fajrdrako | The Game of Thrones, "The Wolf and the Lion"

Loved tonight's episode of The Game of Thrones. I wonder if I would love it as much if I didn't already know and love the books. Part of the thrill is seeing scenes we never saw in the books - such as the scene between Renley and Loras - so we're getting a whole new opportunity to see new scenes and facets of characters.

And part of the thrill is recognition, both of places and people.

It gives me renewed hope for A Dance With Dragons. If, as I imagine, George R.R. Martin has gone back and added scenes, rewritten moments, and has done it so well, it's a sign of his revived enthusiasm, and that bodes well for the next book. That aside, it has increased my anticipation level pretty much back to where it was before the disappointing A Feast For Crows.

For tonight's episode, part 5:

Loved the scenes with horrible Lysa Arryn and her creepy son Robert. Perfectly depicted. Pim reminded me that Lysa in the book was fat; I'd forgotten, remembered her more as the graunt, tense kind of witch.
Thought the deptiction of the Eyrie was wonderful, especially the dungeons - very much as I pictured them, especially the arches. They didn't show the scary elevator and the approach, though. I remember that it made me feel acrophobic just to read about it.
Interesting conversation between Cersei and Robert. We never saw such a thing in the books. (Well, at the time, neither were viewpoint characters.) I'm not sure what it added to the plot, but it was fun to see. And of course I love Lena Headey. And her eyebrows.
Arya chasing cats was wonderful. We didn't really get a good look at the dragon skulls.
Before the episode, when we saw the "warning" for nudity, we were putting in our order as to who we wanted to see unclothed. Theon Greyjoy wasn't on our list. Khal Drogo was. Alas, there was no Khal Drogo and no Danaerys, clothed or unclothed. No Jon Snow, either.
Not much Sansa, but I did like all the nuances of the moment where she rises - with Loras's rose - to applaud, when he held up Sandor's arm. The Sandor/Gregor bits were terrific.
I always found Peter Baylish extremely creepy. Now, played by Aiden Gillan, whom I adore, he's still creepy but somehow seems sort of creepy and sexy at the same time.
Loved the fight scene between Jaime Lannistser and Eddard Stark. I remember at that point in the books I believed Jaime to be utterly bad; my attitude has changed. I really couldn't remember how the scene played out.
Tyrion remains wonderful.
When are we going to meet Tywin Lannister?
What surprised me (in a good way) about the scene between Loras and Renley is how much of a king-maker Loras seemed, such a grey eminence, where in the book - even if you read between the lines and assumed they were lovers - there wasn't the same sense of Loras as the manipulator, Loras as the ambitious one. Which is so in keeping with what we learn of the Tyrell family as time goes on.
I liked the use of the scene with Bran doing his lessons as an opening for further introduction and characterization of the various noble familes. Bran himself though, seems more bratty than he ever did to me in the books. And I wish we'd seen Hodor again.
Surprising that Theon Greyjoy got a whole scene to himself, but I suppose they don't want us to forget him.
I liked the fight scene when Catelyn Stark's party is attacked by bandits on the way to the Eyrie.