Game of Thrones begins....

[Martinus]

Also, I love one reviewer referring to Mereen as the "Island of Misfit Toys". 

[Martinus]

By the way, it just occurred to me - Rhaegal and Vissaryon - forgotten like a couple of puppies in a sunny Walmart parking lot? 

A DRAGON IS NOT A TOYBLOWTORCH! 

[garbon]

Well this is something I never knew I needed.

[Liep]

Goddamnit. Could they possibly have made any more cliffhangers?

[Martinus]

I thought it was a brillant finale - and for the first time we are out of books.

[Liep]

I thought it was a brillant finale - and for the first time we are out of books.

Well, Martin "hopes" to have TWoW out before April next year. So yes, we're out of books.

[Liep]

I see FiveThirtyEight predicts its latest publication date to August 2018.

[Eddie Teach]

Sounds a bit optimistic.

[Berkut]

One thing I found a little frustrating is that Jon never really tries to pitch what he sees as the core issue to the Nights Watch.

Which is that the Wall, and the Watch, are not actually there to fight Wildlings. Sure, that is all they HAVE fought or the last thousand years or whatever, but nobody builds an 800 ft tall wall of ice to protect against a bunch of ragtag wildlings. It is a reasonable mistake to have forgotten that, but now it is time to re-dedicate the Watch to it's real purpose - defending Westeros from the walkers.

It never really seems well articulated.

[The Minsky Moment]

Eddie Stark was a good guardian to have for learning sword fighting and such.  Maybe not the best for teaching public speaking and Aristotelian rhetoric.

[Martinus]

Maybe it's hype talking, but I thought this was one of the best and most memorable season's finale since season 1. But unlike season 1 (which was about hope and new beginnings) this one was about endings or (seemingly) coming back to square one. I am already excited for the next season. 

[crazy canuck]

One thing I found a little frustrating is that Jon never really tries to pitch what he sees as the core issue to the Nights Watch.

Which is that the Wall, and the Watch, are not actually there to fight Wildlings. Sure, that is all they HAVE fought or the last thousand years or whatever, but nobody builds an 800 ft tall wall of ice to protect against a bunch of ragtag wildlings. It is a reasonable mistake to have forgotten that, but now it is time to re-dedicate the Watch to it's real purpose - defending Westeros from the walkers.

It never really seems well articulated.

I think he did a fair job of articulating that view in prior episodes.  Although I agree the show could have done a better job of it.  They had a lot of material to draw upon from the books to help the writers of the show along.

Very anti-climactic end for Stannis (although hopefully mercy was shown so his story arc can continue).  And again a result that can only be obtained by a significant dumbing down of the character from that of the books - from his decision to burn his daughter in front of his troops to his decision to launch an attack on Winterfell with such a depleted force. 

Lastly where did all those Bolton troops come from?  Did the sell swords who left Stannis become employed by Bolton?  Is that the show's proxy for the much more involved plot line in the books of Stannis not having as much support in the North as he thinks? 

All in all a very unsatisfying finale.  Not so much cliffhangers as a bunch of unfinished stories.  So I guess in one respect the show is mirroring the books.

[Eddie Teach]

Overall, I thought this probably the weakest season so far and doesn't bode well regarding the showrunners' coming up with good independent material. Most of the major departures such as Sansa coming to Winterfell and Stannis burning his daughter were rather unsatisfying.

[Berkut]

One thing I found a little frustrating is that Jon never really tries to pitch what he sees as the core issue to the Nights Watch.

Which is that the Wall, and the Watch, are not actually there to fight Wildlings. Sure, that is all they HAVE fought or the last thousand years or whatever, but nobody builds an 800 ft tall wall of ice to protect against a bunch of ragtag wildlings. It is a reasonable mistake to have forgotten that, but now it is time to re-dedicate the Watch to it's real purpose - defending Westeros from the walkers.

It never really seems well articulated.

I think he did a fair job of articulating that view in prior episodes.  Although I agree the show could have done a better job of it.  They had a lot of material to draw upon from the books to help the writers of the show along.

I think they do an ok job to articulate that to the viewer - the viewer gets that, but I never got the feeling the rank and file of the Night's Watch ever gets that, or that it is ever made very clear to them, and that includes the books, btw. It frustrated me reading it as well, simply because it is pretty damn obvious that stressing out about Wilidlings while you have a proven army of the undead is pretty fucking stupid.

I didn't even think this part of the story worked very well in the books, much less the show.

[The Larch]

One thing I found a little frustrating is that Jon never really tries to pitch what he sees as the core issue to the Nights Watch.

Which is that the Wall, and the Watch, are not actually there to fight Wildlings. Sure, that is all they HAVE fought or the last thousand years or whatever, but nobody builds an 800 ft tall wall of ice to protect against a bunch of ragtag wildlings. It is a reasonable mistake to have forgotten that, but now it is time to re-dedicate the Watch to it's real purpose - defending Westeros from the walkers.

It never really seems well articulated.

I think he did a fair job of articulating that view in prior episodes.  Although I agree the show could have done a better job of it.  They had a lot of material to draw upon from the books to help the writers of the show along.

I think they do an ok job to articulate that to the viewer - the viewer gets that, but I never got the feeling the rank and file of the Night's Watch ever gets that, or that it is ever made very clear to them, and that includes the books, btw. It frustrated me reading it as well, simply because it is pretty damn obvious that stressing out about Wilidlings while you have a proven army of the undead is pretty fucking stupid.

I didn't even think this part of the story worked very well in the books, much less the show.

IMO it is much better explained in the books, it is simmering for the whole fifth book with no first hand account of Hardhome, while in the show all the resentment boiled on to mutiny in barely 4 episodes. I mean, Jon wasn't even elected Lord Commander until the 2nd or 3rd episode of the season, and by the 7th he was already getting veiled death threats.