This series analyzes the show, but sometimes references the books as well. If you read it, expect spoilers for both.
And now, the big-ticket ninth-episode extravaganza: the Battle of the Bastards.
I want to focus on this episode in particular because it was absolutely showered in Emmy Awards. It won in nine different categories. Some of these are obviously deserved, like “Outstanding Stunt Coordination for a Drama Series, Limited Series or Movie.” I have no issue with “Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series” – if you ask me, the show has revealed Miguel Sapochnik to be a real talent.
Others I wouldn’t know one way or the other. “Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series”? Sure, why not. “Outstanding Makeup for a Single-Camera Series (Non-Prosthetic)”? Knock yourselves out. But this episode also won “Oustanding Writing for a Drama Series,” meaning that as far as the Emmys are concerned, this was the best-written episode of dramatic television released all year.
The calm before the giant pile of corpses.
The northern portion of this episode starts pretty well, actually. There’s an appropriately tense parlay between the two sides, where Jon throws Ramsay a bit of a curveball by proposing single combat, a proposal apparently calculated to make Ramsay lose face in front of his men. Every so often, the show gives us a glimpse of the much more interesting Jon Snow that could’ve been, and this is one of them. Don’t get attached though, because Jon’s basic competency level is going to go sharply downhill from here.
Continue reading ⟩⟩ “Game of Thrones Griping 8: The Battle of the Bastards”
Bob Case MrBtongue is the Pele of complaining about videogames and will soon be the Garrincha of complaining about TV shows. You can find his Youtube channel at youtube.com/user/MrBtongue.
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