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

Ep. 63.5: Thrones: Endgame

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So, yeah. The Game of Thrones season 8 trailer is out and it might be the last one we ever see for this show. The hype for the trailer is definitely deserved if you ask Andrew and Manu. Which you might. Because you are considering listening to this podcast and you are a sweet soul. Thank you.

• Season 8 trailer
• The excellent Kim Renfro breaks down the trailer's nitty gritty details for Business Insider
• Catch up with our season 7 full episode reviews
• Gendry is not alone! Andrew has a cat now, too. Say hi to Koozie!
• iTunes link

Ep. 63: Dragon's is back baby, it's good again

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Andrew and Manu finally complete their long journey through the first season of "Game of Thrones." Scenes discussed include Yoren explaining the plan for "orphan Arry" to Arya, her first encounters with Hot Pie, Lommy, and Gendry, and the Old Bear revealing to Jon that he knows about his attempted escape. With a stirring speech, he urges Jon to stay loyal to the Night's Watch and join the great ranging beyond The Wall.

Oh yeah, also dragons are born through sacrifice in a ridiculously good set of scenes with Dany, Jorah, and the Dothraki. NBD. It was okey dokey, and we got to discuss a lot of dragon lore.

Thank you all for joining us through this trek through season one, and we can't wait to get started on the next one.

• BryndenBFish tells how diehard ASOIAF fans can come to love Dany's similarly climactic scene with the Dothraki in season 6
• George R.R. Martin explains back in a 1999 chat how Targaryen fire resistance is likely a miraculous one-time anomaly in the books
• Register with the discount code "Manu" for Con of Thrones (Nashville, July 12-14)
• iTunes link

Ep. 62: Secrets of the Small Council

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Today's podcast is the calm before the storm of the very end of Game of Thrones season 1. Andrew and Manu watch as Daenerys tearfully puts Drogo out of his misery, then observe Pycelle aimlessly ramble about kings to Ros before revealing (after her departure) that he's actually quite fit and far more on the ball than he appears. This is also one of the few scenes we get with characters talking about the Mad King's reign before he was truly mad.

We wrap up with another verbal showdown between Littlefinger and Varys, where they each briefly delve into each other's personal histories and impressive ascents to the Small Council. It's essentially a sequel to a similar scene earlier in the season, during "The Wolf and the Lion."

• Deleted scene from season 3 where Tywin figures out the truth about Pycelle's grift
• Register with the discount code "Manu" for Con of Thrones (Nashville, July 12-14)
• iTunes link