Pete Martell

Cersei likely knew her father would back down if she called his bluff, but even if he hadn't, I truly believe in her mind, public exposure was better than being sent to Highgarden with Loras. That would have made her completely and totally irrelevant, on top of a lifetime of being made to feel irrelevant by every man in her life but Jaime. I think to her that would have been a long, slow death. I would imagine that Tywin also did a lot to encourage her hatred of Tyrion when she was a child.

Oh, I had forgotten about her causing so many dwarves and children to be killed, and not stopping it because she's afraid Tyrion won't be caught (I haven't read that far into the books yet, so I saw it on a Wiki page). That would certainly be chilling, if they don't exclude that part (I know that may be too much, like Cersei killing Robert's illegitimate children). I didn't know he was in on any of her plans. It will be interesting to see if he is now, since the show seems to see him as good and proper. I hope we see Olenna again too. The whole Tyrell family all but vanished halfway through. I'm not sure if it was budget, or due to Natalie Dormer's other projects, but it was jarring - even if they weren't actively involved in the main story (Tyrion's trial), we could have seen glimpses of them taking advantage of the Lannister sideshow to gain more public support.

I have a feeling the focus on Jon being Ned's son (mentioned in the finale very prominently) might be the start of that. Cersei's behavior in the finale came across to me less as a mother protecting her children and more a very angry and desperate person who was fighting back against what she saw as a death sentence. She was verging on mania in some of those scenes, especially when she told Jaime that the people who would talk of them were so small she could not see them. This was a Cersei who had cast away her last few tethers to reality (which had mostly been based in fear). I assume we could still hear about her relationships with other men (although I'd rather not, as I just don't think she's had that many and if Jaime gets upset about it I'm going to think less of him than I do of her), but I think there are a host of other things she may do that would push him away - her antics with Qyburn, her behavior toward the Tyrells (especially if he knows she sends Loras to his death), etc.

I think Cersei's done far worse than have casual sex. Within show canon, she's only had a relationship with Lancel, which ended months before Jaime's return. I'm hoping excising these lines, even if it may have been more about preserving the "bro" relationship between Jaime and Tyrion, may mean that Jaime's reasons for turning against Cersei don't involve slut-shaming. I think the idea of the Ros story was supposed to be that she tried to play a game she couldn't understand, and she paid the price. Unfortunately, between the inherent misogyny which was already heavy in the text by that point (also seen with Talisa's role and death not long after), and the sexualized violence which the show seemed to both condemn and pat on the head, whatever message they were trying to tell got somewhat lost for me. I wish the show would have positive representations of sex workers to contrast with the ugliest messages (Ros, Shae), because right now this is very offputting and numbing as a viewer. As for Jojen, I wish we could have seen more devastation from Bran, because for all the talk of Bran's selfishness, I do think he cared about Jojen. Those scenes weren't all that well-directed so I'm going to put some of it on Alex Graves, as I already don't like him so that's easy. As much as Jojen essentially lived only in service to another, I'm glad that his death at least gave Meera a chance to do things and feel things, as I think Ellie Kendrick is great and really a very different type of actress for the show, and I was happy to get to see more of her.

The scene that really has stayed with me from the finale was Dany chaining up Viserion and Rhaegal, one of them nuzzling near her for the food, before they realized what she was doing and cried out as she left. As much as I love Dany's relationships with characters like Jorah and Missandei, I had almost forgotten how vital her relationship with her "babies" is. Her realizing that funtime is over, it's time to make tough choices...the whole thing gutted me. Emilia Clarke gave some of her best work in years. I'm not sure how she has more chemistry with CGI dragons than any Daario, but she does. As lackluster as some of her story has been this season, they've done a better job than I'd expected of showing just how difficult it is to lead and just how much Dany is in over her head. I saw a comment saying that the show was supporting slavery, by having the old man talk to her about how difficult his life had become once he was freed. To me that just shows how desperately needed some of the nuanced material of a few Meereen scenes this season was. What is "freedom" and "liberation" when you are nothing and become less than nothing? Watching the Inside the Episode commentary, D&D spoke about how Tyrion and Shae had destroyed each other, and Tyrion calling Shae a whore had led her to actually become one, with Tywin. That's a fascinating concept, but little to none of this was shown onscreen. Instead she was just a plot point, and not a very good one. My problem with these scenes wasn't so much that there was no Tysha, as I don't care about manpain over a woman who was raped by 50 men, but that the whole sequence seemed oddly lackluster. I've seen some fan debate that the show did this to Shae, and kept other, positive portrayals of sex workers in the books, off the show, to send a message about sex workers. I hope that is not the case. Cersei and Qyburn were one of my highlights. I hate the term "Brotp," but I'm going to use it for them just for the hell of it. I love seeing Cersei strolling down this dark path. Bran's story is so half-hearted, which is too bad, as I think most of the actors are doing a wonderful job. I hope they can tweak this next season so it won't look as much like a Doctor Who video only release from 1997.

I wonder how many viewers know about her and how many would still be shocked.

I was confused by this too, but I finally just decided that as she's Arya's only living relative that they know of, aside from Jon and a few uncles, and the only one he knew, he was trying to goad Arya into killing. Although him saying he should have fucked Edmure bloody would have had a more interesting reaction shot from Arya...

If the show cared about complaints on the Internet, they'd have shut up shop a long time ago. That's where most of the grousing came from. The ratings were still pretty good, considering the competition that night. Whether HBO or D&D expected more, I can't say. I'm not really sure how the viewers feel about Jon. To be honest I don't think he's had all that much to do in the TV show. After a very promising first season, he spent two full seasons walking around and, to be crude, getting some ass. The show also seems reluctant to commit to the idea of him as a strong leader. They hinted at this in the first season, but since then he's been much younger and impulsive. I assume they are doing this so his growth will occur more in the coming seasons, and also because they don't care that much about the NW, but it takes something of a toll on the character. I will say that I'm very glad they added (?) the scene of him giving Ygritte a Viking funeral. I thought that was very respectful to both characters and their love for each other, and takes away from the disturbing "lol dumb <slur slur slur> got what she deserved!" attitude that many fans have toward women on this show. It's too bad they won't do the same for Shae...

I thought Jojen's death scene was anticlimactic, which was really my main irritation. He pretty much lived and died for Bran. I tend to feel, looking back, that the midseason episodes were probably his real goodbye. I liked these scenes, overall, and I especially liked the bits with Meera having to choose between dying with him and going with Bran and Hodor (was Summer in the cave with them?), but the death part was...perfunctory. I don't know what to say about Shae, because they abandoned most of the characterization they'd built up for her and she had become just a plot device for Tyrion, as she had been in the books (apparently). I get why Shae went for the knife, as the last time she saw Tyrion he was unhinged, but again it wasn't really about her. We didn't get to hear her talk about why she'd slept with Tywin, or about anything. She was just there to die, and I guess to push Tyrion to the point of murdering Tywin. I actually like the idea of the last scene being Arya because she is 100% having a new start, a new path (although even to the end she was trying to at least reunite with Jon, which made me sad), but I agree with you about the pacing. I now wonder if they dragged out her story all season long just for that shot.

I have mixed feelings about Arya (and her material this season was all over the place), but I think we underestimate just how popular she is. Arya is one of the main faces of the show - I'd say she and Tyrion are the show's most popular characters. I don't think ending the season with her sailing to a new future was a bad idea, especially as Maisie Williams played that scene beautifully (it reminded me of Queen Christina). It's just that I think a lot of us were sort of expecting...another final scene.

The whole thing with Jason and the black t-shirt is it looked silly even with Steve Burton by the end. Frankly, a great deal about Jason had become very silly. I think bringing him back is a mistake.

If things get physical with Brienne and Sandor (although given his current health I tend to wonder how much of a fight he will put up), then Sandor may take her and flee, and if she learns Brienne is working for the Lannisters, she won't fight to stay. Then when she and Sandor are alone and Sandor collapses, she leaves him to die.

I can see where they'd be most excited over the Tyrion/Tywin stuff. I really feel like their adaptations to the source material have cut much of the juice out of that (and Tyrion/Shae), but I can see where they'd think otherwise. After everything last week where I thought Stannis would show up and it got in the way of my view of the episode, I've decided not to do that again. I'm just going to assume LS won't be there. (and I'm so wary of her first scene being the one with Pod and Brienne, I'd rather not have her than have that as the first scene).

I wonder if Cersei and Loras are the only engaged couple on TV to have no scenes together for an entire season. Even one season would have gone a long way. I want a lot of Lannisters but I'm wary of Jaime/Cersei after that episode, and also wary of the narrative being poor Tyrion and Jaime/mean mean Cersei. I hope that won't happen.

Hunted -- Heart ++ Tall Tales -- 35 - In My Time of Dying 33 - Tall Tales 33 - What Is and Never Should Be 31 - Born Under a Bad Sign 27 - All Hell Breaks Loose Pt 2 27 - Crossroad Blues 27 - Hollywood Babylon 25 - Nightshifter 21 - Folsom Prison Blues 17 - Houses of the Holy 15 - Hunted 15 - The Usual Suspects 15 - Bloodlust 15 - All Hell Breaks Loose Pt 1 13 - Playthings 11 - Everybody Loves a Clown 11 - Croatoan 11 - Heart 09 - Simon Said 03 - Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things 01 - Roadkill 01 - No Exit

I agree, but I feel like the show has gotten better at this than they were in season 8, where they had things like that woman staying at the bunker with her son in "Remember the Titans." This past season, most of the MOTW-focused episodes seemed to show them on the road for most of the case, and any bunker scenes took place before or after. The only time it felt hard for me to believe they went back to the bunker in a short space of time was after Dean died. I don't think the show has used the set the way they could have, but I'm kind of glad SPN moved away from the "on the road" feel. I don't think the show ever took advantage of that after season 2. The set designers still came up with neat little hotels and restaurants, but the lighting just made everything seem the same. I also found their camping out at Rufus' cabin to be so horribly depressing. I do agree the set hasn't really been what they could have made of it, although I enjoyed the way it looked in "Captives."

If I push it I can see where they would fight about Shae, but Bronn? Why? Is he going to think Jaime stole Bronn from him? I guess he might accuse Jaime of being in on a conspiracy to turn both Bronn and Shae against him, but I'm not sure I'd buy Tyrion doing that. The only way I might is if it's after he sees Tywin and Shae, and he's just completely destroyed inside.

Who's lived there in recent years? I always associate it with the '80s. I have a feeling Kiki and friends may trigger another earthquake.

The question he was asked was about friendship, I believe. He answered about the friendship between them while saying Dean/Cas was not going to happen. I've seen some inappropriate questions about Dean/Cas directed at Misha, but not as much toward Jensen, at least not in recent years. I don't think Jensen is homophobic, and I think when people say he is they're seriously doing a disservice to those out there who face discrimination every time they leave their front door, if they're even lucky enough to have a front door. I think that at times hurtful things have been said by a variety of actors at these cons, but I don't feel that was the case at the last Jus in Belo one that stirred up such controversy. I think if people feel hurt they should blame the show, because the show has kept baiting them long after they should have stopped and said, "OK, it's not happening, Dean is straight and won't be with any men." With that said, there are many inappropriate and embarrassing, degrading questions at these conventions. For some reason shipping ones get the negative attention, while things like sexually aggressive questions and questions that reduce the actors to pieces of meat (which I believe Jensen has complained about in the past), are just seen as business as usual. I really wish these actors had another forum to answer questions about their character motivations and acting choices. I wanted that a lot for Jensen this past season. Unfortunately the convention atmosphere seems to be mostly about the actors playing versions of themselves, and talk of the characters is few and far between.

I know there's the currently hip fad of "hate watching," but I think doing that with a show like this is questionable, because you're just going to see things that upset you all so you can go online and likely get flamed to pieces (this fandom is not a gentle one). I know a number of people who quit watching after Breaker of Chains, and I could respect that. Just staying on and twisting yourself into knots for some Youtube hits or what have you, eh. I don't think I could do it.

Melisandre wasn't originally from Westeros, she was from an area where magic, or belief in magic, was more commonplace. Wariness of magic infiltrated Westeros at least somewhere (as with Varys, who was maimed for life because of a lunatic's quest for magic). I don't think it would have taken much (especially given the money and connections of the Tyrells) to look for more info on Mel's past or on how to stop her. Even if she truly had no powers before the dragons were reborn, they still should have been more wary of her, instead of Renly seemingly just laughing at her for her kooky comments. I just felt like there was a lot of assuming, from Renly and from Loras and Margaery, that they had nothing to worry about.

Stephen is OK (the character and the obsessive focus on his character's love life make me reluctant to watch that often), I just don't think, "That's an Emmy winner." But the Emmys are a shell game anyway. I think SPN used to try some award bait episodes, and no one took the bait. I wish Jensen got more recognition, but I gave up on award shows a long time ago. I'm hoping he will maybe win a PCA at least before SPN is over, because he's put so much work into Dean. When SPN is done, if he wins ten awards for other roles, I'll be thrilled for him, but Dean's one of the best characters I've seen on TV, and he's a big reason why.

Croatoan -- Houses of the Holy ++ Heart ++ 33 - In My Time of Dying 31 - What Is and Never Should Be 31 - Tall Tales 27 - All Hell Breaks Loose Pt 2 27 - Born Under a Bad Sign 27 - Crossroad Blues 25 - Hollywood Babylon 23 - Nightshifter 19 - Folsom Prison Blues 17 - Houses of the Holy 15 - The Usual Suspects 15 - Hunted 15 - Bloodlust 15 - Playthings 15 - All Hell Breaks Loose Pt 1 13 - Everybody Loves a Clown 11 - Croatoan 11 - Simon Said 11 - Heart 09 - Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things 03 - Roadkill 03 - No Exit

I agree. I don't think anyone from a CW show will ever get a nomination, so this is likely more about buzz. Stephen Amell tends to act with his ab muscles, but Arrow is a show that gets a lot of buzz, so they play into that. SPN is a show that has been on for a long time and never got award recognition even in the years when they were trying to give the show more PR (like season 2). This is why I really really wish Jensen could win the PCA, which isn't likely, as Ian Somerhalder, Nathan Fillion, etc. have bigger fanbases or are also on "hot" shows (if TVD is still seen as hot), but it's more likely than the Emmys or the Globes nominating him.

I've been watching some of the Comicgirl19 reviews. I don't always agree with her about some characters or stories, but that's true for everyone I guess. She has had some big issues of her own this season (namely the Asha/Yara scene with Ramsay) but tries to keep a happy face on (perhaps because she does videos about the show that people can purchase). Her reviews vary in quality and sometimes seem a little phoned-in, but this last one had a lot of details about the battle in the books that interested me; I wish the show had included some of them, even though I did enjoy the episode. It's interesting because I feel like they have sort of done this with Jon's story. I think most TV shows struggle to make it seem like their main characters will die. GoT kills off more main characters than most, but even they generally keep the main people around, aside from Ned Stark and some others. Most of those who die are characters who may shine or have standout moments, but are in service to the stories of others.