By Jamie Kennett
A bear there was. A bear, a bear; all black and brown and covered with hair. It was “the big one” this week, i.e. the episode written by George R. R. Martin himself. Odd, I thought, considering episode nine is usually his realm (reminisce on Baelor and Blackwater). Either way, my expectations were instantly set to considerably high when I found out the Master of Books had penned this week’s episode of Game of Thrones. That doesn’t, however, suggest these expectations were necessarily met. If you read on you’ll find out why! I’m not going to tell you in the opening paragraph. This is all just a ruse to subtlely compel you into clicking on that link down there; the one aptly named “Read More”.
A bear there was. A bear, a bear; all black and brown and covered with hair. It was “the big one” this week, i.e. the episode written by George R. R. Martin himself. Odd, I thought, considering episode nine is usually his realm (reminisce on Baelor and Blackwater). Either way, my expectations were instantly set to considerably high when I found out the Master of Books had penned this week’s episode of Game of Thrones. That doesn’t, however, suggest these expectations were necessarily met. If you read on you’ll find out why! I’m not going to tell you in the opening paragraph. This is all just a ruse to subtlely compel you into clicking on that link down there; the one aptly named “Read More”.
George’s influence as lead writer on this episode becomes apparent very early on. The scenes between Jon (Kit Harrington) and Ygritte (Rose Leslie) were full of punchy dialogue, and Ygritte’s character in particular was fleshed out quite nicely as she started to experience the landscape south of the Wall. Her loveable naivety proved to be quite entertaining, especially when she mistook a windmill for a palace and then mocked Jon just for knowing what a proper building looks like. The scene where Jon had to explain the concept of fainting to Ygritte briefly reminded me of early scenes in Django Unchained, in a weird way; Jon teaches Ygritte about the world much in the same way Dr. Schultz does. It all seemed to get a bit fan fiction-y after that though, as much of the show already has. I know they’re a couple now, but do they have to start randomly making out on a rock to remind us?
While we’re on the subject of the wildlings, and the books to some extent, I thought I ought to mention Tormund Giantsbane. He started out as an overly aggressive, belittling character, but I think Tormund (Kristofer Hijvu) has been undergoing a subtle and prolonged transformation from ‘TV Tormund’ to ‘Book Tormund’, i.e. his character is developing to something akin to the Tormund in A Storm of Swords rather than what he was initially introduced as in the show. The banter between Jon and him this week put a smile on my face, and his ‘relationship advice’ to Jon was most memorable; “Don’t jam it in like you’re spearing a pig! HA!”
There was some interestingly executed camera work during the scene in the Iron Throne room, I don’t know if you noticed? If not, watch it again and you’ll realise that scene alone establishes Tywin as the real power behind the Seven Kingdoms, and it was all achieved through him walking up some steps and talking down to his grandson with some well-thought cinematography; brilliantly done. It might also have something to do with Charles Dance himself. I need not elaborate on that point.
While we’re on the subject of the wildlings, and the books to some extent, I thought I ought to mention Tormund Giantsbane. He started out as an overly aggressive, belittling character, but I think Tormund (Kristofer Hijvu) has been undergoing a subtle and prolonged transformation from ‘TV Tormund’ to ‘Book Tormund’, i.e. his character is developing to something akin to the Tormund in A Storm of Swords rather than what he was initially introduced as in the show. The banter between Jon and him this week put a smile on my face, and his ‘relationship advice’ to Jon was most memorable; “Don’t jam it in like you’re spearing a pig! HA!”
There was some interestingly executed camera work during the scene in the Iron Throne room, I don’t know if you noticed? If not, watch it again and you’ll realise that scene alone establishes Tywin as the real power behind the Seven Kingdoms, and it was all achieved through him walking up some steps and talking down to his grandson with some well-thought cinematography; brilliantly done. It might also have something to do with Charles Dance himself. I need not elaborate on that point.
It’s getting weirder and weirder up in that “mysterious” castle in the North each week, and there doesn’t seem to be any end to what Theon’s sadistic jailor wants to do to him. It took me a while to realise that Theon’s completely unprovoked lesbian fantasy three-way was actually happening; it felt like any moment Theon was going to say “Hold on. This is a dream isn’t it?”, at least it did until “Boy” (I wish they’d just reveal his name already) announced his arrival. The more that he blows that horn of his, the more I feel compelled to purchase one of my own. The medieval vuvuzela is a lot more versatile than one might think; use it to wake up a confused prisoner! Use it to interrupt a bizarre and randomly-placed lesbian sex scene! Or use it to whack Theon Greyjoy around the head, complete with satisfying pang sound! The ensuing scene was not a particularly enjoyable one. All I can say is that I’m glad they decided to fade out…
I hope they elaborate on Theon’s situation soon. If we’re just going to watch him lose another body part for five minutes each week, I’m not going to care much for his plight after a while. They should at least reveal who “Boy” is at some point soon, or if not that, then at least where they are. Although like I said last week, the clues are all quite obvious if you know your Game of Thrones lore.
Given where we’re at now in the show, I have to say I’m impressed at how the character of Dany has managed to evolve since season one. It amazes me how in the space of eighteen months she’s gone from an almost-mute girl, to a Dothraki sex doll (for want of a better way of putting it), to a kleptomaniacal queen. What’s happened to her? Ever since her dragons hatched she’s had the Targaryen setting whacked up to full, and now she’s just blasting around eastern Essos trying to take over every city she passes through. Each to their own though, to be honest I’ve inadvertently stopped paying much attention to these scenes now; I’ve just ended up watching them for Emilia Clarke, who, -asides from simply being enjoyable to behold-, does have a certain knack for portraying the exile queen and has really come into her own since that whole “Qarth thing” in season two. I think I’ve said all this before…
Either way, while we’re on the subject of Dany and her dragons, it seems Game of Thrones has upped the ante in the special effects department. I’ve always said you can judge the show’s budget by how good the dragons look, and how often you actually see them. This week must be the first time Drogon’s been treated to a close-up of his own, without Dany/people-on-fire getting in the way. It’s partly a means of showing the might of Daenerys Targaryen, obviously, but it’s also partly the editors just flailing their arms around and shouting “Look! Look what we can do with dragons now!” My only worry, however, is that by the time the three of them grow to full strength (the dragons, not the editors) there won’t be any money left for the rest of the show…
I hope they elaborate on Theon’s situation soon. If we’re just going to watch him lose another body part for five minutes each week, I’m not going to care much for his plight after a while. They should at least reveal who “Boy” is at some point soon, or if not that, then at least where they are. Although like I said last week, the clues are all quite obvious if you know your Game of Thrones lore.
Given where we’re at now in the show, I have to say I’m impressed at how the character of Dany has managed to evolve since season one. It amazes me how in the space of eighteen months she’s gone from an almost-mute girl, to a Dothraki sex doll (for want of a better way of putting it), to a kleptomaniacal queen. What’s happened to her? Ever since her dragons hatched she’s had the Targaryen setting whacked up to full, and now she’s just blasting around eastern Essos trying to take over every city she passes through. Each to their own though, to be honest I’ve inadvertently stopped paying much attention to these scenes now; I’ve just ended up watching them for Emilia Clarke, who, -asides from simply being enjoyable to behold-, does have a certain knack for portraying the exile queen and has really come into her own since that whole “Qarth thing” in season two. I think I’ve said all this before…
Either way, while we’re on the subject of Dany and her dragons, it seems Game of Thrones has upped the ante in the special effects department. I’ve always said you can judge the show’s budget by how good the dragons look, and how often you actually see them. This week must be the first time Drogon’s been treated to a close-up of his own, without Dany/people-on-fire getting in the way. It’s partly a means of showing the might of Daenerys Targaryen, obviously, but it’s also partly the editors just flailing their arms around and shouting “Look! Look what we can do with dragons now!” My only worry, however, is that by the time the three of them grow to full strength (the dragons, not the editors) there won’t be any money left for the rest of the show…
I thought it best I leave this particular part until the end, as I’m about to go full geek. I’ll set the scene, and hopefully a lot better than the show’s location scouts managed to do; Jaime Lannister has just left Harrenhal, with a band of Roose Bolton’s men, to be escorted back to King’s Landing. It seems, however, that the party has taken a detour via Winterfell. What evidence is there, you may ask? Anyone who remembers season one will also remember the scenes introducing House Stark at the start of the first episode. Ned takes a deserter from the Night’s Watch to a bizarrely situated chopping block (some kind of weird ceremonial tree stump in the visual definition of “the middle-of-f***ing-nowhere”), and there’s a couple of wide shots that show off the rather imposing and distinct cliff-face in the background. A striking piece of geography, it just so happens it appeared again this week as the Bolton men stopped for Jaime to have his wound seen to. Not only was I “a bit cheesed off” at the fact the show has embarrassingly recycled locations from two seasons ago, and not only is said location meant to be around the corner from Winterfell, but the countryside surrounding Harrenhal doesn’t even look like that! It’s not a barren, rocky, mountainous, Northern Irish landscape; the Riverlands are flat! And there are fields and trees a-plenty. It’s bloody outrageous.
And Arya’s starting to get on my nerves a little bit now. Its fair enough that all of her friends have abandoned her/been sold off to red priestesses, but that’s no excuse to suddenly start acting like a little girl again (she is a little girl, I know, but still). Arya used to be cool. In season one she may have just been the “weird” Stark, but in season two she was plain awesome. Now, I don’t know what’s happened to her; she spends all of her on-screen time winging to whomever will listen, and nothing gets done. Bring back the old Arya, the one that tried to stab Tywin Lannister with a steak knife. Well, she thought about it at least.
And Arya’s starting to get on my nerves a little bit now. Its fair enough that all of her friends have abandoned her/been sold off to red priestesses, but that’s no excuse to suddenly start acting like a little girl again (she is a little girl, I know, but still). Arya used to be cool. In season one she may have just been the “weird” Stark, but in season two she was plain awesome. Now, I don’t know what’s happened to her; she spends all of her on-screen time winging to whomever will listen, and nothing gets done. Bring back the old Arya, the one that tried to stab Tywin Lannister with a steak knife. Well, she thought about it at least.
My one gripe (one gripe?) was that nothing really seemed to actually happen in this week’s episode, besides the climactic bear fight at the end. Even that wasn’t anywhere near as dramatic and exciting as I thought it’d be. The fight was one of the things that the show seemed determined to peddle in all the pre-release trailers, but proved to be disappointingly short and predictable for me, if not a little cheesy. Jaime gallops back into Harrenhal like a one-handed knight in shining armour, runs over to the bear pit (or bear ladder as Littlefinger would interpret it), jumps in, saves Brienne from the bear (marvellously portrayed by Bart the Bear), makes a cocky remark to the man who cut his hand off, and then strolls away to an instrumental version of The Rains of Castamere; was that it? Not to sound too sadistic or anything, but I was at least expecting someone (Brienne, or that pillock with the moustache) to die. It could have at least lasted a bit longer, if not anything else. There could have been more bear action as well. I am glad Brienne’s still alive though; she doesn’t deserve to be slaughtered by a hairy bear.
Considering George himself was the chap who wrote this week’s episode, it still felt a little weak to me. The dialogue was definitely a lot punchier however, and the characters felt more alive than usual, but there just wasn’t much story being driven besides the closure on Jaime and Brienne. Thinking back on the episode there honestly isn’t anything that strikes out as being particularly memorable, besides Dany’s scene and the ending. I can only hope the action is stepped up a notch in the final few episodes; we’ve had quite enough of ladies crying, lords arguing, and kings slipping into depression.
There is one question I’ll continue to ask myself, and that is why has George decided to write this episode, and not episode nine? – The Rains of Castermere. The title alone sends alarm bells ringing.
Considering George himself was the chap who wrote this week’s episode, it still felt a little weak to me. The dialogue was definitely a lot punchier however, and the characters felt more alive than usual, but there just wasn’t much story being driven besides the closure on Jaime and Brienne. Thinking back on the episode there honestly isn’t anything that strikes out as being particularly memorable, besides Dany’s scene and the ending. I can only hope the action is stepped up a notch in the final few episodes; we’ve had quite enough of ladies crying, lords arguing, and kings slipping into depression.
There is one question I’ll continue to ask myself, and that is why has George decided to write this episode, and not episode nine? – The Rains of Castermere. The title alone sends alarm bells ringing.
RSS Feed
