First off, I want to clarify that whilst I'm a huge fan of the books, I fully realise that the show is it's own separate beast at this point, and I infer very little between the two.
Secondly, I'm a massive fan of the show and anything the show runners do can largely be forgiven thanks to what they've already achieved.
However, last nights episode was, in my opinion, one of the worst we've ever had. I was originally just going to leave it at that, but I think it's unfair just to leave that statement hanging with no opinions to back it up. These are my own thoughts. I make a point of reading as few reviews as possible as to keep them as such. This is purely what I've pondered on since the episode aired.
I liked the first act. The exchanges between the characters where fun and natural sounding, if a little 'by the numbers' in terms of what I've come to expect from this season. The reasoning for going beyond the wall is still one of THE DUMBEST plot points we've ever had to deal with, but that's a different discussion all on it's own so I'll accept that for now.
The Winterhell story hasn't yet reached it's conclusion, so I'll relent on passing too much judgement. But at the moment, it feels petulant, poorly written and completely unbelievable considering the characters involved. Just no.
Second act was passable. Fight scene was kinda cool. The convenience of having a single Wight surviving the fall of the closest Walker is... forgivable I suppose. It can be explained away. Gendry runs to the wall with... ermmm, all of nothing. No information as to his groups whereabouts or how many Wights there might be. Just to let Danny know... something? Whatever. Jon and the gang run in the opposite direction, assumedly to lure them elsewhere so Gendry can make his escape.
Frozen lake cracks leaving them stranded on rock.
Bit of chatting.
Thoros dies.
Lake freezes over.
Wights attack again.
Many invisible extras where slain.
And then, DRAGON EX MACHINA!!! I'm sorry. I've been able to shrug off the teleporting entities up until now, but this was ******* ludicrous. THE MOST contrived, forced and poorly conceived plot point the show has EVER employed. Well, it would have been if it weren't for Benjin, but we'll get to that... I don't even have an issue with the supersonic raven as such. There where so many other ways this could have happened! Danny could have had a change of heart about letting 2 of her closest allies go North on a senseless suicide mission. Hell, she could have actually been at the wall with the Dragons before her merry band of idiots went North on there own. Bran could have done anything other then sit in his chair, NOT doing what the plot wants us to believe he's doing.
Sigh.... Anyway. One of the better parts of the episode was the demise of Vyserion (I think that's how it's spelt...). Why the King didn't nail the largest, most apprehensive, stationary dragon with 'team living' on it's back I'll never know. Regardless, it was genuinely upsetting and really well done for the most part. Danny didn't seem to bothered though. In fact, she seemed to care as much about him as the writers did about Rhaegal after this scene. I guess the CG budget ran out by that point and they'd hope we'd forget there where in fact 3 dragons with her...
Jon stays cus it's Jon and that's what he does. Almost get's swamped but no!!!! BENJIN EX MACHINA FTWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! So inexplicably dumb for all the reasons you should be clever enough to understand. What should have been a really great moment was destroyed because Jon needed to be saved from the writers ineptitude this episode.
Whatever. He gets to the wall and bends the knee to Danny. WHY?!?!?! WHYWHYWHWYWHYWHWYWHYWHWYWHWYWHYWHYWHWYWHY?!?!?!?!?! She's seen the walkers! She knows they exist and has all but admitted she's willing to help destroy them! Why bend the knee now?!!?!?! What possible gain is there from this move? Other then to turn Jon's character into a sopping wet ****? Maybe I'm missing something here, I don't know.
I want people to understand that I don't necessarily have an issue with rushed plot points, supersonic ravens or teleporting characters. I have a problem with all of that NOT being sold to me. The writers can and have done so much better then this. That's what annoys me most of all.