Game of Thrones - Rewatch

[HuskyHawk]

HBOMax has all the episodes up again. Thought I’d give it a rewatch given the sorry state of TV and movies at the moment. I’m about to start episode 3. Impressions so far:

• That pilot episode was epic. Quite long and they packed so much into it. I didn’t remember so much being covered so quickly.
• There is a lot of foreshadowing that I didn’t notice. Arya lingering on The Hound when the king arrives in the North. The dragon eggs are in almost every scene with Danaerys, and always surrounded by fire (candles). Dany also climbs in a bath and the worker says it is too hot, but that doesn’t scald her.
• I knew the production quality was high, but it still stands out as better than many movies, especially since so many new movies are Netflix offerings with pretty low budgets.

edit

• In episode 4 the gorgeous Roxanne McKee is bathing with Viserys and talks about seeing a man who can change his face as easily as other men change their clothes.

 

[nwhoopfan]

Dany also climbs in a bath and the worker says it is too hot, but that doesn’t scald her.

Oh sure, that's what you noticed?

I only saw season 1, but I remember that scene distinctly.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Oh sure, that's what you noticed?

I only saw season 1, but I remember that scene distinctly.

To be fair, the level of nudity in this show in season 1 is really pretty remarkable. There is a lot to notice.

Just saw another heat related scene last night, where her attendee burns her hands on hot dragon eggs but Dany is unharmed. It's also the episode where her brother is killed by molten gold, and she says he wasn't the real dragon. At this point, I think we would all notice these cumulative hints, but that scene in the bath was the first such hint.

 

[Deepster]

HBOMax has all the episodes up again. Thought I’d give it a rewatch given the sorry state of TV and movies at the moment. I’m about to start episode 3. Impressions so far:

• That pilot episode was epic. Quite long and they packed so much into it. I didn’t remember so much being covered so quickly.
• There is a lot of foreshadowing that I didn’t notice. Arya lingering on The Hound when the king arrives in the North. The dragon eggs are in almost every scene with Danaerys, and always surrounded by fire (candles). Dany also climbs in a bath and the worker says it is too hot, but that doesn’t scald her.
• I knew the production quality was high, but it still stands out as better than many movies, especially since so many new movies are Netflix offerings with pretty low budgets.

edit

• In episode 4 the gorgeous Roxanne McKee is bathing with Viserys and talks about seeing a man who can change his face as easily as other men change their clothes.

One thing I would be interested in during a rewatch is any other signs of the "Lannister Honeypot". If you don't know what that is, search it up on YouTube. It's a video that explains how Talisa Stark was a plant by the Lannister's to get Robb's mind off of the battle...because he was winning and had momentum. There are a lot of little tidbits that all add up to make a pretty good case for it and I would watch every scene with her very closely the next time I watch.

 

[HuskyHawk]

One thing I would be interested in during a rewatch is any other signs of the "Lannister Honeypot". If you don't know what that is, search it up on YouTube. It's a video that explains how Talisa Stark was a plant by the Lannister's to get Robb's mind off of the battle...because he was winning and had momentum. There are a lot of little tidbits that all add up to make a pretty good case for it and I would watch every scene with her very closely the next time I watch.

Nope. Don’t see it. She does not seem to be a plant. In fact, the Lannisters order her to be murdered at the Twins.

I am into season 4 now. Really enjoying it the second time through. It’s quite remarkable really as a complex tale unfolding.

• I just love Natalie Dormer. Wow. Like a full grown version of Tinkerbell
• Love that Diana Rigg got the role of Lady Olenna and crushed it. Mrs. Peel is an all time great character.
• The Hound and Arya make such a great and interesting team. He loves her I think. Like a daughter.
• Two actor switches from prior seasons. Both Walder Frey and Dario Naharras were replaced.
• The daughter Walder wed to Edmere really was a knockout. Robb screwed up.
• The Night Watch and Mormont should have killed Craster. They know winter is coming and Craster and the daughters will die anyway. Kill him and free them.
• Dany is kind of annoying. I get freeing slaves but she’s just so full of herself. Somebody needs to smack her and nobody will. This has a negative impact later.
• Tyrion remains the best lead character. He does the right thing, has brains and guts.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

 

[Deepster]

Nope. Don’t see it. She does not seem to be a plant. In fact, the Lannisters order her to be murdered at the Twins.

Why wouldn't that make sense? Erase the trail.

If you haven't watched the YouTube explanation, I'd suggest giving it a watch. Makes a compelling argument with lots of video examples.

 

[HuskyHawk]

So I've made some additional progress. Things that stand out.

• Misandei, holy smokes what a stunning woman.
• Dany is really a bit harsh on Jorah when his earlier spying is revealed. She's high minded and sanctimonious, but not very smart really.
• Oberyn Martell beats the Mountain quite easily, and then dies in gruesome fashion while monologuing. What an idiot. But in a sense this foreshadows Arya, and the value of the agile, light fighter against slow armored fighter. A few episodes before, Arya stabs the Hound's armor to no effect after he mocks her dancing sword style.
• The whole Ramsey Bolton torture stuff is tiresome and not realistic.
• Sansa Stark's story about how Aunt Lyssa "suicided" blending truth with small falsehoolds, especially revealing some true things that were secret...where did that come from? It's brilliant, and not only gives her power over those lords of the Vale, but Littlefinger as well. It was like a switch flipped.
• I had completely forgotten that Stannis went beyond the wall to bail out the Black Watch from Mance's army. How did I forget that?

It's good, but I think this is the part of the show where they start diverging from the books or have run out of source material.

 

[CL82]

Misandei, holy smokes what a stunning woman.

Dude! She's only 11 years old! (In the books)

 

[HuskyHawk]

Dude! She's only 11 years old! (In the books)

I never knew that. George RR is a pretty weird dude. The actress is 7 years older than Sophie Turner, who was 18 playing 14 in the season I just watched.

 

[CL82]

I never knew that. George RR is a pretty weird dude. The actress is 7 years older than Sophie Turner, who was 18 playing 14 in the season I just watched.

I was confident of that. The books are a great read. The series started out being pretty true to them but diverged over time. They ended up making up the last season which is why in many ways it pails compared to the earlier years.

When I started the books, after the start of the series, someone on the BY was like "good luck waiting years for the next one." I thought well the books are long and there are like a half dozen of them.... I am still waiting.

 

[John]

Nope. Don’t see it. She does not seem to be a plant. In fact, the Lannisters order her to be murdered at the Twins.

I am into season 4 now. Really enjoying it the second time through. It’s quite remarkable really as a complex tale unfolding.

• I just love Natalie Dormer. Wow. Like a full grown version of Tinkerbell
• Love that Diana Rigg got the role of Lady Olenna and crushed it. Mrs. Peel is an all time great character.
• The Hound and Arya make such a great and interesting team. He loves her I think. Like a daughter.
• Two actor switches from prior seasons. Both Walder Frey and Dario Naharras were replaced.
• The daughter Walder wed to Edmere really was a knockout. Robb screwed up.
• The Night Watch and Mormont should have killed Craster. They know winter is coming and Craster and the daughters will die anyway. Kill him and free them.
• Dany is kind of annoying. I get freeing slaves but she’s just so full of herself. Somebody needs to smack her and nobody will. This has a negative impact later.
• Tyrion remains the best lead character. He does the right thing, has brains and guts.
  
  
  
  
  
  

Natalie Dormer is great. Watch The Tudors if you're a fan of hers.

 

[billythekid]

One thing I would be interested in during a rewatch is any other signs of the "Lannister Honeypot". If you don't know what that is, search it up on YouTube. It's a video that explains how Talisa Stark was a plant by the Lannister's to get Robb's mind off of the battle...because he was winning and had momentum. There are a lot of little tidbits that all add up to make a pretty good case for it and I would watch every scene with her very closely the next time I watch.

That video makes an interesting case. But while it's been some time since I read the books, I don't remember any hint of that plot line. If memory serves, Robb was injured in a battle and she nursed him back to health. A bit of Florence Nightingale effect later, and he felt honor-bound to marry her.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Natalie Dormer is great. Watch The Tudors if you're a fan of hers.

Yeah, I am aware of the benefits of her appearances in The Tudors.

 

[HuskyHawk]

That video makes an interesting case. But while it's been some time since I read the books, I don't remember any hint of that plot line. If memory serves, Robb was injured in a battle and she nursed him back to health. A bit of Florence Nightingale effect later, and he felt honor-bound to marry her.

I saw a few videos, but one was very clear that the situation in the books was entirely different. Talisa isn't in the books. The show runners replaced Jeyne Westerling, who was evidently a very different and more minor character. Game of Thrones' Robb Stark Wedding Plot Hole Explained (screenrant.com)

 

[HuskyHawk]

So, I am through Season 5, partway into 6. Got 3 episodes in today after my colonoscopy. Didn’t feel like doing much. It’s a respite with comfortable characters.

• Sucks that the forest people all died to save Bran. But then they did create the White Walkers. But then humans drove them too it. Consequences.
• Dany is going to be pissed at Tyrion for making a deal with slavers. At least I think I remember that.
• Sansa refusing Littlefingers help from the knights of the Vale. Just when it seemed she was over being stupid.
• Waif coming for Arya. Arya is ready. A girl is someone.
• Theon has a decent redemption arc, minus all the torture. He really does save Sansa, and does right by Yara.
• I don’t recall who kills Ramsey. I almost wish we could bring him back like Jon or Beric and kill him painfully several times.
• Tormund giving looks to Brienne has begun. This shows needs that comic relief. It’s mostly a dark stretch.
• The Tommen, Margeary, High Sparrow triumvirate has such an obviously short potential life span. Margeary should know better.
• I drink and I know things. That line had staying power. Probably describes the self view of half the yard.
• Just remembered that Liana Mormont is coming soon. Something to look forward too. I think she’s the one that shames Jon into putting aside his teenage angst.
  
  
  

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Season 5 was mostly about character development, not as much action. It is actually better on the re-watch than it was the first time through. Season 6 is explosive, and then seasons 7 and 8 are all about the visuals and action with little character development.

• Dany learns that ruling is a lot harder than conquering. I wish the writers used this learning in the latter seasons.
• As unsettling as the Sansa/Ramsey arc is, it was necessary for the overall plot. I think there are parallels to Cersei's decline and ultimate rise in Season 6. Both characters grow quite a bit in Season 5.
• I really liked the High Sparrow arc. There are risks to religious fanaticism, even in Westeros.
• Stannis' decline and fall is well done. Stannis looks like a front runner to win the Game when he kills Renly in Season 2, but his own intransigence and a series of bad decisions lead to his downfall.
• Dorne should not have been as lame as it was in the show. I would be really pissed if I was any of the actors/actresses out of Dorne because the writing and directing for that arc was terrible. I am also surprised that they cut one of my favorite chapters from the books. In A Dance With Dragons, a crew from Dorne tries to steal a dragon from Dany, and it goes about as you would expect. It is an entertaining chapter, but it also humanizes the Dornish a little, which was necessary in the show because they were basically poorly written comic book characters in the show.
• Hardhomme is entertaining, but I feel like that was the beginning of the show's turn from interesting political and character drama to zombie apocalypse show. The zombie apocalypse was the least interesting part of Game of Thrones for me.

Thinking about Season 5 really emphasizes how badly the writers screwed up Seasons 7 and 8. Both of those seasons should have been 10 episodes. The Hound, Arya, Sansa, Cersei, Jaime, Brienne, Queen of Thornes, Grey Worm, Littlefinger, Varys and even some of the secondary characters needed more screen time to finish off their arcs.

Season 6 may be the best season of the show.

Spoiler: Seasons 7 and 8

Season 7 - the opening is incredible, but the Riverlands plot shouldn't just come to an end when Arya slaughters the Freys. Edmure must have gotten out somehow. There also needs to be more Hound, Baric and Thoros if they are going to emphasize the zombie apocalypse. All 3 of those characters are searching for redemption for past sins, which makes them interesting together. The only purpose the zombie apocalypse serves from a character development standpoint is for us to see how the characters act when faced with armageddon.

I know battle scenes are expensive, but HBO's budget for the last season was limitless, and Highgarden should have gotten a little more air time. That castle would not have fallen easily, and that event was the end of Olenna and really important in Jaime's character development. It should not have been rushed through. The scene in the tower should have been two characters physically and emotionally exhausted, not just another scene between two characters that had not been on screen together yet.

Beyond the Wall was another episode that was fun to watch but basically didn't move the plot or characters ahead an inch.

Season 8 -

There should have been 3-4 episodes between The Long Night and The Bells, instead of 1. We never learn how the Council of Remaining Characters shows up in the Dragonpit in Episode 6. I think everyone bearing down on Cersei would have made her ending more poignant. She wasn't just facing Dany and the Northmen/Vale, but was also likely facing the Riverlands with Edmure, Dorne and something out of the Reach. I think the hopelessness of Cersei's situation would have made her arc more compelling, would have justified some of Jaime's decisions to be with his sister, and would have made Dany's turn in The Bells even more sinister.

They should have also split the last episode into two. I think the beginning of the jockeying for the post-Cersei and Dany world would have been interesting, and a little more build up would have made the appoint of Bran as King make more sense. It was a bit too much "happily ever after" with Bran in charge.

 

[Rocktheworld]

I’ve watched the series through S6 twice, watched 7 and 8 live with my girlfriend at the time. Might watch again but only up to red wedding or maybe through season 4 to catch on to other foreshadowing and watch for this honey pot theory I’m seeing here. Not much interesting/coherent happens after S4, given I know how seasons 5-8 go. Total waste of life.