Television Game of Thrones (TV) • The watch has ended
- Thread starter ha_rooney
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I can understand the frustration, I was expecting the episode to give us more Tyrion and I was disappointed when I realized the whole episode was going to be Jon and Sam.
However, the scale of the effects was huge, I would think it was the most expensive episode they've ever made. There were some really nice shots, it had all the things people want in an action scene/episode.
Jon think they can only hold out a few more days, but the situation is left unresolved even though we just spent a whole episode on it. Like many episodes, it leaves you wanting more.
Not as awesome as the Blackwater episode but generally very happy with it.
However, the scale of the effects was huge, I would think it was the most expensive episode they've ever made. There were some really nice shots, it had all the things people want in an action scene/episode.
Jon think they can only hold out a few more days, but the situation is left unresolved even though we just spent a whole episode on it. Like many episodes, it leaves you wanting more.
Not as awesome as the Blackwater episode but generally very happy with it.
I thought it was a great episode. Don't know what more you lot expected.
It was great for action. Ordinary for story progression. Depends on what you enjoy most about GoT.
Thought it was entertaining throughout, even Sam wasn't annoying. The giants looked brilliant. Ygritte's death was done very well, short enough, so that it wasn't cringeworthy and I liked that for a change, a death wasn't shocking. It just happened like it was always going to happen.
My main criticism (and it's more a general one for the whole season) would be that I'm not sure that I fully felt the importance of the battle at the beginning of the episode, which lead to the lack of tension. The fact that no one in Westeros really cared about the wall throughout this season, made it seem less significant than it should be. It's a huge army waiting on the other side and it's not even the most dangerous army north of the wall. Westeros is probably fecked if they get through, but somehow it didn't feel that way to me. Jon Snow standing up in a room with a few men of the nightwatch a few episodes back wasn't enough. They needed a bigger storyarc, maybe Jon sending someone down to convince some of the Stark bannerman to help them or convince Stannis to come to the wall or something like that. Instead of wasting time with that Bolton spy, they should have had Sam traveling South and give him something important to do. They also should have showed more of Mance and his plans. All we saw from the wildling side was Ygritte and everytime it was about her love and her revenge, not about the real threat. It all felt too isolated from the rest and therefore it lacked the emotional connection to all the other stories.
It was a brilliant battle though, amazing how good a job they did with the budget available. Some of the action scenes were mind-blowing for a tv series.
My main criticism (and it's more a general one for the whole season) would be that I'm not sure that I fully felt the importance of the battle at the beginning of the episode, which lead to the lack of tension. The fact that no one in Westeros really cared about the wall throughout this season, made it seem less significant than it should be. It's a huge army waiting on the other side and it's not even the most dangerous army north of the wall. Westeros is probably fecked if they get through, but somehow it didn't feel that way to me. Jon Snow standing up in a room with a few men of the nightwatch a few episodes back wasn't enough. They needed a bigger storyarc, maybe Jon sending someone down to convince some of the Stark bannerman to help them or convince Stannis to come to the wall or something like that. Instead of wasting time with that Bolton spy, they should have had Sam traveling South and give him something important to do. They also should have showed more of Mance and his plans. All we saw from the wildling side was Ygritte and everytime it was about her love and her revenge, not about the real threat. It all felt too isolated from the rest and therefore it lacked the emotional connection to all the other stories.
It was a brilliant battle though, amazing how good a job they did with the budget available. Some of the action scenes were mind-blowing for a tv series.
I really enjoyed it. The battle reminded me a lot of Helms Deep from Lord Of The Rings which was pretty cool. I thought the special effects and action scenes were very impressive for a TV show as well.
It wasn't faultless though. The worst part of the episode was when Ygritte said "you know nothing, Jon Snow" before she died. God that made me cringe. The Sam scenes weren't all that great either, although I thought they were better than they have been in previous episodes this season, more bearable at least.
Can't wait for the season finale where, hopefully, we'll learn more about what is to happen to Tyrion.
It wasn't faultless though. The worst part of the episode was when Ygritte said "you know nothing, Jon Snow" before she died. God that made me cringe. The Sam scenes weren't all that great either, although I thought they were better than they have been in previous episodes this season, more bearable at least.
Can't wait for the season finale where, hopefully, we'll learn more about what is to happen to Tyrion.
meh
Agree with the emotional connection part. Though the Tyrion storyline was too great and big that it was gonna overshadow all the other ones.
I was especially touched by the fact that those wildlings gave Jon a moment to say his goodbyes to Ygritte, instead of butchering him while he was whispering to her about staying in a cave with her.
Such a tactful bunch, those Thenns.
Such a tactful bunch, those Thenns.
The Wall is an afterthought to the rest of Westeros. Throughout the duration of the show Ned Stark and Tyrion are the only major characters who seem to understand its importance.
Alright episode. Could've shown a bit more of the Wall, though.
I agree with most of this. The minute Jon was holding on to ginger after she had been shot, I was expecting the "You know nothing.." line - which was so cheesy.
About the part in bold- Jon wasn't really in charge at the wall though. So the Stark bannermen might probably not have been too keen on running up to "save the wall".
And isn't Stannis caught up in shite down south? I don't see why he would have made that journey to "save the wall". (Or have I missed something really important?)
I've no idea what Stannis is actually doing. The point wasn't that they should have found help. But if someone tried to convince the 'big players' in Westeros to join, they would have at least been connected with it. If they choose not to, fair enough, they're self absorbed idiots anyway. But without anyone even telling them what's going on, asking for the necessary help, the story arc felt so isolated. Jon isn't really in charge, but he wouldn't be the first hero to act against the orders of stupid superiors.
Correct me if I am wrong but wasn't there a point in this season, or maybe seasons before this where letters were sent to the whole of wsesteros asking for help. I remember Cersei being involved in the discussion and just completely ignoring it saying "we trust the men of the night's watch to do their duty they don't need any help" basically refusing the help.
Now that you say it, yeah there was something like that. But if I forgot about it so easily, it clearly wasn't enough to create that connection, at least not for me. The last time someone really raised concerns about the situation at the wall was when that guy from the nightwatch talked to Ned Stark in season 1, the one who took Arya with him later that season. With Ned Stark's death, all the connections died. Probably how it was supposed to be, but it was the main reason, why the battle at the wall didn't really have as big an emotional impact on me as Blackwater had.
Phew! OK. For a minute there I thought I might have missed some part in the storyline (because of a bad stream or something)
I always thought the wall was this separate entity of sorts which no one other than Ned Stark (or the Starks in general and the folks beyond the wall) gave much consideration. My perception of the way the other characters thought of the wall was like this black hole where you send people you don't like (as a punishment).
The last I remember Stannis was in the episode where he (and Davos) go over to seek help/$$$.
In your post you referred to him saving the wall and I was confused as to how/why you'd make that leap
You are right. That was when Davos had just started to read and he brought it out to Stannis' attention. But wasn't that a long time ago?
Kinell you lot are hard to please. Great episode with the Kings Landing/Tyrion and other storylines to be attended to next week.
I just wrote that Jon could have sent someone to Stannis to try and convince him to come to help
. That's far from referring to Stannis saving the wall . I mainly picked Stannis, because I have no clue what he's up to these days.So you reckon this storyline is over for this season?
It's more a 'how it maybe could have been even greater' discussion than a 'it wasn't great' one. Wouldn't call that 'hard to please'. Like I said, I thought it was brilliant, entertaining throughout the whole episode and incredibly well done.
A few people were much harsher than that.
I couldnt contain myself any longer, even though I wont get to see it until tonight I needed to know what happened to Tyrion.
Is there no Kings Landing story at all this week?
Is there no Kings Landing story at all this week?
Nope, it's like the Blackwater episode in season 2. The whole episode is the battle at Castle Black against the wildlings army, no other storyarc is mentioned, we don't know anything about Tyrion yet.
From looking at the preview on YouTube, it seems the key points of next week are going to be:
- The annoying children have reached that tree.
- More Lannister incest and Tyrion's fate
- The Hound and Arya meet some bad people and The Hound falls over
- Jon Snow is north of the wall
- Dany looking sad
- Varys- Linked to Tyrion?
- Some angry monsters, were they dragons?
I fecking love Ghost! The direwolves dying is maybe the most heartbreaking stuff in the whole series for me.
Anyone else think they got the timing of this episode wrong? It wasn't a great episode in all honesty either.
It was alright. Some spectacular effects, but little story progression.
The Sam and gilly scene right before the fight seemed to be lifted straight out of team america.
Great episode, loved every second of it.
Terrific episode, you're a nonce if you think otherwise. The Maester's speech about love was great. F*cking giants and mammoths, brilliant. That scythe.
Sad not to know nothing about Tyrion but that's a great episode. I didn't like this season's "meantime in the Kings Landing/Daeneris's lair etc" jumps, I think they done them a little to much, and to have a full episode filmed in one location is relieving.
Forgot about that "Drop the scythe, boys!" That was class.
I loved that episode, non stop action excluding the Sam and Gilly stuff but that was short.
Sam has now managed to kill a Whitewalker and a Thenn, he's not so useless after all.
The star of the episode for me though was Alliser Thorne. That speech in the courtyard was brilliant.
Sir Allister was brilliant and it's strangely refreshing to see good old perfect hero on the show in Jon Snow (a bit strange scene with the sword but it wouldn't have made a difference - it's not like with this sword he could single-handedly kill 100000 wildlings, he should be more witty anyway) that lives more than a few episodes
Giants and scythe
It's interesting, actually, how big are the grown dragons? I bet that a few giants with their bows can easily kill one
Giants and scythe
It's interesting, actually, how big are the grown dragons? I bet that a few giants with their bows can easily kill one
The trouble is that there is epic action in every big show these days and what sets GoT apart from the rest is the epic story telling and politics so when a big episode like that happens, some are left underwhelmed because it doesn't hit home half as much as something like the Red Wedding or The Viper vs The Mountain. I think most people are a bit numb to the whole Bay style action scenes these days.
The nod
.I just wrote that Jon could have sent someone to Stannis to try and convince him to come to help
Well you did say something about "Stannis' help" - Would it not imply that he'd help them save the wall from the wildlings?
Anyways, it was a really nice TV episode - I'm pretty sure the last one will end on a cliffhanger (in all the story arcs)
Hopefully, the cliffhanger wouldn't be related to Tyrion's story - as in hopefully they'll make it clear whether he lives or dies!
I liked it. Probably suffered a bit with the comparison to Blackwater but even still, it had giants, mammoths, scythes, fighting and shit. What's not to like?