The order I watched them all last year, to get into the show: 5, 4, 1, 2, 3, AS, 6. Whether that slants my opinion or makes it more objective I don't know, but hey…

Agreed, I couldn't make it past the second episode of Cucumber (though I might try again since I hear it gets better). I just don't think Davis is a strong enough writer, there are too many big moments that come across hollow, too much zany vulgarity that just seems incredibly forced and tryhard. (That Ryan Reynolds…

Oh fair enough. In that case, I agree. You can devote an episode to an area/battle, just make it an interesting one!

Is it recognised as such? I thought everyone felt it was fairly effective, because of both Tyrion and Joffrey in the battle, but also the scenes with Sansa and Cersei when in hiding. It's a fan favourite, no?

It's probably because the final third is kinda contrived… I enjoyed it, but decent performances aside, I just didn't believe in Dane Dehaan's character's struggle, his actions just seemed to service the plot and drive home this sins-of-the-father type message which I don't really agree with.

Yeah, it didn't do much for me. Decent enough performances, but something about it was very cold and distancing. It may have been intentional, but I found it hard to really get a handle on the characters - bad stuff happened to them, but I didn't really feel anything.

As someone who couldn't make it through the last season, how did this compare? I got kinda bored of the repetitive jokes (especially around cocaine-Pam and Cheryl/Charleene), and would go episodes basically not laughing. But I do feel like I miss it so am not sure whether to reinvest.

Well I'd enjoy it more than a Joni Mitchell song if it came on at 3am in a gay club, I'll give you that.

The one I accidentally heard first was the live version on her 70s album Miles of Aisles. It's basically a slightly jazzier version of the original and has remained my go-to version. I like the 2000 one more in theory than in reality.

Indeed, it was pretty clear from the beginning that she's more impressive than him. Duchovny could never pull off Beyond the Sea, for example.

Deadwood is a lot more expensive with a massive ensemble, all the sets got torn down before it could happen so I sense there was a lot more 'now or never' about it (the result being: never). I have faith it'll happen for Looking, and am really glad it got to end on it's own terms.

I don't think the UK version was that great *ducks for cover*

Indeed. Case in point for me: Boardwalk Empire. Has so many signs of being great TV without being great TV. Still sore about Deadwood too.

You're probably right, I don't know about these things and I guess GOT is fucking massive, but it always seemed like the cable networks didn't care too much about premiering at the same time every year and that there might be some leeway if it's only a month or something.

With season 6 at least, isn't it possible the book will have been written by the time it premieres? If GRRM is trying to finish it this year? If it's not on shelves in time for the standard Spring premiere date, maybe HBO'll push it back a few months so that at least the book will be out before the season starts…

Care to give some examples we've seen thus far? (providing it doesn't spoil events yet to come in the show). Just curious since I'm not that aware of the deviations as someone who's only read the first book.

Is that it? I come back to Like it Or Not and Forbidden Love quite a lot.

I think I preferred MDNA to Hard Candy. I'm Addicted and Love Spent were two of her best tracks in years, the only ones I really hated were Superstar and Turn up the Radio. Devil and Miles Away were pretty great from HC, but it felt like it had a lot more filler.

Surprised at the criticism of Body Shop, okay the lyrics might sound a bit silly, but they're far from the worst on the album ('Yeezus likes my pussy best', for example), and the vocal and production is amongst the best - it's probably the sweetest-sounding song she's done since the early 00s.

Yeah, don't get me wrong, he's a good guy and and a good dad, there's just something about his personality typical of a shouty American football coach like him which rubs me up the wrong way and causes my eyes to roll