Game of Thrones [SPOILERS]

[Tannhauser]

I think there are some shenanigans involved.


OK episode two was golden Jerry, golden!  Lots of plot threads picked back up and it ends with a good swordfight. 
Anyway, great episode, much better than the first.  Only worry is that there is a LOT of plot threads and not much will get done this season. 

[Abagadro]

The kid playing Jojen is Malcolm McDowell reincarnated (wut, he ain't dead?).

[murdoc]

That was a great episode. Seems there is going to be a few departures from the book.

[Speedy Cerviche]

That's great the books get really dull at this point. The TV edit so far has been much better.

What had happened at Harrenhal in S03E01? The Mountain's prisoners when Tywin left seemed to be a bunch of local peasants. Many were women and children. Did The Mountain capture another 200 Northmen?

There were supposed to be a fair amount of northmen prisoners in there the while time. They just didn't show it properly.

[eldaec]

They did explain that the cells were full of northmen when tywin arrived at harrenhal.

That said, I didn't really understand why the lannisters felt the need to drag the bodies up to the courtyard. Presumably the writers have a rule about Robb Stark never being seen inside.

[Threash]

[eldaec]

To be fair, GoT probably could say exactly that to a cast member.

But there isn't much reason to, this an opportunity to get some feast material running and spread storm out a bit more. Which seems sensible.

[Threash]

Right, it's not even skipping ahead, its more like showing us stuff that happened behind the scenes.

[kaid]

Yup not so much skipping ahead as adding detail to things that were happening at that time which happens to keep theon on screen from time to time.

[Phred]

Yup not so much skipping ahead as adding detail to things that were happening at that time which happens to keep theon on screen from time to time.

[Teleku]

Another thing about it I liked that they put in as a clue for people who hadn't read the books:

[naum]

I have only seen the very first episode of season one (have read them all, some repeatedly), but was wondering if they on the whole reflect the plot line in the book series?

Also, how you are watching these? I imagine most are not HBO subscribers so is it via DVD or via downloads?

[MahrinSkel]

I have only seen the very first episode of season one (have read them all, some repeatedly), but was wondering if they on the whole reflect the plot line in the book series?

Also, how you are watching these? I imagine most are not HBO subscribers so is it via DVD or via downloads?

We have our ways.  If anyone was using less than legal means of doing so, this forum doesn't allow discussing such things.

--Dave

EDIT: I will say that if HBO offered HBO-Go without requiring you have HBO through cable/satellite as well, I certainly wouldn't have a problem with paying for that.

[eldaec]

There is very little variation from the books so far.

[Threash]

I subscribe to HBO, they have by far the best shows on TV.  Apart from Girls, that shit was unwatchable.

[Viin]

My wife likes Girls (no idea why). But yes, HBO easily has the best TV serieses on with some sprinkling of good shows from other networks.

[eldaec]

Another thing about it I liked that they put in as a clue for people who hadn't read the books:

The other clue was that last season when Robb wanted to march back North, they stated outright who had been sent to retake winterfell in his place. I don't think it is supposed to be a mystery.

On the subject of northmen, I really like the far more subtle Roose Bolton in the TV series.

[Setanta]

Good episode - I'm actually liking the little tweaks they make to the storyline. Did the actor that plays Jo Jen also play a midshipman in Master and Commander? He looks familiar. Fantastic actor from what I've seen.

[Tebonas]

Loved the episode. Also liked that Simon from Misfits got another job. They really are scraping together every British actor they can find, don't they?

[Chimpy]

Good episode - I'm actually liking the little tweaks they make to the storyline. Did the actor that plays Jo Jen also play a midshipman in Master and Commander? He looks familiar. Fantastic actor from what I've seen.

He was Liam Neeson's son in Love Actually. Don't know what else he has been in, but I figured out that was how I had recognized him.

[Khaldun]

Martin just confirmed: no Strong Belwas in the TV series.

[shiznitz]

EDIT: I will say that if HBO offered HBO-Go without requiring you have HBO through cable/satellite as well, I certainly wouldn't have a problem with paying for that.

Sign me up when that happens.  Only reason I don't sub to HBO is because I know the things I would watch when I was 10 that my parents would have been appalled by and I have 3 kids 10 and under myself now.  I guess HBO needs to keep people on the TV platform for the ratings data.

[murdoc]

There is very little variation from the books so far.

The overall storyline doesn't deviate too much from the books, but there is a LOT of differences.

[Thrawn]

Martin just confirmed: no Strong Belwas in the TV series.

  I would have liked to see the scene of him dueling the knight outside of Mereen.

[MediumHigh]

On the subject of northmen, I really like the far more subtle Roose Bolton in the TV series.

Roose Bolton wasn't always subtle, creepy but subtle.

[eldaec]

General thoughts in the second one.


Bran and Arya suddenly have far more personality and acting ability.

Oh my god the horrible recap exposition dialog MAKE IT STOP PLEASE.

Cersei / Joffrey scene was great. Storm would have benefited from a cersei POV chapter or two.

The intro of the Reeds made very little sense. Shame they couldn't introduce them in Winterfell.

Margery was awesome.

Does someone have to sing the Rains of Castermere in every single episode?

[schpain]

General thoughts in the second one.


Bran and Arya suddenly have far more personality and acting ability.

Oh my god the horrible recap exposition dialog MAKE IT STOP PLEASE.

Cersei / Joffrey scene was great. Storm would have benefited from a cersei POV chapter or two.

The intro of the Reeds made very little sense. Shame they couldn't introduce them in Winterfell.

Margery was awesome.

Does someone have to sing the Rains of Castermere in every single episode?

yeh - huge disconnect with Thoros singing the Rains of Castamere, but I just understood it as keeping that song front of mind for viewers.  its probably the most important period in the books as far as the meaning/impact of that song goes.  Lady Tulisa being not-Westerosi kind of fucks with that too, not sure how they will resolve the non-existant "Cragg" family/house. 

I like the adaptation that Arya's arc is going through, it was a bit ponderous in the books what with the constant doubling back over the riverlands and back to harrenhall and whatnot.  The TV show's take on it is much cleaner.  Taking out the Brave Companions and making the Boltons the evil cartoon swirly moustache guys who like cutting on people is maybe a little too overdone.
Loved seeing Theon's arc brought forward, no reason not to - and like teleku said the subtle link with bolton and theon's pose was a good one - even my wife picked up there was something at work there.  I don't like the Qyburn thing, but . 

Pity that Riverrun's part in the story is being cut down so much, it would have been a beautiful location to frame some of the stark story arc, but they had to cut some things.  Not convinced with their casting for Mance, yet. 

[Threash]

[Rendakor]

[eldaec]

Problem with Riverrun would have been the visuals of Robb sitting around in a southern castle rather than looking uncomfortable away from home on a camp site.

Good example of the book doing the best thing for the book, TV doing the best for TV.

[Teleku]

Heh, thought this was amusing.  Pictures of the game of throne actors messing around in and out of costume:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/game-of-thrones-actors-doing-normal-stuff-is-so-weird

Some of those pics probably fulfill some fanfic authors deepest desires.   

[HaemishM]

Wow, I didn't realize that Sam isn't really all that large in real life.

[MediumHigh]

Wow, I didn't realize that Sam isn't really all that large in real life.

A whole lot uglier though....

[Slayerik]

I'd like to give ole Sansa a game of bones.

[Samwise]