Dany's stuff was still boring, not even any Jorah to improve it this week...

Stuff on land was great though. Theon trying to be a badass, Jon being a virgin, Nymphadora Tonks being naked. Ayra being perilous. Awesome

It wasn't a bad episode, but I'm going to have to complain about them deviating from the book again. Neither of the two characters that Arya has Jaqen kill are who he kills in the book. I get that Chiswyck and Weese were so minor that they haven't even been introduced in the series, but killing off the Tickler and Amory Lorch, both of whom had a part to play later, is a silly decision.
I'm also surprised that they didn't show Theon taking Winterfell. It's described in detail in the books yet they've not shown it at all here. The first you see of Theon he is already inside the city.
Lastly, I don't remember Dany's dragons being stolen. So what was that about?

On the plus side, Ygritte her rubbing up against Jon was brilliant. The cheeky minx.

Plus it didn't happen till later in the book and where are 2 Frey's
 
Jojen and Meera Reed should be here by now.

tyrannosaurusket

Dany's stuff was still boring, not even any Jorah to improve it this week...

Stuff on land was great though. Theon trying to be a badass, Jon being a virgin, Nymphadora Tonks being naked. Ayra being perilous. Awesome

The Dany stuff is annoying me a bit as well now. She's not coming across that well, I just want her to get a move on and get her ass to Westeros already.
 
Totally didn't connect that was Tonks! D'uh!
 
The rest of the episode was indeed awesome, enjoyed it a lot. Still loving this series, although based on what others are saying perhaps I would be a bit aggrieved if I'd read the books as it seems to be deviating a bit.

The deviations from the book are starting to throw me, especially as I usually watch it with my other half who hasn't read them and he keeps asking me what's happening next and stuff and I can't honestly say I know any more.  Bit miffed that Jojen and Meera aren't in the series. 
 
Am still really enjoying the series though!

The capture of Winterfell wasn't shown because of costs.
 
Similarly, might as well kill Amory Lorch now since his proper death would be far to expensive to bring to screen. And since Chiswyk and Weese aren't going to appear, it sticks with Arya's approach of killing people who are an immediate threat (as opposed to saying 'Cersei, Joffrey, Tywin' off the bat and ending the series).
 
Jojen and Meera are cool, but not really important, Bran can work that stuff out by himself - but there's every chance they'll turn up to have a look around Winterfell after the Boltons have been and come across him. EDIT: Thinking more about these two, they never need to turn up at all. They're just there for exposition. Continued with book spoilers below **
 
The dragons being stolen gives Dany a reason to go to the House of the Undying without having to **** about showing her speaking to every man and his dog before going there as a last resort to get help.
 
Irri being dead guarantees no stupid lesbian nonsense on a boat later for the sake of gratuity.
 
The problems in that episode for me are:
 
Worrying developments with Jon and Ygritte. I hope she's not going to flirt with him until he decides to defect. But I can see that being a possibility. Bloody waste of screen time, too. Should have ended with the sword hitting the stone.
 
Robb and Tullisa - COC SPOILER BELOW*

Tywin being nice to and confiding in someone he believes to be a commoner - he's a man who had an entire barracks ra pe a girl just to make a point about commoners mixing with the nobility.
 
 
 

 
*She's blatantly Jeyne, but is she onside with her mum and Tywin's plans and acting as a spy? Or is it Roose sending letters to the Lannisters? Their relationship is a touch silly now that Cat is in the camp - why would Robb do something supremely stupid like marry her when his mum is hanging about reminding him not to be an idiot?
 
**Chances are Bran and Rickon will stick together, both heading for the wall with Osha and most likely Luwin, between them covering introducing Bran to the ways and legends of the far North as well as all the bits of history of the Seven Kingdoms. Meaning no need for the Reeds at all.

Don't mind too much change from the books but the only problem is the cutting of small parts could differentiate big sequences later on.
 
Hope D**** still goes to Skagos later on.

nfe I didn't read your spoilers but I did find your point about Tywin interesting - having only read book 1 I was chatting to my OH about the series yesterday and we concluded that perhaps he's not so bad after all/has a good side. I take it I'm wrong? This series does seem to be softening him up a bit which obviously isn't in keeping with his character in the books.

Hard to say. He's never a point of view character and there isn't one on his war councils other than Tyrion early on (who hates him) so you never really get an idea of his inner dialogue or anything. He's obviously motivated by loyalty and duty to his family, but not with any warmth.
 
He's not the pantomime villain that's about to turn up in the next episode, but he's still a total shit.

This week is the first time i've not bothered to watch GOT its recorded on sky plus just can't be arsed to watch it. Can't get over how (for me) disappointing it is

rammstein_freaky

This week is the first time i've not bothered to watch GOT its recorded on sky plus just can't be arsed to watch it. Can't get over how (for me) disappointing it is

I've been a bit disappointed with season 2 so far as well. There are just some parts in it or certain characters in it that I'm just not bothered about  but this weeks episode is definitely my favourite of season 2 so far. Quite a lot happens in it except for Dany's storyline which is boring as usual.

The Battle of Blackwater is still to come.

I'll be honest i haven't read the books, which i defo need to do, so in that respect i'm not as knowledgable as the majoirty of the people on the download board. However just taking the series at face value it just doesn't have the same appeal factor that the first series had which really is a shame.  The only parts i find entertaining are with Tyrion will give it another chance..

samuelthevest

The Battle of Blackwater is still to come.

 
Provided they don't cut straight to a ruined battlefield and a few shipwrecks because Tyrion slept through it of course.

They''re showing it.

Battles are never that important anyway, unless during them some sort of betrayal or special death happens.
 
Otherwise it's just 5/10 minutes of slicing and dicing which could be time used on another character's plot.
 

Lots of very important characterisation happens in it. It's one of only two battles in the series you'd really lose out by skipping.

nfe

Lots of very important characterisation happens in it. It's one of only two battles in the series you'd really lose out by skipping.

 
You say that but they've changed enough already to suit their take on the narrative, as you've said kidnapping Danys dragons is a shortcut to the 13 for example. It wouldn't surprise me if they cut the battle shut or skip to the end. And on the characterisation, I think I've only heard Podricks name mentioned once, and even then he hasn't put in a proper appearance or done anything meaningful. I can see why they've cut away a few characters that can be done without, but I can't see Podrick fitting into that catagory.

Really hope they throw all their funds at it in that episode.
 
If they do there will probably be cut down scenes like the kings hunt, when there was like 3 people guarding the king.

I'm sure I've read that the BOB took nigh-on half the budget of the series. Maybe that's why there are NO HORSES. Well, I suppose what happened to Luck has had an impact, too.