Are you caught up? Episode One Episode Two Episode Three Episode Four Episode Five Episode Six There is so much to talk about in this episode. For an episode that begins quietly with very little explicit conflict, lots of understated tension, it sure does become one of the most intense episodes of the whole show.
It's so sad to see Alicent become her father. I initially thought it was a mistake to spend so much time with them young, but seeing Alicent grow from a sweet, caring girl to a cold, distant mother and wife has been heartbreaking. She goes through the motions--somewhat--but her heart is never in it. Rhaenyra got to choose her children; Alicent had them foisted on her and was clearly struggling with them (compare Rhaenyra holding a quiet baby Joffrey to Alicent unhappily trying to soothe a crying Aegon).
There are many layers to the civil war, but--at least so far as the books are concerned--the actual point-of-no-return has yet to be reached, and is probably the season finale, I'd think. I do like how many points there are where things could've been settled, where the whole thing could have been averted if only someone would grab the lifeline.
All this subtle work really is just done so well. The contrasting body language between mother and child, the way one baby cries while another doesn't--they're trusting the audience to understand the story being presented. Which doesn't sound especially bold, but it's something that even the most prestige of Prestige TV often gets wrong (including Game of Thrones near the end!).
The show really is just layering tragedies and both the promise and horror of families.
It's so sad to see Alicent become her father. I initially thought it was a mistake to spend so much time with them young, but seeing Alicent grow from a sweet, caring girl to a cold, distant mother and wife has been heartbreaking. She goes through the motions--somewhat--but her heart is never in it. Rhaenyra got to choose her children; Alicent had them foisted on her and was clearly struggling with them (compare Rhaenyra holding a quiet baby Joffrey to Alicent unhappily trying to soothe a crying Aegon).
There are many layers to the civil war, but--at least so far as the books are concerned--the actual point-of-no-return has yet to be reached, and is probably the season finale, I'd think. I do like how many points there are where things could've been settled, where the whole thing could have been averted if only someone would grab the lifeline.
All this subtle work really is just done so well. The contrasting body language between mother and child, the way one baby cries while another doesn't--they're trusting the audience to understand the story being presented. Which doesn't sound especially bold, but it's something that even the most prestige of Prestige TV often gets wrong (including Game of Thrones near the end!).
The show really is just layering tragedies and both the promise and horror of families.