Disagree with Myles' theory that Martin envisioned Penny as comic relief. IMO she is in the books as part of Tyrion's education in what it feels like to be at the bottom of the social hierarchy rather than the top… His whole journey to Daenerys is about him becoming less of a rich prick and more of a decent human…

I found the Robert Strong/Clegane transition abrupt. Right up through last week, the show was playing it coy like the books. Now all of a sudden everybody is just casually saying "Oh, yeah, Clegane, what a tool." I guess it was no secret to the viewers, since the actor is credited… And since they've recast the role a…

Wherever he's headed, it will apparently be in the company of an army of wildlings who think he's a god. That could come in handy.

There was a great dog-eating-a-dude's-face scene on Banshee a while back. I could definitely back that as a Ramsay exit strategy.

Smalljon did swear a lot of swears, though. I enjoyed his rudeness and profanity. He's a little like Bron, but either less or more calculating (depending on whether he's working a double-cross).

For no real reason, I had always imagined Howland hanging back and picking guys off with a bow and arrow. The crannogmen are supposed to be little guys and specialists in guerilla warfare.

I might be making this up, but in the books I think Jaime mentions that Dayne was the best… and Jaime doesn't seem like the sort who would down-rank himself out of humility.

To be fair, I think that's a problem with a lot of shows and movies where many of the main characters are younger and played by less experienced actors, while many of the secondary characters are older and played by folks who have mastered their craft. Still, narrative is powerful! Harrington could be much worse and…

I feel like there's a lot of (abrupt) deck-clearing going on. Next week: Tommen stabs Cersei and Jaimie and kicks them out a window, Arya plants a dagger in Jaqen, and the two dragons produce absurdly tiny daggers and back-stab Tyrion and Varys.

I think Bran is the only Stark warg in the show. Showrunners decided only one main character can be a warg, only one main character can be resurrected. Don't want to make things too unrealistic.

One thing is for sure, there will be plenty of old men and green boys in attendance. Many and more.

One of my most hoped-for book developments is a Littlefinger/Stoneheart reunion.

At least the show spared us Martin's creepy description of the septas shaving off Cersei's pubic hair. It was even more uncomfortable than it is when fantasy writers get way too obsessed with describing nipples.

I think the show just conflated the book characters Gendry and Edric.

Definitely an A episode, even if there was a lot of table-setting. I'm not a mega-fan, because the "atmosphere over plot" thing doesn't float my boat. Still, the show looks as great as always, all the main characters were given clear goals/story lines right out of the box, and there was blessedly little of FM, who to…

I think there could be some interesting story lines about Hexen- and Zauberbiesten… Whether or not the evilness is part of the genetic package, how some of them just roll with it while others choose a less- or non-evil path. It could be really significant for exploring the characters and development of Juliet/Eve,…

NeanDrewThal?

Who left the dogs out?

Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as:
fear, surprise, ruthless efficiency, an almost fanatical devotion to
the Pope, and nice red uniforms!

We'll have to agree to disagree. I guess it's a tribute to George Martin that we both read the same books and came away with such different takes on the character. To me, the clincher is that Stannis' choices gradually disillusion the ultra-loyal Davos, who IMO is as close to a moral compass as the books get.