Fantastic interview! Like others pointed out, very meaty and enriching for my general TV-watching experience. I love gaining this sort of technical/industrial context for the magical world of modern television. Hehe, more like this please.

I’m glad Keith pointed out the eloquence of Albert’s speech on nonviolence, a particularly potent scene that really was unexpected upon my viewing. Hmm, certainly something to ponder.

“Community is basically about people who find themselves in a school setting that occasionally infantilizes them, and it’s also about people who try to seem cool finding themselves when they let the inner nerd out.”

I love Todd’s reviews for insights like these, it really illuminates the beauty of Community. 

Hear, hear. In all fairness, however, Littlefinger has been playing with a meager hand all his life (correct me if I’m wrong but it was only by chance that his father and Lord Hoster Tully became acquainted in some war in the past that Petyr was raised in Riverrrun) due to his minor lord status and lack of natural…

With the Vale, I’m willing to accept that Lord Royce stands in for the voice of Houses Waynwood, Belmore, Hunter, etc. I mean, they’ve established them (to an extent) back when Sansa and Littlefinger where at the Eyrie. But with the Riverlands especially, they haven’t even addressed what happened with Edmure after…

Hehe, I wanted to elaborate that I specifically appreciated your ability to lay out the premise and strengths/weaknesses of the various components of the film (actors/technical aspects/script, etc) without spoiling the thrills of the heist, yet highlighting the craft and providing some pop cultural context.

The local…

Wonderful review, I daresay I’m convinced to go see it.

Oh to be sure. And hey, The Wall coming down was even preceded by a “trial” of sorts, even if not relevant to the Wall, specifically.

You’d think so, but Euron has already shown that he knows the location of the plot portal that bypasses space and time.

It almost seems as though the writers have disregarded the other high lords and minor lords that form up these armies and such. I can understand the need to not introduce too many “new” characters as the show winds down, but it strains credibility when they at least were mentioned in previous seasons. Hehe, maybe it’s…

Right on. Everybody only tolerated Littlefinger insomuch as he proved valuable to the other characters’ interests. Once the Lords of the Vale squirreled Robin Arryn away from Littlefinger (and Lysa’s death) his power hold was in name-only, especially in Westeros’ feudal society where personal relationships/oaths are…

As always, each episode makes me hunger for another book all the more. Especially because of how lovely Martin’s prose is when, as Myles mentioned, characters are simply chatting with one another. All the conversations between these wonderful characters that we miss out on in the show’s shallow storytelling would…

One reason in particular that I am so fond of Todd’s writing is that he provides such a richly detailed context for the meta-commentary of Community. For example he provides a short lesson on sitcom history as it pertains to this particular episode’s self-awareness and acknowledgement of previous patterns. Especially…

Tis an interesting context from which one can highlight the significance of the fantasy setting. From my own experiences reading the Eragon series and A Song of Ice and Fire in particular it really does add an extra layer of immersion, a template even for one’s imagination.

If you're interested, look up The Grand Northern Conspiracy and you'll find a delightful time in connecting all these various dots.

Mmm, stew.

"They're more like guidelines." ;)

Ooh I really appreciate your take on this. I'm of the mind that the show, by and large,has only gotten better and better in terms of sheer enjoyment—however one chooses to reconcile that—so this really helps me at least consider more angles and contexts from which to enjoy the show.

Hear, hear. The trivialities of such words and mere vibrations an utterance as ethics and morals wouldn't matter much to the war-ravaged Westerosi. Hmmm, man, these thoughts make me want a book all the more.

The might of dragons is what brought about a united Seven Kingdoms so it could be argued that in a martial-based society like Westeros, such an advantage provides the strongest "claim". For example, there is only an Iron Throne and Kingsroad because of the Targaryens, and although the common folk may not know too much…