrion represents the common man in his views on what is beyond the Wall. There are Wildlings for certain, but white walkers, giants and other monsters are just fairy tales not to be taken seriously. Benjen on the other hand isn't so sure. He is one of the few to have been beyond the Wall and he seems much more open to any possibility. This scene is a microcosm of George's writing (even though he didn't actually write it, it still exemplifies his theme). There are no constants in his world. There are differing views as to whether or not magic exists or ever existed. This diversity in belief helps to make the story feel lived in.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The last bit after Benjen leaves is a set up for next episode when Yoren and Tyrion pay a visit to Winterfell.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Essos, Dany's Tent - Dany is further embrancing her adopted heritage by learning to speak Dothraki. She also learns that she is expecting.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Essos, Tent - The scene starts out with a discussion on the differences in the martial cultures between the Westerosi and the Dothraki. We see two things here that I don't believe we see in the books. First, it seems that Jorah and Rakharo have established a mutual respect if not an outright friendship. Second, we can feel Jorah's pain at disgracing his father. It was a nice note adding this to Jorah's character. The scene starts to lose me with the overly-long discussion about what Dany wants to eat, then goes off the deep end with Jorah riding at once to Quohor after he hears that Dany is preggers. Doesn't it look at least a little bit suspicious that an exiled knight would light out for the nearest trading post the second after he learns that the khaleesi is with child?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Yard - Things are going better for Jon as he loses the chip on his shoulder and begins helping instead of bullying his brothers. Tyrion looks on with approval.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, Dining Hall - Finally we meet Maester Aemon. Anyone unfamiliar with the series won't know that Aemon is blind at this point, but it doesn't really matter in this discussion. From the last look on his face, it seems as though Aemon and Mormont's pleas may have had an effect on the Imp after all.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Essos, Tent - We pan across Dany and Drogo's uneaten artichoke dinner… Oh wait! My bad! Those are the dragon eggs. I'm glad the managed to fit them in again because I might have forgotten about them if they hadn't! Anyway, we get to see Dany snuggled up to Drogo telling him that their child will be a boy. Jason Mamoa lounges as only a </span><a href="http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a194/csgraves/Humour/Conan/Savage_Sword_of_Conan_139-28.png"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cimmerian</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> can! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Castle Black, The Wall - More frozen beauty atop the Wall. This time the overhead shot is marred with Tyrion literally pissing off the end of the world. Read my previous post "The Show that Cried Wolf" to get my views on the lack of Ghost in this scene. As our outcasts, one a bastard, one a dwarf bid farewell to each other, we get the sense that a lasting friendship has been formed. Tyrion and Jon have yet to see each other again in the novels, but I suspect that the bond between the two will still hold strong and may prove crucial to the story when their reunion does occur.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">King's Landing, Balcony - Margret John's form dazzled me with her tale of white walkers and ice spiders. Mark Addy's monologue staggered me like an uppercut slipping in under my guard. Peter Dinklage and Francis Magee even managed to double me over with a series of thunderous gut shots. But its M&M (Maisie Williams and my new personal hero Miltos Yerolemou) that laid me out for the count with a slobber knocking hay-maker that I never would have expected.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Arya and Syrio are my two favorite characters in the series (Tyrion is a close third). I couldn't be happier with Maisie's performance thus far. Add Miltos into the mix and I am completley blown away. I couldn't have casted a better Syrio if I were able to have pulled one out of my imagination. From this point onward, Syrio will always have curly hair and a beard to me! The sparring between the two matches the dialogue and it is superb in every way. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a three-and-a-half minute scene that feels like it takes thirty second. I could have watched it for the whole hour. Its flawless. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The scene and episode end with Ned entering the training session. He watches on bemused at first, but in typical Stark manner, his amusement turns to chilling concern as he watches Syrio "kill" Arya over and over. The implications of the viper's nest that he has allowed himself and his daughters to be manipulated into, comes crashing down on his head as Arya is "stabbed" through the chest and the episode cuts to black.</span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-48384694112004495522011-05-02T13:57:00.000-07:002011-05-02T13:57:46.462-07:00The Show that Cried Wolf!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Before I begin this episode's recap, I would just like to say a few words about the lack of dire wolves in the series so far and this episode in particular. I have a soapbox here, so I may as well use it!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I know there are two camps out there arguing over whether the wolves being cut from so many scenes is important or not. I'm of the mind to agree with the people upset that the wolves haven't been more prevalent thus far. In fact, we never see them at all unless they are directly involved with the plot.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I've heard people argue that the wolves are difficult to work with so they were cut to help production move along. </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/christian-bale-song-flip-out-techno-remix-terminator-4-set-meltdown/8a91300353d91d0ede268a91300353d91d0ede26-845829963868?q=christian+bale+terminator+meltdown&FROM=LKVR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR4"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Christian Bale</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDYK2H0ldbo"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kasey Kasem</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU2w72KAkQQ"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Alex Trebek</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> can all apparently be difficult to work with as well, but where would Terminator Salvation, America's Top 40 and Audio Daily Doubles be if the respective directors of those shows just cut them out? We all know Jason Mamoa dislikes working with horses. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why not let good Khal Drogo get around like </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XMUNy7brdWs"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">this</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> instead? A mount is crucial to a horse lord just as the wolves are crucial to the story.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'm not asking for anything spectacular. I don't need to see the wolves climbing up the trees in the godswood or hunting down a deer. Just </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odssrPybKYY&feature=related"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">walking around and occasionally letting the kids pet them</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> would be enough. Dogs have been doing that and much more for programs with much lower budgets and quality for years. Just look at </span><a href="http://www.myvideo.de/watch/1608957/Full_House_Ausschnitt_aus_eine_Folge_184"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Comet</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> from Full House. Not only can he shoot hoops, but he had to learn German too!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sorry to dwell so much on this point, but I really think something was lost in not showing the wolves more. I've spoken to a few new viewers now that just don't get the relationships between the kids and the wolves at all. Last week, my wife thought that Summer and Nymeria were the same dog. This week I discovered that she also thought Lady and Nymeria were the same and that it was Nymeria who was killed. As for Ghost, I think we might catch a glimpse of a snark or a grumpkin before we see him again. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just going up in the elevator with Jon and sitting there while he spoke to Benjen or Tyrion would have been enough to remind us that Jon does in fact have a pet too. It's been three episodes now and we haven't seen Ghost, Grey Wind or Shags since early in episode one.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It's odd to me that some people can waive off the lack of wolves because "They are just dogs" or say that those of us who feel this way are having tantrums, yet those same folks seem to be peeved by such minor alterations as Dany walking off into the grass or changing the who says the line about Viserys walking. Little changes like that are pretty easy to overlook and new viewers will have no trouble at all getting past them because ultimately it has no bearing on the story. I would think that having wolves appear out of thin air only when needed to advance the story would be much more problematic for the general audience to understand. It won't ruin the show. I will certainly keep watching. I just feel like it was a big missed opportunity if for nothing else than the "Aww" factor.</span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-77971572503346592452011-04-29T19:41:00.000-07:002011-04-29T20:21:03.842-07:00Episode 102 Recap : On the King's Road Again!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This episode is mostly about journeys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We get the obvious journeys of the King's party heading south back to King's Landing, Jon and Tyrion travelling to the Wall, and Dany and the khalasar starting their trip east. There are also some more emotional journeys. Dany begins to spread her wings. Catelyn spirals down into grief comes back again. Even Bran can said to begin his journey here, though he is comatose in bed (through the three-eyed crow dream which was cut, but might be addressed through some exposition next week).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Credits - Okay. The theme song is growing on me. It's still no "Bad Things" and it’s a bit repetitive, but I have caught the melody bouncing around in my head a few times. Kudos to fellow WiC poster Lex who got out his axe and </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DRccdUkovts"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">shreds</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> up his version of the tune. Listening to Lex, it kind of reminds me of the theme song from another <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4gaI-R9gKUA"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">television show</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. Sort of similar don't you think?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I love the switch over to Vaes Dothrak on the game board even though I don't think they actually arrive there this episode. I hope they are just camped in a field on their journey. Still not crazy about the angle the camera switches to when it pans over the Narrow Sea. I find myself tilting my neck to an almost painful angle.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'm a bit surprised that the Inn at the Crossroads doesn't appear as more than a blur since the King's party travels there. Maybe it will be focused on later when Catelyn and Tyrion meet up there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Essos, Flatlands outside of Pentos - According to the HBOGo special features, the khalasar is not yet to the Dothraki Sea as I thought when watched the first time, but are in an area called the Flatlands. Dany, looking worse for wear, </span><a href="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/SkkRj1aDNw4/0.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">snaps into a Slim Jim</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the ride, she is saddle sore, Drogo sore or both and is led away by her handmaids. Viserys banters with Mormont about what life will be like when he once again sits the Iron Throne. Harry Lloyd seems a bit more devious and touched here than he did last episode.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Yard - Fantastic scene with Tyrion, Joff and the Hound. Tyrion slaps Joff around and Joff takes it like the pansy he is. He should take a note from </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjPFAx2be5U"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">this kid</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> and man the hell up! Much like last episode, it seems like they might be going a little more sympathetic with the Hound. He seems to be genuinely warning Tyrion here rather than mocking him like he does in the book.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Dining Room - Cool dire wolf tapestry! The first thing that struck me about this scene (and for the most part this episode) was how close it was to the original material. We even get Tyrion's breakfast order verbatim. One small quibble with the end is the manner in which Tyrion delivers "You know how much I love my family". I've always read the line with more sarcasm. I think the double meaning is intended in the show, but it’s a little too subtle.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Bran's Room - This scene is all kinds of fucked up, but in a great way! Spoilers coming so beware. We see a haggard Cat sitting by Bran's bed. She looks about 15 years older than she did in episode 1. Then Cersei walks in and the craziness begins. If you are to believe D&D and their comments about this scene, the viewer can easily get lost in the complexities of the queen's emotions. She seems truly pained by Bran's condition, even though she is directly responsible for it. To compound her layers, we know from reading the book that she actually aborts the little black haired baby that she has with Robert. Either D&D are softening Cersei by consciously changing that little fact, or we are dealing with a grade A sociopath.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Yard - New scene with Jon and Jaime. Unlike some of the other scenes (notably with Viserys and Tyrion) that seem to have downplayed the sarcasm that comes across on the page, Jaime is all derision and acerbity. It's a bit ironic that one of the first places we really get to see the cutting sarcasm from the book is in a completely new scene. NCW plays it off to a tee, but his appearance and the line about the sacks of meat and blood conjured up the old Dennis Leary stand up bit about </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_-Vnpp1Ikk8"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">meat and war</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. It comes in at about the 1:30 mark, but the whole clip is hilarious. Ironically, I think Jaime might even subscribe to this theory. What's with the </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=sam+elliot+roadhouse+images&view=detail&id=E5BDC36984445E736128F61A5983C95C86A43B72&first=1&FORM=IDFRIR&qpvt=sam+elliot+roadhouse+images"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"I got turned down for the role of Wade in Roadhouse"</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> look that Mikken gives Jon? Weird.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Arya's Room - Finally! Some wolf pup action!!! With the speculation about the Inuits having some difficulty with some of the tricks, I have to wonder if the "Nymeria! Gloves!"<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>line was put into the script as a little gimmick to make you say "Aww!" when actually having the dog get the gloves proved too tiresome to pull off.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This was my favorite of the Maester's Path scenes and is even better in its expanded form. Great sibling chemistry between Jon and Arya here. Kit and Maisie evoke the relationship from the novel very well. Needle looks dead on as I pictured it, especially when Arya takes it with her left hand!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Bran's Room - Lots happening here. Kit really flexes his acting muscles saying goodbye to Bran. What a sweet, sorrowful goodbye! I've noticed a few times now that Kit has a good grasp on tempo. He takes his time with his lines and delivers them very thoughtfully. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then there's Catelyn. If Michelle Fairley keeps this up, she's going to be my choice for a best actress Emmy. I can't look at her without feeling her pain. She is marvelous! Anyway, very interesting change of dialogue with Jon here. It manages to convey pretty much the same feeling toward Jon without exhibiting the biting spite that you see from Cat in the book. "It should have been you" gets toned down to "I want you to leave." More confirmation that D&D are attempting to soften Catelyn's character a little bit in hopes of making her a more likeable. I've always seen Cat as a mom trying to do her best for her family, but she definitely has hang ups when it comes to Jon. Some of the stuff she does to him in the books is just nasty and almost out of character for her. You can understand it since it’s a sticking point between her and Ned, but I like the restrained route they are using in the series.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ned walks into the middle of the scene and helplessly stares at the confrontation. Then Michelle effortlessly shifts her stern Lady Stark mask to tortured Cat as Ned comes to comfort her. We’ve seen plenty of this dialogue in the trailers, but it comes off even more powerfully in context. Bean for his part, does a great job showing the strain of conflict between loving husband and loyal banner man. You sense that he doesn't want to leave, but is duty-bound to go.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Yard - The parties prepare to leave and we get a nice brotherly farewell between Robb and Jon. Not a whole lot going on here, but we do get reminded of the close bond the boys share.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Outside Winterfell, Roadside - This scene has both one of the nicest surprises and one of the biggest gaffs of the episode. The surprise is in the score. It's the first time for me that music has made a difference in the viewing (credits excluded). After Jon and Ned say goodbye, Jon rides off to catch up with Tyrion and Benjen. The music swells up and you get the theme song phrased into the score as it builds. Well done! The music and the image evoke the old </span><a href="http://popten.net/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/stephen_youll_a_game_of_thrones2-794175.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Game of Thrones</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> cover from the first copy of the book I ever owned. Unfortunately, thinking of that cover brings to mind my big gripe with the scene. Uh.. where the hell is Ghost? Doubtless he's bounded off to hunt or explore on his own, but I'm really a bit peeved that he's not running along beside Jon here. We've only seen him once as a pup and out of all the dire wolves, he's not only the most striking in appearance, but the most important (possibly alongside of Summer) to the story. Ghost is Jon's right-hand wolf.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus far, you have to have read the books to have any idea of how important the wolves are to the kids. Aside from some cute stunts and looks at the camera, the wolf pups are totally minimalized.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know they play a bigger factor later in this episode, but they should have been utilized more to this point in the story.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kingsroad, Heading South - We are treated to Robert bestowing his kingly attentions to a tree in the northern countryside. It's kind of funny how something so mundane can be used to further establish the vulgarity of a character, but the shot manages to do just that very well. One of the most striking things about this scene (another from the Maester's Path) is the food. In GRRM's books, the description of the food is amazing. Fans have even started their own websites about the book's <a href="http://innatthecrossroads.wordpress.com/">food</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don't know how they pulled it off, but that pile of snacks looks just like something George wrote up! It also kind of reminds me of a set piece from the </span><a href="http://oldgregg.net/bob/halloween2009/themound.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pirates of the Caribbean</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> ride at Disneyland. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another good dialogue scene between Robert and Ned. With talk of Wyla, we get some more hints that Eddard's past has some mystery to it. We also get reaffirmation of Robert's commitment to wipe out the Targaryens.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Flatlands, Dothraki Camp - Dany continues to be used by Drogo. The foreshadowing they are doing with the eggs is like getting hit upside the head with <a href="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/3047708249_7fc4e0573c_z.jpg?zz=1">this</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! A bit too strong for my tastes. It's definitely going to lessen the shock in the final scene. I've watched this scene about eight times now. Am I fabricating things or do I hear a hiss as Dany stares at the candlelit eggs for solace? I can't tell if I am imagining it or not.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kingsroad, Heading North - Still no Ghost. It’s a nice scene between Tyrion and Jon, again with many of the original lines, but we lose a lot without Ghost here. We also lose a chance for a little more Jon/Benjen dialogue at this point. Perhaps we'll get an opportunity or two at the Wall before Uncle Benjen goes on his ranging.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Bran's Room - This is a great scene! I just noticed how low Maester Luwin is wearing his chain. I wonder if all Maesters on television roll this way or if Luwin is just going </span><a href="http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y23/nikeairmax/ap_sagging_pants_071015_ms.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">street</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> with his? Cat is unraveling further. She receives Luwin mostly with apathy and snaps when she does address him. Richard Madden gets his first real chance to show some emotion in this scene adeptly<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>displaying the restraint of a young lordling while showing a few cracks beneath the surface from the pressure of the job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nice ambient touch remembering the wolves howling.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Robb rushes off when he spots the fire and leaves Catelyn alone with the perfectly creepy assassin. The rest of the scene goes off amazingly well. Smooth believable fight (struggle?) coordination here. I felt the pain of the dagger across my palms as Cat tries to protect Bran. We finally get a little more meaningful dire wolf action with Soon-to-be-Summer. Great gory shot of the assassin's throat bubbling and bleeding out. I loved the way that Soon-to-be-Summer with bloodied muzzle just sit down right on the bed almost as if nothing's happened.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Way to </span><a href="http://www.lowbrowcustoms.com/images/products/large_284_tcb-elvis-takin-care-of-business-lapel-pin.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">TCB</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> Summer! They took out Cat's uncontrollable laughing. Probably part of the decision to soften her. I didn't miss it so much as I was interested to see how Michelle would play it so I was a little disappointed at not getting the chance to watch her work.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Flatlands, Dothraki Camp - Yay! The "it is known" scene! Nice to see that </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://c428065.r65.cf2.rackcdn.com/76045/135.jpg&imgrefurl=http://top10.co/top-10-music-videos/jamesmccann&usg=__-kolvY9CwKQMOd9QqepGeSpTYNA=&h=135&w=135&sz=7&hl=en&start=229&zoom=1&tbnid=APvztgOMGlTrlM:&tbnh=108&tbnw=10"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">the girl from Michael Jackson's Black or White video is getting work</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! My vote for the "Least Reassuring Reassurance Award" <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>for the episode goes to Doreah.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Doreah "Before your brother bought me for you it was my job to make men happy."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dany " How old were you?"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Doreah " I was nine when my mother sold me to the pleasure house."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dany "Nine!?!"</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Doreah (reassuringly)"I did not touch a man for three years Khaleesi."</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Oooooh! So she was twelve when she started getting busy with men for money. Whew! That's okay then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought there might be something wrong with her mother selling her so early!...uh WTF! Eeew!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kingsroad - Heading North - Benjen and company get their first glimpse of the Wall. We get a great establishing shot of a very different looking Wall than the one we see in the Prologue scene from episode one. It might seem inconsistent to a new viewer, but this is a great nod to both George's world building and his descriptive flair. We know from reading the books that the Wall can take on a myriad of different colors depending on the time of day and/or the weather. I'm positively giddy knowing that this attention to detail can be transferred over the mediums so adeptly!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Yard - In a new scene we get to follow Cat up to the broken tower to watch her get her </span><a href="http://art.allayers.com/images/large/angela_lansbury4.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Angela Lansbury</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the windy, open tower she manages to find a suspiciously blonde hair that has somehow kept from getting blown away. I really liked the constant cawing of the ravens in the background. We know that one of the reasons Bran liked to climb this tower in the first place was that he would feed the ravens up there corn. We never actually get to see them, but it was another subtle touch for long-time fans.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Godswood - I'm glad we get to take another trip back to the gorgeous godswood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This scene obviously sets up Catelyn and Rodrick's flight south. I'm not sure how much sense it makes for Theon to be privy to these discussions, but I guess it shows us that he is a trusted member of the Stark retinue.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Bran's Room - Catelyn has made her decision and is standing by it. She hangs her Seven wheel on Bran's bed. Here is yet more evidence of the crew's savvy knowledge of Westeros lore here (at least so far as I can tell). From what I can see, the wheel only holds six dolls. The Stranger, who is represented as ubiquitously<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>as possible when he does show up, doesn't seem to be present. Since his domain is over the dead, my theory is that Catelyn intentionally leaves him out of the wheel. There are no songs sung for the Stranger. Well, except maybe this </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/billy-joel-the-stranger-live-1977/7f66899d827a1351a1917f66899d827a1351a191-820449576210?q=billy+joel+the+stranger&FROM=LKVR5&GT1=LKVR5&FORM=LKVR10"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">one</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Flatlands, Dothraki Camp - Hands down the sexiest scene of the series so far. After Doreah<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>gives Dany the Cliff's Notes version of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dominatrix for Dummies, we get another obvious shot of the dragon eggs and then an even more obvious shot of Moonmoa. Seriously though, what an intense sex scene! And with all the blatant nudity we've seen so far, it's kind of interesting to note that once they get going there is no real nudity to speak of yet it's the hottest sex scene to date.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kingsroad, Inn at the Crossroads - First San/San scene! Somehow, they can get this whole plot point finished in just over 10 minutes. It felt much longer (in a good way) watching it. I'm fine with the venue change from the Darry castle to the Inn. It's obviously a budgetary choice and doesn't affect anything in the story.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sansa's introduction to Ser Illyn Payne is..strange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>don't know why they felt the need to omit Renly and Ser Barristan from the scene. The roles weren't cut from the show, so if you have actors to play them, you might as well use them right? Illyn, Renly and Barristan are such contrasting figures than it seems a shame to cut them here. Maybe there just wasn't enough time to establish them fully here so they decided to wait until later to bring in the other two. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Other than that, the only reason for the omission I can think of is that maybe they felt the Inn was too far from King's Landing for an escort to join them?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Without Renly's sly quips and Barristan's chivalrous grace, Ser Illyn looks more oddity than terror. Visions of </span><a href="http://moviesofmyself.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/09/13/sam_the_eagle.jpg"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Sam Eagle</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> flashed through my head as he just stood there. Sandor looks much scarier and tougher and I think GRRM sets the scene up so he has exactly the opposite effect on Sansa. Maybe she was more scared of Ser Illyn, but I'll take my chances against the King's Justice before I try the Hound.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">At least we get to see Sansa with Lady once before the bad shit goes down. I still think the ending of the episode would be even more heart-wrenching than it was if we were allowed a little more time with the kids and their pups. Cute ribbons on Lady though!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Banks of the Trident - Very strong scene with all child actors. Sophie, Jack and Maisie are all great. Even Rhodri Hosking does a believable Mycah. While Nymeria's moment is awesome, it illustrates another problem with the sparse use of the wolves that I hadn't considered until this point. When she attacked, my new viewer wife remarked "Oh my god! I love that dog!" She thought it was the same wolf that attacked the assassin in Winterfell. By not showing the kids interacting with their wolves more, I don't think new viewers understand fully that each kid has their own relationship with a given wolf. I know I'm harping on this point a lot, but it's probably my biggest gripe with the series.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Woodlands near the Trident - Touching scene with Arya and Nymeria. You really feel for poor Arya here. As a dad, I felt for Ned during the search too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inn at the Crossroads, Interior - Another engaging scene that ends up to be he said, she said on a royal level. If the outcome of the scene weren't so horrible, it would be kind of funny watching the mighty king of the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Seven Kingdoms reduced to a clueless father. Robert's lust for life makes him somewhat of a likeable figure, but this is our first real glimpse of how inept the guy is in a position of authority. He can't even stand to handle a fight between kids. How ill-suited is he to be the king? I miss Renly here as well. His uncontrollable laughter when he hears how Joff was disarmed was a very funny moment in the books. Great emotion from Sophie here and Maisie is staring needles through the Lannisters. You can almost hear her ticking off the beginnings of her list as she glares them fiercely down.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inn at the Crossroads, Exterior - My favorite Bean scene so far. Sean is anguish incarnate as he does the deed. We lose the "Three-Eyed Crow" dream sequence, but what we get is something different, and very cool. The sequencing between Ned killing Lady and Bran waking up was too eerie!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way everything came together had me literally crying through the credits. I'm a sucker for dead dogs (or apparently wolves). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Overall, the second episode was even better than the first. I can't see why anyone would find it boring. If the following episodes have more action and drama, then we are in for one hell of a journey!<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-65702784847260890482011-04-24T16:09:00.000-07:002011-04-24T17:08:19.381-07:00Episode 1 Recap: Winter is Becoming!<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wow! Its finally here! After too long of a wait A Game of Thrones is officially underway and it looks great! I mean totally beautiful. If episode one is any indication, this series looks a whole lot prettier than the reported budget should allow for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only is it pretty, but when it comes to evocation of location, they nailed it 100 percent of the time. This is Westeros!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Prologue - Opening shot of Waymar, Gared and Will. We get a shot of the ill-fated trio through the gate at Castle Black. Then in what appears to be an immediate homage to GRRM, we have to wait long seconds that seem to take hours while the portcullis is raised up to let the story get going. The ice tunnel looks positively frigid! Gared looks determined, Royce cocky and nonplussed, but Will kind looks like he's wondering if he left a hotplate on back in his dorm room. The panoramic shot of the Wall is exactly the way I pictured it. Perfect! Great ambient sound as Will ranges along. The wolf howling in the distance is right out the books. I feel cold. I'm starting to get scared. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I'm not sure where D&D were headed with the ritualistic layout of the wildling camp, but it was creepy as hell! Especially the kid on the tree. He/she looked a little uh..proppy, but maybe the doll-like appearance can be attributed to frozen skin? No idea where the dead body parts went, or for that matter where D&D were going with the differences here. In the books, the dead wildlings are more or less whole. There is no way the remaining bits and pieces we see at camp are going to get up and walk away by themselves. The change becomes even more puzzling when the trio head back and everything is missing. Why chop bodies up and lay them out only to clean them back up?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, I dig the appearance of the Others (White Walkers). The blue eyes perfectly reflect their unnatural coldness, so cold that the burn. Their voices are spot on as well! When they catch up to Gared and lop his head off, I can see at least four of them in one shot. Interesting change letting Will go. In the books he escapes. Actually in the books its Will who dies and Gared who escapes. The switch doesn't bother me at all, but I'd love to know why it was deemed necessary to make the change.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Credits - This was one of the few areas that I had no clue what to expect. I'm happy to say that they totally delivered! The credits feature a view of Westeros<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and Essos that seems to be part map part game board. As the camera pans to various important areas, we get mechanical representations of major landmarks in each area but out of all kinds of gears, bells and whistles. In King's Landing we obviously get the Red Keep, but I'm pretty certain we can pick out Baelor's Sept and I think the gear with the Baratheon stag on it might be the Dragonpit. Winterfell shows all the appropriate towers as well as the Godswood complete with heart tree. The Wall is impressive. I did notice the Eeryie and the Inn at the Crossroads on the pan over to Pentos. Apparantly these areas will pop up as well in future episodes. I get that the sideways view in Pentos is supposed to have the viewer looking out over the Narrow Sea, but the angle is really disorienting. All in all an innovative and exciting opening that will change as time goes on!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The music was appropriate, but nothing unexpected or overly impressive. Its dramatic enough, but I don't think it is as strong as other HBO classic themes for shows like True Blood, The Sopranos, Rome or even the Wire and Boardwalk Empire.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell - After the credits, we see Will being apprehended by the Stark patrol. This brings me to a major plot hole. How did Will get over the Wall? I know a lot of you are okay with the book explanation that Night's Watch members "have their ways", but I'd sure like that one explained. He has no climbing gear, and by the way he's muttering to himself when he's caught, I hardly think he had the wherewithal to make it up a 700 foot wall of ice. It's a nitpick yes, but I would have like it explained better.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The introduction to the Stark family is a new scene, but I have to say, it's just a brilliant one that <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>establishes the family in a very creative way. Fantastic character introductions with minimal dialogue. I think we get a general sense of family ties here without specifically defining who is who and how they relate. Maisie Williams' Arya steals the scene without uttering a word, and Issac Hempstead is equally charming as Bran. The casting for the Stark clan from Eddard through the kids and even household members like Ser Rodrick and Theon <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>just couldn't be better. I was worried about Michelle Fairley's casting but to my surprise, she brings Catelyn to life as well as if not better than any of the other actors. What's more, she is actually had me rooting for Cat much more than I did early in the book. We also ge the first "winter is coming" here and I love how its placed into the dialogue.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Execution - The execution scene is remarkably faithful to the books and set out in the Irish (Winterfell) countryside. I love the juxtaposition of the gorgeous, rolling hills as the site for the gruesome beheading. The biggest omission in this scene is that they cut out Theon kicking the severed head. I actually prefer the scene better this way. Yes, we have to wait until later to develop Theon's character, but the kick just doesn't seem to mesh with the respect Eddard shows in handling the execution as well as the grave way he explain how the Starks handle executions themselves to Bran. I don't see him condoning such frivolity. My biggest problem with this scene, as well as the novel version is that we never learn how Will(Gared) makes it back over the Wall. Many fans just gloss over this hole saying "The Nights Watch has its ways" or that the Wall doesn't keep one man, but is supposed to guard against armies, but I don't buy it. Will has no equipment to get himself over the Wall and the haggard state in which the Stark guard finds him certainly leaves questions in my mind as to how<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>he could make it over even if he had the gear. It just feels to me like something a new viewer might ask after the very catchy credit scene has just shown us the Wall stretching out across the island. I'm sure there are many plausible answers as to how he gets past the Wall. I just wish the means he used were explained better. Other than that, I loved this scene.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bring on the dire wolves - So this scene starts out better than the book imo. The symbolism we get with the dead dire wolf in the book is creepy, but its heightened even more by actually showing an extreme close-up of a disemboweled stag. In the novel, we are show that the stag's antler has killed the mamma wolf, but we never actually see the dead deer. It foreshadows future events even better than the book does. As the party explores and closes in on their quarry, we get a positively enchanting shot of the countryside. Kudos to the scout that found this site. It is only one of the many strong, but powerful locations that I'm sure made the case for shooting to take place largely in Northern Ireland.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I liked the look of the mamma wolf, but it reminds me of the tribulations the design team is going to have in future seasons when the Northern Inuits won't work any longer (unless CGI is added somehow). The rest of the scene plays very similar to the novels and is great to watch until the very end. The last where Theon says that Jon's pup (Ghost) is the runt of the litter, was a poor change in dialogue. I am reading the book along with the show. It's probably my 6th or 7th reread. the "This one is mine" line gets me every single time. I still teared up the night before when I read it. Much like the Will/Gared switch, I don't understand the need for the change here. It's an even worse change than the mostly interchangeable Night's Watchmen because not only is it inaccurate (Lady was the runt in the novels), I think the original line was such a powerful ending to that chapter. The change finished the scene with a somewhat hollow one-line thud. Still though, all in all, another great scene!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Kings Landing - Even though I've already seen it a bajillion times in the previews, the panoramic establishing shot of King's Landing looks fantastic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Red Keep looks different than its described in the novel, but it actually matches my mental image of it better. The tall storybook towers are a subtle reminder that we are in a fantasy world here. The other landmarks like Baelor's the Dragonpit and even Flea Bottom are all there if you look close enough.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Inside the throne room we get an sense of immense wealth and power at the seat of Westeros. Jon Arryn is laid in state. The canopic jars took me by surprise. Didn't think te Seven swun tha way for their death ceremonies. The incense burning seems to fit better. Even though this isa new scene, putting Jon here and not at Baelor's where we see another former Hand in AFFC is most likely forced by budget. Still, I dig the imagery of the Iron Throne looking down on its first servant's lifeless body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jon gave his life supporting the throne (or the king's bottom), and the actual seems to be in part mocking him ad in part showing its respect. I really think that the throne is going to be almost as good of an inanimate actor as </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.zaporacle.com/wp-content/uploads/one-ring.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.zaporacle.com/weilding-the-one-ring/&usg=__DfGbcJmq8UwJdFuHimLifjcRbAA=&h=360&w=480&sz=95&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=iBuqjhDttuGFmM:&tbnh=140&"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">the one ring</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> .</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So the Silent Sisters come in and start performing the death rites. I immediately get a sense of déjà vu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I've seen this before, but where? Then it hits me. </span><a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bassthink.tripod.com/TheDarkCrystal/skeksis_around_crystal.JPG&imgrefurl=http://bassthink.tripod.com/TheDarkCrystal/&usg=__AoFk0HHucH2RP59z683nOAzy9X8=&h=480&w=640&sz=28&hl=en&start=24&zoom=1&tbnid=02UBNpjPIZRqCM:"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">The Skeksis</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> from <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://img.listal.com/image/186222/600full-the-dark-crystal-poster.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.listal.com/viewimage/186222&usg=__1F-J43ZhlqMp9dcOrvftZC4XiVA=&h=744&w=540&sz=59&hl=en&start=205&zoom=1&tbnid=jCf3LpdNdhibXM:&tbnh=142&tbnw=103&ei=_7e0TfOMBsLm0gHl6J21CQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dthe%2Bdark%2Bcrystal%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4ADSA_enUS423US423%26biw%3D1579%26bih%3D622%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=250&page=9&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:15,s:205&tx=49&ty=54">The Dark Crystal</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! I half expected a <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.blogcadre.com/files/images/tyler_gelfling_0.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.blogcadre.com/images/stella/tyler_gelfling_2006_03_21_13_19_30&h=244&w=377&sz=36&tbnid=6-uDTmZWu1S0pM:&tbnh=79&tbnw=122&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dgelfling%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=gelfling&hl=en&usg=__9DGVlG6DzyNCcIKPJVqJ4fj8L7c=&sa=X&ei=-ri0TZuiC8fY0QG-t4X7CA&sqi=2&ved=0CDgQ9QEwBA">gelfling</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> (the one on the right) to jump through the stained glass window and make off with Jon's liver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Speaking of Jon, looking at him with the stones on his eyes reminds me of another blast from the 80s past. Namely </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sOI4kIxmkE&feature=related"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">Exidor</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> from Mork and Mindy! It’s a long clip but funny! To get the reference skip ahead to the 4:40 mark. Funny how an image so random can bring back a similar image from over twenty years earlier!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Anyway, back to the recap. Jaime and Cersei have a nice introduction scene. You can tell how they rely on each other which will be important later since they both have so many enemies. You get the sense they are…close.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Godswood - Back to first a great exterior shot, then a bustling interior establishing shot of Winterfell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It may be hard for n00bz to tell who is whom in the dramatis personae of the show, but Gemma Jackson and crew have certainly made it easy to know where we are at any given time.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We see out first use of ravens as post. Westerosi ravens make for much more sinister mailmen than <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.lauraerickson.com/bird/Species/Owls/HarryPotter/HarryHedwig.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.lauraerickson.com/bird/Species/Owls/HarryPotter/HarryPotter.html&usg=__9_ME_B-JI9YAZT04gepy4JlqFgY=&h=272&w=400&sz=19&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=uhO_HHS_Pm1O3M:&tbnh=143&tbnw=181&ei=Zrm0TbGGNKrw0gG8quXkAQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhedwig%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4ADSA_enUS423US423%26biw%3D1579%26bih%3D622%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=421&page=1&ndsp=25&ved=1t:429,r:2,s:0&tx=88&ty=74">Hedwig</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Out of all the imagery from episode one, the shot that stands out the most as right out of the books is the one of Eddard cleaning Ice at the heart tree.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It simply could not be more perfect. In fact, I think it might be D&D paying homage to this famous piece of ASoIaF </span><a href="http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/66078"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">art</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">. Oops! I meant this <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.aidanmoher.com/blog/random-pictures/ASOIAF_print-ned.jpg&imgrefurl=http://aidanmoher.com/blog/2007/12/asides/an-aside-prints-from-the-dabel-bros/&usg=__ljB4P_bSkqHv4l1JwNtowTlkux0=&h=500&w=375&sz=81&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=ptSOOtG6epmCzM:&tbnh=141&tbnw=115&ei=r7m0Tb2RD-Hw0gHLxJijCg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Da%2Bsong%2Bof%2Bice%2Band%2Bfire%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4ADSA_enUS423US423%26biw%3D1579%26bih%3D622%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=297&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&tx=67&ty=96">one</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! I also love how you can see the upper limbs of the heart tree from various shots all around Winterfell. great touch!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the scene, we get a great example of the powerful acting we can expect from this series between Michelle Fairley and Sean Bean. Fairley is especially good as she delivers the news of Jon's death with wifely compassion. I sensed that Cat was truly sorry for Ned's loss. She also delivers the "You can always say no Ned." line with a quavering voice that exudes trepidation at the thought of Ned taking the Hand job….uh the position of Hand.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I don't know if it was intentional, but I love how a leaf fell in front of Ned as he sits there. It gives a sense of realism to a man made tree.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Great Hall - Here we get a quick scene showing the prep for the upcoming arrival of the king's party. We get a bit of exposition regarding Tyrion's proclivity for reading and drinking here, but I like the conversation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Wintefell, Kitchen - More exposition regarding Joffrey, but I like the comeraderie between Robb, Jon and Theon. It’s the first time we get a sense that Theon is more than just a household guard. Incidentally, it seems that Winterfell's kitchen also doubles for its barbershop. I just hope that </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=tom+colicchio&view=detail&id=26182AECEEE0468F8F9BD68E1F9E14AA097EE613&first=1&FORM=IDFRIR&qpvt=tom+colicchio"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tom Colicchio</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> didn't take this fact too much to heart when creating the menu for the <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.makinggameofthrones.com/storage/got-food-truck.jpg%3F__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION%3D1301431575770&imgrefurl=http://www.makinggameofthrones.com/production-diary/tag/food-truck&usg=__0nVN3lbfVsyfM9A2VvPbUVwn-0g=&h=431&w=575&sz=273&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=mqQfzAiSD0qDsM:&tbnh=147&tbnw=196&ei=Trq0TdX_LcfY0QGyvcGmCg&prev=/search%3Fq%3DGame%2Bof%2BThrones%2Bfood%2Btruck%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4ADSA_enUS423US423%26biw%3D1579%26bih%3D622%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=172&page=1&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0&tx=103&ty=97">GoT food trucks</a> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">and get is head shaved while making the blackfish stew!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Rooftops - While his brothers are getting shaved, Bran is busy upon the roof of Winterfell engaging in a heavy dose of foreshadowing. While watching this scene with my wife who has never read the books, I had the following exchange. She says, "Let me guess. He's going to fall off the tower later on." With the straightest face possible I answered," Huh? Fall? No he doesn't fall." In truth I didn't lie. He gets pushed! Blatant foreshadowing aside, this scene is marvelously shot and makes you love ran even more.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As he climbs down, we see a soon-to-be Summer waiting for him. The pup is looking a little bigger, but still way too small to appear threatening. Cat spys her son climbing down and accosts him in a mix of motherly emotions from stern consternation, to pleading worry, to chiding humor. Have I mentioned before how great I think Michelle Fairley is as Cat?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Courtyard - The king's party finally arrives. As the procession moves through the gates, we get a glimpse of crazy Maisie Williams doing her Arya thang! While I give top acting honors to Fairley, Williams come close to her with minimal lines. What's more, she is absolutely the most perfectly cast role in the show. I have a 9 year old tomboy and as I watch Arya on her secret spy mission I can't help but think it's exactly the kind of thing my daughter would do. As we watch the royal escot ride by, we get our first look at the Hound. I have to be honest, his helmet seems more comical than scary to me as he bounces past on his steed. The later scene with Tyrion is much more typical Sandor. For now, I think he might be better suited working <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.floridaleisureblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/disneyworld.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.floridaleisureblog.com/index.php/7-step-guide-to-a-walt-disney-world-vacation.html&usg=__gWIzaVxePyyxekZLewG5SJoRqsY=&h=310&w=475&sz=40&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=HNAQ0DdCoAWaRM:&tbnh=170&tbnw=222&ei=y7q0TcKRH-600QGLpIGcCQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dwalt%2Bdisney%2Bworld%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1T4ADSA_enUS423US423%26biw%3D1579%26bih%3D622%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=142&vpy=255&dur=920&hovh=181&hovw=278&tx=191&ty=113&page=1&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0">here</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> than as Joff's bodyguard.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The party rides up to the Starks and we get a piercing mind hump between Sansa and Joff. Then Robb looks at Joff with a completely different piercing gaze. Nice stuff. Robert rides up and does his thing. He comes off very well as the amiable former friend to Ned who now happens to be king. Cersei is appropriately snarky. I know they moved the whorehouse scene from King's Landing to Winterfell, and it’s a little hard for me to imagine a brothel inside of the Stark's home, but to hear Arya's "Where's the Imp" line made it worth it to me. For a second I almost thought we might see </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=bring+out+the+gimp&view=detail&id=BB584650575964E94EE4E8DB594E0FB510372E09&first=1&FORM=IDFRIR"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">this guy</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> come out of the wheelhouse. How perfectly like Arya to be more interested in the oddness of Tyrion as opposed to the beauty of Jaime?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Crypts - Compltely igonoring the queen's pleas for rest, Robert commands Ned to take him into the crypts to pay his respect to Lyanna his dead one true love and Ned's sister. After some believable brotherly banter, Robert gets to the crux of his trip and not only asks Ned to be Hand, but surprises him by proposing a Joffrey/Sana match, thus combining their two houses. A flaberghasted Ned follows Robert deeper into the crypt.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, brothel - Odd change of scenery from the somber crypts to a lecherous whoreouse. Out first scene with Tyrion (and a stunning Esme Bianco), makes for some of the comical debauchery that could only be done right in an HBO show. This scene is priceless and losing it in if the series were shot on a regular channel would take some of the life out of the series. I still find it strange that they put a brothel in Winterfell, but the great fun had during the scene ad also with Arya's comments before it, make it easy to overlook the change.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, crypts - Back to the crypts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Superb acting by Mark Addy here. He makes you really feel for Robert. I was slightly disappointed to lose any inkling of "Promise me Ned" here, but Robert placing the bird feather in Lyanna's hand was an interesting alternative. I thought that first that perhaps this was a foreshadowing to future flashbacks showing Robert and Lyanna in love, but watching the episode on </span><a href="http://www.hbogo.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">HBOGo</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">, with the special feature on, we learn from David Benioff that the feather<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>is a momento of the past that Robert has brought with him from King's Landing.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Quick aside. If you have the ability to watch episodes on HBOGo, try to do so, The extra features package was a fantastic supplement to the show. Great for helping new viewers to keep track of who is who and also fun to help old timers spot a lot of the minutia we surely seek out when watching.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The scene ends with some talk of the Targaryens and a great segue.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pentos, Illyrio's Manse - Its pretty incredible to me that I looked down at the episode timer and its not until just after the first half hour that we get our first Dany scene. Man this episode is going fast!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Emilia does a decent job playing young, innocent Dany here. I am a little disappointed in Harry Lloyd's Viserys though. In fairness, it seems to me more of a directing choice to play him less cruel and more subtle, and Harry does that well. I have just always viewed Viserys as one part mean, one part jaded and one part looney. It seems the meaness and the looney take a big back seat to the jaded here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We move outside to meet Khal Drogo. Even though the good Khal is a bit of a one-note wonder, Jason Mamoa hits that note right on the head. The presentation of Daenarys is injected with all kinds of Dothraki badassery! </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wOrZIIDC9g"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Haku Mashente</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> anyone?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The scene immediately following is one of my least favorite. Again, Harry Lloyd is just so jaded. Instead of all the caressing Dany, I would have loved to see him lose his composure for a second here and painfully grab Dany while uttering the line about the khalasar. Then if he clamed back down and gaveher the kiss he would come off even more unbalanced. As it is, the scene feels pretty flat.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Sansa's room - Speaking of bad scenes. I really hate even admitting this, but this scene is the weakest of the episode. I really like Sophie Turner and I hope she's better in later episodes, but<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gods this came off whiney. <a href="http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo-yfxpsJCM6NkgXtUWZe9EpMVQFoLV9mvqjq8CQ4GGHf5R2FIwLYtSP0YQU7DbeZcwPI7r1k3cLH6-rub1tUNVSvCRJ9xEx4Ny3SWS1CCAW4yHbk0TGgJ-MKQmr-ug122IBy5_r9xxn26/s400/veruca_salt1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://openheartedlife.blogspot.com/2009/08/namaste-veruca-salt.html&usg=__dyG8Hv_67h-HF9dxOdj6bZvlMpY=&h=332&w=325&sz=13&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=U8sbV5fLvKxi-M:&tbnh=146&tbnw=141&ei=RLu0TcbPBsj40gG99NUm&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dveruca%2Bsalt%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26rlz%3D1T4ADSA_enUS423US423%26biw%3D1579%26bih%3D622%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divnsl&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=63&page=1&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0&tx=55&ty=79">I don't want it now daddy! Make it stop daddy</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">!</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> The only redeeming quality of the scene is again, Michelle Fairley's acting. She plays the exasperated mom to a tee here.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Great Hall - The revelry for the feast is underway. Cersei looks on with appropriate disgust as Robert fondles the help. Cat sits next to her in uncomfortable silence.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Courtyard - I have mixed feelings about this scene. In many ways, I feel it's one of the strongest of the series. I don't mind changing the start of the scene to outside. Benjen comes riding in looking even Starkier than Ned. You immediately get a sense of closeness between Jon and Benjen. There is a nice smooth transition between Jon's talks with Benjen and Tyrion. With each "bastard" I chuckled harder until by the last one I was covering my mouth. The last line about all dwarves being bastards in their fathers eyes, was straight out of the book, and no less powerful. Great scene!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I did miss the imagery from the book at the very end where it talks about Tyrion in shadow standing as tall as a king. I suppose it's one of those things that gets lost in translation between mediums, but I still missed it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Something else I missed in this scene is less forgivable though. I'm talking about Ghost. The standoff between Ghost and the bitch was so powerfully endearing in the book. I hated the fact it got cut. You could have even had it in the courtyard with Jon bringing some scraps out. The lack of Ghost here illustrates one of the few overall concerns I have with the series thus far. Some spoilersish comments follow so beware. I'm worried that we aren't going to get much of a chance to view the connection between the Stark kids and their pets before events begin to drive them all apart. Most likely next episode will see Nymeria being driven off and an even worse fate for Lady. We've never even seen the girls with the dogs. Jon will have lots of time to develop a relationship with Ghost, but I really felt an opportunity was missed here. Aside from a few scenes with Bran and Summer, we don't see another pup for the whole episode.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Great Hall - Back to the Feast. Nice dialogue here. Ned and Benjen. Cat, Sansa (Sophie is much better here), and Cersei. Ned and Jaime. We finally get to see Ned utter the "cheesiest line of the leaked pilot script" and to Bean's credit, it doesn't come off cheesy at all. The feast ends for the viewers with Arya getting into more delightful trouble and Robb carting her off to bed. In this scene Robb lookis strikingly familiar to </span><a href="http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=+greg+brady+johnny+bravo&view=detail&id=092FC5E6B2F752D6F38A817A9F76095623F4E94E&first=1&FORM=IDFRIR&qpvt=+greg+brady+johnny+bravo"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">another famous first son</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Lord's Bedroom - Superb, superb scene. Bean is great as Eddard, but again, its Michelle Fairley who is the workhorse of the scene and it's her best! Love, humor, fear, paranoia, pleading, futility all in one scene! What a great job!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Much ado has been made about how the Cat of the show is against Eddard going to King's Landing while the Cat from the novel is for it. I am in resounding favor of the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>switch. To me it makes Catelyn infinitely more likeable and human. I've never been a Cat hater like a lot of the online ASoIaF <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>blog posters out there, but neither was she one of my favorite characters. Michelle Fairley is making me come around.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Aside from Luwin's droning, this is probably the strongest scene of the episode for me.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pentos, Dany's wedding - The snake guy kind of looks like GRRM giving us a cameo, but I think it's just a similar looking dude. We get a pretty good sense of the brutality of Dothraki culture though the dancing and fighting seems just a tad staged. Maybe they needed to </span><a href="http://media.photobucket.com/image/oola/IanTheCool/450px-OolaRancorPit.jpg"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">drop a dancer into the Rancor pit to spice things up a little</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">! </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Harry Lloyd finally comes out of his shell a little and adds to the mix. We get a little more of the crazy Viserys and less of the Jaded one with his desire to piss on Dothraki omens and chuckling at disemboweled party goers. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The dragons eggs look good. I thought at first glance that the green one Dany picks up (Rheagal's) seems to get darker as she holds it. Upon further viewings I think this is just my imagination running wild. The rest of the wedding goes off pretty similar to the books. It ends with Viserys calmly warning a petrified Dany to "Make him happy".</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Pentos, Beach at sunset - This scene starts almost identically to the book, but finishes very differently. There is a brutal realness that Clarke and Mamoa bring to consumation of their marriage. Its really scary and sad all rolled up into one. I don't know how I feel about the change just yet. In the book Dany ends up accepting a much more caring Drogo and we see the very first seeds of the dragon awakening. Here, it's basically a rape. I'm very interested to see how they bring this relationship along.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winterfell, Courtyard - Pre-hunt, we get a bawdy moment between Tyrion and the Hound, who seem to like each other more than they do in the books, a brotherly thank you from Robert to Ned and a tender, understanding nod between Ned and Bran. Bran starts his ill-fated climb. Maybe it’s the angle, but Summer-to-be seems smaller than before. There's really nothing to complain about in this scene. It's almost identical to the novel. I'll end here with my new favorite quote, courtesy of a new fan. </span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UA8swJtPsQ"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">"They killed him! They fucking killed him! Dude!"</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">So that's it! I hope those of you who managed to get all the way to the end enjoyed it! Next week I'll try to get the recap posted sooner. I've got relatives with pitchforks forcing me to hunt for strange candy-filled plastic eggs this week. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i></span></div>Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6075682117664797240.post-91993687222464233682011-04-20T21:39:00.000-07:002011-04-20T21:42:36.367-07:00Lord's LawHello and welcome to Lord Ned's Headlines! This is my meager attempt to contribute to the hubbub and hype surrounding HBO's A Game of Thrones (and perhaps some other stuff depending on how this experiment turns out). Its my first shot at ever doing anything like this, so please bear with me as I get accustomed to running this page.<br />
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My basic aim, at least to get started is to provide a rundown of each episode of season one. I'll go scene by scene and try to add in some views and color as I go. I'm a long time fan of George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series (the books the show is based on), so hopefully I can add some perspective to people not as familiar with the source material.<br />
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The specific audience for this blog is for readers of the novels who are also planning on watching the show.<br />
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One warning. I intend to include thoughts on later events, speculation and theories from the novels that will not yet have occurred on the show. I'll try to mention when possible spoilers are coming up, but I plan to keep the discussion pretty open to any and all thoughts that happen to pop into my head as I break down the episodes. IF YOU DON"T KNOW WHAT HAPPENS OR COULD POSSIBLY HAPPEN FARTHER DOWN THE LINE IN THE SERIES, I HEREBY EXPUNGE MYSELF FROM SPOILING THE PLOT FOR YOU! Everyone and anyone is welcome here, but please, read the books first if you are worried about having the story ruined for you.<br />
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That said, I sincerely hope you enjoy the posts and continue to come back to check out my views on what I hope turns out to be a kick-ass television experience.Lord Ned's Headhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03812140102673880393noreply@blogger.com0