This was still fairly solid, but in many ways this was the worst episode. We see too little of the actual fight, too much of the flashback, and unfortunately, the flashback doesn't really work for me, with how Dunk turns out. He seems too old when he got picked up by Ser Pennytree, and given the living conditions he grew up in and what he went through and was exposed to in his early years, it makes little sense how absurdly naive he seems in the first few episodes.
Actually nah, I'm being way too kind. This episode is basically on the edge of just being shit. Especially with how insanely durable Dunk is, and how shit of a knight he is. Like legit he is terrible at fighting and all that saves him is plot armor, he gets stabed several times and hit in the head with a mace, not to mention the initial lance hit, what the fuck? This was insane for him to still go on. Even if he did win, he should just be dead at the end.
Also, even in the flashback, the wound he took and given his circumstance, there is no fucking way he should have been fine. Walking around without even bandaging it with something... like come on...
@Kezmark
Dunk could be really that dim-witted to stay as naive as he is even after having endured tough childhood. Perhaps, not quite Hodor, but close.
This happens in the universe with fire breathing dragons and hosts of other magical things. If you actually accept those supernatural occurences, what stops you from accepting that local units have better heal factor than real people.
I guess, when I compared it to Walter Scott's Ivanhoe, I didn't know about health packs our heroes find on the road
Yes it happens in that universe. But, it wasn't all that consistent in GoT either and that was bad as well. I don't know. I don't like it, but hey whatever. I don't think you need to push it that far to prove his resilience. If anything it cheapens it, and for me, took me right out of it.
I mean, he's less naive in the flashback honestly. And also, he's supposed to be 16-18 years old in present day (which fair enough, the actor is nowhere near), but that would mean that he'd only spent a few years with Ser Arlan, since he doesn't look that young in the flashback. And I don't think that makes much sense from what we've seen. If anything I'm pretty sure he looks younger in some of the getting slapped flashbacks.
Again, the flashback isn't in the source material and it does more harm than anything else. I'm not even sure what it's supposed to achieve. I don't think seeing the flashback changes anything for who Dunk is, or why.
@Kezmark
My theory of Dunk being just naturally dumb precludes his further character development and hinders our, show watchers', will to empathize with him.
Or this assumption of mine will require an explanation down the road when Dunk starts wising up and changing, why all of a sudden his capability to grow has improved.
Again, the flashback isn't in the source material and it does more harm than anything else. I'm not even sure what it's supposed to achieve. I don't think seeing the flashback changes anything for who Dunk is, or why.
The flashbacks show Dunk was a naively optimistic guy from young age.
The flashbacks also build up this idea that he's more resilient than an average person. This works as a justification for how much damage he endures during the trial with some of that damage being a bit on the exaggerated side (the lance's puncture isn't that deep, but the blood on it makes you think otherwise; there's also that palm stabbing...).
The third and final reason for the flashbacks is cutting costs. The trial is from Dunk's pov, which is neatly built from the moment he puts the helmet on and the camera switches inside the helmet. We are not shown much of the other fights going around, most of the time the other fights are just background noise to the main 1v1. Those fights get clarity only when affecting Dunk (Raymund's two interventions; Baelor and Lyonel stopping Maekr). While this is very well done from a narrative and cinematic standpoint, it's also cheaper than having to film and piece together 7+ parallel fights. The flashbacks give us an insight on Dunk's upbringing at a much cheaper cost than having 20+ minutes of tourney combat.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is on the cheap side. The show's budget is 50-60 millions which ain't that much by today's standards. They were able to achieve a lot with this budget. I wish the episodes were a bit longer. The bloom sometimes is infuriating and I don't know why we get it so often given that they filmed this outdoors. I also wish they didn't cut "a knight who remembers his vows" from the script and showed more that the commoners were on Dunk's side.
But overall I find this to be a great show. I haven't been so excited for a new episode in years.
I'm not debating this more, cause I don't really see much point. I've pretty much said most of what I wanted to say. I'm just going to be snarky and say that making a 6 episode, 30 min per episode show, that's 80% just walking and talking for 50-60 million is hardly impressive.
And hey, I like the show overall, it's been very enjoyable. With the exception of this episode at least. I had mixed feelings about the episode, and the longer it's been, the worse I feel about it.
@Kezmark
Dunk could be really that dim-witted to stay as naive as he is even after having endured tough childhood. Perhaps, not quite Hodor, but close.
This happens in the universe with fire breathing dragons and hosts of other magical things. If you actually accept those supernatural occurences, what stops you from accepting that local units have better heal factor than real people.
I guess, when I compared it to Walter Scott's Ivanhoe, I didn't know about health packs our heroes find on the road
Not sure i agree he's overly naive, he's not well spoken and just very emotionally driven (his background + he's a knight, supposed to do what is right), but not even close to how naive his GF was.. Stealing and then expecting to get a free card? That wasn't very believable. If she's this good at thieving she would know better, that she needs to get the fuck away, fast. She would have been dead after her first attempt, if walking away slowly and not even looking over her shoulder is her idea of how to do it.
Not sure the actor's age, but yeah, maybe slightly too old in terms of how he's portrayed. Meh, i have no bigger issue with it, show is just great overall, but watch whatever else there is for a current better Fantasy show i guess. You're not going to find it because good or even just decent Fantasty is a super rare treat.
rigor mortis just heals itself huh ? or did i miss anything ... faking plot armor
well, Baratheon did say this "doctor" was lousy and didn't know what the hell he was talking about before sending him off..
I hope S1 is a bit of a test to see if it "works", what reviews and view numbers would look like etc, so that in S2 we get 45min to 1h episodes at least.
What a shitty video, they mix together some funny videos with the actors alongside stuff that doesn't have anything to do with the title and slapped and AI voice over it.
A great GoT show, based on novels that doesn't have an ending yet? Hm, where have I heard that before Can't believe I'm falling for this again, but gonna start watching tonight. I'll just think the journey is more important than the destination
Edit: so saw the season in a single session, felt like a good movie. Wasn't aware it's a stand-alone season, was very good.
There must have been a door there in the wall, when I came in.
Truly gone fishing.
It's Mandalorian season 1 all over again. Straightforward plots, short episodes, no magical powers, likable characters. Everyone praises its concise simplicity. It all goes downhill starting season 2.
The left must be furious with this show. No strongk wahman, no lesbos, no evil father, no evil Fantasy Trump to be seen anywhere. The usual bait and switch?
it's a very basic premise that just works, i agree, similar to Mandalorian s1 in that way, just with better actors and not trying to appeal to kids (they would want far more action etc).
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