Episode 6: “The Old Gods and the New”

Bran’s dream come true!

Episode 5: “The Ghost of Harrenhal”

And so passes Renly.

It’s been a while, again, since I did one of these. Been playing a lot of Skyrim lately, though, and it’s put me in a Game of Thrones sort of mood.

The fifth episode’s major theme is ambition. We get a sort of summary of most of the major players’ ambitions or, failing that, the lengths they are or may be prepared to go to see them through. The question on the table is, “what is the cost?” and this is the show when it comes to showing the full ticket price of ambition.

Episode 4: Garden of Bones

Roose Bolton, super duper not nice.

It’s been an even longer time since I wrote one of these. In fact, I was going to give up but I’ve been thinking of the show lately and how I still haven’t managed to get in a complete second viewing. Also, Justin convinced me I should keep writing these so here we are.

Episode 3: “What is Dead May Never Die”

Jon won’t be pretty much longer at this rate.

It’s been a while but I’m back with episode 3 of Game of Thrones season 2. This episode picks up right where the last one left off with Jon receiving a stern lesson in the difference between what is right and what is expedient, and how they are seldom the same thing in Westeros. The Old Bear knows Craster is up to no good, but the man is a necessary evil while the Watch focuses on much worse shit. Including the shit Craster pays tribute to. White Walker shit. Shit.

This is all part of Jon’s education not only in leadership but also on the role of heroics in a world like his. Jon’s a romantic at heart but it’s being slowly worn out of him by all he’s experienced since leaving Winterfell. The show makes his story feel a lot more clearly one about “coming of age” than the books did. I’m sure I’ll talk more about it, but it’s one of the key reasons I think Jon is a more immediately likable character in the show. I didn’t really get into Jon until even after the Qhorin Halfhand stuff (later in Season 2, you’ll see!) where most people, especially young men, like him right away because he represents something of ourselves. I never got that with the books so much. Jon always felt like the vanilla protagonist that usually centers fantasy stories, even my own. I always thought that was boring for A Song of Ice and Fire but Martin always meant for us to see Jon grow up into the man he’ll eventually become.

Episode 2: “The Night Lands”

Manners. They matter.

Episode 2 of season 2 of Game of Thrones is slightly more focused than the first one. This is because the important work of rallying the narrative forces and propelling them forward into the new cycle of the story is largely done. With more room to get into what this season is going to focus on, individual scenes are longer and have more room to breathe which means that there are a few less of them in this episode than in the previous one. That said, this is another episode written by Weiss and Benioff which means it’s more than adequate at juggling all the disparate characters and subplots that make up the ugly, beautiful web of Game of Thrones. Dany only gets one scene this time while Robb, Catelyn, Joffrey/Sansa and Bran/Winterfell are left out altogether. When the show is able to shuffle things around in order to focus, it is truly at its best. Even reducing or removing a couple of threads temporarily makes for a less breezy, more substantial episode.

The Armored Lady (Where No Armor Was Before)

Some blogger types on movie newsy sites have been commenting on the released images from the upcoming Snow White and the Huntsman which is one of two competing “Snow White Reimagined” movies coming down the pipe.

The image in question.

What you see there is Kristen Stewart in Gondor drag. That’s a joke Devin Faraci made to great effect over at Badass and I have basically no problem reusing it here (quality, yo). Obviously they are going for a big, expansive fantasy direction for this time-honored tale. They’ve said as much even, as Devin and others have reported. Devin also points out that Joe Roth is the producer responsible and he also made Alice in Wonderland last year which featured its own titular Disney “princess” in shiny mercurial armor lopping the head off a fucking dragon. Since he’s also making the upcoming Oz the Great and Powerful I suppose people will be expecting the Eowyn treatment for Dorothy.