So yeah, it’s one thing to be witty and charming. It’s quite another to be able to bring this facet of Tyrion’s personality and these emotions on screen. Dinklage does so brilliantly. You’ve seen me ramble on about certain actors’ eyes before, and you’ll see it again, because a lot of what the actor brings to the table is through the eyes. See, to be able to play Tyrion effectively, you’ve got to be able to convey either of his two facets (the bitter snarker and the caring nice guy) – or both – at the drop of a hat.
An example of this would be from Tyrion’s very first scene of the season: he starts off by barging into the tourney, mocking Joffrey’s cowardice to his face (“I had thought to find you on the battlefield”), and then immediately switches gears by showing genuine friendliness to Myrcella and Tommen. A few seconds later, he mocks the Hound in a very straightforward tone, and then turns to Sansa, showing her compassion and empathy. When he reprimands Joffrey afterwards – the King reminds her that Ned was a traitor, and Tyrion reminds the King that the latter has lost his own father quite recently – you see that this time, it’s the nice guy being pissed at a heartless fool. Dinklage conveys all of these little nuances and shifts seamlessly – you always know what he feels, why he says the things he says, whether he cares for people or just making fun of them. Sometimes, it’s both at the same time (ohai Bronn/Lancel).
Here again, just like Williams, you never get the sense that he’s really trying. He never does something like “*takes a breather* Alright, I am now switching into ‘Caring nice guy mode’.” It just feels natural. When he asks Bronn if he’d be willing to kill an infant girl still at her mother’s breast, he looks genuinely distraught and shocked with the latter’s lack of empathy and care.
Sure, some of his ‘witty lines’ and funny insults seem a bit forced at times, but that’s precisely the point. Tyrion isn’t both a nice guy and a snarker: he’s a nice guy who makes quips to hide the fact that he cares so much about everything. Of course some of it is going to feel forced at times, and it would be wrong if it didn’t.
And there you have it. Dinklage has shown tremendous skill all throughout the season – and the series as a whole – adding a memorable human touch to a very cynical series (cynicism being a good thing in this setting). Even through all the lulls and blander stretches of the mid-season, you could always count on Tyrion and Dinklage to raise the episode’s quality, and while the writing for Tyrion is really great, Dinklage is phenomenal as well. It all culminated in the final two episodes, as Tyrion’s role as Hand finally comes to a close, and the build-up and emotion finally lets loose. That final scene, as Tyrion cries in Shae’s arms, after receiving words of comfort from Varys (of all people), is heart-wrenching.
Give the man his Emmy.
Best scene: Oh man. Such a tough choice. You’ve got the political manoeuvring of the early season, the witty banter with Bronn, the hammy shout-out with Joffrey after the riot (such a fantastic scene), the spite/resentment with Cersei, the rousing speech in Blackwater or the final scene with Shae. I think I’m going with the very last scene, just because it served as such a perfect send-off for his character arc this season, but there’s just so much to choose from.
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When you have nothing to say, quote yourself ~ Solfadore