Throne Room

5 thoughts on Game of Thrones season 8, episode 1

5 thoughts on Game of Thrones season 8, episode 1
HBO

Since enough people asked for this, we will recap each episode of the final season of Game of Thrones. Starting next week, these will be posted shortly after the show. But since we just decided to do it today, this one is a little late.

Warning: Spoilers follow. If you have not watched it yet, proceed at your own risk.

As Dany would say, "shall we begin?"

1) An old school episode

Sunday's show was a contrast to Season 7, where everything moved way too fast. It was more of an old school Thrones episode, with a lot of character interaction. I honestly believe this is when Thrones is at its best. While primarily a setup for later episodes, it featured some strong interactions between Jon and Sansa, Jon and Arya, Sansa and Tyrion, Jon and Bran, and Sam and Dany, Euron and Cersei. It was emotional and well done.

2) Sansa might be the smartest of all

Arya even told Jon that. She is the only one not fooled by Cersei, and is even critical of Tyrion for believing his sister. She is emerging as a strong leader, and a practical one. If someone other than Cersei is to sit on the Iron Throne at the end, Sansa will be a big reason. She gets it and her character evolution is one of the most impressive on the show. She learned her lessons from Lord Baelish well.

3) And the not so good...

The flying dragon love scene was useless. It was an obvious attempt to pander to fans who have been wanting to see it. But it did not serve to move the story. We already know Jon is a Targaryen, a reveal that happened last season. He finds out himself later in the episode, when Sam tells him. This could complicate the Jon and Dany relationship. Sam is loyal to a fault to Jon, but the way she killed his father and brother clearly is going to be an issue going forward.

4) Cersei continues to outsmart everyone

She has always been one step ahead of everyone. Her calculating nature has time and time again beaten her enemies. She is single-minded, and is playing the game at the highest level. She even enlists Bron to kill Jamie and Tyrion if the white walkers fail to do it. (Hard to believe he would). She has played this perfectly; if the Night King's army weakens the Jon/Dany alliance, Cersei will be prepared. From a strategy perspective, she is always a step ahead...Unless the Night King outplays everyone by skipping Winterfell and going straight to King's Landing. But there seems to be no indication of that.

5) Bran awareness

Bran's character continues to be vague and unlikeable. But the last scene when he sees Jamie - who tossed Bran out of the tower and crippled him in season 1 - was powerful, even with no words spoken. The previews for episode 2 indicate Dany is not happy with Jamie killing her father, and I suspect Bran will say Jamie has a part to play. Bran would likely not be the three-eyed raven if he had not been tossed out of the tower, and it appears those two will wind up intertwined again. Still, Bran, along with Gendry and anyone named Greyjoy...just not all that interesting.

The wrap-up

I liked the episode. It sets things up nicely for the final five episodes. The five most interesting characters remain The Night King, Jon, Sansa, Tyrion and Arya. The Night King's message - an impaled child on a wall with a flesh version of the pattern we have seen before - was the only wow moment, but the interaction between characters throughout was classic Thrones.

Expect more action in episode 2.

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The Giants beat the Astros, 3-1. Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images.

Logan Webb pitched seven strong innings, Willy Adames hit a two-run double and the San Francisco Giants beat the Houston Astros 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Adames’ double down the left-field line scored Christian Koss and Patrick Bailey. Heliot Ramos later added a solo homer, his third of the year, and that was all Webb (1-0) would need. He held the Astros to just one run and five hits with six strikeouts and no walks.

Giants reliever Ryan Walker pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his second save.

Houston’s lone run came on a homer by José Altuve to the left-field Crawford Boxes, his first of the year, in the fourth.

Astros starter Hayden Wesneski — a Houston native who attended Cy-Fair High School and Sam Houston State — allowed three runs and two hits in five innings while striking out six and walking three in his Astros debut.

The Astros have scored more than two runs just once in their first five games with a new lineup that lost All-Stars Kyle Tucker and Alex Bregman in the offseason.

Key moment

With Altuve representing the go-ahead run in the eighth inning, he hit a blooper to shallow right field that was caught by first baseman Casey Schmitt to end the inning.

Key stat

The Astros had previously won six straight games on April Fool’s Day and hadn’t lost on April 1 since opening day 2011 at Philadelphia.

Up next

Giants RHP Landen Roupp will make his season debut against Astros ace LHP Framber Valdez (1-0, 0.00) in the Wednesday afternoon series finale.

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