April 17: Game of Thrones HBO

[Farm Ur-Ted]

Dany, not Dray. Although I think I like Dray better, lol.

[SerScot]

Orlion,

You're missing out. You should read A Song of Ice and Fire.

[Zarathustra]

Orlion, seriously, this is one of the top 5 fantasy series of all time. Right up there with Tolkien, Donaldson, and Bakker. You've got to read it!

Of course, you can always read it after seeing it. I'm not sure which way would be better. If the HBO show sucks, then you'll have the benefit of low expectations being blown away. But many of the spoilers will be spoiled, ruining the experience of reading it for the first time. On the other hand, if you read it first and then watch the show, you'll nit-pick the show for not following the book perfectly or not meeting the standards of your imagination as you read it. Tough call.

[Farm Ur-Ted]

I read AGoT's prologue this morning to see how it compared to the show, and I'd forgotten how good the writing was. They did a great job putting it on the screen, but watching it will never be as rich an experience as reading it. It's almost impossible to translate The Others to tv; we really don't even know what the hell they are in the books. It was interesting how the show started off with Will seeing the bodies in the camp, but in the book, Will is already back with the other two, and they are arguing about going back to the Wall vs. continuing to track the Wildings. Obviously, the story just can't be told in the same manner on a tv show, but in the end almost everything happens the same way. I did find it funny that a lot of people (not here, but at sffworld) complained that in the book Will was killed by the Others and Gared was beheaded by nearly headless Ned, as if it matters at all. I guess they changed it because it seems more dramatic to have a kid executed vs. a grizzled veteran.

That said, I think watching the show first might be better, cuz you'll have great visuals of all of Tyrion's ho's. Sometimes reality is better than the imagination, lol.

[Orlion]

It's on my list, but Malazan comes first, then Endymion... followed by the Baroque Cycle

I have bought aGoT, though, so there is some sort of commitment there.

[I'm Murrin]

I did find it funny that a lot of people (not here, but at sffworld) complained that in the book Will was killed by the Others and Gared was beheaded by nearly headless Ned, as if it matters at all. I guess they changed it because it seems more dramatic to have a kid executed vs. a grizzled veteran.

Probably a continuity thing for viewers, having the point-of-view character from the opening be the one that transitions into the next scene, rather than someone who didn't actually feature much in the opening.

[Worm of Despite]

It was an entertaining episode, but it also seemed to follow that HBO formula for a first episode:

1) Gratuitous violence [check]
2) Gratuitous nudity [check]
3) Use of foul language [check]

HBO always seems to have to hit people over the head with what they can do that regular cable channels can not... and sometimes, it's pretty annoying.

That being said, everything seemed to be more balanced with this HBO episode... mostly everything actually served a purpose and was only gratuitous only because sure, it could have been shot in another way, but they went for the 'premium'.

I have to think the nudity and violence isn't so far from Ice and Fire myself, some of which goes into erotic story territory in some scenes (Cersei and that Myrish woman in Feast for Crows, eh?).

I must say, I hope the standard keeps the same as the opening, indeed, and doesn't stray into the weird paths The Walking Dead did.

Haven't read any of the books, so I don't know

But, like the ending, such scenes are obviously important to the story or character development. Hell, at first when Dray's brother derobed her, I thought that was pointless, but upon reflection it casts a certain characterization on Dray's brother and on Dray herself.

The de-robing is in the book I think. Or at least a pinching of the nipple.

[TheFallen]

Very unusually, we in the UK seem to have got near-on simultaneous transmission of GoT with you guys in the US of A, so I caught the first episode.

Like Orlion, I've also not read any GRRM but intend to, following recommendations here - and also the Malazan cycle.

Sin Bin, or Sean Bean if you'd rather, can ham it up big style, but didn't seem to do too bad a job at all in this, and the overall production looked slick and well-realised. I'll be watching the series. Oh, one last thing...

Daenery's (sp, prob) butt was a little too big...

WHAT??? Who'da thunk that Danlo was so damn picky? Or, as I suspect, this is an entirely untrue and purely tactical comment made by him, in case Mrs. Danlo happens to read it

As the saying goes, I'd not have kicked Danyris out of bed for eating crackers, or barbecued ribs, or much anything else for that matter.

[Akasri]

I don't think her butt was too big... and I studied it. Thoroughly...

[TheFallen]

Daenery's (sp, prob) butt was a little too big...

...and this is the view that Danlo finds so distasteful and unpleasant on the eye.



That's a real woman with a real woman's figure, as compared to some size zero stick insect. Is anyone else thinking... PICKY???

[I'm Murrin]

Bit big for a 13 year old girl, maybe.

[[Syl]]

Despite swearing off the series until it's finished (and being thoroughly disgusted by Martin's last tepid installation) and being generally down on Martin, I decided to watch this. I'm glad I did. The casting is superb (loved Dinklage in The Station Agent) and Winterfell is just how I imagined it (amazing how they succeeded where so many cover artists fail miserably). And while the violence (of which, I expect we've only seen the merest hint) and nudity is gratuitous, I'm a big fan of that when it's deployed as expertly as they've done so far.

My only complaint is that the pace seems to be pretty fast. I assume it's one season per novel? Anybody know how many episodes?

[Spiral Jacobs]

Despite swearing off the series until it's finished

Same here.

[Farm Ur-Ted]

I've sort of sworn it off as well, but I have to say that if ADWD gets really strong review from non-homers, then I'll probably cave in and do a re-read read and then read ADWD. Seeing the first episode has definitely gotten me re-interested in the series.

The first season is 10 episodes, and it sounds like season 2 will be just on ACoK, but they haven't said how many episodes it will be. Who knows what they'll do when the get to AFFC and ADWD. They'll probably have to try and clean up GRRM's mess for him. I suspect that will be hell, lol.

[SerScot]

Murrin,

Bit big for a 13 year old girl, maybe.

The Characters are "aged up" for the TV show. It's thirteen episodes a season and approximately 1 book per season. The suspision is that ASOS will be two seasons.

[Akasri]

The Characters are "aged up" for the TV show.

I think I read somewhere that Dany is supposed to be 17 in the HBO series. Emilia Clarke is 23 I believe.

The suspision is that ASOS will be two seasons.

It would pretty much have to be, to do justice to the book I think.

[Frostheart Grueburn]

I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far; the cast seems spot-on. I had not recalled how much I loathed Joffrey before I saw that little, smug smirk on his face, and immediately felt like wanting to strangle something. Granted, had some qualms about Tyrion during the first episode, but having now seen the second, I think he's bloody awesome.

And while everyone's arguing over Dany's butt, that leaves us girls free to ogle at this moonrise without any complaints.



Winterfell, now...Scotland's not a bad choice, although I always imagined the castle and its environs more Scandinavian-ish, Finland-ish.... Like one of those few, sturdy medieval castles we still have sprawling about (an example), against a backdrop of dark, brooding spruces. Or perhaps I have forgotten something and need to re-read the books.

[danlo]

Ah, ^^^ That's a stunt-butt!!! LOL (I'm mean Dany's, not Drogos).

I simply had to break down and upgrade to HBO to watch last night's episode. I was satisfied-obviously a transition episode (as is that part of the book)--an hour was NOT enough. Even though dlb had a hard time following it--I think it's getting a little too complex right now for non-readers in general. So non-readers DO go to that HBO interactive website to learn the characters, houses, weapons and check out the maps. Yeah, the second they mentioned Casterly Rock it felt like things were beginning to get o/o controls for the noobs.

Tam goes, "That little blond prince is a total prick, isn't he." I said, "Baby, you don't know the half of it...." (I, actually, forgot how much I cried when Lady died )

[I'm Murrin]

Wonder why they decided to have Tyrion wake up in the stables, instead of arriving from the library where he'd been up all night reading. They made up for it with the later scene with Jon Snow where he talks about why he reads, but still, interesting choice.

The speech from Cersei about Robert's child that died - where was that from originally? I recognise it from the novels, but not where it occurs. I know it isn't told to Catelyn at Winterfell. Did she tell it to Ned near the end of the novel?

[Orlion]

Yeah, that prince is a little punk... but I chalk it up partially to his being a teenager and drunk. The main bitch is the queen, who seems determined to assert her house's dominance... with the King not wanting to deal with whatever's going on and being generally pissed off at everyone.

I was able to follow it, but the time passed was a little difficult to digest. Other than that, good episode.