Frewns - GoT S7E7 spoilers

Old Man Rating: 9, ignoring the nonsense.

So after the shark-jumping of last episode, I've adjusted my expectations down for plot, story and coherence and up for spectacle. To be fair this episode was (I thought) a vast improvement on last week's debacle.

Yes the plan to show a wight to Cersei still makes no sense whatsoever, but it was followed through well and Lena Headey's acting this episode (and indeed this season) has been outstanding throughout. Compared with Dan and Jony, our two wooden lovers who are doubtless conceiving their little wooden Targaryen baby (SO much baby foreshadowing that this is bound to happen) despite being nephew and aunt, Cersei and Jaime were both fantastic, nuanced performances. I genuinely thought one or other might die this episode, and for a second I thought she'd order Tyrion dead as well.

The fact that none of that happened points to a bit of a weakness, for me: big characters have had too much Plot Armour(tm) this season. Witness the Magnificent Seven only losing Thoros. Also all the characters whose primary agency is intellectual: Tyrion, Littlefinger, Varys - have been practically useless all season. Plots are not at all convoluted, foreshadowing has become beating us about the head.

And still for all that I enjoyed this episode. After last week the only way was up, really, but I'm glad Jaime finally left Cersei. I didn't buy Euron's cowardice for one moment and I'm sure he will return with the Golden Company next season. It was a bit stilted but it was good to see the Starks bonding together to kill Littlefinger. I liked the Sam-Bran interaction very much - yes I know they are The Expositors but it's nicely done (did you have a vision, no, a raven message; I'm the three eyed crow, I don't know what that means, etc). So was the likeness between Rhaegar and Viserys, even if they did then swtich to Jon, well, banging his auntie. I reckon Jon's real name in the books will be Aemon, not Aegon (c.f. Yara/Asha - we've got an Aegon in the books already, albeit probably a fake one/Blackfyre).

The conversation Brienne and the Hound had about Arya was beautifully done. Both showed a quasi-parental pride: if Sansa to at least some extent has proxy parents in Littlefinger and Cersei, Arya has proxy parents in those two.

Jon's interaction with Theon was very nicely done, again ignoring the fact Alfie Allen is outacting Kit Harrington by some distance, and "you can be both Stark and Greyjoy" clearly has echoes for Jon's own identity - he will see himself as part Stark part Targaryen, or part Ice and part Fire if you will. And Theon's lack of balls came in handy at last - I liked his use of the Mayweather tactics, letting the fat guy unload all his big shots first but get tired out doing it.

Qyburn's reaction to the wight put me in mind of fermented crab. I have no idea why that might be. I thought Bronn and Cersei might have ended up on screen together but apparently that no joint screen time clause still stands (Headey and Flynn were lovers once and it ended badly; they no longer speak, or can stand to be in the same room, apparently).

Oh and the wall came down. Well, we knew that would happen and we kind of knew how but it was spectacular, at least, and I like the movement of the undead dragon - that's nicely done.

Overall this has been a mixed season. Episode Six was possibly the weakest GoT episode ever. This was a decent closer, though, and set up the six remaining episodes. I expect maybe four of those will be the war for the dawn, and the last two the aftermath of All This, or something like that. Everything has been too linear, for me, this season and I don't expect that to change next season; the nuance and complexity are gone and spectacle is what remains. I think the thing to do is buckle up, enjoy the ride, and hope the books come out before GRRM dies, or I do.

Posted By: Old Man, Aug 28, 10:50:39