Game of Thrones - “The Highroad”
I enjoyed the first season of Boardwalk Empire a lot. I think it was interesting, mostly, but I never thought it understood what it was doing episode-to-episode. It seemed like Terence Winter & Co. just got to a point in the story and ended on a lingering wide shot of a character staring at something.
And I’m frightened Game of Thrones will do the same thing. This is much harder than what Boardwalk Empire has to deal with, because while BE is based on true events, you can pretty much make up what you want. You can add entire story arcs and characters to say what you’re trying to. If Benioff and Weiss did that here, they would be executed by Ned himself.
I’m reading the novel concurrently with the series, so I know what Martin’s said about these events but I have no idea about what’s coming in the future. And I’ve been surprised (and pleased, since I enjoy the book) with the number of scenes that are straight transplanted from the novel’s pages. I read most of the sections in this episode just before watching it, and I could often recite the next line before the characters could get it out. This isn’t really a problem - the novels are well-written, and there’s no reason to change the dialogue just to change it.
But the show is missing a lot of the music from the novels, the narration and underlying character motivations. For example, I present a scene early in “The Highroad,” where Ned is saying goodbye to Jon. If they ever meet again, it will not be for a long time, and Jon, in particular, will have changed greatly. In the show, I sensed nothing beneath the surface. They just said goodbye, and Ned promised to talk to him about his mother. This scene isn’t in the novel, as far as I can tell.
Part of the issue is that Martin’s novel gives you the big picture right at once: there is no easing-in period to get to know a few characters, and then the world expands. There is no Shire, then we get to Rivendell and meet the Fellowship. We’re introduced to everyone at once, and thus quiet character moments are tough to come by in the book, much less when you run a television show that needs to keep the plot pumping.
The book avoids most of these problems by using its third person limited point of view, describing little nuances, like when the light throws Tyrion’s shadow across the courtyard, or when Khal takes time getting to know Dany, and then she shoves him into her. That’s incredibly difficult to translate onto screen without seeming obvious or using voiceover, so I understand the trouble.
This isn’t time to panic, though - this show has all of the basics down, and it is good thus far. Most of these problems come down to the show’s small writing staff (Benioff and Weiss seem to have firm control there), and that dictates a short season (10 episodes). With 13, I think there could be extra room for some meat to make these early episodes juicy thematically and character-wise. I just hope we don’t have the same problems by the finale, although I don’t think we will.
Still, I’d like to see more quiet scenes with these characters interacting with the setting and their everyday lives. In the novels, we understand how life is in Winterfell for the children pretty easily. Arya hates her needling work, goes around and connects with Jon, watching the (entitled) boys practice, etc. But there’s little of that in the show - the plot dictates that the characters start moving immediately, and we don’t get to see Ned interact with his wife very much. In the novel, no additional scenes occur plot-wise, but we get a much better sense of their relationship. When they part, it seems a little perfunctory.
And that’s what this episode was about - departing and the roads these characters are taking. When Ned and Jon literally go down different roads, I wonder if they will ever speak again. As much as I can tell, these characters are going to be pulled farther and farther away, and these scenes may mean much more later. There was no real thematic storyline in the pilot, but there was one here, although I only really understood after I saw the title and thought about it.
As it is, Ned has to leave Bran right away (see! We really get no sense of how he’s dealing with this - this is the type of thing I’d love to see Benioff and Weiss stick in) to leave with the King, and they get word that Dany has married Khal. Ned thinks it’s fine, but the King hates the Targaryens as much as Ned hates Lannisters. One relationship that is drawn out very well in this episode, especially closer to the end, is between Ned and Robert. When Cersei tells Ned to watch himself speaking that way to the King, we know she is being a bitch because we know of the two men and their relationship. In turn, this reflects on her, and good writing is all around.
We also get our first good look at Joffrey, easily the most hateable character thus far. When he gets prickly with the butcher’s son, Arya (one of the best characters) takes him out and throws his sword in the river. Of course, Joffrey lies, and Sansa waffles and chooses neither side. I’m not sure if this is intended, but Sansa’s choice to stay in the middle isn’t unlike the Lannister’s decision during the war on the king.
I loved Sansa’s “YOU’RE RUINING EVERYTHING!” during the fight, and this is the first shading of her we get. She’s torn between her idealized life - marrying Joffrey, the eventual king, and having a bunch of babies - and what her life will probably hold. I’m sure she will eventually be forced into a situation where it’s Joffrey or Arya (or another family member), and I’m not sure what she’ll do.
The best moment of the episode for me was when a guy walked past with the little boy’s body. With a witty comment, the boy is dealt with, and Ned takes a moment and walks past. This is a perfect moment of the show interacting with its medieval surroundings. Sure, Jon’s got it tough being a bastard, and Tyrion’s a dwarf, but if you’re not royalty, just fighting with sticks could get you killed.
Lady also meets this fate due to Joffrey’s assholery. Through this point in the show, there’s very little “magic” - none at all if you take out the prologue. But I get the sense there’s some connection between the children and their direwolf cubs, especially with Bran (as the editing of the final scene indicated). Bran, Arya, and Jon have all had moments of this, if I’m correct.
The audience was distrusting of Cersei after the pilot, as she may have been involved in the murder of Jon Arryn. After her monologue over her lost son early on, maybe she didn’t do it. Now, she’s full-on villain, clearly seeking to impart maximum damage on children she doesn’t approve of. Ned keeps up with his sense of duty we saw in the pilot, killing the dog himself. If the dog must die, it’s best he do it kindly.
The other plots tonight were not so fully realized. In the book, Catelyn is in full grief mode, finally waking up with the attempted murder. Here, she’s more normal, making the wreath for Bran and seeming more sane. Her speech to the others in the godswood was probably the worst of the night, only because it was so obviously expository. Ned and Robert’s was too, but we know them, so we focused on their chemistry and talk of big tits. Her decision that Bran was pushed is a little sudden here, as well, including the added touch of finding blonde hair in the tower. (I’m not sure this is ever explained - how did Cersei and Jaime get up there anyway?)
My favorite section of the book so far is the consummation of Dany and Khal’s marriage. For those unfamiliar, it’s a significant change from the show. Dany begins to cry, and Khal still begins to disrobe her. But he’s extremely gentle, taking his time and getting to know her body, and then eventually her sexual organs. The only word he knows is “no,” so when he figures it’s time, he says, “No?” She is longer scared, and knows he’s not quite the brute he seemed like. She says, “Yes,” and jams his finger inside of her.
Instead, we have the weird lesbian subtext with one of her servants. I get how she’s taking some control in her life, trying to make decent of a bad situation. But, considering how rape-y the consummation scene was in the pilot, it almost seems like Stockholm Syndrome and she’s trying to please her rapist. It seemed a little bizarre, especially with the woman-on-woman grinding thrown in for good effect. I did like how Dany was clothed in the final scene, though. Not intentional by Dany, but an effect of her taking some control. I’m expecting a messy clash with Viserys (and probably some incest, eventually).
In the shortest storyline, Jon and Tyrion go to the Wall, and Jon finds the Wall isn’t manned by honorable, fine men like him, but criminals. Their friendship should be a strong point in the future, from what I’m seeing. Nice makeup to make Jon seem weary in his final shot of the episode.
Overall, I’m liking where we’re going. There’s a lot of good things, but too many scenes still feel cursory. As we get deeper, I’m sure that’ll go away.
