SPOILERS THROUGHOUT FOR EVENTS OF BOOK 3 (SOME OF WHICH HAVEN'T HAPPENED ON THE SHOW YET)

Okay, I get where you're coming from. I think it would be better if there were mixed-race members of each house, but that's not something that happens on TV, sadly (never mind that mixed-race people often pass as white, and have people not believe them when they say they don't solely identify that way. or maybe that…

also, no one's mentioned the foremost character explicitly from Essos—Varys.

But why? This universe has already established that magical fireproof dragon-summoning powers may or may not be passed down through incest, I don't understand why having some of the houses be POC breaks with consistency? I mean, if you really must, it's easy to write in a throwaway line about being distantly descended…

the books get to be a slog, though. The first book is brilliant, and is over too soon; each one after takes longer and longer, to the point that I'm seriously considering giving up on them and just following the show, which captures the same major points but makes better choices, IMO, about the details.

@avclub-9808b9d9bef3cc06261d0ca743532cfc:disqus I'd love to see that, too, and I don't understand how casting more nonwhite actors in this show would prevent it from happening.

phrase it a little more vaguely than "RED WEDDING" and a picture of Robb Stark looking sad.

I expected Robb's death since the King in the North scene—he definitely had this "too noble to live" vibe to him—but the way it went down was still unexpectedly brutal. (And I agree with you that while Catelyn, especially book!Catelyn, isn't always super-likable, she's realistic and sympathetic.)

@avclub-9808b9d9bef3cc06261d0ca743532cfc:disqus @PhonyPope:disqus  It's inspired by Medieval Europe, but it's not Europe. There's nothing that would contradict the books if, say, the Greyjoys or the Mormonts or the Tarlys were nonwhite.

hey, so, some clarification: the show makes it so that Rickon clearly sees Jon, but does Jon get a clear view of the direwolves?

It occurs to me now that Arya's succession of people who will hopefully ransom her back to Robb (and then don't) kind of mirrors Sansa's succession of people who will hopefully get her out of King's Landing (and then don't.)

I do sympathize with your point about the fantasy elements not being as interesting, though. I finished the third book early in this season, and I'm reluctant to go on to the fourth, because it seems like each one focuses less and less on the intrigue going on in King's Landing, which is really the part I care about.…

The dragons arguably cause as many problems as they solve—during the second season, they're not strong enough to defend themselves, and make her a target for grifters like Xaro Xhoan Daxos. Yes, she's able to leverage them to gain audience—but that's because she's clever enough to capitalize on people's curiosity.

the funny thing is this does kind of work as a spoiler.

@avclub-817fde73cb35d91a2cb63520835563f9:disqus Yeah, that's the best example of where the films surpassed the books. The camping trip was a slog to read through, but the film managed to capture this odd melancholy that wasn't really on the page, but fit perfectly with the characters and circumstance.

Dany's not one of my favorites, but saying she has no agency is absurd.

Beric decides to stop coming back (by resurrecting Catelyn) shortly after Gregor Clegane dies, doesn't he? That would seem to support the theory.

@avclub-9d66a6ebf0e17da71a6441374275370a:disqus um, the comment I was replying to disputes it. there's a conversation going on here, dude, it's a good idea to do more than skim it before joining in

it's also weird because Suedehead strikes me as one of the more "normal" songs, vocally, like if I was going to get my hate-on about Morrissey's voice  that…would not be the song I'd do it with. (I guess it's one of the more popular songs associated with him, but seriously, "How Soon Is Now?" sounds way more affected…

probably just a screentime issue. I interpreted random soldier guy being stabbed in front of Grey Wind's cage as being a general signal that everyone was getting massacred, as in the book.