It was common practice back then to scatter rushes on the floor in place of carpeting to dampen sound, keep in warmth, and make the room fragrant (in a good way). Hence the saying, a roach in the rushes (similar to a fly on the wall).

The one who wrapped his whip around Viserys wasn't one of Drogo's blood riders, he was one of Daeny's... what's the word. It isn't Kho, but essentially her own private guard, similar to blood riders except that no man would ever be blood rider to a woman! ;)

Right, I understand why they cut out the blacksmith's character (at least for now, he plays a fairly major role down the line) but I don't understand why they changed the tone of the confrontation so much.

Craig, I think you're being a bit oversensitive here. Yes, I used the "r-word". Guess what? Your "Warning" also contained the "r-word".

Yeah, but I've largely given up on Dany's portrayal. Her development is being rushed and compacted. There is no house with the red door, her marriage started with rape instead of semi-consensual sex, even the scene of her first ride on "her silver" on the night of her wedding...

They're rearranging bits so it's tough to say. Some parts are farther ahead, other's are a bit behind.

I was more than a little disappointed with this week's episode. It had it's usual unnecessary departures from the book (more on that later) but overall the pacing just seems really weird. The small council scene in particular had me cringing. I'm wondering what it's like for someone who's never read the books.

Its name is legion, for it is many.

Because clearly the best method of affirmative action is to give these underprivileged workers ski vacations. That will iron out the socioeconomic inequalities that landed them menial jobs in the first place, right?

I take it you're unaware that NBCUniversal is a single company.

Clearly you must be a "chubby white male". I'd better go get the "black security guard" to moderate you. Because clearly every problem is based on race and class. /sarcasm

This is nothing new. I'm a red badge for a media giant, literally. As a "contractor" my badge is red while full-time employees have blue badges. There's also green, purple, and a few others for menial labor, theme park workers, etc.

Probably on some zany blog-style news site.

I live in LA, pretty sure our street sweepers don't have any of what you mentioned...

And yet this probably works a lot better than the ones we use, which seem to get dirt off the street primarily by putting it into the air.

For those who don't seem to get it, the iPad is not visible from 0:25 - 0:29. Sure, he picks one up from the spot it appeared to land, but nothing would prevent multiple takes until they got it right. That's an ultralight they dropped it from meaning they can take off, land, and redrop quite easily with very little…

The cynic in me can't help but notice that the iPad lands out of frame, making a potential swap with a non-cratered device rather convenient

A very good point, especially since they had to gloss over so much of the abuse that she's been through. Still, it makes the Khal out to be more of a bastard than he really is.