Yes, another Game of Thrones topic. The Season 8 premiere is 9 days away and the hype for me is almost at the peak of hypeness. If you are like me you are currently tearing through your re-watch so you can remember everything that happened leading up to Season 8. However, what if you have waited until the very last minute (this weekend and next week) in order to start your re-watch and you know that there is no realistic way to get through the show before next Sunday? Well I am here to help!
I am also here to explain why the city of L.A. is going through some basketball struggles and my thoughts after just beating God of War for this first time this month.
1) (Captain America detention voice) So you waited until the weekend before the Season 8 premiere of Game of Thrones to re-watch the whole show and now you don't have time?
Well that is alright because I am here to help! I am finished with my re-watch and I have determined which episodes are the most important to watch before the final season begins on the 14th of April.
This re-watch primer will include which episodes are kind of important, pretty important, and absolutely essential (these episodes are bolded) that you view before the new season begins. To make it simple, I will go season by season and include the episodes I think you need to view, starting with season 1.
Season 1
Episode 1: Winter is Coming. Obviously, this is where the whole show started and I think it is important that you see how the story began before you see how it ends. It is also a great pilot and, the entire season itself, really holds up well even though it is about ten years old now. However, since a lot of the characters in this season die or are not alive now, the first season is not absolutely essential to the final season because the plot is such a far departure from the politics of Season 1.
Episode 4: Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things. This episode, like the pilot, basically sets up what the whole show is about. It is about the unlikely, broken characters who make a difference in this dark world. It is about a dwarf who rises about his physical statute to become hand of the queen. It is about a bastard who becomes King of the North. It is about a girl who is sold to a Khal and seen as property only to become the world's greatest conqueror. It is about a crippled boy who, despite losing his legs, can "fly".
Episode 9: Baelor. The episode where Ned dies. The episode where you truly learn how brutal this show can be. One of the many devastating, breaking points in the show that makes this story so great. In case you forgot how frugal life is in this world, watch this one again.
Episode 10: This is where I will start to cheat a little bit...and you can too! Just watch the final twenty minutes or so of this episode because you need to see the first miracle Dany performs and the first time she suffers the loss of a man she loves. It is crucial to her development as a character. It also introduces dragons to the game which changes everything.
Season 2
Episode 7: The Man With No Honor. I would skip around this episode because not everything matters but most of it does. Watch all of the scenes with Jon and Ygritte (mainly because they are good, you do not have to watch them for plot purposes). Also watch the end because it is when Catelyn releases Jamie into the hands of Brienne and they begin their journey and unlikely friendship (and even more?) together.
Episode 9: Blackwater. This episode is not necessary for a re-watch, it is just so good and probably my favorite battle episode that I wanted to include it in here.
Episode 10: The last 25 minutes of this episode are a must watch for any person going through this show. They preview the entire direction of the show and Dany goes on probably the most important dream sequence in the show up to this point. She sees Khal Drogo with their son, she sees the Iron Throne covered in show, and she goes beyond the wall. This sequence did not make too much sense when it first aired, however, now that we have 5 more season behind us, you see how important every scene is. Finally in the last 20 minutes, Sam has an encounter with White Walkers and you see how terrifying they are.
Season 3
Episode 3: Walk of Punishment. Watch the final 10 minutes of this episode. Jamie loses his hand and is reduced to his lowest point. It is the bottom of the bottom for a man we hate in the show. It is also the point where we see Jaime begin to redeem himself and go through one of the greatest character redemption arcs ever.
Episode 4: And Now His Watch is Ended. Watch the last 7 minutes of the episode. You see Dany get the Unsullied, own a slave master, and show off her potential to be a Mad Queen.
Episode 5 and Episode 7: There are really only two scenes I care about in these two episodes. The first is about halfway through Episode 5 when Jaime confesses how he saved the city from the Mad King and all he gets is called the King Slayer for it. It is a truly great confession and builds his relationship with Brienne even more. Next is the final scene of Episode 7. This is when Jaime saves Brienne from being killed by a bear at the hands of the Bolton banner-men. I am a huge fan of Jaime and Brienne's relationship so I love seeing how it grows throughout the show.
Episode 8: Second Sons. Once again, watch the final scene. This is when Sam kills a white walker with dragon glass and we realize that these monsters can be beaten.
Episode 9: Rains of Castamere. In case you forgot how devastating this show is. Watch the whole thing because the episode builds well and there is important stuff in each scene.
Season 4
Overall this season is not as essential to the endgame but it introduces Oberyn Martell, who, is still one of the best characters in show history.
Episode 2: The Lion and the Rose. Last thirty minutes, the entire wedding scene basically. You know why...and if you forgot you will thank me.
Episode 6: The Laws of Gods and Men. Just the trial scenes with Tyrion, especially the last scene where he delivers one of best speeches in show history.
Episode 7: Mockingbird. Skip until the end and watch the whole conversation with Oberyn and Tyrion..."I will be our champion" still gives me goosebumps today.
Episode 8: The Mountain and the Viper. The halfway point when Dany sends Jorah away is heartbreaking and the fight between the Viper and the Mountain is gut-wrenching. Neither are mandatory, but they are both reminders about why this show is so great.
Episode 9 and Episode 10 are both great hours of TV but neither are crucial to the final plot unfortunately. I would watch them both though because they are still so awesome.
Basically in this season only like 45-50 minutes are crucial to season 8 but the season as a whole is very enjoyable.
Season 5
This is definitely my least favorite season of Game of Thrones. I do not have many episodes I recommend from this season, although it has my favorite scene in show history.
Episode 1: The Wars to Come. Just watch the first scene after the title sequence. It has the Valonqar prophecy that will probably (hopefully) have an important role this season (fingers crossed).
Episode 4: Sons of the Harpy. Watch the scene with Sansa and Little Finger in the Crypts of Winterfell. They discuss Lyana Stark and plant the seeds that their relationship may not be what we thought it was. Then watch the scene where Ser Barristan Selmy tells Dany about Rhaegar and how he liked to sing and did not like to kill. Barristan then dies tragically so you can watch that too if you want.
Episode 8: Hardhome. Watch the last half hour of this episode. It has everything you need. Jon fights in an epic battle, you learn how powerful the Night King is, and you learn how heartbreaking it would be to see friends you know and love rise from the dead after being killed by the Night King (which will most certainly happen in Season 8).
Nothing else essential really happens in this season besides that. Dany rides Drogon but that is about it. Also Jon dies...but he comes back so do not worry!
Season 6
Were almost caught all the way up! Only two more seasons to go.
Episode 2: Home. Watch Bran's visions of the past but besides that not too much else happens. Watch Jon come back from the dead at the very end if you want as well.
Episode 3: Oathbreaker. Once again, watch Bran travel to the Tower of Joy. You can watch Ollie hang if you want. I hated that character so that was pretty satisfying to see. This is also at the end of the episode (like the last 5 minutes or so).
Episode 4: Book of the Stranger. Just watch the last ten minutes. Jon gets the famous pink letter from the books and Dany is a Mad Queen again.
Episode 5: The Door. I would watch the entire episode. You get a real introduction to Euron Greyjoy, get an emotional scene with Dany and J-Bear, and see the origin of the White Walkers. It is just a phenomenal episode overall. It also has one of the greatest moments in Game of Thrones history at the end.
Episode 7: The Broken Man. Nothing in this episode is crucial besides the cold open (which is awesome!) but there are some great politics and negotiations which is a nice throwback to how the show used to be. You can skip the Arya stuff though.
Episode 10: The Winds of Winter. Watch the whole episode. In fact, if you only have time to watch two episodes, this one and the final episode of Season 7 are the two you need to watch. The first 10 minutes of this episode are literally perfect. In this episode everyone who is not important for the final battle against the Night King dies. It a perfect way to lead us into season 7. We also get confirmation that Jon is the son of Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark.
Season 7
This is not the greatest season in Game of Thrones history, to put it frankly. Despite the major action sequences, many of the characters' plans and motivations are severely flawed. I did not have as much of a problem with the rapid travel rate as others did, I just did not like how characters acted dumb but did not suffer the consequences of their actions like they did in past seasons.
That being said, the action sequences and visual effects are the best in the history of the show and so many times this show feels like a high budget movie.
I really only think one episode is important in this season.
Episode 7: The Dragon and the Wolf. I would watch this entire episode. Everything that happens to begin Season 8 will start here in episode 7. The wall being destroyed, Jaime leaving Cersei, Dany and Jon being together, the arrival of Winter - it is all here and it sets up an epic final season.
Well that was one big point, huh? Hopefully that helps many of you cram, like I often do before anything. We all live on deadlines for work and school so why would TV binging for a new show be any different?
2) It is no secret that Los Angeles basketball has had problems over the last 24 months. The Clippers, although they seem to be in a successful rebuild, traded away two franchise players in one calendar year. The Lakers cannot seem to land a free agent or have any of their young players stay healthy. The UCLA Bruins cannot seem to get a head coach and USC football hired a offensive coordinator only to have him leave about two weeks later.
These are all very concerning for fans of Los Angeles sports and I think that the teams themselves are the only ones to blame because of one major reason. These teams all have great traditions of winning and dominating others. Because of this they never felt like they needed to pitch themselves to free agents or coaches. They all figured potential candidates would be lining up because of how great the programs are. However, as we have seen, this could not be farther from the truth.
If the rumors are true, UCLA severely underpaid John Calipari in an attempt to get him to leave Kentucky. This then leads to the rumors that they may be backed into hiring an old coach that they fired. They could still hire Jaime Dixon from TCU but UCLA is slowly realizing that they are not the once coveted job they used to be. They can no long land big time recruits and they are struggling to hire head coaches because they rely on the success of the past to propel them forward. They think John Wooden is going to walk through the front doors at the Pavilion and solve their problems. They think that they can underpay potential candidates because the name of UCLA is enticing enough to coach there. Maybe for some coaches it is, but for most, they would rather have security and more money at another school than faces the scrutiny of trying to revive a once great program.
These same issues UCLA faces are the same ones the Lakers are facing. I do not think this is a coincidence. Los Angeles was once the basketball Mecca of the world when UCLA and the Lakers were at the heights of their powers. Now they trust the reputation and success from 50 years ago to be enough to attract talent. The Lakers have struck out all their attempts to court Paul George, Anthony Davis, and Kawhi Leonard so that they can pair them with LeBron James. This offseason does not look to be any more promising for them either and if they strike out in free agency again the Lakers will need to take a long look in the mirror and figure out what is wrong with themselves. Do they have a broken culture? Can they fix it before they waste the final years of LeBron's career? Can they revitalize a once great NBA franchise? None of these answers are apparent for the Lakers and neither are they for UCLA. It is clear that these LA staples have rested on their laurels of the past and allowed hubris to convince them that they are more valued than the coaches or players they wish to have play or coach for them.
The solutions are harder to figure out than the questions but they need to start somewhere. Fixing their culture and mentality is hard too...but it is definitely a start in the right direction.
3) So believe is or not I had never played God of War (2018) before about a month ago...and I have to say...it is absolutely incredible and I regret not playing it as soon as it came out. The gameplay is flawless, the presentation is incredible, and the story (while simple) is rich because of the compelling dynamic between Kratos and his son Atreus. If you have not played it I highly recommend it.
As I said, the gameplay is perfect. Each move and combo you make it perfectly choreographed so that you know exactly what you are doing with each button you press. The battles you face, especially against major bosses, are like a dance where you need to perfect the rhythm and timing in order to win. The combat system is super deep but also simple if you wish to only dodge and then hack-n-slash your way to victory.
The way the game is filmed is completely unique. The camera is entirely one shot which means there are no breaks at all in the action. Like Birdman (the movie), the game is one big tracking shot sequences which makes for some truly incredible sequences that will leave you in awe throughout the game. The world is also rich with storytelling and the visuals are absolutely beautiful with different sections of the game having the their own diverse feel and color schemes to them. The game never grows dull because there is always something exciting to do in this world.
Finally, this story is the best God of War story ever. It perfectly combines elements of Kratos's past with the current story which makes for an easy entry into the series if you have not played any of the games before this. Before this game, I despised Kratos as a character. I thought he was boring, angry, lustful, and an inherently selfish character despite his tragic backstory. This game completely changed my opinion of him. Atreus is the perfect foil to Kratos and you care about them on their journey throughout the whole game. While there are some gaps along the way and some questions I wished we had answers to, the story perfectly balances world building with story-telling as I constantly wanted to hear and learn more about the world.
If you have not played God of War yet please play it as soon as you can! You will not regret it.
My score: 100/100
+ Perfect combat
+ Amazing Story-telling
+ Beautiful, fleshed out world
Those are my three points this week, next week there will be at least three more. Will there more? Find out next time!