MJ Frog

Thanks! I maintain that it shouldn't have been that involved, though. It took me several clicks to get there when it should have taken no clicks. There are a number of shows that are right at the top of the page when you go to Prime, but not the one they've spent the most money on.

I don't know if this has been anyone else's experience, but I have had to go to outside sources to even see what day this is starting back up again. I can't find any information at all on Prime itself. Which seems not super bright to me.

Welp. No more sausage for me.

Somebody out there needs to make this happen.

Wow. THAT was a look, Rhaenyra. For all the pissing and moaning about who should or shouldn't have a dragon, do these people not realize the matter was never in their hands to begin with? The dragons choose who their riders are. They always have. Any notion of control is an illusion.

I'll have to revisit the scene, but it felt to me, however subtly, that Mysaria was approaching it as if thinking: "Okay, so I guess we're doing this now". However, I admit my view may have been colored by the sense that this was not the appropriate moment for sexy time.

I felt really bad for Mysaria in that scene. Her body language made it seem that she was reluctant to accept the hug at first, and my read was that when things got all kissy she was on auto-pilot, settling into a role she knows well because that's what everyone seems to want from her. It just seemed really bad form to come on to her when had just finished telling a story about how she was used and abused for sex. I can't remember whether things went this direction in the book or not, but could this not have been a story of a great alliance/friendship? Mysaria finally being valued for who she was, and Rhaenyra getting support and validation from another woman who knows what it's like to be pushed around by powerful men? The sexual/romantic angle feels a little forced.

I know this is supposed to be a part of the narrative that The Man is holding her back, but I found myself irritated with Rhaenyra complaining that her own son doesn't believe in her simply because he made the common sense point that they need Daemon. You can't complain about lack of resources and dragons on the one hand while refusing to admit that Daemon -- who has the only other dragon who is big enough to fight -- is a valuable, even needed, asset. He believes in you, you goof. He's just trying to give good advice.

Long live Lady Fuji! I hope. If they continue to draw on history for inspiration, Tokugawa had many years and quite a bit more intrigue before he had total power and all his rivals were eliminated.

Having just looked it up, I believe it is a level of samurai. Didn't know that -- I thought it was an honor that would have been bestowed on Blackthorne sometime after the novel took place, as a reward for his services to the Shogun, all the more notable for his being a westerner. Shows you what I know!

I don't remember the original series well enough to say whether Blackthorne was portrayed as a white savior or not but, in keeping with my recent kick of all things Shogun, I have gotten a copy of the old series on Blu-ray. I will say that the story of the man Blackthorne is based on is pretty interesting and well worth telling. He became someone of considerable importance to Tokugawa and was given the position of samurai, among other things.

I have often wondered the same things, but hostage-taking in this form was common throughout the ancient world, and is apparently used even in modern times: Hostage Diplomacy

Yep. I was hoping the same. When she showed up to sit next to Blackthorne, that hit really hard for some reason. All I could think was what a welcome sight she would be in that awfulness. I really liked Lady Fuji.

Agree. Plus, it was him or nobody. Nothing says love like a well-timed beheading.

He was the king of the miniseries in those days. His naughty priest follow-up The Thorn Birds was an even bigger hit, I think. I also watched Shogun when I was a kid and don't remember a god. damn. thing. So I have no idea where this is going.