*Warning-Spoilers, see post #697* - HBO's Game of Thrones

[The Knize]

There is a lot being written on the internet about how darkly filmed it was. No small amount of criticism, but others arguing, among other things, that it was made more in the form of horror movies with scary things popping up out of the blackness. It did seem pretty black to me. On the other hand it seemed very effective at getting my heart rate up. One could suggest that the darkness helped save some of the special effects costs but they did seem overall not to go cheap on such things, so who am I to complain. So I have mixed feelings.

What I do not know about cinematography would fill the Winterfell library!

 

[skijor]

I honestly don't understand the grumbling about the particulars. It absolutely had to play out to that end. If it didn't, then there would be no point in having three more eps. There would've been nobody left to contest Cersei.
There's no pleasing some people. Looking forward to next Sunday--a bit less action than yesterday, yet more than in S8 eps 1 & 2.

And who's gonna clean up that mess? It looks worse than my kitchen cupboards

 

[Mr. Scruffy]

Seems a bit disappointing that after seven seasons of building up the "winter is coming" threat to have the Night King and his army defeated in a single episode, good as it was.

 

[BigFoot]

There would've been nobody left to contest Cersei.

Still not sure there is enough.

 

[REV579]

There is a lot being written on the internet about how darkly filmed it was. No small amount of criticism, but others arguing, among other things, that it was made more in the form of horror movies with scary things popping up out of the blackness. It did seem pretty black to me. On the other hand it seemed very effective at getting my heart rate up. One could suggest that the darkness helped save some of the special effects costs but they did seem overall not to go cheap on such things, so who am I to complain. So I have mixed feelings.

What I do not know about cinematography would fill the Winterfell library!

IMHO the dark nature of the cinematography added to the anxiety and the overall experience desired by the writers and producers. It was so rough and chaotic that most viewers celebrated even with the unknowns we were left with, while at the same time asked, "what next, what now?"

 

[Bakker1964]

So . . . Brienne of Tarth made it through, yes?

 

[Boghopper]

The big woman’s still going

 

[Boghopper]

What an intense episode. Wow. My heart was racing.
I’m going to miss that saucy red woman.

 

[Ad Astra]

What an intense episode. Wow. My heart was racing.
I’m going to miss that saucy red woman.

She's nothing without that amulet!


AA

 

[Rhody]

There is a recap site that had tips on how to adjust your tv for watching darker episodes
Sorry for no link i felt like it was too much work to it i just suffered through it frequently standing a few feet from tv.

 

[Seraphim]

They bit off quite alot.

I think they did rather well with it as a whole.

Episodes 1-3= Army of the dead
Episodes 4-6=Battle for the Iron throne.

Buckle up!

 

[Seraphim]

OK, who died for sure?

Ed
Lady Mormont
Theon
One of the dragons?
99% of the Dothraki
Ser Jorah
Melisandre

Anybody else?

...aside from the Night King.....

 

[Seraphim]

BTW, Arya offed the NK in the exact same spot that Bran gave her that dagger last season.

 

[The Knize]

OK, who died for sure?

Ed
Lady Mormont
Theon
One of the dragons?
99% of the Dothraki
Ser Jorah
Melisandre

Anybody else?

...aside from the Night King.....

Beric, and that is about it. Episode is being criticized for very light body count of important characters given in how much danger many were in combat. I think that is a fair criticism.

 

[Seraphim]

Beric, and that is about it. Episode is being criticized for very light body count of important characters given in how much danger many were in combat. I think that is a fair criticism.

I thought it went pretty light in that regard as well.

But you have to leave some grist for the mill of the remaining episodes as well.

—and yeah, Beric...

 

[martym]

They couldn’t knock off the Hound cuz he’s got to fight his brother at the end!!

 

[The Knize]

Anyone feeling "ripped off" by this last episode in retrospect? My older son who has been a big GOT fan and usually a pretty astute critic of things like this show, felt very ripped off watching this last show. He felt that it was all deus ex machina, especially Arya popping up out of nowhere--how did she get to the godswood unimpeded and the specific timing so as to save everyone just being too convenient--and turning utter defeat into victory essentially through magic. Way too pat for him. Magic does tend toward deus ex machina. Too many key characters fighting for way too long against fearsome foes, yet almost all survive. The biggest threat throughout the series now gone completely with no real explanation for what he was up to. No real explanation of Bran, another huge plot center. And smaller things such as why didn't the Night King just convert all of the dothrakis to wights as soon as they fell on the battlefield? Did not end up meaning much but Melisandre appearing, without her own army, out of nowhere, and then offing herself in the end. Theon is a drawn out redemption plot, where all he gets is you are a good man from Bran in the end.

I still think it was a great episode, but I find it harder to say why exactly. Even though there was considerable deus ex machina, it seems to me it was tied to things that had happened throughout the series. And Araya had prepared for that incident her entire life. And, in a way the show was honest, there was no way the humans were going to beat the Night King in battle. It was going to take something different, which was essentially magic. Stabbing the right guy with the right weapon, in the right place on his body, and in the right geographical location. And without the battle and everything else that lead up to that moment, that moment could never have taken place. So I guess my disbelief is suspended.

 

[Ad Astra]

Anyone feeling "ripped off" by this last episode in retrospect? My older son who has been a big GOT fan and usually a pretty astute critic of things like this show, felt very ripped off watching this last show. He felt that it was all deus ex machina, especially Arya popping up out of nowhere--how did she get to the godswood unimpeded and the specific timing so as to save everyone just being too convenient...

Military historian and writer John Keegan's The Face of Battle makes the point that battles hinge not just on leadership but also the individual - that single-user actions can be the pivotal point of battle. How many guys actually put a bomb on the Japanese carrier decks at Midway, for example.

So since only taking out NK *could* cause the win, it makes sense. That's why Brann was there under the tree.

Arya saw her only chance and took it.


AA

 

[Ad Astra]

She's nothing without that amulet!


AA

Crickets?


AA c'mon that was funny. see, she turned into SMOKE .... tough crowd, tough crowd.

 

[Seraphim]

GOT fans are sooooo jaded!

A full hour and a half of carnage, war, aerial dragon combat, etc. etc. and we feel “ripped off”.

Yes, I think I’ll tune in to America’s Got Talent next week instead!