[7.4/10] My favorite part of this one is Vision realizing something is up, lying to Wanda to try to get to the bottom of it, and trying to break free to get help, even at the cost of his own life. We’ve mostly been focused on Wanda’s trauma to this point, and for good reason. But there’s something equally disturbing about Vision realizing he is a prisoner here, that people are suffering because of the woman he loves, and that something is very very wrong. It’s a kind of psychological horror that’s gripping in an underplayed sort of way.
I like the subtle coldness in his interactions with Wanda, despite the theoretically warming confines of the sitcom form. There’s a painfully believable awkwardness between the two of them in the moments where the facade slips, and it’s good work from the performers and the show. Likewise, I love Agnes’s monologue when Vision jolts here out of Wanda’s control for a minute. Her half-deranged, half-resigned ramblings are striking and just as eerie.
The piece de resistance though is Vision trying to break out of the hex. Watching him slowly disintegrate as he breaks the bonds makes for a tragic and horrific image, particularly when his near-dying words to those who come to check on him are “you must save the people.” There’s something so noble about Vision, from the beginning really, and it makes what’s happening to him all the more sad and terrifying.
That said, I wasn’t as crazy about the stuff happening outside of the Hex this week. It feels too mechanical and generic Shield. As much as I enjoy the trio of Monica/Jimmy/Darcy, Director Hayward has turned into such a generic government suit antagonist that the conflict feels played out. Nevermind the fact that the three of them can apparently take out big dudes with body armor and automatic weapons. Most of their business either strains credulity or feels like a warmed over “good organization gone bad” thing we’ve seen time after time in the MCU.
That said, I’m intrigued at the prospect of Monica and Jimmy choosing to go back into the Hex on their terms, while Darcy seems to get sucked in by Wanda’s expansion. Seeing these performers “in the show” is an exciting prospect, even if the way we get there is a little contrived.
“The show” part of the episode is good too! Malcolm in the Middle is an interesting touchstone to go with, and I suppose it’s the most noteworthy leap in family sitcoms in the 2000s. As usual, WandaVision does the pastiche well, with the jump to single cam clicking nicely and the scrappier, less middle class affluent suburbia vibe of latter day family sitcoms kicking in.
But the most intriguing dynamic to me is not only Quicksilver’s arrival as the manchild brother who sleeps on his sister’s couch, but the way that he casually breaks the fourth wall with Wanda. He talks about the mechanics of the sitcom -- how he’s needed to add some tension and the like -- while also hinting at the way the details don’t add up, the way he’s bending things to make them like she wanted, the way he knows Vision’s already been dead. It creates an interesting role for him in WandaVision, as someone whose cracking Wanda’s fantasy defenses just a little bit, at the same time he’s letting the audience in on the truth at the same time.
I especially like the choice to have it be a product of their being siblings, telling his sister that she can talk to him, in a way she can’t talk to anyone else. It gives her the emotional space to reveal that she’s not fully in control here. She doesn’t remember how it all started, and while the things she wants are coming into play, and she can clearly extend the bounds of the Hex, there’s more going on there than even she knows.
We also get to learn what she’s grappling with here -- survivor’s guilt, something exemplified by the claymation, gogurt-inspired commercial. She confides in Pietro that she felt all alone, having lost her parents, her brother, and eventually the man she loved even after all the dust cleared. Pietro stirs all of this up in her, bringing it to the surface, and Elizabeth Olsen does a particularly good job as a performer conveying all that internal strife while trying to put on a smiling face. The layers in her acting here are really, really good.
There’s also tons of plot-relevant stuff going on here. For one, the twins have powers that mirror their mom and uncle, with one gaining superspeed and the other seeming to have Wanda’s psychic and telekinetic abilities. There’s reason to think the development of these kids, who take more focus here, is a big part of the motivation behind whatever’s causing all of this.
We get more hints in that direction as well. I’ll admit to thinking that Agnes might have been the culprit, but Vision’s conversation with her definitely suggests that she’s not the mastermind, at the very least. Herb (who was surreptitiously chatting with Agnes in a previous episode) seems a little more self-aware than we knew, asking if Wanda wants to change things up. Plus, Darcy’s hacking intimates that Hayward may know more, or have bigger plans for what’s going on here than anyone knew. We’re getting just enough hints toward the mystery to bring things tantalizing closer to being in focus without disrupting the cool and slightly unnerving sense of ambiguity as to who’s really in charge here.
That just leaves the texture, which is also really good in this one. I like using Halloween as an excuse to get the cast into their comic book costumes. Also, this episode does a good job of showing us people on the edge of the Hex being a little less resource-intensive for the simulation, just doing basic tasks and not being as fully hoodwinked by Wanda’s hoodoo as folks closer to her orbit. It too is creepy, in a good way. And once more, the show wrings real unnerving terror from the brief moments where real life and real emotion cut through the sitcom artifice.
Overall, this episode didn’t grab me as much as some of the others have, but there’s still lots of good work within it, matches with some strong character work with Wanda and Vision in particular, with Pietro being a catalyst for it, not just a gimmick or bit of stunt casting.
This episode is disappointing.
With the action, it’s tiresome and a considerable downgrade from the first episode’s kick-ass opening. It’s short, full of tedious banter and only shows people punching and throwing each other off trucks.
Similarly, the episode’s revelation has little weight; since the episode doesn’t explain why it matters, I don’t know why I should care. Also, they introduce a new character, but we don’t learn why she’s a threat to our heroes or why Sam and Bucky need to catch her group.
Worst of all, though, the character dynamics are awkward. Despite understanding its origin, I found the conflicts messy and confusing. I mean, why the therapy? What’s with this therapist?
On a positive note, I like the social commentary, even if the episode doesn’t explore it that much. In the first episode, the show comments on racial discrimination and they continue it here; I appreciate it.
Finally, the pacing is sluggish, and as a result, I struggled to get through the episode’s runtime. If there were more action, I’d forgive the weak writing, but alas, I’m left disappointed.
Likewise, The Star-Spangled Man feels undercooked, dissatisfying, and left me disappointed. Not only has the storytelling quality faltered, but the action has too, which is all I’m looking for in this TV show. Hopefully, this is the only bump on my FWS journey.
TECHNICAL SCORE: 6/10
ENJOYMENT SCORE: 5/10
Game of Thrones might be too familiar, too expansive, to have the same force it once did. When a show's been on the air for five years, it's harder for it to surprise you; you know many more of its tricks, and you've seen much of what it's good and bad at. And Game of Thrones is good at a lot of things--humorous asides, daring rescues, and striking character moments--so that even when it's simply chugging along, it's still a very enjoyable show.
But for a season premiere, "The Red Woman" was underwhelming. It wasn't bad, mind you--there were plenty of exciting moments and interesting developments--but little to make you stand up and take notice of a series at the height of its powers moving toward the end game, save for perhaps one scene.
That scene is Brienne saving Sansa, and pledging fealty to her, while Podrick feeds his master's new lord the appropriate reciprocal words and Theon nods in approval. There's several things that make that moment stand out. There are real stakes to Sansa and Theon's attempt to escape from Winterfell, both from the hounds barking in the distance and their clear fatigue and stress from traipsing through the snow. There's genuine character development, in the cold giving the two of them reason to embrace, and Theon's attempt to sacrifice himself in order to save his near-sister. Brienne's daring rescue is a thrill, giving solid moments to Brienne, Podrick, and Theon, and having the action feel anything but gratuitous given what's at stake. The aftermath is triumphant, with Brienne finally fulfilling her oath, the poor, constantly embattled Sansa finally having a true protector, and their seconds each having a hand in the result.
But it also stands out because it's one of the few parts of "The Red Woman" where the story is moving inward rather than continuing to expand or running in place. While I'm sure there's much more to come in each of their stories, this is a major landmark in Brienne's quest to fulfill her promise to Catelyn Stark, to Sansa's endeavor to be safe and in charge of her own destiny, to Podrick's desire to help his master rather than hold her back, and to Theon's quest for redemption. Each of these story threads is tied together in one tremendous scene.
That stands out in comparison to the rest of the episode, which has some moments and scenes that are better than others, but for the most part, feels scattershot. A season premiere for a show like Game of Thrones is difficult, because as the series's plot has telescoped out to encompass so many different stories and characters, there's a sense that at the start of a new chapter, it has to check in with each of them (give or take a warg).
The result is something of a hodgepodge of tones and atmospheres and settings, most of them glancing, many of them pretty good, but few of them truly cohesive in any way. There's not necessarily anything wrong with that. Game of Thrones is a series known for its scope, and by definition that's going to require some jumping around, especially as a reintroduction to all of the ongoing conflicts. It just makes it hard to judge an individual episode like "The Red Woman" as anything other than the sum of its parts.
Three of those parts all stem from the aftermath of last season's adventure in Mereen. The best and most promising of them is Tyrion and Varys's journey through the streets of their new home. I could watch an episode of just the two of them bantering back and forth for an hour and be entertained, but "The Red Woman" uses Tyrion's attempt to get to know the place he intends to govern both to illustrate how he, unlike Varys, is not a man of the people however much he may try and care, and that a civil war is brewing in the contentious land they're trying to keep in order. The worst is Jora and Daario's little horse ride to find their queen, which does little other than repeat character beats we're already familiar with, remind the audience of Jora's cheesy stone infection, and move the rescue plot a few spaces forward.
Somewhere in the middle is Daenerys's encounter with another group of Dothraki. The journey to meet the new Khal is a bit silly and crude, but generally amusing, as Dany's captors appear to be the Dothraki answer to a pair of leads in Kevin Smith movie, and Dany's look of palpable discussion when listening to a conversation they don't think she can understand is perfect. That scene, and the ensuing one where the Khal declares his intentions to lie with her regardless of her wishes will no doubt launch a thousand thinkpieces, but each of them lean into a venerable idea when it comes to the mother of dragons -- the way she is at once attempting to project strength and power, but still quite vulnerable, uncertain, and even frightened at what fate might await her. Emilia Clark does a superb job of showing the many shades of her character as her fortunes wax and wane during her conversation with this new Khal. The promise to transport her to what sounds like the Dothraki homeland is a foreboding one, that threatens to add yet another spot on the map for the show's intro.
The least interesting of the stories in "The Red Woman" centered around the events of Dorne. There's something of a shock to the Sand Snakes' coup at the Dornish palace, but we barely know most of these people, so the impact is blunted. Admittedly, there's intrigue Dorne being ruled by someone who's directly antagonistic to the Lannisters, and to the idea that the people of Dorne resented their leaders and yearn to stand against those who hold sway over King's Landing, but there's more promise in the concept than in the execution thus far. (No pun intended.) Similarly, the hokiest two Sand Snakes taking out the Dornish Prince on the boat only served as a reminder of how pointless he was as a character and how annoying, dare I say Poochie-esque his assassins are.
That said, there was more meat on the bone in Cersei and Jamie's reunion. The excitement in Cersei's voice when she heard of a ship on the horizon and said her daughter's name, and the attendant way her expression slowly but surely fell when she saw the floating shroud heading toward her, and the grave look on her lover's face was devastating. The death of Joffrey brought Cersei to anger, to her most bitter and vindictive, but Marcella's death has a much different effect. She is, instead, simply crestfallen, brought as low as she imagined she could be, slowly but surely losing the most important things in her life. The idea that Marcella perishing is particularly devastating to Cersei because she saw her daughter as pure and good, and it made her feel better about herself and all she's wrought, is one that adds yet more depth to one of the show's most complex characters. Jamie's response that they are neither cursed nor bound by fate, but should respond to this horror by lashing out at those who brought it to their doorstep does more to warrant interest and excitement as to where the conflict with Dorne will lead than all the bloody coups and painful attempts at bon mots that preceded it.
The episode takes time to check in with the rest of those across Westeros and beyond. Arya's still blind and begging on the streets, being tested by Jaqen H'ghar in a bow-fight that seems headed toward a Karate Kid montage. Margaery Tyrell is still in prison, thoroughly cowed and shell shocked after her repeated encounters with her captors. The High Sparrow plays good cop/bad cop with her as she asks how her brother is, with little more than an ominous assurance for her to go on. And even Ramses has a brief moment of humanity, couched though it may be in his usual sadism, as he mourns the loss of the only lover who shared his deranged sensibilities, and feels the blowback from his father for how his extracurricular activities led to the loss of both Sansa and Theon, threatening both the Boltons' hold on Winterfell and Ramses' claim as his father's heir.
But the other major fireworks of "The Red Woman" take place at Castle Black. Ser Davos proves himself both for his kindness, his cunning, and his wits when he collects Jon Snow's dead body, brings in Ghost, and holes up with everyone in a storeroom before sending Edd to rally support among The Wildlings. Davos's dry wit carries the day in these scenes, that still take care to sweep across the desolate environment of The Watch and its guests.
At the same time, Thorne has an impressive moment defending himself in front of his fellow brothers after confessing to the murder of their Lord Commander. As I wrote in my discussion of the Season 5 finale, what makes Thorne's actions and his speech her interesting is that you believe he truly means what he says, that there's a certain noble impulse behind his choice even if it seems foolish or wrongheaded to the audience. Thorne's disdain for Jon Snow has been clear from the beginning, and he admits to the assembled that he had no love lost for the man. But there's something genuine when he says that he never disobeyed an order, that as harsh or self-important as he could be, his assassination, joined in with the other commanders, was about something bigger than him, a tradition and a brotherhood that he saw posed to be destroyed under Jon's care. I don't exactly admire the man, but I admire the show for making him more than the one-dimensional villain he occasionally devolved into in previous episodes.
Finally, there is the titular Red Woman. She sees Jon's dead body and has a moment of questioning. She saw him fighting and Winterfell in her vision, and yet there he lies, white as a stone. She promised Stannis that sacrificing his daughter would lead his side to victory against the Boltons. It becomes much more of a question, smoke monster or not, how much she has or had real power, and how much of her prophecies and persuasions are simply more of her admitted parlor tricks. Then, she undresses and reveals a much older, more withered woman, and the nature of her abilities is at once both more and less a question. It's a revelation, meant to be one of those trademark big moments in Game of Thrones, but for the time being, it just seems strange with little immediately obvious point at this juncture.
Perhaps it simply fits into what appears to be the animating principle for the rest of "The Red Woman" -- giving the audience just enough of a taste to rekindle their interest in the spiderwebbed plots that stretch across Westeros, while pointing us in the direction the balance of the season will follow. The episode feels more like a grand reintroduction, a preview almost, for what's to come than a unified story all it's own, and familiarity with the shape of the series' arcs takes some of the thrill away from events like that closing twist. But it's enough to keep us talking, and wondering, and tuning in next week, so I suppose it'll do just fine.
That was so intense, heartbreaking and painful. That conversation with Mr Porter was so painful and well-done. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. How can someone be like this? My Goodness. I knew the suicide scene was going to be showed, but I didn't expect it to be so fleshy. But it's something you need to see to understand it all.
Thank you Netflix for making this amazing, telling and meaningful show.
Despite all the unanswered questions (which I thought the show would answer), it was great. Episode 11 was hard and tear-eye but this one was something different. I feel as if I had the biggest emotional hangover ever. Am I supposed to guess that Tyler is going to go all kamikaze against the boys at school? And that those photos are his tapes? I'm so glad Tony gave Hannah's parents the tapes. They certainly deserve some closure. I know this show is about the reasons that drive you to suicide but suicide doesnt only scar you but also the people who are closest to you. So I would like a little closure on everyone's storyline. As Hannah said, it's all a butterfly effect. Your actions have consequences on the others and put a chain of events in motion so yeah, I get its all about Hannah but she left a print and so did those tapes. And is Bryce going to pay for his actions? Is Clay's mom going to understand what happened? Lots and lots of answers for an incredibly well-done show that moves you and that everyone should watch.
No matter you are and where you come from, this show changes your life and you will never be the same again. After watching 13 Reasons Why I'm not going to be the same. Thanks for this! A lot of people should know this is real and that this happens even though you turn a blind eye.
I am incredibly grateful to Game of Thrones for this adventure I have found myself sucked into for some years now. I am grateful for all the emotions it brought me since day one, bitter and sweet alike. I am grateful for all the laughs, all the tears, all the jokes and gags, every single bit of it, I really am grateful and appreciative of it all. It's been just... wonderful.
That said, I am feeling robbed and betrayed right about now. This ending is arguably one of the worst series finales in the history of television and trust me I realize how bold of a statement that is. The terrible violations the characters have suffered this season, the lack of proper resolution to many of the plots and narratives developed over seasons worth of buildup, the seeking of shock value at the expense of quality writing... that and much much more solidified this as an absolute disappointment of a finale, as opposed to the marvel wrap it could've given this cultural phenomenon.
This episode does have its positives, as always the score, acting and cinematography are perfectly performed but I just do not think it's nearly enough to compensate for how lackluster the writing has been, as much as I wish they did. Oh well, sad as it may be, I'll just hold on to the good stuff and hope that GRRM's book, once finished, will tackle the ending in a more coherent, more respectful and more meaningful way. It's been real y'all...
P.S: I'll leave this here lest some people jump me again. This comment is a representation of my own personal opinion, I am entitled to one just as all of you are. If you enjoyed this season and felt this finale delivered what you were looking for then more power to you mate, but that doesn't nullify my opinion nor does it make yours any valid. If you want to discuss or challenge my views, I'd be more than happy to engage you on that basis but if all you have to offer are petty remarks then please keep them to yourself.
Welp, like Tryion said, We're fucked. Living vs. The Dead. Season 8 A fight that only comes once.
The dragon pit scene was awesome. Getting so many characters all in one place at the same time was great to see. So many quick “oh, hey you’re still alive” moments. One of the best was Brienne and the Hound. Speaking of the Hound, we did not get the Cleganebowl we have been wanting for so long but at least he was able to tell his brother off. Maybe next season…
Cersei, as the hound would say, is a real cunt. She truly is the biggest villain this show has seen. She is lying to everyone about sending her armies north and bringing in more mercenaries to help fight while Dany is a little occupied. She not only threatened to kill not one of her brothers but both of them is the same episode. Jamie is finally getting smart and getting away from her, even if he is leaving to go fight an army of undead. I honestly think she might stick around to the end and keep the iron throne. She has no problem doing whatever it takes. She has a kid on the way and that is all she is worried about now (I still don’t think she will have the child because of the prophecy said she would only have three). Oh and the shot of snow falling on King's Landing was a beautiful reminder that winter is here.
The winterfell storyline finally did something amazing. Sansa’s “trial” of Littlefinger was a long time coming and with Bran there was no denying. I’m so glad Arya got to kill him with his own dagger. The sisters finally started acting like family.
Nice to see Theon having another chance at redemption. He had a nice moment with Jon about their dad, well technically Ned was neither of their father. I hope he gets to save Yara next season. I wonder where she is if Euron is going to Essos or could she already be dead?
The show finally says what all the fans have know for years, Jon is a true Targaryen and the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. And they say it just as the two have sex for the first time, nothing new for this show. I’m sure this won’t be a problem. Dany will be cool with it, right? I mean the old Targaryens were into incest too. Maybe not we'll just have to wait and find out.
That last scene really was a little frightening, to see something that has been keeping the white walkers out for 8000 years to just go down like that. Now that the Night King has a dragon they are really going to cause some havoc. RIP Tormund and Beric? I don't think there were able to get off the wall in time but were they on the part still standing?
Great season, moved a little too fast and missed some of the slower character moments from old season. They definitely had some of the largest battle scenes TV has ever seen and I’m sure we are not done yet. Let the wait for season 8 begin…
What an absolutely botched ending to an otherwise strong show. Spoilers: Monica and Darcy are completely tossed aside, Evan Peters is entirely wasted as Quicksilver in favor of a dick joke, the writers show zero creativity in leaving characters to die and Wanda has ultimately learned nothing about her magic, ending the show exactly where she stood 8 years ago before 'Age of Ultron'. What a complete mess devoid of consequences, leaving characters storylines wide open for projects years away instead of tying character arcs up. Wanda apologises to the town members after tortuing them for weeks and we're supposed to feel bad when her fake children are erased? No, sorry, you're responsible for that. Monica really told Wanda the town should be grateful.... after she released them from their torture slavery. Wanda belongs on the Raft, Avengers need bodycams after this abuse. This is exactly what the Sokovia Accords were for. This isn't a show, it's a promotional ad to go see the next Marvel thing. I thought they were doing something special when the show began, embracing the wierd and unexplained magic in the MCU, but by the end the Marvel formula is intact and the story falls into laziness.
Who the hell was the missing person Jimmy Woo had in witness protection to begin with?
Altough I'm german I rarely check out german TV shows. The last one was Deutschland 83 and that was like two years ago. Germany just hasn't figured TV out yet but that's another discussion.
When I heard Netflix was producing a german show I just had to check it out because Netflix has a great track record so far and Germany does have talent infront and behind the camera. But overall I think this show just fell flat. Good, but nothing great.
Fantastic visuals that are shot very beatifull, the actors IMO are mostly great and the music/score can be beautiful but often gets obnoxious. But unfortunetly there are too many characters that are hard to keep track off which distracts from the story.
The story is already confusing enough even without trying to keep up with the many characters over different decades and it heavily sets up future seasons without answering a lot of questions about this one and just left me unsatisfied at the end.
Still worth watching tough IMO and very bingeable similarly to Stranger Things.
But if you do watch it then choose the subbed version. I checked out the dub really quick and it sounded horrible. And also don't browse your phone as you might do on other shows. You're going to miss so much important shit.
EDIT after Season 2:
I'm not actually sure what just happened and what I think about it. But the one thing I'm sure of is that the casting in this show is absolutely phenomenal. The actors look so much like their younger counterparts that I'm not fully convinced they aren't actually related.
Plus the cinematography is still fantastic and the music monatages are really beautiful (and they got rid of those obnoxious sound effects).
And altough the story is still very confusing I found it more easier to follow and more engaging than Season 1 because I now know all the charcters and their background. And it seems that the writers had this all planned out and aren't just making shit up as they go.
Changed my rating from 8 to 9.
EDIT after my first rewatch just before S3 is released.
Changing my rating again. This time to a 10. After S1 I thought it was good but confusing show (8), after S2 I thought it was great and really well thought out one (9). Now after rewatching both seasons for the first time I think the show is fucking masterpiece. (10). Once you can watch it without being confused and actually knowing what is happening your just in awe throughout all of it.
If they stick the landing with season 3 it could be up there with the best ever.
EDIT after Season 3
Masterpiece. Simple as that.
Writing. Directing. Cinematography. Casting. Acting. Soundtrack. Everything is perfect.
I'm going to miss the beautiful music montages at the end.
"iF yOu ThInK tHiS hAs A hApPy eNDinG, yOu hAvEn'T beEN pAyInG aTteNtIOn"
Literally everyone except Daenerys got a happy clean ending.
This episode and this season as a whole have been a complete and utter disaster. the decline of storytelling quality from the last seasons is shocking. The show is barely recognizable at this point.
A character who wasn't a contender for the throne ended up on it even though they have done absolutely nothing this whole season, had lots of potential to make for a very interesting role but was ignored and swept aside then suddenly elected king.
Daenerys's character being completely butchered as she was turned from someone who never showed the slightest disregard to innocents' safety to someone who commits mass genocide and shows no remorse afterwards, all in the span of 2 episodes.
So many character arcs were neglected or wrapped up poorly. Jon being reduced to a secondary character with a combination of three sentences of dialogue, Jaime's development being thrown out the window, Cersei barely doing anything and then getting killed by bricks, Tyrion, the master tactician, turning to a gossiping idiot then getting promoted after he quits his job (seriously?)
So many plot points were discarded or turned out insignificant. Azor Ahai, Jon's lineage, The Lord of Light, Cersei's prophecy...etc
The whole White Walkers storyline being eliminated in one episode, then the whole Iron Throne storyline being eliminated as well in the end (FFS)
So much shit not making the slightest bit of sense. Dany's army multiplying, Arya's impenetrable plot armor, The North getting the independence while the Iron Islands didn't when they were the first ones to demand it, Drogon not killing Jon after he killed Daenerys, hell, the Dothraki and the Unsullied not killing Jon after he killed Daenerys, The point of the Night's Watch now that the WW are gone. Tyrion being in chains and holding up a presidential vote over who would run the 6 republics. HBO c'mon man.
Overall the pacing was too fast and inconsistent, the ending was rushed, anti-climactic and nonsensical. This couldn't have ended in a worse way. Kudos to D&D!
"Wasn't sure I'd find you. Thought you might still be rowing." Davos finally said what the internet has been thinking for years.
So Jon is a true Targaryen and Sam is like shut up about the shits we got to go fight white walkers.
More reunions, besides Davos and Gendry, we have Jorah and Daenerys (which looks like he is still in the friendzone), Jorah and Tyrion, and Jaime and Tyrion (even if it is only for a minute).
Arya thinks she is spying on Littlefinger but acutally Littlefinger is manipulating like he always does. The scroll was from Sansa telling Robb to swear fealty to King Joffrey back from season 1. Trying to cause some sister fighting.
I love that Tormund doesn't even know Brienne's name. He just calls her "The big woman."
Is Sam the man of the Tarly house now? Or was there another brother? Does he have to back to Castle Black?
Cersei can’t have a fourth baby. The prophecy said she would only have three.
Thats a lot of wights. I’m not sure how 7 men are going to get one back below the wall. And is Tormund the only free folk that could go with them, wouldn't they want a few more? Next week looks like is going to be another Hardhome episode. Can’t wait!
I was ok with the poor character development when the TV series departed from the books. I used to like thinking it was a kind of alternate universe from the "real" one.
They struggled on TV to show daenerys as a spoiled and selfish girl instead of the woman who was learning to have patience and wielding power in a so goodhearted way it asked a high price from her in the books.
But nothing could justify her acts on this episode. After their utter and final SURRENDER she says "guess what I'm gonna burn them all". Not even aiming to Central tower. Just make an open air barbecue of the city. The breaker of chains, mother of the slaves, making all peasants BURN. There is no plot excuse. 7 years of character building thrown out the window.
This is not the only problem in this episode. Arya is useless but survives inferno and has a magical horse appearing. Cersei dies in the most disappointing way. Euron just happens to swim to the EXACT LOCATION Jamie is.
Frankly I would not be surprised if D&D choose to end it next week explaining that all of it was a westworld simulation experienced by androids. Because the Deus Ex Machina limit has been breached a long time ago, and they keep forcing it.
[9.5/10] So much to like about this one. The show is really moving at an impressive pace at this point, with events and aftershocks and reunions that would have taken entire seasons in prior years happening one right after another. But despite that, what I like about "Eastwatch" is that it features a lot of people reflecting and taking stock and worrying about what the future holds. For as much happens personally and in terms of setting the table for later events, this episode is kind of an inbetweener, one that moves our heroes and villains around before the next big event, but gets so much mileage out of the interactions and face-to-face meetings from the show's deep bench of characters.
In the big picture, that means that Dany and Cersei are likely to have an audience together, but for that to mean something, Jon and a motley crew of uneasy allies has to set out north of The Wall to retrieve a wight for proof of the oncoming invasion. That means that Dany and Cersei are willing to set aside hostilities, however temporarily or connivingly, and that Tyrion and Jaime get a tense but impactful reunion as well. It also means that we get a much tenderer reunion between Jorah and Dany, some tension between Arya and Sansa, and most notably, a tenuous union among Jon, Jorah, Tormund, The Hound, The Brotherhood Without Banners, and Gendry.
That's right! Gendry is back! And his repartee with Ser Davos, his instant rapport with Jon Snow, and his quick-thinking warhammer use with the Gold Cloaks makes for a fistpump-worthy return for King Robert's bastard. He's one of the last few major characters whom we haven't seen in ages, and it's a thrill of a return engagement from him.
But the thing I liked most about this episode is Tyrion's concerns about what kind of ruler he's backing. The moral and political questions involved in Dany turning the Tarlys to ash are many and thorny, but it's a very timely worry that a leader who's ready to easily threaten fiery death may very well be one who raises serious concerns. Varys's remembrance of his time serving the Mad King, and the way he left himself off the hook ethically for his complicity in the deaths of Aegon's "traitors" makes for an interesting counterpoint to the view of the bold leader we've come to appreciate over the course of the series.
On the whole, it's a stellar episode, filled with humor, character history, moral ambiguities, and the kind of high-minded reflection grounded in long-standing characterization that I really like. Best of the season so far.
What a fucking masterpiece. The dialogue, the acting: outstanding, especially the MIB slow reveal. 30 minutes after the finale and I'm still speechless. Everything was brilliant. That smile the WIB had when he realized that the hosts were actually able to fight back was just perfect. No one has ever been so happy so get shot. But he has to survive. At least he found the meaning he was looking for.
And wtf, this whole time Ford has been on the side of the hosts? This has actually been the best part of the finale. It was a nice unpredicted twist. That's why he did all the things he did. He didn't want anyone to destroy his beautiful creatures. It wasn't that he didn't want the humans to feel sorry for the hosts, but the other way around. Holy mindfuck. That's why he kept on talking to Old Billy and that pianist. That's why they were all dressed up and not naked.
And I'm so glad that Maeve's arc is designed by Ford in order to get rid of his enemies. So Dolores and Maeve are the ones that are really conscious, or is Bernard too? I really like the fact that Maeve decides to stay and that Dolores shoots Ford because she freely decides to. However, what if everything is scripted and Maeve came back because, as Bernard said "once you reach the main..." (mainland?), she was scripted to?
I really hope Dolores didn't kill Ford, but a host version. That handshake between Ford and Bernard felt weird, and that zoom in, suspicious. Why if that robot being created in episode 7 was in fact Ford's replacement?
Felix's little existencial crisis was one of the funniest parts for me, ike, am I even real? Does existence really exist? and Armistice's first time with an automatic weapon. I didn't know I needed that. I think Sylvester is still waiting in that lab.
Now wait until 2018. I will freeze all motor functions now and bring myself back online for season 2. It is going to be insane: multiple parks, the hosts full on terminator, and the board dead. The hosts run the show now.
The one 16 year old girl says she's supposed to be "this great detective", the other 16 year old girl buys a bar and trades it for a diner and the third 16 year old gets crowned king of the Serpents. I don't think the writers even remember their ages at this point.
I'm not happy with the way this whole Black Hood season ended. It really feels like the writers had no idea who they wanted to put under the hood and halfway through the season they heard the theory of Hal being the Black Hood and they decided to roll with it like two episodes before the finale. For once there are no subtle hints for it to be him before episode 20 and on the other hand the whole reasoning and execution at the end felt hollow and cheap, especially the part about THE DARKNESS™. I thought at least one of the adults would finally address this as mental illness, but nope. Don't think we'll ever get to see any of them in therapy either.
Three things that I'm curious about - Chic, Alice's dead son and Polly.
Chic just disappeared and we still don't know anything. Was there even a point to begin with? I thought his creepiness would be relevant somehow, but nothing happened. I'm wondering if he'll come back next season.
Then there's Alice's dead son. I was actually thinking he's not dead because we really didn't get to see anything about him. It felt really tragic to know that Alice saw him and closed the door in his face, but I thought it would connect more with the overall story or with Chic.
And then there's Polly who definitely had something going on. I wonder if we know this mysterious guy who helped her or if her mother will get dragged into a weird cult. And I actually find this much more interesting than the cliffhanger that Archie is arrested (I was sure there would be some bloodshed after Jug's weird announcement) and Hiram is still planning to deal drugs on the New Southside. I was actually hoping for him to leave Riverdale or go to prison at the end of the season, but apparently his cheap mobster story will continue.
And even after all these complaints every week I'm still excited to watch new episodes and do enjoy it. It's over the top and crazy but at the same time I find it so entertaining :D
Well, I just finished the series. What do I think?
WandaVision began with a solid start. The whole sitcom format was always engaging, as it paid homage to a genre and era of television I haven't experienced. With these first few episodes, the mystery that follows each strange happening was interesting and had me excited to see the next episode. I wanted to see Wanda deal with her grief and come to terms with her reality.
Darcy Lewis, Jimmy Woo, and Monica Rambeau appeared, and I have to say the show lost some of my interest. Seeing Monica reappear in a post-snap world was exciting, and Jimmy Woo and Darcy Lewis were entertaining as hell! I was still curious about what was going to happen next, but I was a little weary.
Then the last few episodes rolled around. Monica Rambeau suddenly gets powers (for no reason?), Agatha pretends she's all-knowing by spewing exposition, and the show drops Quick Silver, Rambeau, Woo and Darcy to give Wanda and her family more screen time.
Finally, the last episode disappoints. I was so bored watching CGI fights that have no substance underneath them. Vision talking to the other Vision was cool and probably the best thing in the last three episodes. But then we go back to Wanda. She figures out that she's torturing people and finally lets go of her fake reality. But not because she's learnt to deal with her grief but because... uh... I don't know.
She lets go of her fake reality, and this happens,
Monica Rambeau: "They'll never know what you sacrificed for them."
Wanda Maximoff: "I wouldn't change how they see me."
But she sacrificed nothing; she was holding these people hostage, torturing them; she gave up a fantasy for them. Way to go, Wanda! Afterwards, she runs off to a cabin and doesn't have to face any consequences for her villainous actions. Yay!
So I guess the show is about how we're all destined to do terrible things and get away with it?
Overall, WandaVision is a fun time. Although the sitcom stuff had me weary, I preferred it to the answers we got in the last few episodes. Sometimes, the mystery is better than the answer.
TECHNICAL SCORE: 6/10
ENJOYMENT SCORE: 5.5/10
After reading a rave review by a friend, I started binging this new Netflix series today. The English dubbing is horrible so do yourself a favour and set the audio to German and the subtitles to English. The acting is very good and shouldn't be ruined by poor dubbing performances. This series is darkly mysterious, more like the original TWIN PEAKS (without the bizarre humour), although it is being compared to STRANGER THINGS (although I don't see many similarities in the three episodes I've watched so far). The mystery is compelling - take in all the up front hints given before the pilot's opening credits - they set you thinking in the right direction. I got bogged down in episode 3 and had to make a chart of family relationships, but once I'd conquered the who's who I was back into the mystery. Looks promising. I'll come back with a final rating but so far I give it an 8 (great) out of 10 with the potential for a 9 (superb). [Who-done-it, What-really-happened Mystery]. A good work out for those little grey cells (I wonder how many calories will that work out burn in my LaZboy chair?) **Just finished season 1 (yes, it doesn't resolve but catapults us into a further plain) WOW, my brain is tired. So many threads, so many resolves, so many themes (determinism, free will, religion, science, time, space, interdependent relationships, cause and effect). It goes down every lane. Complex, great storytelling. Great acting. Can't wait for another season. It well deserves at least a 9 (superb) out of 10, maybe even a 9.5.*
I must begin saying that A Quiet Life by Teho Teardo and Blixa Bargald playing at the end was so perfect just like the rest of the soundtrack; some things that were in my mind like the Stranger being Jonas from the future were confirmed, others wrapped up and more questions arised, I can't wait for S2, Charlotte now knows that Ulrich was/is in the past I wonder what she is gonna do with this piece of information, will she starts to rationalizing, as what we humans do with everything? Personally I doubt that, but guess that don't even matter that much since from the glimpse we got from the future it is shit, also a "small" thing that happily surprised me was Agnes Nielsen and Doris Tiedemann, Netflix didn't have to put a love story between two women in the 50s but it did! I really hope to see more of them in S2 as it's implyed that Doris left Egon for Agnes, and I want to see more of the 53's Egon I have a feeling that even though Egon doesn't like Ulrich he is the one whom somehow if Ulrich comes back to 2019 is gonna help him scape the prision he is in; also Ulrich's father had and affair with Regina's mother, and theirs' Grandmothers too lol everything comes full circle; and Helge in 2019? The timeline keeps being messed up, but since Helge was a grown man in 1986 we know he is gonna come back to his "right" time and this was just one more part of the the timeline that can't be changed so they will arrive at the apocalyptical world we saw Jonas in, ah my head hurts but I love this series.
"I mean do you know how many girls I've slept with? Like a lot. Classifies me as a player or something and my best friends used to think I was the fucking best. Hannah, she sleeps with one guy. She has a crush on another guy, being me. And she kisses a third, being you. And it's whatever, it's all fine, right? All of a sudden, she's a slut? All of a sudden, you don't know who she is? You're a dumbass."
I didn't expect that speech from Justin. I just want to slowly clap it out. Well said.
All in all I find the sudden relationship between Zach and Hannah really, well, sudden, but not necessarily unrealistic. Maybe I'm a bit biased though because I do like Zach (even though he's not perfect and I really hope he'll go against Bryce and Monty soon), and I think Zach and Hannah were really cute together.
They're definitely a better fit than Clay and Hannah. Maybe it's because Clay's so young or maybe Hannah's his real first love, but he simply admired her too much. He put her on a pedestal and viewed her as this perfect, innocent, flawless human being. Even Hannah's mother said that Clay thought she was perfect. And now he sees that she did have other people in her life, that she liked other boys and that he wasn't her saving knight in shining armor.
And I don't find it unrealistic that she freaked out when Clay was getting close to her. Flashbacks and panic doesn't appear when it's convenient. Maybe she was fine with Zach, but then she felt betrayed by him and it just hit her when she got close to Clay.
That reuninion of the Starks after so long, after so many seasons was so rewarding. And yet they all clearly showed the distance that has grown in between them during that time. Such great acting.
And wow that duel between Arya and Brienne was so amazing! I loved seeing the two different styles and the mutual respect that appeared after. That delightful smirk of Sansa and her answer of "no one" was perfect.
The cave scene was great for two reason. 1) I also loved the chemistry between Daenerys's and Jon Snow was great in the cave. Besides deepening the backdrop of the almost forgotten children of the forest lore (for me anyways), it 2) strengthened Jon's case that the White Walkers are REAL. The blue eyes in the cave drawing and that music was great at reminding me of the battle at Long Lake- in that eerie and terrifying finale where all the dead rose again as Jon rowed away from the beach.
I honestly thought that Jon was gonna tell Daenerys to attack King's Landing. The response he made started so neutral in the beginning I didn't think he was gonna say to not go. Besides that I loved the tension between Theon and Jon was great as well. There's so much tension going back and forth in this series now that there's a longer history of betrayals and cruelties this season is turning out to be really exciting.
This battle at the end totally exceeded my expectations. Small battle- another loss like the short conclusive clips of the Casterly Rock battle and in the seas with the Greyjoys.
That moment when u hear the thunder I knew the Dothraki where coming~ what I didn't expect was to see a dragon......HOLY SHIT LOL those precious seconds before the dragon spew fire was glorious. Was really anxious during the whole battle to see if any of my favorite characters would be killed. Danerys was there, Jamie was there, Tyrion was there, . Knowing that GoT has no qualms about killing main characters made this battle extremely tense. xD
Having Tyrion there and Jamie on the same battlefield also brought huge tension. Add into addition the new ballista as well as that shot into the dragon made me think Daenerys was done for. Then I thought Jamie was done for from that fire breath. Honestly this battle had me on the edge of my seat the whole battle. Jeezus.
Okay, those worm implant things are gross as hell. My whole face is itching right now. But how come Sarah didn't feel it earlier? In the previous episode the guy could feel it moving in his cheek and the one in Sarah's jaw looks pretty big.
My poor baby Cosima missing Delphine. I'm so sad for her, she's such a sweet ray of sunshine but she's been through so much. I just want her to be happy...
Helena's having twins! Finally we're getting something nice and positive instead of constant suffering! She was so excited when she found out. And Donny's a real treasure. So kind and supportive and genuinely happy for Helena. I feel a little sorry for Alison, though. This whole situation must be difficult for her, especially since she's the one who wanted to have a family and struggled with her inability to get pregnant.
Felix looking for his biological parents will be an interesting storyline. It's nice that they adressed the fact that S and Sarah are basically related and that Felix might feel left out because of that.
The scenes where the story switched between Sarah and Beth were the highlight of the episode for me. They were very cool visually and I like that we finally got to learn more about Beth, since Sarah witnessing her suicide was what set the events in motion in the first place.
That last scene was amazing. I love that we are getting huge battles more than once a season, probably because they have more of a budget per episode. Drogon is a total game changer, one second Jamie thinks he can hold off the Dorthraki. The next he is just about shitting his pants. Bronn did show that they are mortal and can be hurt. Jamie charging at Daenerys while Tyrion was watching was great. Tyrion still cares, at least a little, for Jamie and wants him to live. It not often we see two main characters directly fighting each other. Glad to see Daenerys get a win and Jamie not dead, hopefully.
Jon and Daenerys are getting closer. They seem to start to like each other more every scene they have together. Jon finding the cave paintings of white walkers was convenient. Hey look at this giant rock we are going to mine. Oh, look over there, there are old paintings of white walkers. Told you there were real. Jon still won’t bend the knee but he doesn’t want to be the king. A little stubborn, like daenerys too. Someone is going to have to give.
Another stark reunion only this time it didn’t feel as special. Maybe it's because we have seen a lot of reunions lately but it didn’t seem like they were that excited to see each other. Then Sansa’s like, Brans home too. Why did littlefinger give that dagger to Bran? Will Bran find out who tried to kill him with it? Was it actually littlefinger himself, he said he “lost” it to Tyrion. But hey at least Arya now has some valyrian steel.
The Arya and Brienne fight was fun. It crazy to see how well Arya was trained as an assassin by ’no one’. She still is a little girl that can be kicked down by Brienne but still very deadly. Sansa is seeing it for the first time too. I’m sure she is wondering who her sister has become fighting like that and having a list of people to kill.
I love how Davos introduces Jon. "King Snow, isn't it? No that doesn't sound right. King Jon?" Personally I like King Jon Targaryen.
That hour felt like 5 minutes! Bernard is Arnold. Dolores killed him. Ford made Bernard kill himself. Holy mindfuck! my head just exploded. Sorry, bad choice of words. And the MIB being a board member. He knew it all.
The first scene was just perfect. "Bernard, bring yourself back online", Maeve. I was on the edge of my seat.
Every theory has been confirmed, except for the William = MIB, which can also be said to be. He did say he was going to find Dolores and then the MIB appeared in the church, right after Dolores said "William?"
I knew Bernard was Arnold. I knew it. There was something about him that didn't add, especially that scene with Abernathy in ep 1. Those scenes with Bernarnold and Ford were perfect. I knew since the beginning Ford was just messing with him. He didn't even twitched when he saw the gun. And at the end, he even seemed concerned with Bernard, like he didn't want that to happen. I agree with Bernard, what kind of psychopath would give such a tragic backstory to a host? Well, our lovely Hannibal Lecter.
And the father of the year award goes to... Bernard! For his astonishing quote "Charlie,you're a lie". And Dolores killing Arnold, holy cow. Didn't see that one coming, although I get that's the reason why Ford told her that they weren't friends.
When they introduced the character of William I though that would be me, that he was just a regular guy with his regular problems but he's lost his shit. The only thing clear is that you don't call him Billy. He might slaughter you.
I think Ford's narrative involves Maeve, so that he can prove that the hosts are too dangerous to be used outside the park.
God glorious Anthony Hopkins: "Do you know what happened to the Nearthentals? We ate them". My greatest fear is to wake up and find myself in that creepy basement with Ford monologuing at me.
One thing I found pretty odd was Stubbs being attacked. Was it Ford? Create, kill, replace, repeat.
Get hyped for the 90-minute mindfuck of a finale!!!
William = MIB. It makes sense since there are multiple storylines. Besides, if Dolores is going on her journey all alone, it means that she's having a flashback and thus, William belongs to a different storyline. Everything makes us think it's him: the knife, his sudden behavioural changes, his memory of reading stories as a child and trying to get the meaning out of them, the fact that he married 39 years ago, the MIB remembering Angela, everything points out in William's direction. Moreover, when William entered the Mariposa and Clem went to his room, Maeve was not there, precisely because she was with her daughter.
One thing that bothers me is that out of all the decommissioned hosts in that creepy basement, Hale and Sizemore just happen to choose the one who had a meltdown in the first episode. I love that they bring him back, though. Get hype. If he freaked out just by seeing a picture, I can't think what will happen when he finds himself in another world.
About Bernard, there's one thing that bugs me. How could Bernard have killed Elsie if he was in the room with Theresa when he received a call from Elsie, just moments before she was abducted? False memory? Are there two Bernards? Or is he simply imagining things? Did it ever happen? And if so, is Elsie really dead or just unconscious? Or is she really the replacement Ford was getting ready in the diagnosis facility?
The acting is at its best. Seriously, Anthony Hopkins and Ed Harris are goddamn treasures. They steal every scene they are in. Amazing performances. Hopkins is just bloody amazing.
All in all, good episode in terms of confusion. Let's see how it all evolves with just two episodes to finish the season and with a second in progress. Lots of rewatching to do in between.
Pros
+Jon and Sansa along with the "Bastard" letter
+Drogo pyre re-enactment
+I'm excited to see how Jaime and Cersei's plan is going to work out, there's definitely going to be some unexpected twist that happens
Neutral
*Theon and Asha (Yara) reunion, wasn't bad and Theon's actor did great but I was not blown away by it. Still, it should make the Kingsmoot a little more shocking. It's going to need as much help as it can get since Damphair and Victarion probably won't be telling us why Euron needs to be prevented from getting the Throne like they do in the books.
Cons
-Ramsay killing Osha seemed a little out of place. I think it made sense but it was weird that he just has that one small scene and then nothing else. Just a nitpick really.
Danaerys finally had her first good episode in 1 and a half seasons, even though those buff ass dudes would've definitely killed her as soon as they realized how screwed they were, and if not them then the falling rafters probably would've gotten her. Also not convinced that the Dothraki would immediately back her after seeing their leaders burned alive and they obviously didn't give too much of a shit when she walked out of the first fire with her dragons. An argument could be made for them seeing it happen and having literally no leaders left but this is an ultra male-centric society and it's hard to think they'd change their minds after living their entire life in that way especially considering how much they despise magic. Still, it was a cool Odysseus like massacre and the parts before and after were all solid.
This episode was not bad, BUT..it continued a recently developed trend of not believable circumstances. I suspect the writers are trying to create a lot of drama for the season end and are loosing (even so slightly) sight of what made the books and the series so loved. The cynic unforgiving realism of circumstances (even within a fanstasy/magical world). If you saw my comment for the previous episode I was in the same line. So here it is, the moments that bothered my square logic and took something away:
Moments I enjoyed:
Moments I didn't enjoy but I found realistic even though unexpected:
1. Tomen committing suicide (don't underestimate teenagers in heat ...for margery in this case)
2. Cersei taking the throne. Loosing all her children, all that she has is her evil drive for power. I expect her to make season 7 even more interesting
3. Is Sansa and little finger are going to cook something? Sansa showed us a bit of a character in the last few episodes that is very remote from a sensitive, good side of her. Do we have a cersei in the making? She has been traumatised enough.
Overall 7/10
Best episode of the season was No 5
Good start, one that will hopefully open the doors for future romance novels adaptation.
The beginning was a bit rushed but the show found its pace soon after. The Bridgerton characters were well introduced, the side characters were given enough space and the added characters were quite interesting. The main story was not my favorite, but then again Simon and Daphne are my least favorite couple in the books, so that's on me, but I still believe there was a lack of chemistry between the actors portraying these characters and that kind of took away from a lot of the scenes.
Anyway, I can't wait for the next seasons and the next couples. The Bridgerton family felt closer in the books, which is one of the most important appeals of the series, so I was a bit surprised/disappointed by how formal or distant some siblings were to one other. Some characters benefited from changes in the story while others didn't, but even though I can't help comparing the show to the books, it is still best to treat them as separate entities and enjoy each on its own. That being said, Eloise & Benedict were my favorite characters in this first season, and I hope we get enough seasons to witness all the siblings' stories.
That was absolutely amazing, from beginning to end. Crazy, strange, exciting but absolutely brilliant. The most intense hour and a half of my life. I can't barely feel my legs right now. It was the best psychological episode so far. I got Saw vibes. Sawlock. I was waiting for Moriarty's video saying "Hullo, Sherlock. I want to play a game" in that Irish accent.
Why does it have to be clowns? Poor Mycroft! In the first five minutes, he was in every scene of every horror movie ever made. This episode taught me that security is not Mycroft's strong suit. That and that I want his umbrella sword gun. The ultimate combo weapon.
This episode was beautifully shot. That first scene was magnificent and so was Moriarty's great flashback entrance. Gotta love the guy. And Mycroft, he was amazing today. And Mrs Hudson gets more badass every week. She's a fucking legend. "Would you like some tea?" Mycroft nods. "The kettle's over there". she's a boss. I could hear the microphone hitting the floor.
Every time Andrew Scott is on screen I'm mesmerized. I can't keep my eyes off the screen. His Moriarty is just so perfect. I get goosebumps every time he's on screen and that nervous giggle. Jim Moriarty and that red screen are going to haunt me forever. But I don't care, it's Moriarty. I really missed Andrew. And Queen, Oh my God! I'm hyperventilating again. That's the villain I love.
I worked out that Redbeard wasn't a dog, but I thought he might have been a fourth sibling after the "why does everyone stop at three" hint last week. And the symbolism. Redbeard being Sherlock's first Watson was lovely. I'm horrified by the fact that he died alone in that well. I love how Watson's limb and cane in season 1 was connected to the pirates.
Sherlock a pirate. Who would've thunk it? Now I want Ben to in Pirates of the Caribbean: The vengeance of Redbeard.
Hats off to Moffat and Gatiss for making such a delight for my eyes. Hope I'll be here in 3+ years. Until then, the game's still on!
Pros
+Sandor Clegane's hunt
+Jaime and Brienne's negotiation. This part is really the big reason this episode wasn't rated lower. It should be interesting if Brienne (or possibly even Sandor Clegane) gets back to the North in time for them to perform their version of the Spearwives/Mance Rayder hostage rescue except with Rickon being rescued instead of "Arya" although judging from the next episode's title, it may be a little late for that.
Cons
-Cersei stuff was just there. It was kind of important but it was done in such a boring way that I couldn't give a shit
-Meereen being assaulted by the slavers. It should lead to a cool closing to the season but it was really, really rushed and to be honest the backpedaling at this point doesn't make any sense other than to allow the Iron Fleet to come in and prove their allegiance, but even that doesn't make any sense since Dany has Drogon now and can easily set their fleet on fire and then kill the land armies with her Dothraki horde. Tyrion's already there, Quentyn doesn't even exist, Asha and Theon don't have the Dragon Binding Horn like Victarion does, and Barristan is dead. What exactly is the purpose of this other than to add more action to spice up the ending?
-The Arya chase stuff was really cheesy, like fucking comic book villain tier cheese.
This episode was kind of disappointing. It may have to do with the fact that the previous one was possibly the best episode in the series, but regardless it didn't further the plot much, and it gave us an unexpected twist in the kings landing plot, where it seems that Margery has turned to support the faith that imprisoned her and her brother. This doesn't make sense as an action from this character, unless of course in a future episode this proves to be the case of using the faith to further her cause (that I admit would redeem this episode somehow). That the teenage king do whatever she says makes sense. Daenerys plot hasn't been furthered much. The re-appearance of the dragon is always dramatic, but she already had enough loyalty from her men, after they witnessed the unburned in action. She didn't really need the dragon to convince them to ride the wooden horses. Finaly Brans plot remains de attached from the rest, although we are finally starting to suspect that he may play a part in the battle against the white walkers. The return of Benjen has potential, and he can possibly act to unite the north under the Starks, as he could possibly fill the need for a strong lead in the Starks plot line.
