You know what, I do owe a slight apology. I just went back and read the thread. In my head I combined your post with another poster who didn't use tags. Groucho fixed it though.

Thank you. I've been on this forum for many years and try to be very careful about using spoiler tags.

Ignoring the fact that this is a pretty disingenuous reduction of what I was saying, I realize I should have phrased it like this:

I don't have a problem with the violence. These stories are brutal and dark and shocking and I accept that. It can be depressing at times, but the fact that no character is safe and there's no limit to the consequences they may face, creates an undeniable tension. That's part of what makes the show great. What I do have a problem with is the sometimes gratuitous nature of the gore. Oberyn getting his face crushed is brutal and dark and shocking whether or not we see every gory detail and hear every ridiculous squish. I guess I'm just in the minority that feels like not everything needs to be so explicit. What can I say, I don't really like horror movies either.

I also felt that was too graphic and gross. I think I screamed a little, which is something I never do. I usually don't have a problem with the violence on the show (and NEVER with the nudity), but in this case, I kind of felt it was over-the-top. At least it's rare that they go THAT overboard.

Quick question (and not wanting to spoil anything not yet revealed on the show) : Do we know what happened to Ned's brother who took Jon to the Wall? It's been so long and I can't remember if he was one of those guys who returned last season through the tunnels.

This is a show where a pregnant lady got stabbed in the abdomen and you're complaining about the violence now??

Tastefully. Tastefully stabbed in the abdomen.

Not complaining. Just throwing it out there as a topic to discuss.

I think I need to add an apology myself. I also just went back to re-read the previous episode's thread too and, although I try to be careful with spoiler tags, I found out this about them...

This is what I posted in that thread with spoiler tag:
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If you rewatch the scene between Bronn and Tyrion, just listen carefully to what Bronn says...
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But when I ran a search on the thread, this is what came back:



I had no idea that the search function here strips out spoiler tags!

Seeing this makes me think that in the future I'll try my best to avoid posting anything that a simple search can spoil for someone.

Nice!

The violence was pretty shocking, but I didn't mind it. If the books are just as descriptive of these sort of scenes, I applaud the show for not sacrificing those moments because of some weak stomachs out there; especially if it more accurately depicts the world that all these characters live in. If anything, I think the brutality adds to the emotional attachment and response of the audience and i'm glad it doesn't pussy foot around those scenes, and in that case I don't find them gratuitous at all. I'd hate it if shows or movies completely hid these kind of moments from viewers altogether.

Holy shit! That's right!

I was going to quote your post and give you a little jab about it, then was spoiled completely.

It was half my fault, but I swear that I got your implication...

I did not think that the important thing in that little chat was that Bronn was getting married.

I can understand why a lot of people—including me--liked the Oberyn character. He’s basically another Tyrion (another favorite among fans).

They have the same introduction to the series: a delegation is sent to welcome them to the city, but they’ve already snuck in and parked themselves at the nearest brothel.

They’re both not afraid of the Lannisters and are the only ones who have lashed out verbally and physically (Tyrion slapping Joffrey multiple times) against them.

They’re both second sons who will never be the heir to their respective fathers’ kingdoms.

I could not imagine The Mountain 1.0 or 2.0 pulling that scene off last night like 3.0 did

I hope that's all they'll have in common by the end of the season.

Also many DVD Talk members have clamoured for man-man sex without all the homosexuality, and Oberyn fulfills that.

For me, I didn't think the violence in this episode was that bad, or rather, I wasn't taken aback by it because it was SO over the top. I cringe far more at realistic violence, something I can relate to, say, an injection of a needle, than I do at a crushing of a head, since I have no frame of reference, it's just not that gross to me; all I see are practical effects. But slice someone's arm with a razor blade, and I'll be cringing all week.

i cringed at all the teeth being knocked out with one punch (similar to the "good night motherf'er" curb stomp scene in American History X). the rest was merely a flesh wound after that.

Not sure what exactly we have to spoil-tag, so I'll wrap everything (but is safe for anyone who watched this last episode):

Yeah, sorry about that. I didn't know that spoiler tags were so damned useless. The past is the past - but in the future, I won't post like that again.

There might be something wrong with me, because it didn't even cross my mind for a second during that scene that it was violent or graphic or visually shocking.

Yet, if a ghost appears, I'll literally run out of the room.

Oberyn might be dead and down, but I wouldn't count him out entirely .

Maybe my favorite part of the episode.