Hey. There is an important scene from ADWD that is coming up involving Pycelle, which is why he is still around.

The idea of the episode is the women finally take the upper hand and assert their own power. I think that it is wonderful myself.

Correct. Some of the changes have worked. Some haven't. I think that the Sansa and Jon scene was one that worked.

It is more meaningful to me because the payoff with Sansa and Jon meeting in the episode was wonderful. We aren't going to get that payoff in the books and it is going to be another disappointing head fake when Jon learns that fake Arya isn't Arya in the books. And there is nothing to suggest that Tyrion made the…

If you want annoying book purists, you should meet the LOTR's book purists. There are those who are probably still whining about the fact that Tom Bombadil wasn't included in the movies.

"Again, how? I mean, the two reasons so far is 1. He's bratty, 2. He's a Targaryen, maybe."
And he just pops up in Book 5 and I am supposed to care about him despite the fact that there are characters I actually care about. Sorry. I'm not buying it. Reading about Prince Whiny takes away time from the Starks and Dany.

I think that the showrunners have cleaned up some messes made by the book with their choices. The pacing on the shows is better than in the books. Their narrative choices make even more sense if you understand that most people watching the shows are "unsullied" and casual book readers and don't spend their lives…

And the storyline takes away from Jon and Dany. The only way that Faegon, the entitled brat, is interesting is as dragon food.

I think that Sansa has been given more to do and has been written in a more pleasant manner. And yes, the actors do make or break a show sheesh.

I think that Sophie Turner has done a nice job making Sansa sympathetic. She is less annoying that she was in the books.

Oh look. There is another hidden Targaryen prince. They are a dime a dozen!

I think that the shorthand of the High Sparrow feeding the poor, wearing rags, and cleaning the Sept is supposed to give us an idea that he is with the poor and a man of the people. He also told Oleanna Tyrell what he is after in Season 5 - cutting the Tyrells and Lannisters down to size. Yes, he is a religious…

Unless Faegon ends up as dragon food, the storyline is a waste of space. It already takes away from the Jon storyline.

The hilarity of Sansa Stark's rape? Okay, you really did not see last season. And there is nothing to suggest that the North is not going to rally behind Jon Snow this season.

Really? I like the High Sparrow on the show more than I do in the books. Perhaps it is because Jonathan Pryce does a good job selling the character and his motivations. I thought the manipulation of Tommen was quite brilliant in this episode.

I actually think that Jonathan Pryce is good as the High Sparrow. Pryce has pointed out that he based his character on Pope Francis and I've also heard people compare him to Bernie Sanders. The High Sparrow pointed out that his main goal was to cut the Tyrells and the Lannisters down to size in his tete last year…

There is nothing in the books to suggest that the conspirators weren't reacting more to the Wildlings being allowed south of the Wall than Jon abandoning his post. It was likely a long term plot, not a spur of the moment thing.

ADWD and AFFC needed a good edit. Martin suffered from the same fate that JK Rowlings did with Harry Potter; now that Martin is big, it is hard to edit him. I do think that Dorne could have been handled better on the show. Having the twist with Doran in there might have been interesting.

"Effective as the men. You call this iteration of the Sand Snakes effective villains? I mean, I guess, with the teleporting and all."
I think that Dorne in both the books and the TV shows are boring but I think that Dorne is important to the end game which is why it is still in there. They "streamlined" the plot to…

I have major issues with Book 5 as a whole outside of the North and the Wall arcs. However, I will excuse Tyrion, who is making empty threats while suffering from deep depression, more than I will an entitled brat who is dropped into the story near the end and who I am supposed to care about.