polyhymnia

I liked Ray trying to warn Ani about the landscape in Vinci and that the investigation isn't everything it appears to be. I like that they are bonding in a different way than you often see in police dramas. I am going to make up my own back story for that awful singer. She can't possibly be making any money in there and she's likely driving away the customers, so she has to be the wife/daughter/sister of the owner. VV and wife are like they are on another show. Her line delivery is slow, it seems to me that she either playing the character as drunk or drugged most of the time but then she seems sharp, suddenly, at the club. I thought the gun fight was OTT, but really liked the choices that the actors made, especially Paul. He was definitely the coolest-headed and most comfortable and just a really sad statement that the most he has been at ease in the series thus far was in this horrible blood-bath.

That was a funny line. The doctor also had a "why do I bother" defeatism about him. I know more about the doctor than I do about Stan.

I am old enough that I remember having to wait between installments of the Mallorean and Elenium and I agree that Eddings is a great intro to serial fantasy literature. Same soft spot, here. I liked his view of rules as far as the magic of the series went, for example (and I'm thinking more the Belgarion/Mallorean). But, Eddings and stupid Stephen King's Dark Tower series are why I didn't want to read ASOIAF in the first place.

Plus, without any of Aerys II's children or grandchildren left alive, Robert *is* closest to the throne by bloodlines because either his mother or grandmother (I think grandmother) is a Targaryen and most of the rest of the Targaryen line was wiped out right around Rhaegar's birth. (I want to know who is supposed to be representing Henry Tudor and Henry Tudor's mother. Of course, he doesn't have a character by character tie-in to the War of the Roses, but it would be interesting to know. I guess Dany is a possibility, except she's too closely related to Aerys. Also, Aerys's wife should have been a powerful leader in her own right if he's supposed to be Henry VI. I have to say that the more backstory I read - World of Ice and Fire for example - the more irritated I am that so much of the history is really ripped out of English history. I griped about it a little in the unpopular opinions thread)

That ridiculous exchange and the dialogue from his meet with CF where they both used apoplectic several times. And strident, I think. I thought that was a decent scene in the bar, but definitely trying too hard with the dialogue. And it's not that this didn't happen (frequently) last year with MM's monologues but he pulled it off much, MUCH better. I am trying to not compare it to season 1, but I really don't watch procedurals so if this season is just a quirky procedural + boring POV of minor organized crime boss I will be disappointed.

I also did not like that Kali got quickly dispatched by Wolfman Ethan as opposed to having the full weight of aging fall on her. I think that would have killed her as well (she's obviously been doing this for at least as long as her sister), but it seemed a bit of a plot convenience to get Vanessa and Ethan in the same room. I mean, Vanessa had it handled. I guess Hecate was hoping Ethan would kill both of them. Lily and Dorian were a little over-the-top but it was macabre fun, so I'm not really complaining. Vanessa and John Clare actually got me teary. I wasn't expecting that and half expected that he would turn on her, so am glad that they had that terribly sad moment. Heartbreaking.

I think it's a little strange that Brynden is still at the Eyrie at this point, given Lysa's increasingly bizarre behavior. I have to say that I never bought that Tyrion was in on Bran's assassination attempt, but I was truly shocked by the Lysa reveal. It makes the Lannisters a little less sinister or a little less smart because of course I thought it was still a Lannister behind the knife (just not Tyrion), but also that they had poisoned Jon Arryn because he knew about Joffrey and sibs. Even Varys seems to think the Lannisters are behind Jon's death. Why would Littlefinger kill him because of his twincest discovery? Doesn't it benefit him more to have the Baratheons and the Lannisters at each others throats? I think I have a problem with this whole poisoning plot because it makes sense that Cersei needs Jon Arryn dead right away, before he reveals anything to Robert, but it really doesn't make sense for Petyr and Lysa to do this when they do it. At least not to me. I really feel like this was a solution Martin came up with well after he wrote GoT. The 3-foot path really is such a tense scene. I like that Catelyn does have some doubts about Tyrion's guilt but is just driven to get to the Eyrie before the whole party dies.

I was a mostly lurking occasional long-time poster at TWOP who wanted to be unsullied, but my co-worker bought the first book right before the series aired and I just couldn't help myself. I have always enjoyed reading all of your commentary both at TWOP and here. My husband is an unsullied, so I appreciate how hard it is to stay unspoiled and just let the story unfold.

Unless they said "Wylla and Ned." Because then he is just Ned's bastard with no special snowflake (har) status. This is the only thing that my spouse (unsullied) and I have been arguing about - he thinks Jon is really and truly dead, I think probably not because I don't think it makes sense from a writing/plotting standpoint. I like the idea of Jaime, Bronn, Trystane, and dead Myrcella going to Meeren or Braavos v. Kings Landing. I would LOVE to see Doran do something significant and clever in Season 6 but am not holding my breath. Most of the casting announcements are intriguing - happy about more Northerners that aren't Boltons. Happy about possible Arthur Dayne. Meh on Iron Born but they might translate better in the show than in the book.

I need to watch the episode again (I usually watch it once, anxious to see what will actually happen and then again to check the detail) but I swear she did almost an "eeeeeek" kind of a scream before the splat and I am ashamed to say that I chuckled a little. I am going to have to check with my unsullied viewer about how he views Qyburn. I think the actor is doing a good job of portraying all of this but I think without the backstory you could get the impression that Q is a little quirky. His stuff in the books was chilling on the same level that the awful Ramsay/Reek stuff was. Dark and horrid. One thing I like about this story as a whole is how it turns people's natural need/desire for vengeance on its head. There is a lot of reason to hate Theon and want him dead for what he did in Winterfell, more than for betraying Robb, but when the vengeance is actualized through a third party it is just terrible. Same with Cersei's walk. I don't feel sympathy for her at all but still think that what happens to her is just wrong, and that it is just going to further perpetuate the cycle of violence because of course she is going to try to get some of her own back. My husband made the comment that Sam was just going to get his associates degree in Old Town. As an unsullied, he has no idea of how far that trip actually is (short of Littlefinger magic travel agency device).

When he saw all of the horses coming from Winterfell, he had another great look. His unspoken delivery was fantastic. I said to my husband (an Unsullied viewer that has not hated the plot twists this season) "Oh. So Stannis Baratheon is Richard the Third after all."

Gendry is hanging in a bar with Blackfish and Benjen, trying to get hired by the Golden Company.

I think they've shown Jon progressing from sullen adolescent to man to leader in a fairly realistic way on the show, a few missteps during the Ygritte scenes but overall a good job. He's not quite as hard on the show as he is in the books by this point, IMO (baby swapping, old man sending-awaying, mean to Sam, etc.).

They need a Westerosi version of Emily Post to navigate all of these social pitfalls. What to bring to dinner? Who sits where? There is a good Frey pie joke in here, somewhere. What I am thinking (re: Sansa knowing Ramsay is a bastard) is that she would have at least known who the heir of the Dreadfort was and that Roose had no heir, if that makes sense. I liked his honesty in his cell. Yes, I was trying to be brave in the face of my imminent roasting but now that I have had time to think about it, that sort of bravery is over-rated. I want to live!! What? As your husband? Oh crap. What is option 2?

Even though it's icky from an age standpoint (to put it mildly), Sansa would be a good match for Stannis. They aren't related, it would give him Northern support, and she would probably be a good step-mother for Shireen. I had the same concern regarding Ramsay and Reek. Maybe they are trying to work in the starving first wife angle with the super-thin Myranda I would think that Sansa would know that Ramsay is a bastard as she seemed to pay attention to her Septa and probably learned who all of her father's bannermen and their kin were. But I agree that it was hard to tell what Sansa was trying to do in this scene - maybe she was truly put off by what Fat Walda said and just reacted to it. Aw, I feel badly for Fat Walda. She seems sweet and not as beaten down as most of the Freys always seem to be (to the point where she is blossoming as Roose's Lady, which really says a lot about the Freys), she's trying to host the most awkward dinner ever, and then Ramsay has to trot out Theon to make it even more ridiculous. That whole scene was darkly funny. ETA: I hope at some point in this series that they actually show us Littlefinger's airplane/time travel device because as much as some of the travel timelines require some suspending of disbelief and handwaving, his require the most. Also, I thought that Brienne was a little too trusting about weathered Northerner #4. He could be a Bolton plant, too.

This part of the synopsis made me laugh - Thorne is every drill sergeant everywhere. On some level, I feel a little for Thorne even though he is an ass because he really does have an impossible task, especially given what they are truly up against (maybe, eventually). I like this chapter because it also reminds you that Jon really is still a kid, with the surliness of most adolescents even though there is really no adolescence for most in Westeros. I wonder if his brief "vision" of Benjen was an actual warging vision, in retrospect. Catelyn's decision making looks even worse on re-read. She is about to start a war on the word of two men that she does not trust from the get-go. Trying to figure out Baelish or Varys through other people's POV is fun.

Choosing the site in Seville for the Water Gardens ended up being a lovely choice. When I read the books I didn't picture the Water Gardens anything like that castle, but it was a lovely shot anyway. I am hoping that Ellaria calms down a little from the vengeance train and starts plotting with Doran. They would make a decent team. I liked the silent exchange between the Prince and Areo Hotah "want me to slice off her head?" "Nah. Not yet, anyway." That was well done between those actors. Kit Harrington has really come into his own on this show. And I love that the Wall scenes are some of the consistently best and most interesting, as everything else is really window dressing because, well, WinterisComing. Eventually.

It still makes me completely suck in my breath the way Catelyn hates Jon. Not just wishing that it was Jon instead of Bran but hating him enough to actually tell it to him. That coupled with the unbearably sweet parting between both Robb and Jon and of course Arya and Jon makes this one of the most poignant chapters in the series, especially on re-read. Catelyn is often portrayed as such a good mother (with some poor, poor decision-making skills) that it is easy to forget that she bears this child of her husband's such ill will. I've thought it interesting that they put Ned in the room in that scene for the series because I feel that book Ned probably doesn't realize the depth of the hatred, being rather blind to nuance.

I didn't see anyone else mention this (in this thread) but I was bothered that Littlefinger left Robin Arryn with the Vale people and just skeddadled. I can't see that being a good idea for the character that we're supposed to think is one of the cleverest in the series, especially if there is no Harry the Heir. I liked the wall scenes, too. Loved that Shireen was completely appalled and Selyse is still totally nuts and that they captured both of those things with just a couple of glances at the characters during the Mance burning scene. I also liked Jon Snow's resigned statement about vengeance as in there were just not enough hours in the day for him to properly avenge his family.

The "Really, Carrie? Really?!?" was funny in a dark way. You insult Quinn by only bringing two guys to bring him down. I don't love that Quinn stopped the bomb just because Carrie was standing on it. I'm glad Kiran tried to get Douchebag-that-leaked-Aayan's-story out of harm's way but him being collateral damage would have been fitting.

I thought they (Bunny and Tasneem) were exchanging a lot of significant glances at the table talks as well as his very close contact involvement with the prisoner exchange.

I really do wish that there either were phony files in that case or a tracking device. That would make it a little better. OR that the rest of the bunker's occupants would have jumped Lipless and kept him from opening the door. Why would any of them want to die? I knew the second Haqqani spoke to Fara that she was dead unless Quinn could do the impossible. I think Khan had no way of getting out of that situation with Tasneen. I don't think he's endorsing it. It will be interesting if there is a substantial schism in opinion in the Pakistani government between these two camps. I am assuming Bunny is aligned with Tasneen, but being aligned with the US helps protect their interests regarding India so I imagine there would be many who are not cosigning on to the Tasmeen/Haqqani/Taliban plan.

The security pass part really bugged me, too. That is one of those things that a pesky HR department would definitely confiscate, even if they were too busy screwing with Don and Sloan. And in a corporation this big with confidential files/documents/etc. security would watch you pack your things and escort you from the building. I fell asleep either right before or during the wedding scene so will have to watch that part again. Jim and Hallie's storyline was awful. And the Hustler reference was the other thing that really took me out of the episode. They are both way too young for that to be a relevant reference. ETA: The parts with the judge were well done. His reluctance and the conversations in chambers quite believable.

I am back to truly enjoying this show. I will even ignore the many implausible plot things going on because the pacing and acting have been stellar these last two episodes.

I didn't like the wedding conversation at the beginning with Mac and Will (they annoy me together and possibly separately) but thought the rest of the episode was strong. I love Sloan. I loved that Reese was using her office as his safe place.