Game of Thrones Open letter : Baelish and spilling your guts

[alexandral]

I re-watched the episode 7 yesterday, so that I can get my weekly Game of Thrones episode to keep the momentum of obsession going. I have also discussed it with everyone and anyone who is willing to listen. Did I mention that I am largely succeeding in pushing the show and the books to my working colleagues? And what a good episode this was again! But I must rant say few things:

Dear Creators!

I really like the character of Baelish as played by Aiden Gillen. I never expected to be amused by this character so much. But what is it with making him into some kind of show creators' pet? What is it with giving other character's stories (yes, I am still harping about the Hound's story) to Baelish and what is it with the gratuitous brothel sex scenes, inexplicably crossed with his heart-felt confessions to the brothel whores? I never liked teachers' pets and I am on the verge of feeling dislike for Baelish.

On the storytelling level, I feel (I might be wrong here), this scene didn't fit with Littlefinger's character. He seems like a person that does not disclose anything unless this serves his interests. And here he is spilling his guts and his secrets to the Northern whore who has some intimate connections to several men from the North and who potentially can spill his secrets to these Northern men?

As a logic and science geek, I also want to mention that no-one travels as fast as Ros-the-whore did from Winterfell to King's Landing, not without an airplane. Is Roz going to be revealed as a secret Targaryen heir, with a dragon stashed somewhere in secret place? Is she going to be the Queen of Westros one day? There must be something important for Ros's character in the future episodes, otherwise I don't understand why we see so much of her.

To finish, the scene was nausea-inducing and it lasted far too long. It felt like "it's not for girls" culture that I abhor. Please stop it. I know you want your ratings high, and I want your ratings high too because many of my favourite events will be happening in the season 3. I want your season 3 almost as much as you do, but still, this was bad.

PS: I want to show off my new "devious Baelish" icon.

Spoilers : No book spoilers so far

Comments

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

My friends and I named Rose the exposition whore. All the characters where they didn't know how to introduce their background now fuck rose and spill their guts. It feels quite superfluous and I wish they'd believe enough in the stories that are told to let them stand in the room without a naked girl.

Also it makes me wonder about the actual sexscenes from the book. They are never superfluous or gratifying. They get something on, yet so far non of those was really there. I wonder if we're going to see that much naked Tyrion as we see of the naked whores, or if body fascism is going to prevent that.

[baleanoptera.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I agree. That scene was OOC and just too much. Also, your point about Roz telling the men from the North his secrets is a good one.

There must be something important for Roz's character in the future episodes

I stand by my suspicion that they are going to give her Shae's storyline. Or maybe I'm just hoping they will give her something to do other than being naked...

[intermezzo]

Still not watching this, but Aiden Gillen? Is fantastic!

[lydzi.livejournal.com]

Apparently Shae is listed with another actress name so hopefully, we'll have another person than Rose.

IA about the scene. Too much. Too noisy and preps to Gillen to still have me hooked on what he was saying despite the all too disturbing girls having a go in front of my eyes.

I'm not really understanding what's the deal with Rose tbh. I mean yeah I get the fact that they are making her somehow the "voice of the People" (see the last scene with Theon) but she's definitely too present. She has more lines than Robb Stark or even Sansa. Which is crazy.

And she definitely has more screentime than all of the direwolves combined.

Oh I love that icon of Baelish! I use it too because it's so vibrant, you can almost feel it's alive XD.

[roboticduck.livejournal.com]

Good work on getting the coworkers into the show :D

My initial thought on the brothel scene was, didn't we get told this story already? But that was the book-reading clouding the earlier brief mention of the scar between him and Cat. You're right, I didn't even think of Roz's North connection, that would be very careless of Littlefinger!

The show hasn't established time very well, how much passes in an episode and in between episodes, and then having certain travelers cover ground in the span of a scene. Confusing.

I need a GoT icon !!

[nymeri.livejournal.com]

While it might not be a secret per se, since I assume there were witnesses to the duel and the aftermath and gossip goes around... it's still too personal. It's one thing for a story to be spread from a third part source, but for Petyr to willingly bring it up like that himself seems so OOC.
Also, with everything going on at court, does he have time to give whores private lessons?

Imo they should have switched the telling of his and Sandor's backstories. Let the Hound speak for himself, and someone else about Littlefinger. Cut the sex scene, and there'd still be screentime left for Petyr. What were they thinking? :/

[shapinglight]

I agree. Have just watched the ep this evening and that scene was pointless, boring and rather offensive. Which is a pity, because otherwise it was a very good episode.

[earenwe.livejournal.com]

Oh, frustration. LJ just ate my long comment. I'm just going to say that I found this scene completely OOC for Littlefinger who would sooner move to Winterfell than offer that much information about himself willingly. I give Gillen credit though because as much as the girls were having a go I was transfixed on him, his voice and what he was saying. He really is a perfect Petyr.

I don't even have an issue with it having been a sex scene, just that it was too prolonged a block of time that could have been spilt up with a discussion about someone else as well.

Here's for hoping they don't have Ros be Shae as well. She's too important to Tyrion's story for that.

[bond-girl.livejournal.com]

You're right, it was extremely OOC for Petyr to pour his heart out to a complete stranger!

My biggest problem with the girls scene is its length. I get it, they want to give some naked skin to viewers who have the attention span of a goldfish - while the major plot is being hammered into those who don't. However, the neverending moaning was ~fucking distracting *said in Christian Bale's voice :)*. The only valuable thing I learned from that scene was that Roz likes to be in charge.

That said, Roz's welcome has worn out with me! I associate her with Theon and everything about him makes my skin crawl, even in the most unspoilery way. I hope she has a major role to play; otherwise I'd be sore.

[lady--croft.livejournal.com]

I was thinking about Roz as well. Why is this girl on so much? Clearly she isn't going away anytime soon. I knew they would have to eliminate and/or merge some of the characters at some point, especially as we progress through the series. I initially thought maybe she could be the new Shae but as more of Roz's character came out she didn't seem, for lack of a better word, 'worthy' of the part. Shae always had an innocence about her. Further, as per previous comments, there is a different actress listed to portray Shae. So then I got to thinking, what about Alayaya? Granted I know she is supposed to be the daughter of the whorehouse's owner but let's face it...they pretty much have Baelish owning the whorehouses now. Alayaya does have a significant albeit minor role in future books and there would be a history established between her and Tyrion already from this season. I could buy Ros as the replacement for Alayaya. Of course by the time next season rolls around I'm certain I'll be proven wrong. At least I don't have to see her and Theon Greyjoy anymore *cringes*

[carnivors.livejournal.com]

yeahh, i understand hbo has a sex quota it needs to fill or whatever, but this particular one was just so unnecessary. and baelish elaborating on his feelings/motivations was not only out of character in telling them to these random girls, but it also reveals A LOT about his character to the viewers at a point when, in the book, i was still in the dark as to pretty much everything having to do with him. i feel like, in the books, we don't really get a handle on littlefinger until the third book, and even then it's a tenuous grip.

[ishtar79.livejournal.com]

Baelish is quite a revelation in the show. Tyrion is my favourite devious character, but Baelish is a close second.

I don't understand the increased role of Ros. It's not like the show has a lack of hot women without her.

[cyberducks.livejournal.com]

Oh, that Littlefinger spilling his guts scene bothered me too. It's totally OOC for him to give another person that much insight into his motives. And the sex was laughably over the top - dear HBO, less is often more....

Same here!

[mookiehyun.livejournal.com]

That spilling beans while too graphic sexing is sooo out of character for Littlefinger, I thought this is one BIG secret he's kept to himself for nearly 2 decades and he's now gutting it all out on a new whore at his establishment?!?!?!?!? VERY WTF for me. I can look away fr all the unnec sex which has been going on every ep for ratings' sake, but this trampled the characterization sooo bad.

haven't read the book, but have been casually watching and now up to date.

I need sth to push me over to OMGness, so far I kinda feel for all the characters, but at the same time I don't think they were fleshed out as vividly as they should, time taken up by all these 'fanservice' scenes.