Andrew Schulz's Flagrant with Akaash Singh
Andrew Schulz's Flagrant with Akaash Singh
"I mean, let's spend 30 million dollars on a fight scene and then have it be not visible the entire time. Spend three hundred more dollars on a fucking light bulb so we could see something that was happening the entire episode." — Andrew Schultz
"What a dog shit fucking show. George R. R. Martin, if he wrote this episode, I know he didn't. First of all, the White Walkers would have titties. You didn't see no titties the whole fucking episode." — Andrew Schultz
"The only way they can pull us out is if Cersei ends up on the throne. That is the only way and then this whole episode was an oaky doke." — Hany
The podcast hosts launched into a highly critical discussion of the Game of Thrones episode "The Long Night," with Andrew Schultz leading the charge with extensive frustration. A primary point of contention was the episode's visual presentation, particularly the battle sequences, which were frequently described as too dark and nearly impossible to follow. The hosts lamented the significant budget reportedly spent on these scenes, feeling it did not translate into a visually coherent or impactful experience. They cited specific examples of scenes where visibility was a major issue, making it difficult to discern key actions.
Beyond the visual complaints, the speakers voiced significant disappointment with the narrative outcomes of the episode. They felt that the long-anticipated confrontation with the Night King lacked meaningful stakes due to a perceived absence of major character deaths. This, in their view, undermined the show's reputation for high-consequence storytelling. The hosts debated the deaths that did occur, often deeming them insignificant to the overall narrative, and expressed a desire for more impactful sacrifices to underscore the gravity of the threat.
Looking ahead, the discussion shifted to predictions and the remaining plotlines. The hosts expressed concern that the resolution of the White Walker threat felt too "easy" and that the show might be moving towards a predictable conclusion, possibly with Jon Snow on the throne. They also explored various fan theories and alternative plot developments, including the possibility of Cersei winning, which some hosts felt would retroactively make the episode's anticlimactic nature more justifiable. The overall sentiment was a deep dissatisfaction with the episode's execution, which they felt failed to live up to years of build-up and the show's established standards.