Friday, April 26, 2013

Game of Thrones - Season Three: And Now His Watch Is Ended


This episode was great for several reasons; first of all it contained what was unquestionably Emilia Clarke’s best scene as Danaerys; also there was the first significant character death of the season as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont makes his final stand; and of course Beric Dondarrion!

The episode began with Jaime Lannister being humiliated by his Bolton captors, and a demonstration of how ineffective he is as a fighter without his sword hand. This provoked a continuation of the unlikely friendship between Jaime and Brienne. I have to say that Gwendoline Christie’s line readings are on occasion a little bit odd (“He’s going to fall off his horse, someone help him!”) but she did a very good job during the scene between the two of them where she gave him the push he needed – which also contained the very valid point that a lot of people have lost things that are important to them. Her expression of gratitude towards Jaime was also very nicely done.

It is clear that the people making the show are very excited that they got Dianna Rigg to play Lady Olenna, as she has been far more prominent in the show than she is in the books. This is not a bad thing though, as her scenes are always enjoyable. Pairing her with Varys was a nice touch, as enigmatic wordplay is a staple of any scene involving the eunuch. It made for an interesting scene when she refused to buy into any of his flattery.

It seems like a convention of the show that whenever a character has a moment when they redeem themselves; something terrible is about to happen to them. This was certainly the case for Theon, who confessed that he had not really killed Bran and Rickon, and also that he considered Ned Stark to be his true father. Of course this may not be a satisfying redemption for some viewers, especially because of his betrayal of Robb. For those of you who don’t think Theon deserves forgiveness, well things are about to get particularly unpleasant for him, especially in the hands of his captor – still unnamed, but his true nature has been revealed.

Things finally reached a boiling point for the Night’s Watch survivors at Craster’s Keep. During last week’s episode there was a lingering camera shot on one of the Night’s Watchmen who I’m pretty certain has never made an appearance before. It came as no surprise therefore that this same Night’s Watchman suddenly had dialogue of his own. This ended up being that man who led the mutiny by murdering Craster. There are positives and negatives to this action, for although I’m sure nobody feels sorry for Craster, it doesn’t exactly bode well for the Night’s Watch – and by extension everyone else!

Commander Mormont then became the first major casualty of the series – someone who has been there since season one – after being stabbed in the back. The script writers were gracious enough to show the toughness of ‘The Old Bear’ as he still had the strength to nearly choke a man despite bleeding out, but unfortunately they omitted his dying words. In the books when Mormont dies he tells Sam to find his son (Jorah) to tell him that he forgives him and wants him to take the black. I’ve really enjoyed James Cosmo’s portrayal of the Lord Commander, he always looked right for the part and has had some really significant scenes (my favourite was back in season one when he made the declaration “when dead men and worse come hunting for us in the night, do you think it matters who sits on the iron throne?”). And now his watch is ended!

As I stated above the scene involving Danaerys was – in my opinion – the best she has had to date. Maybe something about speaking a made-up language adds a certain amount of oomph! Anyway, the dragon effect was very impressive; I’m pleased that the show doesn’t overdo it when it comes to CGI. I really liked the reaction from Kraznys when he realised that Dany knew how to speak Valyrian. The expression on his face just said “so you could understand everything I’ve been saying this whole time? Oh shit!” It was a nice touch. Then Dany proved that she can be cruel when she needs to be, and had her shiny new army massacre all the slavers, while Drogon (the black and red one is named after her deceased husband, which is something that has never been mentioned) roasted Kraznys alive. I really buzzed off the delivery of “Dracarys” because I knew it was coming, but it was built up really well. Also the final image of the Unsullied army marching out of Slaver’s Bay, while the three dragons circle overhead was worthy of being a season-ender. I have no idea what the actual ending image for this season will be, but I’m excited.

But of course, my major talking point on this blog for the last couple of weeks has been anticipating the arrival of Beric Dondarrion. Now, even though he is not a main character he is one of my favourites in the book series. It seems that Arya’s storyline is always connected to the most interesting secondary characters – Syrio Forel, Yoren, Jaqen H’Ghar – and now Beric Dondarrion joins that group. I can’t go fully into detail as to why I like this character so much, but it will become clearer in the next episode. Richard Dormer managed to make the most of his first scene as the leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners, managing to create an aura of command just though his dialogue. Also, there are not many characters who would openly challenge The Hound to single combat. 

Elsewhere, there was another one of Bran’s dreams (I’m going to hold onto the hope of a Sean Bean cameo at some point) as well as a really great moment between Tywin Lannister and Cersei, in which Tywin proved once again why he is such a respected and feared man. Joffrey’s fear at the prospect of going out and seeing the people proves how much of a terrible king he is, and I’m fairly certain someone in the crowd shouted ‘trick or treat!’ although I probably just misheard.

We’re approaching the midseason mark now, and things are really picking up. I’m already looking forward to the next one because we’ll see the trial by combat.

Monday, April 15, 2013

Game of Thrones - Season Three: Walk of Punishment


The third episode of the third season opens with perhaps the longest scene to contain no dialogue in the show’s history. More new characters are introduced as the episode begins with the funeral of Lord Hoster Tully (much like Jon Arryn in the first season, we see nothing of him aside from his corpse). More is seen of Lord Hoster in the books, but none of his scenes were included in the show: it’s likely that Catelyn’s storyline is tragic enough without adding in scenes where she sees her father on his deathbed, and he is barely able to recognise her. Clive Russell makes his first appearance as Cat’s uncle Brynden (AKA ‘Blackfish’) and is very believable as a grizzled veteran of war, as well as a respectful and courteous figure. Himself and Michelle Fairley exchange a very touching scene later on, where we see their relationship, learn about the unseen Hoster Tully, and also see Catelyn dealing with the grief of believing that her two youngest sons are dead. 

Also introduced in the opening is Tobias Menzies as her younger brother Edmure Tully. Edmure does not get the greatest of introductions, first unable to land a flaming arrow onto the funeral pyre (or boat, if you want to get pedantic) despite three separate attempts to do so, and then proving his lack of wartime strategy to King Robb, which could prove to be a costly error in the grand scheme of things. While not a good scene for Edmure’s character, Robb is at least given some time to shine. This scene proves that there is more to warfare than just winning battles, and Robb gets to show off his military mindedness for the first time since what seems like ‘Baelor’ way back in the first season – which was the episode where Ned Stark got executed, so a long time ago!

The following scene – much like the opening – also makes use of aesthetics, and the politics of one’s placement around a table becomes the focal point for nearly two whole minutes, before eventually someone speaks. This scene would make for a fascinating analysis, concerning the ‘game’ that is being played: Tywin being the figure of power and authority, Littlefinger the highly ambitious one places himself closest to where the power is, Cersei changing the established rules by moving her seat closest to her father, and Tyrion breaking the rules and positioning himself furthest away. The rest of the scene plays out and sees the proposition of a marriage between Littlefinger and Lysa Arryn, as a means for strengthening the Lannister’s standing in the war. This then leads to Tyrion taking over as the Master-of-coin, which provides the much needed light relief throughout the rest of the episode.

There is some foreshadowing throughout this episode in several storylines, hinting at where various characters are heading: Jon Snow is bound for the wall, only this time on the side of the Wildlings (or is he...?); the surviving Night’s Watchmen have returned to Craster’s Keep, where Sam sees Gilly again, as she gives birth to a boy (which as we already know, is not good); and Theon has been rescued twice by his mysterious benefactor. Hints at this man’s identity have already emerged from his use of the Stark words: “Winter is Coming”, and also that he doesn’t take kindly to being called ‘bastard’. He has appeared very caring towards Theon, but has also proved his ruthlessness through the single-handed murdering of four men. 

Daenerys’ moved things along in her storyline, offering up one of her dragons in exchange for an army. This decision was met with concern from her advisers: Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan, who both believe that Dragons have more value to her than any army, but Dany shows qualities of being a Queen and a leader, in addition to having a caring heart. I appreciated the mention of Prince Rhaegar during Barristan’s scene, as well as Jorah’s line taken straight from the books “Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly, and Rhaegar died”. Such a statement is very telling for the series as a whole: anyone can die, regardless of their allegiance, their intentions, or their strength of character. 

With the arrival of so many new characters this season, some spaces need to be opened up, and this episode saw what was – presumably – the last appearance of Hot Pie. I felt that this was handled very nicely, as it not only proved that characters don’t necessarily have to be killed off, but also the fact that not everyone is a fighter, or a member of a great house, and that some people are better off staying away from war. His farewell was charmingly clumsy, and the image of the fat boy standing alone as the rest of the Brotherhood rode away, was actually a little sad, although not overdone.

But of course I can’t avoid mentioning the final scene, which will undoubtedly lead to many terrible ‘hand’ related puns. Having read the books I knew that Jaime was going to lose his sword hand, and as such I actually felt sorry for him when his captors created the pretence of helping him. On a second viewing, tell me that you don’t feel bad for him when he says the line “I do like partridge”, knowing what’s about to happen. Jaime also proved himself more honourable than he likes people to believe, by convincing Locke (the TV series’ non-lisping equivalent to Vargo Hoat) not to rape Brienne. Even the most hated characters in the show can have moments of redemption. I was not expecting to see the amputation in full, as I thought the camera would cut away to Jaime screaming in pain, but the show proved me wrong there!

One final point concerning the song over the end credits. Last season when The National performed “The Rains of Castamere” over the end-credits to ‘Blackwater’, I legitimately got goosebumps. “The Bear and the Maiden Fair” was never likely going to be a song to evoke such a reaction, but its presence in the show – when sung by the Bolton bannermen – worked just fine. The punk-rock style performance by The Hold Steady however, really didn’t do it for me, especially following Jaime’s amputation scene. “The Rains of Castamere” was a perfect fit, coming in just after Tywin Lannister’s triumphant declaration of victory, and the ominous rumbling of the song underscored the credits beautifully. This performance of “The Bear and the Maiden Fair” was jarring, and seemed poorly placed.

Regardless of that, this was another good episode, and I’m sure that next week’s will really see things moving forward in a major way. The predicaments of several characters at the end of this episode will lead to some shocking moments in the not-too-distant future, I’m sure of it.

Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Game of Thrones - Season Three: Dark Wings, Dark Words


The second episode in the new series re-introduced us to Bran, through a dream-sequence which illustrated just how much has happened since the series began. The image of Robb Stark, Jon Snow and Bran all together was a rare thing, as was the sound of Sean Bean’s voice, which hasn’t been heard since his characters’ execution. I’d be very interested to see more dream sequences like this one, as it is likely the only way through which we’ll ever see all the Starks in one place again. I know that Sean Bean stated in an interview a while back that he’d be open to appearing in flashback sequences. When Bran and Jojen were talking about Howland Reed saving Ned Stark’s life during the rebellion, I began to wonder if there will be a flashback to that particular moment at some point. It probably won’t happen, but if it does it will be something pretty special.

I really enjoyed the introduction to the Reed siblings, Jojen as the mysterious one, and Meera as the tough (yet likeable) one. There were complaints from fans of the book last season due to the fact that these characters make their first appearance in the second book. Once again, this was a change that didn’t concern me too much, as their introduction here was done in a way that was memorable, and made sense at this stage in Bran’s narrative.

There were several other new characters making their first appearances, in particular Paul Kaye as Thoros of Myr, a Red Priest (the same religion as Melisandre). I didn’t know what to think when I found out that Paul Kaye had been cast, as I’d never been a huge fan of his, but he was a lot of fun to watch here. He didn’t take the entire spotlight in his scenes though, as we were also introduced to Anguy, the highly skilled archer, who had his fair share of memorable lines as well. An interesting side note concerning the books is that both of these characters were winners at the Tourney of the Hand, Thoros winning the melee and Anguy the archery competition. The secondary characters connected to Arya’s storyline are always amongst my favourites, and now that the Brotherhood Without Banners has been introduced, I’m looking forward to seeing the leader of the Brotherhood: Beric Dondarion.

Another first timer was Mackenzie Crook as the Wildling Warg: Orell. His scene was brief, and acted as another test of Jon’s loyalties, as they checked his response upon hearing that men of the Night’s Watch had been killed at the Fist of the First Men. Additionally Iwan Rheon, had a short appearance during Theon’s torture scenes. I know that we’ll be seeing more from him in the coming weeks so I’ll say no more right now. 

Of course, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Diana Rigg as the ‘Queen of Thorns’ Lady Olenna. There was a lot of excitement concerning this casting decision, not least from the series author George R.R. Martin himself, who recalled having a crush on her back when she was involved in ‘The Avengers’. That must be something pretty special. Rigg was great in her introductory scene, almost like a female equivalent to Tyrion Lannister, being quick witted and very down to earth, and clearly the smartest member of her family. This scene also finally allowed Sansa to speak her mind about Joffrey, without fear of getting beaten.

Speaking of Joffrey, there was a really nice status-game going on in the scene between himself and Margery, when you wonder who is truly in control. Joffrey is the King, and a tyrannical one at that, but his lack of intelligence and unwillingness to listen to counsel from just about anyone, make this character dynamic particularly interesting. Margery has already shown that she is able to get the people on her side through her compassionate nature (something Cersei never did) but she is also highly intelligent, and has more control over Joffrey than anyone else. This is something he doesn’t pick up on, as he always believes he’s in control.

The real star performance of this episode was from Michelle Fairley as Catelyn, as she did so much with the two scenes she had, which explained so much about the emotional burden she is struggling with. Taking stock for a moment, and one can’t help but feel sorry for Catelyn: her husband has been killed; her eldest son is fighting a war, whilst holding her prisoner; both her daughters are lost to her; she has just learned that Winterfell was destroyed, and that there is no news on her two youngest children; her Father – whom she hasn’t seen in years – has just died; and to add to all of that, she also bears the guilt around the way she mistreated Jon Snow. That is a lot of baggage, and Michelle Fairley deserves praise and recognition for her performance here.

I’m pleased that some time has been taken to further establish the characters of Robb’s bannermen, Rickard Karstark, and Roose Bolton. These characters both have significance to the story, and I’m glad to see them getting some screen time. It does make me wonder if we’ll be seeing any more from Clive Mantle as Greatjon Umber, who was terrific in the first season and conspicuous by his absence in the second. 

There was also a greatly anticipated swordfight between Brienne and Jaime Lannister, which played out in a similar manner to the books. Jaime is impressed by Brienne’s strength, but isn’t at his best after having spent months as a prisoner, and so appears to be losing when they are interrupted. A lot is said about Jaime’s prowess as a swordsman, but in the books this is the only real fight that we see him involved in (as the duel with Ned Stark doesn’t happen in the books) and even that is hampered by him being manacled and malnourished. Vulnerability is what makes these characters so much more engaging than most other characters in fantasy stories. 

I couldn’t help but thinking that the fans were speaking through certain characters at times during this episode: Gendry’s quizzing of Arya concerning the names she gave to Jaqen H’ghar, and why didn’t she say “Joffrey” etc. Also the fat jokes made by Thoros and Anguy about Hot Pie. I’d call these jokes cheap, but they were well delivered, and they made me laugh. My favourite one though had to be from Ben Crompton as Dolorous Edd, where he very bluntly stated that Sam is “fat and slow” as his honest response to why they left Sam behind.

This episode was great, it packed a lot in and introduced a healthy offering of new characters. I’m still looking forward to seeing Richard Dormer as Beric Dondarrion, and also seeing more from all of these new faces. Until next time.

Game of Thrones - Season Three: Valar Dohaeris


I can’t remember the last time I was so excited about the start of a new series. I think that almost as soon as the second series came to an end, with the arrival of the White Walkers, I was already feeling the anticipation for the next series. I kept up to date with any news concerning casting, and which characters from the books would be debuting in the third season. My excitement grew when I discovered that Ciaran Hinds had been cast as Mance Rayder, enhancing the strength of an already outstanding cast. The last couple of months have yielded up numerous trailers, which kept me in suspense for the impending premiere date. Recently the titles for most of this season’s episodes were made public, which clued me in as to which events from the third book would be occurring this year. Basically, I’ve been excited about the third series all year, and am even more excited now that it has arrived.

Now that the pre-amble is out of the way, let’s get on with the episode!

The title ‘Valar Dohaeris’ is a clear connection to the previous episode ‘Valar Morghulis’ and that connection carries over, as the season opener begins where the last episode ended: beyond the wall. Fans of the books may feel somewhat cheated here due to the lack of the Battle at the Fist of the First Men, between the Night’s Watchmen and the White Walkers, but its omission is understandable with the budget restraints (I’m aware that the show had a substantial budget, but it does have to cover the entire season) but mainly due to the location. I can’t imagine the logistical nightmare of filming a full-scale battle sequence in Iceland. Anyway, the sound of the battle is briefly heard before Sam makes his way back to the rest of his brothers – whose numbers have noticeably diminished – before a bloodied Commander Mormont makes the ominous declaration that people have to be warned, or they will all die. All quite literally means ‘all’ in this instance. A great thing about the show is the way that it is able to get its audience so invested in the war over the Iron Throne, but throughout there is the underlying threat of the White Walkers, and that if the Night’s Watch fails then nothing else really matters.

From here on out it is very much in the same vein as the previous season’s opener, inasmuch as it is required to establish where everyone is at this stage: Jon Snow is at the Wildling encampment; Tyrion is licking his wounds from the Battle of the Blackwater; and Dany finally has a ship (which took her about a season and a half to get!) and is now trying to get herself an army. With such an expansive cast of characters the show manages to distribute its running time very well, in order to touch upon as many storylines as it can, and while there are no appearances from Arya, Bran or Jaime in this episode, it doesn’t matter too much as they are sure to make appearances soon enough.

The scene with Jon Snow in Mance Rayder’s tent was a highlight. First of all, the chicken that Tormund Giantsbane was eating looked (and sounded) so good, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to watch that scene and not crave chicken afterwards! Also Jon’s allegiance was tested, and the lines were blurred between whether Jon is trying to infiltrate the Wildlings from within, or if he actually believes he joined the right side in the Night’s Watch. Ciaran Hinds was excellent in this scene, managing to use his stature, and sinister eyes to an imposing effect. I also really like the look of Kristofer Hivju as Tormund – although he’s yet to make reference to the size of his ‘member’ which is something he frequently does in the books!

For the first time since season one, there was a scene between Peter Dinklage and Charles Dance, which was superbly done. Tyrion is such a popular character, that it was heartbreaking for him at the end of the second season when he received no recognition for his efforts in the war. Even more heartbreaking was to see the way his father continues to resent him, in spite of all that he did for the family. Tywin Lannister has become a very popular character, due mainly to the masterful performance of Charles Dance, audiences may not have realised how cruel he can be. Until this scene, that is.

Elsewhere there was a really strong scene between Ser Davos and Sallador Saan, where they were able to create the sense that these two characters have been friends for years, even though we’ve hardly ever seen them together. Davos is looking pretty worse for wear following the Wildfire blast that destroyed his fleet, but continues to believe in Stannis. It would seem that he is the only one who does, and his dedication is something I find very moving, as there are very few honest characters in the series. Stannis shows Davos about as much gratitude as Tywin showed to Tyrion, but I don’t think we’ve seen all we’re going to see between these two. As a coda to that statement, I’d love to see a scene between Tywin and Stannis. It won’t ever happen, but it would be something special.

Dany’s storyline is moving at a much faster pace this season: her dragons are growing, she was introduced to the Unsullied warriors AND she was rescued from a Warlock trap by Ser Barristan Selmy. That could have been three episodes worth of her story, condensed into one. I was so pleased that they were able to bring back the same actor to play Barristan – I was concerned that they’d re-cast following his absence in the second season, and also because the re-casting of The Mountain last year was a disaster – as he is such a good character. Again a sizeable change from the books, where Barristan initially appears in disguise, pretending to be a squire for a fighting eunuch named Strong Belwas (who appears to have been cut – pun only partially intended!). The difference between the two mediums would mean that many viewers would recognise Barristan too easily, so I don’t mind that he revealed his true identity on arrival. I look forward to seeing more of this story.

There was a fun little scene between Bronn and the Kingsguard Knights, notably Meryn Trant – who still seems to be the only one with a name, or ever gets any lines. It’s not hugely important at this stage, but quite a few members of the Kingsguard will have more to do a bit further down the line, so maybe seeing their faces could be helpful. I was also surprised that Loras Tyrell has not joined the Kingsguard yet, as some replacements were required after Blackwater.

I really enjoyed this episode, and as is usually the case, once it was over I wanted to see the next one.