Game of Thrones - TV Series (NO BOOK SPOILERS)

[Arkaign]

I've never read a series of books where it was less satisfying to follow the characters. Really Tyrion is my only hero in the series. The books are quite well written though, but the storyline is exhaustingly aggravating.

 

[Homerboy]

I'm not sure which characters you are referring to here, but don't count anyone out yet (if they are still alive). Some characters that are minor in the first book end up playing larger roles in later volumes.

No minor characters... I'm speaking of some of the major characters (or what I thought were going to be major characters)

Like I said, in reality its a minor issue to the overall greatness

 

[jman19]

I've never read a series of books where it was less satisfying to follow the characters. Really Tyrion is my only hero in the series. The books are quite well written though, but the storyline is exhaustingly aggravating.

It is quite interesting how Tyrion is one of the "good" guys in a very gray world. You could definitely say that Jon is a "hero" though too.

 

[alkemyst]

No minor characters... I'm speaking of some of the major characters (or what I thought were going to be major characters)

Like I said, in reality its a minor issue to the overall greatness

The main problem with the series is American's want happy endings (I am an American). In learning a lot from foreign films, I got used to movies where your hero ends up losing to the odds. The first few times it really pissed me off and in all fairness that was probably the emotion the writer wanted. I still get frustrated when the guy / gal I thought would pull it off gets suddenly killed in the end.

This series is a lot like that and also is a long running one so you have hero 1 wins, then villian 1 wins, then hero 2 kills villian 1, but villian 2 sneaks up behind...etc.

Another series I'd love to see in film is the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I think with the acceptance of flesh and rape / etc it may become an HBO series eventually. This is another 9 books that will have you saying "WHAT THE FUCK MAN, DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR POWERS!" constantly and also just floored with things he does that were unexpected...things that just put you in awe.

 

[alkemyst]

It is quite interesting how Tyrion is one of the "good" guys in a very gray world. You could definitely say that Jon is a "hero" though too.

Yeah he was fucked from birth and lived his life anyway. He's never going to win an arranged fight of Champion vs Champion if he has to be the contestant. However, in the rules he has to live by he knows he doesn't have to be.

He is probably one of the fairest and good characters in the series. He really just wants to get through his day laid...unfortunately the name he was born under and circumstances keep putting him in harms way.

 

[Homerboy]

The main problem with the series is American's want happy endings (I am an American). In learning a lot from foreign films, I got used to movies where your hero ends up losing to the odds. The first few times it really pissed me off and in all fairness that was probably the emotion the writer wanted. I still get frustrated when the guy / gal I thought would pull it off gets suddenly killed in the end.

This series is a lot like that and also is a long running one so you have hero 1 wins, then villian 1 wins, then hero 2 kills villian 1, but villian 2 sneaks up behind...etc.

Another series I'd love to see in film is the Chronicles of Thomas Covenant. I think with the acceptance of flesh and rape / etc it may become an HBO series eventually. This is another 9 books that will have you saying "WHAT THE FUCK MAN, DO SOMETHING WITH YOUR POWERS!" constantly and also just floored with things he does that were unexpected...things that just put you in awe.

I don't think it is necessarily that... but I understand your point.
The more I think about it, the more I realize that really, it is one LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONG ass story. So characters coming and going within the scope of 1 book (or 1 season) isn't that horrible, because. if condensed into a 2hr movie, they would be insignificant people/events, but since its stretched out over 2500+ pages and (hopefully) 4 seasons of TV for 40+hrs of viewing, even if they are a "main character" or "major even" they are fiarly small in teh grand picture.

Does that make sense?

 

[alkemyst]

not at all. Read the books and get back to that.

 

[Newbian]

Wow... so Martin talked about the next book in the series he is writing and this will end it and it makes all of these events simply null.

What he said that ruined it for me but it's a huge spoiler so don't read it if you don't want to get disappointed:

Spoiler

....................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................
................................Snape kills dumbledore.........................................
....................................................................................................
.............................................................................................

 

[biostud]

Book 5 to be released 12th of July w0000000000000000000000000000000000t!!!!!!!

...preordered

 

[Joemonkey]

Wow... so Martin talked about the next book in the series he is writing and this will end it and it makes all of these events simply null.

What he said that ruined it for me but it's a huge spoiler so don't read it if you don't want to get disappointed:

Spoiler

....................................................................................................
.......................................................................................................
................................Snape kills dumbledore.........................................
....................................................................................................
.............................................................................................

dude that's not cool! :whiste:

 

[Barfo]

Book 5 to be released 12th of July w0000000000000000000000000000000000t!!!!!!!

...preordered

Same as Duke Nukem Forever, I'll believe it when the book is in my hands.

 

[biostud]

Same as Duke Nukem Forever, I'll believe it when the book is in my hands.

http://www.georgerrmartin.com/if-update.html

 

[Pheran]

Tonight's episode should be interesting, it's the one episode this season where the TV screenplay was directly written by George R.R. Martin. Honestly though, I'm not sure how much difference that will make given how closely they've been following the books anyway.

One more comment on episode 7 - I think this was the first ep that had a non-book scene that I really loved. The scene with Theon, Osha (the surviving wildling from the party that attacked Bran) and Maester Luwin was fantastic. Luwin's response to Theon's question about her being a guest or a prisoner was absolutely laugh-out-loud funny if you fully grasp Theon's situation.

 

[dwell]

Hodor peiner sighting.

 

[Pheran]

I didn't think ep8 was quite as good as the last two, but it's obviously setting up the major events to come. The only problem I had with it is that [book spoiler]:

Spoiler

Drogo's wound looked a lot less severe than what was described in the book

. It was amusing seeing Syrio beating the heck out of those guys.

This episode has the very first real Rickon scene (ignoring the tiny flash in ep1). I wonder if those who haven't read knew who the heck he was.

GRRM posted a bit of commentary on his episode.

 

[dwell]

I didn't think ep8 was quite as good as the last two, but it's obviously setting up the major events to come. The only problem I had with it is that [book spoiler]:

Spoiler

Drogo's wound looked a lot less severe than what was described in the book

.

I think it was done that way to make it painfully obvious that [!!!book spoiler!!!]

Spoiler

what happens to Drogo was Mirri Maz Duur's doing, not the wound

.

 

[Zee]

good shit that this is a tv series and not a movie. I cant imagine how butchered and bad it would be to compress all this into 3 hours

 

[Pheran]

I think it was done that way to make it painfully obvious that [!!!book spoiler!!!]

Spoiler

what happens to Drogo was Mirri Maz Duur's doing, not the wound

.

That's really not at all clear from the book. I don't know if GRRM has ever commented on it, but the book reads to me that [book spoiler]:

Spoiler

Drogo's infection was caused by him *not* using the poultice that Mirri gave him. Some of the subsequent events were definitely her fault, though she did try to talk Dany out of it at first.

 

[CVSiN]

Wow... last night was pretty awesome..but still pissed at the whole Stark storyline now.
I have not read the books and dont know the story at all except what I have seen on the show..
I can see already Ned is doomed.. he is too proud to ever do what Geoffrey is demanding of him to do to get "mercy" and he is my favorite character so far except for Khalissi dragon girl..

I'm seeing some really horrible times coming for the entire Stark Clan if they survive at all.

Man they really did a good job at making you hate all the Lanisters (-minus Tyrian)

BTW the "dancing teacher" smoking all those Lanister soldiers with a wooden sword was epic haha.

Felt super bad for the Knight Captain they forcefully retired as well..
Hope he becomes a General for someone to overthrow the Lanisters or something..

 

[mcurphy]

I just finished reading the book a couple days ago, and watched the first 8 episodes of the series over the weekend. I am really enjoying it so far.

I think the casting is fantastic for almost all the characters, and really matched what I had pictured in my head while reading the book.

Tyrion and Jon are my favorite characters in the series, and the actors they chose to portray them are great.

Daenerys is an awesome character too, and the actress that plays her is gorgeous.

The casting for Viserys and Joffrey was great too. Those guys are such douche bags and they really look the part, lol.

I was surprised to see Syrio portrayed as a Spanish guy. I just had not pictured that when reading the book. But I really think the choice is awesome, and he totally fits the role.

Overall I feel they have really done an excellent job bringing the story to TV. There is so much that has to be left out, but it hasn't taken too much from the story so far. I am glad though, that I read the book first, because it really helps me to understand what is happening. And in the book you get to experience the thoughts and feelings of the characters, and watching them on screen I can reflect back and remember how the characters were feeling during certain scenes. This is certainly a drawback to the TV series as you don't know the thoughts and feelings that Ned experiences during his time in Kings Landing. The same for Jon at the Wall, and Daenerys across the Narrow Sea. It is hard to imagine watching the TV show without having read the book. I think I would be a bit lost and disconnected from some of the characters.

 

[Joemonkey]

I was surprised to see Syrio portrayed as a Spanish guy. I just had not pictured that when reading the book. But I really think the choice is awesome, and he totally fits the role.

I LOVE this part, it's like they are throwing a nod toward Mandy Patinkin's character Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride, how cool would that have been if they actually casted him!?

 

[Merad]

Started rereading the books yesterday. Hopefully will be ready when DWD comes out next month.

Felt super bad for the Knight Captain they forcefully retired as well..
Hope he becomes a General for someone to overthrow the Lanisters or something..

Spoiler

You'll see him again, at least if the show makes it to season 3 (or 4? I forget).

 

[Pheran]

I LOVE this part, it's like they are throwing a nod toward Mandy Patinkin's character Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride, how cool would that have been if they actually casted him!?

Mandy Patinkin is about 60 years old now.

But yes, I do like Syrio's character.

 

[Barfo]

Wow... last night was pretty awesome..but still pissed at the whole Stark storyline now.
I have not read the books and dont know the story at all except what I have seen on the show..
I can see already Ned is doomed.. he is too proud to ever do what Geoffrey is demanding of him to do to get "mercy" and he is my favorite character so far except for Khalissi dragon girl..

I'm seeing some really horrible times coming for the entire Stark Clan if they survive at all.

Man they really did a good job at making you hate all the Lanisters (-minus Tyrian)

BTW the "dancing teacher" smoking all those Lanister soldiers with a wooden sword was epic haha.

Felt super bad for the Knight Captain they forcefully retired as well..
Hope he becomes a General for someone to overthrow the Lanisters or something..

Ned's your fave character? I think he's pretty stupid, always doing the honorable thing without regard for the consequences. His daughters wouldn't be in deep shit if not for his dumb ass. He should be executed for being such a moron.

 

[Joemonkey]

Ned's your fave character? I think he's pretty stupid, always doing the honorable thing without regard for the consequences. His daughters wouldn't be in deep shit if not for his dumb ass. He should be executed for being such a moron.

he WAS mine, simply due to reminding me of boromir and always doing the honorable thing to a fault, but when he told cersei exactly what he knew and was planning to do, and trusted littlefinger, sigh...