game of thrones 3x02, dark wings dark words
aaaand YES I'M DOING REVIEWS AGAIN REGULARLY I'M PROUD OF MYSELF okay down to business now.
premise: no Theon hating k? Just not. Thanks. Also: possible book spoilers though I'm trying to keep it light so thread carefully.
Okay so, general verdict: less all over the place than S2 - as far as it seems - and while there's still stuff I don't like it doesn't seem to be going the clusterfuck way (yet), so I'm going to say I generally liked this except for at least one glaring thing. But more about that in the specific points. So.
1) SOMEONE FINALLY KNOWS THAT BRAN AND RICKON ARE MIA. Just five episodes too late, but alllriiight. The only good thing to come out of this is that when THAT THING HAPPENS Robb won't SPOILER thinking that Theon killed his little brothers, which - well, makes it at least slightly less depressing, but still, what. the. fuck. It should have happened a long time ago.
2) The fact that no one in King's Landing knows makes the Sansa/Tyrells convo look.. well, as a scene in itself it wasn't done badly and also omg Olenna = PERFECT CASTING, but if they don't know that Sansa is actually Robb's heir it makes a lot less sense. Also: WHERE WAS THE BEAR AND THE MAIDEN FAIR, IT WAS THE BEST THING ABOUT THAT SCENE IN THE BOOK. Sorry. But the Sansa/Loras part was done so well.
3) I cackled like crazy during the Joffrey & Margaery scene, okay. Also, poor Cersei. Really. I'm almost feeling bad for how her kid is being like OMG MOM STOP EMBARRASSING ME.
4) The amount of trolling going on with Tyrion and Shae is being out of the world indecent (in every sense of the word). I'm wondering if they're planning on changing a couple of things from the book or if they just want not-book people to punch their screens next season. Mmmh.
5) Meeeh why did they cut so much from the BWB D: Sandor was supposed to show up later, right? D: I mean, I think they could have kept a lot of stuff even if he had showed up like in episode five, but whatever. Beric looks nice, Thoros looks good but is more of a jerk than I remember, please let me have Gendry and Hot Pie forever. Also Arya keeps on being miraculously IC (SOMEONE ELSE WHO'S BEING MORE OR LESS SAVED FROM THE OOC VIRUS), which is good.
6) Bran: yesssssss. The Reeds are totally well cast and I suppose the introduction was as well as it could have been considering the changes. I'm just wondering what's the deal with Osha and Rickon being with them - like, uh, for plot purposes they should be going in the totally opposite direction but then again a) I always thought that Rickon disappearing for three books was bullshit, b) I realize this is television and you can't have a character disappearing for three seasons, so we'll see I guess. There are worse things they could change. Also when he dreamed about Jon and Robb at the beginning ;____;
7) Like Catelyn. Now. Seriously. My current theory is that Talisa has the OOC curse - I.E. whenever someone comes close enough to her to have a conversation they suddenly turned into a bodysnatcher/start acting OOC. Last episode it was Robb and now... Cat is feeling guilty about Jon? Seriously? Okay, uh, just - I think I get it. Or better, I don't *get* it, but I guess they might have done it because since 99% of the reasons people detest Cat and think she's the worst person ever omg go away is that she doesn't like Jon/wasn't a mother to Jon/told Jon THAT quite horrible thing in the books (even if tbh you should take context into account)/thought of Jon - or better, of Jon's possible heirs -as a menace to her own kids first when we all know Jon would kill himself before taking what belongs to his brothers/sisters. So, since everyone-knows-what is happening, they're trying to make Cat more sympathetic to the casual viewer/general audience/people who read the books but are willing to go with their changes by making her regret being mean to Jon or whatever. Which is imo entirely bullshit since if only they had paid more attention/KEPT SOME PLOT POINTS/introduced the Tullys earlier than they are/stopped making Talisa Robb's sensible/pro-peace advisor (that's supposed to be Cat y'all) you wouldn't need to have her regret her behavior to be sympathetic - she has enough reasons on her own for that. Her treatment of Jon is a flaw, but it just makes her human and anyway she has perfectly legitimate medieval-setting reasons for not being entirely cool with the idea of Jon Snow being raised with her kids, though hey I mean it's not like she forbade Ned to do it so just - ugh. WHAT. THE. FUCK. WAS. THAT. Seriously come on. Cat is a good enough character in herself with enough sympathetic traits and who actually can think with her brain and give good advice (SERIOUSLY), you don't need to make her regret not being a mother to Jon to make us like her. Ffs. And this coming from someone who loves Jon, just to state it.
In short: I'll just go blame it on Talisa and on her OOC-turning ways.
8) At least Robb was a bit less of a douche this round (yay, because he's not supposed to), he looked pretty down/depressed (which he should be so double yay), FINALLY KNOWS ABOUT HIS BROTHERS (good too though late) even if when he's all lovey-dovey with Talisa I can't stop rolling my eyes because ugh where's Jeyne W., and HAHAHAHAHAH HIS FACE WHEN THEON WAS BROUGHT UP SERIOUSLY PEOPLE my ship lives forever. Anyway, while I'm still not entirely convinced with this at least Robb's characterization this round wasn't the travesty that last week's was? Small favors.
On that: BRING ON THE TULLYS I've been waiting too long for the Blackfish to happen already. (And to Edmure obviously, but the Blackfish is my favorite forever k.)
9) Since we're on that.
Nope.
I officially can't take an entire season of Theon being tortured OR actually two seasons of... well. you know. I just. Nope. He was in there for maybe five minutes total and it took me fifteen minutes to watch them because I kept pausing while sort of biting on my own fingers and thinking BABY PLEASE NOOOOOOO ;______; like no let's not even get into how he was trying to come up with whatever he thought his torturers wanted to hear because that's bad enough already. But jfc when Ramsay showed up (BECAUSE THAT'S HIM COME ON) and his face was all hopeful and then he was like DON'T LEAVE ME HERE I pretty much died sobbing and decided that next episode will be the death of me because hahahahah THAT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD ESCAPE TENTATIVE WON'T IT. Just leave me here to sob and wish I could cover Theon in cupcakes or something because seriously. Nope. No. Nada. Can't. Do. That.
And I have AN ENTIRE MORE SEASON OF THIS and then if they get to S4 it's probably Reek time and I'M NOT - NOOOOOPEEEEEE.
And btw, there are already assholes on tumblr thinking that he deserves it and they're happy to see it. Thus starts the two months of throwing up in my mouth. /o\
And the thing is that I can't even complain because a) no one's getting character assassinated, b) as far as we know from the book it's totally plausible that some part of what we didn't see went like this. Fuck everything. I can't.
Last thing: someone give Alfie Allen ONE FUCKING INDIVIDUAL AWARD THIS SEASON because he's fucking *good* and just because he happens to play a dude that 70% of the audience hates and 25% doesn't care about it doesn't mean it shouldn't get recognized, thank you all.
10) Or, the only light in this tunnel: JAIME AND BRIENNE COME HERE. First: thank fuck we had that scene where Brienne didn't kill the guy who saw them because at least she doesn't look like she's willing to kill anyone (which could have been gathered from last season). Also well she's not supposed to be that sassy but then again a) Gwen looks too good for that part so I can try to overlook it, b) they banter so deliciously that I can't. Also: NCW is entirely too awesome at his role and sfhfhgdkjghkd the way he sasses Brienne I can't. Also DIJFKFJDGHKD THE SWORD FIIIGHTTTTTT DJKFHSDFHSJHKJFHSKF I wish they had kept the chastising my wife/shall we have this dance quotes but I CAN TOTALLY WORK WITH THIS. Though he has to call her wench before episode five happens plzkthanks. But really, considering everything they're changing *this* part is the one I'm more handwaving about. Now if they keep on that way with Brienne and they stick to the rest of the plot I can totally get behind this.
Also, my otp is flawless. The end.
In conclusion: if Talisa was just GONE I'd enjoy this show a lot more than I currently do since she's fucking with what's in theory my favorite SL after Jaime and Brienne, but as a whole this season seems to be generally better than S2, IF WE DON'T COUNT THE RANDOM BODYSNATCHERS and some plot holes which I suppose they realized later that SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A THING, but for now I can be cool with this. Proved that they don't fuck everything later obviously, but then again we'll see I suppose. But damn, I really wish they kept Jeyne Westerling. Sigh.
premise: no Theon hating k? Just not. Thanks. Also: possible book spoilers though I'm trying to keep it light so thread carefully.
Okay so, general verdict: less all over the place than S2 - as far as it seems - and while there's still stuff I don't like it doesn't seem to be going the clusterfuck way (yet), so I'm going to say I generally liked this except for at least one glaring thing. But more about that in the specific points. So.
1) SOMEONE FINALLY KNOWS THAT BRAN AND RICKON ARE MIA. Just five episodes too late, but alllriiight. The only good thing to come out of this is that when THAT THING HAPPENS Robb won't SPOILER thinking that Theon killed his little brothers, which - well, makes it at least slightly less depressing, but still, what. the. fuck. It should have happened a long time ago.
2) The fact that no one in King's Landing knows makes the Sansa/Tyrells convo look.. well, as a scene in itself it wasn't done badly and also omg Olenna = PERFECT CASTING, but if they don't know that Sansa is actually Robb's heir it makes a lot less sense. Also: WHERE WAS THE BEAR AND THE MAIDEN FAIR, IT WAS THE BEST THING ABOUT THAT SCENE IN THE BOOK. Sorry. But the Sansa/Loras part was done so well.
3) I cackled like crazy during the Joffrey & Margaery scene, okay. Also, poor Cersei. Really. I'm almost feeling bad for how her kid is being like OMG MOM STOP EMBARRASSING ME.
4) The amount of trolling going on with Tyrion and Shae is being out of the world indecent (in every sense of the word). I'm wondering if they're planning on changing a couple of things from the book or if they just want not-book people to punch their screens next season. Mmmh.
5) Meeeh why did they cut so much from the BWB D: Sandor was supposed to show up later, right? D: I mean, I think they could have kept a lot of stuff even if he had showed up like in episode five, but whatever. Beric looks nice, Thoros looks good but is more of a jerk than I remember, please let me have Gendry and Hot Pie forever. Also Arya keeps on being miraculously IC (SOMEONE ELSE WHO'S BEING MORE OR LESS SAVED FROM THE OOC VIRUS), which is good.
6) Bran: yesssssss. The Reeds are totally well cast and I suppose the introduction was as well as it could have been considering the changes. I'm just wondering what's the deal with Osha and Rickon being with them - like, uh, for plot purposes they should be going in the totally opposite direction but then again a) I always thought that Rickon disappearing for three books was bullshit, b) I realize this is television and you can't have a character disappearing for three seasons, so we'll see I guess. There are worse things they could change. Also when he dreamed about Jon and Robb at the beginning ;____;
7) Like Catelyn. Now. Seriously. My current theory is that Talisa has the OOC curse - I.E. whenever someone comes close enough to her to have a conversation they suddenly turned into a bodysnatcher/start acting OOC. Last episode it was Robb and now... Cat is feeling guilty about Jon? Seriously? Okay, uh, just - I think I get it. Or better, I don't *get* it, but I guess they might have done it because since 99% of the reasons people detest Cat and think she's the worst person ever omg go away is that she doesn't like Jon/wasn't a mother to Jon/told Jon THAT quite horrible thing in the books (even if tbh you should take context into account)/thought of Jon - or better, of Jon's possible heirs -as a menace to her own kids first when we all know Jon would kill himself before taking what belongs to his brothers/sisters. So, since everyone-knows-what is happening, they're trying to make Cat more sympathetic to the casual viewer/general audience/people who read the books but are willing to go with their changes by making her regret being mean to Jon or whatever. Which is imo entirely bullshit since if only they had paid more attention/KEPT SOME PLOT POINTS/introduced the Tullys earlier than they are/stopped making Talisa Robb's sensible/pro-peace advisor (that's supposed to be Cat y'all) you wouldn't need to have her regret her behavior to be sympathetic - she has enough reasons on her own for that. Her treatment of Jon is a flaw, but it just makes her human and anyway she has perfectly legitimate medieval-setting reasons for not being entirely cool with the idea of Jon Snow being raised with her kids, though hey I mean it's not like she forbade Ned to do it so just - ugh. WHAT. THE. FUCK. WAS. THAT. Seriously come on. Cat is a good enough character in herself with enough sympathetic traits and who actually can think with her brain and give good advice (SERIOUSLY), you don't need to make her regret not being a mother to Jon to make us like her. Ffs. And this coming from someone who loves Jon, just to state it.
In short: I'll just go blame it on Talisa and on her OOC-turning ways.
8) At least Robb was a bit less of a douche this round (yay, because he's not supposed to), he looked pretty down/depressed (which he should be so double yay), FINALLY KNOWS ABOUT HIS BROTHERS (good too though late) even if when he's all lovey-dovey with Talisa I can't stop rolling my eyes because ugh where's Jeyne W., and HAHAHAHAHAH HIS FACE WHEN THEON WAS BROUGHT UP SERIOUSLY PEOPLE my ship lives forever. Anyway, while I'm still not entirely convinced with this at least Robb's characterization this round wasn't the travesty that last week's was? Small favors.
On that: BRING ON THE TULLYS I've been waiting too long for the Blackfish to happen already. (And to Edmure obviously, but the Blackfish is my favorite forever k.)
9) Since we're on that.
Nope.
I officially can't take an entire season of Theon being tortured OR actually two seasons of... well. you know. I just. Nope. He was in there for maybe five minutes total and it took me fifteen minutes to watch them because I kept pausing while sort of biting on my own fingers and thinking BABY PLEASE NOOOOOOO ;______; like no let's not even get into how he was trying to come up with whatever he thought his torturers wanted to hear because that's bad enough already. But jfc when Ramsay showed up (BECAUSE THAT'S HIM COME ON) and his face was all hopeful and then he was like DON'T LEAVE ME HERE I pretty much died sobbing and decided that next episode will be the death of me because hahahahah THAT'S GOING TO BE A GOOD ESCAPE TENTATIVE WON'T IT. Just leave me here to sob and wish I could cover Theon in cupcakes or something because seriously. Nope. No. Nada. Can't. Do. That.
And I have AN ENTIRE MORE SEASON OF THIS and then if they get to S4 it's probably Reek time and I'M NOT - NOOOOOPEEEEEE.
And btw, there are already assholes on tumblr thinking that he deserves it and they're happy to see it. Thus starts the two months of throwing up in my mouth. /o\
And the thing is that I can't even complain because a) no one's getting character assassinated, b) as far as we know from the book it's totally plausible that some part of what we didn't see went like this. Fuck everything. I can't.
Last thing: someone give Alfie Allen ONE FUCKING INDIVIDUAL AWARD THIS SEASON because he's fucking *good* and just because he happens to play a dude that 70% of the audience hates and 25% doesn't care about it doesn't mean it shouldn't get recognized, thank you all.
10) Or, the only light in this tunnel: JAIME AND BRIENNE COME HERE. First: thank fuck we had that scene where Brienne didn't kill the guy who saw them because at least she doesn't look like she's willing to kill anyone (which could have been gathered from last season). Also well she's not supposed to be that sassy but then again a) Gwen looks too good for that part so I can try to overlook it, b) they banter so deliciously that I can't. Also: NCW is entirely too awesome at his role and sfhfhgdkjghkd the way he sasses Brienne I can't. Also DIJFKFJDGHKD THE SWORD FIIIGHTTTTTT DJKFHSDFHSJHKJFHSKF I wish they had kept the chastising my wife/shall we have this dance quotes but I CAN TOTALLY WORK WITH THIS. Though he has to call her wench before episode five happens plzkthanks. But really, considering everything they're changing *this* part is the one I'm more handwaving about. Now if they keep on that way with Brienne and they stick to the rest of the plot I can totally get behind this.
Also, my otp is flawless. The end.
In conclusion: if Talisa was just GONE I'd enjoy this show a lot more than I currently do since she's fucking with what's in theory my favorite SL after Jaime and Brienne, but as a whole this season seems to be generally better than S2, IF WE DON'T COUNT THE RANDOM BODYSNATCHERS and some plot holes which I suppose they realized later that SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A THING, but for now I can be cool with this. Proved that they don't fuck everything later obviously, but then again we'll see I suppose. But damn, I really wish they kept Jeyne Westerling. Sigh.