Game of Thrones: Second Sons
Okay, none of my hoped-for predictions for wedding gravitas occurred this week. Some could make it into the mix early next week (just as here we saw Sandor's intent to bring Arya to the Twins), though it seems like it might be pressed for time, if presenting a clear through-line to Edmure's Wedding. Nor was there additional Theon torture this week, which makes me think that the possibility of Ramsay's letter is still there.
On the other hand we had a tight-focused episode, primarily dealing with Tyrion and Sansa's wedding (wherein her stiff Stark knees bent a little, and saved him some dignity), and being slightly more direct about the marital bed than I was expecting; particularly having once before spared Tyrion from misfortune by knocking him unconscious before an event. Cersei demonstrates her ineptitude at intrigue, first lecturing Margaery about the history of the Reynes of Castamere and then openly threatening to have her strangled. Ah, that Cersei.
I confess being put off by the lack of Robb check-in, and at first the notion of spending more time with Sam and Gilly felt like the worst thing, save more Theon, that the hour could end with. But the change in circumstances for the reveal of the mystical properties of Dragonglass ended up being worthwhile, and I can't fault the series for making another positive change. Clearly Sam is being pushed further along his story now, meaning he may well depart for the Citadel before season four ends. This gives me some hope for poor Bran, who receives so little book time in the latter three volumes that perhaps he'll meet with Sam by episode ten, and get to Bloodraven early in next year.
Mad Men: The Crash
One of the Sopranos' repeat tropes, and one ranking among my least enjoyable were Tony's various dream-sequence episodes. Lengthy flashbacks to Tony's childhood were likely my next-least-enjoyed. Here, we get the Mad Men version of both. This week, the exhaustion and depression on Don's part was so front and center I didn't really consider how much the drugs were responsible for the odd shot compositions, abrupt transitions and eyebrow-raising dialogue. It was only when outside of the offices of Alphabet Soup, with Sally and Bobby menaced by a smooth-talking thief (who, thanks to Don's background, may have had a solid cover story) did the surpassing, impressionistic weirdness of the episode become evident. And when it was all over, what exactly? It seemed an hour of running in place.
Revolution: Clue
So far, the series has kept a relatively tight timeline. Yes, characters have walked all over the eastern time zone, but there has always been such a palpable sense of urgency* that the show seems as if it has spanned a month or three, tops. So this week, when Nora spends three weeks in Monroe's dungeon, tied to an X and being flayed, there's no urgency. There's no search parties. There's not even one scene of Miles looking concerned. In three weeks the Georgia Republic front apparently collapses, but we only find out about that later. The series has constricted to so few characters and scenes that it's really jumping ahead to get them all in once place. Again.
* Save a Matheson! Get to the Tower! Find the bomb!
Best of the week: It's not even close.
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