Game of Thrones [SPOILERS]

[Bzalthek]

Pycelle and whores...

[pants]

Court intriguey stuff


I did find it interesting how in a series which is so squashed for time, they added in a few scenes from book 2 (Catelyn and her prisoner, the final scene with Arya.  And no mention of the Riverrun scenes?  That seems an unusual omission to me.

[Tarami]

It's funny how I agree with MrBW on many of these things.

I read the first book some years ago but never picked the next up because of primarily one thing - the utter dim-witted fuckstupidity of the characters and the plotting. I'll bring up some examples that as far as I remember were translated to screen:

- Let's assassinate a contender to the throne by planting a cask of poisoned wine. Let's not use a projectile weapon or anything that might may actually allow us to confirm the kill or has a chance of success greater than one in a zillion.
- I have a terrible secret and I'm going to spill it eventhough I'm convinced the same people tried to murder my son, a young child, in cold blood.
- Nobody has in almost fifteen years picked up on that none of my children carries any of my traits - not even myself.
- Let's arrest, no, kidnap, one of the members of the richest house in the land and brother of the queen, then take him far away. This is obviously going to go down much better than straight murder would. Long-winded excuse to murder makes all the difference to his relatives.
- I'm an educated young man, even familiar with the legal system, yet I've missed that only psychopaths and criminals end up in the Foreign Legion, I mean, Night's Watch.
- We captured a lawless clanswoman that tried to rob and murder our younger brother, then put her to work with light household chores, so that she can utter cryptic blurbs to that same brother when needed. She just seemed like the trustworthy sort.
- Being the sole survivor of an attack from an unknown enemy is grounds for having your head chopped off - no questions asked. Nevermind investigating his story regardless of how true it is, because that might be useful strategic information.
- Month-long patrols are the norm in inhospitable environments like north of the Wall, inner Sahara and the Siberian tundra. Turning up dead after six months is a mystery (and it is - the turning up part, not the being dead part.)
- Don't make us angry, because that might make us take up sailing and be capable of threatening an entire continent that is better equipped, has better supply lines, a long tradition of warfare and is familiar with the landscape. Oh, and has lots of castles and experienced commanders. We on the other hand are VERY ferocious, VERY stupid and VERY impulsive - the kind of shit that really matter in military campaigns.
- Winter is coming, but it's not in a hurry. It will arrive at Convenience station at plot-contrivance'o'clock.

There's also the foot-changing of "it's medieval, no, it's fantasy, no, yes, no, yes, it's both at whim and it's grimdark and everyone's exactly 50% morally grey."

I've wanted to like it but I can't. I want to believe that there's a payoff for all the rambling and digressions, I just don't from all the things I've heard. It just stands out to me that Martin isn't capable of actually weaving all this together, because he couldn't get through the first volume without having to patch up the leaky narrative framework.

Was that a better argument for why one wouldn't enjoy the show very much?

[Ingmar]

Must... not... SirBruce...

[Rasix]

 

edit: I mean, seriously, that's just got to be blatant trolling trying to push our nerd buttons.  Because otherwise.. see above.

[apocrypha]

The characters start out in their more obvious roles through book 1 (season 1 TV wise), but characters end up develop in different directions than expected (imo).  This might be a bit weaker with the TV series, however, since with the rush to cram the entire first book into 10 episodes, they've had to skip over a lot of the more subtle traits of each character, and their development.

Well that's encouraging to hear. Tbh what I've seen so far has so many other redeeming features that it'd have to start fucking up in a major way for me to stop watching.

[Ceryse]

I can agree with Tarami to a point, though not necessarily the examples he gave out. At times, as someone who hasn't read the books (so if there's actual reasoning that simply didn't make it to the screen, forgive me), but I found various characters hard to like, or take seriously (and the world itself) because of just how utterly fucking stupid they are. Cat being one of them. Cersei another, as well as Mr. Crown of Gold. I get people are stupid, but the degree of sheer stupidity from these, and a couple others, stretches the ability to take them seriously at all, or have much sympathy when shit goes awry because of it.

Ned Stark is one that, while stupid at times, I can see his rationale for his actions. His wife? Not at all. She's just utterly idiotic. Made the show worse, but I'm not sure if its because of the adaptation effect, or the characters are simply that dumb to kick of plot cascades and we're supposed to kinda glance past it.

[Ruvaldt]

And no mention of the Riverrun scenes?  That seems an unusual omission to me.

It probably would've placed further strain upon their budget to create yet another set for Riverrun, not to mention another set of actors/actresses, which would be excessive considering it would only be used for a single episode.  To create yet another set for an unproven series, and cast even more people for said unproven series, would have been spending good money after bad from the perspective of HBO.  They obviously won't have that same problem next season when it really counts, and have likely cast those roles by now.   I consider the decision negligible, really, as Riverrun doesn't play that big of a role until the second book anyway.

[Arthur_Parker]

Hay look, in that interview, they say they intentionally portrayed the weeding night as rape. Imagine that.

In other news, I'm only up to like Episode 3 or 4.

Having not read the books. Rome, Spartacus, and a number of others were better pilots.  I'm not felling this, seems like some generic fantasy, oh, and rapeings.

If you stick with it, I'd like you to post your feelings after the 6th episode has aired.  It's a dense plot with lots of characters so I'm actually kinda envious of people who haven't read the books.

Still MEH.

I feel like I have seen this story many many times before.


Also, They are still Elves.    Just Dragon worshiping ones.

I thought we cleared the rape thing up by saying the book portrayed things differently, mind you, I thought you already said you only intended to watch the first three episodes and you weren't impressed.  If you want my permission to dislike the show, it's granted, that's absolutely fine with me.  Just because I like it doesn't mean you have to.

[Speedy Cerviche]

I can agree with Tarami to a point, though not necessarily the examples he gave out. At times, as someone who hasn't read the books (so if there's actual reasoning that simply didn't make it to the screen, forgive me), but I found various characters hard to like, or take seriously (and the world itself) because of just how utterly fucking stupid they are. Cat being one of them. Cersei another, as well as Mr. Crown of Gold. I get people are stupid, but the degree of sheer stupidity from these, and a couple others, stretches the ability to take them seriously at all, or have much sympathy when shit goes awry because of it.

The actual flaws such as stupidity, cruelty and madness of significant emperors, kings and dukes is well documented. Commodus, George III, Wilhelm II, etc. Dynastic succession during fat times produces some real winners.

[Lucas]

Great news regarding the ratings:

http://winter-is-coming.net/2011/06/season-finale-sets-a-ratings-high/

I think it's one of those series that could sell quite well as DVD/Blue Ray; to that, add the hype for the fifth book (yes, not the exact same audience of the TV series, in a way), people that will catch up with the first season, a couple big names for the new roles (especially Stannis and Melisandre) and we could very well have a season 2 premiere around, at least, 3.5 millions and an increase in subscribers.

It's very important, because it may convince the big heads over at HBO to green light the third season (which both the writers and George himself would love to see split in two seasons) and increase the budget.

[Morfiend]

I can agree with Tarami to a point, though not necessarily the examples he gave out. At times, as someone who hasn't read the books (so if there's actual reasoning that simply didn't make it to the screen, forgive me), but I found various characters hard to like, or take seriously (and the world itself) because of just how utterly fucking stupid they are. Cat being one of them. Cersei another, as well as Mr. Crown of Gold. I get people are stupid, but the degree of sheer stupidity from these, and a couple others, stretches the ability to take them seriously at all, or have much sympathy when shit goes awry because of it.

The actual flaws such as stupidity, cruelty and madness of significant emperors, kings and dukes is well documented. Commodus, George III, Wilhelm II, etc. Dynastic succession during fat times produces some real winners.

I also think a lot the these characters flaws are more obvious and prominent because the show has such limited about of time to portray it all. They have to show the big stuff while cutting down on the small stuff. This goes back to my gripe that the season is only 10 episodes long. Making book 3 two seasons would be fantastic.

[pants]

And no mention of the Riverrun scenes?  That seems an unusual omission to me.

It probably would've placed further strain upon their budget to create yet another set for Riverrun, not to mention another set of actors/actresses, which would be excessive considering it would only be used for a single episode. 

Yeah, good point.  I was thinking that a lot of characters etc which are important in Book 2 haven't been mentioned - but since series 2 has been greenlit it does make sense they'll get put in there.

[lamaros]

Liked the last episode. Even the for the sake of it nudity didn't bother me.

[Ruvaldt]

And no mention of the Riverrun scenes?  That seems an unusual omission to me.

It probably would've placed further strain upon their budget to create yet another set for Riverrun, not to mention another set of actors/actresses, which would be excessive considering it would only be used for a single episode. 

Yeah, good point.  I was thinking that a lot of characters etc which are important in Book 2 haven't been mentioned - but since series 2 has been greenlit it does make sense they'll get put in there.

This season was already made and edited by the time the second season was greenlit so it wasn't possible for them to go back and add things due to its success and renewal.  HBO decided to produce a second season after the airing of the second episode, I think, or at least that's when I heard that they were starting their casting for roles like Stannis and the Tullys, etc. 

[Lucas]

First official casting for Season 2!

Margaery Tyrell, sister of Loras Tyrell, will be portrayed by...

Natalie Dormer:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1754059/

http://winter-is-coming.net/2011/06/natalie-dormer-to-play-margaery-tyrell/


(another thread for season 2, including pre-season casting & various multimedia, or we're fine as it is?)

[Trippy]

Yum.

[Speedy Cerviche]

Man this is gonna be a long wait...

When does Sparticus come back on??

[Rendakor]

Next January. 

[Draegan]

She was awesome in the Tudors.

[Lucas]

Without spoiling anything, you may know that in the books she's supposedly just a little older than Sansa (in the books, I think she's 16), so there is already a little bitching going on about her being "too 'old' (1982) for the role". Personally, I don't care: I think we can agree that the acting in this show has been pretty *solid* at the very least, so I prefer to have a certain suspension of disbelief in order to get more proper acting. Oh, and by the way, just looking at the photos (I think I never watched a movie or a series with her) she looks a lot younger than a 29 yrs old.

Yum Yum:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgWNjUHuq4A

[WayAbvPar]

I thought she was wonderful (and very easy on the eyes) in The Tudors. Even as I hated her character...until the end, when  I actually felt sorry for her. Not her dad though- fuck him.

[Miguel]

Last episode (and the whole first season) was fan-fucking-tastic.

[pants]

Last episode (and the whole first season) was fan-fucking-tastic.


Do you want to be spoiled?  Cause the answer is out there if you want it.

[Rendakor]

I thought his fate was left intentionally vague. Please, spoil away if you know something more than I do.

[lamaros]

[Rendakor]

[Teleku]

[lamaros]

[Ingmar]

[Lucas]

Well, that was quick (unofficial photoshopped pic) :

[Mrbloodworth]

I do love me some Natalie Dormer.

[Der Helm]

[Draegan]

[WayAbvPar]

That would fucking rule.