shapinglight: (Catelyn Stark)
None ([personal profile] shapinglight) wrote2012-05-22 12:04 am

Game of Thrones season 2 ep 8 : The (almost) clueless about the books POV

Did manage to watch this today, but haven't been able to find a moment to write a review till now, when I'm about to go to bed. Oh well.

Spoilers behind cut.



This episode had an oddly wistful quality in parts. There were various scenes where I found myself thinking, uh-oh, this is the last time these two are going to meet.

That was especially the case in the Theon/Yara scene, where Yara turning nice can only mean one thing, IMO - ie. that when this Bastard of Bolton character shows up something very nasty indeed will happen to Theon. I just hope they don't choose to make it too graphic.

The other wistful scene was the Dany/Jorah one, which, as you can imagine, I loved to bits, while at the same time thinking, it's all doomed to badness, isn't it? And I do hope the fact that Lord Varys is still getting updates on Dany's situation doesn't mean that Jorah is still spying on her. :(

Anyway, I hope they have a couple more scenes together before the end of the season, because I have nasty feeling that's it (or at least, that's it, until the books put them together again, if they ever do).

Elsewhere, Jon is still having a less than jolly time (and Sam is missing him terribly). Jaime Lannister isn't enjoying himself that much either, but at least it's not quite so chilly where he is.

The quarrel between Cat and Robb was upsetting. They were so close at the end of season 1. That said, I would much rather have more scenes between Robb and Cat than scenes between Robb and this Talisa woman. Have vaguely gathered that the character's generally not that well liked, and I can't say I like her either. Not that it bothers me in the slightest if Robb cries off his needs-must engagement with one of the charmless Frey clan, but as I've said in a previous review, I'm really not interested in his love life.

I'd far rather see him interact with his siblings, actually, especially because I'm beginning to wonder if the Stark children will ever meet each other again. I just hope that Bran and Rickon stay together, and that Maester Luwin and Osha carry on looking after them (though noticed the utterly useless direwolves have gone missing again - and still no sign of Ghost either).

Other scenes were more interesting - every scene featuring Arya, for instance (I shall miss her exchanges with Tywin), and the Tyrion/Bronn, Tyrion/Cersei, Tyrion/Varys scenes. I suppose Varys must have fed Cersei false information on purpose, about Ros being Tyrion's lover. Part of his power game - show Tyrion he can reveal his secret whenever he wants to.

Good episode (except for the Robb/Talisa scene, which went on too long). Things are building nicely to a head at last. I suppose Stannis will probably arrive at Kingslanding at the end of ep 9, and ep 10 (which I vaguely remember GRRM is writing) will feature some big battle or other. I expect it's too much to hope that Joffrey will get killed, but maybe 'Uncle' Stannis will get a turn at slapping him. Can't expect Bronn to do it every week.

Trivial stuff:

Jorah's speech about how he would remember Dany in the flames longer than he'll remember his own mother's face made me go all gooey.
I wonder who would win in a fight? Jaime or Brienne?
I wish we could get through one episode - just one - without any female nudity.
Speaking of nudity, there haven't been nearly enough naked men this season. What's that all about?

Not a good review, I'm afraid, but it's been a long day and I'm tired.

[identity profile] queenofthorns.livejournal.com 2012-05-21 11:18 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't believe there was any female nudity in last week's episode :) and it was so much better. What I found infuriating about the Cat-Robb stuff is that she actually HAD a good reason for releasin Jaime (a dead Jaime was of no use to anyone!) but she didn't say it.

As for Robb and the Frey girl - that's what kings do, marry people they don't necessarily love because they need the alliances. That's what Robb's mother and father did, that's what Dany did, that's what just about every noble lord in Westeros did; he had to cross that river so he agreed to the marriage. I didn't feel bad for him, especially as I'm sure he intends for Arya to keep *that* part of the deal.

[identity profile] queenofthorns.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 10:24 am (UTC)(link)
Catelyn didn't tell Karstark senior she was going tonrrlease Jaime, just that he had to wait until Robb came back to execute Jaime. And then Brienne warned Cat that Jaime wouldn't last the night because everyone in the camp was so riled up and Cat realized that if Jaime died, Sansa and Arya would die as well. I wanted Cat to TELL Robb that when he was berating her for sowing discord in his camp. Actually I wanted her to slap him ;)

As for Robb, I didn't mean he'd offered to marry Talisa but that his whining about not wanting to marry a Frey girl irritated me. He made that promise because he needed to cross the Twins; reneging on a promise made to one's bannermen is kind of a big deal. Ned and Catelyn had an arranged marriage, after all. If he decides he'll keep Talisa as his mistress and marry the Frey girl I'm sure that's totally acceptable though. (I mean by Westeros standards.)

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 02:37 pm (UTC)(link)
If he decides he'll keep Talisa as his mistress and marry the Frey girl I'm sure that's totally acceptable though. (I mean by Westeros standards.)
Alas, he's a Stark. ;)

[identity profile] queenofthorns.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 02:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Heh! Well, if he's such a Stark that he can't keep a mistress then he needs to be Stark enough to man up, shut up and marry the girl he promised to marry. I'm sure Ned didn't whine to Jon's mama about how he didn't want to marry Catelyn >:|

(I think the idea of this "romance" was to make me like Robb more but I actually like him less and less these days.)

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 02:52 pm (UTC)(link)
I know! I had thought it would be a good idea to flesh out this romance, but the way they've gone about 'fleshing it out'...er... yeah. It's made me less sympathetic, not moreso.

[identity profile] beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com 2012-05-21 11:31 pm (UTC)(link)
Talisa feels too much like... I dunno. A character specifically written to be a love interest, without half the mystery or intelligence of Shae, for instance. This episode, we get to find out exactly who she is, and it doesn't really make her any more interesting. I suppose they can still come up with something for her to do, but I'm not holding my breath.

Loved the scenes between Bronn, Varys and Tyrion. Damn, Tyrion is going to have to use that arsenal of Cersei's, isn't he?

And I guess Tywin didn't figure out who Arya was after all. But how great was her scene with Jaqen? I really hope we get more of him, he's a delightful anti-Ned Stark in terms of honour and loyalty; how many professional killers would have said anything but "Uh... yeah, sure I'm going to kill myself just because you say so."

The thing with Jaime is bound to end badly.

Jon undercover? Somehow I'm having trouble believing he could fool anyone for more than, oh, 2 seconds. But I guess we'll see. And I'm curious about the whole "First men" business.

Theon continues to be a pathetically inept villain - his attempt to bribe the farmer to not tell anyone his children were dead and not realising that of course they'd killed the farmer too is just... please leave my TV now. And let's have more Yara instead. That was a really good scene.

I dunno, Stannis doesn't seem like the slapping type. Maybe his priestess could come up with some sort of slapping demon? (Also, Joffrey 17? How much time has passed since 1.01, anyway?)

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 12:30 am (UTC)(link)
I'm so glad they pulled Yara closer to her book version. I really like her in the book but she came off quite differently until now.

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 02:27 pm (UTC)(link)
The Iron Island scenes in the book were from Theon's POV and with his being SUCH a misogynist had me immediately on Asha/Yara's side just to spite him. It was easier to grasp why she would be pissed off that this misogynist ass was coming along trying to take everything that SHE had worked for.

The show gave us a bit more sympathy for Theon than I had in the book (though, given his overall arc, I don't mind their giving us a bit more pity for him), so Yara wanting to keep him out came off far bitchier and less well-founded than it felt in the book. As she was introduced in the show, she came off as something of the bad guy. It never quite came off that way in the book. Sure she was attacking the North but it was never personal. I never saw her as a villain, just someone from a different house.

She was also... I don't know, happier? Less dour? In all the dark and woeful characters around, she wasn't full of angst and woe even when things go against her (as they do in places).
Edited 2012-05-22 14:29 (UTC)

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-23 02:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I don't quite know what they're going to put in the show re: Theon because the needs of the series are so different than those of the books. I really sort of 'missed' (as in either didn't read or didn't fully grasp) what had happened to Theon at the end of Book II because honestly, I don't even know how I arrived at that impression that I had because nothing actually happened. I was just sort of assuming (Honestly, Martin does this with more than one character at the end of Book II. YOu assume stuff based on an abrupt scene change, but you may be assuming wrongly. At least, I did.).

I honestly don't know what the show will choose to do with Theon at this point.

And Asha (who is Yara in the show) isn't dour. At least in Book II she's practically... rollicking(?) She's married in the book but is happily estranged "Oh he's off somewhere, and I don't give a flip about him anyway. I run my own life and my own ship" and basically lives life as she wants to, having affairs where she wants to, and generally enjoying the Pirate/Viking life (as the Iron Islanders came of quite... pirate-like to me in the book.) I never thought of her as 'dour' when reading, so that coming across on the show was a surprise to me.
Edited 2012-05-23 14:31 (UTC)

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-24 06:13 pm (UTC)(link)
I wonder if they're going to conclude that arc the same way this season in the show or put it off to next season. There's enough going on on King's Landing to make me wonder whether they'll do all that needs to be done in Winterfell.

For that matter, I'm wondering what they're going to do with Arya for the rest of this season. Her ending in Book II was that she, Gendry, and Hot Pie finally escaped Harrenhal and were heading out on the open road. They've now done that. Though in the process they've skipped a Jaquen/Arya scene that's pretty pivotal, so I'm guessing that is still going to happen but is restaged. There's really no way to skip it because it's important to her long arc. I'm also wondering whether they're going to borrow a tad from her story in Book III just to set stuff up for next season.
Edited 2012-05-24 18:21 (UTC)

[identity profile] beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 11:12 am (UTC)(link)
I think you're going to get your wish re: Theon, but to be honest, after what book readers have hinted at, I'm rather dreading it. :(

TBH, this may make me sound like a horrible person, but I wouldn't mind seeing him flayed to death, Warren-style (within reason). What I'm more afraid of is that he'll be tortured and not killed and continue to cock things up because WOAH MANPAIN.

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)
I wonder if it will ever be explained why he talks in that weird way.

Yes. But that answer will probably never come from him.

Hee! Must say, I'm looking forward to setting eyes on Mance Rayder.
When reading the book, I cast him in my head as James Purefoy. Doubt I'll get that on the show but... that doesn't mean I'll stop wishing for him to be there.
Edited 2012-05-22 14:42 (UTC)

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-23 02:03 pm (UTC)(link)
There is a character that readers wonder whether or not he's Benjen, but it's not Mance.

And I suppose Jaquen could explain what he speaks that way in the show (it might simplify things for the audience), but I doubt that he will because the answer is quite involved and will be answered through plot... eventually.
Edited 2012-05-23 14:05 (UTC)

[identity profile] lk737.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 12:02 am (UTC)(link)
agreed with all bb. i am terribly spoiled as far as the books go. but have faith little one. some of what you want to see may come to pass on the little screen :D i just can't promise any male nudity. damn hbo.

i would bet money on brienne. she's had good food and rest lately. jaime would be toast.

and that scene between Jorah and Dany had me gooey too. so moving and from the heart. i just think, though, that Dany is going to break his heart. she's so young and driven.

i can't wait to see if Tyrion uses Cersei's arsenal. what fun!

i have no faith in Robb Stark. i think he hasn't the good sense his mother has nor the heart his father had. i think Jon Snow was a better big brother than Robb ever has been. though Robb has the battlefield experience. i think Robb may eventually just get himself killed, because he won't listen to any advisors. and i don't care about his love life or his betrothal to this Frey girl. couldn't care less. i think both he and Joffrey need a timeout.

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 01:16 am (UTC)(link)
I always love Tyrion/Varys scenes!

And I'm wondering about what's going to happen with Tyrion/Bronn.

And Ros must have a raging cast of PTSD by now.

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 02:11 pm (UTC)(link)
Ros is basically standing in for Alayaya at this point (in the book Alayaya [I think that was it] was a prostitute. Tyrion didn't want Cersei knowing that he was visiting Shae and he didn't want her knowing about the Wildfyre, so Varys showed him secret passages beneath the whorehouse. Tyrion would go to Alayaya, but enter the passages to either go see Shae or work on business he didn't want Cersei to know about. In the book Cersei seized Alayaya the same way that Cersei seized Ros here. I don't remember exactly what happened though the scene was from Tyrion's POV and he was sincere about finding a way to extricate Alayaya from the situation he had unintentionally landed her in. Alayaya had always been an associate of Varys in the book. I don't know that they'll bother with why Ros remain silent other than she probably has a lot more trust of Tyrion than she does of Cersei and Joffrey, especially after what she saw of Joffrey. Of course Alayaya was never sent by Tyrion to be abused by Joffrey.

Basically, I suspect that the writers haven't thought through the ways they've slotted Ros into the plot. She's just shuffled in where is convenient. So right now, I'm just assuming she's playing out Alayaya's role.

As for Bronn they've deviated from his story. And his being somewhat popular I can see them wanting to give Bronn more story than he has from here on out in the novels.

In the novels, Sansa wasn't nearly gangraped. However Lollys was actually gang-raped. Lollys was from a titled family where all the male heirs had been killed. Lollys, never the brightest bulb in the box, was so incredibly traumatized by what had happened to her that she was barely functioning. Being pregnant with a bastard from a gang-rape did not help. And her mother was in a state of panic of "how will we survive?! Who will take care of us? Who will defend our estates?" Prior to the gang-rape Lolly's mom had been trying to convince Tyrion to marry Lollys. Tyrion was not at all interested in marriage. Anyway, long story short, it was arranged for Bronn to marry Lollys. That made him a landed, wealthy knight. He promised to raise Lolly's child as his. And Lolly's mother later sent a couple of missives that made it seem as though things were going along as well as such things could.

However, Lollys has been entirely erased from the plot on the show, so I don't know what their plans might be. I've wondered what they might do with him. Given how very little screen time has been given to Tyrion's squire, Podrick (Tyrion name dropped him once a few episodes ago and Cersei took note of Podrick this episode) I had wondered whether Bronn might be slotted for Podrick's role. They've really not given us any feel whatsoever for Podrick. So I wondered whether Bronn might assume that for the immediate time being (I don't know how Bronn would work for Podrick's future, though). On the other hand, I've also wonderd whether they might could use Bronn in place of Jaime's sparring partner (an out of the box solution, but it would keep Bronn more important than he was in the books). I don't know. It's not that Bronn's story is completely over at this point, or that Bronn's part from Book III is unworkable. But, he just doesn't have a great deal to do in the forseeable future so I wonder whether they might roll some other character's actions into him.

Edited 2012-05-22 14:19 (UTC)

[identity profile] shipperx.livejournal.com 2012-05-23 02:17 pm (UTC)(link)
I suspect that making him head of the gold cloaks is to serve basically the same purpose as marrying Lollys did... basically elevating him in the social structure and giving him a certain (minor) degree of position and power. Not enough to make him a player in the game, but enough that he now has something to lose.
Edited 2012-05-23 14:18 (UTC)

[identity profile] whichclothes.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 01:37 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah. We need more naked men.
I do like Brienne. And Yara. And Arya.
Joffrey needs more slapping--preferably with Theon's severed arm.

[identity profile] spikesjojo.livejournal.com 2012-05-22 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
Keep in mind, on the Robb-Talisa-Frey front that marriage is not about love - it's about land and property. Cat never really saw Eddard before they were married because she was engaged to his older brother who was rather hideously murdered, along with their father, by the mad king Aerys Targaryeon. (They never went into enough detail in that but suffice it to say one was forced to strangle himself with a wet leather noose that dried as he tried to reach out and save the other from being roasted to death in his armor - one reason for the war). This was mentioned by Jaime at one point early on.

Oh, and since Talisa is not in the book, I have no idea why she wanders the battle field saving lives. Camp followers were never ladies - and no lady would take that up as a hobby.

They actually have a fair amount that isn't in the book series. Keeps it interesting for us book fans - and I suspect the books are way to complex to actually be put on screen whole. But the wholsale changes are rather odd at times. There's far more sex in the series than in the books - but they do sorta portray the gist of the world.
Edited 2012-05-22 02:19 (UTC)

[identity profile] mrs-underhill.livejournal.com 2012-05-23 04:27 pm (UTC)(link)
I think Brienne will beat Jaimie because Loras Tyrell beat Jaimie and Brienne beat Loras. So she'll double-beat him. :D

Overall, the episode was underwhelming. One reason was too much time on Robb and the nurse. Nurse story was snooze-inducing, about as much fun as being forced to watch some stranger's vacation pictures.

I thought Catelyn did the right to send Jaimie away. I didn't expect that when she got the sword but that was the only thing she could do then to keep hope to see Sansa (and Arya in her mind) alive. Yes, sorry for Ser Karstark but in this world people care about their own chidren first. That's the only sacred thing for all the heroes.

So no, don't blame Cat at all and I think also her plan wasn't that simple, and Brienne is the only one who could be trusted with it. I think she might be just sending Jaimie somewhere to hide, to keep trading with LF and Tiryon from a position of strength. I don't think she's sending Jaimie directly to KL for a trade.

Plus, I'm looking forward to more awesome scenes between Brienne and Jaimie! But then, the moment I start enjoying some pairs they break it up...

I admit, I spoiled myself for Arya's 3rd wish. I tried to read 2nd book without getting ahead of the show, but in parts it went ahead unexpectedly. So yeah, I read about Arya's 3rd wish in the book and it took my breath away. Didn't see that coming at all, and what a smart move by Arya!
But it was so much better done in the book... In the show it was underwhelming, plus it looked like Arya/Tywin broke up for good without any payoff for their interactions...
Would they meet again, was Tywin playing Arya, or was it just an odd friendship and nothing more?

What did take my breath away is the reveal about Bran and Rickon, that Osha hid them back in the castle! Smart Osha!

And so Theon indeed ordered those orphan boys killed to avoid shame over Stark boys escape. But he was too stupid to see that the farmer's family would have to be killed as well, otherwise they'd talk. But his henchmen saw to that of course... Poor Bran overhearing about the boys. :(
Yara was unexpectedly great there. I don't think Theon will last for long now, either...

The twist with Ros and Shae was also great. So Varys helped Tyrion out here, right? He gave Cersei the wrong whore but now he got even more power over Tyrion...
And does it mean Jeoff won't be spared now or will Tyrion try and protect Ros still, out of decency? He owes her one for Jeoffrey debacle too.
Was nice to see Varys and Bronn more.

As for dragons changing the game - I think now that this season will end on similar note to the last one - with Dany doing something awesome and unexpected in the House of Undying and freeing her dragons.

Very tender moment with her and Jorah, I thought of you then... At least he got this touch from her.
Edited 2012-05-23 17:46 (UTC)