Winter is Coming (GoT is back)

[Dereich]

Ugh....I feel like this is a blatant attempt to force people who didn't like Daenerys to support her. The show's choices for the throne are now a Lannister puppet, a man who just murdered his daughter for a small advantage or Dany. It's too bad that the writers are going all in on this conflict being purely good vs evil; shades of grey and sympathetic villains (excepting the Boltons/Freys) have been one of the biggest draws for me.

[Dereich]

I doubt it; appearing to burn Shireen causes many more problems than it solves: the stand-in wouldn't have king's blood so there's less advantage from R'hllor and the army is demoralized by seeing the heir to the throne burned alive. No, it was definitely her.

As for the Baratheon heir after Shireen; I guess it'd be Gendry or another of Robert's bastards. Otherwise it'd have to be some obscure Baratheon cousin never mentioned in the books or the show. However, I don't see Stannis being that big on legitimizing Robert's bastards....It's one of the biggest problems I have with him doing this to Shireen.

[Dereich]

Wait, so has the TV show caught up with the book?9

Other than a couple of scenes, yes.

Out of curiosity which ones are you thinking of? (I've been spoiled up to AFFC/ADWD and all the TWOW sample chapters)

Arya hasn't caught up yet since she's just going blind now. The Ironborn stuff also hasn't happened. They couldn't cut that, could they? It seems so important! Oh, and Kevan is still alive.

[Dereich]

Wait, so has the TV show caught up with the book?9

Other than a couple of scenes, yes.

Out of curiosity which ones are you thinking of? (I've been spoiled up to AFFC/ADWD and all the TWOW sample chapters)

Arya hasn't caught up yet since she's just going blind now. The Ironborn stuff also hasn't happened. They couldn't cut that, could they? It seems so important! Oh, and Kevan is still alive.

There's also Jaime and the Riverlands.

I assume they're cutting that if they cut Sansa in the Vale and Stoneheart. Maybe everyone will end up in the Riverlands for it next season?

Sam's storyline is also further in the books.

[Dereich]

There are people who don't?

[Dereich]

I was hoping for great things from Alexander Siddig and his character....oh well. Anyone want to defend how that plotline has continued to develop?

[Dereich]

That was a very powerful episode, in my opinion.

If there's something to truly enjoy from Season 6 is that, finally, the plot is moving ahead.

Except in Braavos.

I don't want to say any spoilers just yet since there are still people who haven't seen it, but those last 5 minutes were unexpectedly powerful to me. I didn't expect them to connect that character's strangeness to the plot at large; I really like how they did it here.