SPOILER ALERT: Do not read until you’ve watched the episode.
It’s here guys! Nerd Christmas! I even wrote you a carol!
This year the whole Game of Thrones launch has been spoiled a bit by some pirate leaking the first four episodes. While there is a temptation to fire up bit torrent and chain-smoke those bad boys like Netflix… The less people who watch it legally, the lower the viewing figures, and the less money the Iron Bank of Braavos (HBO) gives to David Benioff and DB Weiss for the next series. So unless you want clunky dragons: NO DOWNLOADSIES. Especially after that whole Dallas Buyers Club decision. Be like Davos Seaworth. Reformed pirates are cool.
Being a “celebrity” (listen to Dan and Maz weekdays on your favourite radio station plz, thx) I was lucky enough to watch this first episode at the Sydney Opera House – which was an epic situation made ever epicker (total word) by the presence of a GIANT DRAGON OUT THE FRONT.
What do we think of flashbacks? Normally this would have been an impassioned speech from Cersei, probably with wine glass in hand and one eyebrow raised. I, for one, welcome this new flashback technology. Imagine being able to see Ned and Robert Baratheon go to war against Rhaegar all those years ago.
Also it was a bit creepy seeing Jaime and Cersei back in the Sept. In a commitment to bold new discoveries in the art of messed up sex, this was where Jamie – I’ll say it – raped his sister. Easily the most messed up and ethically complex the show has been, and this is a show where a dude chops another dude’s willy off.