Nothing TABOO

Article first published as TABOO Review on Seat42F.

FX’s newest drama is TABOO, premiering tonight. It is the story of a man, James Keziah Delaney, who has spent the past decade in Africa under shady circumstances, and who has just returned home to London, England in the year of Our Lord 1814. Inheriting his father’s property and shipping business should be an easy thing, but even if Delaney were right in the head, which he doesn’t seem to be, he’d find it a challenge given the dark mysteries of his family and the many enemies who seek his wealth for themselves.

Given that TABOO is airing on FX, it stars the terrific Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant), and is created by Steven Knight of Peaky Blinders fame, as well as Tom and his father, I expect good things from the series. Its ensemble cast, which includes Jonathan Pryce (Brazil, Game of Thrones), Oona Chaplin (The Hour, Quantum of Solace), Michael Kelly (House of Cards), Mark Gatiss (Sherlock), Jason Watkins (Trollied), Nicholas Woodeson (Rome), Tom Hollander (The Night Manager), Stephen Graham (Boardwalk Empire), Franka Potente (Copper), Jefferson Hall (Vikings), and more, adds even more promise. There is lots of talent bringing their skills to bear on this one!

Which means it’s extra disappointing when the show ends up being a dud, a rare misstep for FX.

I’d say the biggest problem is that it doesn’t really seem to be going anywhere. The pacing is very slow, but rather than feeding us bits of the story as it goes to keep us engaged, very little happens or is revealed in the first hour. It plods along and I keep waiting for even a little bit of a hook, but fail to find one.

The other option a series has, besides a gripping story, is to have very magnetic characters, but TABOO lacks those as well. Pryce is always wonderful, and I enjoy him as a villain here. Chaplin is very good in this, too, her character of Zilpha having a very weird relationship with half-brother Delaney. Others of the group do a decent job, but don’t stand out as all that memorable, and Delany himself isn’t well-defined enough to be interesting. He has a little bit of a presence, but trying to attribute mystic qualities to him just because he spent time in Africa (nope, doesn’t get any more specific than that) feels forced, and there really isn’t anything in the pilot to make you want to root for him, or even care what happens to him.

So what we’re left with is an hour that’s pretty excruciating to sit through, and it ends without any motivating factor to tune in again.

What TABOO does well is the production design. The gritty side of old London comes through strongly, providing nice contract to less grounded productions. For those who watch a lot of PBS, this is going to have a very different feel. The shadows and the muck work well with the tone the series is trying to set, and the opulence of the East India Trading Company clashes nicely with the more common men and women portrayed. The world is built is visually neat.

That isn’t enough, though, for repeat watching. It puzzles me why the BBC ran this, or why FX would want to pick it up, as it seems off-brand for both. I’m not sure where it fits in their lineups, especially on the American cable network, and I can’t imagine it’s going to stick around for a second season, given the lackluster reviews its getting. It doesn’t seem likely to draw many eyeballs on either platform.

TABOO premieres tonight at 10/9c on FX.

GAME OF THRONES - The Complete Sixth Season

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: "Game of Thrones - The Complete Sixth Season" on Blogcritics.

HBO’s Game of Thrones hits Blu-ray, digital, and DVD with its latest season just in time for the holidays. By now, anyone who might be interested in this release, The Complete Sixth Season, already knows the players and settings pretty well, hooked into the battle of sex, violence, and political intrigue for years. Who will end up ruling Westeros, and who else among our favorites might survive the bloody, never-ending conflicts? The sixth year continues those threads and tees up the final two, shorter seasons, set to air next summer and the year after.

A lot of exciting stuff happens in sixth season. The North descends further into chaos as Ramsey Bolton (Iwan Rheon) secures his hold on the land. At the same time, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) and a resurrected Jon Snow (Kit Harington) build an army to unseat Bolton, the bastard sitting in their departed father’s chair. Further north, the brothers at The Wall are thrown into chaos, and beyond that, Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright) reappears after a season off, and we finally learn the story behind fan-favorite Hodor’s (Kristian Nairn) name in a very memorable episode.

Looking south, King’s Landing is a mess as Cersei (Lena Headey) and Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) each try to bend the ear of the ineffectual King Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman), who continues to be stream-rolled by The High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce). A clear winner emerges by the end of the year, probably surprising even Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), who has come home to the capital. However, the new ruler shouldn’t get too comfortable, as the vengeful Sands steal control of Dorne and look towards the Red Keep.

This isn’t even taking into account what’s going on across the sea, with Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) training to take her revenge, and Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) trying to hold a city together for the MIA Daenerys (Emilia Clarke). And off the coast of Westeros, Yara (Gemma Whelan) and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) struggle with murderous family members to attempt to hold onto their own lands.

This is all only a very brief overview of a busy ten episodes, which include many more characters and scenarios. The pacing is excellent, everything constantly in motion, and the various threads balanced beautifully. The world created continues to be grounded and compelling, and it’s very easy to see why this is one of the most popular series being made right now.

However, as a fan of the books first, I still find it a bit hard to overlook the horrible way in which the TV show departed from the source material. For four seasons, Game of Thrones was a pretty faithful adaptation of the novels. Beginning in season five, and continuing even more blatantly this year, the story has gone in a myriad of different directions, thumbing its nose at the author, George R.R. Martin. I get that a video medium needs to take certain liberties, but either it stays fairly true or it is its own thing; I can’t recall another example of a show that started the former and changed to the latter mid-stream. While part of this may be because the show has gotten ahead of the books in many regards, Martin being a notoriously slow writer, it still feels fundamentally wrong, a betrayal of the fans.

And yet, I can’t stop watching. I have come to love these actors and their portrayals of the characters, and if I can push the books out of my mind, it’s still a very good show. It makes me supremely sad that such an excellent show is tainted in this way, but at this point, it’s too late to change that. I am committed to seeing it through to the end regardless, even as I already long for a re-do in the future.

HBO usually takes good care of its viewers in terms of extras on their home releases, and Game of Thrones – The Complete Sixth Season is no exception. Besides the expected deleted scenes and audio commentaries (thirteen for ten episodes!), there is an in-episode guide that seems invaluable for such a complex, interwoven tale. The guide also provides background info for the series, not just the story, which means there is useful trivia even if one is already well-versed in all things Westeros. Adding to the mythology are a batch of “Histories & Lore,” as told by the characters.

Beyond that, there is an in-depth look at the impressive Battle of the Bastards sequence and a peek at the work done in Paint Hall. We also get to see how the Dothraki made their come back in the production after having been out of the story so long. So there is quite an impressive array of bonus material.

Despite my reservations about Misters Benioff and Weiss, the show-runners, and some of the (in my opinion) poor decisions they’ve made of late, Game of Thrones remains a must-see program, and this set is well worth a look.

Game of Thrones – The Complete Sixth Season is available now.

Every GAME OF THRONES Is a "Gift"

Article originally published as GAME OF THRONES Review Season 5 Episode 7 The Gift on Seat42F.

This week’s GAME OF THRONES gives us “The Gift” of great story, albeit one that is leaving the book series behind quite rapidly. Right now, there aren’t many big offensives sweeping the Seven Kingdoms, nor armies clashing on the field of battle. The characters are all mainly concerned with what is happening in their own locale. But this is important, resolving a number of smaller plots before the tale goes big picture again, as must inevitably happen.

Let’s start with, in my opinion, the most affecting thread this week, which involves Sansa (Sophie Turner) asking Theon (Alfie Allen) for help. Viewers may feel sympathy for Theon last week when he cries while he watches Sansa be assaulted, though he frustratingly does not act. When Sansa reminds him who he is and begs him to signal for help, he agrees, but quickly betrays her to Ramsay (Iwan Rheon).

Theon is truly Reek now, too terrified of Ramsay to act. Those tears may have been sympathy, but they were not a sign that he would turn on his master. As Theon tells Sansa, there are worse things that being killed and Theon has lived through them. Compared to his existence a year or two ago, Theon is relatively comfortable now. He doesn’t want to risk going back to the worse.

So how can Sansa escape? Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) remains outside of Winterfell, waiting for a sign that won’t be coming. Theon is Sansa’s only hope that she knows of, no one else being granted access to visit her locked room besides Ramsay himself, and Theon no longer seems a viable option. Sansa has shown more of a spine this season, and her grabbing the corkscrew in “The Gift” might prove she’s willing to take matters into her own hands. Not well experienced, though, can she be successful with such a venture?

Speaking of strong women, Tyene Sand (Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, Mia and Me) taunts Bronn (Jerome Flynn) through the bars of their respective prisons. Tyene reveals how dangerous she is when her scratch almost kills Bronn. But she’s not cruel enough to let him die, so I can’t hate her, at least not yet. GAME OF THRONES hasn’t given us enough of the Sand Snakes yet to really judge them, but this interaction is a fun, tense scene that makes for good entertainment.

While Tyene and Sansa display their resolve, Cersei (Lena Headey) does the opposite. She thinks she is at the top of her game, reveling in the imprisonment of Margaery (Natalie Dormer) and rubbing the victory in the young queen’s face. (I believe Cersei is sincere about her devotion to Tommen (Dean Charles-Chapman) but not in her promise to help his wife.) However, that leaves Cersei vulnerable, too pleased with herself to watch her back. And so, as has been anticipated by fans for weeks, “The Gift” finds the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) locking Cersei herself up by the end of the hour.

The High Sparrow has quickly proven to be a very dangerous man. He’s not mean, but he has strong opinions and beliefs and lives by them fully. If he could be persuaded to compromise by anyone, Olenna (Diana Rigg) would have been the one to do it, but he remains completely unmoved by her pleas, logic, and threats alike. Being so rigid means the High Sparrow will give no credence to anyone’s advice but his own, and that means, righteous or not, he’s an enemy that cannot be reasoned with.

At the Wall, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) leaves, almost as stubborn in his mission, not convinced by the likes of his First Ranger and others to change course on the Wildlings. To be fair, Jon is in the right, but being in the right doesn’t help Samwell (John Bradley), who struggles to protect Gilly (Hannah Murray) from his own black brothers when he doesn’t have many friends left around to help him. Might it be time for Sam to break his vows, and could Jon ever forgive such an action, no matter how true Sam’s intentions, when the punishment for such is death?

These are just some of the plots in “The Gift,” as GAME OF THRONES has a lot of moving parts at all times. Other highlights of the hour include Sam’s touching eulogy for the departed Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan), Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) convincing someone to buy him, Jorah (Iain Glen) fighting for the attention of Daenerys (Emilie Clarke), Daario (Michiel Huisman) pointing out to Daenerys that she’s the only one in Mereen not free, and Stannis (Stephen Dillane) firmly shutting down Melisandre’s (Carice van Houten) suggestion that he sacrifice his daughter. There’s a lot going on, and as usual, it’s quite good.

My only complaint, and this is an ongoing one, is that GAME OF THRONES starts off very faithful to the books, and now has been completely disregarding them. It’s something I’ve decided I have to let go, taking the television show completely on its own from this point forward. There are likely to still be some similarities between the two, but now the differences vastly outnumber those. I still feel betrayed by those making the show, since this does not seem to be their game plan at the beginning, but I do still think the TV program is excellent.

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

GAME OF THRONES Remains "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken"

Article first written for Seat42F.

In the latest installment of HBO’s GAME OF THRONES, our heroes remain “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.” They sure have more than their share of challenges to overcome, so that’s quite impressive. Among the tribulations this week, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Jorah (Iain Glen) are captured by slavers, Arya (Maisie Williams) learns secrets in the House of Black and White, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Bronn (Jerome Flynn) fail to execute a rescue, Margaery (Natalie Dormer) and Loras (Finn Jones) face trial, and Sansa (Sophie Turner) marries a monster.

Poor Sansa. She has worse luck than pretty much anyone else in GAME OF THRONES, and that’s saying something! Her marriage to Tyrion, the disfigured, older dwarf is probably the best thing that happens to her. But now, back in Winterfell, she must wed Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon), arguably the most twisted individual in the Seven Kingdoms, and that is also saying something.

Yet, Sansa remains “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.” She doesn’t start out as strong as most Starks. She alone of Ned’s children seems fragile and easily manipulated. Throughout her travels, though, she has steadily found a solid core she can rely upon and a self-reliance that would do her parents proud as evidenced by her bearing throughout the hour. It’s quite surprising to see this, and while she certainly doesn’t have fun being raped by Ramsay in front of Theon (Alfie Allen), I don’t think this will completely destroy her, either. She will overcome.

Might Theon be able to assist Sansa by escaping with her? Theon did some very bad things early in GAME OF THRONES, but he has paid for his mistakes by now. Had he actually killed Sansa’s brothers, as she believes he did, there would be no redemption for him, but he did not. Mostly, he just played at war. While his actions did lead to the fall of Winterfell, the keep probably would have fallen anyway if he’d not acted, given the chaos around it.

Theon has been broken severely by Ramsay, and for awhile, it seems like who he is is gone forever. However, there’s something in his eyes in “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” even if those adjectives don’t describe him. Now that he must watch Sansa suffer, someone he feels deep regret for hurting and a older brotherly-type of protectiveness, he may find an inner motivation he could not muster to save himself. Let’s hope that’s what happens.

Half a world away, Arya is doing the opposite of Theon, not finding herself but losing herself. In order to join the Faceless Men, she must learn to lie and give up who she is. “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” sees her make significant progress on this, leading a girl to her death and being allowed into the chamber of faces. I can’t help but think Sansa may be her family’s future since Arya likely won’t be a Stark at all for much longer.

But is anyone ever truly not themselves? Jorah’s father was a part of the Night’s Watch, men who give up their families and former lives. Yet, when Jorah hears of his dad’s death via Tyrion this week, he looks pained. Even long after a patriarch leaves a clan, there are residual feelings from a bond forged too hard to even be completely severed. It’s a moving scene that reminds us of this.

In King’s Landing, Cersei (Lena Headey) believes she scores a major victory against the Tyrells when the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) arrests the queen and her brother. Cersei’s smug smirk, honestly telling Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) she cannot do anything for Olenna’s grandchildren, shows how victorious Cersei feels. Things are finally going her way.

I can’t help but feel Cersei doesn’t realize there’s another shoe to drop. She has granted the High Sparrow too much power, and by allowing him to take a queen, Cersei doing nothing as the ineffective child king Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) watches on in horror, she grants the High Sparrow even more. Yet, Cersei is one of the biggest sinners in the city. She doesn’t realize that she will probably be the next target, and she really should. Her impending downfall will be her own fault.

The one thing that didn’t sit right with me this week is that Lancel (Eugene Simon) and his fellow sparrows don’t arrest Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) when he returns to the capital. Littlefinger is a big offender and not nearly as powerful as Cersei. His crimes against the religion are known, his brothel having already been raided. Why do they hesitate? Is the High Sparrow just waiting to see how Cersei will react to Margaery’s arrest to gauge how far he can push the ruling body? I think Littlefinger should have been taken into custody.

Assuming Littlefinger flees the city before he is taken, I do fully believe that Littlefinger will kill Sansa in a heartbeat if it will advance his position. He isn’t just blowing smoke up Cersei’s skirt when he tells Cersei he agrees with the queen mother. However, he’s also a long-game guy, so it may be wise for him to agree with Cersei but not actually execute Sansa, as it would be awfully hard to rule over the rebellious north after murdering a daughter of such a respected house. Just know that he will do whatever best suits him, with no regard for anyone else, and that makes him dangerous.

I won’t go into how much “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” differs from the books this week (see past my past reviews for that). At this point, GAME OF THRONES has made a number of huge departures from the source material, which makes the show unpredictable. Taken on its own, it remains a solid, engaging series, though, and one I enjoy. I do think what the current showrunners are doing is a despicable betrayal of the book fans, but at least they are making good television while they do it.

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

GAME OF THRONES Fights "Harpy"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

“The Sons of the Harpy” are just one of the dangers faced in this week’s GAME OF THRONES on HBO. King’s Landing seems to dissolve further into chaos, with the leadership of the city in doubt. Mereen is in a very similar situation because of the group in this episode’s title. Strong families in the North and South make plans to strike towards the unstable middle, but who will win remains far from certain.

Let’s start with Mereen, which is where the hour ends. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) continues to resist reopening the fighting pits, no matter how strongly Hizdahr (Joel Fry) argues for it. As a consequence, “The Sons of the Harpy” continue to slaughter her men, possibly taking out Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) and Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) in the final scene.

One can’t help but wonder if Hizdahr is working for the enemy. It may just be coincidence that he argues for one of the things that the Harpys want just before the attack, but in GAME OF THRONES, it’s hard to know where loyalties lie.

Whether Hizdahr is connected to the bad guys or not, I don’t know if Daenerys should give in. Many governments, that of the current United States included, have a policy against negotiating with terrorists. If Daenerys allows these tactics to work on her now, how soon before they use them again to force her into something else? If Grey Worm and Barristan are dead, though, which is unclear, she has little protection left to her and she may need to do something to stay on the throne.

One reason we have reason to hope Barristan is alive is because he is a storied, long-lived fighter, evidenced in the story Little Finger (Aidan Gillen) tells Sansa (Sophie Turner) in the crypts. Barristan is a bit player in the tale, which is used to remind Sansa of her lineage and how she must be strong, whether marrying a man she hates, or taking over as Wardeness of the North if Stannis (Stephen Dillane) arrives to retake Winterfell. But it reminds us that Barristan is around for much of the chaos earlier, and came out strong. He may do so again.

Daenerys may soon have more help in the form of Jorah (Iain Glen) and / or Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), who are on their way to her. She has reason to distrust both and may not take kindly to their arrival, but they both want to assist the queen. She could use more allies, and hopefully she will be reasonable enough to listen to them and what they have to offer.

Pivoting to the North, Stannis prepares to march to Winterfell, but before he does, he shares a very sweet moment with his daughter, Shireen (Kerry Ingram). Scarred and detested by her mother, Selyse (Tara Fitzgerald), Shireen has every reason in the world to be down on herself. Yet, in “The Sons of the Harpy,” she makes a connection to her dad, who does show his affection for her. Stannis is a busy man with a lot to think about, but the fact that he takes a little time out for his child says a lot about him, his often stoic disposition aside.

Stannis is staying with Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and The Night’s Watch presently. Jon is still refusing to help Stannis, as The Night’s Watch is not supposed to get involved with the affairs of the seven kingdoms, being above family alliances. He is tested, though, when he has to ask the Boltons, among others, for help in recruitment even though they killed his family. He is also tempted by a naked Melisandre (Carice van Houten), but resists. Can Jon stay strong and do what needs to be done to carry the mantle he has assumed?

I say yes because Jon is Ned Stark’s son. He may not be Ned’s biological child, a fact teased in Littlefinger’s story, which just may have quietly revealed Jon’s parentage for those paying attention (or not; all we have for now are rumors), but he was raised by Ned and that means a lot. He follows in Ned’s noble footsteps, putting duty above all else.

Those in King’s Landing are pretty much the opposite. Cersie (Lena Headey) finds a way to regain control when she sends Mace Tyrell (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) away to deal with a financial issue and empowers the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) to raise an army and arrest Loras (Finn Jones), spurring Margaery (Natalie Dormer) to leave in anger when weak King Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) can’t free her brother. But Cersei has sins greater than Loras, and I can’t help but feel that the High Sparrow’s men will not care that she is the king’s mother when it comes time to charge her. She is playing with fire here.

This is a time when King’s Landing needs to be united. In Dorne, Ellaria (Indira Varma) and the Sand Snakes (The Almighty Johnsons’ Keisha Castle-Hughes, Mia and Me’s Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, and Silk’s Jessica Henwick) are planning to start a war with King’s Landing. Their time table is moved up when they learn Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) has arrived to take away their leverage. The thing is, I don’t know if there will be anyone left in the capital for them to fight, given the uneasy state of things.

There are many great scenes in “The Sons of the Harpy.” I particularly like the interchanges between Jon and Sam (John Bradley), Jamie and Bronn (Jerome Flynn), and Tyrion and Jorah. All these moving parts are hard to balance, but GAMES OF THRONES does. With so many interconnecting players, though, it’s impossible to figure out where things will end up, especially as the show departs further and further from the source material, rushing through the existing material, skipping huge chunks, and making bold changes. The only thing for certain is that the story will be feature enjoyable messes.

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

"High Sparrow" Doesn't Play the GAME OF THRONES

Article originally written for Seat42F.

As usual, a lot happens to many different people in this week’s GAME OF THRONES on HBO. I could write a sprawling introduction, but that seems a little pointless for an hour like this, so let’s just get to it.

First, the episode is called “High Sparrow,” so as one might expect, we meet the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce, Wolf Hall, Pirates of the Caribbean), a mild-mannered individual who truly lives his faith. His followers are terrorizing the High Septon (Paul Bentley) and his ilk as punishment for their hypocrisy. When the Septon asks the High Council to put a stop to the group, Cersei (Lena Headey) jails him and elevates the High Sparrow as a replacement.

This seems very short-sighted of Cersei. She is guilty of at least as many sins as the Septon is. Who is to say that the group won’t come after her next? Cersei is likely trying to do what she always does, buy loyalty by giving status, but that doesn’t seem like the type of thing that will work on the High Sparrow, a man who gives away even his shoes to those in need. A person like that cannot be bought, and Cersei is certainly setting herself up for punishment.

That is, if she’s even still in King’s Landing. Margaery (Natalie Dormer) marries Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman), and the first thing she does after cradle-robbing sex is slyly ‘suggest’ to her husband that his mother might be happier back in Casterly Rock. We haven’t seen a lot of Margaery’s conniving ways in GAME OF THRONES yet, but a woman that has married three kings in as many years is shrewd. Now that Cersei is all that stands between Margaery and the Iron Throne, Tommen being an easily influenced puppet, her claws are coming out.

All of this sets up a fantastic dynamic in King’s Landing. What I love about GAME OF THRONES is that it constantly tears down the people who have the power. From King Robert in season one, to those who grabbed various splinters of it after his fail, such as Robb Stark and Tywin Lannister, no one stays in charge for long. At this point, those left tend to be the lesser players, which makes the battles more messy and frequent, none as equipped to play the long strategy game. “High Sparrow” sets up what should be some very entertaining conflicts.

The one ruler in the land who does have a handle on things is Jon Snow (Kit Harington). In “High Sparrow,” Jon makes all the right moves. He promotes his nemesis that deserves respect, Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale), winning back over his detractors. He tries to promote Slynt (Dominic Carter), too, but when Slynt doesn’t know when to keep his mouth shut, Jon executes him to solidify his position. He refuses Stannis’ (Stephen Dillane) offer to rule the North again because of his vow, as noble as his father was.

That last one is slightly troubling. Ned Stark was so noble that it got him killed. Will Jon be similarly short-sighted? I don’t think so. The reason being, Jon took up with a Wildling girl, indicating that he knows when to toe the line and when to diverge from it. I never bought that Ned is Jon’s biological father, as cheating on his wife would be totally out of character for Ned, so while Jon may have taken Ned’s values, I don’t think he’ll be as stringent as Ned was, not a clone of the dead man.

Now as for who Jon’s real parents are, well, that’s a topic of much debate, and if you want speculation, I recommend googling. I will say I think there is Stark blood there, and also another noble family lineage.

Winterfell’s new rulers seem much less established. Roose (Michael McElhatton) decides to wed his bastard, Ramsay (Iwan Rheon), to Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), which he thinks will win him over the North. But the Northerners are stubborn and are likely to see right through this. Either Sansa becomes worthy of her surname and takes out Ramsay to rule herself, or the other lords in the surrounding areas will think she’s a pawn not worth following. The marriage won’t last in the rebuilt Winterfell, which it’s sad to see again under these circumstances.

Might Theron (Alfie Allen) be off assistance to Sansa? Theon betrayed the Starks previously, but he’s clearly not happy in his new position under Ramsay. The question is whether all personality has been flayed from him, or if there’s still something within the lad that will allow him to fight back. If so, this man whom Sansa despises, with good reason, could end up being her most vital allay.

SPOILER! In the books, Ramsay weds a fake Sansa since no one knows where the real Sansa is and practically anyone that would recognize her as dead anyway. I kind of dig this change because Sansa’s plot in the page gets rather dull around here. It gives the struggle higher stakes to have Sana involved. I’m most interested to see where this is going, and if it continues to follow the books, with Sansa taking over her imposter’s role.

Sansa is also the last real Stark. Robb is dead, Jon is a bastard, Bran is with the Three-Eyed Crow and not likely to come home, Rickon is god-knows-where and still quite young, and Arya (Maisie Williams) is choosing to become No One. If a Stark is to play a role in the GAME OF THRONES again any time soon, it must be Sansa, though I assume Rickon will have to return at some point to carry on the name.

“High Sparrow” ends with a heck of a cliffhanger when Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen) nabs Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) in a brothel. It’s a worlds-collide moment that is highly satisfying. Jorah says he’s taking Tyrion to ‘The Queen.’ Does that mean Cersei, who has offered a hefty reward? Or does he refer to Daenerys (Emilie Clarke), whom Jorah might hope to win back a position from with such a valuable hostage? Given Jorah’s status as a desperate, aimless cast-out, it could very well be either, though Tyrion should hope for the latter, the former meaning certain death.

As usual, I didn’t get to everything in the episode because GAME OF THRONES packs a lot into every hour. So far, the show been wisely choosing who to use and when, keeping enough tabs on the main players, while not forcing story where it doesn’t need to be. “High Sparrow” continues this trend, and is a very entertaining installment.

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.