Shane Ryan and Josh Jackson review Game of Thrones each week in a series of letters.
Shane,
Being a queen is hard. You have to deal with all those pesky problems of your subjects. Daenerys Stormborn feels the burden of her new throne after just two of the hundreds of supplicants asking for something—especially since she’s directly responsible for their problems. Her responses are more generous and merciful than she’s shown in the past. They also serve as contrast to the overwhelmed Bran in Winterfell and the bored and self-absorbed Joffrey. Being a queen is hard, but she’s determined to be a good one.
Of course, it looks like her dragons are going to keep her plenty busy. We haven’t seen a lot of her pets, and as they grow, the CGI effects look harder to believably pull off.
We’ve talked a lot about genre fiction and how Game of Thrones has managed to transcend fantasy or even weird fake historical fiction, and a good part of that has been well-written characters and intriguing plot developments—the hallmarks of most good scripts. But another reason the books have translated so well to television is that the show is filled with good acting. And that was a pleasure from the very first scene when Stannis and Ser Davos arrive at the impressive Iron Bank and are met by Tycho Nestoris, played by Mark Gatiss. Gatiss brings the same wonderful smugness that he adds to the role of the detective’s older—and even potentially smarter—brother Mycroft in the BBC version of Sherlock. But the scene is equally enjoyable because of Liam Cunningham (Davos) and another stirring monologue.
But I was a little surprised that they followed this scene with Davos’ friend Salladhor Saan telling what’s a joke that’s old in our world. So much of what George R.R. Martin did was to build a world with alternate histories and customs—having the same tired pirate jokes was jarring.
The pairing of the week, though, came from Oberyn Martell and Varys—vastly underused this season. They talk about accents, and Oberyn seems to have pulled his directly from Mandy Patinkin’s Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride. But it’s Varys who is the more compelling character, declaring his own “lack of desire.”
Tyrion, forced to silence for much of his trial, comes alive at the end, spitting venom at all the noblemen and women of King’s Landing who never recognized how he saved the city for the Lannisters. Peter Dinklage does plenty with just a look (to Tommen, to Shae), but it’s his final breaking point where he shines.
There was little humor in this episode, and nothing much outside of King’s Landing and Essos. But the quietness serves the final scene well—a calmness before the storm that is Tyrion Lannister and his demand for a trial by combat.
So what did you think? Are you missing Arya and The Hound and everything north of the wall? Is it killing you to know what Brienne and Podrick are up to? Or was it worth it to spend some uninterrupted time in the capital?
—Josh
Josh,
Another week, another phenomenal episode, at least in my judgment. To answer your last question first, I didn’t miss the Arya-Hound or Poderick-Brienne pairings one bit, because this episode was all about the schemers. At the centerpiece, making significant appearance at last, was Lord Varys himself (I’ll never stoping using the honorific). He’s the superego of this show, along with Petyr Baelish, and while we finally know the ludicrously ambitious scope of Littlefinger’s motivations, Varys is still an enigma. He has sources everywhere, and he’s undoubtedly the most valuable member of Tywin’s council, but what is it that he truly wants? He implies to Oberyn that the iron throne is his concern, but unlike his erstwhile verbal sparring partner, there can be no thought that he’ll ever sit among the broken blades himself. Still, every move is calculated, and not with the cowardice of Grand Maester Pycelle; there’s a long game here, and we’re left, at the end, to wonder why he sold Tyrion down the river.
Let me digress for a second and point out three elements of this episode that I absolutely loved: First, look at Tywin’s body language while Tyrion goes on his rant. Watch him squirm on the throne and twist his hands and shift his gaze uncomfortably, and there’s no mistaking it: Charles Dance is doing a King Joffrey impression. It’s uncanny, and it has to be intentional. I’m not sure what the point is yet, but I absolutely love it.
The second thing: Did you notice the actor with the speaking part at the Iron Bank of Braavos? That’s none other than Mark Gatiss, aka Mycroft Holmes from BBC’s Sherlock. Clearly you did, since you mentioned it in your email, but I wanted to break that news to you so badly that I’m doing it anyway. So, one more time, for emphasis: JOSH, THE IRON BANK GUY WAS PLAYED BY MARK GATISS! And yes, I’m totally with you, I thought he was terrific.
The third: How cool was the depiction of Braavos in the opening credits? I think it’s my favorite addition yet.
Okay, back to the big stuff. Davos’ monologue was terrific, and Stannis may finally be a force to be reckoned with for the first time since the embarrassment at the Blackwater. Money rules the world, but my question (and it’s a question I had in the books, as well) is: What army backs up the Iron Bank? Maybe I’m missing something, but how can they seize property or collect debts on Westeros? It would be like if I was allowed to take a loan from Egypt, and the U.S. government had no vested interest in making sure I paid them back. How would Egypt recoup their fee beyond asking nicely?
Tyrion’s performance was terrific, although the whole “Jaime agrees to leave the Kingsguard” deal was a deviation from the book, and one I didn’t like. If that had really happened, and Tywin had his concession, he would have been too smart to further humiliate Tyrion by bringing out Shae and risking his family line, right? That was one of those “sacrifices for TV drama” that failed. Maybe I’m nitpicking, but one thing that always irks me is when smart characters make illogical decisions that go against their best interests just so the narrative can hit a certain plot point. George R.R. Martin never made that mistake, but the show writers don’t have quite the same flawless record.
Overall, though, I was mostly satisfied, as I have been all season. I’m still iffy on Daenerys, and I think her scenes continue to be the least compelling, but even there, at least we’re seeing the gray area behind owning dragons; fire burns the good as easily as the bad.
I’ll kick it back your way with this question: If you were making one of those “Best Cities to Live In” lists, but you could only choose from the Game of Thrones universe, what’s your top five?
—Shane
Shane,
I’m so glad you pointed out Tywin’s “squirming Joffrey.” That’s one of those subtle moves to show that the Bastard King came by some of his traits naturally, which makes even more sense when you remember he’s Joffrey’s grandfather on both sides.
And yes, the addition of Braavos to the opening credits was incredibly cool. It definitely enters my Top Five places in live in the Game of Thrones universe. Here’s how that would look.
The Five Best Game of Thrones Places to Call Home
5. Qarth
Qarth would be higher on this list if it weren’t for the creepy warlocks. And this of course assumes you’re a merchant prince instead of a slave. More important than where you live is where you are on the pecking order.
4. Casterly Rock
Sure, your lords would all be conniving assholes, but they’d be your conniving assholes, and would keep the war away from your home so you’re free to mine and spend your gold.
3. Highgarden
When your house banner has roses on it, nobody is going to take your army seriously. But it’s the wealthiest and most fertile of all the regions in Westeros, with good food, good wine, and the home of chivalry.
2. Dorne
If Winter is coming to Westeros, it’s coming last to sunny, warm Dorne. The Southern provence is home to the best wines, the best fruits, the best horses and the least number of wrathful gods. It may have the kingdom’s only desert, but I imagine Sunspear and the Water Gardens are a constant party.
1. Braavos
It’s the greatest of the Free Cities, I want to focus on that word “free.” Nobody is going to mess with your city when you’ve got to get past the Titan of Braavos. You’re right on the coast, you’ve got freedom of religion and plenty of seafood. The wealthy and powerful city is full of public art; their style of sword fighting is called Water Dancing; and it’s home to the most beautiful and renowned courtesans throughout the world of Game of Thrones. What more could you want from a fictional city in an otherwise war-torn and brutal universe full of White Walkers and merciless war criminals?
So it was hard to find five good places in Westeros or Essos to live, but I’ll let you tackle the other half. Where would you least like to live? Is there anything worse than life north of The Wall?
—Josh
Josh,
I accept your challenge. Before I do, though, I just realized that there’s no name for the actual world in Game of Thrones. Isn’t that a little odd? Even Tolkien had “Middle Earth.” I looked it up on the Song of Ice and Fire Wiki, and read this: The world of Game of Thrones has no overall or official name. Characters within the story simply refer to it as “the world.”
So there you have it. Maybe that’s a challenge for you and I for the future: What’s this world called? Let me be the first to nominate “Hell.”
Okay, here we go, counting down…
The Five Worst places to Live in The Known World
5. King’s Landing
You’re either dirt poor and starving in a place where the streets seem to run with urine, or you’re wealthy and in constant danger of being killed in the latest palace intrigue.
4. Winterfell
Cold, boring, run by a family incapable of flexible thinking, and as if that wasn’t depressing enough, your town philosophy is an expression of pessimism that probably ruins the few warm, happy moments you have in your life. Winter may be coming, but Shane Ryan is not, AM I RIGHT FOLKS?! Seriously, not visiting Winterfell.
3. The Eyrie
You live in an acrophobic, craggy kingdom run by an insane woman and her weird pervert son (still breastfed, for the record) who likes to watch people and objects fall through a roof. Sure, maybe you never get invaded, but is it really because the defenses are so impermeable, or is it because nobody wants to claim your awful city?
2. The Wall
Freezing cold, no sex, you wear all black, and the only thing you have to look forward to is death. Your “friends” are basically all rapists, and every once in a while you have to go on patrol to serve as target practice for wildlings and white walkers. Sounds awesome.
1. North of the Wall
This is where you live when you’re not allowed in the second-worst place in the known world. It’s like the north pole, except if Santa Claus was Charles Manson. If I were Jon Snow, and Ygritte gave me that whole, “you know nothing” line, I’d be all, “hey genius, which one of us spends every day wearing bear skins?”
Okay, that’ll wrap us up for this week. Four more episodes left, and methinks we’ve got a big event or two left on the horizon. As always, we pray to the old and new gods:
Please don’t die, George R.R. Martin.
—Shane
Follow Shane Ryan, Josh Jackson and Paste TV on Twitter.