"The things i do for love" Game of Thrones is here

[Richmond Clements]

Oh man that was really good.
I'd been waiting all series to see the [spoiler]dragons[/spoiler], and they did not disappoint. The final scene was incredible, even better than it was in the book, I think.

The onlt possible downside is keeping Bou watching it now that [spoiler]Kahl Drogo [/spoiler] is [spoiler]dead[/spoiler]... Oh, and that scene was brilliantly handled too.

Cannot wait until next series!

[mygrimmbrother]

Yep, Drogo is a big hit in our house too. He makes me go all gooey, never mind the missus!

[TordelBack]

Mmmm, I've noticed a distinct skewing towards dothraki-heavy episodes in our house too.  No idea why.  That said, wifely empathy with Arya is also running high.  Wait 'til she sees the horrors that await the poor thing in Season 2...

[brendan1]

I've been delighted with this series, it's been awesome and seems very faithful to the source work.

Although admittedly, I've only read the first book in the Fire and Ice series, and that was when it first came out, so my memory of it is a bit hazy (re-reading now, though).

[TordelBack]

I've been delighted with this series, it's been awesome and seems very faithful to the source work.

There are plenty of changes and omissions from the original, and while I miss some things ([spoiler]the Sansa/Sandor relationship, for example[/spoiler]), I don't think I've noticed anything that isn't an honest attempt to streamline material while retaining its intent and tone, or to handle things within some kind of manageable budget or an episodic TV format.  Obviously there are characters who don't look or sound like I imagined them, and some of the backgrounds are a bit sparse and... expedient (no, more like expeditious), but I don't think I've ever seen a better adaptation of a genre book.  The sheer ambition of the production is enough to make me love it, never mind that it actually succeeds.

[brendan1]

I've been delighted with this series, it's been awesome and seems very faithful to the source work.

There are plenty of changes and omissions from the original, and while I miss some things ([spoiler]the Sansa/Sandor relationship, for example[/spoiler]), I don't think I've noticed anything that isn't an honest attempt to streamline material while retaining its intent and tone, or to handle things within some kind of manageable budget or an episodic TV format.  Obviously there are characters who don't look or sound like I imagined them, and some of the backgrounds are a bit sparse and... expedient (no, more like expeditious), but I don't think I've ever seen a better adaptation of a genre book.  The sheer ambition of the production is enough to make me love it, never mind that it actually succeeds.

It's been so long since I read it that quite a few bits (and you can probably guess what I'm talking about) have had me going "Fuck! Was that in the book, I don't remember that?!"

As I said, it's got me re-reading Game Of Thrones again, and after that I'll read Clash of Kings, which I've had sitting on a bookshelf unread for over a decade. In fact, this single TV series has single-handedly got me back into reading a genre of books that I haven't actually touched since I read Game of Thrones the first time!

[mogzilla]

wow! the wife didnt get the end i explained it with "magic stuff" and [spoiler]dragons[/spoiler] i've started the books and do see the characters as the tv ones which is odd when robb is described as 14 and dany is 13! this made for uncomfortable reading especially as the wedding night was described quite gaphically ... but i'm guessing that our time and westeros time is slightly different and a 14 year old in their time might be the same as a 20 year old in ours...i'm hoping.

    nice cliffhangertastic end to the brilliant series and i am now devouring the first book so when my parcel from play.com arrives i can plough on...


  i really want joffrey to come to a sticky end...git.

[Mardroid]

but i'm guessing that our time and westeros time is slightly different and a 14 year old in their time might be the same as a 20 year old in ours...i'm hoping.

I'm pretty sure they're the same, at least physically. It's more to do with how people measure adulthood. In ancient to medieval societies, a person was considered an adult when they were sexually mature. (In a girls case when she started her monthly cycle.) Of course that's still rather messed up in my opinion. Even putting aside the ethical side of things for now, if a girl that young gets pregnant, I think it can be harmful as she isn't fully grown. Narrow hips, birth canal, etc. But it was cultural. (Thank God that's changed.)

Of course both boys and girls did grow up pretty sharpish mentaly due to how much tougher their lives were. They had to muscle in and work at an age when we were still playing! Of course there are still thousands of children living today who are still in that same situation.

[TordelBack]

I think was a good call to explicitly age all the kids by about 2 or 3 years (even Bran is 7 in the book and identified as 10 in the series).  It makes handling their inevitable aging (the Walt factor) a bit easier, probably helps finding competent actors, and as noted makes the stuff with Daenerys somewhat less icky.  The only one I have any problems with is Robb (whose actor is actually 25), who seems like he's already quite old enough to take on his fathers mantle - at least Jon Snow's actor (24) plays him as young. 

[radiator]

I came to Game of Thrones cold - I'd never heard of the books and to be honest had got it confused with Pillars of the Earth. Wasn't sure what to expect from it, and imagined it would be quite nihilistic and schlocky - all I'd heard about it was the boobs and violence. Was surprised that the show had so much humour and so many lovable characters. Also: some of the best fight scenes and onscreen deaths I've ever seen in a TV show - found some bits very difficult to watch, and that should be taken as a compliment to the writers and actors, as I felt a lot of affection for certain characters and didn't want them to die!

An absolutely phenomenal production, from the amazing cast and excellent writing to the brilliant credit sequence and theme tune, which I can't get out of my head! Anyone else notice that the locations in the credits changes from episode to episode to show you where the story takes place? As someone coming to the story new, I didn't find it rushed or confusing in the slightest - I thought it had a great pace to it - every scene pushing the story forward while letting us get to know the characters. Unfortunately I didn't manage to avoid all the spoilers going round, so knew the fates of certain characters in advance, and some git on facebook ruined the ending somewhat by mentioning the word [spoiler]'dragons'[/spoiler] the other day... But still, massively enjoyed it - so much so that I'll probably end up buying it on Blu Ray to rewatch before season two starts.

If I had to fault it, I'd say that the ending felt like a massive anticlimax - there was no closure or resolution, just things being set up for the next series. Was especially disappointed with how Daneris(?) and Khal Drogo's storyline resolved - seemed to be a lot of build up for very little pay-off. There were another few things I didn't quite grasp - what was the scene with the old dude and the whore all about at the end of the last episode? Seemed like a waste of time and I kept wanting to see what the other characters were up to. I never quite got a grasp on a few of the characters - for instance Joffrey. I could never tell if he actually had feelings for Sansa. There's also the issue of scale, as others have mentioned - if they have to keep contriving ways of not showing the big battles then it could get farcical pretty quick.

Had a chuckle when I learned that it's an unrecognisable Jerome Flynn playing the part of Bronn (great character!), while Joffrey is - unbelievably - played by the little Blond kid from Batman Begins!

[radiator]

Oh, and I need to know... I really, really recognise the actor playing one of Jon Snow's friends in the nights watch (not Samwell, one of the other two in his little gang). Can't for the life of me think what else he is in - anyone know? Been bugging me for days!

[TordelBack]

Jon's two main mates other than Sam are Pyp (the funny one) and Gren (the tall one).  Gren's actor Mark Stanley seems to be a newcomer, but Pyp is Jozef Altin, who according to IMDB has been in loads of stuff, including Being Human and Mistfits, as well as the usual Caualty and The Bill.

[Radbacker]

Was especially disappointed with how Daneris(?) and Khal Drogo's storyline resolved - seemed to be a lot of build up for very little pay-off

More coming from her next season,  Drogo was a very important part of her life as you will see in the next couple of seasons, i think it was more about building things up for the easy path (Dani takes Drogo and his massive army accross the ocean and conquors the Kingdoms) then snatching hope from you the veiwer and confounding expectations. (warning this will happen regualarly in the series).

what was the scene with the old dude and the whore all about at the end of the last episode? Seemed like a waste of time and I kept wanting to see what the other characters were up to

Roz (the whore) isn't in the books IIRC so she seems to be added as a tool for exposition, first we got a bit of Little Fingers motivations last episode and now we learn that Grand Maester Pycelle isn;'t quite a feeble and infirmed as he leads us to believe (which is a bit diferent to the books as while he is a bit sneaky he definatly is feeble and infirmed) also in his little speech about the kings that he's served (three of them now) and their differces the one thing the same that persists through them all is Pycelle himself.
Phenominal series and just cant wait till next season, this is a definate Blue Ray for me too.

CU Radbacker

[radiator]

Without wanting to know anything from further books, there were a couple of other things I didn't quite understand about this series.

The middle aged bloke from Westeros who was acting as a sort of bodyguard to Daneris - what's his story? Did I miss something? I got the impression that it was him acting as a spy for the king, is that right? But then he saved her life from the assassin....

Discounting Jon Snow and Theon, there are five Stark children, four of which are Robb, Sansa, Arya and Bran. I'm right in thinking that the other young boy - his wolf is called Shaggy Dog - is the fifth? He got so little screen time that he didn't even register. So, both he and Bran have some sort of precognitive ability? Again, I don't want to know specifics about other books, just making sure I didn't miss anything.

I take it direwolves are semi-sentient creatures - is that right?

[TordelBack]

The middle aged bloke from Westeros who was acting as a sort of bodyguard to Daneris - what's his story?

That's Ser Jorah Mormont, disgraced son of Jeor Mormont, the Commander of the Night's Watch (and Jon's boss).  Acquiring a wife of very expensive tastes, he ran out of money and sold some captured poachers to slavers, and had to flee Ned's shiny metal justice, taking service with the last of the Targeryans in exile in Pentos.  There he became an informer on their doings for Varys (the eunuch), but falls for Daenerys and stops acting as Varys' agent - I think this is why h[spoiler]e foils the poisoning[/spoiler], rather than it being on anyone's instructions.  I'm not 100% clear on what Varys is up to as regards the Targeryans (not having read past Clash of Kings yet), but I don't think we're supposed to at this point.