Having NOT read the books, I found it very disorienting with all these other characters seemingly brought in from nowhere. I had no idea who Stannis was, what was going on with the "red witch" at the beginning, lost track of who was on the run from who, who hated/loved who, and spent more time trying to figure out what was going on than actually watching it. That's probably my fault, but surely not everyone who watched this has read the books? It's VERY involved.
I did however feel sorry for Tyrion; he was the only one who had the balls to go out and face the invaders, while the "king" cowered behind the city walls with the women. And did he get any recognition or thanks for it? No, they stripped him of the position he had held (did a Hand Job on him?)
and threw him basically in a cell. Ungrateful cnuts! I really grew to like that guy as the series wound on.
Not quite so viscerally violent this season I found --- I still remember the horse's head being chopped off --- wonder if HBO were asked to tone it down? Even the "previously on..." inserts had certain words not just bleeped, but missing entirely, presumably in case they went out at the wrong time? Strange though, as the episode that followed it would then have all the "bad words" left in.
But damn! I had hoped that little stain Joffrey was going to die! You mean I now have to wait months again to see his scummy little head on a spike???
