Banana Scoop

Betrayal, heterophobia, and traps were everywhere on this week’s episode of Game of Thrones.  All in all, it was another set up episode  where we’ve been left off on cliffhangers again with just about every character, some more exciting than others.  Tyrion proves his wit again, Dany’s dragons were no where to be seen again, Arya’s got sh!t for luck again, and Jon Snow continues to be punished for doing the morally right thing again.  That’s not saying that this series is getting stale or repetitive, but being a book reader, I can see the reasons why they’re making the characters do or say things in relation to how they’ll act later.  I’m just worried that non-book readers will be finding faults in this show that’s seemingly going no where.

I try and think back and I can’t think of how it could do any more set up than it already has.  Once again, I bid each and every non-book reader to pick up a notebook to jot down names of important people and keep your people in order before it gets even more confusing than it already has.  Or at least have another book reader by your side to clarify some key points, but make sure he’s not a d!ck, because he can easily spoil the entire series for you.  If you haven’t been taking notes/have a book friend, consider me your book friend, as I explain key scenes for you all.

**The double asterik is a remind throughout this summary to visit this passage.

I remind you again, the creators of this show do everything for a reason, so bear with it.  Scenes that are filled with nonsense drabble are actually relevant, so pay attention.  Every conversation, every action, while seemingly meaningless is worth paying attention to.  So bear with it now or else you’d be even more pissed down the road when things happen for no apparent reason.  You’d be wrong, because the creators tried to fit in the context, but you were too ignorant to see the set up in the first place.

And as always, obvious spoilers.

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Read The North Remembers Review Here.

The second episode of Game of Thrones was aired yesterday.  Fortunately for me, I was able to write this article in advance thanks to a leaked Dutch version of the show that aired the following Monday of episode 1, I would usually follow up and share the link to you guys so that we all my enjoy it, but unfortunately it was taken down very soon after it was leaked.  It was truly a glorious day for me, and hopefully the Dutch have made the same oopsie daisy as they did last time by the time this post is published and I’m able to take a look at episode 3.

Episode two picked up immediately after where the one left off.  As a whole, the episodes are still following a ‘set up’ format, where nothing is actually happening, but a lot of cliff hangers and unfinished conversations are being dropped here and there.  As a man who’s read the books, I can see why they include every conversation they had, but if I had not read the books, it would feel like an overwhelming drabble that holds no significance to so far.  So I advise the non-readers to truly try and perk up their ears, and even have a pen and notepad to right down names so you may remember if/when they show up later.  Also, the show’s penchants for sex doubled this week, notably.  As usual, no book spoilers here people.  Or under penalty of Bruce the Ape’s wrath, I shall end you [or at least give you a very stern talking to.]

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HBO’s Game of Thrones Season 2 premiered a couple of nights ago, and in true fashion, I was there to watch.  Expect a review every week of my take on each episode.  I will write these articles with no intentions of spoiling events from the book.  However, I will use my knowledge of the book to possibly clarify plot holes that the series might be leaving out to compensate for the 700 page turner.

There are obvious spoilers for those who aren’t caught up with the show, but seeing as HBO released a public image of Sean Bean’s Ned Stark’s head on a pike, I guess, all bets are off when it comes to not spoiling season one.  The 2-5 minute catch up seemed to me to be a good way to waste 2-5 minutes because it could not being to encapsulate the amount of things that escalated from season 1.  All it served was a purpose to take out 2-5 minutes of additional actual show time.  Hopefully, we won’t be seeing recaps anymore.  More show less recaps.

But I suppose I’ll start with a recap for you all right now before I start getting into the show’s meat and bones.  Ned Stark was beheaded for finding a scandal between the Queen and her incestuous relationship with her brother.  In turn, the land Ned Stark ruled is up in arms for the unjust murder and his eldest son is bringing 20,000 soldiers to the capital to kill the the man responsible for his father’s death.  Meanwhile the other Stark children are scattered across the country each facing their own difficulties, one disguising herself as a boy, one being crippled, the other North in the wilderness, etc.  Meanwhile, everyone’s favorite character Tyrion Lannister, the non incestuous brother to the queen, returns to the capital to clean up the mess the Queen and her son, who is now King, has made.  That’s probably the best I can do without writing another novel about it.

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