Game of Thrones: Season 4, Alive and Kicking All Up In Your Face

I considered live-blogging Game of Thrones Season 4 and then abandoned the idea. I love this show. I think it's excellent and respects its followers - unlike other ventures. 

However, I'm far too impatient to wait a week to get my fix, and so I prefer to see chunks of episodes at a time versus watching live airings each week. This way, I feel like I'm saving something special that I can enjoy in bulk. The drawback to this delayed viewing method is avoiding spoilers, which is a losing battle - partly because of the inconsideration of Facebook acquaintances but more often because I tend to read past the most alluring "spoiler alert" even when I'm forewarned. I annoy myself this way!

Season 4 was excellent. There was only one moment that stood out for me that seemed inspired by the current show runner/writers of the Walking Dead. 

NON-SPOILER ALERT.

Episode 8: The Mountain and the Viper was a great episode, even though the actual battle between the aforementioned characters doesn't take place until like the last five minutes, which were explosive! 

However, immediately preceding this magic, was a jail cell scene between Tyrion Lannister and his brother Jaime. What should have been touching was actually... ridiculously dull and forced. It involved an unreasonably long conversation about a random beetle smashing cousin, the drudgery of which was exacerbated by its utter pointlessness and a cringe-worthy Peter Dinklage (the actor who plays Tyrion). How uncouth for a midget little person vertically challenged individual anyone to mockingly impersonate a retard the developmentally disabled? Maybe that was the point? I am a fan of Peter Dinklage, but sometime after season 1, his accent/performances have flamboyantly teetered on the edge of questionable acting. I still love him though, save that stupid, really long beetle scene that was nothing more than filler leading into the good stuff/battle everyone was waiting on.

I can forgive these rare lapses (and the increasing ineffectiveness and bad judgment of Daenerys Targaryen) because Season 4 was truly impressive.

Sucks to have to wait a year for what happens next.

THE METHOD TO MARTIN'S MAD GENIUS:  MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW
NO REALLY!

Even though I have not read the books, after four seasons of having my emotions toyed with (and loving it), I finally get it. 

I realize now that George R.R. Martin's formula is the anti-formula: setting up the classic hero/villain formula and smashing it. 

In Season 1, I was sure Ned Stark would be rescued moments before his beheading. 

Season 3, I was completely blindsided by the Red Wedding.

Season 4, I was finally the wiser. Of course, the dashing Oberyn Tyrell was deserving of victory, not only championing the innocent Tyrion, but with a just cause of his own, i.e. avenging the cruel and horrific loss of his sister and her children... which is exactly why I knew he was DOOMED.

 
As Tyrion himself foreshadowed to the Viper earlier in the season:

 
"If you want justice, you've come to the wrong place."