[SPOILERS] 5x04 Episode Discussion (airs 3rd May 2015)

They've been very aggressive with Melisandre's sexuality in the show and that's of course because they found a gorgeous actress to play her and who is more than willing to go there so why not, it's great for ratings to put eyecandy in whenever they can. HBO is known for this in every series. Her advances on Jon in the books are far more subtle, you're right.

I remember the scene where she seduced Gendry as being particularly distasteful to me. I'm not prude by any means, I just thought it was too over the top and weird but that was back when I hadn't fully accepted the show series is often a lot more blunt and weird than the wonderful writing of the books.

Yes, there was a direwolf next to Lyanna.  I would not be surprised if that is not standard for Stark crypt statues whether they had a direwolf or not.  I believe the seated man is a Stark of old, who was a King (Torrhen Stark or earlier).  No one would have had a statue built yet of Robb considering the Boltons had Winterfell at the time of Robb's death.  I know at the end of season 1 they were beginning Ned's statue but I don't even think that is done yet.

Well, my MiL isn't a book reader, and she figured out pretty quickly that Melisandre is moving her interests to Jon.  I mean, she even says "We shouldn't tell him, then"- they've pretty much set that up since episode 10 of last year.

I'm not defending all of the nudity in the show, but I don't see the issue with this.  It makes sense in the context.

Right before that scene she tells Stannis she wants to come with him, and that she wants to serve her god.

Then she attempts to seduce Jon, telling him that he has power in him, and that they can join together to cast shadows.

To me, it's pretty clear that she was seducing him in order to create a shadow baby for Stannis' march against Winterfell. She doesn't exactly have time to play the coy minx when there's a deadline. In the books, she never has any intention of leaving the Wall...that's why she doesn't attempt to outright seduce him, because she has the time to attempt to gain his trust (by saving Arya).

I don't see any indication that she is outright changing from Stannis to Jon as AA. She probably just thinks that, like Gendry, Jon has the power (and the king's blood) to further her cause. So I don't see this as 'unnecessary nudity'. There is a lot of unnecessary nudity in the show, but this isn't one of those times.

The only thing I can think is that she knows that since he's "Ned's son", he'd have some (diluted) king's blood since the Starks were kings once upon a time. But lol, with that logic pretty much all of the nobles have king's blood except the Tyrells and Tullys since the ruling families were all kings once.

I guess she just wants him to bone her.

I think sati's trying to make a point here that some may be missing. Because there's nothing to go on about Jon, how would Melisandre know he has king's blood or be interested in him in the first place? By saying "Well lets not tell him" when Jon says Stannis wouldn't like that very much ... it almost looked like an "affair" scene just for the sake of getting it on with the young handsome Commander of the Night's Watch.

In the book, we have plenty of backdrop from Melisandre's visions and thoughts on who and why she wants these things. On the show, not so much. 

Sure, even a non-book reader can piece together that Melisandre's sexual intentions aren't just about getting boned but I think they're doing a little bit of a shoddy job of filling in the blanks. Others think they're hitting viewers over the head with anvils but I see it as vague attempts at obscurity which feels more like uncreative writing instead of hints. 

I don't know, maybe I'm being too critical on that point today, but I'm rarely overly critical of the show as a whole so I am allowing myself a little nitpicking today.

They need to explain things a bit more about Melisandre because right now she just comes across as sex vixen of Stannis who happens to also make some freaky magic ... but that was a long time ago and now she's sauntering around the wall, with a bunch of men who don't get to see women much, wearing a revealing dress and no underwear. 

Was she very clear? I know what you're getting at, but her poetic words were just...words. Jon has no way of knowing what "the power to cast shadows" means in that whole little speech she gave. Sure, we the audience do, so I guess it's just another attempt at dramatic irony which works well in the books but I guess I'm criticizing for not setting it up better with what Melisandre's up to by this point. There's never been any real reveals from her fire visions or anything. Just because she says so doesn't make it so. I feel like we needed more evidence. That's also why I think they're going to use her (much to my dismay) as the instrument of reveal about Jon's true identity.

Well, Carice does say in that latest interview that basically, she and Jon are just getting started, that there's much more to come between the two of them.  So I presume we'll learn more about her thoughts/intentions/reasoning in upcoming episodes.

But Mel killed the 'usurper' so how can Robb be a King in one circumstances but not the other?



Yeah well, without much info or context that's what it looks like on its own. This is bad writing when you have to make assumptions maybe she knows this or this based on the book knowledge if there is nothing in the show to indicate it on its own.

You get me. I mute the dialogue and stare at her boobs.