FEATURE: Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Welcome to the Hellmouth

Into every generation there is a chosen one. She alone will stand against the vampires, demons and the forces of darkness. She is the Slayer.

And so opens Welcome to the Hellmouth, the very first episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, a show by an experienced writer but first-time show-runner, starring no one you'd really heard of and based on a 1992 film that pretty much flopped. It shouldn't have worked, but Buffy has gone on to become a cult classic and as for that show-runner? Well, Mr Joss Whedon has just directed the third highest grossing movie in history. Not bad for a little supernatural show on a smaller network. It also happens to be my favourite television show as it was the first time I'd ever got sucked in by a show's mythos, fell in love with the characters and admired the dialogue so much that it not only completely altered my speech for a while, but I still regularly pinch phrases for every day witticisms. 

It is therefore my pleasure and my privilege to embark upon this rewatch, starting with Welcome to the Hellmouth and continuing every Thursday (because Buffy used to air on a Thursday - BBC2, after The Simpsons and Fresh Prince of Bel Air) until we get to the series finale, Chosen. We're in for the long haul then, but it's totally going to be worth it and so, without much further ado (topical Whedon joke), let's begin.

Welcome to the Hellmouth opens with a nice, standard horror trope; a really really ridiculously good looking couple are doing what they shouldn't be in school after dark. The guy's all predatory whilst the girl is blonde, coy and practically has 'victim' stamped across her forehead. In actual fact, there's something else ridgey and nasty across her forehead as she, Darla (Julie Benz) turns out to be a vampire, killing the boy in a surprise attack. 

Immediately establishing its own take on the vampire, the facial transformation becomes a key part of the series and the make-up, now iconic, is part Lost Boys (a Whedon influence) and part Klingon. An excellent cold open, this scene pretty much set the template for this entire series; Buffy was going to be about subverting genre tropes as we see not only the blonde turn out to be the killer in this situation, but then another blonde, Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) herself, turn out to be a superhero. 

After the now-iconic credits, we're introduced to Buffy, as she makes her way to school for the first time. Navigating the social landscape proves difficult as she is immediately commandeered by Queen Bee Cordelia Chase (Charisma Carpenter) though finds herself more in tune with the geeky Willow (Alyson Hannigan), Xander (Nicholas Brendon) and Jesse (Eric Balfour). She also meets her Watcher, Rupert Giles (Anthony Steward Head) for the first time though rejects him and her role as the Slayer, stating she has left her slaying days behind her in LA. After Darla's victim is found in a locker, Buffy investigates and confronts Giles about it, still refusing to face up to her responsibilities and only be 'extra-curricular' about it all. 

The character of Buffy really hits the ground running in this episode and we learn a lot about her without the narrative ever resorting to excessive exposition, most of which is established in that excellent second scene between her and Giles. He declares his role as a Watcher is to train her and prepare her, to which she responds: "Prepares me for what? For getting kicked out of school? For losing all of my friends? For having to spend all of my time fighting for my life and never getting to tell anyone because I might endanger them? Go ahead! Prepare me." And thus, we're given the most important insight into Buffy's world, her two lives, the pressures she faces and the reluctance with which she does so.

Another aspect of her character that starts to emerge is her loyalty to her friends; although she has only known them for a day, Buffy rushes off to save Willow when she leaves The Bronze with a vampire and puts her life on the line to keep her, Xander and Jesse safe against Darla. We also meet Angel (David Boreanaz) for the first time, currently playing the role of tall, dark, gorgeous 'in an annoying sort of way' stranger with cryptic clues about The Harvest, which has something to do with the mysterious vampires we keep cutting away to in their attractively candle-lit lair. 

The dialogue is already quotable and sparkling with the series' trademark wit with the cast rising to the challenge. Carpenter's Cordelia gets some of the best zingers and a personal favourite of mine: "don't you have an elsewhere to be?". I'll be picking out one quote that stands out each episode which is already proving to be a tough decision in Welcome to the Hellmouth alone as there are so many great lines. The comedy is obviously there, but the charm also lies in the smaller, character-driven moments like Buffy's earlier example of 'Prepare me' and Willow's comment that Buffy can't 'legally' be friends with both her and Cordelia.

The final showdown in the mausoleum also sets the template for fight scenes to come; Buffy gets quippy and kicks some ass, though this one ends on a cliffhanger as candle-lit layer vampire has appeared from nowhere and appears to be winning the fight. Does he succeed? Well, twelve more episodes of this season and another six seasons beyond that says no but that just means this trip back into the past is only just beginning...

Next Time: The Harvest (S1E2)

Let's Get Trivial: Torrance High School is used as Sunnydale High for the first three seasons. It also appears as the school in Beverley Hills 90210, She's All That (starring SMG's future husband, Freddie Prinze Jr) and its spoof, Not Another Teen Movie.

Demonology 101: The 'Vampyr' book that Giles make such a big fuss about? Rarely seen again and then only in the background of certain episodes.

Quote of the Day: Buffy - "This is not gonna be pretty. We're talking violence, strong language, adult content..."

Sunnydale Who's Who: Amongst others, Ryan Reynolds auditioned and for the role of Xander. A mistake you might say, but he's not done badly since.

- Becky

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TV REVIEW: Game of Thrones - Mhysa

This is it. The season finale of Game of Thrones; the last hour that we get to spend in Westeros this year. Well, unless you're planning on mainlining the previous two seasons at some point (hint: you totally should). So how did the finale stack up?

A longer episode than usual, the extended run-time allowed for the show to not only deal with the fallout from last week's episode, but also to set up the character arcs and narrative threads for next season. Having the show's big climactic moments in the ninth episode allows the tenth to breathe and so it does, slowing down the action once again in favour of development. It is largely successful in this respect, revisiting faces we've seen throughout and also returning to those we've not seen so much. It was a good refresher and has set up a nice level of anticipation for the next season which feels like an age away.

First of all, the aftermath of the Red Wedding was seen from the perspective of the two remaining Stark ladies, Arya (Maisie Williams) and Sansa (Sophie Turner) in their respective settings. For Arya, this included what was a shocking moment (and was in the books too) as Bolton and Frey's men replace Robb's head with Grey Wind's. I must admit, I didn't expect them to actually show this as it is a horrific defilement and to watch Arya seeing it sometime just made it that much worse. Arya had some big scenes in this, particularly her attack on the soldiers on the roadside. We've been told all season that she was capable of killing men and in this episode she proved it in a particularly frenzied stabbing. Not that we weren't all rooting for her. There was also a neat reminder of Jaqen H'Gar's promise to her and his coin; 'valar morghulis'. It's a big hint to where Arya is heading.

Sansa, though a character I used to detest, has had one of the most impressive character arcs across the three seasons as she is forced to watch her idealisations smashed, first by Joffrey (Jack Gleeson). Well actually, mostly just by Joffrey (who also got an excellent dressing down in this episode. Most satisfying). Turner's performance has been excellent throughout the series and the scene between her and Dinklage as they walked together had a nice unromantic chemistry. Of course this was all shattered moments later when we were treated to another fantastic scene between Dinklage and Charles Dance's Tywin Lannister which further informed us as to the reasons behind Tywin's unabashed hatred of his son. It was powerful stuff.

Family was very much the theme of this final episode, either the fracturing (as in the previously discussed moments) or the potential reuniting of them. We've had plenty of reminders that Theon (Alfie Allen) is being tortured by a mysterious boy, now revealed to be Roose Bolton's bastard son Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) who gives such a gleefully psychotic performance, it's impossible not to admire him. The breakdown of Theon's identity was well-handled as he becomes Reek, a fascinating character in the books. I hope they do it justice. The storyline also set up a new narrative for next season as we return to the Greyjoy's stronghold to see Theon's father Balon (Patrick Malahide) and his sister Yara (NAME) who receive a certain package (pun very much intended). 

Now let's all take a moment to mourn the romance of the series as Jon (Kit Harington) finally had to say goodbye to Ygritte (Rose Leslie) and return to his brothers at Castle Black. The pair had great scenes together and often provided some of the more light-hearted moments and it's a shame we probably won't get to see them together all that much. That being said, it was also great to have the best bromance on the Wall reunited as both Sam and Jon return to Castle Black. Jon's actual brother, Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), is now north of the Wall after a nicely creepy scene that foretells just how severe the ramifications of the Red Wedding could be for Walder Frey (David Bradley). Hospitality is a massive deal in Westeros and the story of the Rat Cook highlighted just how serious it is.

And so we come to the final scene which sadly was probably the weakest of the episode as Yunkai opens its doors to Dany (Emilia Clarke) and declares her to be their 'Mhysa' or their mother. Although impressively staged - the shot of Dany on the steps with her entourage was amazing - it lacked any of the emotional punch that the last scene of the season should have. Thinking back to last season, we had the first major glimpse of the army of white walkers heading south for the Wall. The threat had been talked about for so long, to finally see it was shocking and memorable. With the final overhead shot of the slaves circling Dany, it looked great, but it didn't leave my jaw dropping to the floor.

All in all, it has been a cracking season, slow-paced yet but measured and with some wonderfully shocking moments that made just about everyone shout at the TV or leave them completely struck dumb. If anything, it has proved just how committed David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are to creating this world, if there was any doubt at all. It's a fantastic adaptation and I'm already mourning the fact that it won't be here next Monday.

- Becky

You can read Becky's review for The Rains of Castamere here and check out her look at the Red Wedding here.

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TV REVIEW: The Fall - Episode Four

The Fall continues to unsettle as Gibson rounds in on the killer who just happens to be closing in on his next victim.

The third episode of The Fall has possibly been the peak so far in terms of quality and the fourth episode had a tough act to follow. However, it has more than a few cards up its sleeve as everything in the grim Belfast police station we have become accustomed to seeing starts to unravel. The police corruption subplot has been an interesting addition to what many, including myself, thought was just going to be another slow-burning serial killer drama. The shooting of James Olsen (Ben Peel) as a result of his arrest of a well-known criminal was one of the more shocking moments in the series so far, particularly thanks to his dalliance with main character Gibson (Gillian Anderson). Then came the scene in which Chief of Police Rob Breedlove (Michael McElhatton) chose death before dishonour.

The claustrophobic interview between Matthew Eastwood (Stuart Graham) and Breedlove was technically brilliant, the camera getting closer and closer to McElhatton's face as he found himself increasingly hemmed in by his own corruption. The shooting itself was thankfully off-screen though no less unsettling as we observe the consequences unfold post-suicide. It was also another reminder of Gibson's cold efficiency as she has to deal with the situation, despite not being privy to the details. It tied in well with the previous scene in which she paints her nails with the same colour that was found on Spector's victim in the second episode.

Speaking of Spector, it was another fantastic performance from Dornan this week who has gone from strength to strength has the series has developed. In the first episode, Paul's two lives were kept very separate by his rigid, methodical approach to both killing and parenting (not a sentence I'd ever thought I'd write). However, as the narrative has progressed, the two have begun to slip and slide into each other as his control breaks. His interview with his superior colleagues was a great example of this as he paradoxically protected a woman from her husband whilst displaying some psychotic behaviour to his boss. The letter to his victim's father is another chilling moment; remorse not for the killing, but for the pregnancy.

There was, as is to be expected from this programme now, the intercut sequence in which we learn more information about a possible Spector attack and one actually taking place with disastrous consequences, connected to each other thematically. Unlike the previous crime, this one had the air of panic about it as Spector is caught early by his victim with someone else in the house. Alongside this, we're told about a spontaneous attack on a woman by a man she had had sex with earlier in the night, another unplanned moment lacking the methodical nature of the previous crime we were witness to. And, not to forget, this is where Spector makes his first mistake. He's not wearing gloves.

I'm also really loving how confidently cerebral this show is; last week we had Spector quoting T.S. Eliot and Gibson educating her colleagues in advanced gender studies and perception of women. This week, Spector includes a quote from Also Sprach Zarathustra by Nietzsche in his letter whilst Gibson gives a pertinent anthropology lecture. The references build into the wider themes of the show and there is a lot going on there. Moral conundrums naturally abound in a programme about a serial killer, but we also have analyses on the role of the media, particularly in the representation of women, the value of life and death, sexuality and honour all playing their own parts. It's a heady mix, but a fascinating one to discuss and untangle.

Like Broadchurch before it, The Fall has been largely successful in keeping me completely in the dark as to how the whole thing will unravel; the daughter has got to have something to do with it and of course, Spector's crime went spectacularly wrong this time. With it being renewed for another series and with reportedly all the leads signing on to reappear, I'm not entirely sure whether they will actually wrap up the Gibson/Spector storyline just yet. It's certainly an intriguing relationship and I can stand to see a little more of Dornan in the role.

- Becky

You can read Becky's review of the previous episode here.

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FEATURE: Game of Thrones - A Lion Still Has Claws

This is a post especially for those of you who have now seen the ninth episode of the current season of Game of Thrones, The Rains of Castamere, and as such, contains major spoilers. Huge ones. Some as big as your head.

The Rains of Castamere was an important episode for many reasons, not least of which it finally saw the strongest branch of the Stark family defeated, a massive consequence for the political landscape in Westeros. It also proved to be a bit of a shock for its audience, particularly those who haven't read the books and therefore had no idea that it was coming. However, for the rest of us, who have read A Song of Ice and Fire, the episode also heralded the moment in which the dramatic irony of the season, the weight of expectation, the torture of knowing what was on its way was finally relieved. I could have spent my entire review talking about this one scene and the build-up to it throughout the season, but that would have been unfair to the rest of the episode. Therefore, here is my follow-up piece to talk about just why this scene could possibly become the show's defining moment.

My relationship with A Song of Ice and Fire has been relatively short compared to some people's; I started watching the television series, got halfway through the first season and promptly bought all the books. I couldn't bear to get too far without having read them first and so I sat down to read the first, halfway through my third year final exams. Not the best idea, I think you'll agree. By the end of the summer, I'd read them all, but there was not one moment more shocking, more emotional and more heartrending than the Red Wedding. It's one of those literary moments where everyone who has read it has had their own emotional reaction to it; some people threw the book across the room and never picked them up again, some had to take a break and walk away from it for a bit. Personally, I read the chapter and didn't quite believe what had just happened. So I read it again. No, it definitely happened. And it was traumatic. 

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have long stated that this was the event that they wanted to get to in the story, the big set piece that they couldn't wait to show and it's not hard to see why. It's a huge event and one that has a massive impact for your audiences. In George R.R. Martin's books, he has several characters who are designated point-of-view characters who have chapters dedicated to their narratives. The main POV throughout the Robb Stark narrative belongs to Cat, which means that not only does Robb not hold that same emotional attachment, but his story is scene through a character who is definitely not a fan favourite. Nevertheless, the sheer brutality and unexpected nature of the Red Wedding made it a standout set piece that readers paradoxically both looked forward to and dreaded in equal measure. What struck me most about this season though is how well the writers have played both sides of the audience, those who knew what was going to happen and those who hadn't got a clue. 

For non-reader audiences, there was never a hint at what might lay in store for Robb should he go to the Twins. Instead, the focus was placed on him getting to Casterly Rock and taking that to provoke Tywin into battle. The Roose Bolton scene where he lets Jaime go was done on grounds of respectful treatment rather than giving away the knowledge that Bolton had already been turned to the Lannisters. However, things had been going a little too well for Robb; happily married with a child on the way, getting along with his mum again after her betrayal and just generally progressing forward. If that didn't start some alarm bells ringing, then y'all haven't been paying attention.

In contrast, for those who were aware of what was awaiting Robb and Cat at the Twins, this season has been unbelievably torturous because the showrunners kept planting little clues and hints. As mentioned previously, the scene between Roose Bolton and Jaime was perhaps the biggest example; you don't just let your prize hostage meander his way to King's Landing, however benevolent you may be feeling. From the moment the episode began, I felt a slow-burning sense of dread, a despairing anticipation that this was finally the moment in which I saw the chapter that so affected me realised on screen. What I couldn't prepare for was just how shocking that scene would still be.

One of the strongest aspects of the series, especially this recent season, is how they have made Robb a relatable character, primarily because we see much more of him and his relationships than we do in the books. Richard Madden's excellent performance has also helped, remaking Robb into another tragic hero in the same vein as his father Ned. The addition of Talisa (Oona Chaplin) instead of the rather wet Jayne Westerling from books, has also created an interesting and unexpected dynamic; she was the curveball that the readers didn't know what to do with because not only did we not know if she would survive, she was also pregnant.

In fact, it was her death that was the most jolting, the most horrific because of the pregnancy and the graphic way in which her stabbing was shown. Director David Nutter didn't flinch from holding the camera steady on her as she is murdered. Likewise, the rest of the scene was comprised of longer, steadier shots to depict the violence as clearly as possible. This was a massacre that none of us could escape from. I've already talked about Michelle Fairley's performance in my review of the whole episode, but she was really the emotion in the scene and the audience's link to it; we see her note the shift in tone as the band begins to play The Rains of Castamere, she realises that Bolton is not all that he seems. Out of all the characters, Fairley probably had the hardest job in winning the fans of the books over because Cat is universally reviled for being pretty stupid and for starting the whole war off in the first place. That Fairley goes on to inspire such sympathy and to affect us quite so much is a testament to the actor for almost redeeming Catelyn.

Despite knowing that all this was happening, I, like seemingly everyone else who watched the show, sat numb and in shock as the silent credits rolled. The reaction was almost instantaneous (check @RedWeddingTears for the more extreme responses) and I think there seemed to be a consensus amongst those who didn't know it was coming that this was the moment in which Game of Thrones went just that little bit too far.

But the Red Wedding had to happen in all its brutal, horrifying glory and not just because it is in the books, but because of the narrative impact it has; it's a grim reminder that Westeros is a dangerous, dishonourable place and was just the shock a complacent audience needed. After all, we haven't had any major deaths since the first season (in which, lest we forget, there were a lot) and the biggest upset so far was Jaime's hand getting chopped off. The anger that the Red Wedding has received has come as a bit of a surprise to me. Martin has been receiving death threats on Twitter, Benioff and Weiss have also received similar warnings about maiming and people are threatening to not only boycott the show, but cancel their HBO subscription.

Now, forgive me for pointing out the obvious, but Game of Thrones has never been a nice, relaxing family show; death has been a part of its landscape since it first arrived on our screens. This is the show that killed off the King a few episodes into the season, the supposed hero and lead character shortly afterwards. We've had melted gold-related deaths, a wife smothering her husband to free him from his catatonic state and plenty of other minor characters die along the way. To have it happen to characters that we have grown to love does make the Red Wedding all the more unsettling, but it is a logical narrative step and was entirely justifiable.

We needed the shake-up, we needed the reminder that not everything is going to work out all right for the good guys and it also reminds us that Benioff and Weiss are still entirely committed to telling this story properly. Without revealing too much, the Red Wedding has a huge impact on the landscape and characters in Westeros and, for all those decrying that its only the good guys that killed off, we're still only two and a half books into the series. There are plenty of good guys left, a fair few of whom will be driven to other things thanks to the Red Wedding. The bad guys, some of them at least, will get their comeuppance, but these categories aren't necessarily all that clear-cut and some, as Roose Bolton showed, don't necessarily ascribe to what we thought they would.

The Red Wedding will be the show's defining moment because it gives both the audience and the characters a reason to keep going and is a fine, though shocking, example of just how brutal this show and that world can be. There are still a lot of unanswered questions, narrative threads not yet tied up in either book or television and the Red Wedding acts as a catalyst for some of these and a dark background to others. If you're considering not watching the show anymore because the scene was too horrific, I urge you to think again. There are other characters you love, others you hate, but you will never find out what happens to them if you stop watching. 

- Becky

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TV REVIEW: Game of Thrones - The Rains of Castamere

How are we all dong then? Recovered yet? Able to talk about it with colleagues without yelling "WHYYYYYY?" And if you have no idea what I'm going on about, best avoid this particular post. It contains major spoilers.

Traditionally speaking, the ninth episode of Game of Thrones is a Big Event; in the first season we had unlucky Ned Stark (Sean Bean) beheaded by Joffrey in front of his children and the second season was the excellent Battle of the Blackwater. So what did the ninth episode of the third season have in store for us? The last few episodes have been slightly plodding, but The Rains of Castamere was the big pay-off, possibly more than anyone (especially those who haven't read the books) expected. I've been using the chess metaphor for a while throughout these reviews because that is exactly what this season has felt like, with David Benioff and D.B. Weiss positioning their players ready for this Big Event.

If the last few episodes have been largely about positioning the pieces, well The Rains of Castamere was the chess equivalent of a player having a tantrum, sending the board flying into the air with pieces scattering all over the place. It was the big shake-up that the show had needed and we've now got several characters in vastly different places to where they began the season. At the beginning of the episode, we have Dany (Emilia Clarke) ready to take the city of Yunkai, Jon (Kit Harington) over the Wall with the wildlings, Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) not so far away getting ready to cross the Wall, Arya (Maisie Williams) is getting ever closer to be reuniting with her family and Robb (Richard Madden) is heading for the Twins for a wedding.

The episode predominantly narrowed its focus on the Stark family and was all the better for it, tightening the story and bringing the audience-favourite family heartbreakingly closer together than it has been since the first half of the first season. A pleasant and sorrowful surprise was the scene between Bran and Rickon (Art Parkinson) as their party split; Rickon to head to the Umbers, Stark bannermen, with Osha (Natalie Tena, giving another fantastic performance this week) and Bran to cross the wall with Hodor (Kristian Nairn), Jojen (Thomas Brodie-Sangster) and Meera (Ellie Kendrick). The farewell scene between the brothers was touching and sad as Parkinson especially brought forth an innocent emotional performance that inspired more sympathy for Rickon than I've felt before.

The scene was also heartbreaking in the group's proximity to Jon, attacking the same farm with the wildlings. Finally unable to betray the Stark mentality of honour and mercy, Jon reveals his true self to the wildlings and Ygritte (Rose Leslie) and is attacked by the group. His final parting comment to Orell (MacKenzie Crook) was wonderfully venomous and Harington played the scene well as did Leslie, every bit of Ygritte's sense of betrayal etched across her face as Jon rode away. It is also the closest that Jon has come to his brothers since he left for the Wall and it was great to see Bran (now in full possession of his warg abilities) do his bit to save Jon's life, taking over Summer and Shaggy Dog and seeing his brother yet unable to do anything else.

Elsewhere, we had Arya continuing her journey with the Hound (Rory McCann) to the Twins to be reunited with her mother Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) and her brother Robb. Again, the Stark sense of mercy and honour was on display when Arya prevented the Hound from killing an old man on the road who had seen them. Frequently, Williams is paired with much older actors and completely holds her own against them, leading to some wonderful scenes. Last season, it was with Charles Dance as Tywin, this season it has been with Paul Kaye's Thoros, Richard Dormer's Beric Dondarrion and now with the Hound. Williams has long been one of the best actors in the show and she demonstrated it again here; Arya is a little ball of fury tempered by fear, a fact that does not escape the Hound. Obviously, her worst fears are realised here as she gets to the Twins at exactly the wrong time, but I shall return to that shortly.

With this focus on the Stark family, the inclusion of Dany's storyline felt a little incongruous with the grime of the rest of the episode and it seemed as if it had been placed there out of necessity to wrap up that particular narrative as soon as possible. However, it did have one of the best choreographed fight scenes we have yet seen on the show as Jorah (Iain Glen), Daario (Ed Skrein) and Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) infiltrated Yunkai and were set upon by a cohort of guards. Almost effortlessly, each man fought with a different fighting style, accurately conveying the different backgrounds and upbringings of the characters without going into expositionary detail. It was expertly done and a thrill to watch. I also enjoyed Dany's snub of Jorah in favour of the considerably more dashing Daario; one to watch that one.

And so we must turn to the other thread of the episode, the one that on first glance would not seem to herald the drama of the other narrative strands. After all, we've already the conquering of Yunkai and Jon versus the wildlings. What else could the show possibly offer us in the wedding of Edmure Tully (Tobias Menzies)? In short, death. And lots of it. For us book readers, this episode marked a relief, something I shall talk about more in a follow-up post, but for the people who had no idea  that the Red Wedding was going to happen, it must have been quite the scene. It was, quite simply, the most shocking moment in the show's history.

Returning to the chess metaphor, the Red Wedding was the moment in which the stalemate between Robb and Tywin was broken, not honourably in open play, but through a sleight of hand, turning allegiances without broadcasting it. Director David Nutter handled the moment, in all its carnage, beautifully as the band began to play The Rains of Castamere marking the shift in tone. The brutality of the scene was unlike anything we have yet witnessed in the show, particularly the vicious stabbing of Talisa (Oona Chaplin), designed to specifically target her unborn child.

However, it was the performances that made this scene all that it was and more. David Bradley has just made Walder Frey the most hated man in Westeros, possibly even outdoing Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) on this occasion. He was so wonderfully offhand about the whole thing that it just made you hate him even more. Richard Madden has been a strong actor throughout this series, conveying Robb's nobility and resolve, but also his helplessness in a war that he should have been winning. The expression on his face when he saw his wife murdered was chilling, the battle to get to her with his body shot through with arrows was admirable. His simple statement of 'Mother' was enough to reduce me to tears. 

And then there is Michelle Fairley at the centre of it with a performance so gut-wrenching I actually sobbed out loud after her wail. That wail. The desperate howl of a mother who has just lost everything. Fairley has, like many of the cast members, been a strong but quieter addition to the Game of Thrones cast, but here she shone, capturing the bleak torment and inevitability of Cat's situation in that one, heartbreaking wail. To have that followed by an entirely silent credit sequence was a master-stroke by Nutter. 

We were all too shocked to process anything else.

- Becky

You can read Becky's review of the previous episode, Second Sons, here.

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FEATURE FRIDAY: Theatre Preview, Blind Date

There’s a new interactive theatrical experience in town. Blind Date, now on at London’s Charing Cross Road Theatre, promises a fusion of theatre, comedy, improvisation and social experiment, any one of which would be pretty appealing as a stand-alone concept. Perhaps with the exception of the social experiment part.

The show, arriving in London fresh from sold-out runs across the pond in New York and Toronto, will see protagonist/comedienne/improviser Mimi (Rebecca Northan) go on a different blind date every night.  Mimi, a lovable minx of a Parisian clown, shows up night after night, bless her, only for her date to stand her up each time. Where could she possibly find a stand-in at such short notice? The audience, of course! As Mimi explores the ups and downs of each blind date, often with hilarious results, we can’t help but fall in love with her as well.

An exciting and innovative piece of theatre, Blind Date is set to be just as “fearless…and very funny” (New York Times) this side of the Atlantic, perhaps even more so given the traditional British stiff upper lip and general reluctance to make fools of ourselves. Stand by for an “irresistible, cheeky and charming evening” (New York Daily News). Whether or not you are Mimi’s chosen ‘date’, you’re promised a fun an interactive night, perfect for an evening out with friends, or even on a date of your own.

You’ll have to hurry though, as Blind Date is on at the Charing Cross Road Theatre for a limited 7 week season only starting from Tuesday 28 May.

http://www.blinddateonstage.com/

http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/blind-date/charing-cross-theatre/#overview_tab

https://www.facebook.com/BlindDateOnStage

https://twitter.com/blinddateontour

Jen

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TV REVIEW: Game of Thrones - Second Sons

A delayed review this time to cope with the two week gap instigated by the American HBO network, Second Sons nevertheless starts to ramp up the action for the two final episodes of the season.

The last three episodes in the series have been largely more about character developments, slowing down the action to ensure we know where each piece of the considerable Game of Thrones chess board is at the current time. However, it also meant that the pace was a little off and whilst the quality of the drama cannot be disputed, it did feel as if it was time for the show to actually go somewhere. Thankfully, Second Sons upped the ante just that little bit and though it may not have been action-packed, there was enough progression to pull us all back in again.

There were three major threads running through this episode, devoting screentime to those in King's Landing, Dragonreach and Yunkai with each dealing with some fairly big developments. Dany (Emilia Clarke) is preparing for war with Yunkai and is attempting to build her army up with the addition of mercenaries calling themselves the Second Sons. Clarke has grown from strength to strength in her performance and I just loved her cool composure in the scene with the three captains, including Daario (Ed Skrein) who eventually joins with the Khaleesi. She had one of the big moments in the Dracarys scene earlier in the season and her takedown of Yunkai promises to be just as eventful.

Perhaps the sweetest scene that the show has seen for a long time was the one between Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Sansa (Sophie Turner) preparing for their ill-advised and obligatory wedding. The oddest couple around, both seem determined to make the best of their situation and Dinklage and Turner played the awkwardness of the situation beautifully. This was then contrasted with the wonderfully catty scene between Cersei (Lena Headey) and Margaery (Natalie Dormer), both of whom seem to typify all those 'mother-in-law' jokes that went out of fashion back in the 70s.

More of a ritual humiliation than a matrimonial ceremony, the wedding was an affair in which words were barely spoken, but there was enough subtext there to get the point across. And of course it gave us another chance to really hate Joffrey (Jack Gleeson). Has there ever been a television character so universally hated as Joffrey? He's not in the series a whole lot any more, but that just seems to intensify my dislike. It's a good job he was then contrasted with Drunk Tyrion, who may be my favourite version of Tyrion and I like the character a great deal. In the most awkward family wedding in the history of awkward family weddings, a depressed, drunk groom was exactly what was needed. But then, his scene with Sansa was so wonderfully tender and gentlemanly that it further emphasised how complex the Imp is. 

The other character I've found myself disliking with great intensity is Melisandre (Carise Van Houten) and like Joffrey's fleeting yet memorable appearance, she cropped up in this episode to remind us just how evil she is, taunting poor Gendry (Joe Dempsie) with some standard nudity before applying some leeches to places leeches shouldn't be applied to. The melding of Gendry (Joe Dempsie) with the book character of Edric Storm (non-book people, don't look him up - spoilers abound) has been an inspired choice that means Gendry gets just a little bit more to do. It's a good move for the series and increases my confidence in Benioff and Weiss; they may have made some big changes, but the television story is working as a cohesive whole. Not an easy thing to do when you're tackling something as big as A Song of Ice and Fire.

Despite opening with an encounter with a White Walker, this season has been relatively low on the undead, though of course the constant threat remains. Therefore, the final scene was a (un)welcome return for the pesky little blighters in a scene that served as a chilling reminder of the biggest scare north of the Wall. With the sweet Gilly (Hannah Murray) and Sam (John Bradley) opening the scene, it was left to some squawking ravens to set the tone. The scene was genuinely chilling whilst also allowing for Sam to finally have his hero moment. I love the developing relationship between Sam and Gilly and I'm hoping we'll get to see a bit more of them, if not in this season, then definitely in the next.

This episode was also notable for the characters it did not feature, presumably because we're setting up for some pretty big moments for the last couple of episodes. Certainly, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Ygritte (Rose Leslie) are closing in on Castle Black with the wildlings and the Starks are on their way to the Twins for a big wedding. I also missed my favourite odd couple Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Brienne (Gwendolyn Christie) after their bearscapade last week, but they've probably had more screen time than any other combination this season so a break was perhaps needed.

The Rains of Castamere airs on Sunday/Monday (depending on which side of the pond you happen to be) and tension and anticipation is already high. The ninth episode of the season has been traditionally the biggest, darkest instalment and this one has a lot to live up to after the masterpiece that was Blackwater (where of course, The Rains of Castamere was first sung). Something tells me it might just match up.

- Becky

You can read Becky's review for the previous episode, The Bear and the Maiden Fair, here.

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