Game of Thrones - TV Series (NO BOOK SPOILERS)

Page 51 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Nice season premiere, though I wonder if anyone who hasn't read the books could follow what the heck was going on with Stannis and Melisandre at Dragonstone.

I had no idea what was going on in that scene at first. Once I saw Stannis there, it at least cleared up some air, and then the following scene with
the poison
tells you some things about this woman... don't fuck with her! :eek:
 

shurato

Platinum Member
Sep 24, 2000
2,398
0
76
You know what sucks royally about Game of Thrones Season 2?
The fact I need to wait a week to watch each episode....

This episode is building the anticipation nicely. I can't remember the last time I've been on the edge of my seat and so hooked on a TV series since maybe The Wire.
 

xeemzor

Platinum Member
Mar 27, 2005
2,599
1
71
You know what sucks royally about Game of Thrones Season 2?
The fact I need to wait a week to watch each episode....

This episode is building the anticipation nicely. I can't remember the last time I've been on the edge of my seat and so hooked on a TV series since maybe The Wire.

I felt the same way. It's nice to see more TV series that have plot lines and acting that aren't catered to 13 year olds with no attention span.
 
Sep 12, 2004
16,852
59
86
The season premiere was great. I enjoyed it so much I watched it twice.

After watching it I don't get the poor review from the NY Times. There's currently no major focus character? OK. That kind of seems to be the point. Right now there are numerous characters looking to be that focus. As someone who hasn't read the books I would guess that things will eventually culminate in a major battle that will produce that focus, at least for a short time. Even if it doesn't, I don't care. I'll watch the series for the time being hoping that little bitch Joffrey loses his head somewhere down the line.

btw, the confrontation between the queen and Baelish was quite entertaining.
 
Sep 12, 2004
16,852
59
86
It seemed a little out of character for him, mocking her like that.
I didn't get that at all. imo, he believes he's smarter than everyone else and tried to be his usual manipulative self. When she put him in his place by telling him
"Power is power."
I lol'd.
Raiding his brothel reinforced that point.
 

alkemyst

No Lifer
Feb 13, 2001
83,967
19
81
Yeah, QFT...not everyone will have the opportunity to see it on east coast time, nor even watch it that night. If one wants to talk spoilers create a spoiler thread for each episode.

I already know how the story pans out, so it's not an issue for me, but chances are if I didn't take PTO today, i'd not see the episode until the weekend.
 

Ninjahedge

Diamond Member
Mar 2, 2005
4,149
1
91
There are too many plot convolutions in this series that the word "spoiler" has little meaning.

I am waiting for the final book that will have everyone doing the cha-cha when it comes to plot... ;)
 

ghost recon88

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2005
6,209
1
81
So when the knights were going through killing all the babies and young kids, did they know those were some of the kings bastards or were they killing at random in case any of them did turn out to be the kings sons?
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,729
559
126
And gee, I don't know, but maybe they could lean on the guy who won the Emmy? Someone needs to send Neil Genzlinger to the Wall.

Books references ahead!
Especially since the second book could have an alternate title of "Tyrion Lannister Plays to Win and Some Related Tales".
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,729
559
126
So when the knights were going through killing all the babies and young kids, did they know those were some of the kings bastards or were they killing at random in case any of them did turn out to be the kings sons?

In the book Cersei is obsessed with killing all of Roberts bastards, mostly to conceal Joffery's actually parentage and maintain his claim to the throne but also because she's fucking vicious and hated Robert that much. Its doubtful all of the men knew their purpose, save maybe Janus Slint but they were doing it at Cersei's command. As we learned in season 1, black hair appears to be a dominate trait in the Baratheon family. Robert has one acknowledged bastard as well, but I believe these ones were just tracked down using Little Finger or Vareas spy networks. Since Jon Arryn and Ned Stark both managed to find them they are not super well hidden.
 

Phoenix86

Lifer
May 21, 2003
14,643
9
81
In the book Cersei is obsessed with killing all of Roberts bastards, mostly to conceal Joffery's actually parentage and maintain his claim to the throne but also because she's fucking vicious and hated Robert that much. Its doubtful all of the men knew their purpose, save maybe Janus Slint but they were doing it at Cersei's command. As we learned in season 1, black hair appears to be a dominate trait in the Baratheon family. Robert has one acknowledged bastard as well, but I believe these ones were just tracked down using Little Finger or Vareas spy networks. Since Jon Arryn and Ned Stark both managed to find them they are not super well hidden.
The series made it seem like Joffery was the one who ordered it, he was asking about how many other women Robert slept with when he was tired with his mother. I'm not sure if that's a divergence from the book or if I'm just assuming things.
 

PingSpike

Lifer
Feb 25, 2004
21,729
559
126
The series made it seem like Joffery was the one who ordered it, he was asking about how many other women Robert slept with when he was tired with his mother. I'm not sure if that's a divergence from the book or if I'm just assuming things.

Divergence from the book really although I don't think it changes motivations or plot lines much. Joffery isn't that clever in CoK, he's basically a moron who has no idea how tenuous his family's hold to power really is. Its true he's not really afraid of his mother though. I think the conversation exists mostly because the motivations were conveyed through Tyrions thoughts in the book and that isn't easy to convey on TV. The weirdest change from the book in last night's episode is honestly that the Little Finger/Cersei showdown scene. There isn't any outward animosity like that between them in the book, although no one actually trusts Little Finger obviously.
 

Pheran

Diamond Member
Apr 26, 2001
5,849
48
91
The series made it seem like Joffery was the one who ordered it, he was asking about how many other women Robert slept with when he was tired with his mother. I'm not sure if that's a divergence from the book or if I'm just assuming things.

Joffrey doesn't order much of anything, he's pretty much a clueless psychopath. Cersei and the small council are effectively in power with him on the throne.
 

Phoenix86

Lifer
May 21, 2003
14,643
9
81
Joffrey doesn't order much of anything, he's pretty much a clueless psychopath. Cersei and the small council are effectively in power with him on the throne.
Sure he's not "running things" but he's made a few orders, Ned's head, the cap't america fool, the bard's tongue. Obviously one of those was in direct conflict with Cersei and the council but the other two are minor things.
 

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,856
4,974
126
it was awesome.
had to explain a few things to the non-book-readers at work, but I thought HBO did a great job of doing what they could with the confusing lot threads they have to work with.

I still don't see good things for this series though. All the actors are going to get too old too quick.