Movie Review: Prisoners

I will start by saying that Prisoners is one of the better thrillers I've seen in recent years - maybe since Michael Caine's Sleuth. It should also be noted that while this movie definitely succeeds as a thriller, it does not succeed as much as a film.

Hugh Jackman is one of two fathers who lose their daughters, when they were allowed to play outside after Thanksgiving dinner. Jackman eventually abducts a local simpleton (Paul Dano) who he suspects is involved, and is forced into a very trying situation. Meanwhile, Jake Gyllenhaal is the lead detective on the case, who must deal with both the girls' kidnapping, and Jackman's behaviour.

Plot: 4/5 - This movie succeeds as a thriller because the story is fantastic. It is easy to identify with each one of the characters, and understand everybody's motive. The issues were all too real, making the film almost uncomfortable to watch, but the plot was thick and engaging. The pacing was not an issue, but the eventual runtime (2.5 hours) may be a turnoff for some. I was aware of the passing time while watching the movie, but writer Aaron Guzikowski and director Denis Villenueve needed it all to tell the story they did. We get to see the characters make tough choices, and the overlying theme (we are all prisoners, everybody is forced into equally horrible situations) was none too heavy-handed.

Writing: 3/5 - This, to me, was probably the main weak point of the film. There is not a single laugh in the movie - and this is not to say that there should be (it is about an abduction), but rather that there are no real highs or lows - the tone stays much the same throughout, and the dialogue is very predictable: "Shut up! Shut up!" "Where the fuck is she?!" I only gave this a 3 because the dialogue was believable - I can see real people saying these things - and not really corny, but it doesn't really add to the film.

Acting: 4/5 - I'm on the record as an enormous Hugh Jackman fan. I don't think he's the best actor working, but he is very good, and he is a born entertainer (watch Real Steel). Everything he does is worth watching (except Australia). Paul Dano, also, is a favourite of mine. Nobody does pitiable better than he, and he is at his pitiable best in Prisoners. For much of the movie, it is the suspected child killer that you feel most sorry for.

Aesthetics: 3/5 - I started to write that the camerawork was very good, then decided to check on who was the cinematographer. Of course, it was Roger Deakins, probably the greatest cinematographer who ever lived. The dark tones and close shots will keep you queasy for the entire movie, and he does a masterful job of setting the tone in each scene, and throughout the movie. You can actually watch a Deakins movie for the sheer visual spectacle. The music went with the film very well, too. Master of minimalism Johann Johansson put together the perfect score - consisting basically of silence and low, flat tones that make what is happening on the screen absolutely riveting. I was not a fan of the editing - some of the sound effects sounded silly, there were too many fade-to-black scene endings (read: every scene), but it was OK.

Final Score: 70%

A Monthly Dose of Westeros-Part 5: Daenerys Targaryen

I guess it’s not-so-monthly now...but still, I will be providing my thoughts and predictions for one storyline every month until the show’s return. Since I have read the books, I know what should happen, but several plots seem to be taking turns away from the original material, while others are almost spot on. I will examine these apparent changes/accuracy, and do my best to avoid spoilers in “A Monthly Dose of Westeros”.

Two of the most interesting pieces of season four casting news were revealed recently, and since both have ties to Daenerys Targaryen's storyline, I thought this would be a good time to preview her. Everybody's favorite khaleesi is still in Essos after three seasons. She and her dragons have been conquering the cities in Slaver's Bay, while building an army of fearless warriors that will be used to conquer Westeros...eventually. Dany has been accompanied by Ser Jorah Mormont this whole time and recently added to her entourage discarded Kingsguard member Barristan Selmy, sellsword captain Daario Naharis, and Unsullied captain Grey Worm. Jorah, Daario and Grey Worm do make a pretty dang good team, so Dany is in good hands.

Daenerys' storyline in A Storm of Swords is pretty much finished in the show at this point, and if you're expecting her to invade Westeros...stop. She isn't going this season so don't get your hopes up. There will be more conquering, more fighting, and more stupid Dany. Jorah, Barristan, and Daario do have some pretty interesting moments coming up (especially Jorah), but Dany will pretty much keep doing the same thing. A large group of characters from Westeros will be making their way to Essos to see Dany though, resulting in what George R.R. Martin called the Meereenese Knot, but they still have some story left to go through. Which brings me to my next point...

Hizdahr zo Loraq has been cast. Hizdahr is a very important character in Dany's Meereen plot, but that piece of her story does not begin until much later in the books than the point the show is it. It seems like the writers are moving Daenerys along pretty fast, faster than some other characters who need to meet up with her, so I don't really get the fast pace for her. Joel Fry will play Hizdahr and, while I don't know anything about his talents, he looks almost exactly how I pictured Hizdahr while reading. So at least the show runners got looks right this time...

...which brings me to the last piece of news. Daario Naharis has been recast.

Yes, Ed Skrein is being replaced as Daario. The role will be taken over by Michiel Huisman. I know for a fact that Huisman is a tremendous actor, but he looks nothing like Skrein and even less like a Daario. Skrein caught some flack for his portrayal of Daario, as some thought he was too white-washed and plain. Book-Daario had blue hair and three-pronged blue beard. Show-Daario was this:

Ed Skrein as Daario Naharis; Michiel Huisman in Treme

Huisman looks farther from my image of Daario than Skrein did, but I really enjoyed Skrein's Daario. I looked at the first photos of the new Daario while in class and the person next to me leaned over and we agreed that he looked more like a hobo than a warrior captain.

Huisman dressed(?) as Daario via ComicBookMovie.com

Anyway, I'm sure Huisman's acting will be great even if he doesn't have the Daario look. But other than that, expect nothing too huge to come out of Daenerys' story this season, although Jorah will have a few special moments. Dany has been a major character in the show thus far, but hopefully she takes a backseat to some of the more important events happening in Westeros this season.

Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire: History of Westeros-Part 4: The Seven Kingdoms

After the coming of the Andals, Westeros was split into the Seven Kingdoms. These kingdoms are simple regions today, all united under one throne, but there were seven kings in the Seven Kingdoms around -3000 AL. For the most part, the Seven Kingdoms had a peaceful existence. There was not as much in-fighting as today and very few threats from outside as well. The biggest one came during the initial split into Seven Kingdoms. The Free Folk, or wildlings, decided to unite under the Kings-beyond-the-Wall, Gendel and Gorne, to invade Westeros. Instead of going through or over the wall, an insanely huge band of wildlings broke into Westeros through an elaborate series of underground tunnels. The huge invasion looked promising, but was quickly met by the King in the North of House Stark and sent back beyond the Wall.

Meanwhile in Essos…

Around -700 AL, after their invasion of Old Ghis, the Valyrians began moving along the giant River Rhoyne and destroying the Rhoynish cities. Prince Garin the Great rose a 250,000 man army to attempt to stop the Valyrians, but got crushed by the force of their dragons. The Rhoynish warrior-queen, Nymeria, began to evacuate the survivors of the takeovers on 10,000 ships across the Narrow Sea. Most of the passengers were women and children. They traveled across the sea to Dorne, seeking refuge in southern Westeros. Nymeria created a marriage alliance with Mors Martell. The two finally organized the land into one kingdom, allowing House Dorne to rise as the rulers. Mors began to adopt Dornish culture, but the unification of Dorne caused problems with the kingdoms of the Reach and Storm’s End. There were many small raids and wars between these powers during this time.

Back to Westeros…

While Dorne was causing problems in the South, the houses of the North had been battling each other. For over 2000 years, House Stark and House Bolton had been fighting for control of the region. House Stark finally subdued the Boltons around -700 AL and took full control of the North. Meanwhile, Karlon Stark battled raiders from the east and split off from House Stark, forming his own house of Karstark. In the west, the Ironborn of the Iron Islands rose to power. They controlled the majority of the western coast, from Oldtown and the Arbor in the south all the way to Bear Island in the North.

And back to Essos…

Around -500 AL, the Valyrian Freehold conquered the area that now includes the southern Free Cities of Essos. The Moonsingers, a religious group, led thousands of refugees north to a mountainous region, shrouded by mist. They formed the hidden city of Braavos on a lagoon here. Later, the Titan of Braavos was built. The Titan is a huge statue just off the shore that serves as a defensive fortification.

More Westeros…

Around -400 AL, 300 years after being subdued, House Bolton rebelled against the Starks. Four years later, they were put down again and their siege was ended. Around -350 AL, the Storm Kings expanded their territory. At this time, they ruled the Westerlands, then expanded north to take over the Riverlands, up to the Neck. The Ironborn lost most of their lands throughout this time, but not before the Ironborn king Harren Hoare begins building Harrenhal in the Riverlands. After the Storm Kings’ expansion, Westeros remained rather quiet and there was no notable fighting between the Seven Kingdoms

Once more to Essos…

Dragonstone

The Valyrians annexed a small island at the mouth of the Blackwater Rush about -200 AL, called Dragonstone. It was named for the castle built on it, which had a tower shaped to look like dragons. The island was ruled by a little family by the name of Targaryen.

About one hundred years after this, Braavos reveals itself to the rest of the Free Cities. It eventually becomes the most powerful due to its economic power and large fleet. Ghiscari powers started to appear in the south and the cities in Slaver’s Bay became independent. The savage tribes in the middle of the continent grew bolder. The dominant tribe, the Dothraki, began more frequently raiding villages of other tribes and other surrounding areas.

The major event to close out the era before the landing was the Doom of Valyria. The reason that the Targaryens annexed Dragonstone was because Daenys the Dreamer foresaw this doom. She convinced her father to leave Valyria before something bad happened to the family. A huge earthquake hit the capital city and split the land into fragments, creating the Smoking Sea in between them all. The area is described as “demon-haunted” and rarely people will survive a trip there. Many of Valyria’s secrets, such as how to make Valyrian steel and the dragons, were destroyed along with the Freehold. Stories of the Doom state that every hill for 500 mile split open, throwing ash and smoke into the air. Hot fires burst out and engulfed everything, even the dragons. Giants holes opened and sucked palaces and cities into the center of the world. Lakes boiled or turned into acid water, mountains burst and collapsed. Fiery fountains threw molten rock into the sky. Red clouds rained dragonglass and the blood of demons. The northern lands collapsed on itself and allowed the sea to rush in. After the Doom, the Bleeding Years hit Valyria. Valyrian colonies and conquests

ceased to exist and chaos and war began. The Free Cities fell into war with each other and some sellsword companies have their beginnings in the Bleeding Years. The Targaryens on Dragonstone chose to not intervene on this century of blood and war, instead gathering their strength and focusing on a different goal...

Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire: History of Westeros-Part 3: The Andal Invasion

Time for another invasion. Around -6,000 AL, a new religion was formed on the continent of Essos. In the Hills of Andalos, the Faith of the Seven developed and became the major religion. The supreme deity supposedly appeared to the Andals and guided them on a very important mission. This mission was the invasion of Westeros.

The Hills of Andalos are located just south of what is now the free city of Pentos, so when they crossed the Narrow Sea, the Andals landed on what would become the Vale of Arryn. The came with weapons of steel and armor of steel, with the seven pointed star representing the Faith of the Seven carved into their chests. They came across the Narrow Sea in waves and spread over all of Westeros. The Andals fought the children of the forest and the First Men for centuries.

Eventually, the power of the Andals became too much for the Men and children and the six southern kingdoms fell to them. The weirwoods were burned, any children of the forest that were found were killed, and the Andals established the Faith of the Seven as the new religion. The only kingdom that was able to hold off the Andals was the North. Moat Cailin was able to hold off several attacks, so the North was left alone. Later on, the new Andal kings joined forces and marched into the North, destroying House Mudd on the way. The Mudds were the last group of First Men to rule in a southern kingdom and with their destruction, the line of Kings of River and Hill was extinguished. The attacks on the North were beat back by crannogmen in the Neck and armies at Moat Cailin, so the Andals eventually relented and allowed the North to remain an independent kingdom, although Andal blood eventually made its way to the North.

Meanwhile in Essos…

About a thousand years after the Andal invasion, a little group of sheepherders from the Valyrian Peninsula made an amazing discovery. These herders travelled to a huge chain of volcanoes called the Fourteen Fires and found dragons making their lairs inside. The dragons were tamed using magic, giving the Valyrians power of the area and the ability to establish the Valyrian Freehold. It’s capital was Valyria: a city where dragons flew across open skies, where huge beautiful towers could be seen at every turn, where the sharpest swords in the world were made, where large sphinxes looked down upon the city.

At the same time as the Valyrians established themselves, the Ghiscari empire unestablished itself. Five great wars happened between the Ghiscari and the freeholds during this time. The Valyrians won these wars with the help of dragons and completely destroyed the Ghiscari capita at the end of the final war. The buildings were burned, the citizens slaughtered, the fields salted and sulphured, the walls and streets burned with dragon fire. With the fall of the Ghiscari empire, the Valyrian Freehold expanded its influence over the area of Slaver’s Bay.

Back to Westeros…

Two thousand years after their initial invasion, the Andals finally were able to take down the Iron Islands. The first line of kings there was established by Urron “Redhand” Greyiron. He was the first one to make the throne hereditary, as it had been decided by a kingsmoot previously. Urron Redhand’s line ran uncontested until the Andal invasion, in which it finally fell. Unlike the other kingdoms, the Iron Islands assimilated with the Andals, who adopted the Old Way and the worship of the Drowned God.

The Andal invasion had many major consequences. House Mudd and House Greyiron were destroyed. The realm was split into the kingdom of the North and six southern kingdoms: the Kingdom of Vale and Sky, the Kingdom of the Rock, the Kingdom of the Reach, the Kingdom of the River, the Kingdom of the Stormlands, and the Kingdom of the Iron Islands. Dorne was left as a group of states with a lot of in-fighting. The most prominent consequence of the Andal invasion was the departure of the children of the forest. To avoid any more slaughter, the children retreated to the deep forests of the North and Beyond the Wall. This was effectively the end of any children’s inhabitance of Westeros, allowing them to become a legendary tale old to children.

Even with all these troubles, the Andals did bring some good. They introduced writing, whereas the First Men kept records on rune stones. They introduced the Faith of the Seven as the major religion, other than the old gods in the North and the Drowned God in the Iron Islands. The introduced weapons of iron and steel, the use of horses in combat, and the concept of chivalry.

Madden NFL 25: A Review

So last week, EA Sports released their special anniversary edition of Madden known as "Madden NFL 25"--or, chronologically speaking Madden 14. I purchased this game--the special edition that comes with a log-in code for Direct TV's NFL Sunday Ticket--and have been playing it over the course of the last few days. My overall impression of the game so far is that what it lacks in creativity it makes up for in presentation.

Visuals

Let's start with the main positive with this game: it is very visually appealing. The main screen and even sub-screens feel like something out of a smart phone. Rather than the bulletted lists of the past, EA Sports has gone with windows for mode selection, settings, etc. If you want to know what that looks like:

The next major upgrade is to the graphics, which isn't surprising for this last round of gen-3 games leading up to generation four. The game's graphics look like an obvious tune-up for the first edition being released on PS4 and XBox One (which I imagine will happen next August unless EA gets gutsy and wants to do a special release). Here is the game's rendering of the outside of Ford Field in Detroit:

Personally, I think the players and on-field presentation look pretty much the same as they did on Madden 13, and that's likely to be the case until EA uses the new graphics engines that will be available on next-gen consoles.

Overall grade: A- (would have liked to see more of an improvement on the field)

Game Play

One thing that has really changed about this edition of Madden is the new audible system, which essentially lets you turn any play selection into an entirely different play--assuming you are quick enough at making decisions to do so before the play clock expires. Personally I do not pay much attention to this. It's not like the computer knows my play tendencies or anything.

The game's biggest accomplishment in game play is still the revamped physics engine. The number of cartoonish, physically-impossible collisions is way down from games in the past (even Madden 13). Tackles are generally smooth, guys do eventually go down in weird ways--which will result in injuries some of the time--and the ball typically takes realistic bounces. There is one part of this that is a bit nonsensical though, and it's the problem with the game as a whole:

The physics engine is impossibly biased towards offensive players. Offensive cuts, jukes, spins, and trucks are nearly unstoppable--both for the human and the computer. As an example, I give you something from my first game:

I am playing as the Vikings against the Bills--yay random team selecting!--and call for a halfback dive play. I give the ball to Peterson and push forward. Bills defensive tackle Marcell Dareus--who is 320 pounds and one of the best linemen in the league--comes off his block to meet Adrian. I press the truck stick and run Dareus over. I did not break a tackle, I did not slip out of his grip...I straight up ran his ass over, and it was one of the most unrealistic, nonsensical things I have seen out of a Madden game.

Now back to the "problem with the game as a whole" part. If you can make semi-quick decisions and have decent hand-eye coordination, you should score on the vast majority of drives--even on All-Madden difficulty. For whatever reason, receivers in the game are unbelievable at creating separation in the middle of the field. Ins, slants, and curls cannot be stopped. If you are ever unable to run people over with guys like Peterson--which you should be able to do most of the time--then you can get 10 yards whenever you feel like it through the air.

Last note: it looks like they finally fixed punts--so that means you can actually return them with regularity instead of facing two guys when you catch the ball--and kick returns are really fun with the over-powered jukes, cuts, and spins.

Gameplay: C (sorry, I like defense)

Miscellaneous

As far as I'm concerned, those are the only two things that really matter in Madden games--the visuals and game play. They have more songs added to the stadium sound tracks--so you hear songs like "Thunderstruck" from AC/DC and "Song 2" from Blur--but other than that, there just isn't much else that matters outside of one thing:

EA came to its senses and brought back franchise mode in full. Their worst mistake ever was tinkering with the aspect of the game in Madden 13, but full fantasy draft franchise mode--offline and online--is back. A++ move on the part of EA Sports. Now, I'm going to spend a bit of time giving my advice on how to build a team for said franchise mode in Madden 25.

Building Your Team

Step one: forget your defense. I can't really remember a version of Madden where the actual players you had in Madden actually mattered. The schemes have always seemed 100 times more important than the players involved, so I would place the focus on offense except for ONE THING:

Whoever you play as on defense on a play--for example, I play as the right defensive tackle--is someone I would draft in the top five rounds (I actually went on to take Dareus in the 2nd in my own fantasy draft). Chances are you'll be the one making plays on defense and not the computer, so get someone who is good.

Alright, now to offense. Much like with defense, there are certain things that always appear to be largely universal in Madden--aka, skills that every player is seemingly the same at under the computer's control. To me, these skills are:

1) Passing accuracy--Vince Young and Drew Brees? Same net effect

2) Offensive line blocking--never in any version of Madden has this ever seemed to matter.

3) Agility-the jukes, cuts, and spins seem to be equally effective with everyone.

4) Ball carrying- fumbles seem to actually be pretty frequent with everyone. I played a game against Law Firm and made him fumble three times.

  

Now for the skills that absolutely matter:

1) Speed-maybe it's just how I play, but speed is huge in Madden. Get speed at every single position.

2) Arm strength-remember what I said about accuracy? The opposite is true for arm strength. Big-armed QB's dominate this game, especially on throws towards the sidelines.

3) Pass catching-any slight hit seems to jar the ball loose on catch attempts--the one defensive advantage. This has seemed to matter.

Position rankings!

Okay, now that those little tidbits are there for you, this is the relative importance I place on each position in Madden (note, this is not going to be ANYTHING like the NFL):

1) Running back--the cream of the crop, the center of any good offense in Madden. So hard to get guys with good speed at this position who can break tackles. Peterson is the #1 guy for Madden fantasy drafts.

2) Quarterback

3) Wide receiver

4) Defensive tackle (or your own personal primary defensive player)

5) Tight end--get a good pass-catcher here and you will be very good in the passing game. I recommend Jason Witten

6) Corner back--I recommend playing lots of pressing man in this version of Madden

7) Safeties--either one, really. Strong safeties will blitz more and help more in run support, so I would pick up a free safety first.

8) Kick Returner--just get a couple guys with a 99 speed rating to run your kicks back.

9) Kicker--no I am not kidding. Leg strength is how you make field goals in Madden. If you're playing on a difficult level and plan on playing competitive games, get a kicker with a strong leg.

10) Everything else. I've found defensive ends, linebackers, and interior linemen are generally all interchangeable. Same goes for punters, really.

Lasting Thought

If you're wondering about online play or Ultimate Team, find another blog to read. I like building franchises and doing lengthy franchise modes when I play Madden. Overall, I think this game is pretty middle of the road in terms of Madden. Then again, it really wasn't hard to improve significantly over the crap fest that was Madden 13--yes, I'm still bitter about the lack of a fantasy draft in offline franchise mode. The graphics have improved, the physics engine has been cleaned up, and games feel much more realistic--in game play, sound, etc. Heck, the game is even as biased towards offense as the modern NFL happens to be.

Overall Grade: B- (unless you include the fact that the special edition gets you Sunday Ticket for an additional 40 dollars, in which case this game becomes an A+++++++ buy)

Elysium Review: Blomkamp Two-for-Two

Matt Damon said in an interview that he was most proud of this film because he got to star in a major

blockbuster that was not a sequel, or a franchise - that the team just made a good movie. He was absolutely right. Neil Blomkamp's second major motion picture gives the feel of a Hollywood sci-fi blockbuster, but retains the craft and immersiveness of a real piece of art from the South African director.

It is 2154 and the human population is divided in a thinly-veiled reference to today's economic inequality. We are faced with similar problems, like overpopulation, undernourishment, and lack of healthcare. The wealthy have left earth for a halo-like installation called Elysium (a heavenlike place in Greek mythology), where they are provided with an essentially perfect lifestyle.

Jodi Foster is tasked with the defense of this installation (basically keeping Earth rifraff out), and does not hesitate to overstep her mandate and use extreme force to do so. Matt Damon, meanwhile, is a former career criminal who, caught in an industrial accident, has days to live. As a last resort, he calls on his former connections to get him to Elysium and use their magical health machines.

Plot: 4/5 - It wasn't nearly as groundbreaking a story as Blomkamp's first effort, District 9 (which was basically a perfect film), and it is even a bit predictable at times, but the story is still fascinating, and Blomkamp is a very game storyteller. If one thing stands out from his films, it is his ability to create a universe. Plot is a big part of this, and the movie does a fantastic job of it.

Writing: 3/5 - This was definitely the movie's weakest part. The dialogue was fine, but it was not creative, there were few moments of comedy, and only a couple of times where tension is really in play either. The story is a tragedy, and Blomkamp relies on story and imagery to convey these emotions more than his writing.

Acting: 4/5 - I am continually impressed by Sharlto Copley. He deserved award buzz for his starring role in District 9, and I thought he stole the show as Murdoch in the A-Team. He plays a despicable mercenary in Elysium, a hitman for Jodi Foster and the Elysian government, and while it is easy to hate a character when rape and killing are written into his story, it is the absolute glee that Copley takes in his actions that make Kruger (the character) absolutely loathsome. Matt Damon and Jodi Foster are fine, too.

Aesthetics: 5/5 - This is where Blomkamp shines. His ability to use creative, powerful shots, strong sound editing, and an impressive score are his key tools in the aforementioned universe-building. It is amazing that with so little preamble we are able to so fully understand and appreciate everybody's situation, and it is through the look and feel of the movie that we are so completely immersed.

Final Score: 80%

A Monthly Dose of Westeros: Part 4-Stannis Baratheon, Davos & Melisandre

I guess it’s not-so-monthly now...but still, I will be providing my thoughts and predictions for one storyline every month until the show’s return. Since I have read the books, I know what should happen, but several plots seem to be taking turns away from the original material, while others are almost spot on. I will examine these apparent changes/accuracy, and do my best to avoid spoilers in “A Monthly Dose of Westeros”.

Renly Baratheon is dead. Robb Stark is dead. Balon Greyjoy is an afterthought. Everybody hates Joffrey. So who left to root for but Stannis Baratheon? Well, there’s always the Mother of Dragons (ha) but Stannis is the only option not located on the other side of the world.

That being said, I am not rooting for Stannis. While he has a better claim than Joffrey, Stannis would probably end up being a worse king. He trusts his red priest Melisandre more than anybody else and let himself become a follower of the Lord of Light. He locked his wife and daughter away in a tower. He imprisoned his most loyal follower, Davos Seaworth, because he saw Melisandre for what she truly was. He lost the Battle of the Blackwater. He produced a shadow monster to kill his brother Renly. He inspires no trust or loyalty. Stannis is NOT the king Westeros needs.

That being said, Stannis is no idiot. He got very lucky that Davos learned to read, because without it he would not have learned that the Night’s Watch is asking for help. Since the amount of support he has is terribly low, Stannis knows the best way to gather more is to help at the Wall and battle the wildlings. Davos is the POV character for Stannis’ story in the books and Davos is out of chapters at this point. The group does appear later in the book, obviously, since they’re travelling to the Wall, but they will be out of screen time at this point.

Stannis and Melisandre’s story has basically gone exactly the same as in the books and Melisandre is still a minor character at this point, so there is not much to say about her. Davos, meanwhile, has had a decent change to his story. In the books, Gendry remains with the Brotherhood without Banners and does NOT travel to Dragonstone with Melisandre. Instead, a boy named Edric Storm is brought to Dragonstone and used in exactly the same way as Gendry. In the show, Gendry is basically a prisoner until Davos puts him in a boat and tells him to return to where he came from. But Edric Storm is Stannis’ “guest”. His daughter is told about Edric and the two form a cousinly relationship, to the point where Shireen does not want Davos to free Edric. The two learn together and play together, while Gendry never met Shireen.

My predictions for Stannis’ storyline is basically that the writers will make some stuff up. Davos is out of chapters and Stannis doesn’t appear until close to the end of the book, so I believe the writers will put Stannis’ voyage onscreen and include a stop to do a very important thing that we don’t see in this book. In my opinion, Stannis’ return in the book will occur in the show’s ninth episode, so we will see a lot of made up stuff for the group this season, until they become a central part of another storyline in the next season. Davos and Melisandre will travel North with Stannis but they shouldn't really have much to do in this season either. The end of this season will probably begin using material from A Feast for Crows, so we could so some important stuff later on.