A Tribute to Cook

Ever-present

2005 was, like many people, the series which ignited my passion for cricket. That faithful summer inspired a generation of avid future cricketers. Since that memorable win in 2005, England have played 165 test matches, but only 4 which did not feature Cook. Within that was a run of 159 consecutive tests, a record for any team. He has been ever-present on the scorecard for England in my whole time as a cricket fan. I have not known a time since that summer where he hasn’t walked out to the middle to face the new ball. After sharing 15 different partners in an England shirt, he has called at end to his international career, and his absence will take some adapting.

The 2010-11 Ashes series was a defining moment in his career. Following dismal form prior to travelling down under, he captained England to the first win in Australia for 24 years, doing so in the most emphatic manner and leading by example. Scoring a colossal 766 runs in just 7 innings with scores of 235, 148, 82, 189 and an average of 127.66, Cook stole the show. I was just 17 at the time but remember long nights camped out on my sofa watching those tests, refusing to let sleep steal away the witnessing of history being created. Whenever exhaustion took over, I would more often than not wake to find Cook still at the crease hours later. Memories which will stay with me.

After beating the Australians in 2013, Cook won the Ashes 4 times, twice as captain.

Record breaker

I have been obsessed with records and statistics for as long as I can remember, and thankfully cricket is rife with them. Seemingly unbeatable feats and accomplishments which will (one presume) stand the test of time. This, along with many others, is a reason why I hold Alastair Cook in such high regard.

What makes his achievements all the more impressive is the fact he was an opener. Most batsmen with anywhere near his run count played at 3 or 4, after the new ball shine has gone and the opposition’s best bowlers seen out. When the swing has ceased, the ball is soft, and the bowlers are weary. More free to feast on the runs now readily available to them. Cook had to earn every run. If he was still there after 20 overs, he had well and truly earned it. His average may seem low, but factor in the limited opportunity to carry one’s bat throughout an entire innings – his 244* against Australia in Melbourne in 2017 meant he was one of only 8 English openers to do so – it is more than respectable. He will retire after this test with his head held high, and as alluded to earlier, a host of seemingly unbeatable accomplishments. To name but a few:

Youngest player to reach 6,000, 7,000, 8,000, 9,000, 10,000, 11,000 and 12,000 runs

Most consecutive test matches

England’s most capped player, most capped captain

Most English centuries

Longest English test innings (3^rd longest of all time)

Most Catches for an English outfield player (6th most of all teams overall)

Style

At 6’2 with wide shoulders, his somewhat imposing figure is a stark contrast to his fully reserved demeanour, Cook’s play style is a tribute to a bygone era. In a time of creativity and adaptation to fit the modern limited overs formats, Cook is a master of the longer pinnacle form of the game. He is a dying breed. A specialist to the longer format who plays to his strengths, a combination of solid defence, sound judgement of when to leave, knowing when to respect a good delivery. His distinctive attacking shots can be summarised into four strokes which have been played over and over in bowler’s nightmares (most notably Australians) the cut, pull, front foot push, and leg glance. Over and over these shots would punish balls in his areas. Anything else was left well alone. In fact he left 5,402 deliveries during his career. More than the equivalent of 10 full consecutive days of leaves in test cricket – I don’t think those would have sold many tickets…

And yet this is the simplicity of Cooks game. Know when to play, know when not to. Punish the bad balls and protect your wicket. Cricket can be a simple game, more so if you are Alastair Cook.

A trademark Cook pull shot

Legacy

Cook represented what every young player should want to be. Limited overs cricket has only been around for 47 years, T20 for just 15 of that, but Test cricket is a game which was been played for 141 years. One which Cook has well and truly mastered. Monumental in mental strength and determination, in an unrivalled sport of testing one’s ability of persistence and patience, Cook was king.

At 33, you can be forgiven for claiming he is too young to end his international career. It was not unlikely that if he had continued to play that he could have knocked on the door of the Tendulkar’s and Ponting’s, but he knew when his time had come. His average had slowly been in decline, and daddy hundreds becoming few and farther in-between. On top of that, the pressures of test cricket cannot be understated. By closing the door on his England career now he can leave with his head held high and ensure a legacy is not dampened by a weakened end. Despite playing in 161 test matches, his career was squeezed into just 12 years. The closest to that inside the top 10 batsmen of all time, was Sangakkara who compressed his international career into 15 years. Cook faced a colossal 26,592 balls in his career. To put that into perspective, in the 12 years since his debut, the next nearest in world cricket is Hashim Amla with a mere 17,806.  To accomplish what he did as quick as he did, with little break or downtime away from the game is an adaptation the modern cricketer must meet. Schedules have become increasingly challenging with long periods away from home and his family, an additional burden placed on him which few others outside of the sport can relate to.

Finale

Touching back to my love of stats, prior to the Oval test I had already gone ahead and checked how many total runs he needed to surpass Sangakarra and become the 5^th highest run scorer of all time, and also the runs required to finish with a nice round average of 45. Those were 147 and 121 respectively. A sizeable amount for any test cricketer, let alone for someone in probably the worst nick of their careers. But Cook is no ordinary batsmen. In his final test he showed all the guts and grit which were displayed in the 161 preceding it. A solid 71 in the first innings, his highest score of the series – and also the first 50 by an opener from either team, a further testiment to the difficulties of opening in English swinging conditions – was a good foundation. But the odds were still against him.

Coming out to bat for his second time in the match, and final time in an England shirt, Cook was still 76 runs short. At one point it looked certain that England would take a sizeable lead into the second innings, but a strong finish from India’s tail closed the gap to just 40 runs, adding further pressure to Cook. Jennings fell, Ali fell, but not Cook. First he got to 50, his second half century of the match and ensured his average finished above 45. Then he reached 76, surpassing the great Sangakkara. And still on he went. This match was his swan song and through difficult batting conditions he defied the odds to reach his 33rd test century, eventually falling for 147, and in doing so became the first player to score a fifty and a hundred in their first and last tests. You could say it was written in the stars.

For a combined 654 minutes in that final test he stuck at his job at the crease. Not for personal achievement, but to set up the victory and ensure a 4-1 series win against the number 1 test side in the world. Already he held the record for most runs as an opener, those final runs ensured that not only is he the 5^th highest run scorer of all time, but also the highest scoring left hander. Form is temporary, but Cook’s class is permanent. A fitting finish to a legendary career.

Thank you chef

Review: Jurassic World

Just a quickie, haven’t blogged for a very (very) long time, but something today inspired me to write one.

Today I relived my childhood by experiencing Jurassic World, Colin Trevorrow’s revamp of the 1990’s Spielberg inspired trilogy (although Jurassic Park 3 was actually directed by Joe Johnston). Despite the epicness of the occasion, I went in with low expectations. In my opinion, not only was the series better left alone, but I didn’t think it was possible to live up to the original films, a little more about that later.

The plot from start to finish was unsurprising and mostly predictable. Costa Rican island Isla Nublar has been turned into a tourist’s wet dream with the creation of Jurassic World, a theme park to experience genetically created dinosaurs. Nothing new so far? Well with attendances dipping slightly and the board of directors wanting bigger and more dangerous dinos, the scientists create a ‘super dinosaur’ which – wouldn’t you believe it – is so smart it escapes. It’s hard to tell what sort of direction they were aiming for, parts of the film were so far-fetched, so mindbogglingly unreal that it was laughable. Literally. There were plenty of moments where I couldn’t help but smirk, it’s almost like I was watching a film eh? But ignoring my obvious cynicism, I think they were primarily targeting the new generation of Jurassic fans, focussing on attracting kids, and who can blame them? They knew full well that nothing could keep the nostalgia hunters away. I mean just look at this guy …

The film regularly hinted at original films, teasing the fans of the series. The communications controller Lowery owning an original park t-shirt purchased from eBay for example, aswell as the original entrance to the park still standing, and visits to the old park’s abandoned buildings on the island. Then it really got down to the nitty gritty. What 99% of people went for, the actual dinosaurs. Despite CGI shots of the park being frankly laughable at times, the actual dinos weren’t too bad. Again, I went in with low expectations after seeing the trailers and screenshots, but when the actual action began and they crossed claws, I enjoyed it.

Acting throughout was bland, but with little depth in storyline and no real creative room for the actor’s to put a stamp on their respective roles, this was unsurprising. Didn’t think much of Chris Pratt before, and saw nothing to make me change my mind.

Overall I can say Jurassic World was exactly what I expected. Despite the outrageous price I was charged for my ticket (yes I understand the need for inflation, but how out of touch is the film industry with the average person? Supply and demand my arse, just leading to more piratebay users daily) I enjoyed the film. It was fun, a tongue in cheek action packed American cheesefest, filled to the brim with one-liners and CGI. Go see it. Or don’t. But it is watchable.

Should you rejoice at opportunities to experience nostalgia? Or can they tarnish old memories and ruin the series? It is a fine line to cross, one Toy Story 3 nailed (although the recently announced Toy Story 4 is pushing it) and one I hope with all my heart Star Wars nails this Christmas. 

Review: The Wolf of Wall Street

I haven’t done a blog in some time now, and this hasn’t been down to lack of motivation, more lack of inspiration. Luckily after seeing Scorsese’s latest big screen venture I have plenty to talk about.

The Wolf of Wall Street is hands down the best film I have seen in quite a while.

Any other year and I would be certain DiCaprio had earned himself his first Oscar, however I have heard it has pretty much already been given to Chiwetel Ejiofor for his role in “12 Years a Slave”. Though I have yet to see it, I find it hard to imagine a better performance than DiCaprio gave as Jordan Belfort. A little research into it has told me that the Oscars are very political, and TWOWS was a controversial film to say the least. That said, I will leave my judgement until after the award has been given, and after I have seen Ejiofor’s performance. 

DiCaprio made the film.

He held the entire film together. I struggle to think of many other actors who could have done such a good job, and I really cannot give him enough praise. He has been critisized in the past for not stepping out of his comfort zones enough and that his roles are very similar, but I think he made the character of Jordan Belfort his own. His eccentric speeches to the office were definitely my highlights, so slick and well timed I wouldn’t have been surprised if they were done improv. 

Jonah Hill was incredible as his partner Donnie Azoff, and whilst I won’t include any spoilers, together they were hilarious. I was really shocked at just how funny I found it. Seeing Hill and DiCaprio acting as if under the influence of drugs was worth the ticket costs alone. He was almost unrecognizable as Donnie, I couldn’t have imagined Hill and DiCaprio working together, but they had real chemistry on screen, and they really pulled it off.

However, the other characters were very much in the background. Even Kyle Chandler who played FBI Agent Patrick Denham barely made an appearance, in fact apart from a mention at the start, he wasn’t fully introduced until almost two hours into the film. There were regular appearances from Jordan Belfort’s friends and family, but it was more of a “sit back, let DiCaprio handle this” and he even had multiple monologues, and narrated over the film. In the least derogatory way possible, it was all DiCaprio. 

3 hours long but it didn’t feel like it.

I watched this in a Dutch cinema, and halfway through the film, the movie stopped and the room went dark. The curtains came across the screen and everyone moved to go to the toilet or buy more food and drink. Living in England my whole life I was accustomed to sitting through the entire film, or being forced to sprint to relieve myself and miss a part of the movie, I found a 15 minute break was a fairly good idea. This was the first point I checked the time and was surprised it had been over 90 minutes. Normally if I have to check the time it’s a bad sign, it suggests the film is dragging. TWOWS flowed so well that I honestly was shocked when I saw how long it had been on. That said, there is very little story line progression by this point, and for some people the on screen antics could get repetitive. 

Controversy.

Simply said, this film earns it’s 18 rating, and then some. There is enough drugs, nudity, and swearing for 100 films. Scorsese is obviously trying to really press the point of Jordan Belfort’s lifestyle by emphasising his extravagant spending. I think for this reason, the controversy of the film has really hindered DiCaprio’s Oscar chances, as well as putting some people off because of the repetitiveness of it all. I found it to be a little too much personally, cut out half an hour of the endless parties and drug induced montages and I don’t think it would have harmed the film much at all. It is a fun film, with no mention of the victims of the fraud committed, a point which led to some criticism from viewers who had personally been caught in financial crises due to Wall Street

The music is the cherry on top

I am a big believer in soundtracks, they can make a good film great. TWOWS has the perfect soundtrack. The songs consistently compliment the film, helping to emphasize the desired mood. Admittedly the majority were upbeat party-style songs, but the selection was still perfect for the situation. One of the first scenes of the film where Belfort has dinner with his boss Mark Hanna (played by Matthew McConaughey), Hanna creates a bizarre humming tune and forces Belfort to join in. It is used several more times throughout the film and however odd it was, it was still funny and catchy. A real metaphor about the film in general. There are plenty of strange moments, but it all fits together perfectly.

Scorsese does it again

Overall if you don’t mind the 3 hour run time, then I would thoroughly recommend The Wolf of Wall Street. I honestly didn’t notice it because of how it flowed. It is Scorsese at his almost best, not quite reaching the heights of Goodfellas. Approach it light-heartedly and take most of the controversy with a pinch of salt and you will definitely get the most out of it, and see it for easy going, yet slick masterpiece it really is.

Ashes: Adelaide thoughts

I decided to not bother waiting for the inevitable conclusion to the second Ashes test, and instead give my opinions a day early.

England are a shambles at the moment, there is no denying that. Our top order looks out of their depth, middle order with the exception of Bell have been non existent, and apart from the admirable innings of Monty Panesar, our tail has yet to wag either. These problems have not appeared overnight however, a shocking display in Brisbane should have been the wake up call we needed, Australia aren’t going to roll over and surrender like on our home soil, we need to earn the urn. Even looking back to the Summer we had shown huge signs of decline in our batting and were saved countless times by our bowlers in the (more than) accommodating conditions of England, here on the fast and flat Australian tracks we have lost that advantage.

Broad for me is the only bowler who has looked effective. Jimmy looks like he needs a rest, Stokes, while promising is merely a 5th option in my eyes, and we should never have gone into this game with two spinners. Tremlett would have been the better option to try shake up the Aussies in my opinion, he looked ok in the first test, though Trott’s sudden problems left the whole selectors board panicking and searching for balance in the team. England should look to make a change. Rankin is too inexperienced to help lead an attack against a confident Australian team. Finn, who admittedly can be very expensive, is just the sort of player we are missing at the moment. Fast and tall, and the type who can truly make the most of Perth. It will be a tight call between recalling Tremlett or giving Finn a chance but Australia are said to be making the Perth track the quickest they’ve ever had it, and we need a bowler who can make the most of it.

Johnson will be as quick as he has been all series, the catalyst of the difference between the sides so far. Commentators keep harping on about how important the difference between a 87mph ball and a 94mph ball really is, and it can never be understated. Johnson is lethal at the moment, but largely runs on confidence and England should look to take advantage of that. There is a reason he has been in and out of the Australian side and it’s because when he isn’t on the money is he expensive and erratic. If England look to knock him about a bit I’m sure we will begin to see the Johnson of old. At the moment we are in a cycle of demise, by losing the mental battle the batsmen are playing negatively and within their shell’s, allowing Clarke to place the field to his own liking, reduce the run rate and sustain pressure. Pressure brings wickets.

In terms of batting, players who looked untouchable just a few short months ago now have serious doubts surrounding them. Part of the philosophy which helped England reach world number one in the rankings was our ruthless selection policy. Never afraid to change if the change was needed. No one is safe. The selectors will be earning their money over the next few days, however it will also be important not to panic. A lot of players have been getting out to silly shots, Cook and Carberry in particular. Bad form will do this to you, lack of confidence etc. The bigger problem is the mental battle out on the pitch. Johnson and Co. are clearly doing a number on our batsmen’s minds and without a clear head you’re practically a walking wicket. England seem too nice at the moment, too frail, whilst the Aussies look up for it, mean and sledging hard. They are in our heads and they know it. Root, normally the epitome of cool temperament was out to a slog sweep in the first innings which was the result of built up pressure the likes of which England just haven’t accumulated at any point in this series so far. Prior is probably the worst faring at the moment, his poor form extends quite a way back and is nowhere near as reliable with the bat, just when we need him to be. His glovework is still world class however, and I don’t see much positive influence of bringing in Bairstow to replace him. I’m a big fan of Ballance, and I’m sure he will get his chance soon. How soon we will have to see. Final thought on the batting front, with Cook so out of form, there could be potential for him to drop to 3 to ease the captaincy burden.

With just 4 days in between tests, decisions will have to be made quickly. Ideally we need a longer rest, but we have to work with what we are given and potentially being thrown straight back into the deep end may bring out the best in our players. They are low on confidence, fragile and Australia know they are well on top. Anything can happen in cricket however and one superb spell of bowling or a session of batting can change spirit and boost morale. We need players to step up and perform to the abilities they know they possess. This isn’t a touring game, or a friendly, this is an Ashes test and England need to start playing like that.

On a final quick note I’m going to show what my team for Perth would be, feel free to comment with your thoughts or tweet me.

Carberry

Cook (c)

Bell

Pietersen

Root

Stokes

Prior

Broad

Swann

Finn

Anderson

The Walking Dead: Series 4 so far.

*This blog contains spoilers regarding the plot of The Walking Dead*

So after months of waiting The Walking Dead is now back in our lives, 4 episodes into the 4th series and already halfway towards the mid season break, I thought I’d give my thoughts and opinions so far. We were spoilt throughout August and September with the finale of Breaking Bad, so the bar was raised that much higher for The Walking Dead with Walter White’s big send off still fresh in the back of my mind. In my opinion there isn’t anything out there at the moment which can top Breaking Bad, so I was always going to be a little critical of TWD, especially after the dreadful 3rd season. That being said I went into it with an open mind and hoped they would return to the high standards of their earlier episodes.

For me the show works much better when they concentrate on character development rather than the action. Series 3 was full of shoot outs and explosions, and whilst they were handled well with their almost infinite budget, I sort of wished they would just go back to the original basics. I know they felt they had to take the emphasis away from the walkers for a while, humans had became threats against other humans and that was the direction they took, but I just didn’t enjoy it that much. Rick was always going to get most of the spotlight, but I thought they handled the whole Laurie/hallucination story line poorly. From what I have read they have strayed away from the comic book series on multiple occasion and have made the show their own, for better or worse I’m not too sure considering I haven’t read the comics yet.

I do allow myself some hypocrisy here after slating the amount of action through series 3, because I couldn’t believe how tame the finale was. I know I am not alone in thinking this, and it left me unsatisfied and down right frustrated considering this moment had been built up since the mid series break. The coming together of the two groups, finally clashing in what should have been an epic conclusion to the third series. But instead, after 8 episodes of build up, we get 10 minutes (if that) of the encounter. All that said however, I was fairly optimistic about what was to come, (namely because it couldn’t get much worse) but I was also intrigued about which direction the show would take. Luckily I haven’t been disappointed.

“30 days without an accident” the first episode was nothing special unfortunately, merely a transitional episode to link between the series, where everything appears to be fine at the prison. Zach is killed in an accident and I think I speak for the entire TWD fanbase when I say they can kill anyone they like as long as they leave Daryl alone. I did however enjoy the slower pace the episode took, going back to its basics of lulling you into a false sense that everything is fine, when you know deep down it can’t stay that way for long.

I will take a moment to make a request that Carl be eaten next. Little shit.

“Infected” was TWD back to it’s best and probably my favourite episode for a very long time. The new threat is finally revealed, although this time it is coming from multiple sides. Outside the prison, the walkers are slowly breaking down the fences, finally hinting that the time in the prison is almost up. Inside, after becoming ill Patrick turns into a walker and infects almost an entire wing of the prison. It is later revealed there is a sickness within the group, which forces the remaining survivors to split up and quarantine the potentially ill. Carol is given plenty of show time, and becomes a mother figure to two children whose father was infected by Jacob. Possibly the saddest part of the show in a long time was when Rick distracted the walkers for fence repairs by sacrificing his piglets. After raising and nurturing them himself, being forced to kill them gave him the wake up he needed, and he is finally beginning to look like the Rick of old from before the Laurie trauma. The third threat to the group is the discovery that someone inside the group is feeding the walkers, to draw them to weaker parts of the fence in numbers. The episode ended with Tyreese finding the burnt bodies of two of the quarantined survivors, one of which was his girlfriend Karen.

“Isolation” proved the sickness showed no signs of stopping, killing multiple survivors. A group leaves to find medicine which could help the ill, and Tyreese confronts Rick about the burnt bodies. Hershel, who is potentially infected with the illness, decides to take care of the others, whilst Glenn admits to Maggie he is also ill. In the attempt to find the medicine, the group picks up a distress call on their radio, but are attacked by a herd of walkers, and narrowly escape. Rick accuses Carol of burning the bodies, and she admits it was her.

The latest episode “Indifference” shows a distraught Tyreese refuse to fight the walkers for the second time, but is rescued, his actions suggesting Karen’s death has left him with no valuation of his own life. Bob is revealed to be an alcoholic, and risks his life to recover a bottle he has found on their medicine run. Rick and Carol discover two survivors, and agree to let them return to the prison. However after splitting up in search of supplies, one is killed and the other missing. Carol confronts Rick about why she burnt the bodies, however Rick tells her to leave the prison. Carol drives away on her own.

Things are very finely balanced, and I have been impressed with this season so far. After 4 seasons it could easily have gotten very stale and boring, but they have kept me interested and eager for more. I really don’t know where they will go from here, but I will definitely be tuning in to find out.

Breaking Bad: All good things come to an end

***SPOILERS***

With everything good in life, there exists a limit. Too much of a good thing. The point where is stops becoming enjoyable, where it is literally better to stop than to carry on. Vince Gilligan decided that after 5 incredible seasons it was time to put an end to Breaking Bad. Whatever he thought when he first set out, I doubt very much he ever imagined creating such an iconic, well thought out and perfectly written show. He started with a low budget series with a small viewing audience and ended with the most anticipated finale of the last 5 years. There is a reason it has been so highly rated by everyone who has took the time to connect with the characters, to really feel the changes in their personalities. Breaking Bad is an investment, and after last nights finale we have enjoyed the last of its returns.

Some people laud its slow start in series one, and didn’t carry on watching it after that (and I categorically disagree with this premise, but feel the need to talk about it regardless) I believe they went into the show from the wrong angle, thinking the drug scene would be all action, gun shots and explosions, and were therefore let down by the more intimate feel of the show. After all, it won the best drama award at the Emmy’s this year and whilst I wouldn’t singly categorize it as a drama, it has all the major elements of one. So for those who didn’t take the time to connect with Walter, Skyler, or Jesse probably felt let down. Maybe they heard such good things about the show that the first series came across as a let down. But its all part of Gilligan’s genius. There is always a bigger picture, always something kept behind the veil ready to make you feel stupid for ever doubting it all. The curtain has finally come down on the show, and I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect ending.

Every episode of Breaking Bad almost felt like those “Art Attack” features with Neil Buchanan, where he used to use crazy objects in weird ways and lay them on the ground, from your perspective you couldn’t tell why he was doing it, what was happening, but you knew it was building to something. Finally after he was done it would show the whole scene from an aerial view and it would all come together to form a huge picture, leaving you with that “oooooh” or “I see!” feel. All the detail came together in the end, and it was all there for a reason. The bigger picture. Now imagine that multiplied by 62. The number of episodes of Breaking Bad. Except all 62 pictures which have been laid out and revealed for you, have all formed another picture. For me that was probably the best thing about Breaking Bad, how neatly it all fits, how every single scene has a purpose. There is no “filler” like in so many other shows, it’s like Vince had all 5 seasons ready from the start and knew the perfect pace to reveal every aspect. A jigsaw of television perfection. Every loose end was wrapped up, every storyline came to a satisfying conclusion.

So much was crammed into the final episode without it ever seeming rushed. Walt’s meeting with Gretchen and Elliott to secure the future of his children. The way Walt finally admits to Skyler about his motives, an almost saving grace between the two. Revealing the location of Hank’s body to help Marie move on. His so ironic use of the oh so frequently appearing ricin to poison Lydia. His inventive side which had been lacking of late came out to make the automatic turret to kill all of Jack’s goons. How he mercilessly executes Jack in the same way that Jack had done to Hank. Jesse getting revenge for Andrea’s murder by killing Todd personally. Walt’s final confrontation with Jesse after saving his life. And of course Walt wiping his bloody hands on the equipment so it looked like him who had continued cooking instead of Jesse. Ultimately, Walt’s death in the meth lab, was such a fitting finish. Although I wanted him to live personally, I didn’t see an ending which would have worked without him dying.

I saw an entry on “maxistentialist” tumblr earlier which read:

Walt’s death is also shot in reference to the final scene in “Crawl Space” (zooming out as though he’s being lowered into a grave); Walter White died in “Crawl Space”, Heisenberg died in “Felina”

http://maxistentialist.tumblr.com/post/62699582450/felina-more-one-of-the-most-amazing-things

It never occurred to me before I read that. But it just goes to show the underlying genius of the show. Even the final song, which was played as the show faded to black for the final time, was fitting. Badfinger’s “Baby Blue” felt like it had been written specifically for this episode. The lyrics so relevant, as the camera slowly zoomed out from Walt’s dead body and the police storm the lab.

Like I said, all good things have to come to an end. I’m so pleased the show got the finale it deserved rather than being dragged out and ruined with its increasing popularity.

Every cast member played their parts to perfection. And to Mr Gilligan, I tip my hat to you sir. Bravo.

Game of Thrones: Characters I love to hate

Tv shows rarely contain 100% good or 100% evil characters, but that doesn’t mean you don’t hate them any less. There are often characters which are just – lets face it – complete dicks. Game of Thrones is particularly good at making you not just hate, but despise certain protagonists (and antagonist alike) George R.R. Martin seems to reward the ones we dislike, and seeing them succeed irritates and infuriates us more leading to a whole new level of dislike, just begging to see them fail. *Cough Lannisters Cough*

So here it is, my top 5 disliked Game of Thrones characters…

5 – Bran

Controversial start, yes he’s a Stark, yes he’s a good guy, but fuck me is this kid annoying. His entire storyline is dull, with very little going on. Ever since he lost the use of his legs he seems to moan about everything. The only thing saving his storyline is the inclusion of Hodor who carries him around on his back. (Never once heard Bran thank him for his help)

4 – Lysa

Even if you can get past the fact she is completely crazy, Lysa tried to kill Tyrion, and noone can be forgiven for that. Cooped up in the Eyrie for years has definitely not helped her sanity, leading to paranoia, and the irrational fear someone will come to hurt her son Robin – who she has a rather odd relationship with. Any potential threat is met with hostility, and she refuses to trust anyone. Just not a very likeable character all in all.

3 – Cersei

Cersei, Cersei, Cersei. Where to being with Cersei? Incest? Planning murders? Scheming against the throne? You name it, Cersei has done it. Lena Headey certainly plays the role well, there’s no denying that, but she is one mean bitch. She is driven by a lust for power, and will do anything she can to control the Seven Kingdoms. She uses Joffrey as a puppet, as hard as he is to control, after she planned the death of her late husband Robert. The less said about her relationship with her brother Jaime, the better. Oh and to top it all off she is a Lannister. Yuck.

2 – Ramsay

Ramsay Snow, bastard of Lord Bolton, is about as cruel as they come. This kid enjoys torture, and loves to find the most painful way to torment his hostages. Partial to flaying, he even removed Theon’s ahem private parts. Nothing compares to how much he likes to hunt, releasing his hostages with a day head start before tracking them down with his beloved hounds. Portrayed by Iwan Rheon, the shy and retired actor from Misfits, he definitely comes into his element in this role. The most evil characters always seem to have power, and Ramsay has a lot of it. Series 3 finished with Asha Greyjoy leaving the Iron Islands to rescue Theon, I’m sure every Game of Thrones fan was hoping and wishing she is successfull, and teached Ramsay a lesson…

1 – Joffrey

Probably the most hated character in living television memory. Never before has a TV audience been so united against an individual. Vile, and full of hate, Joffrey “Baratheon” (Lannister) first showed his true colours when he lied about his rift between Arya and Sansa. The result was the death of Lady (Sansa’s direwolf) Warning signs are already flashing in your head at this point. When he eventually finds himself upon the Iron Throne and breaks his promise to spare Ned Stark’s life there was no going back. Cruel in almost everything he does, Joffrey is not only hated, but someone you love to hate. A character you are willing to fail, hoping and praying for the good guy to swoop in and save the day. Whether they will, is a matter for Series 4.

Game of Thrones: Characters I Love

Game of Thrones has quickly become a Worldwide sensation. It’s been little over 2 years since its popular debut season, and now after a ferocious finale we have come to the end of series 3. George R.R. Martin has shown ruthlessly how little he cares about who the audience’s favourite stars, killing minor and major characters at will, in particular S2E9 The Red Wedding.  (This contains no spoilers beyond the current series for those who haven’t read the books) As an avid fan or the books and TV series alike, I thought I’d list my top 5 characters who we have encountered so far. Aren’t opinions fun?

5) The Hound

Portrayed by Rory McCann, Sandor Clegane is just a very likeable guy. However loyal to house Lannister he may be, he has a certain “Yeah I’m on the bad guys team, but I really just don’t give a fuck about anything” feel to him. Joffrey’s protector, Sandor has saved Sansa from being raped by the King Landing mob, and rescued Arya from the Frey’s, so clearly has a bit of a thing for the damsel in distress. Easily his most distinguished feature is his facial scars, given to him by his older brother Gregor when he forced his face into a fireplace. Just another reason to feel sorry for him!

4) Bronn

Badass, funny and best of all incredibly sarcastic, Bronn definitely takes the prize for most one-liners. Probably the second most quotable character after Tyrion, he travels together with the Lannister dwarf, acting as his bodyguard. The duo have some of the best conversations of the series, and the sellsword provided one of my favourite scenes of the entire show when he is Tyrion’s champion in the trial by combat.

I think what I find most appealing is his dark sense of humour, Jerome Flynn plays the part to perfection and managed to turn what is a minor character into one of my top five.

3 – Davos

Didn’t see that one coming, did you?

Davos Seaworth is a bit of a strange choice, but he has a certain likeability to him. You feel sorry for him, he just can’t seem to catch a break. Donned “The Onion Knight” after Stannis knighted him for saving his life when he smuggled the starving king with onions during the rebellion, Davos still felt bittersweet when he lost his fingers for smuggling. There’s just no winning is there? Despite losing 4 of his sons in the Battle on the Blackwater, Davos (played by Liam Cunningham) is still completely loyal to Stannis Baratheon and very suspicious of Lady Melisandre (and 100% rightly too. I mean come on, she is creepy right??!) the man knows what he likes.

2 – Tyrion

There aren’t many viewers of Game of Thrones who won’t love Tyrion Lannister. I struggle to think of any TV actors who match how well Peter Dinklage portrays the Imp, and this is shown by him being awarded an Emmy and a Golden Globe for his role. Incredibly witty and sarcastic, he manages to toy with the audiences emotions in every way. The unwanted sibling, the hated Hand of the King, Tyrion lives in the shadow of his family name. Doomed from the start when his mother died during his birth, Tyrion was born a dwarf and has to rely on his incredible intellect to solve his problems – that and several litres of wine.

1 – Arya

And finally, coming in at numero uno is the one and only Arya Stark. Youngest daughter of Ned Stark, Arya has been through hell and back since the shows beginning. Her time in Harrenhal was one of my favourite segments of the entire shows history. Flirting with danger, escaping Kings Landing, captured by Gregor Clegane and his troupe of torturers, acting as Lord Tywin’s cupbearer and almost being spotted by Peter Baelish, befriending Jaqen H’ghar, and almost being captured by the Freys. Her whole story is full of action and she manages to come out on top everytime, even without the help of Nymeria. Maisie Williams rightly was awarded the Best Supporting Actress and Best Young Actor Portal awards 2012 and is nominated for the Young Artist Award 2013 for Best Supporting Actress. A bright acting career ahead of her, lets hope Arya has a long inclusion in the future of Game of Thrones.