Game of Thrones "Winterfell" 8.01 4/14/19

I usually put the episode title in the thread title, but apparently HBO isn’t even releasing the title to the next episode. Which seems a bit silly. But for now, we just have episode numbers.

Traditionally we’ve had a TV show only discussion thread, and a TV show/books/anything thread. The show is so far past the books that it’s not likely to matter very much, but that method has worked for us for years now. Both threads see a lot of discussion. One talks a lot about where the books might go, and how they might differ from the show, other things that show watchers may not be interested in or may be trying to avoid (if they want to read the books after the series ends) and it just seems like we might as well just close it out using our tried and true method. Which means that this thread will be for show discussion only. I’ll create another open/books thread after this.

There’s no need for spoiler boxes in these threads. If the show has aired, you’re free to discuss it openly. And if you’re watching the west coast feed, ffs, just wait a few hours before you come back in the thread instead of acting like people are doing something wrong by posting during and after the show ends.

Here are last year’s threads.

7.01 “Dragonstone”
7.02 “Stormborn”
7.03 “The Queen’s Justice”
7.04 “The Spoils of War”
7.05 “Eastwatch”
7.06 Beyond The Wall
7.07 The Dragon and the Wolf

To see previous season threads, go to the episode 1 thread, where the OP will have links. And then the season 1 thread from that season will have links to the previous season. Etc.

Here is the season 8 open book / show discussion thread.

What are the rules about the “next time” revelations?

Good question. I know some people think this is stupid, but a lot of people try to avoid the “next week on…” segments. Just like movie trailers, they’re not made by the writers or creators of a show. They’re not carefully crafted to enhance the experience, they’re just doing what they can to get you to tune in. Including misleading out of context scenes and semi-spoilers.

I don’t recall if we had a mod ruling on these sorts of things, but I would ask people to set least warn people when discussing future scenes that come from those clips. In that case a spoiler box would be fine, but if you don’t want to do that at least let people know that’s what you’re talking about so people can skip over it.

Not trying to start an argument over it. Just asking people to be considerate of those of us who hate those things.

So, I liked it. Lots of setup, which I was expecting, but given the truncated season I was also thinking there would probably be a bigger set piece.

Come on Torumund, you’ve been dealing with this shit your whole life, you’re really almost going to get offed by a freshly killed corpse?

Glad to see Tormund’s baby blue eyes . . .

The rest was pretty much setting up the board, or reminding folks of what went before.

ETA: looks like I’m just a SnarkyKong clone tonight.

“What is dead may never die” are some really discouraging parting words when you are off to fight the zombie horde.

Especially given the response is supposed “but rises again again, harder and stronger.”

It was kind like a school reunion, seeing all of these familiar characters and settings again. It was nice even seeing someone like the Hound again. And we’re seeing the cracks between various clans and groups.

What the hell happened to Jamie’s blonde hair, where is Brienne, and can Arya just kiss Gendry already?

I liked the new open where we got to see interiors. Very nice.

Gah…I could hear the complaints in my head of the internet hordes as certain things happened. Mostly “we’re wasting time on this??”

MY biggest complaint is the BSG one i had. Manufactured drama and fracturing in the face of utter annihilation. Jon should have immediatly confronted Sam and Bran and told them that no one can know about this for now. Also reiterated WHO GIVES A FUCK about the damn crown.

Overall i greatly enjoyed it. I see next week we’re wasting more time on fracturing. I get Brans beef with Jaime…otherwise put a sock in it Dany.

This show has really squandered reunion scenes. Last year the Jaime/Tyrion reunion could’ve been a really powerful scene and it was just kind of blown off. Arya/The Hound reunion was almost nothing. Sansa/Tyrion blew by with almost nothing. Jon/Arya was the bare minimum.

You can say theyre pressed for time but it was their choice to have short seasons. These scenes would’ve cost nothing to film. Just good writing and good acting but they pretty much just punted them.

Multiple scenes that could be some of the most powerful character scenes in the whole story basically just glossed over.

Super disappointing.

I assume Jaimes blonde hair is hanging out with Tyrions blonde hair

The fracturing… yeah. Same shit as last season really. “Hey idiots, it doesn’t matter who gets called ruler, army of the dead! We’ll figure that out after if any of us live.”

About the reunion scenes: I liked Arya/Jon, choked up a little. Arya/Hound didn’t bother me given their stoic personalities, plus it’s not like they were friends or anything. I mean the last time they saw each other was Arya hoping that the Hound has a long and painful death. Arya/Gendy was a bit weak, but again Arya is stoic and probably a lot more so given her year long suppression of all emotion.

Manufactured fracturing will bother me more if it’s a recurring thing especially if it’s handled as poorly as it was in season 7.

Oh i havent seen mentioned anywhere yet…I really like the TERavens assertiveness this season

After being scattered across two continents for so many seasons, it was interesting seeing almost the entire cast finally assembled in just one place. I kept waiting for one after the other to pop up.

But considering they’re fighting a zombie army, I was half expecting Rick Grimes and company to show up too.:smiley:

Awful. The first episode of the final season should have been titled “Soap Opera”. Bad dialogue, overacting, trendy hair, etc. Solid contender for a daytime Emmy.

What did Arya want Gendry to build for her? I couldn’t make it out.

I liked it and I liked that Sam just told Jon the truth the first time they met up.

In LOST, he would have looked at him with a knowing look for two more episodes before it came out. I was glad to see him just tell him the truth.

Snow had to believe it. I just wanted Sam to say, “Search your heart…you know it to be true!”

Oh, and I thought the slapstick humor of Jon’s first ride on the dragon was way out tone for GoT. Plus some stupid dialog. “What do I hold onto” indeed.