Geek alert: Game of Thrones on HBO

[The AD]

Maybe it's just me but the dragons, smoke demons and ice zombies are turning me off. I think the complex int/er/ra house/family rivalry is plenty of story...

I've been thinking about this while reading the books, too. It's seems like there's plenty of action without needing all the supernatural stuff.

[PNWbrit]

I've been thinking about this while reading the books, too. It's seems like there's plenty of action without needing all the supernatural stuff.

It's all becoming a bit too Harry Potter'ish for me.

[NoPostholio]

Maybe it's just me but the dragons, smoke demons and ice zombies are turning me off. I think the complex int/er/ra house/family rivalry is plenty of story...

agreed - like typical hbo fare they have an awesome cast and a great story to work with - I thought the finale was kind of disappointing because they tried to throw in to much....the white walkers assaulting the nights watch en masse was a little over the top....

[Dickeymotto]

On another note: Last we saw Stannis, he was being captured on top of a wall in Kings Landing, all his troops were running away. All of a sudden, he's free and back home??? WTF??

He wasn't being captured, he was being pulled from the battle by his own troops when they realized the attack was fucked.

[Crampedon]

Why is the Imp getting the short end? His father should have him decorated for his job so far as hand. Winter-fell burns? By who? The iron island idiots go out the front gate and surrender, with unconscience Theon in hand? They cut the ropes off Rob Snow? Was that crappy CG showing a whole village in that valley after his fight scene?

What the hell.

Oh, and why is Kingslayer being dragged back to Kings landing? to trade for the Stark twit? Where's the Hound?

[mdblows]

If you have a problem with the fantasy/magic shown in the first two seasons, you might as well stop watching when season 3 comes back.

[mdblows]

I'll agree that the hour-long time frame is really hurting the adaptation from novel to television. A lot of details and behind-the-scenes plotting and strategy are left out. If you want to understand the storyline better, read the books.

[PNWbrit]

If you have a problem with the fantasy/magic shown in the first two seasons, you might as well stop watching when season 3 comes back.

This is what I feared...

Honestly the ice-zombies at end of last night's episode looked like some pre-production, edit room floor scrap from Pirates of the Caribbean: On Ice.

It's a pity when (most) of the rest of the show is so beautifully done.

[NoPostholio]

Another problem might be the casting from the get go - they got a green light on one season on what was prob a shoestring budget...and with so many players they had to fill the gaps with some duds - they lucked out with tyrion, cersei, littlefinger, and some others who are hitting it out of the park, which makes it easier to follow their plot lines in the story. I really think it should have ended with that stand alone episode, maybe a little longer in length. This is prob as hard to figure out as the lord of the rings movies as far as what to leave in / leave out.

I second reading the books - they do not disappoint, and give tremendous depth to the world we only catch a glimpse of in the series.

[The AD]

Why is the Imp getting the short end? His father should have him decorated for his job so far as hand.

Tywin still blames Tyrion for his wife's death while giving birth to him. Sort of like Catelyn hates Jon Snow merely because he's Ned's bastard. Martin's characters can really hold a grudge...

[COUTCA]

Is Sansa portrayed as stupid & naive in the book as she is in the show? Last week she had a chance to leave and now she's going to be the prison whore? And she still wants to live in Kings Landing???? Damn, she is stupid.

Guessing you haven't read the books, Odin, but Sansa isn't even the stupidest character in the series. That title, IMO, goes to her mother. Guess it runs in the family. Damn Stark women.

[Diamond Joe]

Why is the Imp getting the short end? His father should have him decorated for his job so far as hand. Winter-fell burns? By who? The iron island idiots go out the front gate and surrender, with unconscience Theon in hand? They cut the ropes off Rob Snow? Was that crappy CG showing a whole village in that valley after his fight scene?

Oh, and why is Kingslayer being dragged back to Kings landing? to trade for the Stark twit? Where's the Hound?

I'm asking the same question as you. Who the hell burned Winterfell??? I understood the Rob Snow thing - his master (or whatever) sacrificed himself so that Rob would be accepted by the outsiders, and could spy on them for the nights' watch. Yes, that was their city that was shown after the fight, and I'm told that a character to be introduced next year is the "King beyond the Wall" who used to be a Knights watchman or something.

The Imp is getting the short end cause everybody else in his family (except Jaimie) hates him. Jaimie is presumably getting traded for Sonsa and Arya (so their mother thinks), but I think theres some serious plot twists there also. I think that of all the Lannisters, (aside from the imp), the Kingslayer is the one with the most honor, you just have not seen it yet.

Book readers- am I guessing right? How about cluing us in as to wtf happened in Winterfell?

[NoPostholio]

^^^^ I read the books and I don't even get the winterfell thing...In the books the sequence was different, and pretty sure the keep was sacked, but it made sense to what was happening. As was mentioned earlier, if the pyke sters snuck out with theo (reek), then why would the bastard burn that mother down? Maybe somebody that remembers the way the book sequence went can sort that out.
Your guesses are pretty on the mark for not reading books - cersei is a real class A runt..... more so in the show than the books.

[Tippster]

Things they're taking license with:

-Theon didn't get knocked out by his own guys and then given over to the Starks. They totally skated by the whole Reek thing. Shouldn't matter since that will likely get incorporated next Season.

-Winterfell was supposed to be burned by the retreating Ironmen. Don't know how they're gonna explain it after what happened in the last episode.

-Robb never married the doctor (I have an idea what's gonna happen there, and think the book version would have been better, but we'll see.)

-Tyrion got waaaay more fucked up in the Blackwater Battle than he did in the TV series. It would probably take too much time and money to CG his nose off, however, so they just scarred him. Fine by me.

There are a bunch of fan sites if you're interested. The two best are

http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/...f_Thrones_Wiki
http://www.winteriscoming.net/

[sqikunst]

They have definitely been taking some liberties because Tryion gets righteously fucked up in the books. I can deal with the fact that CGI and all that would just be a pain in the ass.

PSA: discussion might lead to spoiler alert for those who haven read.

Do not like the way the Winterfell situation was dealt with because Theon (aka Reek) was one of the more twisted and interesting parts of the series with the whole taking of teeth and fingers thing.

For those that read the books Sansa and her mother are a little different. I think it has to do with the way the actors look like they are frail and weak. Just remember that right before her end Catelyn rains fire and blood.

The worst thing so far has been Rob Stark. I do not mind the actor playing Rob but he is too effeminate. He is meant to be a Northern lorn, a Northman a dude who shits ice and raw meat. They needed someone burlier, he is meant to be the young wolf, fearless and all that.

Littlefinger is the bomb. Varys is stellar. Tywin is literally a one to one translation out of the books. Perter Dinklage is a straight up boss. Jon and Arya also kill it for me but I am partial to them from the books. It has not been a disappointment to say the least. They could have butchered what may/probably become the most epic fantasy saga of my generation at least. They will never capture all the nuances of the books because you could make three seasons out of the fith book A dance with dragons alone. They would need to do 10 - 15 seasons to do the books in detail.

But so far so good. Who has been killing it for the rest of you?

[PNWbrit]

Rob Stark. He is not long for this world

Gee.

Thanks.

[Tippster]

PSA: discussion might lead to spoiler alert for those who haven read.

Dude. Foul. Erase that Robb shit.

[Moeghoul]

When do the hobbits and orks appear, next season?

[Tippster]

More than you know.

[Crampedon]

Dude. Foul. Erase that Robb shit.

2cd'd. Too late now though.

winteriscoming.net has clear directives about non-spoilage and sections for readers and non-readers.

[nyskirat]

If you are all griping about Fantasy, just keep waiting. It will get even worse (better IMO) in season three. The problem IS that there is SO much they cant cover in the series with their budget, episode #, and CG possibility, so Im sticking to the books. Better

[leroy jenkins]

just starting the 5th book, havent kept up with the episodes but have seen a bit, brienne should have been much manlier and uglier.

Also, rather than ruining it, the supernatural elements seem to highlight the futility of all the intrigue and power struggles, after all, winter is coming.


I think its pretty obvious its goingto be dragons burning ice zombies at some point.

[Tippster]

Gee.

Thanks.

2cd'd. Too late now though.

Yeah, since PNWbrit had to quote it.

The Sorcery part is integral to the plot. Shit - why would you need to build a 500ft tall, hundreds of miles long wall of ICE (and how?) unless you needed to keep something nastier than people out? Fire breathing dragons are real. Seasons are years long and unpredictable in their onset... This world isn't meant to be realistic. Any similarity with our own history is anecdotal at best, and a trap in many ways. In other words: stop bitching about the magic. It's central to the story.

I think it's interesting that there are Gods with actual power whom priests can call on (like Rhllor) and then there are The Seven.

[The AD]

-Winterfell was supposed to be burned by the retreating Ironmen.

You sure about that? I believe it was actually Ramsay Snow (Roose Bolton's bastard) who put Winterfell to the torch. This would make sense. The Boltons control the Dreadfort so they wouldn't want to risk Winterfell coming back under Stark control--or really being held by the Ironmen, either. Without Winterfell the Boltons can control the north from the Dreadfort.

I think it's interesting that there are Gods with actual power whom priests can call on (like Rhllor) and then there are The Seven.

I think it's gay, but I can live with it.

[Diamond Joe]

just starting the 5th book, havent kept up with the episodes but have seen a bit, brienne should have been much manlier and uglier.

Really? I'm not sure how she could BE much more manlier and uglier, unless she had a beard