It Is By Will Alone I Set My Mind in Motion.
Game of Thrones! The Warlocks of Qarth! So, "The Ghost of Harrenhal" was slated to be a good episode where shit got real no matter which way you cut it. First things first: I was unhappy with the way the shadow killing of Renly played out. I had been talking about this with Matt & I think a lo-fi solution would have been better. You know, like having Renly shadow be out of step? A creepy opening of the tent flap, an eerie shadow on the wall--sans CGI-- & then Renly's throat just opening & blood everywhere I just felt like the high magic of the last episode would have been better off tempered by a little subterfuge in this episode. Still, that is one king down! Theon continues to be...well, a worthless piece of garbage. I said before that he's the Gollum of A Song of Ice & Fire but it is probably more accurate to say he's the Sméagol, eh? Jaqen H'ghar is great-- but then, the Jaqen H'ghar of the text is great, so there was plenty there to work with. Emilia Clarke's Daenerys Targaryen shines in a more urbane setting; I found her a little bit lacking as the khaleesi of a band of raiders, but I find her more compelling as a claimant to the throne. She cleans up well & suits the political shenanigans-- maybe it is just a relief to see them all out of the dustbowl. Or maybe blue is just her colour? Tyrion is in the basement playing with napalm-- I like the book's implications that the return of dragons has empowered the alchemist's fire to burn hotter, & I hope they put it into a later episode-- & John Snow is slogging across Siberia. Both of those story arcs are ace; I have little to add because I think they are handled really well on screen. Dinklage is amazing & the on-location shooting of The Fist of the First Men? Oh man, I guess that was Iceland? So bad ass. Arya & Tywin Lannister provide a great showcase for both actors, too, especially the line of Arya's that they nabbed for the season trailer-- "anyone can be killed." & that was my Sunday in a nutshell. Well, I went to the gym-- hurt my legs pushing it on some machines-- & played with Olivia a whole bunch, too, but other than that. Also a quality nap with Jenny, & Schezuan food with Kira & Nino before the show. But other than that...