Klaus wrote:

Ironically, the show seems more shackled by the story in the books than ever, despite everyone expecting the opposite to happen once they moved past Martin's writing. There's no way they'd spend this much time on repeating storylines and stalling character development if it weren't to match the pacing somewhat in the yet unreleased book. And when you factor in that the showrunners themselves are devoid of any real storytelling talent you get this mess. The plotting is pretty predictable at this rate.

Next episode we'll get some boring Jorah bullshit (how is this asshole still alive?), probably a bit of scheming on the Iron Islands, Benjen Stark will hunt bunnies and say something about what it feels like to be dead while Bran wargs back in time to unveil the most obvious plot twist in the history of the ASoIaF universe, and Jon will find out about Sansa's decision to turn away the knights of the Vale without telling him and it'll create some boring drama between them for absolutely no reason. Rickon Stark will still be chained up in the dungeon and won't get much of either screentime or talking lines, which might be for the better anyway because no one who's watching has a clue about what he's supposed to look like anymore, or why they should even care. Daenarys will say something about fire and chains. Davos Seaworth will hand out advice he's unqualified to give and people will believe him because he has a beard. And then the episode will end with a peripheral character's death for some shock value. (Rickon Stark, we hardly knew ye.)

Funny that in your rant about predictability, most of your predictions are probably wrong. Next episode will be (at least almost) exclusively about the battle between Jon and Ramsay. 

I hope so. This season has not only been predictable so far; it has also also been lacking any form of punch when it comes to the key scenes.

Can't disagree with you there, although there's so many theories about this show that most outcomes will be deemed predictable. For example, plenty of people ptedicted that Arya somehow faked being stabbed or Cleganebowl, which doesn't seem to happen now. Both of those things would be called predictable if they happened.

On another note, after losing many characters over the years, they're more than ever depending on heving a good storyline for Tyrion. Him heving his most boring arc yet doesn't help this season.

Hopefully with Daenerys coming back will bring more out of Tyrion and save him from ever having to talk to the other two ever again.

It was another good episode for Jamie though, good to see him get a more prominant role than just being Cersei's gimp.

Quincy Abeyie wrote:

Can't disagree with you there, although there's so many theories about this show that most outcomes will be deemed predictable. For example, plenty of people ptedicted that Arya somehow faked being stabbed or Cleganebowl, which doesn't seem to happen now. Both of those things would be called predictable if they happened.

The finer details might be up for grabs, but the way the story generally moves has been pretty predictable, along with most of the flaws in the format and storytelling. One of the biggest problems with Game of Thrones is that it keeps to a few big themes that were already explored thoroughly early on, and it gives it a sense of being stuck in repeat mode with characters and storylines running into more cul de sacs than Abou Diaby on a football field.

These last two seasons should have been more than enough to round off the story and draw it to its conclusion. Instead they've slowed everything down to a halt, and that's a serious problem for a show where great characters keep dying and interesting storylines end. It's in line with Martin's view on the nature of history, but it doesn't make for engaging drama. Everything that has happened since Tyrion and Arya got on their respective ship to Essos has been a complete waste of time.

Yep, in hindsight killing your key characters half way through a series doesn't make for compelling narrative. Probably why Tolkien didn't let Frodo die halfway through the Two Towers. I'm all for character deaths but, like you said, once you make that call - the story has to speed up to the conclusion to reflect the enormity of the loss. Not slow down.

The first few seasons of GOT feels like a different show.

goon wrote:

Hopefully with Daenerys coming back will bring more out of Tyrion and save him from ever having to talk to the other two ever again.

It was another good episode for Jamie though, good to see him get a more prominant role than just being Cersei's gimp.

Tbf being brought up a slave you wouldn't be a great conversationalist, I mean what would you have to say "I wish we didn't have to work so hard and they would beat us a bit less and maybe pay us a few quid".

I thought this was a necessary episode to tie up a few loose ends which they did with Sandor and Arya.
 

goon wrote:

Yeah, for all my criticism I still enjoy the hour most than most shows. It's just frustrating when you know if can be so much more.

I'm not enjoying it much at all this season. This week's was probably the worst episode they've ever done.

Mirth wrote:

Yep, in hindsight killing your key characters half way through a series doesn't make for compelling narrative. Probably why Tolkien didn't let Frodo die halfway through the Two Towers. I'm all for character deaths but, like you said, once you make that call - the story has to speed up to the conclusion to reflect the enormity of the loss. Not slow down.

Definitely. I think the quality of the new actors has gotten increasingly worse too. The show doesn't just feel the death of the characters who have met their end - it feels the absence of many of the people who used to play them. A guy like Charles Dance could command an entire room with his presence.

I thought they had learned their lesson this season when they hired one of the most acclaimed actors of all time in Max von Sydow, but he ended up being on the screen for like seven minutes in total. And that's another thing that bugs me: the Three-Eyed Raven is supposed to be such an important figure, but we learn nothing of his background when we finally get to meet him after five seasons. No one who watches the show even knows that he's supposed to be an ancient Targaryen knight who used to be part of the Night's Watch. The blood raven was his shield symbol. That's why we had two seasons of visions where he appeared as a raven to Bran! It would have cost so very little to explain that symbolism on the show through a couple of flashbacks, and it would have added so much.

It's so weird. People complain about characters being killed off, but there are still so many characters on the show. And new ones popping up each week or lost characters returning.
The show certainly is in a holding pattern though. One has to wonder what the point of guys like Blackfish was this season. So many Tullys and Ironborns with one or two scenes and little else. Several episodes without Ramsey, etc. It's not the greatest storytelling.
I do suspect they are holding out for an explosive episodes 9 and 10, in which we will see the end of King's Landing and Ramsey as we know them. Danaerys will defeat the slavers, meet the islanders and then make a big declaration about heading west for justice and all other nice things.

No, people don't complain about that. If they kill off good characters, the bunch we're left with (consisting of old and new characters) needs to be just as good for the show not to suffer.

we're left with a lot of compelling characters. they're just being handled poorly.
think about great scenes such as Tywin teaching his grandson about the virtues of leadership 2 or 3 seasons back. we are not seeing enough of those. there have been one or two tense scenes with Sparrow, but few that are truly memorable.
they should've given Emilia Clarke and wee man the season off though. they've been wasted this year.

Well... That was pretty great. Not surprised they used the director who also directed Hardhome.

Probably one of the best episodes in the show's history. About time!

i didn't watch this one live because of the nba finals. now that's a damn episode, about time. the last time i shouted at the screen at someone running away in a straight line was ricky in boyz n the hood ... zig rickon ... god damn it.

oh and when jon was getting trampled, i felt like i was suffocating. that was beautifully shot.

Meatwad, I was going to comment the same. The John suffocation was real. Episode was great from start to finish. Especially the ending.

One complaint I did have though was that it felt a bit telegraphed. I feel that you and I could have written 90% of this episode's story.

Would like to see what happens next with the custodians of Winterfell

Meatwad wrote:

oh and when jon was getting trampled, i felt like i was suffocating. that was beautifully shot.

So true. 

Super episode. 

This was great stuff, the picture perfect surround in an elsewhere completely chaotic battle took me out of it for a second but that is nitpicking. Super gritty and exciting, loved how they showed some aspects of medieval battles that you don't often get from Hollywood. Very well done on the Winterfell front. The Dany stuff lagged a lot more and I feel they have gone back to the same well one too many times with her. Scene didn't feel as epic as it should have.

bastard bowl was predictable, but still satisfying and well put together. i still think hardhome is the best action set piece the show has done though