Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Super Pony" data-source="post: 5554765" data-attributes="member: 6669292">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.</blockquote>

Verification