It's incredible how much they squeeze in to each episode, their self-imposed time limit has forced them to hurry through but I think a lot of economic factors went into that decision. They touched on about six different plot threads in that Olena/ Jaime exchange alone.
I do think it'll help when the characters stop having to tell each other who they are. This season seems to be about getting characters into position for the big finish.
Also, I get a kick out of reunion scenes, and the Snow/ Tyrion meet-up was a great one.
One thing that does bother me is that it is hard to gauge the scale of each Houses' armed forces in comparison to each other. It has been implied before that Tyrell had significant forces, even on a level to match Lannister. Has the Tyrell army been totally destroyed then, or if their whole army was not garrisoned at Highgarden, why on earth wasn't it and where on earth are they (since the Unsullied were expecting to see the entire Lannister forces at Casterly Rock)?
Does this effectively mean Houses Dorne and Tyrell are no longer participating? I guess all will be made clear next episode.
One thing that does bother me is that it is hard to gauge the scale of each Houses' armed forces in comparison to each other. It has been implied before that Tyrell had significant forces, even on a level to match Lannister. Has the Tyrell army been totally destroyed then, or if their whole army was not garrisoned at Highgarden, why on earth wasn't it and where on earth are they (since the Unsullied were expecting to see the entire Lannister forces at Casterly Rock)?
Does this effectively mean Houses Dorne and Tyrell are no longer participating? I guess all will be made clear next episode.
Yeah this confused me too, last night Olenna says the Tyrell army aren't natural fighters, yet in the Battle of Blackwater the Tyrell's single handedly save the Lannister army from defeat. I know they lost Randal Tarly and his forces to the Lannisters but the Reach and Highgarden according to the books have a lot of other strong houses who support the Tyrell's.
It did help set up that Olenna scene with Jamie however which was the best dialogue of the whole series and probably very significant in later episodes in terms of how it affects Jamie and his mentality towards Cersei and Tyrion.
Wasn't there a scene in an earlier episode where Jamie is talking the commander of the Tyrell armies currently deployed to protect King's Landing? If so, then that would explain why Highgarden was defenceless
Its a shame the Sand Snakes didnt feature more prominently in the series, they added a sense of fun in a sinister way.....no mention of the other 5 Sand Snakes at all either. Nymeria was particularly good looking (Jessica Henwick).
Dany will roast the Lannister army as it tries to return from high garden. Olenna will have sent a raven so they will know where the army is unlike the fleet. And those dragons have been chained up too long.
Agree about there being a spy in Dany's army, I thought it was someone in the greyjoy fleet but now not so sure.
Cersei got justice, despite being the mad queen and Olenna's news may just push her over the edge.
Euron is my new favourite character, unfortunately I fear he's going to burn out before the end of the series.
Sam is definitely going to find something about the R+L=J theory in those papers and therefore leave the maesters. On the note of Sam, someone (sorry I can't remember the username) mentioned he can't be warden of the south because he's in the nights watch. I think the nights watch will no longer exist by the conclusion. The wildlings are south of the wall, the wall will fall and the night king will die so I don't see how it will exist anymore. I also think that Sam is getting a similar sort of arc to Faramir in LotR. But it's a fair point about the nights watch that I had forgotten.
Its a shame the Sand Snakes didnt feature more prominently in the series, they added a sense of fun in a sinister way.....no mention of the other 5 Sand Snakes at all either. Nymeria was particularly good looking (Jessica Henwick).
Its a shame the Sand Snakes didnt feature more prominently in the series, they added a sense of fun in a sinister way.....no mention of the other 5 Sand Snakes at all either. Nymeria was particularly good looking (Jessica Henwick).
Jessica also stars in Netflix's Iron Fist, alongside Finn Jones who played Loris Tyrell. Check that out if you haven't already, although you need to be a Marvel fan if you do so.
"You looked very pretty on rape night." 'Pleased to see you too...'
It worries me that Bran is likely to be a big character in the climax of the show given that he's a dreadful, dreadful actor.
He was better as a little boy, awkward puberty is not serving him well!
Although, I was quite surprised at how zen he is all of a sudden, he still needed to be convinced when we saw him with Benjen. A week's hike south and he's turned into The Love Guru.
"You looked very pretty on rape night." 'Pleased to see you too...'
It worries me that Bran is likely to be a big character in the climax of the show given that he's a dreadful, dreadful actor.
He was better as a little boy, awkward puberty is not serving him well!
Although, I was quite surprised at how zen he is all of a sudden, he still needed to be convinced when we saw him with Benjen. A week's hike south and he's turned into The Love Guru.
I guess it's a very tough role to fill - especially given that there are some pretty extremes physical restrictions on what the actor can do to articulate their lines. They had to chose a child to play the role at the outset of the series several years ago and just cross their fingers that he's turn into a decent actor but it hasn't worked out.
Comments
I do think it'll help when the characters stop having to tell each other who they are. This season seems to be about getting characters into position for the big finish.
Also, I get a kick out of reunion scenes, and the Snow/ Tyrion meet-up was a great one.
Does this effectively mean Houses Dorne and Tyrell are no longer participating? I guess all will be made clear next episode.
It did help set up that Olenna scene with Jamie however which was the best dialogue of the whole series and probably very significant in later episodes in terms of how it affects Jamie and his mentality towards Cersei and Tyrion.
He still killed Tywin though!
Good that Cersei seemingly has the upper hand. Danerys will have to change tac now.
Who is left to fight cersei now other than the unsullied, dothraki and whoever else Danerys has. Martell and the Tyrell's taken out the equation
Levels the playing field
Good it's been made a closer fight though!
Agree about there being a spy in Dany's army, I thought it was someone in the greyjoy fleet but now not so sure.
Cersei got justice, despite being the mad queen and Olenna's news may just push her over the edge.
Euron is my new favourite character, unfortunately I fear he's going to burn out before the end of the series.
Sam is definitely going to find something about the R+L=J theory in those papers and therefore leave the maesters. On the note of Sam, someone (sorry I can't remember the username) mentioned he can't be warden of the south because he's in the nights watch. I think the nights watch will no longer exist by the conclusion. The wildlings are south of the wall, the wall will fall and the night king will die so I don't see how it will exist anymore. I also think that Sam is getting a similar sort of arc to Faramir in LotR. But it's a fair point about the nights watch that I had forgotten.
Although, I was quite surprised at how zen he is all of a sudden, he still needed to be convinced when we saw him with Benjen. A week's hike south and he's turned into The Love Guru.