Good luck to Tony Mowbray.

Absolutely. Han Solo owes him money.

Watched it last night. My kids loved it. I confess a preference for the original 3 episodes, but that's me being a cranky old man and thinking my generation's way is the only way.

If you watch Game of Thrones on HBO, there are no ads. On other media, I don't know.

Like me, I suspect they DVR it and then fast forward through the commercials.

Justified from FX. Season 6 will be its last.

Isn't converting the debt to equity also an option, assuming the owners were inclined?

Saw Despicable Me 2 and Turbo over the last week with the kids. They loved them both and, I confess, I was also entertained. Recommended.

SPOILERS FOR THE SHOW AND BOOKS- The Mountain is Ser Gregor Clegane- so named due to his size. His been scene on the show. He was burned the Riverlands (on Tywin's orders) when Tyrion was kidnapped by Catelyn Stark. Eddard Stark, as Hand of the King, sent Beric Dondarrion after him. Beric, after Eddard's execution, becomes the leader of the BwB and was killed (temporarily) by Gregor's brother, Sandor Clegane (he of the burned face). Sandor is a better warrior than Gregor (though Gregor doesn't realize it) but has some personal issues (mostly involving childhood trauma inflicted upon him by Gregor- the Clegane brothers would gladly kill each other). Doran's plans must be kept in context. No one anticipated the return of the Dragons. He worked with Illyrio and Varys to get Dany her Dothraki horde and when they invaded, Dorne would attack from the south. For a variety of reasons that plan went to hell in a hand basket. Bur Doran is the type of man who has plan B, C and D all waiting in the wings. As GRRM likes symmetry, I suspect that Doran will be the one who does in Cersie, Tommen and Myrcella Lannister. Sam is very cool. He's almost like a modern person stuck in this pseudo-medieval world. Well read, intelligent, compassionate, and avoids violence. He tries to work out rational solutions to problems, which normally don't involve an edge of the sword (which is most characters first instinct). He still has several more glory moments coming up.

Season 4 is the second half of the novel "A Storm of Swords" (as season 3 was the first half). It'll have plenty of blood, guts and death, I'm sure. For example, we haven't yet meant Doran Martell, Prince of Dorne and Elia' older brother [Elia being Rheagar Targaryen's wife who was raped by the Mountain, and her and her infant children murdered by Lannisters in the Sack of King's Landing). He makes Michael Corleone look impatient by comparison. He's waited 15 years for his revenge, building alliances, weaving webs, hiding his intentions from even his close family. He wants them all dead; every single Lannister. Two of my favorite quotes of his from the novels (when finally revealing his intentions to his previously in the dark and pseudo-rabid daughter): "Vengeance. Justice. Fire and Blood." ( "I have worked at the downfall of Tywin Lannister since the day they told me of Elia and her children".

As to the parentage of Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister, here's the following (SPOILERS FROM THE BOOKS- DON'T READ PAST THIS POINT): Here the multiple Jon Snow theories: http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Jon_Snow/Theories As to Tyrion Lannister, here's a pro/con discussion: http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/topic/53017-tyrion-as-a-targaryen/ All said, I think Jon Snow is the legitimate son of Rheagar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. There is no direct evidence of this but a ton of circumstantial evidence from the novels. As to Tyrion, he's a smaller (but cleverer and more humane) version of Tywin. While there is some weak evidence that he's the son of Aerys (the Mad) Targaryen, I think all said he's clearly Tywin's son. If anyone is illegitimate in the Lannister family its Cersie and Jaime (though I think this is unlikely also).

I don't know as HBO split a Storm of Swords between seasons 3 and 4. But if it follows the books there should be 2 more (who I won't say in case someone is reading) biting the dust within the near future (this weekend or the beginning of season 4).

Tywin's treatment of Tyrion's common wife, and the lie he had Jaime tell, has been referenced twice that I can remember. He's made threats of a more general nature to Cersie (though I agree he hasn't threatened Tommen). His poisoning of Cersei was not intended to kill her, only inconvenience her. And HBO does a good job if showing the conflict, even it they don't dwell on every slight one has given the other. Turning Symon into a stew was Bronn's idea, not Tyrion's, though Tyrion did give the order to make him disappear. As to Jon, he's lectured by his elders quite a few times in the books (Benjen, Mormont, Tyrion, etc.). He did take Ygritte prisoner as he was to weak/honorable to kill her, though the lost scene was an invention of the show. Ygritte mocks him about his behaviors before he gives in. The wildlings are on his case for the most part. I fail to see how HBO has failed to capture Jon's character. At this point, Arya has killed one person and ordered the death of three others. She's endured tremendous trauma. HBO is doing an excellent job showing her psychological shift from high spirited noble to remorseless assassin. I get the impression that you want each page of the novels on screen. That's not reasonable. There will be cuts and the story will be condensed. I think HBO has done a stellar job to date. GRRM seems pleased, at least.

Yes, Arya is the girl pretending to be a boy. They've softened her character a bit as she's more violent without remorse in the book, but HBO I think is beginning to show that change in her personality (initially high spirited and fun loving to a cold killer). The book only implies Robb Stark made Jon his heir (an argument with Caitlyn Stark over it, then a scene with him signing papers with her looking on out of sorts and then messengers heading north with the papers) though I agree its pretty clear he did. I haven't seen a reference to it in the HBO show, though all it will take is a reference from the Blackfish or Edmure in the next episode or two to clarify it. I personally agree with you that they should reinforce the brutality of what is going on, but a lot of people (including my wife) are at the upper limit of what they can tolerate. I think HBO is striking the right balance.

As to Tyrion, what was more "grey" about him than the show? The books were very clear that Tyrion, despite being a drunken womanizer, was basically a highly intelligent good man. Ditto the show. Neither portray him as a saint. Jon was repeatedly "punked" by his elders and Ygritte in the books. It was not until the battle for Castle Black that he really begins to come into his own as a warrior and leader. And remember he sent Ghost away in the books when he was with the wildlings, for the simple reason that wolves can't climb 700' tall walls. So yes, his connection was mostly non-existent during this time ) other than his "wolf" dreams. HBO did soften Arya's time in Harrenhal. Largely I think as most audiences wouldn't be able to tolerate the day in and day out horror she experienced there. On HBO did show it, in flashes and glimpses (heads on spikes, men being tortured and others in chains is a fairly good indication of what Harrenhal was like to the viewers without dwelling on it). And I quite liked Tywin's and Arya's interaction. Spiritually, they were the two closest connected characters in the books, as both are highly intelligent, psychopathic killers who were devoted to their families and completely willing to avenge any slight no matter how small. Their scenes clearly established that while Arya hated the Lannisters and will doubtless wreck her bloody revenge on them as she grows older, she is essentially following in the footsteps of Tywin (albeit it in a more direct way as Tywin hires out his work).