Nothing to Declare

I don't really have anything to say about "Valar Doeharis." I mean, there's more of this post, so obviously I have something to say, but only one the level of moment-by-moment critiques. It's not really an ambitious enough episode to warrant an in-depth critique. It's all setup, which isn't objectionable in a modern serialized drama. I don't know, though, about ending the episode with the reveal of Barristan Selmy, AKA "Who?", AKA "Oh, was he in the first season?" AKA "Oh, yeah, him." The sequence with the scorpion was effective, though, not least because the creature itself was remarkably creepy.

I don't know why Benioff and Weiss think their version of Margaery is so interesting, but it was nice to see Joffrey in his fawningly solicitous mode; that, more than the outright sadism, is what makes Gleeson's portrayal of the character so easy to loathe. Elsewhere in King's Landing, the Ros/Shae was notable only in that it highlights the show's delusion that the former is a dramatically valid character rather than a source of moar boobies. The Tywin/Tyrion scene was great, though, a reminder of just how good Charles Dance can be when he isn't forced to play material with a spurious twinkle in his eye.

Robb and Talisa and Catelyn. A pointless scene, there for the sake of having the characters in the episode. Benioff and Weiss seem to think that making Robb into an adolescent prat is good for the character, but all it does is undermine the milieu and create tiresome and conventional teen angst. Speaking of which, how could the show possibly have turned Ygritte into a character I hate? She's the kind of female character Benioff and Weiss love, and yet Rose Leslie's performance never demonstrates actual strength, only self-satisfied flirtatiousness. And speaking of events beyond the Wall...

Why would you cast Ciaran Hinds and then have him play a nothing version of Mance Rayder? I don't know, but I think the writers did a solid job of inventing a new fake reason for Jon to join the wildlings, since the one from the books wouldn't fit this nothing version of Mance Rayder. Did I mention I think this is a nothing version of Mance Rayder? Actually, I'm not as bothered by this as I'm making it sound; I have no attachment to the character. But the show does seem to prefer watering down Martin's larger-than-life personalities, which is odd, since HBO dramas don't generally object to the colorful. I still fear for the Queen of Thorns.

That's all until next week, when "Dark Wings, Dark Words" will presumably bring the Tullys into the picture. Poor Catelyn... in more ways than one.