Game of Thrones [SPOILERS]

[cironian]

I've had this partially spoiled for me, but even so...

[Rasix]

My wife didn't notice the Rains of Castamere exactly but she did pick up that something was a little off. Then we were off to the races.

I think my wife clued in when they closed the doors.  She wouldn't have picked up on the Rains of Castamere.  She hasn't read the books at all, so she doesn't really pick up on the minor stuff they only mention a few times.  I'm not sure anyone who hasn't read the books would pick it up.  I think they only played the song one or two times at this point. My wife seems to be mostly concerned about the rate at which the show is killing off major characters.

I started to get a bit anxious and, honestly, felt a little ill before watching that scene.  They really built up the tension well.  I've read the books several times, but just seeing that was something else.  I think the first time I read the scene, I put the book down and didn't pick it up for a few days.  That was similarly jarring.  The belly stabbing and Robb's final plea for civility moment's before his impending death had a lot of weight.   Only thing that was lacking were the other northern nobles to add to the enormity of the scene and the tactical "fuck you" that it was.  However, they hadn't really used those characters at all to this point, so it'd be pointless. 


The Hound looks scared because he knows killers.  He knows what Arya is at her core.   The Hound and Ayra chapters in the book were some of my favorites.

[WayAbvPar]

Also, I'd totally watch Arya and the Hound. Those two work well together.

Add in "The Drunken Adventures of Tyrion Lannister" and you have a hit! Dinklage really nailed ever scene surrounding his wedding.

[HaemishM]

Yes. Dinklage is one of the reasons I'm really looking forward to the end of NEXT season. If you've read the books, you know the scene I'm thinking of.

[WayAbvPar]

I do indeed.

[Rasix]

I do indeed.

[Quinton]

Oh my... I had no idea the TV series was moving so slowly...

[Samwise]

I'm hoping we get some good reaction videos on YouTube that involve people throwing their TVs.

[Teleku]

That chapter was the only one I can ever remember reading where I just set my book down and walked away and the show managed to trump that.

You did better than me.  I calmly closed the book, then threw it down the hall and across the house.

I decided at that point the only ending I would accept from the series was one were the Others come down and wipe out all civilization due to everybody being self centered back stabbing cunts.  Or one that somehow involves a Frey snuff scene where every man woman and child of the family gets slaughtered in front Walders eyes, before he goes. 

Anything that doesn't involve one of those two scenarios will lead me to declare the entire series a waste and a failure.   

And yes, the TV series handled it very well.  Even better than the books frankly.  There was enough foreshadowing going into it that I knew it was some sort of trap, so the tension for me was retaining the hope Robb would make it out alive somehow.  They handled the whole thing much better here, and it was a powerful scene.  I'm sure it's the scene we were all waiting to see ever since they announced the damned series (as well as the common persons reaction, heh), and its great to see it done so well.

Also nice to not have to twist myself in circles anymore when trying to not spoil that bit for people who keep asking me questions.

[HaemishM]

I'm hoping we get some good reaction videos on YouTube that involve people throwing their TVs.

That's been one of the things I've been anticipating the most about the scene since I read it. I realized then just how much of their shit the TV viewing public would lose when they realize that "no, Martha, shit is NOT going to end all happy and nice."

[MrHat]

I'm hoping we get some good reaction videos on YouTube that involve people throwing their TVs.

That's been one of the things I've been anticipating the most about the scene since I read it. I realized then just how much of their shit the TV viewing public would lose when they realize that "no, Martha, shit is NOT going to end all happy and nice."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78juOpTM3tE&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Damn - we weren't able to watch it today and I may have tipped the wife off today with the "STAY OFF THE INTERNET" text I sent her this morning.

Watching it first thing after work.

[Riggswolfe]

I'll be discussing something from book 5 very briefly. You've been warned!

[kaid]

I'll be discussing something from book 5 very briefly. You've been warned!

[murdoc]

I'll be discussing something from book 5 very briefly. You've been warned!

[MahrinSkel]

So, can I safely read Book 3 now?

--Dave (who was smart enough to avoid these threads all day Sunday)

[Teleku]

Sure, though it will spoil some more 'oh shit' moments they are saving for next season.  But this was by far the biggest of the whole series so far.

[Rasix]

So, can I safely read Book 3 now?

--Dave (who was smart enough to avoid these threads all day Sunday)

Book 3 is not finished.  I'd hold off, there's a couple more interesting surprises in store for you.

[murdoc]

So, can I safely read Book 3 now?

--Dave (who was smart enough to avoid these threads all day Sunday)

Book 3 is not finished.  I'd hold off, there's a couple more interesting surprises in store for you.

I completely agree with Rasix - there's still more to come.

[eldaec]

If you've held off so far I'd stay clean till they are clear of Storm of Swords - which is probably midpoint next year, then just blast through all 5 books.

[schild]

Can I just say, #1: I'm happy I didn't read the books.

#2: HAHA. I HATED EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE CHARACTERS.

seriously, half the storylines in this shit blows. this is not the death of ned stark people are playing it up to be.

[Teleku]

But you literally hate all good movies and TV shows, so this is actually a good sign!

[schild]

No, I just hate Joss Whedon, drama dressed up as sci-fi, and the majority of Tarantino's work. That you consider it "all good movies and TV' says more about your taste than mine.

Game of Thrones has an entire cast that can be called uneven. That a bunch of the slower more prone to whine cast was just brutally murdered is only a good thing.

[schild]

Also, yes, I know what happens after the red wedding.

[Samwise]

In some respects the TV version of the Red Wedding had less impact for me than the book version, because in the book version (as I've mentioned) I felt a lot more sympathetic toward Robb.  TV Robb is less likable for some reason, maybe because he's always cranky and scowling.  I felt like book Robb was more of a plucky underdog and less full of himself.  (edit) Might also be something to do with the fact that when reading the books I pictured Robb as being 14-15 years old, as he's theoretically supposed to be, whereas in the show he looks ten years older.  I'm more sympathetic toward a teenager behaving stupidly than I am toward a twentysomething.

That aside, though, it was executed masterfully with the foreshadowing and whatnot.

[schild]

TV Robb and his mother were obnoxious whiny jackasses that puttered around and did nothing for a season and a half.

[Samwise]

TV Robb and his mother were obnoxious whiny jackasses that puttered around and did nothing for a season and a half.

Yeah, there's some of that.

The fact that you don't see any of the battles that Robb is in might also have something to do with that, since they'd have a hard time showing all that on TV with the budget constraints.  So it looks like he just hangs around his camp and scowls at people all day.  Contrast with Dany, who is much more likable in the TV version, which I think is partly because we actually see her kicking ass and taking names.

Catelyn I didn't much like in the books either.  The TV version pretty much nails her, I think.

[schild]

I mean, I kind of just want to ruin the entire TV series for people so they can see that a bunch of the do-nothing characters DO eventually do something, but I have no clue how they're going to handle the tv show outpacing the books.

[Shannow]

How many of you, at the next boring wedding your at, are going to make the joke 'can I get the DJ to put on Rains of Castamere?'.

[eldaec]

4 more seasons to the end of Dance, then the Dunk & Egg saga if they have to. If winds of winter drops in say 2015 they can still spin this shit out till 2020 at least.

In that time the bigger threat is cast members declaring 'bugger this for a game of soldiers' or the audience getting bored at some point during Feast/Dance.

[Rendakor]

I really don't see them dragging Feast and Dance out into 3 seasons; hell I don't think we have a whole season of content left in Storm.

[Lucas]

While Martin already said that he doesn't intend to write anything specific and detailed about it (beside what he provided as backstory...But he didn't say he wouldn't forbid a TV production), another spin-off could involve the reign of the Targaryens immediately before the Baratheon/Stark rebellion + Greyjoy rebellion:

http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Timeline_of_major_events (read the box "Robert's rebellion" and King's robert reign).

We would get Aerys, Rhaegar and young Robert, Eddard, Lyanna etc. An established TV fanbase, IMO, would embrace younger Eddard and Robert played by younger (of course) actors.

[eldaec]

Pretty sure Dance is a longer book than Storm.

There is nothing really wrong with underlying story of Feast and Dance, they just read like they were written over something like 5 to 10 years each.

Oh wait.

[DevilsAdvocate25]

That chapter was the only one I can ever remember reading where I just set my book down and walked away and the show managed to trump that.

You did better than me.  I calmly closed the book, then threw it down the hall and across the house.

I decided at that point the only ending I would accept from the series was one were the Others come down and wipe out all civilization due to everybody being self centered back stabbing cunts.  Or one that somehow involves a Frey snuff scene where every man woman and child of the family gets slaughtered in front Walders eyes, before he goes. 

Anything that doesn't involve one of those two scenarios will lead me to declare the entire series a waste and a failure.   

And yes, the TV series handled it very well.  Even better than the books frankly.  There was enough foreshadowing going into it that I knew it was some sort of trap, so the tension for me was retaining the hope Robb would make it out alive somehow.  They handled the whole thing much better here, and it was a powerful scene.  I'm sure it's the scene we were all waiting to see ever since they announced the damned series (as well as the common persons reaction, heh), and its great to see it done so well.

Also nice to not have to twist myself in circles anymore when trying to not spoil that bit for people who keep asking me questions.

After I finished book 3, I was done with the series. At that point all of the characters I liked were dead and I did not care what happened to the rest of them. I did at least read through the person I disliked the most in the series (the boy king) getting his comeuppance, but this particular scene in the book was the end of the series for me.

[eldaec]

While Martin already said that he doesn't intend to write anything specific and detailed about it (beside what he provided as backstory...But he didn't say he wouldn't forbid a TV production), another spin-off could involve the reign of the Targaryens immediately before the Baratheon/Stark rebellion + Greyjoy rebellion:

http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Timeline_of_major_events (read the box "Robert's rebellion" and King's robert reign).

We would get Aerys, Rhaegar and young Robert, Eddard, Lyanna etc. An established TV fanbase, IMO, would embrace younger Eddard and Robert played by younger (of course) actors.

Problem is, you couldn't really do this until the books resolve various 'mysteries' definitively.

[Samwise]

While Martin already said that he doesn't intend to write anything specific and detailed about it (beside what he provided as backstory...But he didn't say he wouldn't forbid a TV production), another spin-off could involve the reign of the Targaryens immediately before the Baratheon/Stark rebellion + Greyjoy rebellion:

http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Timeline_of_major_events (read the box "Robert's rebellion" and King's robert reign).

We would get Aerys, Rhaegar and young Robert, Eddard, Lyanna etc. An established TV fanbase, IMO, would embrace younger Eddard and Robert played by younger (of course) actors.

Problem is, you couldn't really do this until the books resolve various 'mysteries' definitively.

Myeh.  You could leave that stuff off camera.  Show Robert and Ned gallivanting around during the rebellion, but have Ned's mysterious tryst happen off camera.  (Or heck, let us see the girl, but don't give us her real name -- not like it'll matter if we see her face.)