We all know that Sansa no longer harbors those fantastical fairytale feelings of love for Joffrey on the hit series “Game of Thrones.” Beginning when he had her father publicly beheaded last season, her ill feelings are hard to not see and feel (especially after all the cruel things he does to her this season.) Unfortunately Sansa has to deal with it being an incredibly valuable tool as a political marriage pawn as she in confined to King’s Landing awaiting her wedding day to the new mad king.
The actress who plays Sansa, Sophie Turner, recently sat down with TVGuide and answwered some questions about her character during season 2.
On last nights episode we saw the epic Battle of the Blackwater take place between Joffrey’s loyals and those loyal to Stannis, his uncle. During this, Sansa was left to deal with other challenges.
She’s at Maegor’s Holdfast while the battle is going on,” Turner says. “She’s strong, and I think she’s quite strong-willed, but she’s also incredibly frightened. I can tell you that you’ll see sides to Sansa that would seem very queen-like. She takes quite a leadership role.”
Some may wonder where Sansa gets all her strength to deal with the repeated mental and physical abuse in King’s Landing. Turner reveals just what keeps her going.
I think she gets strength from thinking how her mother and father would cope. She also thinks of her sister Arya because Arya is so strong, and she would usually fight back. We never really saw it last season, but we’re seeing it now.”
Knowing that Sansa hates Joffrey – now – her feelings toward his mother, Cersei, are less cold.
It’s quite a bizarre relationship because at first she kind of felt Cersei was a second mother until … she realizes that the Baratheons and the Lannisters aren’t all they seem to be. And now she really hates Cersei, but … she can’t help feeling that Cersei has been through this before, because she went through the exact same thing with King Robert. Although he wasn’t as bad with Cersei as Joffrey is with Sansa. But they’ve got something in common, and they’ve got some sort of connection.”
Turner also spoke about the actor behind Joffrey and what he is like on the set.
He’s one of the most lovely people I’ve ever met, and I can’t stress it enough to the fans of the show because I’m scared people are going to come up to him and say horrible things to him. They shouldn’t because he’s lovely.”
When watching the show, fans can see a definite connection between Sansa and The Hound. Turner spoke about their relationship and why they are close.
Well, I think it kind of mirrors Sansa and Cersei in the way that The Hound has been a victim of bullying by his older brother. And that kind of mirrors Sansa’s story line with Joffrey. And so he feels very protective of her, I think, and he doesn’t want anything like what happened to him to happen to Sansa, because she’s still very vulnerable in terms of physicality.”
Tyrion, despite being a Lannister, is much less cruel and overall mean. He had previously helped Sansa from the abusing hands of Joffrey. It is hard to see whether or not Sansa will trust him or not.
Tyrion does care for Sansa although Sansa knows she has to be very, very wary. Her main focus is to stay alive, to survive to see her family again, and I don’t think she’s willing to trust anyone at this point except for her maid Shae (Sibel Kekilli). Which is quite ironic, because she’s not actually who she says she is. She’s Tyrion’s whore.”
You can see the rest of the interview with TVGuide here.
With the series “Hannibal” greenlit already, it seems fitting that FBI Agent Clarice Starling would get her own series as well. Only this time it comes from Lifetime rather than NBC with its sister series, or should I say its rival series?
Lifetime has confirmed that it is in the early stages of developing a new drama series called, “Clarice,” based on the character from the Thomas Harris novel, Silence of the Lambs, and famously portrayed by Jodie Foster in the film adaptation.
According to Lifetime, the show would follow the life and actions of the young agent soon after she graduations from the FBI Academy.
As originally created by Harris, Clarice grew up in West Virginia until she was 10, when her father, a police officer, was shot and killed. She moves to her uncle’s farm in Montana, but later runs away and winds up in an orphanage. After college, she applies to the FBI academy. This is where the series will pick up.
The Silence of the Lambs was published in 1988, and the movie adaptation hit theaters in 1991. Ten years later, Foster declined to reprise the role in 2001’s Hannibal. Instead, Julianne Moore took over as the character.
While this show comes on the heels of the NBC series, it is important to note that Bryan Fuller’s “Hannibal” will not be featuring the character of Clarice and rather will focus on the relationship between FBI criminal profiler Will Graham and the titular character.
MGM is producing “Clarice.” Lifetime boss Nancy Dubuc has recently been focusing on creating more original series programming that feature small female leads which has already including the hit series, Jennifer Love Hewitt’s The Client List. Dubuc is definitely trying to overhaul the channel away from the similar original movies that has been their focus in previous years.
Warner Bros. has chosen the voice cast for its animated adaptation of Frank Miller’s 1986 Batman story The Dark Knight Returns, from Warner Premiere, DC Entertainment, Warner Bros. Animation and Warner Home Video.
Peter Weller (Robocop) will star as Batman/Bruce Wayne, and Ariel Winter (Modern Family) will voice Robin.
Bruce Timm, executive producer for DC’s animated movies, said Weller has “the proper weight to his voice. He definitely brings all of the world-weariness of the character and inner core of optimist covered in a cynical shell.”
The show’s creators are splitting the adaptation of the four-part graphic novel into two animated features called Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 1 and Part 2. The first of the two films will be released in the fall, and Part 2 will be released in early 2013. Wade Williams (Prison Break) will voice Harvey Dent/Two-Face, and Michael McKean will voice Dr. Wolper, the psychiatrist who releases the Joker from Arkham Asylum.
David Selby, who starred in the original Dark Shadows soap opera, has also joined the cast.
Jay Olivia, who storyboarded Zack Snyder’s upcoming Superman movie Man of Steel, will lead the project. Bob Goodman, a writer for Syfy’s Warehouse 13, penned the script. The graphic novel miniseries was praised for its mature and psychological take on superheroes, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
It set a violent and realistic tone in superhero comics and served as a big influence on Christopher Nolan’s Batman movie trilogy, the last of which opens July 20,” THR reported.
Read the official summary below:
“If any comic has a claim to have truly reinvigorated the genre, then The Dark Knight Returns by Frank Miller–known also for his excellent Sin City series and his superb rendering of the blind superhero Daredevil–is probably the top contender. Batman represented all that was wrong in comics and Miller set himself a tough task taking on the camp crusader and turning this laughable, innocuous children’s cartoon character into a hero for our times. The great Alan Moore (V for Vendetta, Swamp Thing, the arguably peerless Watchmen) argued that only someone of Miller’s stature could have done this. Batman is a character known well beyond the confines of the comic world (as are his retinue) and so reinventing him, while keeping his limiting core essentials intact, was a huge task.Miller went far beyond the call of duty. The Dark Knight is a success on every level. Firstly it does keep the core elements of the Batman myth intact, with Robin, Alfred the butler, Commissioner Gordon, and the old roster of villains, present yet brilliantly subverted. Secondly the artwork is fantastic–detailed, sometimes claustrophobic, psychotic. Lastly it’s a great story: Gotham City is a hell on earth, street gangs roam but there are no heroes. Decay is ubiquitous. Where is a hero to save Gotham? It is 10 years since the last recorded sighting of the Batman. And things have got worse than ever. Bruce Wayne is close to being a broken man but something is keeping him sane: the need to see change and the belief that he can orchestrate some of that change. Batman is back. The Dark Knight has returned. Awesome. –Mark Thwaite”
Filming has begun on season three of AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” and the network released the first promo video which shows viewers what’s happening on set.
The two and a half minute video features clips of cast members Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Lauren Cohan, IronE Singleton and Laurie Holden, as well as several of the showrunners telling fans what to expect in the upcoming season.
Among the future plot twists are two new characters- the Governor and katana-wielding Michonne. Cohan said that other characters who have not yet been announced would appear as well.
Reedus also confirms that romance will blossom for a couple of characters.
Producer Gale Anne Hurd also confirmed what fans already know, that the prison will play a large role in season three.
It’s a journey into the unknown, and it’s a huge gamble,” Lincoln says in the video. “But it just shows how desperate they are.”
The cast members, who are covered in fake blood during the video, also promise an abundance of zombie kills. Ernest Dickerson, who directed the season two finale, will also direct the first episode of season three, which Hurd says gives a sense of symmetry to the premiere.
Singleton says season three will top all of season two. Lincoln makes note that the overall pace will be darker, harder, faster and deeper.
“It’s incredibly dangerous, and it’s thrilling,” he adds.
The third season is scheduled to premiere in fall 2012 and will feature 16 episodes. The series is based on the series of comic books of the same name by Robert Kirkman, Tony Moore and Charlie Adlard; it was developed for television by Frank Darabont, and is executive produced by Robert Kirkman and Glen Mazzara.
More casting news has been released for the upcoming season 7 of “Dexter.” Showtime announced that Jason Gedrick has joined the cast of the series for a multi-episode arc. He will be playing at the role of a Miami-area gentlemen’s club that becomes linked to a high-profile murder case.
Gedrick joins already confirmed appearances from Calista Flockhart who will be guest starring in the opening episode of the seventh season. Also confirmed to appear is Ray Stevenson who is set to play as the head of a Russian crime syndicate who arrives in Miami determined to find out who killed one of his associates.
It has also been revealed that there is a possibility fans will be treated to expanding character development for Louis Greene’s character.
Gendrick is a veteran actor who has had several leading roles including Iron Eagle, Stacking and Heavenly Kid. He also co-starred with Meg Ryan and Kiefer Sutherland in Promised Land and in Ron Howard’s Backdraft, as well as starring in Crossing the Bridge. His stage work includes starring in the Broadway production of “Our Town” with Don Ameche and Helen Hunt, as well as recently appearing in the production of “Wrongturn at Lungfish,” directed by Gary Marshall. He most recently starred in the television series “Luck.” His other television credits include “Murder One,” “EZ Streets,” “Falcone,” “Boomtown,” “Ally McBeal” and “Desperate Housewives.”
“Dexter” stars Michael C. Hall with other main cast members including Jennifer Carpenter, Desmond Harrington, C.S. Lee, Lauren Vélez, David Zayas, and James Remar.
Production of the new season began in May in L.A. Season 7 will premiere on Sunday, September 30th.
Elena: You were ambivalent about the Jaime scenes last week. What did you think of them this time?
Rachel: It may have been a bad call for Cat to release Jaime, and it certainly makes things extremely difficult for Robb – who will need as many people not mad at him as possible – but it has facilitated one of my very favorite side plots in all of Westeros: The Brienne and Jaime Show!
We only got a quick taste of it this episode, but I can ASSURE you that it is awesome. Jaime plays the lovable rogue, and Brienne is his ever-suffering straight man. He quips, she grimaces. He’s so very charming, and she is just…not. Brinne is touchy about her honor while Jaime is merely stretching his newly freed douche muscles. I’m not sure how smart it is to abandon your horse and get in a canoe with no provisions…but I’m sure SOMETHING will happen. * innocent face *
I’m also glad to just plain see more Brienne and Jaime at all. Jaime has been sadly AWOL for most of the season (it’s not very interesting sitting around in the mud), and Brienne has been relegated to the few scenes it makes sense to put Cat in, and even then she’s just glowering in the background. Brienne is such a fan favorite, I hope that the show-only fans can begin to appreciate the Maid of Tarth.
But with Brienne off escorting Jaime, Cat is alone and clearly no one likes her anymore. I wonder how much clout Cat will have when she finds out Robb is dallying with Talisa? (I think we just need to stop hoping for some more convoluted plot line and admit to ourselves that Jeyne is actually Talisa of Volantis the Noble Nurse Lady…sigh – I actually like the nurse angle I just don’t UNDERSTAND why she is from Volantis.) I’m sure Cat will remind Robb that he made a promise and despite his youthful infatuation…honor should win out. But Robb is mad at mommy right now. THE DRAMZ. It’s why we watch, my friends, it’s why we watch. Cherish your plot movement while it’s happening.
Rachel: Do you concede defeat in the Battle of Lady Talisa’s Heritage as well?
Elena: Sadly, yes, I, too, felt forced to admit that Lady Talisa is, in fact, foreign. Either that or she is Arya-level of too smart for her own good when it comes to making up stories. Which would just add a whole new layer of kinkiness to Robb’s attraction to her, if she is essentially his sister aged up a decade. Then again that IS Martin’s romantic-pairing MO….
Anyway, on behalf of all the ladies in the North I am offended that he had to import some foreign flower to entice his peen away from its honorable conquest of The Beautiful Bridge, but aside from that I guess I liked her story. It felt like a realistic reaction without having to be over the top crazy (like, say, Jon Snow’s backstory is…I mean, imagine how that’s going to go when he has to tell Ygritte everything), and while it doesn’t really explain why she’s wandering around random battlefields or where she lives or gets the money to buy supplies and shit, at least she has a reason for what she does.
Robb…I’m not so sure he’s putting too much reason into what he’s doing. What I found most interesting was that he’s basically living out Jon Snow’s fantasy of what his parents were—Lord of Winterfell and the noble lady he truly loved but could not marry because of honor and duty. Robb is creating a Jon Snow for his own son to grow up with, and his Faceless Frey bride to hate forever! She can take lessons from Cat, who is going to need something to do now that Robb has caught onto the fact that she is worse than useless when it comes to making solid leadership decisions and is keeping her under lock and key.
Rachel: Did I hear you say…Jon Snow?
Elena: Yes! Like Rumplestiltskin he just appears, whenever you say his name.
Oh, man, this was another hilarious episode above The Wall. I mean, I know there were serious moments and we learn that Jon Snow’s team went after him and two of them died trying to save him, and that’s totally sad, and Coryn Half-hand is basically telling Jon to pull a Snape Kills Dumbledore move on him later to gain the trust of the wildlings so that he can betray them to the Night’s Watch again later, and we should all feel Really Sad And Pensive About These Developments, but…come on. The whole time you have Ygritte prancing around in the background like “I’m a free woman, who’s the prisoner now?” while eye-fucking Jon Snow, and the sexual tension between them is just…steaming. Like, one of her arguments for keeping him alive was that she didn’t get to have sex with him yet. Only Jon Snow can stay emo in the face of that provocation.
Or, as Rachel put it when we were talking about this episode, only a Jon Snow determined to live up to the standard set by his father and brother would be able to stay virginal and self-righteous (and emo).
What was also great was how she basically told him (or at least us) that she had a crush on him, too…basically, “hey, you know that whole ‘all the girls would claw each other’s eyes out over you’ bit? Yeah, that was totally about me. I would claw a bitch’s eyes out if she came near you.” I mean, she could have stood there and not cared that the Lord of Bones wanted to kill him. Instead she saved him, even if she did promise to kill him if he tried to escape. I am not sure she could do it. The odds are higher that she could kill Jon Snow than vice versa, but I am not sure she’s actually that hard. Maybe she is. The fact that we’re not sure makes her more interesting. She’s not just dangerous to his worldview; she might be dangerous, period. That’s exciting.
Elena: “Exciting” was actually kind of a lightning rod buzzword around this episode. What was all this I heard about the interwebs being bored by this one?
Rachel: I’m still defending this episode as awesome. I quite enjoy when characters sit around talking at each other. I LIKE “setup.” It’s not worthless! It’s what makes all the STUFF happen! It’s character development and witty lines and people arching eyebrows (Lena wins at that, btw… she WINS).
Elena: It’s the name. I, too, am quite the master of Imperious Eyebrow Raising.
Rachel: In my continuing quest to be zen about Game of Thrones the TV show, I have to ask those who said “The Prince of Winterfell” was a throwaway episode…what the fuck do you WANT to happen? The episodes can’t be an endless string of battles (that’s what boring ass history books are for) that reduces the show to American Gladiators. Without careful setup we don’t get beautiful moments like Arya fucking over Jaqen. We don’t get Jaime calling Brienne ugly or Ygritte saying penis a hundred times. (Beautiful moments, all!)
In a bit I talk about how the upcoming House of the Undying visit will be one of the most important scenes of the series, but we’ve already seen an extremely important scene in THIS episode! Sam finding the dragonglass!
I’m sorry, did finding a cache of magical objects in the mountains BORE YOU?
“That was stupid, who gives a shit about old shit in the shitty fucking shit ground shit?!”
WHO, INDEED!
And yes, purists…the scene was changed from the original. ALL THE SCENES HAVE BEEN CHANGED. It’s part of the Zen thing I was talking about. Just breathe in and remind yourself, it is just a television show adaptation. As one of my friends pointed out, the show does not erase the books. It does not negate them! The book version of events still exist! I have said that the show could eclipse the books canonically by outpacing the novel publishing “schedule,” but that doesn’t mean the book scenes are not valid. No adaptation can or should be exactly like the source material. Different mediums, different goals, different receptions. That doesn’t make the show immune from criticisms, but I think we should just take a step back from immediately disliking something because it didn’t happen that way in the novels. If we’re going to complain about something like that it needs to be legitimate.
It’s the Zen of show watching. Let it go and just enjoy. Get mad about the things that bother you, but give yourself the courtesy of getting mad over more compelling reasons than the majority of the bullshit I see on Twitter and the message boards. The Game of Thrones fandom is too smart to give in to Comic Book Guy-itis.
Which brings me BACK to my point, excuse me while I push my glasses up and gesture excitedly at the pile of dragonglass weapons that Sam found.
LOOK! IT’S GOING TO BE SO IMPORTANT FOR REASONS I CAN NOT DIVULGE! Also, IS THAT A HORN I SAW IN THAT PILE? HOLY CRAAAAAAPPPPPP.
Rachel: Tell me I’m not alone in this!
Elena: I, too, really loved this episode. I don’t need or want every episode to be packed with action or WTFery. Variety is the spice of life. I didn’t see how anyone could have had issues with the episode until I got to work Monday. My coworkers (hi, guys! *waves*) were split as to whether it was awesome or meh. One of them wanted…more. An indefinable more he couldn’t articulate any better except to say the episode felt anti-climactic after what had been happening every week. (And here I was just grateful to be able to draw a full breath!) But one of the others decided after seeing this ep that he wouldn’t be waiting until later in the week to watch any of the remaining episodes, even if it meant taking his iPad into the bathroom for an hour on Sunday nights. Which lends an entirely new twist on the specific game of thrones being played, but I digress. Anyway. Set up is good. It is called “creating narrative tension.”
For example…if Jon Snow and Ygritte ever bone, it’s going to be so much more fun to see because it got built up for so long first. That’s just good storytelling.
Maybe the thing that made people say nothing happened was the ending, which was not really a shock but a kind of somber piece of character development. I mean, I don’t know about y’all, but the second Osha said Bran can’t know, I knew he was hearing the conversation. That’s just the way TV works. But that being the end moment kind of underscored the theme of the episode in terms of character—how do you deal with the deaths that happen because of your actions? Jon Snow got two of his new brothers killed because he couldn’t kill Ygritte or admit to his superior officer that he couldn’t do it. Arya caused the deaths of, what, four or five nameless guards who were above and beyond the even exchange of three she owed Jaqen’s “red god” and who had done nothing to her whatsoever except get in her way. And Bran is facing the reality that his quest to put himself beyond Theon’s power cost two of his tenants and playmates their lives.
Those are important moments, or at least they can be. The same way Talisa’s defining moment was being shoved aside by the slave who saved her brother, Bran could become defined by the horror of what was done because of him. Jon will fight Ygritte extra-hard because two men died because he thought she was too pretty to kill. I liked that we were left to sort of contemplate that…not guilt, exactly, but something uncomfortably close to it, with Bran. The scene had a quiet power to it, at least for me.
Elena: And in scenes that didn’t have much power…am I the only one who wondered why we didn’t just skip Dany the way we skipped Sansa this week?
Rachel: Remember when I made that bitter joke about plot movement? That’s my segue to talking about Jorah and Dany. Deal with it.
I think I agree with the viewers that have criticized Jorah and Dany’s appearance in this episode. This scene was not needed. The writers/editors don’t want the viewers to forget about Dany in all this excitement about the upcoming battle of awesome, so I understand why the scene was inserted. But it’s just more of the SAME. I thought that adding in this subplot of the dragons being stolen would make Dany’s storyline more interesting, but I think all it’s done is killed the actually interesting (if few) things that actually DO happen to Dany in the novels. They can’t use any of it anymore, because those actions don’t make sense if her dragons were stolen. This alternate universe Dany has to focus entirely on the search for her children. (And come ON, Jorah…she actually DID nurse those dragons. Dany is mom enough.) So she isn’t forging political connections, she isn’t gaining confidence in her desire to reconquer Westeros. There are no witty but cautious word fights with the elite of Qarth. Instead she has been reduced to stomping around the city demanding people support her cause and now just demanding to get her stuff back. She’s coming off as a totally crazy Targaryen, and the POINT of her is that she is proud but not stupid.
I’m trying to refrain from overly critiquing the Dany storyline until I see what happens in the House of the Undying. It is one of the most important scenes in Clash of Kings, let alone the series as a whole. I want to scream, PAY ATTENTION whenever anyone mentions the place. JUST GO THERE, DANY. BECOME RELEVANT AGAIN!
Is that harsh? Maybe. I feel like HBO was trying to trick me by giving me a little Dany/Jorah tenderness as if in my squeeing I would forget that Dany has nothing to do. Go on your own adventure, Princess, don’t order people to have one for you!
That being said – everything in Essos LOOKS fanfuckingTASTIC. Have I mentioned that before?
Rachel: So do you still love Jaqen H’ghar as much as you did last week? Are you still shipping Jaqen/Arya?
Elena: I love him that much and more!!!
Jaqen is the best! I also love how game Arya is with this whole killing people/master manipulator thing. Arya doesn’t give a fuck. She’s the Honey Badger of Westeros. She takes what she wants; she just really doesn’t give a shit.
That moment… “The girl has given the man his own name” was fucking priceless. What made it brilliant was how Jaqen sits there and argues with her with child-logic. Arya is the one Stark (besides Bam-bam) who is still truly childlike. Yes, she’s seen horrible things, and she’s even done horrible things, but she’s still got the sort of insouciant stubbornness of a child. She can understand when she’s in immediate danger, but she doesn’t think enough about the world around her to be truly afraid just in general the way Sansa is. So she stands there and argues with a serial killer about whether he’ll be killing himself or enough other people to help her escape, and he…lets her. He lets her manipulate him. Maybe his god has a child’s simple view of the world as well, so maybe it’s natural. It was just awesome hearing them bicker like that. “Unname me.” “No!” “Please?” “Well…only if you kill enough motherfuckers I can escape…” “But that is more than one life.” “I NAME JAQEN H’GHAR!” “Okay, fine, fine, I’ll kill them. Now unname me.” “I unname you…as long as you do what I want!”
And Arya did free the genie like a smart little protagonist. The genie of death. I hope we see him again. But if we don’t, I will picture him from time to time and smile, and hope that Arya gets reports of random murder sprees so that she knows he’s still alive somewhere….
Rachel: On the subject of staying alive…predictions for how much longer Theon will last?
Elena: Um…probably two episodes into season 3. That’s about the right amount of time for his douche-bagginess to hit the implosion point. Also long enough to wrap up the major arcs of this season and give Robb some room to find catharsis somewhere other than between Lady Talisa’s thighs.
The scene with Asha was about how I expected her to react, with some bonus emotional blackmail I didn’t really expect from her. She just rides in and says “Theon, what the fuck are you doing?” But instead of stopping there she actually takes the time to remind him—or perhaps explain in the first place—the ethos of the Iron Islands, which is they take what they NEED, not what they want. And they don’t need a castle in the middle of BFE, hundreds of miles from the sea. The story she told about when he was a baby kind of goes to the point of why we can’t totally mind what Theon did, in going back to his family…blood is thicker than water, and there are certain bonds that you share with siblings that, no matter how far you may drift from them, you will simply never feel for anyone else in the world. I am sad for Theon that he feels like he needs to prove himself, that he’s going to stick to holding Winterfell just to prove that he isn’t a mess his sister had to come clean up…and he’s going to die for it.
Her plea was so stark, so elegant—“Don’t die so far from the sea.” It accepts that death is likely in their line of work, that death comes for all men in time, so all you can do is die where you belong, with the people who are your own.
Asha’s words were almost enough to make me care about Theon. But he’s been such a giant dick lately I just can’t. I think what I’m empathizing is Asha’s feelings for his inevitable execution.
So far from the sea….
Elena: Tyrion proves yet again to be Martin’s avatar as the show drifts highly meta with a fantasy-name pronunciation roundtable between Bronn, Tyrion, and Varys. Discuss.
Rachel: This episode totally broke out its Tyrion guns. He had a whole bunch of scenes and they were all fantastic. Tyrion, Bronn and Varys bullshitting how to say that old dead guy’s name is the perfect nod to the difficulties of reading fantasy novels. Remember when LOTR came out and we all found out we were saying half of it incorrectly? Or how I felt when I finally read the pronunciation guide for Cherryh’s Foreigner novels… the devastation! Don’t even get me started on Wheel of Time. Invariably while discussing a fantasy novel with a fellow reader there’s always a “how do you say it?” conversation just to see how close we are.
For the record, Bronn wins that round for committing to the pronunciation. Just pretend you know what you’re doing. Varys does. He has NO CLUE…that dude isn’t even FROM Westeros, you think he has the lock down on how to pronounce the names? Hell, no. He is exhibiting Bronn Tactic. We’re on to his game!
Tyrion is also doing well at playing the players! I’m not so sure Cersei is a worthy opponent, but he’s got his shit down. Playing off the whole Ros thing. Well done, sir! Tyrion and Varys are definitely a power couple to watch. But poor Ros….
The episode may be a set up for the upcoming Battle of the Blackwater, but it’s an entertaining and informative set up. Just picturing Joffrey kitted up for war and learning what it is that Jaime and King Robert loved so much is just filling me with glee. Remember when Joff was disarmed by a tiny little girl? Joffrey may be cruel, but he is no fighter. Finally we’re getting a scene in which tons of main characters plot lines come together! And some people complain about set up…what do you think even CAUSES excitement?
Rose Leslie currently plays the willing Ygritte in the powerfully awesome series, “Game of Thrones.” In a recently interview she revealed some information regarding her character’s relationship with Jon Snow as well as her character overall and filming in Iceland.
We have seen her character Ygritte flirting up a storm with the sexy Jon Snow. Leslie confirms that we will definitely see a different side of her and her relationship with Jon Snow.
You start to see a change within the relationship,” she continues. “I think she looks upon him in this episode in a different light, no more like the stupid-but-brave boy, but she’s beginning to see where he’s coming from and kind of sympathizes with him. He takes quite a beating, so she’s beginning to like him also. She softens towards him.”
We can all agree that while the costumes in “Game of Thrones” are incredibly awesome. Leslie describes just how comfortable she felt in her clothes while shooting her scenes.
I was hugely comfortable in my Ygritte costume. I was so nice and warm, and it was furry with many layers on the inside. There was no way I was going to freeze in that costume.”
When she was asked what originally drew her to play the role of Ygritte, Leslie discussed her first impressions of the character.
I love that she was so extremely strong-willed and tough. That really struck a chord with me. I’d pictured her in my mind as ruthless, but she also has a lovely playfulness to her as well when she’s teasing Jon Snow and mocking him to his face. When I was reading the sides, I totally fell in love. I thought, “This girl is brilliant! She’s incredibly intelligent, she can play this guy.” She’s cocky. She doesn’t necessarily rule the roost, but she doesn’t take orders from anybody unless it’s Mance Rayder [the wilding “King Beyond the Wall”]. She gets on very well with her wilding crew.”
If you haven’t read the books, you have noticed the sexual tension between Ygritte and Jon Snow. Leslie spoke about whether their flirtation is just teasing and strategy or if secretly really does like him.
I think it’s strategy. In that episode, there’s a scene where she seduces Jon and takes his mind off the fact that his hand is on the hilt of his sword. She distracts him and he slackens his hold on the rope, so she’s able to run away. I think it’s very practical. That’s another thing I love about her, that she’s constantly double-playing him. At the moment, all she wants to do is get away and not be his prisoner anymore. She’s aware that her wildling friends are close by, and that’s why she gets away and then he’s captured and snared in a little trap.”
Leslie also divulged into what her character thinks about Jon Snow and why is different than anyone Ygritte has met before.
She’s never come across anybody like Jon Snow before. He’s incredibly honorable, he hasn’t tried to come onto her. There they were, snuggling up on the rock and nothing really happened. He just let her be. I don’t think she’s ever come across that before in her life. I’m patently sure that’s she’s lost her virginity and has gotten pretty far with a man and for him not to try to seduce her, I don’t think she can figure it out. And then later it’s like, “I’m bored of this. You’re phenomenally dull, so I’m going to escape. I’m going to leave you. Bye!”
Off the topics of her relationships with other characters, Leslie also made note of the best and worst parts of filming in Iceland.
I think the best thing has to be the scenery. It’s epic and simply breathtaking. So many times when we were shooting or when there would be a little break, you’d lift your head and look around and think, “I can’t believe that I am here!” It was sensational. I’ve fallen in love with the country. I think the downside, understandably, is that it was very, very, very cold. We were stuck in minus-30 conditions. There wasn’t a lot you could do. You could stand still or huddle like penguins. We got through it. We were all given several layers of thermals in the costume. The wardrobe department was incredible and had these amazing hand warmers that kept you alive out there.
Elena: Theon is a dick. What the heck is going on in Winterfell?
Rachel: It’s times like these I like to sit back and watch the tweets roll by. “I hate Theon.” “OMG THEON IS AN EPIC DICK.” Etc., etc. It’s like Theon is the new Joffrey. Excuse me while I put my hipster glasses on.
He’s mean to old people, children, crippled children, women… probably his horse.
Alfie continues to play enigmatic douche extremely well. It’s not like Joffrey where you think, “This guy fucking sucks. When will he die.” With Theon it is more complicated. We see and understand his struggle to be accepted. His choices are driven by a pathetic need to become the son he always wanted to be. It’s sad to watch him fail and have stupid ideas.
Until he kills two little boys so he can lie to Maester Luwin, then you don’t feel any pity for him anymore.
What? This is not a spoiler. You knew this. ELENA, YOU FIGURED IT OUT RIGHT? You’ll be fine.
Elena: Yes, it was totally obvious that those were not Bran and Rickon. Because (1) no burned direwolves, (2) no burned simple giant, (3) the only credible eyewitness was sent home, and (4) everyone in Westeros knows you spike heads on the gate for positive identification. So, yes, WE’RE FINE WITH THIS CONFIRMATION.
Rachel: Actually, having never even met the two little boys, I’m kind of “meh” about it. This just didn’t have the impact it should have had on me. I guess I’m just not a “kid person”?
#TeamTheon ?
Hahahahaha. Kidding.
As to the whereabouts of Hodor and company, well your guess is as good as mine since HBO has gone and changed stuff again. I can make educated guesses. But I’m not telling YOU.
Elena: Yeah, the killing of the two random peasant boys was more a horror in the abstract than any emotional impact. I actually think HBO might have been better served to show Theon slaughtering them if the aim was an emotional shock, since it was so obvious that wasn’t Bran and Rickon dead.
Yeah, showing him actually cutting down two little boys while their mother looked on and screamed would have caused a reaction, versus a vague disappointment that HBO thought his trick would work on the audience the way it apparently worked on the people of Winterfell.
What I came away wondering was…what’s the point, exactly? Like I’m not sure what he’s really seeking to get out of this ploy. Killing the last two Winterfell heirs (since they seem to believe he really did) isn’t exactly going to make the people there more loyal to you, Theon. You think taking Bran and Rickon from them will leave them with nothing to fight for and therefore no will to fight? Hahahahahaha, Theon, Theon, Theon. This is The North. You just took away the only thing they had to lose and therefore the only thing keeping them in check. You had best start cooking your own meals, son, because Cook’s affection for Bran and Rickon and desire to keep them safe will no longer keep her from dumping as many poisons (or just rotted pieces of meat) into your stewpot as she can find, if she thinks they’re dead by your hand. And, obviously, his men know it wasn’t really them.
I guess the point was to keep from losing even more face that he’s such an inadequate conqueror he can’t even hold two little boys, one of them a cripple, prisoner? Ouch. Okay, maybe I do see why he did it.
Also I figured out why Osha fucked him—it was a preemptive revenge fuck, so that he would look like even more of a wet-behind-the-ears Ethelred the Unready type when it was discovered she banged him to sleep and then walked out…because everyone who hears that story knows she could have killed him in his sleep, but scorned to because she found him such an inadequate foe.
Theon the Inadequate. That is his moniker.
Elena: So speaking of conquerors who are more than adequate…what is going on in Robb’s camp? I find myself agreeing with Catelyn. Is the world ending?
Rachel: Probably. It IS 2012. But as far as Game of Thrones is concerned – Cat is the only person trying to avoid a fight over at Camp Robb. Robb’s gone on some bogus bandage errand with “Talisa” (Level Headed Cat says, “Yea…Talisa, whatever”), and Jaime is killing his relatives and that other random guy who turns out to be a Karstark and now the Karstarks are super pissed.
It’s a shit show, really, and I do not envy her.
Rahcel: But … well, how DO you feel about that Jaime scene? Before I go and crap all over it?
Elena: That Jaime scene was kind of awesome. In a horrible sort of way.
First, it proved that Joffrey is, truly, his father’s son. (And his mother’s, since Joffrey is the perfect blend of Jaime’s antisocial psychosis and Cersei’s single-minded selfishness.) Jaime is an absolute sociopath. He’s Iago—a man who can smile and smile and be a villain. I bought his story right along with random Lannister cousin who looks like Gendry. At first I felt sad that Jaime the Golden didn’t remember the kid, but then he totally seemed to, and they were like bonding and having this great moment in the cage and being proud Lannister men together…and then Jaime cracks his neck for no better purpose than to stretch his legs and take a shit in the woods somewhere. And I realized that Jaime never remembered the kid, or that day. He was making shit up. His first answer, the bemused “I was at her wedding?” was the truth. He was so sopping drunk he didn’t remember going! Or winning the tourney, much less his little cousin squire who was probably far, far, far from The Bestest Squire Evah.
But that scene was powerful because it sort of clues you in to just how well Jaime hides his nature. He can bring you in. He can make you trust him. He is an inspiring figure, and he’s right—he does kill people very, very well. He just pretties up his bloodlust a little better than, say, the Hound and the Mountain do. I mean, that line, “He was a painter, who painted only in red,” was totally poetic.
I want to see a Jaime/Jaqen H’ghar cage match. The two men in Westeros who are amazing at killing people but can actually manage to hide that about themselves!
Elena: Okay, so what did YOU think about it, Rachel?
Rachel: As with a lot of the altered but important scenes in the show, I find myself having to decide whether or not I’m OK with what they’ve done. Not that the writing choices haven’t played up the drama and made for riveting television, it’s just that most of the changes they have made come at the expense of established character behavior. That is the root of most of the complaints I’ve heard about the show in general, by the way, that choices were made that do not accurately reflect a character.
So… back to my point. There were absolutely great moments in the Jaime scene. The vow speech was lifted straight from the book, “They make you swear and swear….” Great. Awesome. Fake Gendry Lannister also doesn’t bother me. He serves a purpose the producers deemed a Frey would be too confusing to the audience to fill. FINE. But when Jaime murders his own family (haven’t we heard Tywin lecture extensively on the importance of being a Lannister?), I kind of lost my mind. I knew it was coming, but I just don’t get it. I don’t know where the writers are ultimately taking Jaime’s character, as I am not the writers. I understand and support the idea that in adapting a novel for television that changes must and should be made. Jaime might end up in a place that is different from what I expect. In every way I thought the scene was great, if a bit long, except for the killing of the Lannister cousin. Kind of weird. Jaime is desperate, sure. Jaime is dismissive of his father’s teachings. Jaime is pissed off and figures he’s going to die soon. Jaime just wanted to go for a stroll one last time. Jaime is an asshole. All of these things are true.
So maybe I’ll get over it, and accept that Jaime Lannister just killed another Lannister. I’ll accept it and remember it for later. Because of reasons.
This episode was full of Lannister family time. Cersei has a heart to heart after Sansa (Your Period is Coming) flowers and freaks out at the prospect of actually having to marry the monster, Joffrey. Oh, girl…I feel for you. Looks like the Hound’s words are even MORE pertinent. Shae trying to be a friend was pretty hilarious. As if that maid she unsuccessfully threatened wasn’t running STRAIGHT to the Queen. Moot, since the Hound got there first. Kind of embarrassing having half the castle come into your room to gaze at your menstrual blood. Sansa will have to construct her dignity carefully at this point.
Cersei pretty much admitting that she knows Joffrey is a fucking psychopath was great. “Maybe this is our punishment” she says to Tyrion. While Tyrion thinks, “did you not just threaten to take away all that I love a few days ago? There, there sister. Let me go get Lancel for you because, yes, your son is horrible, and, yes, it is probably your fault. But uh… the other two kids are totally NORMAL.” Also, sad to hear Tyrion compare the children to flipped coins, you know there’s a bit of , “and I got the dwarf coin” mixed in there, but Cersei being as self-absorbed and unfeeling towards others that she is…can only think of her own pain. Don’t fall for it, Tyrion!
Elena: Can I just insert how much I loved the Hound’s comment to Sansa in the hallway? “You’ll be grateful for the brutal things I do when I am the only thing standing between you and your beloved king.”
TRUTH. Although I wondered…how, exactly, is the Hound going to be standing between them? Like is Joffrey going to have The Hound in the bedroom with him while he’s impregnating her? As if he were an actual dog? Oh, God, how does Sansa rescue her dignity from THAT?
Also, I love how at this point EVERYONE JUST FUCKING KNOWS that Joffrey is crazy. When do the assassination plots start?! I mean, look, I get that Cersei won’t agree to killing him because she loves him, and Tyrion probably wouldn’t sign off on it either, because the kid’s family (but under the right circumstances I think Tyrion could be convinced to kill his beloved brother’s beloved son)…but everyone else in the Red Keep? Where’s Varys with a death plot when you need him? Duuuude. COME ON. You were Johnny on the spot with sending out that execution hit on Dany. Surely you can make a little magic happen and get Joffrey out of everyone’s way. Then the normal one can be named the king, Cersei can be the queen regent for even longer, and no one in King’s Landing will have some horrible, mad child making shit more complicated than it needs to be while, oh yeah, they’re fighting a war against three different insurgents. Unless, of course, Lysa Arryn shows up with Robin and declares HIM the true and proper king, which…no. So, yeah, Tommyn For King!
Elena: Speaking of Lannisters, Tywin and Arya named dropped a bunch of people with names I can’t even begin to spell. Who are they and should I be marking the names for later reference?
Rachel: You didn’t like your little history lesson? A clever way of reminding us that when Dany screams at people that she will burn them…WELL, SHE MEANS IT. Just look at Harrenhal, that tower of fun!
Even more exciting than watching Arya prove to Tywin that she is, indeed, a noble girl who could be a very useful hostage if Tywin can ever figure out exactly which Northern house she belongs to (ha): Tywin mentioning Jonquil. At least it was exciting to me. Like the LOTR novels (though…not as lovely) the songs and meta-histories of ASOIAF have not made it to the screen (I’m still holding out for the Bear and the Maiden Fair…and a certain song about rain). Book reader shout out? MAYBE MORE? We. Shall. See.
Elena: Like Locke Lamora, Arya has no circumspection. She’s too smart for her own good, and so convinced of her own cleverness she doesn’t even realize what Tywin means by that. Yes, she came up with enough of a cover story that he didn’t feel the need to expose her lies…but she has already exposed everything that she is. She’s educated, she’s secure enough to look Tywin Fucking Lannister in the eye every time she addresses him, confident enough to argue with him and debate with him, and smart enough to keep track of her lies and render plausible scenarios. All of that adds up to Someone’s daughter. As Rachel pointed out, Tywin is just keeping her in his pocket until the time he figures out whose daughter she is, at which point he returns her for more favors and gratitude from a Lannister ally or ransoms her/keeps her as a hostage to his enemy’s good behavior. I am super-excited to see where her story goes from here!
Elena: And in other stories I’m excited about…Jon and Ygritte are up to pretty much the same stuff as last week, except even funnier.
Rachel: This is why I love Ygritte. She just says what you want to say to Jon. She is the tumblr of Westeros. She goes there. Some complaints have been lodged as to how stupid Jon looks with the changes the writers made to compress several events into one. I kind of agree? Jon isn’t THIS dumb. It all depends on how the capture works out, I guess. Can’t really talk about my guess as to how it will work out without spoiling. Sorry! Next week.
Really all I want to say is I almost had a heart attack every time Ygritte said anything because I knew “You know nothing Jon Snow” was coming and I COULD NOT STAND IT. I just wanted to scream it at the TV. I’m sure it won’t be the last time she says it. It better not. Girl says it about 500 times in the book. To the point where it wasn’t even funny anymore. I want the TV viewers to have the phrase jammed into the brains in much the same fashion. It’s only fair!
Elena: I feel so sorry for Jon Snow Who Thinks He Knows Where to Put It. It’s not fun to get called stupid all the time. Although in this case Ygritte is just calling him ignorant, which is different. She just says it in a way that means stupid for not seeing the world. But…he’s still operating from within the philosophical framework he was raised in. So is she. She would be just as lost at Winterfell as he is there North of The Wall.
At the same time I feel bad for a kid still in the process of growing up…I look forward to the day when Jon Snow becomes his own man and breaks out of the thought process of what is expected of him by everyone else…basically when he stops being such a reactionary and becomes agent of his own destiny. Coming of Age stories are so tedious. How many times does he have to see the world is not as he always thought it before he extrapolates that maybe he should question EVERYTHING? At this rate Sansa is learning faster than he is!
Elena: The Twitter swears, they were for the Dany stuff?
Rachel: I…have no idea WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN QARTH! Dany’s dragons stolen? Xaro is King of Qarth? Pyat Pree just murdered the rest of the Thirteen? (SIMULTANEOUSLY? AHHHHH THAT WAS SO CRAZY!)
Fuck if I know. For serious. All I know is this is all leading to the House of the Undying. BRING IT. We can handle it, Elena. Bring. It.
Can I rant a little about Dany? I want to address the Dany haters. I live with one, you see…so it gets to me sometimes.
Yes, it doesn’t really make any sense that Dany shows up in Qarth and starts demanding shit from everyone and generally being a whiny baby. It doesn’t happen in the books. So you got me.
Politics and the realities of getting yourself enough support to even start a war, let alone win it…are boring. I’ve always respected GRRM that he chose to include what many fantasy authors leave out of their epics – the boring sitting around and politicking that MUST occur if you are a poor fugitive trying to reclaim your birthright. Dany isn’t boring. Dany is realistic. As much as you can be when you’re the Mother of Dragons.
Dany’s journey, the confidence she gains in herself, the struggle she has in finding people to trust, the loneliness she feels because she has no actual friends…these are what make Dany interesting.
Having her dragons be kidnapped is a great plot twist. It really is. It works well on TV and gives the viewers something to worry about on a personal level for Dany. But this whole Thirteen business? I have no idea. I don’t really know how Dany is going to get to where she needs to get from here. I’m sure she will. I’m sure it will be plausible considering the events that unfold. Not knowing those events I can’t accurately react to them yet. All I can say is that I hope they keep the politicking in the show. Varys and Littlefinger and Dany are beloved characters BECAUSE they figure things out. Because they do a lot with very little. Because they manipulate everyone around them, including the readers, into loving them a little.
So I’m waiting. But I’m worried.
< / End Rant >
Elena: Ha, for once the non-readers have the advantage! Since we don’t know what to expect next or see the plot veering off toward Phoenix when we’re supposed to be going to NYC we don’t get worried wondering how the frak the writers are going to take Dany where she needs to go.
My biggest reactions to this week’s Qarth scenes was a reinforcement of how perfect Quaithe is for me for a Halloween/Ren Faire cosplay model, and that the twelve simultaneous throat-slits would have made a MUCH more impactful episode break point. So there’s the changes I’d have made to this episode: show Theon burning out the holding to get those two little-boy bodies and then end with twelve perfect replicas slit twelve conniving throats. Boom. Awesome. Not that I think the show needs much help, but…if they’re going to show us their fantasies of how to make the book better (or better for TV) then I will share mine about what would have made the episode even better for me.
So, um, yeah. Dany’s dragons are in the House of the Undying. I think those Qarth magicians better watch themselves. If Dany remembers she can walk through fire you know she’s just going to have Ser Jorah build a giant bonfire and set the tower aflame. She and her dragons will be fine, I mean once it’s burning she can just walk in and get them.
Damn. Where’s a spare bucket of wildfire when you need one? Maybe Quaithe can point Ser Jorah to one, she knows enough other random shit…why not.
Rachel: Bonus points to this being…what, the second episode in a row with no gratuitous naked brothel scenes? HUZZAH! This is obviously because Petyr is on the road. I’m sure the nakedness will come once Petyr is again doing business from his office.
Elena: Well you know what they say…when the cat’s away, the pussies will play.
Movies based on Marvel Comics characters have been big moneymakers in recent years, most recently The Avengers. It’s only natural that they’d make their way to the small screen at some point, and it may come in the form of a new Hulk series from ABC.
ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee said in a conference call Tuesday that he hopes “The Hulk” will be ready for the 2013-2014 season, according to NYDailyNews.com.
We had hoped it would be ready this year, but that didn’t happen,” Lee said.
Lee told listeners the show may be aired on ABC, but they might instead sell it to another network.
Wherever it would work best,” he said.
Unexpectedly, horror director Guillermo del Toro may be executive producing the show, according to TGDaily.com. ABC continues to work with Marvel writer Stan Lee, and Lee said he hope to bring more Marvel characters to television. Both ABC and Marvel are owned by Disney.
This will not be the first time Bruce Banner’s destructive alter-ego has starred in his own television show. Running from 1978-1982, CBS’ The Incredible Hulk starred Bill Bixby as Banner and Lou Ferrigno as Hulk. There has also been several cartoon versions of his storyline that have been successful.
Many television channels view timeshifting services as bad for business, but not AMC. The network reported sizable ratings boosts for “The Walking Dead” and “Mad Men” due in part, it says, to Netflix and other online streaming services.
Last year, Netflix purchased the exclusive rights to stream every back episode of AMC shows “Mad Men,” “Breaking Bad,” and “The Walking Dead.”
According to DigitalTrends, AMC reported that its revenues were up about 40 percent in the first three months of 2012. Profits were up 20 percent thanks to strong ratings and performance of the new season “The Walking Dead.”
They haven’t been shy about vocalizing the role of Netflix in their ratings. Part of the reason for the network’s success, according to CEO Josh Sapan, was the working with Netflix and Amazon.
2012 got off to a strong start for AMC Networks, with double digit increases in net revenues, AOCF and operating income,” Sapan said. “Continued viewer enthusiasm for our programming resulted in ratings gains for our national networks, most notably AMC’s The Walking Dead, which ended its second season with nine million total viewers, an increase of 50 percent over last season’s finale. The series reigns as the highest-rated scripted drama in basic cable history in advertiser’s key demos. The fifth season of AMC’s Mad Men currently ranks as the most watched season ever of the series, outperforming the prior season by double-digits. These successes underscore the strength of our original programming strategy, which continues to drive audience and advertiser demand for our networks.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, Sapan later went into more detail during a conference call,
New viewers are finding these shows on a digital service, catching up on prior seasons and then tuning into AMC for new seasons in greater numbers, many for the first time.”
AMC isn’t without its problems though. Dish Networks, a satellite TV operator, has decided to drop the channel from its lineup. Dish cited low ratings as the reason for the cut, but said it was the result of ongoing litigation between the two companies over its participation in Voom HD, a collection of HD channels that Dish decided to pick up, but dropped in 2008.
However, “The Walking Dead” continues to do extremely well on the channel. After premiering in October 2010, it has broken several ratings records and continues to be well received by critics and viewers. It has also received many award nominations, including a Writers Guild of America Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Television Series Drama. The series has also attained strong Nielsen ratings, beating various records for a cable series, including receiving 9 million viewers for its season two finale to become the most-watched basic cable drama telecast in history.
