Without a doubt the most inherently unlikeable character on the entire show, there is perhaps no human being on Earth who actually cares about what happens to Melisandre. For the sum of three seasons, Melisandre has milled above trying to persuade people to join her holy cause, and has Stannis Baratheon wrapped around her little finger. Carice van Houten plays this character in such a smugly annoying way (with a jarringly unplaceable accent), you're practically praying for somebody to put a sword through the back of her head every time she pops up on screen. Not to mention she's always getting naked and trying to seduce everyone, as if she's the hottest thing ever. All in all, Melisandre is an entirely dull character with no depth, rendered in a way that makes her impossible to care about - even a bit. She has little personality, and whenever she does make an appearance on the show, it feels like a waste of precious screen-time. Off with her head, then. As soon as possible.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
