We started as a Game of Thrones deadpool, but now, we discuss things from Game of Thrones, to the MCU, to Star Wars. Currently, we're going through each new episode of The Mandalorian, Season 2, as each episode comes out.
The second season of The Mandalorian comes to a close with a much needed rescue mission. How will Mando outsmart his adversaries to rescue the child? Who will have the darksaber? What characters will survive to star in their own spin-offs? This and more we discuss in the season two finale, "The Rescue".
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In the penultimate episode this season, Mando busts his old friend out of jail for one last heist, this time with more plot relevance. Will he escape with his life? Find out as we discuss season 2, episode 7, of The Mandalorian, "The Believer".
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This week, we look at the delightfully titled episode of The Mandalorian, season 2, episode 6, "The Tragedy". Things begin so well when Mando takes the kid to visit some old jedi rocks. But, as things so often do, they take a turn for the worst as we're reintroduced to some old acquaintances that we maybe don't really want to have to see again.
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A mysterious figure cutting a path through the night, fighting against tyranny. This is the mysterious figure that Mando must seek out when he wants to meet Ahsoka Tano. Find out if these two can overcome Jedi/Mandalorian antagonism in Season 2, Episode 5, of The Mandalorian, "The Jedi".
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In this week's episode, Mando decides to finally get the full works done on his ship, so he goes in for some routine maintenance and inspection back at his old watering hole. Along the way, he sends his kid to school and runs a few errands with some friends he hasn't seen in a while. Listen in for our thoughts on The Mandalorian Season 2, Episode 4, "The Siege".
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Mando's going fishing in this one. Fishing for...information, that is. Will he find what he's looking for? Will what he's looking for find him? Will it find him again? All this and more is dicussed as we discuss The Mandalorian, Season 2, Episode 3, "The Heiress".
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With a recent revelation playing large in our expectations, we were all of course completely prepared for the next stage of Mando's journey: ferrying a frog across the star system. Here our thoughts on The Mandalorian, Season 2, Episode 2, "The Passenger".
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After a long hiatus, we're back to discuss the second seaon of The Mandalorian. Tasked with a very important mission, Mando goes on a bit of side quest, but, like, not that much of a side quest, so I guess it's understandable. All this and more awaits in the season two opener, "The Marshal".
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In the season one finale of The Mandalorian, our intrepid heroes find themselves in a tough situation from which they must fight to escape. (I think it's a metaphor?) How will they escape? Who will survive? And do the spell casters in our party have enough spell slots left to navigate the dungeon? All of this and more will be explored in "Chapter 8: Redemption".
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In the penultimate episode of this season of The Mandalorian, Mando decides that he needs to go back to where this all started and make a deal with Greef because of, um, reasons, I guess? Will this gambit payt off? Will the double crossers become the double crossed? And what are those weird space bats about? Find out in "Chapter 7: The Reckoning".
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The adventures of Mando continue, as his past comes back to haunt him. What does this past mean for him? Will Mando allow a droid to pilot his ship? Does Bill Burr know he's in a Star Wars show? We discuss this and more as we take a look at the next episode of season one of The Mandalorian, "Chapter 6: The Prisoner".
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In this chapter of our podcast, we continue following our favorite Mandalorian on the lam as his desparate situation has brought to the galaxy's most wretched hive of sum and villainy. Will he find a job? Who will betray whom? And what kind of currency does a droid use in a poker game? Find out the answers as we discuss "Chapter 5: The Gunslinger".
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With Mando and the kid on the run, where better a place to hide but on a sleepy planet with no population density. Surely no harm will befall our heroes here as we examine what happens in The Mandalorian, "Chapter 4: Sanctuary".
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As we continue down the path of the Mandalore, we come to The Mandalorian, "Chapter 3: The Sin". But can Mando live with the choices he's made? Can he face his other Mandalorians? Can he pull off a big shiny suit? This we discuss...and more.
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Our exploration of the Mandalorian continues with Episode 2, The Child. We ask the important questions about Jawa hate, Mandalorian training, space mummies, and so much more. Will Mando and the kid get off this planet alive?
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With the MCU thoroughly considered, we begin a new adventure, going through the direct-to-streaming television show, The Mandalorian. We begin, as is usually fitting (but now always with Star Wars) with Episode 1: "Chapter 1: The Mandalorian".
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We assume this is the kind of #content people want. Let us know what you think in the comments! And we may be back with more...traditional episodes soon.
Dread it. Run from it. Our Infinity War (2018) episode arrives all the same. This is the epic conclusion to our round up of all of the extant MCU movies and their direct-to-video animated Disney movie analogs. When we’re done, half of audience will still be listening.
Note that this was recorded a while ago, prior to many of us entering into shelter in place restrictions. We hope everyone is doing well in these challenging circumstances, and that those that aren’t can find a way to make it through.
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It is a tale of epic proportions. The exiled prince has returned, and he has some disagreements with how the kingdom has been absent in his time away. But what if not all of this prince’s ideas are quite on the right track... This week we look at the Oscar®-nominated film Black Panther (2018). But if a story of the squabbles between different branches of a royal family is not quite your speed, we also take a look at The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride (1998), where, um, oh, well, I suppose this is awkward, but different branches of a royal family squabble. Oh. But at least this time, they are lions instead of people who just put on big cat-inspired costumes. So, there’s that.
Note: this was recorded prior to the release of Avenger’s: Endgame (2019). We probably would have mentioned some things connecting that movie if we’d recorded it later.
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Finally, the episode everyone’s been waiting for. Believe it or not, despite having discussed this movie at various times in the past, we still have more things to say about Taika Waititi’s magnum opus, Thor: Ragnorak (2017). A fresh look at some previously stodgy characters, this fan favorite still has a lot going for it. Meanwhile, Alec has something else wonderful to talk about....
Editor’s note: this episode was recorded prior to the release of Avengers: Endgame (2019). If it were recorded later, that probably would have changed some of the discussion in this episode.
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High school can be tough. There are Spanish quizzes to take, homecoming dances to navigate, and occasional supervillains to thwart. We hope you can be our guy in the chair as we look at Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), the first movie in a new Spider-Man franchise in five years! Meanwhile, we also try to figure out whether we’re a hero or a sidekick hero support with Sky High (2005). Never have the stakes been so high school!
Editor’s note: this episode was recorded before the release of Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and before it was announced that Sony and Disney would be terminating their agreement to allow Spider-Man in the MCU. Those things probably would have come up if this episode had been recorded later.
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Swinging into theaters just this past week, we’ve finally got a new movie featuring everyone’s favorite arthropod-based superhero. (Apologies to Ant-Man, the Wasp, and the Tick.) And we’re back to see how Peter deals with balancing spending his time with his friends and helping out a mysterious new individual with quite the back story. Join us as we explore Europe with Peter in Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019).
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The series finale is upon us. We kinda forgot to come up with new jokes, but we reflect upon this conclusion and consider how it causes us to think about this season and the show as a whole. Alec is sure he’ll come to a more firm opinion in the fullness of time. Meanwhile, Chris has some creative arguments for how he could get a few extra points. Finally, John is overjoyed to see someone we thought had left us forever. And now our watch is ended.
Season 8 final standings:
Death draft (see episode 6 tab)
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Choices are made as we complete the penultimate episode of the series. Chris proposes a few alternatives and determines that reality can be whatever he wants. Meanwhile, John comes to terms with a theory of his not being played out on screen, and Alec is upset that the show kinda forgot about one resident of the dungeons.
Season 8 standings:
Death draft (see episode 5 tab)
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This was...inevitable. It is the culmination of eleven years of Marvel movies, and it brings together our heroes after they’ve come off of perhaps their most crushing defeat. In this very special episode, we discuss Avengers: Endgame (2019). And that is destiny fufilled.
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With the forces of death efficiently discarded in the last episode, the living are back at squabbling at each other’s throats. Chris is sad that some old friends appear to have left us forever (while still alive). John, meanwhile, has southron ambitions, and Alec is just trying to keep a positive outlook on these things. And they look towards next week where the last war may decide who wins and who dies.
Season 8 standings:
Death draft (see Episode 4 tab)
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They fight.
Season 8 standings:
Death draft (see Episode 3 tab)
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Another big episode for Alec, Chris, and John, as another episode passes and we consult our lists to see which of the many deaths were as predicted. An old friend returns and two noble houses are made closer than they’ve ever been before. Alec and John take the opportunity to discuss political geography, while Chris is more concerned about one character’s absence. And we’re all sure that these charming reunions won’t presage something more sinister next week.
Season 8 standings:
Death draft
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Our beloved characters have returned once again to descend upon Winterfell. And hopefully they’ll soon start dying and we can get some points! Alec is afraid we’ve seen one friend for the last time, while Chris is overjoyed at the arrival of a new acquaintance. Meanwhile, John still is still upset at a controversial naming convention. But everyone can agree that this is the episode that truly drives home the importance of having enough daily dosage of Bran.
Season 8 standings:
Death draft
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As Game of Thrones season eight approaching fast upon them, Alec, Chris, and John must make some tough decisions. Alec has not prepared particularly well and must stay quick on his toes to not get left behind. John has a carefully considered list to think through his choices. Chris, meanwhile, keeps his own strategy close to his chest.
Draft: Season Eight Death Draft
Last season: Season Seven Death Draft
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Family. What is family? Is it the family we choose or the family we’re given? And what if in searching for our family, we learn that the real family is the friends we made along the way? These are the kinds of questions we are confronted with Guardians of the Galaxy, Volume 2 (2017) and its companion Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996).
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We interrupt this chronology to bring you, hot off the presses, are freshest takes on the newest MCU movie, Captain Marvel (2019)! We follow the adventures of Vers, a Kree special agent with maybe more to her story than first meets the eye. After a mission goes awry, she finds herself on the remarkably futuristic world of Earth in the 1990s.
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Strange. Dr. Stephen Strange. Marvel’s Master of the Mystic Arts. We enter a new area of the Marvel Universe as we track the progress of a cocky, New York surgeon with an authentic American accent as he learns that maybe there’s more to life than the notoriety one can get as some big shot physician after his practice is cut short after a disastrous crash leaves him without full control of his hands. Backstreet Coverband is Doctor Strange (2016). Meanwhile, Phineas and Ferb know what they’re going to do today! They’re going to unwittingly assist their pet platypus’s evil nemesis finish an invention to travel to an alternate dimension! All this and more awaits us in Phineas and Ferb: Across the Second Dimension (2011).
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Convoluted plots! Questionable moral frameworks!k Uncomfortable relationships! Captain America: Civil War (2016) really does have everything which is what makes it arguably the best of the four Avengers films thus far released. But as the Avengers must grapple with the choice as to whether they should give up their autonomy and accept supervision, in Kim Possible: So the Drama (2005), Kim is faced with a choice of equal magnitude: who she should take to junior prom. So much drama, it couldn’t even be contained in two hours!
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He's a thief with a heart of gold. He's down-on-his-luck. He can't keep a job. (Baskin Robbins always finds out.) But Pym Tech is trying to unleash the powers of shrink tech onto the world, and Hank Pym needs someone who's willing to get down to their level and stop them! Paul Rudd is the Ant-Man (2015). Meanwhile, Wayne and Gordon Szalinski's wives both really need vacations from their husbands. But through an entirely unforeseeable series of events, it turns out they may have to stay home after all in Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves (1997). The stakes have never been smaller!
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Wouldn’t you know it? You create one network of killer robots to save the Earth from its greatest threats, and all of the sudden, it realizes that humanity’s greatest threat is itself and therefore must be destroyed. Apparently, Tony Stark never took the right classes in ethics or morality. Good thing we’re here to pass judgment on him as we review Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). And speaking of being hoisted on your own petard, we turn towards another mad science experiment gone amok as we also consider the ethical ramifications of letting your scientific research into the hands of hamster-like villains with Leroy & Stitch (2006).
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Things are getting cosmic, as we review a James Gunn short film about a small boy coping with the loss of his mother. Then, for some reason, they decided to tack on some weird space movie after it. Who knows what they were thinking in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014). But perhaps we should look beyond what we see. And beyond the Guardians, it looks like I can see Timon and Pumbaa finally get to give their side of the story in The Lion King 1 1/2 (2004).
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Steve Rogers is adjusting to twenty-first century life when a mysterious figure arrives played by the same as actor as his childhood friend and comrade-in-arms Bucky Barnes. Given the MCU's proclivities against using the same actor twice for different roles, who could it be? Also, what are the ethics of eliminating millions of people for securing world peace? And why doesn't Steve take the Circulator bus to get from the Mall to Roosevelt Island? We tackle all of these questions and more in this episode as we look at Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014). But the past is catching up to more than just Cap as we also turn to look at ursine mating rituals in Brother Bear 2 (2006).
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In the spirit of the season, we are giving thanks for our bountiful harvest. In this case, it’s our bountiful harvest of Oreos. We have six different varieties, from classic to megastuf to peanut butter, and we are trying to settle the question, “How much is too much stuf?” And don’t worry. There isn’t too much time spent in the show just chewing Oreos directly into the microphone.
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And now we have six basically uneaten boxes of Oreos that we have to do something with. Oh, well.
It's the one we've all been waiting for! Everyone's favorite MCU movie! That's right, it's Thor: The Dark World (2013). Get ready for some action-packed hijinks as Nathalie Portman spends most of the movie in a coma! But while we're returning to Thor, let's also review The Return of Jafar (1994) and see what our good pals Iago, Aladdin, and Jason Alexander are doing.
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Attributions: "Mind the Gap" by the London Sound Survey
A thrilling conclusion to a thrilling trilogy. It really ties up a bunch of loose ends and allows to say good bye to a beloved character together. We all hate to say goodbye to Iron Man as Tony Stark realizes that there is more to life than getting in a metal suit and beating people up as we analyze Iron Man 3 (2013). (Iron Man will return in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)!) Meanwhile more loose ends are tied up in The Hunchback of Notre Dame II (2002) where we get to finally see Quasimodo further his relationship with the most important thing in his life: the giant bell La Fidèle.
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Finally. All of our favorite heroes all in the same place for one epic movie. That's right; this week brings together some of our favorite characters together for the first time as we review Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004). Also, there's this superhero movie, The Avengers (2012), with a bunch of characters, and, like, I guess it kind of holds together.
Some Assembly Required.
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Finally. All of our favorite heroes all in the same place for one epic movie. That's right; this week brings together some of our favorite characters together for the first time as we review Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (2004). Also, there's this superhero movie, The Avengers (2012), with a bunch of characters, and, like, I guess it kind of holds together.
Some Assembly Required.
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Stop whatever you're fonduing! This week, we're heading back to the dark days of World War II where plucky Steve Rogers finds that his only hope of helping his country might be to go through some hare-brained scheme orchestrated by a German scientist to turn him into...a super soldier. (And, um, I guess the first Avenger, too.) We'll see why it's important to stand up to bullies in 2011's Captain America: The First Avenger. Meanwhile, we'll also see what happens when a demi-god has to go to high school in 1999's Hercules: Zero to Hero. The lesson today: no matter how awkward you are, you can still overcome it as long as you either use experimental science to greatly enhance your physique or make sure that your father is literally a god.
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Beware, ye mortals, for the god of Thunder have come down from high! Very high. Space, actually. He lives in Asgard normally, but there's been somewhat of a disturbance, so he's here now. And he'll soon be wielding Mjölnir and fighting ice giants just the same always! Once he can pick it up. Because today we are discussing 2011's Thor, the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first venture to a hero who isn't as Earth-bound as we are. But we also look at another similar journey of self-discovery as Pocahontas discovers there's a new world out there beyond the great salt sea as we also discuss 1998's Pocahontas II: Journey To A New World. Who is the real hero? Perhaps you can decide.
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Sometimes, when you think you've got everything all figured out, a new revelation can really give you some perspective. These are the life lessons we get to learn along with all of our favorite arms dealers weapons manufacturers and college first-years freshmen as we take a look at 2010's Iron Man 2 and 2000's An Extremely Goofy Movie.
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We know it’s been time. Fourteen days. But you know how much time it takes to make one of these things? How many hours it takes the three of us to record and edit one of these things? And we know fourteen days is a long time to wait. But trust us: it’s going to be worth it.
The Book Of The Stranger presents a very special episode of The Most Ambitious Crossover where the normal schedule of MCU movies is being eschewed to address two movies still in theaters, Ant-Man and the Wasp and The Incredibles 2. Join us for this quantum episode where we have quantum discussions about how these movies made us quantum feel.
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An experiment gone wrong! Uncontrollable transformations! Family strife! Elvis Presley's butt! Some of these things might be featured in Marvel's 2008 film The Incredible Hulk, the second installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (arguably). But they're all to be found in the third installment of Disney's Lilo & Stitch series, Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005). Join us as we discuss how these films interact and discuss their larger place in their respective universes.
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We are embarking on a new series! In anticipation of the much anticipated conclusion of the first generation of the Avengers, Chris and John are working their way through all of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. Meanwhile, Alec, being less enthralled with the MCU, has decided to work through a different cinematic universe, the direct-to-video Disney animated movies. But while these may seem like disparate universes, perhaps they have more alike than they might seem...
The Book of the Stranger presents: The Most Ambitious Cross Over.
Today, Iron Man and Buzz Lightyear of Star Command: The Adventure Begins.
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Book of the Stranger
Episode 7
THE STAR WARS CHANUKAH SPECIAL
With the Game of Thrones season long in the past and no hope of any new content on the horizon, Alec, Chris, and John have set forth to a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. There, they have found the remnants of the resistance and the Jedi order as they take on an increasingly powerful First Order. Join us as we take on The Last Jedi, the newest installment of the Skywalker saga.
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Chanukah Deploy the Garrison! r/prequelmemes r/sequelmemes r/OTMemes r/midquelmemes r/equelmemes It’s salt Jurassic World: Fallen World trailer Life, uh, finds a way Well, there it is Tsiolkovsky rocket equation FN-2187 - Alec was right The walls of Jericho List of Naval Officer Ranks List of Army Officer Ranks Controversy surrounding Star Wars Battlefront II Pride and Accomplishment 1984 floating fortress Spaceballs The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Salt is a way of life Undercover Boss with Kylo Ren Emperor Penguin Penguin Books Puffin Books - this is what Alec was actually thinking about Blue Milk “We capitalized ‘Porg’, but it was a tricky decision” Birdperson Mulan II Mulan II - Lesson Number One The Odyssey by Homer Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Sea Of Monsters Eragon, the move: What went wrong Binary (in Star Wars) Lucasfilm long term Star Wars plan Iron Man 2 Synecdoche Synecdoche, New York Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Wilhelm Scream Idempotence - Chris does not use this term correctly Commutativity - this is the property of operations he was looking for Casino Royale Elective Monarchy Holy Roman Empire Co-princes Of Andorra This is where the fun begins!
While everyone else seems to be certain of the future, Chris is still unsure of how to read the signs. Meanwhile, Alec has finally found his own shtick, and John aims to educate us all in the ways of the sciences. It is anyone's game as we come to the thrilling conclusion of Game of Thrones, Season 7, with, "The Dragon and the Wolf."
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Final leaderboard:
Alec finds little solace north of the wall, and John is happy the damage isn't as bad as he had feared. Meanwhile, Chris advocates the many-worlds interpretation when the team faces a difficult decision. Discover what lies beyond the edge of the world as we discuss Season 7, Episode 6, of Game of Thrones, "Beyond the Wall".
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Standings at the end of the episode
Alec successfully argues a point and is happy to see a new friend, whereas John is made hopeful by the serendipity of a happy accident. Chris, meanwhile, regrets an earlier decision. There are scores to be settled and predictions to readjust as we discuss the events of Season 7, Episode 5, of Game of Thrones, "Eastwatch."
Link to our current standings.
Current standings after the episode:
John has some tips for new programming to give to the show runners, while Chris struggles with bankers remaining alive, and Alec suffers a terrible betrayal. It's hard to keep track of everything that is going on with this draft with so much going on as we analyze the events of Season 7, Episode 4, of Game of Thrones, "The Spoils of War." Hopefully we can get through it all!
Link to our current standings.
Our point totals after the episode:
Cricket sound effects attributed to freesound user damonmensh under the Creative Commons License.
Chris has a change of heart about the rules, John still has hopes that a few more beloved characters will die, and the show runners give Alec a polite but firm, “no,” as we analyze the events of Season 7, Episode 3, of Game of Thrones, “The Queen’s Justice.” See how well we fared.
Link to our current standings.
Our point totals after the episode:
We’re drafting Game of Thrones characters to die! In particular, after seeing the first two episodes of season 7, we have decided to draft which living characters will be dying in the rest of the season. WARNING: Games of Thrones spoilers ahead!
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