Game of Thrones (HBO Series)

Calipso · April 2014

Haern said:

Calipso said:
I was one of those avid reads of the actual series (Song of Ice and Fire) that would wait eeeeeeever so patiently for George R.R Martin to get off his ass and write the next book. Had to wait 5 years for the last one, here's to waiting another half decade for the next >>.

He'll be dead of a pizza overdose by then. Or a lemoncake overdose. Either or.

Considering how awful the last book was until the final chapter, I'm not holding my breath. With that in mind, the TV series seems to cut out half of GRRM's meandering bullcrap (and random ideas that he dropped midway--oh look, Tyrion doing flips and tumbles in the first book! Gosh, he's funny guy!), the series might not end up as a total loss with his lemoncakepizza coma.

Haven said:

Hmm. Am I the only one who didn't think the last book was all that bad for what it was?

Granted it frustrated the hell out of me and wasn't superb but I thought it was solid in that it was describing the events that were happening while the previous book was going on. I kind of interpreted it as: "Hey, in case you were curious what the other peeps were doing during all that time in Book 3, here's the info here in book 4. Will continue the main thing in book 5."

Problem is the last book was a big let down for alot of us fans that were waiting so long. I mean you'd think after 5 long ass years, it would be something outstanding.

Admittedly, though the last book was very...unadvancing(?), it did reveal some insights and surprises that left me, and im sure many readers, literally speechless for a few hours. I mean the surprise he brings in...I always had an inkling that might happen but still was 'OMGGGGGG' worthy

Xavin · April 2014

Calipso said:

<dance with dragons complaints>

Keep in mind, though, that there was a ton of just...crap that needed to be waded through to get pieces in place.

Irruel · April 2014

I liked the last book.

Sarita · April 2014

I liked that look on his face at the end of the most recent episode.

Raeche · April 2014

Gee, Jack Gleeson is a really something. He really knows how to bring Joffrey to the fullest OMG I HATE HIM I HATE HIM I HATE HIM HE SUCKS HE SUCKS potential. Uber impressed by that scene between him and Tyrion.

Ezrax · April 2014

Damariel · April 2014

http://imgur.com/a/nqiIF

Spoilers for the second episode of season four, but I think it's a perfect layout of how things broke down.

Xavin · April 2014

Damariel said:

http://imgur.com/a/nqiIF

Spoilers for the second episode of season four, but I think it's a perfect layout of how things broke down.

I saw this breakdown yesterday. The thing is, with all the effort that went into breaking it down by readers before the show got to this point, I feel like it really kills some of it for the non-readers having it spelled out. That said, this sort of thing wouldn't be possible without the ability to go back and look things up.

Edit: Also, I'm bothered by the little summary at the end for reasons -.-

Kaleigh · April 2014

In all honesty, for one who has yet to read the books, we knew something was up. Could tell from the beginning. But now after seeing the breakdown it's like "Ooohhh no way!" and all kind of fits together.
I will admit, I cheered and did a victory dance at the end of the episode.

Though it doesn't seem right for the style of GRRM. Doesn't he typically off those that people like? Or at least that's what I've read anyways.

Areka · April 2014

Finally caught up, OMG I'm so excited for Oberyn, I want ALL OF THE SAND SNAKES NOW. And I'm really enjoying the development of the Hound. And Reek! It's gotta be tough honing that haunted dead stare that battles with the rest of his humanity.

Arbre · April 2014

@Kaleigh - How about Viserys?

Xavin · April 2014

@Kaleigh: He kills pretty much anyone period. But regarding the recently depicted death...as much as I hated that character, keep in mind that in the book they're only 13. Makes it a bit more...harsh, even taking into consideration how horrible they were.

Haern · April 2014

Xavin said:
Keep in mind, though, that there was a ton of just...crap that needed to be waded through to get pieces in place.

Considering we had several pages dedicated to someone pooping and cramping, that's very accurate.

Raeche · April 2014

Xavin said:

@Kaleigh: He kills pretty much anyone period. But regarding the recently depicted death...as much as I hated that character, keep in mind that in the book they're only 13. Makes it a bit more...harsh, even taking into consideration how horrible they were.

Totally agree with this. The characters is that they are incredibly grey and relatable, even Joffrey.

Joffrey's the way he was because of his mother and father (Robert). And his mother is the way she is because of her father (Tywin). And her father was the way he was because of his father and his rule and the bannerman.

They're all people that we feel we could have become if we were placed in the same circumstances.

Rivas · April 2014

Nah. Joffrey's "special", his cruelty is the same as Aerys or the other inbred Targaryens who went crazy cause of all the inbreeding. Established in the conversation between Tyrion and Cersei, remember? "One out of three...you beat the odds."

Joffrey's the way cause of his mother and father, yeah. Just...wrong father.

Raeche · April 2014

Rivas said:

Nah. Joffrey's "special", his cruelty is the same as Aerys or the other inbred Targaryens who went crazy cause of all the inbreeding. Established in the conversation between Tyrion and Cersei, remember? "One out of three...you beat the odds."

Joffrey's the way cause of his mother and father, yeah. Just...wrong father.

Yeah, while I do think the incest explains his lower intelligence and possibly his psychopathic tendencies, I don't think it's entirely because of the in-breeding thing though. It's a bit of nature and nurture. He has an overbearing mother who spoils the hell out of him, and an absent father - he has quite a bit of daddy issues seeking Robert's approval but not getting it because Robert's a negligent dad. He also has a very poor perception of reality (partly because of him being spoilt).

But yeah, I think there might be some biological aspects to it. I think him being slow in the head isn't just a lack of proper education.

(Gee, I'm really sorry for my crappy grasp of forum formatting.)

Ezrax · April 2014

Joffrey had the awful combination of personality and depravity to just make him the worst person possible for King. Every circumstance leading to his reign created him, and he's not solely to blame.

Xavin · April 2014

The problem with explaining Joffrey's behavior with his upbringing is that Myrcella and Tommen both had the same upbringing as Joffrey and they're both rather sweet children. That said, in the books Tommen is only like...six. So for the show they've aged him up quite a bit. We'll see what comes of it.

Some people just really are asses, and Joffrey is one of them.

Haven · April 2014

I don't think they had the same upbringing exactly. Cersei loves all her children but I'd say she clearly favored and catered to Joffrey the most.

Ezrax · April 2014

Also, some people are just naturally depraved. Like his sado-masochism and humiliation fetish he would unleash on whores and on Sansa. Tommen doesn't necessarily have the same personality.

Haern · April 2014

http://beautifuldeath.com/

Raeche · April 2014

SQUEAL. THOSE BANNERS ARE PRETTY DAMN GOOD!

Moirean · June 2014

Finally caught up with the last 3 episodes. How brutal stuff got! I am a bit bummed the stuff about Tysha was left out - Tyrion seems kinda more monstrous now. I ship Missandei and Grey Worm so hard. That LOOK between Jon and Ygritte - the feels

. Stannis scares me. Brienne and Clegane slugging it out was badass. Arya...oh, Arya.

*zsnap* Sansa fierce is in the house *zsnap* Why was there no more Dario butt?! Serious failing of the finale. Really underwhelmed with Bran's arc. No Coldhands, children of the forest are just...children, clash of the titans skeletons and...fireballs? Oook then. That's cool, just wait a few minutes, we get to see THIS AWESOME GUY:

Instead we got...

This guy cosplayed it better.

Also, for readers of the books... GRRM sure knows how to lay down that foreshadowing...

Moirean · June 2014

Omg f these forums. Format borked. This thread is, like, trying to post stuff in the version of forums before this. O.o

Haern · June 2014

I'm guessing Coldhands was left out because it was yet another unresolved arc that GRRM developed and subsequently dropped. Kinda like why they killed Jojen--what'd he do in A Dance With Dragons? Whine. A lot. I'm sad to see Jojen go, but for how crap panned out in the books for him, I'm not really lamenting the loss either.

On a more positive note, I thought the change to Brienne and the Hound clashing was really fantastic. Two of my favorite characters in a slamfest? Yes, thank you.

Moirean · June 2014

But but but Jojenpaste...

But yeah, that fistfight was so awesome. I was just like YESSSSS.

Xavin · June 2014

Moirean said:
But but but Jojenpaste...

But yeah, that fistfight was so awesome. I was just like YESSSSS.

Jojenpaste is one of the theories that is a bit farther out there. I mean, I get the reasoning for it. But....I don't think it really holds much water.

Furtum · June 2014

Xavin said:

Moirean said:
But but but Jojenpaste...

But yeah, that fistfight was so awesome. I was just like YESSSSS.
Jojenpaste is one of the theories that is a bit farther out there. I mean, I get the reasoning for it. But....I don't think it really holds much water.

After seeing that last episode? I kinda feel now more than ever it has um... substance, pardon the potential pun. (Also all the alliteration.)

I predicted Jon's real ancestry on my like first or second re-read of third book though, as far as theories go that -do- make sense. That one is pretty much spelled out now though.

Xavin · June 2014

@Furtum: How does it hold more substance after the last episode? Most like, the body was destroyed by that blast. Is it so hard to believe that a paste made from a tree that has sap resembling blood might have some of that same sap in it? Occam's razor comes into play well here.

I do think that the major theory about Jon's parentage is compelling. Just doesn't seem like there's much evidence on it in the show due to the nature of the evidence we have for it in the books being largely in flashbacks and visions.

Damariel · June 2014

First and foremost, I feel like they robbed the Tyrion/Tywin scene of a lot of its power, and Tyrion/Jaime of some of its complexity and honesty, by omitting Tysha. Clearly that's not what the show had in mind, and I believe it still works as is - but as someone who was dearly anticipating the showdown between Dinklage and Dance, I confess that I felt cheated by how they portrayed it. I can't recall if Varys left King's Landing in the books, but it seemed a bit clunky in the show. Everything about Arya and the Hound, start to finish, was gold. Particular standouts include the chicken scene, and the scene at the Bloody Gate where Arya bursts out laughing. The Hound and Brienne's fight is one of the best things I've ever seen on TV; it didn't even look choreographed once the swords dropped. It was simply brutal. Stannis got to look cool, once - and once only. Saving Jon. I wish they'd been able to put that in the last episode and give it the proper resolution. I felt, in many ways, that the Wall episode was a mirror of Blackwater. It had a lot of the same themes and a lot of the same plot arcs... why couldn't they have found a way to get Stannis in at the end, rather than at the beginning of the next one? He doesn't deserve Davos, but then again - nobody deserves Davos. I like the scenes where Daenerys' challenges with running the city come to the fore. Beforehand, there wasn't a lot interesting about her character, for all she was fun to watch; bad guys, kill them/burn them alive. Now she has to grapple with her decisions and their repercussions, and while it isn't the high-risk environment King's Landing is, the stakes feel higher and I'm more invested in her story. Missandei and Grey Worm need a cute romance, pronto. Love the changes they've made with Sansa in the show. She's playing the game and it'll be so interesting to see her and Littlefinger interacting from this point onward. One thing that disappointed me - how they so casually dropped the Littlefinger reveals about the beginning of the war and Lysa's role in helping him. I wanted all of that to come out during the Moon Door scene, as I believe it did in the books. That would have been a far, far stronger ending, rather than having it established right at the beginning and having it repeated - unnecessarily - before she took the plunge. Cersei is delightful to watch. Hate how they made her and Jaime's scene in the sept look nonconsensual - seems like a complete violation of both their characters. The showrunners' attitude toward it made that much, much worse. I don't know if it's good or bad that it went unacknowledged by the following episodes. Oberyn was perfectly cast, as was Ellaria. They were both wonderful. A shame wonderful things never last in this show. ...That's my thoughts for the season.

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