• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Game of Thrones *NO BOOK DISCUSSION* |OT| Season 7 - [Read the OP]

Status
Not open for further replies.

TronLight

Everybody is Mikkelsexual
Did they ever state why the fortress Daenerys went is abandoned? Beside being the home of the Targaryen. Seems like a waste.
 
Jeeze this Sheeran business really rubbed people the wrong way didn't it? I didn't even know who the dude was. It was a good scene to me and had tension with Arya sizing them up to them being unexpectedly kind and inviting. Folks need to calm the fuck down. He most certainly didn't stick out like a sore thumb. He seemed like any other character you'd meet.
 

EatChildren

Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Ed Sheeren cameo was weak because it was obviously Ed Sheeren with cinematography facially framing Ed Sheeren just to make sure you knew it was Ed Sheeren and the entire scene opened with Ed Sheeren signing medieval Ed Sheeren because Ed Sheeren is a pop singer. It's not that it was offensive or anything, it was just so blatantly obviously a cameo of Ed Sheeren the person that I couldn't unsee or detach from Ed Sheeren as the Ed Sheeren. He added nothing and his existing persona distracted.

Otherwise liked the episode.
 

Monocle

Member
What is it about internet message boards that causes nerds to trip over themselves to show how they can't recognise one of the biggest musical acts on the planet right now?
It's entirely possible to simply not follow modern music or celebrity culture enough to recognize a big time singer when you see one.

How in the world can I be expected to know what Ed Sheeran looks like if my exposure to pop culture is limited? The majority of my internet time is spent on GAF, my Youtube subscriptions, educational resources, and stuff I need to google. I'm pretty sure I've seen some sort of video of Ed Sheeran before, maybe a couple of years ago. I guess his face wasn't memorable. I must have heard him since then without realizing who he was.

I watch a ton of movies and shows, I play a couple of games at a time, I read my Kindle a lot. I don't have cable or satellite TV. I have no idea what's trending on Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube's front page. I despise stupid celebrity obsessed magazines and gossip sites. I don't even listen to the radio or Spotify very often. I mean, I didn't even know the Kardashians were a thing until they'd been in the spotlight for 3 or 4 years and it was finally brought to my attention that Keeping Up with the Kardashians was some huge show.

So yeah, it's not necessarily some grand act of edgelording to say you didn't notice Ed Sheeran in his Game of Thrones scene.
 

drotahorror

Member
I thought the writing in this episode was really bad, from a dialogue standpoint and also in terms of how some of the scenes played out. Really weak season premiere. I know of Ed Sheeran but had no idea that was him in the show or even what he looks like. Either way, that part was garbage. The whole episode just seemed 'off'. The best part in the show was with Clegane but even then, him looking in the fire and seeing all that shit was lame to me. The Walder Frey scene was dope as well though.
 

kmfdmpig

Member
The Ed Sheeren cameo is getting a lot of heat, a lot of people online hated it. I don't blame them, it seemed too obvious and in your face, shock casting for sure.

I don't know his face (I know his name), didn't recognize him and didn't find anything unusual about that scene.
 

Monocle

Member
I thought the writing in this episode was really bad, from a dialogue standpoint and also in terms of how some of the scenes played out. Really weak season premiere. I know of Ed Sheeran but had no idea that was him in the show or even what he looks like. Either way, that part was garbage. The whole episode just seemed 'off'.
I thought the level of quality was right on par with Season 6's middle episodes. Several big events and key images punctuating a solid interval of plot advancement. I truly don't see how this episode could be considered a big disappointment.
 

Galang

Banned
Honestly I don't mind the ed sheeran hate. As a singer he's talented, but his personality is insufferable. Between his egotistical comments in interviews and him pretending to be some sexy badass all the time... yikes. That being said, the actual scene was fine. It was great development for Arya to see her enemies like that
 

bill0527

Member
I don't have anything against Ed Sheeran or his music. seems like a likeable guy from various clips I've seen on YouTube. I've seen enough to instantly recognize him and I thought it was a bad cameo. It instantly took me out of the scene.
 
Was Ed Sheeran one of the Weasley's from the Harry Potter movies?

I have no fucking clue who he was until people started bitching about him last night.

He didn't seem out of place in the role or anything to me. Why all the hate on his character?

Is it just pure jealousy? People hate that some celebrity dude is in Game of Thrones?
 

KorrZ

Member
I don't know his face (I know his name), didn't recognize him and didn't find anything unusual about that scene.

Exact same for me. Didn't recognize him by his face and the scene didn't feel out of place at all for me. I actually quite liked it.

It was interesting seeing Arya's default reaction (glancing over at the swords, surveying) to slowly relaxing as she realized that these were just normal dudes who happened to be soldiers.
 

Vashetti

Banned
Are they not doing the "Inside the Episode" videos anymore?

All I can find on the official YT channel is the preview for the next ep. Usually it all goes up at once
 

Blader

Member
Great opener. After so many years, getting to see Arya finally wreak her revenge feels so good.

The One and Done™;243698655 said:
Jeeze this Sheeran business really rubbed people the wrong way didn't it? I didn't even know who the dude was. It was a good scene to me and had tension with Arya sizing them up to them being unexpectedly kind and inviting. Folks need to calm the fuck down. He most certainly didn't stick out like a sore thumb. He seemed like any other character you'd meet.

Same. I know almost nothing about Sheeran, and the character just struck me as a Lannister soldier with a good voice.
 

gun_haver

Member
Seems like the dividing line between not caring about and not liking the Ed Sheeran cameo is whether you know who he is.

I had no idea who he is, and when people started throwing the name around here I thought 'sounds like a footballer or something' so I started thinking, was there a noticeably bad actor in this episode? Couldn't think of one, then I saw that he's a pop singer and I remember a guy singing in the episode.

Still doesn't bother me at all! People have sang in the show before, I just took it as us getting another Westeros classic.
 

FStubbs

Member
Great opener. After so many years, getting to see Arya finally wreak her revenge feels so good.



Same. I know almost nothing about Sheeran, and the character just struck me as a Lannister soldier with a good voice.

I'm in the same boat as you. I didn't have a problem with the scene any more so than with Julian Bashir/Doran Martell.
 

fantomena

Member
I knew who he was and it still didn't bother me at all.

I like how it looked like she was about to kill them all (after looking at their swords), but then she realized they were just "normal" people as soldiers. Talking about their families.
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
I thought the level of quality was right on par with Season 6's middle episodes. Several big events and key images punctuating a solid interval of plot advancement. I truly don't see how this episode could be considered a big disappointment.

I dont think it was a disappointment, but I do think at the end of the show it will be seen as one of the throw away episodes, which is sad given we only have 12 episodes left now.

They made some seriously weird choices on time management. The Sam working scene was far too long and felt like a lot of annoying time was wasted on whats amounting to a single plot point. The last scene also with everyone walking up to the castle, then through the castle, was like the biggest waste of time ever. "lets put a shot of them at the shore... now hoollllllllddddddd.... ok now lets put a shot of them at the gates, and hollllllddddddd..............now lets put a shot of them walking on the bridge, and holldddddd..... and lets do another bridge shot! Ok have we bored the audiance yet and extended this episodes run time with enough filler yet? No? Ok lets add some more worthless shots. Is there another door to this castle she can stand in front of and waste 30 seconds? Yes? Great, add TWO more of those shots then. Have we seen enough of Tyrions face yet in the episode? no? Do we have a good writer on staff that can make him sound like he use to? no? Ok well lets just tell him to look sad or something and lock the camera on his face for several shots. Did that waste enough time yet? No? God damnit, ok lets just end this now and give her some cliche stupid one liner."


... Ok after all that I change my opinion, this episode felt off and weird (especially after having just binged the previous 6 seasons again right up to this one).
 

sibarraz

Banned
I don't get why there is so much hate towards ed sheeran. Like, I know him but not enough to recognize him, and his acting didn't put me off, and besides his signing, I didn't felt like he was the main star on that squad.

Saying that his cameo took you off because you know who he is or why he was there seems more like a problem with the viewer, rather than the casting per se
 

Pagusas

Elden Member
I don't get why there is so much hate towards ed sheeran. Like, I know him but not enough to recognize him, and his acting didn't put me off, and besides his signing, I didn't felt like he was the main star on that squad.

Saying that his cameo took you off because you know who he is or why he was there seems more like a problem with the viewer, rather than the casting per se

Yeah this problem I dont get at all, there was more than enough issues with the episode, this one doesnt hold much ground.

And serious, is everyone complaining forgetting the show has had tons of pop stars on it. Hell Bronn is a pop star.
 

Steejee

Member
Did they ever state why the fortress Daenerys went is abandoned? Beside being the home of the Targaryen. Seems like a waste.

Elaborating on what I said in the other thread, but it's where Stannis was holed up (Robert had gifted it to him after the rebellion, which Stannis was a bit bitter about). While it's an impressive fortress, it's pretty worthless to take it just to have it - it doesn't have any land to farm, no peasants, is out in the ocean by itself (so maybe some fishing but little else besides Dragonglass as we've now discovered), and is a pretty big place to try to protect. Its only usefulness comes from being an amazing spot to project military (especially naval) power from, but there's basically only two navies left in Westeros - Daenerys' and now Euron's, both of which are basically brand new. Ironborn aren't types to take and hold a fortress, and Daenerys has obviously just arrived. The Lannister fleet was wiped out at the Blackwater.

Beyond that, it wouldn't have been evident to anyone that it was abandoned when they learned Stannis went north - even if he left a token force there, what use would it be to send people there to take it? No one has ships or soldiers to spare on it.
 

nahlakhai

Member
Guess many of you guys haven't been watching HBO shows that long. Ed Sheeren isn't the first and won't be the last mainstream musician to make a cameo. Hell freakin Frankie Valli was a recurring character on a way more realistic world than GoT.
 
What is it about internet message boards that causes nerds to trip over themselves to show how they can't recognise one of the biggest musical acts on the planet right now?

What?

"Im angry that they used a pop singer in a scene!"

"Well, I actually don't even know him, didn't detract anything for me"

"STFU nerd!"
BTW just letting you know that you're on GAF, nerd
 

ShinAmano

Member
It's entirely possible to simply not follow modern music or celebrity culture enough to recognize a big time singer when you see one.

How in the world can I be expected to know what Ed Sheeran looks like if my exposure to pop culture is limited? The majority of my internet time is spent on GAF, my Youtube subscriptions, educational resources, and stuff I need to google. I'm pretty sure I've seen some sort of video of Ed Sheeran before, maybe a couple of years ago. I guess his face wasn't memorable. I must have heard him since then without realizing who he was.

I watch a ton of movies and shows, I play a couple of games at a time, I read my Kindle a lot. I don't have cable or satellite TV. I have no idea what's trending on Facebook, Twitter, or Youtube's front page. I despise stupid celebrity obsessed magazines and gossip sites. I don't even listen to the radio or Spotify very often. I mean, I didn't even know the Kardashians were a thing until they'd been in the spotlight for 3 or 4 years and it was finally brought to my attention that Keeping Up with the Kardashians was some huge show.

So yeah, it's not necessarily some grand act of edgelording to say you didn't notice Ed Sheeran in his Game of Thrones scene.
I had never heard the name.

Instantly when he popped on scene wife called it out though. Had to explain to me he was a singer.
 
What is it about internet message boards that causes nerds to trip over themselves to show how they can't recognise one of the biggest musical acts on the planet right now?

Nerd on message board trips over himself to call out others nerds on message board because the first nerd thinks the other nerds are trying to be cool by not recognizing a pop music act
 

HvySky

Member
Ed Sheeran was fine. I was a little surprised to see him cameo, but once that initial shock had subsided I didn't even notice. He barely spoke but fit into the scene well and it really didn't feel much more out of place than seeing prolific actors in Game of Thrones over the years. Hell, musical guests aren't even out of the norm.

I'd rather talk about the episode as a whole, which I thought was one of the strongest season openers yet. Considering how much shit is still going on in locations all over Westeros, the premiere did a good job showing us where everyone is and putting all of the pieces into place for more forward momentum in future episodes. Very satisfied, and I loved that final scene. I'm glad they gave the Dragonstone arrival the fanfare it deserve, considering Daenerys coming home after six seasons is a huge moment for the series.
 

Lord Panda

The Sea is Always Right
I was really looking forward to Arya just murdering the entire troop but the whole sequence kinda fizzled out? Seeing Ed Sheeran skewered with Needle would've made my night.
 

FiggyCal

Banned
Eh, he didn't stick out much to me but I do think casting very current celebrities is kind of a bad look for a show. Prior cameos weren't as on the nose as this but this one in a vacuum didn't draw too much attention to itself. I'm one of the biggest critics of the show and even I wasn't taken out of that scene.

He really sticks out. He has a pretty memorable face - the type that wouldn't normally be cast in acting roles even.
 

HvySky

Member
I was really looking forward to Arya just murdering the entire troop but the whole sequence kinda fizzled out? Seeing Ed Sheeran skewered with Needle would've made my night.

I'm sure it's already been discussed to death, but it seems clear to me that Arya did originally intend to murder the shit out of that troop, but after conversing with them, realized that maybe not all Lannisters are evil, mindless robots willing to kill for the sake of the family name. Some might even be nice people.

Humanizing her enemies and keeping her from falling so far she can't come back from the darkness seems pretty key.
 

rhino4evr

Member
Ed Sheeren cameo was weak because it was obviously Ed Sheeren with cinematography facially framing Ed Sheeren just to make sure you knew it was Ed Sheeren and the entire scene opened with Ed Sheeren signing medieval Ed Sheeren because Ed Sheeren is a pop singer. It's not that it was offensive or anything, it was just so blatantly obviously a cameo of Ed Sheeren the person that I couldn't unsee or detach from Ed Sheeren as the Ed Sheeren. He added nothing and his existing persona distracted.

Otherwise liked the episode.

Exactly! It totally took me out of the universe and the episode. It felt corny, and the scene itself was basically pointless padding in an already shortened season.
 

br3wnor

Member
Ed Sheeran cameo was ridiculous and actually made me laugh, especially the “It’s new” line, should have continued to say “And it’s available right now on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services”. I really hope Arya kills that whole group.

Impressed at the willpower of so many internet dwellers to be completely detached from pop culture as to have NO IDEA who Ed Sheeran is. I wish I could be like that but I don’t have the fortitude.

He really sticks out. He has a pretty memorable face - the type that wouldn't normally be cast in acting roles even.

Nah man, stop overreacting, most people have no idea who Ed Sheeran is, didn’t ruin the scene at all!
 

Chopper

Member
Honestly I don't mind the ed sheeran hate. As a singer he's talented, but his personality is insufferable. Between his egotistical comments in interviews and him pretending to be some sexy badass all the time... yikes. That being said, the actual scene was fine. It was great development for Arya to see her enemies like that
What? Without meaning to derail this thread, Sheeran is one of the most self-deprecating, likable, down to earth superstars ever. The stuff he did for Comic Relief this year was amazing.
 

TheFuzz

Member
Did they ever state why the fortress Daenerys went is abandoned? Beside being the home of the Targaryen. Seems like a waste.

Stannis sat at Dragonstone. Melisandre advised him to take everything North to defend the wall. Her belief was that the castle was little use to him so it was left. No other army close by has use of the castle and Cersei doesn't have the army (at this point) to take it.
 
Ed Sheeren cameo was weak because it was obviously Ed Sheeren with cinematography facially framing Ed Sheeren just to make sure you knew it was Ed Sheeren and the entire scene opened with Ed Sheeren signing medieval Ed Sheeren because Ed Sheeren is a pop singer. It's not that it was offensive or anything, it was just so blatantly obviously a cameo of Ed Sheeren the person that I couldn't unsee or detach from Ed Sheeren as the Ed Sheeren. He added nothing and his existing persona distracted.

Otherwise liked the episode.

Pretty much.

The framing of that whole scene was pretty beat, which sucks when considering it's this rare showing of human decency from the show. It could've been subtle and affecting but instead the takeaway is Ed Sheeren. That's the problem I have with it.

The other hokey scene in the episode: shitpot, food slop, book stacks, shitpot, food slop, food stacks (GET WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE?), shitpot food slop book stacks.
 

Lord Panda

The Sea is Always Right
I'm sure it's already been discussed to death, but it seems clear to me that Arya did originally intend to murder the shit out of that troop, but after conversing with them, realized that maybe not all Lannisters are evil, mindless robots willing to kill for the sake of the family name. Some might even be nice people.

Humanizing her enemies and keeping her from falling so far she can't come back from the darkness seems pretty key.

Yeah I was waiting for that moment the Lannister guys would show their true colours. But they were truly just decent blokes undeserving of cruel death.
 

Jules

Neo Member
I heard him before I saw him. Didn't bother me in the least, just figured he is a big fan and wanted a cameo. I actually thought he fit in. LOL
 

Lord Panda

The Sea is Always Right
Dunno who he is, but can Ed Sheeren explain why Dragonstone was empty?

Yeah didn't realise that Stannis was balling in such an impressive pad. I knew it was Dragonstone but I never got the impression from previous seasons the sheer grandness of it.

Red Priestess convinced him to haul ass to the King's Landing, and then the North?
 

FiggyCal

Banned
Ed Sheeran cameo was ridiculous and actually made me laugh, especially the ”It's new" line, should have continued to say ”And it's available right now on Spotify, Apple Music and other streaming services". I really hope Arya kills that whole group.

Impressed at the willpower of so many internet dwellers to be completely detached from pop culture as to have NO IDEA who Ed Sheeran is. I wish I could be like that but I don't have the fortitude.


Nah man, stop overreacting, most people have no idea who Ed Sheeran is, didn't ruin the scene at all!

That can't be true.

It was a bad cameo; but I agree, he didn't ruin the scene.
 
Ed Sheeren cameo was weak because it was obviously Ed Sheeren with cinematography facially framing Ed Sheeren just to make sure you knew it was Ed Sheeren and the entire scene opened with Ed Sheeren signing medieval Ed Sheeren because Ed Sheeren is a pop singer. It's not that it was offensive or anything, it was just so blatantly obviously a cameo of Ed Sheeren the person that I couldn't unsee or detach from Ed Sheeren as the Ed Sheeren. He added nothing and his existing persona distracted.

Otherwise liked the episode.
Lol.

I had no idea who he was beyond name and didn't know he was on the show until my wife told me it was him when he was on screen. Felt like any other time people were excited about a UK star I never heard of being on the show. Means nothing to me beyond what's on screen.

Besides, isn't/wasn't Bronn a pop singer?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom