I enjoy Game of Thrones, but I must admit I do find it hilarious how its huge gang of followers seem to believe they are watching something deep and meaningful - In reality, its a big budget soap opera. Its a modern day Dallas or Dynasty, only they have gone the whole hog and included random nudity and plenty of blood.

Long may it continue (for now), but you can't help but fear that its just going to become a typical American programme, which gets dragged out way past its sell by date.

I could equally compare it to a classic Shakespeare play or a greek tragedy and say it is a classic.

Well wriiten fascinating characters, superb dalogue, well acted.
Enduring human themes of love and revenge and ambition with some fantasy thrown in at is all the hallmarks of any great story or film.

I take your point - it does seem to have been latched onto by the fanboy/girl culture; the same people who take Twilight and Harry Potter far too seriously, despite being old enough to know better.

That said - its a ripping yarn with fantastic production values and as far as I understand it, will end when the books end, so you would hope there won't be any attempt to milk it via spin-offs or other such silliness.

Holy moly!!!! What a way to die for Prince Oberon!!!

As someone who is well behind in the books (having only decided to read them a couple of months ago) and had presumed Oberyn was being developed as a major character, I really did not see that coming. That's the first bit of telly in ages that's had my jaw drop good and proper.

It's left me in a mildly disturbed state all day.

No need to watch it now

You really do. Great episode and the battle at castle black was a belter too

I hope at the end of the series we can all observe a minutes silence for the thousands of cabbages destroyed by the foley team.

Really looking forward to tonight's last episode. Roll on season 5!!!

Excellent ending to a cracking season. However, it has missed out two HUGE characters who I hope will appear in season 5.

You'll be disappointed then. George RR Martin has already stated that the series will soon start to overtake the books. There is already discussion of prequels and mini-series concentrating on a family or even a single character.

Going off what I've read in the books so far, that might not necessarily matter. So much of the story from Season 4 doesn't even happen in the books!

I've read all five and if IIRC season four was a bit of book fourand a smattering of five thrown in. There's much of book four and most of five that could still satisfy two more seasons of GoT but I think Martin and the show's producers have got things about spot on so far. It seems obvious to me that he retains a hell of a lot of artistic control.

In many ways he reminds me of Terry Pratchett, I'm no Pratchett fan but a good mate of mine is very close to the man (he's an executor in Pratchett's will) and has told me sopme of the tales surrounding the filming of his books. Pratchett is reluctant to simply sign over artistic control to anyone, that's why he has so-far favoured Sky, uncharacteristicly for the channel, they have been willing to bow to his wishes. My mate was once at Pratchett's when he took a call from Spielberg, who had been busting a nut trying to get the rights to one of his books. The conversation (on speakerphone) went somethin like this"And you Mr Spielberg"[/i

"Terry, call me Stephen please"

[i"OK Mr Spielberg"[/i

"Terry have you given any more thought to our offer?"

[i"I have Mr Spielberg and unfortunately the answer is still no, I'm afraid"[/i

"Terry, I'm disappointed, this could really make you a rich man"

[i"But I'm already a rich man Mr Spielberg"[/i

"Terry, I'm talking about really, really rich here, this one film would be worth millions to you"

[i"Mr Spielberg, I already earn more money than I know what to do with, I'm sorry but I seriously don't know what I'd do with any more of it"[/i

The conversation basically ended there.

That's a brilliant story.

First four episodes of season five have been leaked online