The Lannister army doesn’t just “show up” in Highgarden. They simply show the snippet of the formed army approaching the castle and then the aftermath of taking it. They felt and I agree that simply watching them go through the expensive motions of taking out patrols and sacking the castle wasn’t germane to the story. The point was that the Lannisters gave up Casterly Rock for the gold in Highgarden to pay the Iron Bank. It was pure strategery.
Well in terms of conveniences and corner cutting, I don;t mind them not showing the march or the campaign (though those were big aspects of earlier seasons). It;s the logic. How would Highgarden be surprised by this? That gets back to my joke about forgetting to deploy a border gaurd. So they are shortening the connections between set-piece scenes, which means we don’t see a campaign underway the way we did in earlier seasons. Okay. But…why would Highgarden not know they were coming? Or at least add a line or 2 that says, okay yeah after they beat us yesterday 10 miles yonder up the road, of course naturally here they are. Something that just makes it less purely convenient.
My take on GOT is this. When it doesn;t work, it;s a lot of contrivance where you have to overlook things. So do I not believe all the following: Arya gained access to the Frey castle, killed the 2 sons, and had the whole kitchen to herself to cut them up and then cook them into pies (can Arya even cook?) All so we get the scene of old Frey eating the cannibal pie? That asks you to forgive too much.
But more often than not, the set pieces remain top notch. And what’s strong about the show continues to work.
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