Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
06-21-16, 10:48 AM
#151
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
I liked the battle but agree we got plenty of it. There wasn't enough going on with tactical maneuvering and the like to sustain a full episode.
06-21-16, 11:12 AM
#152
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06-21-16, 11:17 AM
#153
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
I agree that SOME of the writing this season has been much more standard TV fare than previous seasons. For example, this episode's unambiguously good guy underdog against unambiguously baddie superpower only to be deus ex machina'ed at the last second was very un-GoT trope-y fare.
....
This year has been far more interesting, much more spectacular and is allowing the show to collapse some story lines with efficiency and realism. IMO, it's one of the better seasons.
....
This year has been far more interesting, much more spectacular and is allowing the show to collapse some story lines with efficiency and realism. IMO, it's one of the better seasons.
-Jamie's continued loyalty to Cersei (which is the opposite of the book) and his eventual betrayal (my prediction)
-Theon's redemption tour, and with Yara, on how to make Iron Islands great again
Besides Arya, the whole Dorne thing continued to be the weakest link.
06-21-16, 11:21 AM
#154
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
The problem with that is what are they going to do with Dany while we're waiting a season or 2 for Yara to get there? They've dragged maybe a seasons worth of adventure out of the Slavers story line and stretched it into what 4 seasons? So unless the show runners are willing to take one of the stars off the table while they stretch out the Iron born story line it's just not going to work.
But to be clear what I'm talking about here is GoT going from an A++ show to a B++/A- show by my tastes. It's not like I'm saying it's booty.
Last edited by boredsilly; 06-21-16 at 11:26 AM.
06-21-16, 11:50 AM
#155
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
The reason for the drop in quality the last two seasons is obvious: Benioff & Weiss don't have anymore source material. GRRM is simply a much better writer than them. He writes much sharper dialogue and is a much better plotter of storylines. The proof? Seasons 1-4 is essentially all of his writing and these past two seasons have been D&D on their own (yes yes, they talked to GRRM about how it would end, I know).
That being said, I think D&D have done as good a job as they are capable of and I certainly respect them for undertaking this project. There have been some spectacular moments and some great dialogue. I still look forward to the show every Sunday and despite my criticisms throughout this season (and last's) I don't want to give the appearance that I'm "hate watching", but there's no question in my mind that GRRM is a considerably more talented writer and that if the show still had source material to go from it would be better than it has been the past 2 seasons.
That being said, I think D&D have done as good a job as they are capable of and I certainly respect them for undertaking this project. There have been some spectacular moments and some great dialogue. I still look forward to the show every Sunday and despite my criticisms throughout this season (and last's) I don't want to give the appearance that I'm "hate watching", but there's no question in my mind that GRRM is a considerably more talented writer and that if the show still had source material to go from it would be better than it has been the past 2 seasons.
06-21-16, 11:51 AM
#156
Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
I just feel overall the quality has dipped alittle bit this, but I'm still there every week. I felt the same way about The Sopranos and Mad Men as they both seemed to peak after Season 4 and the latter seasons weren't as great, but I still put them on the Mt. Rushmore of Cable TV Drama's.
I'm just saying that the writers were able to suprise for me 5 seasons and this year it just seems like I'm predicting what happens almost every episode. When Arya was stabbed multiple times in the stomach, deep down I knew she would survive. When it was Jon Snow vs Ramsey Bolton, I knew Bolton would be the one who died because it would be lame if they killed Jon Snow again (that is why I never like when a character is revived and there is no difference in their character after).
Game of Thrones used to be able to end each show on a 'Holy Shit!' moment for 5 seasons, and this year isn't like that. Again, it happens to every great show as not every season can be A+.
06-21-16, 12:03 PM
#158
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
I agree that SOME of the writing this season has been much more standard TV fare than previous seasons. For example, this episode's unambiguously good guy underdog against unambiguously baddie superpower only to be deus ex machina'ed at the last second was very un-GoT trope-y fare.
However, below the surface there's actually a lot going on this season:
- Bran's destructive impulsiveness and the fatal consequences of his actions
- Jon (more understandable) hotheadedness about his brother and his typically Stark-ish dumbassery
- Sansa developing more coniving leadership instincts and being unafraid to go very non-Stark and literally feed an enemy to the dogs
- Tyrion getting in over his head and then coming back around to effectively managing a difficult ruler
- Daenerys becoming an even more ruthless and much more believable conqueror
- Tommen being a child and Margaery's long game
- Cersei continually being abused, belittled and humbled
- The mysterious motivations and very clever gambits of the High Sparrow
- The (terrifically handled) reemergence of The Hound as a particularly conflicted character
Only Arya's plot has really been meaningless and nonsensical to me this year and even that had a wonderful play-within-a-play set in it.
IMO, this is a significantly stronger season than last year. Last year's unending, grim march of (IMO) unnecessarily harsh audience sadism and Dorne pointlessness was only really saved by the fantastic Hardhome episode to me. Seasons before that have had very uneven pacing (remember Qarth?) and questionable setpieces (the battle of Castle Black).
This year has been far more interesting, much more spectacular and is allowing the show to collapse some story lines with efficiency and realism. IMO, it's one of the better seasons.
However, below the surface there's actually a lot going on this season:
- Bran's destructive impulsiveness and the fatal consequences of his actions
- Jon (more understandable) hotheadedness about his brother and his typically Stark-ish dumbassery
- Sansa developing more coniving leadership instincts and being unafraid to go very non-Stark and literally feed an enemy to the dogs
- Tyrion getting in over his head and then coming back around to effectively managing a difficult ruler
- Daenerys becoming an even more ruthless and much more believable conqueror
- Tommen being a child and Margaery's long game
- Cersei continually being abused, belittled and humbled
- The mysterious motivations and very clever gambits of the High Sparrow
- The (terrifically handled) reemergence of The Hound as a particularly conflicted character
Only Arya's plot has really been meaningless and nonsensical to me this year and even that had a wonderful play-within-a-play set in it.
IMO, this is a significantly stronger season than last year. Last year's unending, grim march of (IMO) unnecessarily harsh audience sadism and Dorne pointlessness was only really saved by the fantastic Hardhome episode to me. Seasons before that have had very uneven pacing (remember Qarth?) and questionable setpieces (the battle of Castle Black).
This year has been far more interesting, much more spectacular and is allowing the show to collapse some story lines with efficiency and realism. IMO, it's one of the better seasons.
This season has been better because major plot points are moving forward, but I think that's because they have to as they near the end of the series more then the writing elevating where the plot is going.
06-21-16, 12:29 PM
#159
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
I'd say there's a lot going on, but that doesn't mean the execution and writing of said events have been handled very well. Of the list you have, I'd actually say about half of them were rough in the way they unfolded, and i'm particularly surprised you feel that The Hound's return was "terrifically handled" since aside from Arya, I thought his reintroduction was one of the worst things so far this season.
It's not about whether I think he's a cool character or not. Of course he is. I'm just not sure what the point of bringing him back was. Since the direction of the brotherhood w/o banners goes a different way in the book that would not be friendly to a Sandor Clegane reappearance it seems like they are just inventing this storyline to bring back a character that a lot of people liked.
If that's the case I'd have rather he stayed "dead". The show already had enough characters to service.
06-21-16, 02:02 PM
#161
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
I'd say there's a lot going on, but that doesn't mean the execution and writing of said events have been handled very well. Of the list you have, I'd actually say about half of them were rough in the way they unfolded, and i'm particularly surprised you feel that The Hound's return was "terrifically handled" since aside from Arya, I thought his reintroduction was one of the worst things so far this season.
This season has been better because major plot points are moving forward, but I think that's because they have to as they near the end of the series more then the writing elevating where the plot is going.
This season has been better because major plot points are moving forward, but I think that's because they have to as they near the end of the series more then the writing elevating where the plot is going.
I do think one thing they have been better on is moving things forward, and that's not just because they have to, Case in point: hold the door. In past years, they might have waited 2-3 episodes before returning to that storyline, but instead they returned to it with the opening scene of the very next episode.
06-21-16, 02:20 PM
#162
Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
Personally I've felt this season was a step up from Seasons 4 and 5 which I felt was weak and really slow paced build up for what was finally paid off for in this season. IMO Seasons 1-3 were definitely the strongest of the show, and with some of the biggest surprises.
06-21-16, 02:43 PM
#163
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
I really think Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun will be resurrected by Melisandre. We had the foreshadowing earlier in the episode with Jon's conversation about being brought back. Then, he gets shot in the eye with Ramsey's arrow. The episode before, we see Beric again, who has been brought back many times in the past, and recall his eye patch.
06-21-16, 02:48 PM
#165
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
I really think Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun will be resurrected by Melisandre. We had the foreshadowing earlier in the episode with Jon's conversation about being brought back. Then, he gets shot in the eye with Ramsey's arrow. The episode before, we see Beric again, who has been brought back many times in the past, and recall his eye patch.
06-21-16, 02:49 PM
#166
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
06-21-16, 03:40 PM
#167
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
and i'm particularly surprised you feel that The Hound's return was "terrifically handled" since aside from Arya, I thought his reintroduction was one of the worst things so far this season.
06-21-16, 07:36 PM
#171
DVD Talk Godfather
Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
I'm genuinely surprised people liked The Hound stuff. The moments with him and that village, and the ensuing slaughter while out chopping wood, was as cliche as Littlefinger riding in at the last minute.
I like the character, and it's resulted a few fun moments and conversations with him. I'll be more forgiving when he's given something more interesting to do though.
I like the character, and it's resulted a few fun moments and conversations with him. I'll be more forgiving when he's given something more interesting to do though.
06-21-16, 07:43 PM
#172
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
Having had time to look at a few analyses of Sansa's actions and her smirk at Ramsey being devoured by her own dogs has me thinking she will fill the role of
Spoiler:
06-21-16, 08:11 PM
#173
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
Sansa should have cut of Ramsey's dick and fed it to the dogs. Then after he recovered from that have him flayed.
06-21-16, 10:09 PM
#174
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06-22-16, 01:37 AM
#175
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Re: Game of Thrones (S6E09) -- "Battle of the Bastards" -- 6/19/16
Lots of people don't like the Hound scenes this year..
Spoiler:
