#VERY STRANGE OUT OF CONTEXT ALREADY BUT EVEN WITHIN CONTEXT ITS LIKE. THE CONVOLUTED WAY THEY RELATE IT TO THE MOZART SONG

[mapsofnonexistentplaces]

actually you know what im posting the entirety of this piece of shit scene. no none of this makes any sense

[fortunatelylori]

This episode is more convoluted than the crypts of Winterfell

Disclaimer: Proceed with caution! There is snark ahead! I repeat: There is snark ahead! It had to be done, people. If I had to sit down and actually take this episode seriously, I would have lost my freaking mind!

So it happened. The first episode of season 8 aired. The leaks were true and I am now officially dead inside. Let’s get started. 

General Impressions

Trying to review this episode is an extremely challenging exercise. There is no cohesiveness to it, no narrative strand to tie it all together. In an ideal world, an episode should be linked by a common theme. It should have a structure that pushes you towards the end from the very first scene onward. 

Here the writers have completely given up on even pretending they care about structure and plot progression. They’re essentially jumping from scene to scene like a freaking gymnast on crack. 

Surprised that Euron managed to travel to Essos and back and Cersei still hasn’t grown her hair? Seems dubious to you that the Wall gang not only survived the Wall falling but managed to get to Last Hearth through zombie infested territory? How about Ned Umber traveling all the way to Winterfell and back to Last Hearth just in time to die a pointlessly shocking and gratuitous death? 

Well, I’m here to tell you to knock it off! GOT does not give a shit. This show has its priorities straight. And those priorities are: 

Pretty pictures of people being dismembered, burned alive or generally dying painful deaths. 

Porn ... we got to get that porn quota up, you guys! Just you ladies, of course! Who the hell wants to see naked men on this show?!?! Not the Ds certainly. That would be yikey. 

For the sake of my own sanity, I’m going to try and bring some order to the chaos by splitting the episode into 3 main story lines. I’m extremely generous here because 2 of those story lines are barely there at all, and the other one is not linked together by anything other than location: 

Story A 

Winterfell is turned into a Big Brother type house where everyone that ever hated each other is now forced to coexist. If I were to pick a main character in this story line it would probably be Jon. 

The problem is Jon is confused and confusing so watching him work his way through this meandering plot is painfully strange and frustrating. And that’s because his POV continues to be, at least, partly hidden, meaning that I never get any idea of what the hell he’s doing or what is actually driving him in this episode. 

Generally this would allow for some sort of character reveal at the end of the episode when all these loose ends would be brought together and we’d finally know what Jon is up to but these are the Ds. They’re going to milk the ambiguity for all its worth and in true Ds fashion run it into the ground from sheer exhaustion. 

If I were to summarize Jon’s story line in this episode it’s: Jon arrives at Winterfell and proceeds to be flabbergasted that the people he knew would be upset that he bent the knee, are actually upset that he bent the knee. He rides a dragon and gets down to some PDA in the middle of nowhere because he needs to amuse the royal bush. He reunites with his long lost family members and spends most of the episode sulking because Sansa is giving him the cold shoulder. 

I feel like I’ll be saying this a lot but this is not a story line. This is a character aimlessly drifting from scene to scene whose reactions don’t make much sense. 

Then there’s the parentage reveal: 

This goes just about as bad as you’d expect. The dialogue is slightly sophomoric with John Bradley being forced to deliver this line straight: 

Your mother was Lyanna Stark. And your father, your real father, was Rhaegar Targareyen. You’ve never been a bastard. You’re Aegon Targareyen, true heir to the Iron Throne. 

This little bit of exposition here just sounds off and strange, despite Bradley’s best efforts to soldier through it. Not to mention that the writers are ripping themselves off by having Sam parrot basically the same thing Bran said in season 7. 

But the real problem with this scene is ... and I’m very sorry to say it ... Kit Harrington. He just doesn’t deliver. He doesn’t find the right tone and reactions to the monumental reveal and the whole scene falls flat on its stupid, exposition face. 

It’s made even worse that this scene is following the Tarlys burning reveal in which John Bradley does, without a doubt, the best bit of acting in the whole episode. 

The Tarlys reveal is a strange and off kilter scene as well but Bradley sells you on Sam’s grief and horror so you’re instantly in his corner, which in turn helps ground the entire piece. 

Harington doesn’t manage to do that so the scene ends up not amounting to much of anything other than setting up the future plot point of Jon and D*ny as rivals to the Iron Throne. We’ve known the truth of Jon’s parentage since season 6. What’s interesting to us in this scene is how Jon reacts to the news and we want to be given the opportunity to commiserate with him. Alas, we never get the chance. 

Story B 

The King’s Landing plot. This is not really a plot. More like an amalgamation of scenes that are sporadically thrown at you in haphazard fashion, with the only goal of setting up plot points for future episodes.

 In quick succession we get Euron and Cersei having sex (off screen). Lena gets about 10 seconds to act some sort of emotion once the business is concluded and we’re off to the next plot point. 

Theon and Yara reunite and separate within the span of 5 minutes and Bronn is off to kill the Lannister brothers - one man sent into hostile territory, in the freezing winter, with a crossbow. What could go wrong here? ... WHO CARES?!?! PORRRRRN!

The funniest thing about this plot is that the White Walkers are treated as an after thought at best. 

Cersei is more upset she didn’t get her elephants. How much do you want to bet that the Ds blew their CGI elephant budget on the dragons? Speaking of which, should we start putting up flyers for Ghost? Lassie has been MIA for a while now, guys. I don’t think she’s coming back this time. 

Bronn is trying to get it on with the 3 prostitutes in what is easily one of the least sexy scenes I’ve ever seen in my life. The 3 ladies of the night, however, seem determined to kill his buzz with talks of dragons disfiguring people. I guess everyone in Westeros is a fan of D*ny’s children, right? You know what they say: no press is bad press and all that. 

Story C

The Wall gang meet up at Last Hearth and, in true redneck style, get down to some barbecue! 

Again this isn’t a story line. It’s just two scenes hobbled together for the purposes of: 

Exposition: we know that they’re going to ride to Winterfell and arrive in the next episode so we’ll have all of our main characters in place for the big battle in episode three. 

Gratuitous child murder: 

Complete with a strange parallel to this: 

I take no credit for this connection. It was pointed out to me by @and-holly-goes-lightly​. At this point they’re just hitting us over the head with the clues that once the Night King is dead, D*ny is the next, big bad. 

And putting the fear of God into the audience when they realize they’ll have at least 1 episode of night scenes: 

Do you see anything? Yeah ... hope you enjoy darkness for a full hour because that’s exactly what you’re going to get. 

Favorite scenes

The opening sequence: 

The writers swore up and down that the first episode of season 8 would be filled with callbacks to the pilot. The only one that lands, in my opinion, and makes a good counterpoint is this scene. Visually, it looks amazing. We have a little Bran stand in to act as the POV and we have Arya watching her beloved brother finally arrive home. 

It’s poignant and unsettling at the same time. When I watched it the first time, I wasn’t really sure why it felt so unsettling to me. I knew that D*ny wasn’t going to receive a warm welcome in Winterfell and I knew she’d be angry about it so that wasn’t the reason for my misgivings. 

Later on I realized, the most unsettling thing to me in this scene is Jon. He left Winterfell as the character that I most relate to and came back as a distant, off putting figure. Jon, who has never been elevated above those around him, is now marching into Winterfell in the midst of a foreign army and he’s so dead eyed and distant, that he doesn’t even notice his sister in the crowd: 

Who are they now? What are they to each other? There’s something deeply sad and mournful about these shots and seeing these two people that were so close at the end of a very long journey of being torn apart. And Maisie Williams does a fantastic job of conveying all of these emotions.

To me this scene was better than Jon and Arya’s reunion. The reunion is pretty by the numbers, with the two of them comparing swords and not truly ever communicating. It was heartwarming but it didn’t have the emotional punch this scene did. 

The Tarlys burning reveal: 

I’ve already talked about this scene in the Winterfell plot section but, while I felt the scene was awkward and choppy, John Bradley completely sold me on Sam’s tragedy and I can’t help but love the scene because of it. 

There is something else that caught my eye, though: 

From this scene, it seems pretty obvious to me that Jorah knew about the Tarlys’ execution. Which makes it all the more interesting that Jon, on the other hand, doesn’t know. I guess he’s not the only one keeping secrets. 

The Gendrya reunion: 

Initially, I really disliked this scene because it feels stilted and it doesn’t flow properly. I still think it’s poorly constructed. However when watching the behind the scenes video, Maisie gave me some much needed context. Her saying that Arya was in love with Gendry and would have followed him to the ends of the Earth finally made the Gendrya relationship click for me. 

While I’ve always liked the idea of them together, I never really understood how we were going to get there. But this is, actually, about a girl reuniting with her childhood crush and him being able to see her as a young woman, instead of a little girl. 

It also plays in really nicely with Arya’s standoffish-ness in the scene, since Gendry abandoning her to go off with the Red Woman gets a romantic connotation as well as explains Gendry’s awkwardness around her. She’s not a little girl anymore and, dare I say it? He likes her. 

It’s all very cute. 

And these lines? 

Gendry:  It’s Valyrian steel. I always knew you were just another rich girl. 

Arya: You don’t know any other rich girls. 

Legitimately adorable banter. 

The scene is also setting up something with the weapon Arya is commissioning. It looks like a spear or an arrow of some kind. It reminds me a bit of that flash back Bran has in the books of one of the Starks making an arrow from a weirwood branch. It’s been theorized that those arrows were meant to kill Aegon’s dragons. I wonder if they’ll tackle that plot point with Arya?

The opening credits: 

Yeah ... I’m really scraping the bottom of the barrel on this ... 

I assume everyone noticed that the title sequence has been changed. What I found really intriguing is that they focus a lot on the underground tunnels of both Winterfell and King’s Landing. 

The Winterfell sequence doesn’t feel like such a novelty since they’ve been pushing the crypts pretty hard in their promotion so far. The crypts represent the parentage reveal as well as possible danger for whoever hides down there once the dead attack the castle. 

But King’d Landing is intriguing because the thing that I most associate with the tunnels underneath the Red Keep is wild fire. I guess we should get ready to see King’s Landing go up in flames. 

Episode MVPs: 

Lord “I think you’ll find you’re wrong” Varys

Varys would have been on this list for this alone: 

Tyrion: You should consider yourself lucky. At least your balls won’t freeze off. 

Varys: You take great offence at dwarf jokes but love making eunuch jokes. Why is that? 

Thank you, Varys! Thank you! I’ve been saying that Tyrion is a mean spirited hypocrite since season 1. Glad I’m not the only one that noticed. 

But then, Varys goes on to shoot down the idea of a Jon/D*ny marriage alliance with this: 

Varys: Nothing lasts. 

Lolz ... you, my friend, are a STAR! Keep doing what you’re doing!

Sansa “No time for your bullshit” Stark

If looks could kill ... Sansa was so on point this episode that I relished every second of it. Not only did she look stunningly beautiful but she decided to give some much needed reality checks to everyone she came into contact with. 

Apparently everyone that arrives in Winterfell is delusional because Sansa’s actions of merely pointing out the obvious, like: 

Armies and dragons eat a lot. How are we going to feed them? 

or 

You really took your sister at her word?  Am I supposed to keep thinking you’re smart, Tyrion?

Is met with shock, horror and confusion. Everyone and their mother is wondering what Sansa is doing and what she’s up to. Jon is sulking because Sansa is not jumping at the bit to see him. D*ny is upset Sansa doesn’t like her. Tyrion is shocked that Sansa doesn’t think he’s as brilliant as he thinks he is. 

Meanwhile, Sansa is just standing there, not breaking a sweat while everyone around her is twisting themselves into pretezles trying to figure her out. Now that’s a Boss Bitch right there! (yeah, yeah, too much Good Girls. I know). 

Bran “King of the Clap back” Stark

Talking of Boss Bitches, here comes Bran to ruin D*ny’s day. He ain’t having whatever lame attempt at human emotion D*ny is trying to convey and decides to spread some reality checks of his own: 

Bran: The Night King has your dragon. He’s one of them now. The Wall has fallen. The dead march South. 

Also: 

Your hair looks stupid. That coat is lame and I don’t like you very much. 

(this was the subtext, right?)

But Boss Bran doesn’t stop there. He decides to out creep even himself by waiting in the freezing cold of night in order to spook Jaime Lannister upon arrival in Winterfell, like a ghost in a gothic novel: 

Since I apparently have a lot more to say, I’m going to make a little series out of this. In the next two installments I will tackle the J0nereys and Jonsa relationships. Stay tuned!

* none of the gifs or pictures are mine. Thank you to the content creators!

[ramajmedia]

10 Craziest Fringe Cases, Ranked | ScreenRant

J.J. Abrams’ Fringe was an extraordinarily innovative sci-fi series, filled with mind-blowing pseudo-science, heart, and slick action. However, its first season was a procedural, in order to feel more accessible. And yet, even after breaking that conventional formula in season two, some incredible investigations still emerged. It is surprisingly easy to invest in the ensemble of fantastical characters, for their comedy, determination, and flaws. This keeps everything grounded, no matter how bizarre the cases get.

It’s quite the magic trick, how this show consistently translated the impossible with fun, convincing theories. Here’s the ten wildest cases that ever boggled our minds—something this show achieved with unique dexterity. Spoilers!

RELATED: Lost: The 10 Most Heartbreaking Deaths, Ranked

10 Bound

The first season bears many “traditional” cases which established the tone of this show, if not its truest identity. But this episode has a simple, creative, and certainly repulsive concept. In this episode, Olivia gets some great action as she escapes capture. While investigating her abduction, the team runs into a related murder. Someone has used a supersized cold virus to kill someone.

The lecture sequence is especially memorable, as the CGI and sound effects are gleefully disgusting. The slimy virus pushes its way out of the victim’s mouth and slithers away. It’s so effective, the concept was totally replicated with a giant roundworm in the second-season episode “Snakehead”. Unfortunately, there’s certainly no cure for the common cold.

9 Jacksonville

The parallel universe was a crucial, innovative addition to the series’ mythology, frequently inspiring the best the show could offer. Alternate timelines are innately intriguing already, but the deliberate line between just two similar universes created superb drama. In this stunning premise, the connective tissue between the two universes has merged building and people together.

It’s visually arresting, and a conceptually thrilling issue. The ticking clock of an impending follow-up disaster also drives some great backstory for Olivia’s childhood. This adds context to Walter’s ethical mishaps in the past. Also, Olivia finally learned the truth about Peter, which gradually fueled great character development.

RELATED: 5 Things Fringe Did Better Than The X-Files (& 5 Things X-Files Did Better)

8 The Ghost Network

The main premise of this case isn’t quite as groundbreaking as later investigations. At some point, Walter helped to create a secret frequency range for covert messages. One unlucky man has happened to tap into it, and he’s suffering.

However, the disasters he envisions are truly startling. This was the first appearance of “amber”, wherein a gas erupts and solidifies everything within its grasp. It’s a very creative crime scene, and ultimately, this becomes absolutely central to the show’s mythology. It was vital to the alternate universe, and even in season five’s plans. Amber was a frightening, inventive, and iconic addition to the show.

7 Through the Looking Glass and What Walter Found There

The fifth season’s taut storytelling provided some of the show’s brightest moments. The pacing was improved, the family dynamic was stressed, and the Observer plot was terrific. In this episode, Walter removes a tape from amber that sends him on a wild journey into a pocket universe. This pocket universe is a disorienting, surreal place, and Walter runs into the strange Observer-like boy from season one. The fifth season was heavy on well-executed fan service.

The brisk pace of this episode is incredible, as our team races the Observers to find Walter. Natural laws of reality are totally distorted. We also get Observer-vision for a minute, and Peter’s foray into Observer abilities is definitely striking.

RELATED: 10 Burning Questions That Fringe Never Answered

6 The Day We Died

Brad Dourif, known as Chucky from the Child’s Play franchise, superbly plays the leader of a cult. Rather than a Cult of Chucky, his followers bear the lame moniker “End of Dayers”. However, their intent and methods are interesting nonetheless. At the behest of “Walternate”, they are intentionally destabilizing the universe’s soft spots. This season three finale was a complete flashforward, but it isn’t just a vision.

Peter actually lives through the horrendous events that will occur, and a temporal paradox is the only way to prevent them. The Doomsday Machine turned out to provide some inventive storytelling. We also learn the truth of the First People legend, and Peter’s abrupt disappearance was a very creative cliffhanger.

5 White Tulip

Peter Weller is a fantastic character actor, known best for Robocop. But he’s shown up in Star Trek Into Darkness as well, establishing the J.J. Abrams connection. In this episode, the series flaunts how well it can handle time travel. Weller’s character is attempting to rescue his wife using the technology, which has grotesquely mutilated his body. But it also accidentally kills an entire train of people, while draining the power from everything on board.

It’s a great setup, and although the situation seems rote, it’s handled very well. It also serves as a great parallel to Walter’s ethical issues about Peter. The result is one of the most meaningful episodes of the entire show.

RELATED: Fringe: The 10 Most Groundbreaking Episodes, Ranked

4 The Road Not Taken

In this memorable episode, the case itself is once again more of an aside to the craziest ingredients. Although, the show did find a pseudo-scientific theory for spontaneous combustion, which is undeniably impressive. It’s ultimately a result of experimental attempts to generate pyrokinesis.

However, the most mind-blowing thing about this episode is undoubtedly Olivia’s strange visions throughout. It was in this episode that all the clues come together, and establish the possibility of the parallel universe for the first time. At first, fans wouldn’t realize just how significant this turn of events truly was. But it was certainly the most appealing way to introduce such a fantastic theory.

3 Letters of Transit

Without warning, an abrupt glimpse of the future is thrust upon the audience. The entire concept of season five was established in a single, compelling story with a great protagonist. Etta isn’t just a great actress, but very well casted for her likeness to Peter and Olivia. This episode promised the network and fans what was in store, sans cancellation. It’s a bold move, and the Observer plot is an ingenious use of time travel.

As dark as this show could be, this dystopian future is easily the darkest chapter for our heroes. The episode was totally unexpected, creative, and action-packed. It would have been an absolute shame if we didn’t have the opportunity to explore this terrifying vision.

RELATED: 10 Best X-Files Episodes (According to IMDb)

2 The Arrival

There’s no question that the Observers were the greatest mystery of the show. This is because they were generally an aside, rather than directly incorporated into the plot. Their behavior and appearance is strange, to be sure. But the Observers’ actual purpose and origin remain concealed for quite a while.

In this early episode, a strange “Beacon” device is the driving plot. Its design is unsettling, and its intent is certainly confusing. Further, Walter eventually reveals that these strange people have ties to his past, regarding Peter. This episode establishes the course for a very convoluted history of Peter’s origin and future Observer mythology.

1 Lysergic Acid Diethylamide

Ah, yes, the continued tradition of the nineteenth episode being utterly bonkers. This is the episode with all of the animation. Olivia has been possessed, and in order to rescue her mind, Walter and Peter have to literally enter it. And in order to do that, they take LSD. This is easily the most bizarre case of all, and it involves Olivia herself. The mind is always a unique, unnatural, haphazard place to visit.

Few things feel assembled and cohesive there, so much of this story is consequently abstract. Besides the concept of possession itself, the journey through Olivia’s mind was a brave risk and resulted in absolute craziness.

NEXT: 10 Best Fringe Episodes, According To IMDB

source https://screenrant.com/craziest-fringe-cases-ranked/