Ha! Yes, Austrian/Bavarian country music.

The Breaking Bad homage was obvious, but I'm kind of surprised none of the clever AV Clubbers here picked up on Slovis' slightly subtler homage to Carol Reed's (and Orson Welles') noir classic, "The Third Man" - in the scene when the angels are walking to the Hell travel agency, using zither music and street shots…

Although Cassidy didn't get into specific ratings (and I'm not wishing to do so either), I'd have to say that, in general, he's right that 'The Big Lebowski' tends to be overrated (it's one of the easiest Coen Bros. films to like), and both 'Ladykillers' and, to a much lesser degree (although still somewhat),…

Jamie will strangle her.

I would agree, although the problem (in terms of the books) is at least partially due to what underscorex pointed out; "The books have a depth that can be mined. Rough story outlines do not." We have to assume that, since B&W have much less material to work with at this point, it makes the writing of the screenplays…

Agreed - and Lena Headey was stupendous through all of those scenes (and especially chilling in the coda with the septa).

Sure - I agree with both of your points (I can't really blame Benioff & Weiss very much). I'm just bemoaning those facts ;)

Sure, that's true - and honestly, I loved the scene (and the way it was directed). I was responding more to that one particular line from Caitlin, which she was comparing to the surprise of Ned's execution or the Red Wedding (which weren't really telegraphed).

Yes, I agree with you - that's certainly responsible for some of the shift. The ending was always going to be more difficult to pull-off with surprise and subversion. I think (or at least hope) that GRRM will add more nuance to it than seen in the show.

"An “I can’t believe that just happened” moment when Cersei demolishes the Great Sept Of Baelor…"

I'll miss this show; there was/is nothing else quite like it.

You mean unhanded?

BTW, I wasn't trying to be a spelling Nazi - I just thought such a charming and enticing actor deserves due recognition :)

Wow……… this show just continues to exhilarate and astound.

Perdita Weeks.

Completely disagree with this review. I haven't read the comics, but I don't need hand-holding. It doesn't feel disjointed - it feels as if the creators are betting on the savviness and intelligence of their viewers, and I'm enjoying it.

As someone that's never read the comic, I'm liking the pace. And so far, IMO, as a piece of enjoyable TV entertainment based on comic book material, it's way better than that Walking Dead crap.

Which is precisely a scene you'd want to include in that particular one-man show.

Well, she took the bags of money back from the captain and told him she'd pay him when the ship set sail the following morning.

…and getting stabbed repeatedly by someone she should have seen coming from a mile away if she'd been paying attention to anything Jaqen had been telling her.