Didn't last season end with a huge war? (I got a terrible memory, so I may be wrong).

The action took place in the 9th episode. The finale just rounded things out. We did get a look at white walkers though in 2nd season finale and dragons in first one. So not much supernatural in this latest one. 

I found the whole season to be quite underwhelming, which sucks since I loved the first two seasons. Should have spent the time reading the books instead (assuming they're good).

And am I the only one who finds Daenerys' part to be completely uninteresting? I'm just hoping for something "unfortunate" to happen to her at this point...

Epsiodes 10s and 1s tend to be "link" episodes with episodes 9s being the big event ones.

I was happy with episode 10 and the season as a whole.  I know I can be a bit defensive because I love this world and understand nuances barely touched on and how scenes you watched tonight have major importance in latter half (season 4) of book 3.  Still the best television show I have ever watched (I am biased) and so happy it has been a success.

Highlights from 10

Decapitated Robb Stark with decapitated Greywolf's head on his shoulders.  I felt they could have done beter here as the cruelty may not have come through as much.

Dany's story was lightened a bit making her lless threatening, but more likable I guess.  I would have liked an added scene to flesh out the conquest of Yunkai as felt a bit rushed.

One added scene was Bolton and Frey essentially telling the audience the big secret as to what happened at Winterfell.  I felt it was obvious, but then again, I am me, so maybe for show viewers it was too ambiguous.

Theon answers to Reek so maybe the torture scenes are over...not sure how they are going to handle that story as its line is farther ahead.  See where they go with Reek from now on.

Varys and Shae scene added was...bit baffling.  I cannot discuss too much, but it felt out of character...but I am privy to other knowledge so curious about how they will alter that dynamic.

Loved the small council scene and Tywin staring at Joffrey.  A family that has won it all yet feels so fragile.  Great acting all around there!

Davos was brilliant, but Gendry scene in dungeons....eh, good but maybe not crucial.  

Cersei and Tyrion were excellent, and loved what went unsaid between them.  Again, top notch stuff there.

Stannis story went faster than I expected, not sure about how they will pace him in season 4 given the revelation here.

Bran was great at the Wall and the explanation that is story is important even against the overwhelming odds.  Like touches such as his story, happy to see him beyond the wall next year.

Arya's transformation took form cold blooded murder of that, admittedly, jerk.  Valar Morghulis, gents and ladies.  

Sandor Clegane was classic too, bit of levity in darkness.

Ends with Dany and high valyrian and thos ebad ass dragons.  Her story was one of rebuilding this year, she has a great challenge next year.  Atapor...Yunkai, and the greatest of the slave cities...Meereen!

Thanks everyone for participating in the thread, been a lot o fun.  If you have questions happy to help anyone learn about Westeros and Essos.

*Possibly minor book spoilers, but not enough to warrant spoiler tags, I think. Correct me if I'm wrong*

Hmmh. Feeling rather ambivalent about this season. I realize that D&D needed a certain amount of filler to create ten full-length episodes out of only half a book (granted, it's a lengthy fucking book, but still the shortest book in the series by far when cut in half), but the quality of that filler... Eh. Podrick and Shae got far too much attention (in Shae's case, for the second season in a row), and the direwolves not nearly enough (again, for the second season in a row), but it's understandable since the CG is doubtless expensive as hell. Nevertheless, I wanted to see Grey Wind rip shit up. :(

Complaining about these things one by one would feel like nitpicking, but I feel that with things such as Anguy showing off with his crazeh bow-skills, the climb over The Wall being needlessly intense, and Jorah, Grey Worm and Daario doing ninja stuff against an oslaught of Yunkai soldiers, season 3 doesn't really sync up with the previous seasons (nor with the books), which have a far more realistic, authentic feel to them. (the very thing that attracted me to the books in the first place)

I never found Vargo Hoat interesting in the slightest, so I don't mind him being replaced by Locke. Though I did prefer Hoat's reasoning behind cutting Jaime's hand to Locke's, the latter of which was basically "Hey, you know what, I don't like your attitude. Chop chop." Tormund Giantsbane in the show felt different from the amiable, complacent and totally awesome Tormund Giantsbane in the books, but he's still pretty awesome just because he's Tormund Giantsbane. I'm mildly chagrined by the casting of Mance Rayder, since I always thought Ciarán Hinds would make an awesome Doran Martell, but I'm just glad he's a part of the cast.

Still, the season has its moments. For instance, personally, it always rather irked me that Kraznys never had a proper "Wha-? The slutwhorebitch speaks Valyrian?"-moment in the book. Thoros was also much more fun than he was in the books, and the actors for Walder Frey, Roose Bolton, Edmure, the Blackfish, and of course the Queen of Thorns were all excellent.

All in all, I'd still call it one of the better shows on television right now, and I'm definitely hopeful for season 4. I certainly hope that Jaime's earlier arrival in King's Landing will bring about some more interaction between Tyrion and him. I would've loved to see more of that in the books.

I can't understand the notion that the TV show is bad or ruins the books, simply because the plot differs from the plot of the books. I understand the want for the TV show to be an exact replica of the books, but these are two different mediums. The differences are inevitable.

And even if the show saw some changes which weren't necessary, that's still no reason to grow upset. The show can still be enjoyable even with a different plot. It also doesn't mean the books are somehow ruined. The books still exist in their original form available for anyone to read (which is the way the story was meant to be told). So I'm not sure how the TV show can have any negative implications on the quality of the books.

In relation to the books, I think of the TV show as a slightly different, yet enjoyable, experience. Sure the TV show differs, but who cares if it's one of the greatest shows ever made? Even Martin himself said he expects some huge differences, but he's okay with them so long as the show is good and still has the "spirit" of his books.

I agree. I watch the show primarily in order to get a sense of scale that cannot always be accomplished via the written word, and whenever something comes up that I'm not so crazy about, I have no problem simply labeling it as not a part of my personal canon. In turn, when the show does something nice and original (like the conversation between Tywin and Jaime, or Tyrion's speech in Blackwater), I can just as easily consider that a part of my canon.

As to the bolded. Well, Martin still has two books left to write, so I suppose some fans fear that the show might have a (possibly detracting) effect on the books that Martin has yet to write. Of course, there hasn't been anything that drastic yet (except arguably the Talisa/Jeyne Westerling-thing, especially now that Talisa is dead), nothing will change in book 6 just because TV version of Podrick is suddenly a master in the sack, but when asked about the changes made to the TV show in season 3, George himself said in an interview that seemingly small changes in season 1 will obviously result in more and greater changes as the show goes on, so I don't think it's completely unreasonable to fear that A) the book series and the TV show drift very far apart from each other, or B) one of them will have to conform to the other, most likely in a way that doesn't quite feel consistent with the direction that the series has been going in up to that point.

Of course, that is but some pessimistic guesswork, and not something I entirely agree with. All I'm saying is that I think I understand where some of the complaints are coming from.

I'll just skip most of the comments, as some times they do contain minor spoilers untagged. The finale felt good, after the huge blow that was episode 9, I think it was just good. Now the wait begins, I want to see if the development of the Starks. :/

When has George ever said that?

Good video from the official Game of Throne YouTube Channel. Game of Thrones In Memoriam: Season IV The North remembers