Telltale Plans More Episodes of Walking Dead Game

Telltale has announced that a second season of The Walking Dead: The Game will follow the first five episodes. The announcement comes hot on the heels of Activision’s announcement that it will release a Walking Dead first-person shooter, but to clarify, The Walking Dead: The Game is the downloadable adventure game that first released in April.

Telltale originally announced that The Walking Dead: The Game would feature five episodes. Episodes one and two have already been released, and episode three is currently slated for mid-August.

While release dates for episodes four and five haven’t been announced yet, Telltale is already planning for what it will do next. According to a statement from Telltale senior vice president of marketing Steve Allison, "Following the digital release of our fifth episode we will also be coming to North American retail shortly thereafter and this will not be the last The Walking Dead game series that we do."

Allison also revealed that the first episodes of the game have “sold nearly 1.7 million episodes to consumers in just our first 8 weeks with no signs of slowing down.” As for Activision’s announcement about the other Walking Dead game? Allison had a comment about that, too. "Regarding today's announcement of a project based [on] the AMC TV series coming in 2013, as huge fans of the franchise and the show, we're looking forward to seeing Terminal Reality's game when it comes out."

For more on The Walking Dead: The Game -- including a full walkthrough for episodes one and two -- be sure to check out our The Walking Dead: The Game wiki guide.

Source: Polygon

Andrew Goldfarb is IGN’s associate news editor. Keep up with pictures of the latest food he’s been eating by following him on Twitter or IGN.

Source : ign[dot]com

Community: "Introduction To Finality" Review

Looking for reviews of the other two Community episodes that aired Thursday night? You can find the review of the video game-themed "Digital Estate Planning" here and check out the review of "The First Chang Dynasty here!

Note: Full spoilers for the episode follow.

Our Community cup runneth over - three episodes in one night to sign off on Season 3! One can hardly complain, now can one? Where "The First Chang Dynasty" was a great way to bring the season to a close, "Introduction to Finality" felt a little out of place, with a tagged on series final ending, you know… just in case. This hurt the episode a bit, especially after two such notable outings.

The timeline of the last few episodes has been a bit of a problem for me. We've been skipping months at a time, and with "Digital Estate Planning," we seemed to leave the timeline altogether. The group got expelled, then months later learned that Chang might be behind the whole thing, then took a break to play a video game, then got reinstated to Greendale, and then months later are taking summer classes. Ultimately this isn't really a big deal, but it did hurt the flow of storytelling. When "Introduction to Finality" began, it was another episode that felt out of place, as if it could have been the first episode of next season.

And perhaps it was intended to be. "The First Chang Dynasty" gave us some great endings to multiple arcs and also supplied us with an interesting cliffhanger, having Troy sacrifice himself to the air condition repair school to save the group. As a first episode to Season 4, "Introduction to Finality" would have restarted the story telling be showing us the aftermath of Troy's departure (Abed cracking into Evil Abed) while also putting things back on track be quickly putting an end to Troy's air conditioning journey. Meanwhile, it started a storyline for Shirley and Pierce and their sandwich shop. But this was still Season 3.

So even though the laughs were there -- Evil Abed making Britta 10% darker, the quirky alternate reality of the repair school -- the whole thing felt very disjointed. And the Summer Fun Court storyline was very average, with Jeff's speech at the end being tedious and overwrought. And then the ending montage started and the purpose of this episode became very clear. This was shot months before anyone knew the fate of the series, and Dan Harmon and the writers had put together an ending to give us some closure on the series, if in fact this was going to be the last episode.

It was a nice montage, set to Community's theme song. Had this been the last ever episode, we would know that Jeff was one step closer to graduating and that he was ready to seek out his dad. We'd know that Abed was ready to grow up a bit, though not entirely. We'd know that the future for these characters looked hopefully. And we'd know that Star-Burns lives. But tacking this ending on to what was already an average, out of place episode simply added to the anticlimactic feel following the season true finale, "The Last Chang Dynasty."

But who can really complain? We get a Season 4!

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/18/community-introduction-to-finality-review

Community: "The First Chang Dynasty" Review

Looking for our reviews of the other two Community episodes that aired Thursday night? You can find our review of the video game-themed "Digital Estate Planning" here. The season finale review will be up later this morning!

Full spoilers for the episode follow.

I love me a good heist movie. Heck, I love me a mediocre heist movie. So as it became clear where "The First Chang Dynasty" was going to take us, I was grinning from ear to ear. Sure, it was mostly a riff on Ocean's 11 and not the genre as a whole, but since said movie falls squarely in the "good" category, why complain? Where "Digital Estate Planning" faltered by feeling so out of place as an episode, "The First Chang Dynasty" continued (and ended) the story arcs we've been following for weeks.

Chang's rise to power had been a background story for much of the season. And I like that it's been in the background. Too much Chang can really wear thin. Tonight, we got some full on Chang, and since things have been leading to this, it was nice to give him free reign for a while. Britta perfectly summed up his leadership: "He's just like Stalin back in Russia times." The Chang posters around the campus, the aggressive security, the prescription throne-- all were exactly what we'd hope for once we got a clear look at Chang's rule.

Click on Chang's fearsome face to enter for your chance to win a Chang poster signed by Ken Jeong!

Watching the study group figure out a way to free Dean Pelton was a hoot. Once Troy got his inside info from the air conditioning repair school, the plan was put in place. Things unfolded perfectly, with Jeff going over the steps while split screens showed the action that was taking place. It was a delightfully perfect Community spin on Danny Ocean breaking into the Bellagio. And it was funny. This series always does an amazing job of smartly, often meticulously mimicking countless genres while never forgetting to make the audience laugh.

And even get emotional on occasion. After the failing plan that was all part of the plan actually failed, the study group found themselves locked up without a way out. This is where Troy stepped up and made his wordless pact with the AC school: "A man is only as good as his nod through a camera to a guy with a button." This brought us back to another storyline carrying through mush of this season. It took a while, but Troy was now promised to the repair school.

IGN TV Executive Editor took this pic of Alison Brie, Gillian Jacobs and Jim Rash on the set of "The First Chang Dynasty"

Really, "The First Chang Dynasty" brought some pitch perfect closure to numerous storylines running through Season 3. The Ocean's 11 riff was a fun way to wrap the package, but the gift on the inside was seeing how everything would come to an end. There was still one episode left, but "The First Chang Dynasty" worked perfectly as a conclusion to the season.

Source : http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/05/18/community-the-first-chang-dynasty-review

FOX: Fringe's Final Season in Fall; Touch Also on Fridays

FOX have announced their initial 2012-2013 schedule. Of note is that the final thirteen episodes of Fringe will air for certain in the fall (rather than midseason) and that Touch, with Kiefer Sutherland, is moving to Fridays. Also moving is Glee, which will now air on Thursdays, with Tuesdays now all half hour comedies, including The Mindy Project with The Office's Mindy Kaling.

Two series we're very curious about here at IGN, The Following and The Goodwin Games, will be held for midseason. The Following is a serial killer-themed drama from Kevin Williamson (Scream, The Vampire Diaries), starring Kevin Bacon. The Goodwin Games is the new comedy from the creators of How I Met Your Mother.

FOX's schedule confirms Bob's Burgers will return, while it looks like Napoleon Dynamite is gone. Check out the full schedule below, followed by network provided descriptions of the new series.

FOX 2012-2013 PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
(All Times ET/PT)

MONDAY
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM THE MOB DOCTOR (new)

THE FOLLOWING (new) joins in midseason.

TUESDAY
8:00-8:30 PM RAISING HOPE
8:30-9:00 PM BEN AND KATE (new)
9:00-9:30 PM NEW GIRL
9:30-10:00 PM THE MINDY PROJECT (new)

THE GOODWIN GAMES (new) joins in midseason.

WEDNESDAY
8:00-10:00 PM THE X FACTOR (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL (midseason)

THURSDAY
8:00-9:00 PM THE X FACTOR Results (fall) / AMERICAN IDOL Results (midseason)
9:00-10:00 PM GLEE

FRIDAY
8:00-9:00 PM TOUCH
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE (fall)

HELL'S KITCHEN returns in midseason.

SATURDAY
7:00-10:30 PM FOX SPORTS SATURDAY (fall)

COPS returns in midseason.
ANIMATION DOMINATION HIGH-DEF (new) will join late-prime in 2013.

SUNDAY
7:00-7:30 PM NFL Game (fall) / ANIMATION DOMINATION (encores)
7:30-8:00 PM THE OT (fall) / THE CLEVELAND SHOW
8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS
8:30-9:00 PM BOB'S BURGERS
9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY
9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

BEN AND KATE
What happens when an exuberant, irresponsible dreamer who always says "yes" moves in with his overly responsible little sister to help raise her five-year-old daughter? BEN AND KATE, a new single-camera young ensemble comedy, follows these odd-couple siblings as they push each other out of their comfort zones and into real life. KATE FOX (Dakota Johnson, "The Social Network") followed the rules all her life…until she got pregnant in college and dropped out just shy of graduation. After the birth of her daughter, MADDIE (Maggie Jones, "We Bought a Zoo," "Footloose"), Kate put her twenties on hold. Now working as a bar manager to make ends meet and maximize her time with five-year-old Maddie, she's uber-prepared for every possible catastrophe – except for the arrival of her older brother, BEN FOX (Nat Faxon, "Bad Teacher"). Ben likes trouble a lot more than his sister does. His infectious energy makes you want to follow him into any number of bad ideas. He'll totally screw up your life, but somehow, you'll feel good about it. Where Kate is all about planning and preparing, Ben is big on spontaneity and out-of-the-box ideas. But don't let the Velcro wallet fool you – he'll probably be a millionaire someday. When Ben comes to crash on Kate's couch for a few days, he finds a sad state of affairs. Kate's surviving, but not living. Ben realizes that for the first time in their lives, Kate needs his help and he's determined to bring some much-needed chaos into her overly stable world. He starts by offering to help look after Maddie so Kate can get back to experiencing her mid-twenties and making mistakes, since the one real "mistake" she's made turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to her. Always there to help with Ben's crazy schemes is his partner-in-crime, TOMMY (newcomer Echo Kellum), who worships Ben like a hero and nurses a serious crush on Kate. Kate's British best friend, BJ (Lucy Punch, "Bad Teacher"), is a cocktail waitress at the bar that Kate manages and an all-around hot mess who would do anything for Kate, even if her advice is often questionable and occasionally illegal. From writer/executive producer Dana Fox (NEW GIRL, "What Happens in Vegas") and executive producer/director Jake Kasdan (NEW GIRL, "Bad Teacher"), BEN AND KATE is a heartwarming story of deeply mismatched siblings: a sister who needs to go for her dreams and a brother who needs to get his head out of the clouds.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: 20th Century Fox Television, Chernin Entertainment
CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Dana Fox
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Peter Chernin, Katherine Pope
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Jake Kasdan
CAST: Dakota Johnson as Kate, Nat Faxon as Ben, Maggie Jones as Maddie, Lucy Punch as BJ, Echo Kellum as Tommy


THE MINDY PROJECT
THE MINDY PROJECT is a new single-camera comedy from Emmy Award-nominated writer/producer and New York Times best-selling author Mindy Kaling ("The Office") that follows a woman who, despite having a successful career, desperately needs to break bad habits in her personal life. After all, how many doctors make inappropriate toasts at their ex-boyfriend's wedding, nearly drown at the bottom of a stranger's pool and get arrested for disorderly conduct just moments before having to deliver a baby? Funny, impatient and politically incorrect, MINDY LAHIRI (Kaling) can quote every romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan that exists. She loves the good ones and the bad ones, because the girl always gets the guy. Mindy is determined to be more punctual, spend less money, lose weight and read more books – all in pursuit of becoming a well-rounded perfect woman…who can meet and date the perfect guy. Mindy is a skilled OB/GYN and shares a practice with a few other doctors, none of whom make life any easier for her. JEREMY REED (British writer/comedian Ed Weeks) is the walking definition of total bad news. He not only shares a practice with Mindy, but sometimes her bed as well – despite her best efforts to resist. He is funny, self-absorbed and super sexy. In contrast, DANNY CASTELLANO (Chris Messina, "Damages") is a hothead and guys' guy who has a habit of stealing Mindy's patients. Danny criticizes her for everything, including her struggling love life and her lack of professionalism – even though it's obvious to everyone except Mindy that he secretly admires her work. His blue-collar childhood gives him a big chip on his shoulder, but he is a dedicated physician, which Mindy can't stand to admit because he's always getting on her case. Rounding out the office staff are the receptionists – BETSY PUTCH (Zoe Jarman, "Huge"), young, earnest and easily excitable, who thinks the world of Mindy and is always trying to impress her; and SHAUNA DICANIO (newcomer Dana DeLorenzo), a self-assured Jersey Girl who is indifferent to Mindy, always knows where the cool party is and carries a poorly concealed torch for Danny. Mindy is in constant communication with her beloved best friend from college, GWEN GRANDY (Anna Camp, "The Good Wife"), who also happens to be the governor's daughter. Gwen is a hilarious, sometimes too-blunt friend, and secretly a former carefree party girl (which only Mindy seems to remember). Although Gwen is now happily married to a financial analyst, with a six-year-old daughter, this lawyer-turned-Pilates mom remains squarely in Mindy's corner. As Mindy attempts to get her career off the ground and meet a guy who passes her red flag test (no drug habits, no skinny jeans and no secret families, among others), only time will tell if she gets her romantic comedy ending.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Universal Television, 3 Arts Entertainment
CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Mindy Kaling
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Howard Klein, B.J. Novak (pilot)
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Charles McDougall (pilot)
CAST: Mindy Kaling as Mindy, Chris Messina as Danny, Ed Weeks as Jeremy, Anna Camp as Gwen, Zoe Jarman as Betsy, Dana DeLorenzo as Shauna

The following new drama will debut this fall on FOX:

THE MOB DOCTOR
For most physicians, the Hippocratic oath is sacred. But for one Chicago doctor, who is indebted to the mafia, saving lives isn't her only concern. THE MOB DOCTOR is a fast-paced medical drama featuring a brilliant young female cardiothoracic surgeon who is split between two distinct worlds as she juggles her promising medical career with her lifelong debt as a doctor to Chicago's Southside mob. DR. GRACE DEVLIN (Jordana Spiro, "My Boys") is a top resident at Chicago's Roosevelt Medical Center. Smart and self-assured, she's heralded as one of the country's most promising young surgeons. But family ties keep her glued to her Southside roots. To pay off her brother's life-threatening gambling debt, she makes a deal with the devil and agrees to work "off book" for the mafia men she once despised. During the day, Grace must deal with the emotionally compelling cases at Roosevelt Medical – a toddler in need of a heart transplant, an elderly man desperate to donate a lung to his sick wife, the mass chaos in the wake of a two-train collision on the 'L.' But in her other vastly different world, she must juggle an onslaught of mob-related demands, including operating in mob-sanctioned locations, removing bullets from dead bodies to hide incriminating evidence, saving a juiced-up race horse and covertly helping an aging mobster with his erectile dysfunction. All the while, Grace must keep her dual life a secret from everyone: her protective best friend, NURSE ROBERTA "RO" ANGELI (Floriana Lima, "Glory Daze"); her handsome, blue-blooded boyfriend, DR. BRETT ROBINSON (Zach Gilford, "Off The Map," "Friday Night Lights"); her boss at Roosevelt Medical and Chief of Surgery, DR. STAFFORD WHITE (Zeljko Ivanek, "The Event," "Damages"); her rival, DR. OLIVIA WATSON (Jaime Lee Kirchner, "Necessary Roughness," "Mercy"); even her well-meaning screw-up brother, NATE (Jesse Lee Soffer, "As the World Turns"), and her overly dramatic mother, DANIELLA (Wendy Makkena, "NCIS"). The only one who knows the true scope of Grace's activities is the man to whom Grace owes her debt: the charming and diabolical Southside mob boss CONSTANTINE ALEXANDER (William Forsythe, "Boardwalk Empire"), an oddly compassionate killer whose relationship with Grace is more than it seems. Recently released from prison, the former head of the Chicago mob looks to reclaim his place in the organization, with the help of his right-hand associate – and Grace's ex-boyfriend – FRANCO (James Carpinello, "The Good Wife"). As Grace tries to heed the demands of these two conflicting worlds – not to mention the needs of her own slightly dysfunctional family – her moral center comes into direct conflict with the very immoral things she's asked to do. But with nerves of steel and a tough-as-nails exterior, she somehow manages to make it all work – at least for now.

PRODUCTION COMPANY: Sony Pictures Television
CREATORS/WRITERS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Josh Berman, Rob Wright
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Michael Dinner
CAST: Jordana Spiro as Dr. Grace Devlin, William Forsythe as Constantine Alexander, Floriana Lima as Nurse "Ro" Angeli, Zach Gilford as Dr. Brett Robinson, Jaime Lee Kirchner as Dr. Olivia Watson, Zeljko Ivanek as Dr. Stafford White, James Carpinello as Franco, Jesse Lee Soffer as Nate Devlin, Wendy Makkena as Daniella Devlin


THE FOLLOWING
THE FBI estimates there are currently over 300 active serial killers in the United States. What would happen if these killers had a way of communicating and connecting with each other? What if they were able to work together and form alliances across the country? What if one brilliant psychotic serial killer was able to bring them all together and activate a following? Welcome to THE FOLLOWING, the terrifying new thriller from creator/executive producer Kevin Williamson ("The Vampire Diaries," "Dawson's Creek," the "Scream" franchise). When notorious serial killer JOE CARROLL (James Purefoy, "Rome") escapes from death row and embarks on a new killing spree, the FBI calls former agent RYAN HARDY (Emmy-nominated actor Kevin Bacon, "X-Men: First Class") to consult on the case. Having since withdrawn from the public eye, Hardy was responsible for Carroll's capture nine years ago, after Carroll murdered 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature. Hardy is a walking textbook of all-things Carroll. He knows him better than anyone; he is perhaps Carroll's only psychological and intellectual match. But the Ryan Hardy who broke the Carroll case years ago isn't the same man today. Wounded both physically and mentally by his previous pursuit of this serial killer, it's been a long time since Hardy has been in the field. This investigation is his redemption, his call to action. In contrast to nine years ago, Hardy isn't calling the shots on this case. He works closely with an FBI team, which includes all-business and tough-as-nails JENNIFER MASON (Jeananne Goossen, "The Vow," ALCATRAZ) and young, razor-sharp MIKE WESTON (Shawn Ashmore, "X-Men").
The team considers Hardy to be more of a liability than an asset. But Hardy proves his worth when he uncovers that Carroll was covertly communicating with a network of killers in the outside world. It quickly becomes obvious that he has more planned than just a prison escape, and there's no telling how many additional killers are out there. The FBI's investigation leads Hardy to CLAIRE MATTHEWS (Natalie Zea, "Justified"), Carroll's ex-wife and mother of the criminal's 10-year-old son, JOEY (newcomer Kyle Catlett). Close during Hardy's initial investigation, Hardy turns to Claire for insight into Carroll's next move. The tension rises when Carroll's accomplices kidnap his intended last victim from nine years ago. Hardy becomes ever more determined to end Carroll's game when he realizes that this psychopath intends to finish what he started. The thriller will follow Hardy and the FBI as they are challenged with the ever-growing web of murder around them, masterminded by the devious Carroll, who dreams of writing a novel with Hardy as his protagonist. The reinvigorated Hardy will get a second chance to capture Carroll, as he's faced with not one but a cult of serial killers.

PRODUCTION COMPANIES: Warner Bros. Television, Outerbanks Entertainment, Bonanza Productions Inc.
CREATOR/WRITER/EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Kevin Williamson
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Marcos Siega
CAST: Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy, James Purefoy as Joe Carroll, Jeananne Goossen as Agent Jennifer Mason, Natalie Zea as Claire Matthews, Kyle Catlett as Joey Matthews, Shawn Ashmore as Agent Weston, Valorie Curry as Denise, Adan Canto as Billy Thomas, Nico Tortorella as Will Wilson


THE GOODWIN GAMES
Where there's a will, there's a way. And when that will's worth more than 20 million dollars, you can bet someone's going to find a way to get the cash. From the executive producers of "How I Met Your Mother," THE GOODWIN GAMES is a single-camera comedy that tells the story of three grown siblings who return home after their father's death, and unexpectedly find themselves poised to inherit a vast fortune – if they adhere to their late father's wishes. If any of the Goodwin kids feel like they deserve the money, then it's HENRY (Scott Foley, "Grey's Anatomy," "Felicity"), the eldest child and an overachieving surgeon. He sees himself as a role model for his less successful siblings – and reminds them every chance he gets. Returning home will force Henry to question the choices he's made, especially as he reconnects with his first love and true soulmate, LUCINDA (Felisha Terrell, "Days of Our Lives"). Middle sibling CHLOE (Becki Newton, "Ugly Betty") was a child prodigy in math, and her unofficial role as "the smart one" of the family still sends Henry into fits of jealousy. But long ago, Chloe gave up academics in favor of being the popular girl. Now, through a series of hidden messages, her late father will lead Chloe back to her old love of numbers – and back to the person she's meant to be. Of the three siblings, the youngest, JIMMY (Jake Lacy, "Better With You"), could use the inheritance the most. A small-time ex-con and dull-witted guitarist who's deep in debt to a loan shark, Jimmy may be the family screw-up, but he has more heart than anyone. Like his siblings, Jimmy's also returning to something in this town: his eight-year-old daughter. Pulling the strings from beyond the grave is the
children's late father, BENJAMIN (guest star Beau Bridges, "The Descendants"), a college math professor. Guilty over not parenting his kids better, Benjamin has left behind a series of unique challenges – administered by his estate attorney APRIL (newcomer Melissa Tang). Through these tasks, Benjamin hopes he can get his children to rediscover their true selves and learn the lessons he failed to instill in them while he was alive. Their potential reward? More than 20 million dollars – a fortune that they never knew their father had – and the chance to become the people their father wanted them to be. So let THE GOODWIN GAMES begin!

PRODUCTION COMPANY: 20th Century Fox Television
CREATORS/WRITERS/EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Carter Bays, Craig Thomas, Chris Harris
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER/DIRECTOR: Peyton Reed (pilot)
CAST: Scott Foley as Henry, Becki Newton as Chloe, Jake Lacy as Jimmy, Felisha Terrell as Lucinda, Melissa Tang as April


Source : http://tv.ign.com/articles/122/1224630p1.html

Game of Thrones: "A Man Without Honor" Review

Warning: Full spoilers for the episode follow...

While "A Man Without Honor" didn't have as many big, striking scenes as some of the past few episodes (riots, raids, whore abuse, shadow births), it made up for its lack of face-melting moments with some absolutely fantastic one-on-one scenes. Cersei and Tyrion. Cat and Jaime. Jon and Ygritte. And am I the only one here who could watch an entire season of just Arya and Tywin? A lot of this episode reminded me a lot of the scene, back in Season 1, between Robert and Cersei; a scene not found in the book, but expertly written to fit inside the world and make it richer.

And while we knew that the twincest between Cersei and Jaime had grown into, shall we say, a rumor with hair on its chest, it was amazing to hear both Cersei and Jaime, in their separate conversations, speak rather openly about it. With Cersei having a very unexpectedly real and touching moment with Tyrion, and Jaime, well, doing what he does best - simply owning anyone he talks to with humor, clarity and logic. If only Tywin truly knew how much if Jaime was like him in that respect.

And staying with Cersei's great scenes, she also spoke to Sansa, after discovering that the poor girl had gotten her "moon's blood." Telling her that the more people she loves, the weaker she is. And, yes letting on that she of course knows what a monster Joffrey has become. "You can try, little dove," Cersei says after Sansa asks "Shouldn't I love Joffrey?" But while Cersei was more guarded with Sansa, she really crept out of her armor with Tyrion, actually wondering aloud if Joffrey was born mad because of her incest - in the same way that the Targaryens produced crazed offspring. That scene was so damn good that, other than Tyrion not quite knowing how to console Cersei, you wouldn't readily know that the two of them had been at each other's throats all season.

- HBO

"I can't believe I ate the whole thing."

And while it might have seemed odd to give such a large speaking role to Ser Alton Lannister, a man we hardly knew, his scene with Jaime, where they both reminisced about squiring (Alton for Jaime, Jaime for Barristan Selmy), was incredible. And even though Jaime is taken to task later on for killing Lord Karstark's son, the true evidence of his "lack of honor" was the cold murder of Alton, the cousin he'd just bonded with. But then all of our hate for Jaime sort of unravels by the end when he talks to Cat and points out the futility of vows while offering up a bit of perspective on the entire situation. As if he were somehow an outsider. Because I don't think there's any one of us who thinks Jaime killing the Mad King wasn't just. And yet, he's completely maligned because of it. Because of "honor." And, again, Jaime talks about sleeping with his sister. Yes, Cat already knew, but it seems as though Jaime feels a bit of relief when he talks about it. Especially when he can use it, in a roundabout way, to prove that he has more honor than the bastard-producing Ned Stark. "So many vows. They make you swear and swear."

And speaking of Ned's bastard (and this episode's theme of vows and betrayal), Jon had both hands full with Ygritte this week; with her taunting him about his morning wood, his blushing and his vow of celibacy. All while preaching to him about the advantages of being free. And yes, we got to hear something book fans have been simply dying for her to say: "You know nothing, Jon Snow." Man, it was as if millions of shippers suddenly "squeeed" out in delight and were suddenly silenced. Ygritte is great because you know that she's both attracted to Jon totally f***ing with him too ("I could teach you how to do it"). Listening to her, you can hear that she wants Jon to trade sides. As if, for her, that's also the best way that the two of them could finally be together.

And while those scenes functioned as the cheeky in this chapter, Theon kept true to the "Man Without Honor" theme in his hunt for Bran and Rikkon. "It's better to be cruel than weak" seems to be his new philosophy. It's clear now that Theon, in just a short while, has grown more delusional; seeing the hunt as a game. Willing to do absolutely anything to avoid humiliation at the hands of his sister or his father. And so we come to the point here where, having read the books, I won't speculate any further. The torched corpses of the boys at the end made quite a graphic statement and hearing Luwin cry out in anguish was painful to hear. Theon, as Rodrik said, is truly lost.

Daenerys and Jorah had some fine scenes in this episode too; before witnessing a freakin' freaky Warlock coup and Xaro actually making a big, murderous play to become the King of Qarth. More than any episode before, even when she was lost in the desert, reality really set in on Dany. She basically had to come to terms with the fact that the dragons were . With Irri dead, and Doreah missing, Dany was forced to admit that, well, she was s***. She even had a hard time, still, trusting in Jorah; whose motivations are still tainted in her eyes. Maybe now that she's witnessed how rotten Xaro is, she'll finally learn to trust Jorah fully. Even though that "Quaith of the Shadow" woman called Jorah out for betraying Dany. From behind that mask of...nativity chocolates? I dunno, whatever it is, it doesn't look comfortable.

- HBO

And finally...Arya and Tywin. What a remarkable pairing. And even though it like the honeymoon might be over for them (considering that Arya now feels a bit bolder around him) I still relish every moment. Whether Arya's menacingly holding a knife behind his back while he speechifies about "legacy" or they're talking about Harrenhal history and Visenya Targaryen riding her dragon. "Most girls are idiots," Arya tells Tywin, explaining her passion for strong, fiery heroines. And you can just see how much Tywin wishes that she were perhaps even a part of his family. The scenes between these two will definitely be one of the things I remember most about this season.


Source : http://tv.ign.com/articles/122/1224470p1.html