Remember, they don't need the book released to film. They just need the plot buttoned up, Martin can tell them, they can film, and the last season / book can be released simultaneously.

Well if the book released the same day as the first episode... the book would still resolve it first.

My problem is that if the show resolves itself before the book then there would not be any point for me to read the book.

I imagine the last book will result in two seasons of the series, so I imagine the first of those seasons will start shortly after the book is released, the next the year following.

If the series catches the books before the last book is ready for release, I fully expect them to do the Tales of Dunk and Egg as they wait.

They're not going to wait. Everyone has said as much.

3 part feature film for the last book. Pretty sure that may happen since we already have a Sex and the City movie and an Entourage movie coming up

Why? Why do we suddenly need movies?

I just binge watched the first season.... I thought Lord Stark was the lead character, lol.

So did everyone. Games of Thrones is tricky like that.

Can't wait for tonight's season finale

13 episodes in 24 hours... fuck me.

I have never ever watched something like Blackwater on tv.

I can only imagine how expensive that episode was.

Pretty anti-climatic end but they actually went forth and shown the wolf's head sewn on Robb's body. Totally cheesy with the body surfing. Who does she think she is? Bono?

It was a solid ending, of course the big thing happened before that with Stannis going north. I loved Davos in the episode. I was surprised

Underwhelming episode, but still good. Last week's episode felt more like the finale and this one more like a season premiere.

22 episodes in a day and a half....

*cries*

I thought the episode was great as usual. Asha marching on the Dreadfort? Bring it on! We need something else besides torture scenes for the Greyjoys next year. The Boltons look to be in good shape, with Roose and Ramsay being main characters now. Life goes on without the King in the North. I love the way things are shaping up. New character POVs will make up for the weaknesses in Feast and Dance.

Also way to go Jaime for not immediately fucking his sister. Although that could have happened afterwards I guess.

I loved the last episode. Great way to tie stories together. Can't believe I have to wait 9 months for the next season... Somehow I see myself reading book three before then.

I knew they would withhold . It is just too soon after the RW.

But that leaves a shitload of awesome stuff for next season (and throughout the season

Agree all those scenes were great. I also didn't mind the Yara Greyjoy where she marches off to look for Theon.

As for the Dany scene, I'm disappointed that they used to it to end the season. They were obviously looking for a nice uplifting scene - but the extras were pretty average and overall the scene didn't have as much weight as it should have. They probably would have been better off - ending the season with the ol Bear, Daario and the Unsullied leader returning from the battle (last episode) if they really wanted to end with a Dany scene.

The next two seasons of Dany don't have to be that bad if they can improve on what happens in the book. Certainly speed things up if possible.

And how has that worked out for the other heroes? The show has made me believe that Dany will never sit the Iron Throne.

I think the season should have ended on Melinsandre declaring the War of the Five Kings to be a giant waste of time.

I think they really didn't give too much thought on making a climatic finale. They had a lot of possibilities without resorting to the epilogue of the book.

Cold Hands could have been introduced as a finale. It doesn't even really require that extensive of FX and CGI for him. He has always reminded me of the Skull Knight from Berserk.

How about even a shot of Dorn with a few boats sailing to King's Landing to signify that Oberyn Martell is arriving? They don't even have to show Oberyn either.

Neither of those would have made for an interesting final scene.

Yeah, as someone who hasn't read the books I have no idea who Cold Hands or Oberyn Martell are. Showing either of those wouldn't have meant much to me, other than leaving me vaguely confused.