Cheezwiz

A thousand times THIS! I keep saying that it feels like they are trying to cram 30 pounds of plot into a 10 pound bag. Everything feels like cheap corner-cutting. They are also denying the audience moments of much needed catharsis. I'm not saying those moments have to follow the expected cliche path, but they need to be there and they're not, so it's frustrating. There's a big difference between surprise plot twists, and sudden illogical behavior. I'm so glad I binged the entire series last month, and didn't devote 8 years of my life to watching it. I'd be very disappointed if I had. Does anyone know why this season was limited to only six episodes? Was it financial constraints from HBO, or are the showrunners just sick of it? Are they chronically drunk? I don't understand.

I looked her up on IMDB - her name is Valerie Mahaffey - loooong resume, I know I've seen her in many TV shows, I can't recall a specific character, but rather a "type" she often played: people who seemed normal at first glance, but who often turned out to be batshit crazy. She's great in this!

I'm only part way through the show, but I'm glad I started watching, because I'm thoroughly enjoying it. It's both light and at times poignant, and features two TV actresses who I've always liked. I dismissed Christina Applegate for a long time because I associated her with Married With Children, which I didn't care for, but over the years I've seen her in other things and have come to appreciate her talent. She really is an underrated actress who can pull off both comedic and more serious stuff. Have always had a soft spot for Linda Cardellini too, and she's perfectly cast as a more kooky free-spirit. Stuff I've loved so far: The youngest son and the little bird. Actually both boys are good - they behave like actual kids. The supporting players - the actress playing Jen's nightmare MIL is excellent! She's very familiar looking, I feel like I've seen her in tons of things. It's also a treat seeing Ed Asner still working - go Ed! I'm glad the article someone posted upthread seemed to indicate that the two lead actresses have hit it off IRL - they really have great chemistry onscreen, and it's keeping me watching. Off to binge more episodes!

Great topic! Especially since it feels like the show is racing to the end and the show runners are trying to stuff 30 pounds of plot into a 10 pound bag. Fave moments: Lady Olenna was basically awesome in any of her scenes, but I especially loved this one of her tearing a strip off of Cersei: -I wasn't big into battle scenes, but the blackwater episode was quite thrilling, and Tyrion's speech rousing the troops was enjoyable. -Again, not into battle scenes, but the big fight between the Mountain, and the Dornish Prince Oberon was pretty exciting stuff - very well choreographed. -Princess Shireen teaching Ser Davos to read. That whole Stannis/Melisandre plot thread bored me to tears, but the friendship between the little girl and The Onion Knight was sweet and poignant. The Onion Knight's whole back-story as to how he obtained that title tickled me. -watching Lady Brienne's journey - one of the most sympathetic characters on the show, and her knighting scene was lovely. Gwendolyn Christie is a terrific actress. -Jaime in a sword fight scene after losing his hand. I believe it was when he and Bronn arrived on the beaches of Dorn. His metal prosthetic hand actually wound up giving him a brief advantage: in the thick of battle, his opponent's sword got stuck in the hand! It was funny and unexpected. -Tyrion and Varys trying to figure out how to feed Dany's dragons was hilarious. Now that we're near the end, they're only having serious discussions about the fate of the realm, but for a short while there, Tyrion + Varys were comedy gold. -The Mountain is meant to look menacing, but always makes me laugh, because he looks like a classic lumbering horror movie monster. -Anything Tormund - he wound up being such great comic relief, and who can't relate to him pining after someone who had zero interest in reciprocating his affection? Gonna miss that Northern weirdo. -Sansa & Tyrion holding hands in the crypt during the battle of Winterfell. -Seeing the many villains get taken out: Joffrey, Ramsay, Baelish, Walder Frey etc. I guess I'm probably high on the revenge-o-meter, but all very satisfying exits. -The scene where Drogon gently curls himself around Dany as she weeps over the lifeless body of Jorah. -Really, just anything Dire Wolf or Dragon. They may be CG images, but they are magnificent awe-inspiring creatures whenever they show up on screen.

Really the only GoT spin-off worth watching (courtesy of Salma Mattar @IAmTheRainXoxo on Twitter).

Man, that image of an imaginary CGI critter with a downcast face is STILL killing me! I feel so much more emotionally attached to the the creatures on this on this show than the humans. Apparently from the fan uproar after this ep, I'm not alone.

I love this sooo much. A variation of the Dunning-Kreuger effect in effect! Really must get around to reading all of the Hitch Hiker books.

Goodness, wouldn't that be an amazing scenario? But yeah, not gonna happen sadly.

Yes! THIS! I thought exactly the same thing. I thought Tyrion was actually going to come right out and say it, but he didn't *giggle-snort* Dany has always been good at conquering places, but not so hot at the nuts and bolts of ruling them. This is another reason she may not be ideal to sit alone on the Iron Throne. Jon is really good at admin stuff, but lacks ruthlessness when necessary. Dany +Jon together actually = one good ruler, which is why they should just get married and co-rule. But it's too pat and too happy an ending, so it won't happen. Plus there's only one dragon left. I will be upset if Drogon doesn't make it out alive - I am very attached to Dany's dragons. Dany, not so much.

I don't even like Sansa, but I would not object to her eventually teaming up with Tyrion. I think he would temper some of her worst aspects. Since watching last week's episode, I keep having an image repeatedly pop into my head: a tapestry. A tapestry of a woman seated on a throne (not the iron throne mind you), holding hands with a dwarf. Maybe if Tyrion lives, they will oversee the North together.

Yes, a lot of people have mentioned this. To me he also kind of looks like a chunkier, more demented version of Ewan McGregor. The actor playing him is doing a great job, because every time I see him on screen, I totally want to beat him to a pulp.

I'm convinced Jaime headed South on a suicide mission to kill Cersei, not to rejoin her. He is tormented by self-hatred at this point, and this is going to be his attempt at atonement. I think he might have wanted poor Brienne to believe he was callously discarding her so that she wouldn't try to follow him and put herself in danger. I think she might pursue him. Clearly he's toast, and I think his wish of "dying in the arms of a woman he loves" will come true. He will die trying to kill Cersei, or trying to protect Brienne. Am I just dim, or did I miss something? Why didn't Dany just go ahead and Dracarys the shit out of Euron's little ambush fleet? I was yelling at my screen at that point. RIP Rhaegal. Also good point made by posters above - who tipped him off as to when they'd arrive at Dragonstone? Poor Greyworm. Hope he gets to have a hand in Cersei's demise, but man, that waitlist is awfully long! And Dear Show: couldn't someone have given poor Ghost a bath? Couldn't he have been given at least a scratch behind the ears or a tummy rub from Jon, before he was "sent away to a farm in the country up North". All we saw was a shot of him peeking around some soldiers and whimpering sadly. Also yelling at my screen at that scene. Dammit Jon! I know CGI is expensive, but some final words would have been nice! Tormund: The Duckie of the North (80's reference for you young'uns). I'm honestly bored with the whole Jon/Dany/claim to the throne conundrum. It's easily solved, and any obstacles are just plot contrivances at this point. Varys: will likely be toast soon, given his shift in loyalty away from Dany. But for now he's found a new outfit he can tuck his arms into! Tyrion: I don't know that he ACTUALLY believes his sister is not a monster anymore. I think he was just saying that in a final attempt to mess with her head. It didn't work. RIP Missandei, your final words were badass!

I can't tell what eye colour ANYONE on this show has (except Tormund, of course). My eyes are green, so... *also hiding in terror*.

He got to fly around as a crow and provide some cool overhead shots? I guess? I dunno. I'm so very disappointed he was still alive at the end of this episode. I wanted the zombie ice dragon to devour him, or one of Dany's surviving dragons to flame him to a crisp. I thought there might be a hint of insight or closure as to what the hell his purpose is, but this episode only intensified my white-hot hatred for him. I think I hate him more than Cersei or any of the other villains. At least they have entertainment value. Perhaps I will eat my words if there is a spectacular twist that leads somewhere in the next 3 episodes, but I'm not holding out any hope. Seriously, fuck Bran.

Had a really rough time seeing anything as it was still daylight while I watched it live on HBO. I literally had to shroud myself and my monitor in a blanket so I could see what was happening on the screen. Night scenes are just brutal on this show. A lot more made it through this battle sequence than I expected! Tyrion, Varys and the Onion Knight are still there. I am still confused and uncertain about the fates of some others: are Brienne & Jaime still alive? Tormund? Missandei? Gillie? I'm confused about the dragons. Drogon is still alive, but Rheagar? Confirmed sighting of Ghost in the preview for next week. Yay! I will stop bitching about Sansa being mean to Tyrion - they had a genuinely nice moment while cowering in the crypt. Goodbye House Mormont, you badass bears. Sir Jorah went out much as I expected - nobly and heroically. Lady Mormont - tiniest fighter taking out the biggest as she went down. Loved the scene of Drogon curling himself around Dany to comfort her as she wept over Jorah. Clearly I'm still more invested in CGI critters than humans. Arya: didn't see that one coming, and apparently the Night King didn't either! Bran: still alive dammit, and still doing sweet fuck all. Really wanted him to become ice-dragon chow this episode.

For a bit of levity... I grew up in the 70's, so whenever I hear "Sansa" it does not bring to mind a young noble lady in a fantasy universe. I still immediately think of men's polyester slacks. You're gonna need to be outfitted with action pants to fight those Whitewalkers people!

I've been pondering this as well - wondering if Arya will steal the face of someone Cersei trusts and use this to assassinate her. Tyrion made me laugh out loud with the image of a tiny zombie version of himself trudging straight to King's Landing just so he could bite Cersei. An undead Cersei might be fun - could she be the next Night Queen? What happens if the White Walkers manage to get the Mountain? Then we'd have an undead undead guy?

The Onion Knight is my absolute favourite too. He may be low-born, but always offers wise council and behaves in a dignified and noble manner. Plus his backstory just tickles me: every time I think of him, I imagine a cartoon knight on a horse proudly carrying a banner with a big red onion on it!

I LOVE this too! He's always hidden in his armour, but you know something horrific is underneath. And he always conveniently pops into frame to give people a jolt. It makes me giggle even though it's creepy.

She was definitely hung up on snagging a handsome golden prince. Certainly there were much worse people she could have wound up in a faux-marriage with (as she would sadly soon discover). This was an incredibly awkward situation in which both of them needed to save their own skins. Surely she knew he was on the outs with his effed-up family. In addition to being kind, Tyrion was also clever and funny. She missed out on an opportunity (although very brief) to form a friendship & create an ally on the "dark" side.

I'm kind of a Varys fan now, so I'm not sure where that's coming from either & I hope they don't go there. Poor Varys definitely looks uncomfortable wearing Northern clothing - he doesn't seem to know what to do with his arms now that he can't tuck them into big kimono sleeves! Like everyone else, I'm mentally calculating who's going to bite it and who's going to survive next episode. To be perfectly honest, I don't really care for any of the Stark kids that much. I've become much more emotionally invested in the side characters (and CGI creatures), so I guess I'm SOL as they're more expendable! Crossing my fingers for my favourites Brienne, Sir Jorah, Tormund (comic relief) and especially The Onion Knight. I also don't want to see any more dire wolves or dragons killed. I'd be quite happy however, to see Bran gobbled by one of Dany's dragons or pushed off the castle ramparts in his wheelchair. God he suuuucks. Just the worst. Probably the character that has simultaneously bored & irritated me the most for the entire series (and that includes doozies like Shae and the Red Witch).

This is something that has always irked me about Sansa. She's quite happy to tell other people that Tyrion was kind to her during their brief sham marriage (she's said this several times before to others) but she's always really rude to him in person. I don't get it. She was mean to him while they were supposedly married (when she realized he was a decent fellow, she could have acknowledged the awkwardness of the situation, made a deal to survive together, and shaken hands as friends). Instead, when greeted by him again at Winterfell, she's snotty as ever. I don't get her, but then I've never been a Sansa fan despite the many traumas she's endured. Snotty and petulant seems to be her default.

I get such a weird expressionless monotone vibe from Davina, and wondered the same thing - if the Producers were just giving her something to do by taking on the role of company villainess/asshat. Christine is so ridiculously over the top, I wondered if it was also for show, but it sounds like people's social media investigations are turning up some not so flattering things about either of them. I understand Chrishell discussing her impoverished past in one-on-one conversations with others, as it probably feels like she's unburdening herself and being honest about where she comes from. But beyond that, she just needs to dial it down and give it a rest (unless someone asks about it directly), otherwise she's going to wind up providing the cattier women with more ammo. Just for funzies, I actually went on the Oppenheim site to look at their current listings. I'm surprised that they don't seem to have much listed at the moment. Mind you, the things they do have on their site are multi-multi million dollar homes, but I expected to see more. Most of them are the typical boxy glass & steel homes featured on the show, but they did have one heritage mansion that had been built in a Moorish style. I didn't care for the bland furnishings inside, but it has the most spectacular stained glass windows throughout! (listed at 4+million). Check it out if you're into luxury homes with a bit of character!

I sure hope so! Or at least some more Netflix shows with Samin as host! I just recently saw the cook book upon which this whole show is based. Not exactly a traditional cook-book, but intriguing just the same - instead of photos, it's filled with charming hand-drawn illustrations (the illustrator was featured on the final show episode). I'm putting it on my must-buy list.

Yes, THIS. I don't get it. He does absolutely nothing for me. I don't think he'd do anything for me if I were 25 again either. Independent of language issues, It's like the lights are on, but nobody's home. If Mary's genuine about him, she should make the effort to learn some French.