Game of Thrones

[SuperTurkey]

This is supposed to be ironic right? Because these books are the most depressing downward spiral into unending misery I've read. Seriously, its like Lemony Snicket for adults.

Do yourself a favor guys and go read Patrick Rothfuss instead.

Couldn't agree more. The Kingkiller series has been amazing so far, while Martin just writes darkness for the sake of darkness. He's the goth kid who got punched a lot in high school, and he wants all readers to know how much the world sucks.

[Duvall]

Per Martin's editor, the fifth book is done.

[CLT Devil]

Is anyone else keeping up with this series?

I find it very watchable and not too hard to follow the many storylines. Lots happening over the last episode or two.

Anyway, just wanted to see if I was only one who thinks is a good Sunday night escape.

[davekay1971]

Is anyone else keeping up with this series?

I find it very watchable and not too hard to follow the many storylines. Lots happening over the last episode or two.

Anyway, just wanted to see if I was only one who thinks is a good Sunday night escape.

My wife and I are watching it. Some of the comments above about the direction of the series almost made me stay away, because why get invested in a series if it just devolves into misery? But, so far I've been entertained, and they've managed to make some of the characters who were originally just jerks (ie: Jaime Lannister) into sympathetic, well drawn characters. Plus the Targarian (sp?) dweeb getting the molten gold dumped on his head was worth every minute of the first 6 episodes, all by itself.

[Mal]

I'm in. Missed the episode this weekend, but the first half dozen have been really entertaining. I'm liking the strategy and politics and intrigue more than the dreariness and death, and look forward to seeing who allies with whom, which friendships splinter and which flourish, who actually wants the throne, etc. as things progress. I'm also finding most of the characters to be very interesting. It's a bit like a few notable predecessors on HBO in its depiction of shades of gray blanketing every character. The heroes are corrupted or co-opted by institutions, or tragically flawed, or arrogant, and practically all the villains are at least some shade of sympathetic, and some of the characters you still have no idea what side they're on. Even the dude who got gold dumped on his head and had been a complete horse's rear at all times up 'til then; at the end he came off as almost childlike and naive and sheltered. You totally wanted him to get his just reward but the actor made you almost feel a little pang of remorse.

Also, Peter Dinklage is hitting it out of the park. Such a good actor. I hope the Imp isn't one of the apparently many casualties of the cruel world these characters inhabit.

[davekay1971]

Also, Peter Dinklage is hitting it out of the park. Such a good actor. I hope the Imp isn't one of the apparently many casualties of the cruel world these characters inhabit.

With you on that. The Imp is my favorite character thus far...I think Game of Thrones' version of Entourage's Ari or Deadwood's Swearengen. Stark's younger daughter and Jon Snow are also favorites, but not nearly as entertaining and interesting as the Imp.

[JBDuke]

When I first picked up the books a couple of years ago on a friend's recommendation, they told me "Don't get too attached to any character, as Martin is not afraid to kill off any of them." Consider yourselves warned.

[Deslok]

I've been enjoying rereading the book as I've been watching, and its been a lot of fun noting some details. In the book, Renly's gay proclivities are hinted out, but not outright stated, whereas the show makes it plainly obvious. And then the HBO series hints at some of the struggles going through characters minds(I'm particularly thinking of Jon Snow up on the Wall, and Catelyn Stark's arrival at the Eyrie and confrontation with her sister) while the book fleshes out some of the things that are only hinted at on HBO.

But I think its been very well done so far(with the exception of one or two scenes that just seem to be thrown in to say "We're HBO and can do R rated stuff even if it doesn't do anything to advance the tale"... like the lesbian scene as Littlefinger speaks for awhile).

The characters are a lot of fun, and they did a good job of trying to add at least a little sympathy for the most unsympathetic characters in the book(that would be you Cersei and Sansa) while giving everyone else the shades of gray that dominate the tale.

And yes, even in the book, Tyrion Lannister is awesome, but Peter Dinklage is stealing the show so far.

[dukebluelemur]

But I think its been very well done so far(with the exception of one or two scenes that just seem to be thrown in to say "We're HBO and can do R rated stuff even if it doesn't do anything to advance the tale"... like the lesbian scene as Littlefinger speaks for awhile).

Dunno, Martin does pretty much the same thing. See: Wedding customs, involvement of male guests.

[Deslok]

Its been awhile since I've read the books(like oh... since the last one came out, which was almost back in the 20th century) so maybe I'm just not remembering those details, since other events surrounding weddings stood out more prominantly...

That and with a book, you can kind of gloss over a section you don't particularly enjoy as you go through, while watching it on TV... how long until this scene is done? And no, I have no tivo.

[darthur]

But I think its been very well done so far(with the exception of one or two scenes that just seem to be thrown in to say "We're HBO and can do R rated stuff even if it doesn't do anything to advance the tale"... like the lesbian scene as Littlefinger speaks for awhile).

I agree on both accounts. It's a shame because the Littlefinger scene is actually pretty clever - the entire speech is describing his relationship with Ned as much as it is describing anything with the prostitute. But the visuals sure were over the top.

And yes, even in the book, Tyrion Lannister is awesome, but Peter Dinklage is stealing the show so far.

Yep, although Arya is almost as good. Tyrion's "confession" was comic gold.

[Lord Ash]

Holy f'ing hell.

Okay, I have really enjoyed the show so far, knowing NOTHING about the book... but wow.

I have to say, was NOT happy with that ending...

*SPOILERS FROM THE LAST EPISODE HERE ON IN*









Come on. Sean Bean cannot be a lead without dying?! Come ON. I love the Beaner, and it is so irritating when one of the best actors in a show is killed off. My irritation has nothing to do with the story or character... I enjoy watching Bean act, I always have, and I am annoyed that he will not be on the show anymore. Dammit.

Still, very enjoyable show. Yeah, the actor who plays Tyrion Lannister is GREAT... really deep, very funny, a lot of charisma... one of the highlights of the show.

They better not kill him off. The youngest daughter, either; I like pain in the rear end scrappy girls with attitude!


Great show so far, with one of the best intros HBO has ever had. Glad they picked up the second season.

[darthur]

Holy f'ing hell.

Okay, I have really enjoyed the show so far, knowing NOTHING about the book... but wow.

I have to say, was NOT happy with that ending...

Not trying to endorse physical violence applied to children, but you can always console yourself by thinking back to these happy days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxLOXUGmRKI =)

When people talk about shocking deaths in this series, this is certainly the #1.

[theAlaskanBear]

Not trying to endorse physical violence applied to children, but you can always console yourself by thinking back to these happy days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxLOXUGmRKI =)

When people talk about shocking deaths in this series, this is certainly the #1.

When I was reading the books -- I thought, oh thats clever...the author lets him take the black so he joins his son on the wall and they save the north...because the Starks are intertwined with the history of the wall. That's why their words are "Winter is Coming." And then he dies anyway...and I was like oh (daaaaarn).

It's also one of the few points in the book that make Cersei look sympathetic -- she knows what is at stake here, and her bratty son just started a civil war despite being told the right thing to do.

[AtlBluRew]

That death surprised me, too. What great writing, though: a man who had lived honorably all his life makes a deal to violate that code of honor in order to protect his child ... and dies immediately. His last act was completely against his character. Loved it.

There's a lot of really good acting going on in this series. I think we can add to the list the kid playing King Joffrey. He's really a villain.

[A-Tex Devil]

Gut wrenching. I've amazingly gotten my girlfriend into this this series, and she was sobbing.

There is a very, very funny reaction vid on you tube and a video review by the same guy. A little too NSFW to link here, but you can find it if you search for "Larry Williams" and "Game of Thrones". The reaction vid his friend shot is better and shorter, but he is seriously distraught in his review (which is a longer 12 minutes).

[Mal]

Yeah. I mean, wow. To make a show based on a book knowing that you have to kill off the moral center of the show IN SEASON ONE? Kudos, HBO, kudos.

I knew it was going to happen at some point fairly soon - the foreshadowing of Ned's doom was everywhere - but that was pretty shocking. Almost as shocking is the fact that, despite the spoilery admonitions of "don't get attached to any of these characters, as the author's not afraid to kill off literally any of them" that were everywhere, and the millions of people who've read the books, the lid was still generally kept on this crazy twist of events.

The cathartic glee we'll all feel when (hopefully) Joffrey meets a gruesome end will hopefully match this. And really, that has to happen soon, right? That sociopathic fool just assured every person in the North wants his head, possibly ensured the death of his now captured real father, just as his grandfather/protector was busy getting outstrategized and is now outnumbered by Robb Stark, and while his not-real uncles are off in the other direction plotting how to take the throne. And he's publicly demonstrated his viciousness to the populace, which won't be sympathetic to him now. Not to mention having someone like Ned Stark to help command at the Wall might have come in handy, now that there are zombies and whatever else coming out of the woods. I hope this kid's screwed.

Lord Ash, you'll be both delighted and groan to hear this: Bean's starring in a new ABC show (if you can stomach network dramas) with Ashley Judd, so if it catches on you'll get to see him regularly on a U.S. show again. The irony: his character's ALREADY dead, and appears only in flashback throughout the series! Ha! I guess the good news is he can't get killed off.

[Duvall]

The cathartic glee we'll all feel when (hopefully) Joffrey meets a gruesome end will hopefully match this. And really, that has to happen soon, right? That sociopathic fool just assured every person in the North wants his head, possibly ensured the death of his now captured real father, just as his grandfather/protector was busy getting outstrategized and is now outnumbered by Robb Stark, and while his not-real uncles are off in the other direction plotting how to take the throne. And he's publicly demonstrated his viciousness to the populace, which won't be sympathetic to him now. Not to mention having someone like Ned Stark to help command at the Wall might have come in handy, now that there are zombies and whatever else coming out of the woods. I hope this kid's screwed.

Well, bear in mind that the public doesn't care about any of this except in how it affects them directly, and that the Lannisters still have a much larger army and unlimited resources. I wouldn't count them out just yet.

Lord Ash, you'll be both delighted and groan to hear this: Bean's starring in a new ABC show (if you can stomach network dramas) with Ashley Judd, so if it catches on you'll get to see him regularly on a U.S. show again. The irony: his character's ALREADY dead, and appears only in flashback throughout the series!

That's amazing.

[Mal]

Well, bear in mind...that the Lannisters still have a much larger army and unlimited resources. I wouldn't count them out just yet.

Can't quibble with the resources part, but are we sure the Lannisters have just a larger, not even a much larger, force right now? I think it was stated that Tywin gave Jaime half his army, 30,000 men. Those 30,000 have been wiped out now (or sent home, or whatever it is that happens to such an army after being defeated in that fictional world, but taken off the board anyway). Granted, it's possible however many survived Robb's surprise attack could be re-armed and sent back out there by whoever's back manning Casterly (?) Rock, but they'd have no military leaders. Meanwhile, the army from the North is presumably about to join forces with the soldiers of the Riverlands. By my reckoning, Robb had 18,000, lost 2,000, and picked up about 4,000 from Frey to bring his forces to 20,000. All he needs is another 10,000 from his grandfather and he's got the numerical advantage, right? All they need to do now is send a nice keg of milk over to the Aerie and get the Vale behind them and the Lannisters are in seriously hot water, I would think.

Anyway, I'm not counting them out. I'm just saying that at best, the Lannister forces are in for a prolonged fight somewhere out in the Riverlands at this point, leaving the capitol relatively unguarded against the brothers of former kings, dragons, zombies and whatever else might threaten his royal smugness.

[darthur]

Can't quibble with the resources part, but are we sure the Lannisters have just a larger, not even a much larger, force right now? I think it was stated that Tywin gave Jaime half his army, 30,000 men.

And that doesn't even include Tyrion's barbarians!