What I’m Watching: Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 7 “The Broken Man” (B+)

I had read a while ago that Ian McShane, who knows how to chew scenery better than most, was making his return to television after his famed role on “Deadwood,” his brief stint on the short-lived “Kings,” and his season-long role on “Ray Donovan.” It doesn’t really matter who he was going to play – he’s another fine actor who has been given a terrific part on this show. Introducing him in the same scene that shows us that the Hound didn’t die and is still alive, permanently trying to atone for his sons, was very effective, and it’s great to see this new dimension added to the plot. This episode was all about people marching off to war, making a renewed push to ally with another army in the quest for the throne. Davos proved the strongest advocate in his camp to Jon and Sansa’s young cousin, and he’s quickly becoming one of this show’s most valuable players. It’s great to see Yara giving Theon one hell of a pep talk, helping to rescue this character from the horrors he endured and making him back into a man again. It did appear that Margaery had fallen under the Sparrow’s spell, and it’s a relief that she chose to warn her grandmother to leave and was able to subtly communicate that she was in fact in control of her senses. Arya booked quite the passage for herself, and it’s a shame that she got stabbed during a last look at what she was leaving behind. Though she’s not in good shape, she did manage to escape, and I can’t imagine that this Stark is going to go down that easily.