Ep. 64.3: Starks in the Dark

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Andrew and Manu talk about "The Long Night," where the Battle of Winterfell spans the entire episode. It's visually stunning with unbelievably cool effects! But unless you have top-quality streaming, it's hard to see. It has bold plot decisions with incredible character beats from the likes of Arya, Melisandre, and Theon! But some of its decisions are very strange.

The fandom seems split on this episode, and we fall somewhere in the middle, though we like talking about its positives more. Join us! Thoughts gather, and our watch begins.

Please note: The initial recording of the section where we briefly recapped the episode was disjointed at parts, so Andrew went back and recorded it solo. The sound quality will briefly be different, and then soon go back to normal.

• Joanna Robinson on some of what into the lighting issues of this episode
• Manu's "Girls Gone Canon" appearance for Patreon discussing the pilot, "Winter is Coming"
• Manu's Avengers: Endgame review at Screenfellows
• Register with the discount code "Manu" for Con of Thrones (Nashville, July 12-14)
• iTunes link

Ep. 64.2: Curtain Call

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So, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms," huh? The show knocked it out of the park with a tremendous battle prep episode. Andrew and Manu talk about their favorite parts, particularly Jaime's trial, the warm hearth scenes with Jaime knighting Brienne and Podrick's moving rendition of "Jenny's Song," the vast war council, Theon's return to Sansa's side at Winterfell, and much more.

And yes, we do sigh heavily a lot because boy oh boy are so many of our most beloved characters gonna fall next week.

• Manu's instant reaction live stream to the episode on Sunday with Joe Magician
• "Girls Gone Canon," where Manu will soon be making a guest appearance on a Patreon-only episode
• Joanna Robinson on why the Arya-Gendry hookup makes sense (also see her corresponding "Still Watching" podcast)
• "Lord of the Rings" references abound! Theoden's "Where is the Horse and the Rider?" speech before the Battle of Helm's Deep, and Pippin's bittersweet "Edge of Night" song as Faramir led a doomed attempt to retake Osgiliath 
• Register with the discount code "Manu" for Con of Thrones (Nashville, July 12-14)
• iTunes link

Ep. 64.1: Sam the Slayer of Feelings

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Andrew and Manu (and everyone else) have finally been able to watch the first episode of the final season of "Game of Thrones." That is truly something in it of itself.

So, it's back to our full episode reviews, like we did in season 7. This was a great place-setting episode that did a little extra to make it an even better season opener than normal. Everything at Winterfell alone would be enough to make it memorable, and talking about it is over half the podcast. But we do also touch on everything at King's Landing, on the Greyjoy ships, and the horror-filled craziness of Last Hearth.

RIP Ned Umber. You were a good lad.

• Joanna Robinson on, well, everything!
• Joe Magician on the Night King & white walkers' use of symbols
• Lauren Sarner on the weapon Arya asked Gendry to make
• Register with the discount code "Manu" for Con of Thrones (Nashville, July 12-14)
• iTunes link

Ep. 64: Season 1 Awards

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It's time to at last wrap a bow on the remarkable first season of "Game of Thrones." Andrew and Manu dish out their own awards, including Best Scene, Worst Scene, Best Show Invention, Best Main Performance, Best Supporting Performance, and Best Quote.

Season 8 coverage is next. We can't wait.

• Register with the discount code "Manu" for Con of Thrones (Nashville, July 12-14)
• iTunes link