Game of Thrones
Season 3, Episode 6 – “The Climb”
Directed by Alex Graves
Written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
Starring: Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, James Cosmo, Liam Cunningham, Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Natalie Dormer, Michelle Fairley, Jerome Flynn, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Ciarán Hinds, Carice van Houten, Sibel Kekilli, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Patrick Malahide, Rory McCann, Sophie Turner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, and Issac Hempstead-Wright
HBO
Air Date: May 5, 2013

“Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail and never get to try again. The fall breaks them. And some are given a chance to climb, they refuse, they cling to the realm or the gods or love or illusions. Only the ladder is real. The climb is all there is.”

Littlefinger’s (Aidan Gillen) speech is a very much on the nose, as “The Climb,” the sixth episode of season 3 of Game Of Thrones, sees various characters trying to progress forward in some capacity, but the core of his speech – that often those who are provided opportunities normally only get one chance at something – rings true for many characters tonight.

Game of Thrones
Season 3, Episode 5 – “Kissed by Fire”
Directed by Alex Graves
Written by Bryan Gogman
Starring: Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, James Cosmo, Liam Cunningham, Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Natalie Dormer, Michelle Fairley, Jerome Flynn, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Ciarán Hinds, Carice van Houten, Sibel Kekilli, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Patrick Malahide, Rory McCann, Sophie Turner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, and Issac Hempstead-Wright
HBO
Air Date: April 28, 2013

While we often think of fire as a heat source or a weapon, more often than not, fire illuminates our path and helps shows us what’s true. After weeks of epic television, Game of Thrones‘ fifth episode, “Kissed by Fire,” allows most of characters to look at the paths they’ve chosen before deciding (or having someone choose for them) their new fate.

Jamie’s life has certainly turned out much different than I believe he originally intended. In the episode’s strongest scene, Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) explains to Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) the ‘secret origin’ of the Kingslayer name, detailing the mad king’s obsession with wildfire and how he planned to burn the city down, men, women, and children all. So, Jamie took matters into his own hands. This is battered and beaten Jamie Lannister, far different from the attempted child-killer we saw in the first season. We know that version of Jamie still lurks below, but the journey and evolution of the character is very different now than before.

Game of Thrones
Season 3, Episode 4 – “And Now His Watch Is Ended”
Directed by Alex Graves
Written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
Starring: Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, James Cosmo, Liam Cunningham, Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Natalie Dormer, Michelle Fairley, Jerome Flynn, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Ciarán Hinds, Carice van Houten, Sibel Kekilli, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Patrick Malahide, Rory McCann, Sophie Turner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, and Issac Hempstead-Wright
HBO
Air Date: April 21, 2013

Well. That was certainly something.

With the nature of the Internet and spoilers, I already knew about this week’s big Game of Thrones event. But as the episode progressed, I realized there was plenty of excitement to be found before Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) blows the doors clear off this season.

Continue reading for more, but beware of heavy spoilers if you’re not yet caught up.

Classic Doctor Who villains, THE ICE WARRIORS, make a triumphant return in Cold War this week, as the 7th Series of modern Doctor Who continues. In the story written by Mark Gatiss and directed by Douglas Mackinnon, the Doctor (Matt Smith) and companion Clara Oswald (Jenna-Louise Coleman) take a wrong turn in the TARDIS on the way to Las Vegas, and end up materializing on a sinking Soviet Submarine at the height of Cold War tensions in 1983.

While the materialization would ordinarily be an immediate threat to the Russian sailors, our heroes arrive in the middle of a crisis, with equipment damaged on the boat causing it to sink. Professor Grisenko (David Warner), attached to the command of Captain Zhukov (Liam Cunningham) for scientific drilling in the Arctic, has discovered a surviving Ice Warrior, who begins waging bloody war with the occupants of the submarine.

During TARDISblend 61, we celebrate a brilliant return of the fantastic Ice Warriors, their first appearance in 39 years. We also commend the performances by the spectacular guest stars on this episode, and look into the possibilities for the return of these characters, and perhaps more Ice Warriors adventures in the future…

As usual, we make some Classic Who recommendations too… All this and more on the latest TARDISblend!

Game of Thrones
Season 3, Episode 3 – Walk of Punishment
Directed by David Benioff
Written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss
Starring: Mark Addy, Alfie Allen, Emilia Clarke, James Cosmo, Liam Cunningham, Charles Dance, Stephen Dillane, Peter Dinklage, Natalie Dormer, Michelle Fairley, Jerome Flynn, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Iain Glen, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Conleth Hill, Ciarán Hinds, Carice van Houten, Sibel Kekilli, Harry Lloyd, Richard Madden, Patrick Malahide, Rory McCann, Sophie Turner, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maisie Williams, and Issac Hempstead-Wright
HBO
Air Date: April 14, 2013

“Walk of Punishment” is another keeping up with the Joneses episode of Game of Thrones, but when we’re juggling as many characters as this show does, that’s bound to happen. What’s important about this episode is the set up. Lots of fuses are beginning to be lit and by the time the episode is over, a few of them already beginning to explode.

The biggest fuse has to be Daenerys (Emilia Clarke). As the Mother of Dragons walks along the episode’s namesake, we see her gamble the biggest thing she has to lose. I use the word gamble here very specifically. I think Daenerys is building something here. To give away what she does in the manner she does it speaks to a larger plan. It’s a shocking move (in an episode with a totally shock ending) that will have some real consequences.