Game of Thrones Season 4, Episode 7: "Mockingbird" (Spoilers included)

An episode built around one on one conversations; that is exciting as hell.  This may be one of my favorite Game of Thrones episodes for the quality of character depth that is explored.  Although the tone of episode is still, the stillness is used to look deeper into Tyrion, the Hound, Oberyn, Sansa and Littlefinger.

With Tyrion, we get to see why Jamie can’t help him, why Bronn won’t help him, and why, surprisingly, Oberyn wants to help him.  The story Oberyn tells Tyrion about visiting him as a baby is harsh and noticeably cuts Tyrion deep.  Cersei has wanted him to die her whole life; a fact of Tyrion’s existence.  Character moments such as this one, the Hound’s childhood burning and Littlefinger’s story of unrequited love are what makes this episode an instant classic.

Grade: 9.5/10

Notes:

• “You can kill a king, lose your hand, fuck your own sister, you’ll always be the golden son.”
• We wanted to see Ser Merran die too Tyrion…
• Ser Gregor looks like a wrestler.
• That mercy killing was strangely poetic.
• Arya, cold blooded and badass.  She doesn’t even look phased.
• Bronn is going to start scheming his way into a family inheritance.
• End of the bromance.
• Daenerys liked what she saw.
• Poor Jorah, life in the #friendzone is all pain, especially with Daenerys’s dress the morning after.
• The most vulnerable we’ve ever seen the Hound.
• Hot pie! #dontgiveuponthegravy
• Oberyn will be Tyrion’s champion, I wanted to applaud.
• Robyn creeps me out, especially his fascination with making bad men fly.
• Littlefinger says that he could’ve been Sansa’s father, then kisses Sansa.
• I figured Littlefinger was going to do that, still shocked to see him do it.

Game of Thrones Season 4, Episode 6: "The Laws of God and Men" (Spoilers included)

A Game of Thrones episode centered around the theme of justice.  Davos and Stannis try to use the idea of financial justice to get the bank of Bravos to back them.  Daenerys has difficulty dealing with justice in her new kingdom.  Is justice through judgement possible in the world of Westeros?  

Tyrion definitely doesn't think so; especiailly since Cersei and Tywin basiccally doomed him before he ever took the stand.  The last half of the episode, with Tyrion's trial, was clearly the stronger half of the episode.  At the end, Tyrion went from a broken man to full rage mode within realizing that Tywin had twisted the trial into a method of gaining control over Jaime.  Tywin's act of defiance and unwillingness to fall into his father's plan was the best part of the episode, followed by the Jaime's realization that his father had already predicted his offer before he offered it.  The mindgames!

Grade: 8.0

Notes:

• Bravos has the coolest looking statue: the soldier wielding the broken sword.  
• Even Stannis has to wait at the bank; he's just like us!
• Ramsay showing up at the battle with blood all over his chest smiling was maniacally amusing.
• Theon's sister is badass, too bad Theon is no more.
• "I believe the phrase 'Fuck the king' was uttered". Muhaha.
• Oberyn tried to have sex with an Unsullied, to his disappointment.
• Varys is coldhearted.
• Tyrion goes HAM.  Damn that was good.
• Trial by combat! *insert Mortal Kombat music here*

Game of Thrones Season 4, Episode 5: "First of His Name" (Spoilers included)

Finally, an episode where Jon Snow's storyline is the best.  It seems like its been a while since we last go to see him kick some ass and actually kill some people.  The ending is definitely the highlight, with the raid and the burning of Craster's Keep.  I didn't expect Jamie's handslayer guy to die, his infiltration of the Knight's Watch seems pretty pointless in retrospect.  Will the show ever let us see any of the Starks reunite?  (Besides the creepy Aunt reunion)  

Other than the raid, the rest of the episode is pretty static.  It's a lot of scenes of Cersei trying to be nice to everyone to help her out with the trial.  I miss Tyrion, who isn't featured in this episode and usually makes the King's Landing storyline a lot more entertaining.  Hopefully we'll check back in with him next episode with the trial brewing.  We're officially halfway into Season 4, so quick!

Grade: 7.5 (I was thinking 7.0 but decided to bump it up to 7.5 for that last kill)

Notes:

• We open to Cersei cockblocking Tommen and Margaery.
• It seems like Daenerys will never get to Westeros.
• Hey it's that creepy breastfeeding kid from Season 1 and his crazy mom.
• Did that kid just throw Littlefinger's gift down the hatch?
• Wow Littlefinger has done shadier things than I thought.  So he's the one that poisoned John Arryn..
• Sansa's aunt wasn't kidding about that sex screaming.
• The Hound is still on Arya's list.  He's right there Arya, he can hear you..
• Sansa's aunt got cray cray.
• Podrick's horse riding and rabbit cooking skills are the funnies.
• Arya's dance swordfighting is like ballet, I miss Syrio.
• Prince Oberyn has 8 daughters.
• The power of Hodor.
• "Lord Snow" *bow, readies both knives*
• Jon Snow did a fatality.