Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
#251
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
^ I don't get it?
#252
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
Having taken time to reflect...yeah....this series is taking its own path. Like everyone else I found the constant darkness annoying, but I guess that added to the frantic nature of the episode. It was entertaining and definitely something the level of which has never been seen on television and probably won't again for a long time . That said, it just seemed , well, like a bunch of fan fiction. In fact, that's kind of the vibe I've gotten off this series since they ran out of book material. Martin's overall arc may be in tact, but I know damn well there's no way his story will be as commercial in nature as this has become. I would love to finish Martin's series to see the "real" story, but I have a feeling he won't make it that far and we'll get something from a ghost writer going off his notes which will wind up being glorified novelizations of the TV show.
I do not know why, but for some reason the battle tactics in most fantasy just seem terrible. You're in a huge castle with long reaching weapons facing an enemy that relies on being up close to do damage and you decide to charge at them on horseback? Makes no sense, but creates a good visual I guess.
I'll stick around to the end because I've been here since the beginning, but it just doesn't feel like the same series anymore.
I do not know why, but for some reason the battle tactics in most fantasy just seem terrible. You're in a huge castle with long reaching weapons facing an enemy that relies on being up close to do damage and you decide to charge at them on horseback? Makes no sense, but creates a good visual I guess.
I'll stick around to the end because I've been here since the beginning, but it just doesn't feel like the same series anymore.
#253
#255
DVD Talk Hero - 2023 TOTY Award Winner
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
Just watched it.
Too much bad kung fu movie one man standing against dozens nonsense. Really, really unrealistic battle scenes, especially near the end. The teaser for the next episode shows dozens, if not hundreds, of unsullied left alive. Where were they at the end of E3? They could have had them in a pocket of active resistance, standing with Brienne, Jamie, Pod, Tormund, etc. fighting together, perhaps dodging/retreating from blue fire in the closing moments. That would have at least maintained some reasonable continuity and actually made it far less implausible that Brienne, Grey Worm and so on actually survived. It also seemed silly to have Mellisandre (sp) show up, light all the Dothraki swords on fire and then have all of the Dothraki snuffed out in moments.
OTOH, the first ten minutes, while the tension built up, was brilliantly done.
Now to predictions:
1. There is only one dragon now and two Targaryens. Just sayin...
2. Olenna predicted Cersei would be Jamie's end and I think that prediction will hold true.
3. Yara will obviously still have a major role to play in the final battle.
4. Will be interesting to see how things end up with Bronn and his gold-plated crossbow.
Too much bad kung fu movie one man standing against dozens nonsense. Really, really unrealistic battle scenes, especially near the end. The teaser for the next episode shows dozens, if not hundreds, of unsullied left alive. Where were they at the end of E3? They could have had them in a pocket of active resistance, standing with Brienne, Jamie, Pod, Tormund, etc. fighting together, perhaps dodging/retreating from blue fire in the closing moments. That would have at least maintained some reasonable continuity and actually made it far less implausible that Brienne, Grey Worm and so on actually survived. It also seemed silly to have Mellisandre (sp) show up, light all the Dothraki swords on fire and then have all of the Dothraki snuffed out in moments.
OTOH, the first ten minutes, while the tension built up, was brilliantly done.
Now to predictions:
1. There is only one dragon now and two Targaryens. Just sayin...
2. Olenna predicted Cersei would be Jamie's end and I think that prediction will hold true.
3. Yara will obviously still have a major role to play in the final battle.
4. Will be interesting to see how things end up with Bronn and his gold-plated crossbow.
#257
DVD Talk Hero - 2023 TOTY Award Winner
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
#258
DVD Talk Hero - 2023 TOTY Award Winner
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
There was just one next to Dany at the end. Jon's crashed into the woods and I was about to say that only one shows up in the trailer but then I watched it again and do see two in one very brief shot. Still, I don't think both Jon and Dany survive anyway. Also, both dragons will probably be dead by the end of the series anyway. I think the show makes clear on multiple occasions that dragons are an anathema to a peaceful kingdom so one way or the other they have to go.
#259
DVD Talk Godfather & 2020 TOTY Winner
#260
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
https://www.theringer.com/talk-the-thrones
#261
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
I could be off base, but I don't think that would have made a lick of sense. The Faceless Men, as I understand it, can't just shapeshift into anything they want. They take on the formerly-living face of a now-dead person. White Walkers are already undead and shatter when they're "killed", leaving no face at all from which a "faceless man mask" could be derived. What actually happened - Arya hiding in wait to use the element of surprise and masterful skill with a weapon - makes much more sense.
#263
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
I'm praying that the final battle at King's Landing be filmed in daylight instead of the dark.
#264
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
I'm sure you are aware of all that.. but (for me, anyway) seeing it all laid out helps make the case that she was never a second tier character. She has been one of the driving forces since the beginning. Just MO, of course.
#265
DVD Talk Special Edition
#266
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
You do realize that there are fans out there who don't care about The Avengers, so it's not a golden age of cinema for everyone.
I thought the plot point of the White Walkers was essentially uneccessary and side tracked the show, and was there just to give a certain part of the fanbase a 'wow' episode. I'm not going to nitpick about this and that regarding the episode like others, as I'm looking big picture. The next 3 episodes are what I care about is that is what the show was built on: Cersei vs Jon/Dany and who get's the Game of Thrones? That episode played out EXACTLY like The Walking Dead episode in it's latter years where it killed alot of 'B' characters, and ended up having movie cliches like Arya coming in and saving the day (sorry, but I saw that coming a mile away). Game of Thrones has been a great show but the last 2 seasons built up to that and it was ultimately irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Yes, their army is depleted so Cersei has the advantage now but the White Walkers were played up much more than that. I will go out and say that the whole White Walkers subplot could have been nixed and the show would have been just as great, as the last season could have focused on everyone picking sides in the final battle for The Game of Thrones. I've been down on the show for the past year, but I'm really looking forward to the next 3 episodes as I wish there were 10 episodes to cover this final battle between all of the players.
Again, sorry if I don't share your love for this episode and The Avengers. It's cool that you love both, but don't call out people like me for not loving it as I'm not jaded as the last season has been a different show than the previous 6 seasons.
I thought the plot point of the White Walkers was essentially uneccessary and side tracked the show, and was there just to give a certain part of the fanbase a 'wow' episode. I'm not going to nitpick about this and that regarding the episode like others, as I'm looking big picture. The next 3 episodes are what I care about is that is what the show was built on: Cersei vs Jon/Dany and who get's the Game of Thrones? That episode played out EXACTLY like The Walking Dead episode in it's latter years where it killed alot of 'B' characters, and ended up having movie cliches like Arya coming in and saving the day (sorry, but I saw that coming a mile away). Game of Thrones has been a great show but the last 2 seasons built up to that and it was ultimately irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Yes, their army is depleted so Cersei has the advantage now but the White Walkers were played up much more than that. I will go out and say that the whole White Walkers subplot could have been nixed and the show would have been just as great, as the last season could have focused on everyone picking sides in the final battle for The Game of Thrones. I've been down on the show for the past year, but I'm really looking forward to the next 3 episodes as I wish there were 10 episodes to cover this final battle between all of the players.
Again, sorry if I don't share your love for this episode and The Avengers. It's cool that you love both, but don't call out people like me for not loving it as I'm not jaded as the last season has been a different show than the previous 6 seasons.
Anyway, you’re right that I shouldn’t have used the word jaded. However, I have as much of a right to refute your criticisms as you do to make those criticisms.
#267
DVD Talk Legend
#268
DVD Talk Ruler
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
Well Bran can see now and the past.. but he can't see the future can he? So not sure how Bran could possibly have known the outcome of this in any sort of way where one would have felt pretty confident about success.
#269
DVD Talk Special Edition
#270
Banned
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
Didn't like this episode much, nobody of consequence died. Seems like without the books the writers are lost.
#271
DVD Talk Special Edition
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
Question to you guys that believe main characters should’ve died: Why? Say for instance if Daenerys died does the North ever march South? If Jon dies why even have the reveal of his parentage for him to die without anything coming of it? Jaime has to come face to face with Cersei again. With all that has happened to Sansa and Tyrion would you be okay with them dying in a crypt? There are much better ways to kill these characters than what could’ve happened here.
Last edited by actionjackson29; 04-30-19 at 05:11 AM.
#272
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
I remember early early on complaining to someone else that they shouldn't have elevators in that world.
But dragons are fine?
Well, yeah. But elevators are wrong.
But dragons are fine?
Well, yeah. But elevators are wrong.
#273
DVD Talk Hero - 2023 TOTY Award Winner
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
Based on screen time, she comes in sixth in total screen time as of the end mid-2017 (I cannot find more recent numbers), right around the same amount as Sansa. Based on that metric, Theon comes in 8th, ahead of both Jorah and Sam.
I don't think there is any question that Theon is a major character. Huge swaths of the show have featured him as a central character and his impact has been critical in several key moments. The issue is that his appearances have been perhaps a bit more intermittent than some other characters and his role has not been as critical for the past couple of seasons. But, like Arya, he's been on the show since the very first episode and was a central character in scenes as recently as the last episode of last season, not even counting his more recent rescue of Yara. I agree that he isn't quite up to Arya level in terms of importance, but he's not far off either.
Which reminds me. Another thing I disliked about this past episode was the ease of which Theon was dispatched. He still could have obviously sacrificed himself and actually traded a few blows with the Night King before he was dispatched. He is supposed to be a fairly competent warrior after all. The way he went out he might as well have just slit his own throat and be done with it. Having him recklessly charge in and be dispatched with a single move in less than a second was just bad writing.
I don't think there is any question that Theon is a major character. Huge swaths of the show have featured him as a central character and his impact has been critical in several key moments. The issue is that his appearances have been perhaps a bit more intermittent than some other characters and his role has not been as critical for the past couple of seasons. But, like Arya, he's been on the show since the very first episode and was a central character in scenes as recently as the last episode of last season, not even counting his more recent rescue of Yara. I agree that he isn't quite up to Arya level in terms of importance, but he's not far off either.
Which reminds me. Another thing I disliked about this past episode was the ease of which Theon was dispatched. He still could have obviously sacrificed himself and actually traded a few blows with the Night King before he was dispatched. He is supposed to be a fairly competent warrior after all. The way he went out he might as well have just slit his own throat and be done with it. Having him recklessly charge in and be dispatched with a single move in less than a second was just bad writing.
#274
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
I have a theory about the cinematography of the episode (although I'm sure, if true, no one at HBO will ever admit it).
It was obvious that they wanted the look of the episode to be very active/confusing...the whole "fog of war" thing. However, I DON'T think they intended it to be as dark as it was. I think they weren't happy with how a lot of the F/X came out and decided to "hide" a lot of the poorer/more glaring problems through darkness and more digital obscuration (adding digital layers of snow, fire, or whatever was needed).
It was obvious that they wanted the look of the episode to be very active/confusing...the whole "fog of war" thing. However, I DON'T think they intended it to be as dark as it was. I think they weren't happy with how a lot of the F/X came out and decided to "hide" a lot of the poorer/more glaring problems through darkness and more digital obscuration (adding digital layers of snow, fire, or whatever was needed).
#275
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Re: Game of Thrones (S8E03) -- 82 minute episode -- “The Long Night” -- 4/28/19
Question to you guys that believe main characters should’ve died: Why? Say for instance if Daenerys died does the North ever march South? If Jon dies why even have the reveal of his parentage for him to die without anything coming of it? Jaime has to come face to face with Cersei again. With all that has happened to Sansa and Tyrion would you be okay with them dying in a crypt? There are much better ways to kill these characters than what could’ve happened here.