Game of Thrones

[Pitty]

I guess this season is what happens when source material runs out before the show catches up.

 

[Houston]

The whole waiting a week thing just makes some of these first half of the season build up episodes seem like let downs.

That's more just the way this season is, than you watching it week to week.

Of course we'd all like to rush through shows but when it's something as big of Game of Thrones, it's much better to watch along with everyone else and experience everything between the episodes.

 

[SethMode]

I guess this season is what happens when source material runs out before the show catches up.

Well, considering how hit or miss the source material was after book 3, it's not really been a bad thing.

 

[NAHSTE]

Well, considering how hit or miss the source material was after book 3, it's not really been a bad thing.

Very true. And a lot of these frustrations are just echoing what book readers have long been complaining about with regard to the plot losing steam. If anything, the show is moving through the important plot beats more quickly. (An example for the benefit of show watchers to see how much faster we're moving -- in the books, Stannis marches south from the Wall to attack the Bolton host toward the end of the last book, but the actual battle still hasn't fucking happened yet. The outcome of this battle, which we'll obviously get resolved in a few weeks of show time, is left unresolved as a big cliffhanger at the end of the last book. The show has caught up to Stannis's plot as its written on the page and will surpass it soon, probably by the next episode.)

There's just not a lot that happens, story-wise, from here. The intrigue is all about the various factions scheming behind the scenes, which is obviously a lot harder to present on screen.

They've done a great job consolidating and streamlining the story, but alas, they've muddled things further in many ways, and a lot of the created for TV material this season has been sloppily handled. So far they've altered/botched some of the (only) storylines of book 5 which I found most compelling.

Some spoiler-y examples include:

 

No Queenmaker plot, no Arianne, so the whole Myrcella story is just kind of a mess. No Kingsmoot or Ironborn (yet). The Northern Conspiracy may or may not still be going down, but we're not getting Frey pies or Manderly it looks like. We may still get the Ghost of Winterfell but without Mance and the spearwives we're going to be shoehorning Brienne and Pod into this plot, which probably means no pink letter, which leaves the justification for "FTW" as rather thin (though they're laying on the wildling stuff reallllly thick to compensate for this).

- As for something show watchers and book readers can probably find consensus on, the Dornish stuff this season has been, objectively speaking, god awful. Ellaria is a one dimensional dud, the sandsnakes are poorly written and poorly cast, with none of their traits distinguishable beyond "dagger girl" ... "whip girl" ... "the one with the spear" ... We got rid of Arianne and my dude Oakheart ... for THIS SHIT?

The decision to send Bronn and Jaime there sounded really cool on paper and could have produced an epic showdown, but in reality we got some of the clunkiest blocking and writing this show has ever produced. That scene was painful.

After they fucking NAILED the Red Viper last season I had soaring hopes for finally seeing Dorne, arguably the coolest place in all of the kingdoms, but they've basically mailed it in completely.

 

[SethMode]

Great post. I have more thoughts that'll save for later when I have a little more time, but I will say: I 100% agree with you about Dorne. Everything has been poorly written, acted, and seemingly sped up to a level that has made me feel like they approached with a mindset of "just get through this Dorne shit so we never have to address it again."

 

[KINGOFOOTBALL]

Everything with Dorne has been a let down. It seems like a place the size of a children's park. That fight scene was atrocious Zack and AC slater almost fighting on Saved by the Bell had more suspense.
I never know wtf little finger is up to. I certainly think he played Cersei so he can march his army without worry of Lannister backlash.

 

[j.hen]

I actually like the Sand Snakes and Ellaria but that's probably just because they're Oberyn's family and Oberyn was easily the best character in the series. But I'll agree this Dorne stuff has been pretty lame. I was looking forward to the Jaime/Bronn showdown with the Sand Snakes but wasn't sure wtf was going on when it happened. And the resolution (or lack thereof) immediately afterwards was just as clunky.

So is Bronn poisoned now? He got hit with a random buzzer beater of a slice and I can only assume that Oberyn's daughters poison their weapons the way he did, maybe I'm wrong there.

 

[number_55]

hello.