GAME OF THRONES #4:Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things-ACT 4 Chapter 1-2011

[Truth Seeker]

Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things

Ned starts his covert inquiry into his predecessor's sudden death. A tournament is held in honor of the new King's Hand. Jon feels sympathy for a new recruit of the Night's Watch called Samwell Tarly. Tyrion, having left the Wall, finds himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. Viserys is growing frustrated in Vaes Dothrak. Catelyn stops at an inn on her way back to Winterfell.
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[Truth Seeker]

Oh my word, someone has a high ranking in the 'Nobility Skill'.

 

[Kaodi]

I love this show.

 

[mac1504]

Seemed to be more exposition of back story and history in this episode than in previous ones. Except for the Sansa scene in the throne room (with Septa Mordane), I thought it was all handled well and did an excellent job of typically showing off more about the characters in the scene as well.

Not sure how I feel about Samwell Tarly yet; I felt that he was smarter in the books (it's been a few years since I read the first book), where they seem to depict him, so far, as being more funny than intelligent. The actor portraying him seem to do a well enough job, however.

 

[Remus Lupin]

I liked Sam, and all the scenes at the wall (and we finally get a sighting of Ghost!).

I was, on the other hand, deeply disappointed in the King's landing stuff. Maybe it was because they had to make room for those exposition scenes with Sansa and Septa Mordane, and Asister Thorne, AND Vyseres, AND Littlefinger, AND Theon, AND, the Kingslayer, AND I'm no doubt forgetting someone ... but I felt that they really gave short shrift to the Hand's Tournament, which is too bad, since it's really the one moment that Sansa's vision of what life at court might be like actually sort of approaches the reality, until Joffrey sends her off with the Hound. Instead, we got one muddy scene and the Mountain killing John Arryn's squire. Alas!

Also disappointing was that the story of the Hound and the Mountain was given by Belysh rather than by the Hound himself, since it is one of the early scenes suggesting his protectiveness and perhaps even love for Sansa. It also humanizes the Hound in a way that he's going to need to have happen if some of the stuff from the books is going to have quite the same impact.

And, finally, I'm disappointed in the tournament because it failed to introduce us to some characters that will be important later on, like Loras Tyrell, Berric Dondarion, and Thoros of Myr.

On the other hand, I did like the Dothraki scenes, particularly Doreah!

 

[Starman]

I was glad to see Ghost, but it seemed an awkward reintroduction. I wish he had been seen once or twice on watch with Jon or something.

Still, I enjoyed it.

 

[Cor Azer]

I liked Sam, and all the scenes at the wall (and we finally get a sighting of Ghost!).

I was, on the other hand, deeply disappointed in the King's landing stuff. Maybe it was because they had to make room for those exposition scenes with Sansa and Septa Mordane, and Asister Thorne, AND Vyseres, AND Littlefinger, AND Theon, AND, the Kingslayer, AND I'm no doubt forgetting someone ... but I felt that they really gave short shrift to the Hand's Tournament, which is too bad, since it's really the one moment that Sansa's vision of what life at court might be like actually sort of approaches the reality, until Joffrey sends her off with the Hound. Instead, we got one muddy scene and the Mountain killing John Arryn's squire. Alas!

Also disappointing was that the story of the Hound and the Mountain was given by Belysh rather than by the Hound himself, since it is one of the early scenes suggesting his protectiveness and perhaps even love for Sansa. It also humanizes the Hound in a way that he's going to need to have happen if some of the stuff from the books is going to have quite the same impact.

And, finally, I'm disappointed in the tournament because it failed to introduce us to some characters that will be important later on, like Loras Tyrell, Berric Dondarion, and Thoros of Myr.

On the other hand, I did like the Dothraki scenes, particularly Doreah!

To be fair, I doubt the tourney is over - for one, there were a ton of clips from early trailers shwoing the Knight of Flowers jousting, so I'm sure there'll be some more tourney in the next episode.

I loved that they showed Bran's three-eyed crow dream.

 

[Super Pony]

I noticed the pitch shift in this episode. It was still well done, but at first I wondered if we would have our first semi-dudd on our hands. Then I remembered the amount of action and plot that has to be unveiled within the remaining episode budget and rethought my criticism.

Episode 4 is somewhat the beginning of Act II/Middle of the Road for the book and they (being the writers, producers, powers that be) absolutely needed to slow themselves down in order to set the stage for all that has yet to be revealed this section of the story. So we get:

*Sam's careful introduction. Without this, an audience unfamiliar with the stories will likely reject Samwell as a sidekick-stooge and really miss out on his growth as a character/man/etc.
*Sansa's development as an insecure, easily manipulated<BETTER gullible for synonym>, tempermental child. This is heartbreakingly required in order for things to unveil as they must for the Starks and to allow the audience to at least understand why she acts as she does and to set up her larger role in King's Landing later in the series.
*Tyrion's first real case of being punished unfairly by the Starks, despite actually doing quite right by them (Bran's saddle, Jon's interaction, etc). This is crucial in removing him as an ally against his family later on, and serves to remove him from the action and events in King's Landing just long enough for us to wonder how things would have gone had Cat simply shut her trap and let Lannister go about his business.
*Theon is revealed later in the books, but on television they really needed to build his character up as early as possible (episode 4 season 1 is pretty good work imo) so that when things really start to slide sideways and move toward tragedy, we can get an idea of why he decides to act the way he does.
*Viserys' scenes obviously weren't meant for us to like or pitty him. His cruelty and awful behavoir was really only the forefront action that allowed the writers a good means by which to reveal some more information about dragons and the forging of the Iron Throne which is a significant event in the world's history. At the end of that scene we know more and don't hate him any less.
*The tourney scene was essential to development of the Hound and to give us our first dose of the psychopathic monster that is Gregor Clegane. We also get pin-pointed to the death of Sir Hugh, which is a significant event and one that will allow for a bit of additional fodder for the television representation of Eddard's sleuthing. I also think we'll see more of the tourney in episode 5 because time has slowed down so that they can set up all the oncoming plot points.
*Jory's scenery was unexpected and a welcome addition, imo. And one that will manipulate emotional reaction later on (more so than the book imo).

So yeah, it wasn't a bunch of quippy fast-talk and pissing off walls this time around...but it was all very much needed to keep a mixed television audience on-board with the twisty plot threads that are only going to get more interwoven moving forward.

 

[jonesy]

To be fair, I doubt the tourney is over - for one, there were a ton of clips from early trailers shwoing the Knight of Flowers jousting, so I'm sure there'll be some more tourney in the next episode.

There was also behind the scenes footage from the tournament scene relating to the Mountain and the Hound.

 

[Blastin]

I LOVED the scene with Ned and Arya....When she looked up at him and said: "That's not me." it was perfect.

Overall I think they are still doing an excellent job of compressing the first book down to 10 hours....