Game Of Thrones / Season 8 Ep 3 / Questions And Comments

Published April 29, 2019 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hey Guys,

First time listener, first time emailer. Just signing on to hear your insights, which I’m enjoying.

My main question comes after I make a general comment on this episode:

I was entertained by the episode, yes. The first scenes with Mel approaching, the lighting of swords, immediately followed by them quietly being extinguished in the darkness… all masterfully done. I enjoyed the close moments with Sansa and Tyrion too.
I was surprised by Arya’s dagger flipping, which was a nice nod to some earlier footage of her stealthiness with Brienne during training. I was trying to figure out how her face-changing abilities were going to be useful again, if ever. I’m thinking they were served in the form of revenge at the Twins, but who knows if they will be part of the further story. I thought of all of the deaths, Mel’s was by far most cinematic and in a strange way, touching.

My overarching question is: “Why is everyone shooting their load over this episode without criticizing its realism?” – It was great to watch, but I felt like it was a step out of reality, even for a show that is made in a world of magic. A small few tweaks could’ve made this a better balance of magic and grit. Am I the only one?

* Only the 2nd and 3rd tier heroes die. You guys also noted this, so I’m going to let this one be.
* I appreciate knowing that the crypts are supposed to be sprawling, but that didn’t really come through in the TV scenes. It made me think “It seemed like a limited space down there, in what place could Sanya and Tyrion be hiding where there aren’t dead folks crawling out of the walls?”.
* How are these skeletons so damned strong, that they’re just knocking through plaster/stone? I thought their reanimation was also possible, but unless it was The Mountain…
* Why did Bran have to worg so long just to see the Night King? Maybe he was doing something else – but I felt like his powers could’ve been displayed more interestingly. Possibly dragon, possibly wolf…. Or even a moose that randomly came out of the darkness to help out Danny and Jorah.
* Speaking of these fighting scenes that look impossible, how did Danny survive? One scene shows a number of them attacking Jorah while more are approaching her as they cut away. How would she survive that?
* I’m soooo glad you mentioned how those close-call lifelines are cliche and way overused in this episode. Fates are changed by a last minute swipe of an axe with milliseconds to spare… every time? If I could change this, I would’ve added a couple of random unsullied seeing their queen in distress and coming to help.
* I’d also like to know where were Brienne, Jamie, and the rest of the team when the final moments were going down? I think a small scene, showing them holding their own in a fortified portion of the castle would’ve let me know where they were while everyone else did their parts.
* How did Beric, who was swarmed by wights, make it into the room with Mel, the hound and Arya? I thought that they had left him to die a number of times, but he made it in the room before the door closed. Glad there were no stereotypical final words.
* That scene with the Night King walking in. I get that it’s a very confident, slow strut. He’s not afraid of taking his time (which could’ve played out better if he waited for everyone to starve), but this movement towards Bran was so slow. Yes, this is the culmination of 7 years of “Winter is Coming”, so what’s another 40 seconds. Still, too slow. Only to be capped off by:
* Jon Snow looking like he was giving up against the blue-fire dragon. I would’ve appreciated at least a charging motion as the dragon felt to bits around him.

I’m no director, but so many other episodes didn’t cater to the masses. This almost felt like a movie, with built-in formulae. Some other minor attentions to detail and I would’ve been MUCH happier! I’m so hard on the show because I want it to be perfect – but what do I know?

I also don’t mind Samwell being overwhelmed. Arya and the hound felt the same way and they are made of harder stuff. I think he has his physical limits and stayed true to his character, despite it being the reason other people are picked off. ?? Lastly – Just a word of note it wasn’t Podrick and Arya that shagged. It was Gendry, but I’m sure you got enough gruff from others on that.

Cheers,
Ryan

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