Game of Thrones (Current episode spoilers)

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

I have no sympathy for Cersei for the reason I mentioned on the last page.

[P4: Gritty Reboot]

I don't even know that I'd call it sympathy, more like a better understanding of why she does what she does.

 

@TCP sorry. I know even a character name can sound like a spoiler. If it's any consolation, a mention of a character in a book doesn't necessarily mean they're still alive--a particular character that famously died in AGOT is all over ADWD. Not saying she's not. But not saying she is.

[TCP]

Oh, don't worry, not so much a spoiler. If you had said "Bran gets addicted to heroin in A Dance with Dragons, and overdoses" then that would be a spoiler. But mentioning that a character is still around is OK in my books.

 

 

I fucked up and spoiled that Cat Stark and Jon Snow both die. Stupid wikis.

 

Edited May 16, 2012 by TheCowboyPoet

[P4: Gritty Reboot]

Heh. Use Tower of the Hand until you've finished everything. You can set the spoiler level to not show any books you haven't read yet.

[deanb]

[Waldorf and Statler]

Just saw the latest episode. If they had decided to make it abundantly clear the show and books don't follow each other, it is now.

 

Characters are not introduced, whole situations are changed. Doubya Tee Eff

[P4: Gritty Reboot]

Anything in particular concerning you? I think they've done a great job other than minor changes while still following the major story arc. Not a single plotline has derailed itself irreconcilably from the books so far as I can tell.

[Waldorf and Statler]

No problems, I'm just surprised. Certain characters I like aren't introduced yet. Or I can't remember them being introduced.

 

 

My main concern is the Reeds. Jojen and Meera play a big role on Bran's later chapters. Did they not go with them to the town and then hide in the crypts?

 

 

They also seem to be takin Ygritte's sluttiness a bit too far. I don't remember her teasing Jon Snow NEARLY this much.

Edited May 16, 2012 by Waldorf And Statler

[P4: Gritty Reboot]

The Reeds were not cast for this season. Their role appears to have been consolidated into Osha. I don't believe Ramsay Snow has been cast either. A few King's Landing roles were changed or consolidated also.

[Waldorf and Statler]

See that's pretty damn different now. I liked the Reeds

[P4: Gritty Reboot]

But unless there's a major Reed reveal at some point in the novels, it's functionally the same. A guide for B&R.

 

 

Except Rickon splits off at some point and Bran winds up north of the wall, so they would need 2 guides.

 

 

I suppose it's possible they introduce the Reeds somehow early next season.

[Waldorf and Statler]

They would have to make Bran trust the reeds REALLY quickly haha.

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

No problems, I'm just surprised. Certain characters I like aren't introduced yet. Or I can't remember them being introduced.

 

 

My main concern is the Reeds. Jojen and Meera play a big role on Bran's later chapters. Did they not go with them to the town and then hide in the crypts?

 

 

They also seem to be takin Ygritte's sluttiness a bit too far. I don't remember her teasing Jon Snow NEARLY this much.

 

You call that sluttiness? What a great person you are.

[MasterDex]

See that's pretty damn different now. I liked the Reeds

 

Same here, I think there's still places they can be fit in at though. Overall, I'm happy with the show up to this point., The overarching plot is still well in place and some great scenes from the books have been translated brilliantly to the screen, like the aforementioned Awkward Tyrion moment. It's certainly moving at a rapid pace but I can forgive that, at least up until a point that hasn't arrived yet.

 

I have to call blasphemy on Kenshi's comment about the books prose. I think Martin is a master of his craft. I have to put him up near Tolkien in terms of how much I enjoy his writing. He manages to create a great flow with his prose that's really absorbing. There's not a lot of writers that can pull that off on a consistent basis. Granted, some of the prose consists of no more than rambles but they're not that bad either. American Gods - now there's a book with some rambling prose.

 

No problems, I'm just surprised. Certain characters I like aren't introduced yet. Or I can't remember them being introduced.

 

 

My main concern is the Reeds. Jojen and Meera play a big role on Bran's later chapters. Did they not go with them to the town and then hide in the crypts?

 

 

They also seem to be takin Ygritte's sluttiness a bit too far. I don't remember her teasing Jon Snow NEARLY this much.

 

You call that sluttiness? What a great person you are.

 

C'mon, she has acted a bit slutty.

 

She watched people she knew die, barely escaped death herself, got bound and dragged off, does nothing but flirt and then starts massaging Jon's little man with her arse!

 

 

If I did the same, I'd hold no grudge against anyone that called me a manwhore.

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

That's not slutty at all. Not surprising any of you are saying this considering how chauvinistic this show leans.

[Waldorf and Statler]

In this entire previous episode

 

 

all she did was try to seduce Jon Snow. Everything that came out of her mouth had to do with something sexual. Even when they trap him at the end lol

 

[Faiblesse Des Sens]

How does that make someone a slut?

[MasterDex]

That's not slutty at all. Not surprising any of you are saying this considering how chauvinistic this show leans.

 

Really? The story has chauvinism in it but you've got strong women in the forms of Catelyn, Cersei, Brienne and even Aria, not to mention the other supporting women.

 

How does that make someone a slut?

 

I don't think saying Ygritte acts slutty is really the same as calling someone a slut outright. Men can be slutty too but that term is more aimed towards women, call it ingrained bias. I couldn't find a suitable male alternative, at least not one that was as loaded as the word slut but playboy, player, womaniser are all terms for a sexually promiscuous man. It's the world we live in. Women got the short stick as far as derogatory words go.

 

 

That doesn't mean their use, as loaded as they may be, should be entirely reserved however. Ygritte has displayed quite a liberal freedom of sexuality in the little time she's appeared in the show. She's done little more than tease Jon sexually. Considering her circumstances, that could be considered a bit slutty, even if she is generally a lovely woman. It's an important aspect of the story in that it: (Book spoiler)

acts as Jon's first temptation to the wildlings, or as Ygritte called them: The Free People.

 

The problem I think is that the show exaggerated things a bit, whether for amusement or whatever and it fell more on the lines of 'a bit slutty' as opposed to 'a bit naughty'.

 

 

Or maybe I'm just a chauvinist.

Edited May 17, 2012 by MasterDex

[Mal]

I found the Ygritte parts to be funny. She's just toying with Jon.

 

The part that got me to raise an eye brow is when

Jamie killed a fellow Lannister. Of a lesser family he was but a Lannister he was. He was not like a Castamere. From what I feel anyways...

 

 

Edit:

Wait...

 

The boy mother was a Lannister but his father was not thus he sort of was not a Lannister. It still seems kind of iffy since they're not all that far apart like Lannister and Castamere, or Starks and Karstarks.

 

Edited May 17, 2012 by MaliciousH

[P4: Gritty Reboot]

It's still fairly unlike Jaime.

 

 

In the book, the Karstark is slain in battle IIRC. It may pose a challenge now to portray Jaime as sympathetic starting with ASOS's storylines. They had already started to go that route with him explaining to Catelyn why he slayed the Mad King, then they took away all those brownie points with the killing of the Lannister boy. Oh well, hopefully TV audiences are forgetful and forgiving.

 

[Waldorf and Statler]

Not to mention they haven't shown the majority of Cersei's bitchiness.

[P4: Gritty Reboot]

Season 2, Episode 8: The Prince of Winterfell.

 

Overall, it was clear that this episode was primarily a buildup for next week's sure-to-be-epic "Blackwater" penned by GRRM himself. There was more talking and scheming and the like than action or major cliffhangers. But considering that episode 9 focuses on the ultimate battle of the War of the Five Kings, it makes sense. Still, it was a great episode with some awesome moments. Spoilery commentary on each major storyline below.

 

Theon:

 

 

Alfie Allen is doing a tremendous job as usual. Yara's arrival and her warnings offered some nice foreshadowing and lent some plot advancement and drama to his story. The revelation for non-readers that Bran and Rickon are in fact alive and well at Winterfell was handled deftly (non-readers who watched it with us were shocked/excited that they weren't dead). I do feel they were stalling his story a little, presumably so GRRM can handle the sack of Winterfell by the Boltons himself next week.

 

 

Jon Snow/Ygritte:

 

 

We didn't spend much time north of the Wall, though the show made it clear how they're going to get Jon to kill Halfhand next week or in episode 10. I hope they make it clear to non-readers that Jon's actions are in his mind done solely to help the Night's Watch, though Ygritte obviously injects some conflicting emotions later on. Again, felt like stalling until next week's major episode.

 

 

Dany:

 

 

They STOLE mah DRAGONS! I do like that they made it clear how much Jorah cares for her, and he'll stick by her side no matter what. It makes me wonder if they'll have him go into the House of the Undying with her, though I doubt it. Her appearance this week felt like a quick glance to remind you that she is still there, and again it seems that they wanted GRRM to handle the HOTU next week.

 

 

Jaime/Brienne:

 

 

The show is getting ahead of itself here, but it's a really good move considering how much ground there is to cover in A Storm of Swords. Jaime and Brienne are both doing a wonderful job. I love Brienne's defensive, grumpy, annoyingly honorable disposition. I am curious what if anything they will do with these two in episode 9--possibly outrunning the Tully boat sent to pick them up?

 

 

King's Landing:

 

 

I've felt up until now that they haven't done a great job emphasizing how important this battle really is. Stannis is trying to take the capital of the entire continent, potentially gaining control of the Seven Kingdoms and causing a massive power shift. I wish they had shown Tyrion doing more; it seemed as if they were desperately trying to rectify that this week with all his dialogue with Bronn, Cersei, and Varys. The bit with Shae and Ros was nice too.

 

 

Robb

 

 

They did a great job showing his anger at Catelyn. I have no idea where they're going with the Talisa thing. At first I thought she would reveal herself to be Jeyne Westerling in disguise to help out the commonfolk, but with all the stories from Volantis with Volantis-specific details, I'm not certain anymore. Who knows. Either way they're doing a good job of emphasizing his previous commitment to the Freys. The non-readers who watched it with us got it right away--he's going to harm his relationship with the mean bridge guy.

 

 

Stannis/Davos

 

 

They had a nice conversation as they chugged towards King's Landing. It was a good way to lead into next week's episode, but again it felt like a purposeful stall and a reminder that these people are still alive.

 

 

Arya

 

 

Still feeling a pang of disappointment over the changes to Arya's character and story. She is doing a great job, and I don't mind having Tywin there instead of Vargo Hoat and Bolton, but the early death of the Tickler, the desperate assassination of that captain, and now the lack of her killing the guard and getting the coin from Jaqen all add up to a plot that falls short of the books. She isn't morphing into the scarred, death-obsessed assassin-in-training that we know from the novels. Still, Jaqen is awesome and I loved how he took out all the guards. That part with her third naming and subsequent unnaming was unbelievably cool.

 

 

Can't wait for "Blackwater".

[TCP]

 

You're getting me excited for next week!! I have to disagree about the Davos/Stannis. (I'm reading the book at the same time with the show, but I'm only about half way through the book). The Onion Knight stuff was fairly important backstory for Davos, that was explained early on in the book. I don't know where they're going with Davos/Stannis, but I'd think it'd be important for stuff to get told.

I'm getting a little tired of Dany. I'm looking forward to what happens with her and her dragons, but unless the dragons start growing quickly, that's going to be at least a few seasons from now. Hopefully there's some payoff with this whole Qarth thing.

I'm a little confused as to what's going on with Sansa. The first episode followed her book storyline closesly, with her saving that one guy from Joffrey during his birthday, but he came, pretty early on, and offered to help Sansa. Here we are on episode 9, and she's just been sitting around, perioding, not doing anything in King's Landing. Hopefully her storyline picks up soon.

 

[Waldorf and Statler]

I finished Feast for Crows yesterday

 

 

so as of the 4th book the dragons aren't game-breaking yet.

 

 

To be fair she doesn't even appear in this book.

[P4: Gritty Reboot]

Yes, don't get me wrong--I absolutely love Davos; he's one of my favorite characters. His backstory is essential to understanding his motivations and all. It still felt as if the writers were ticking off a box next to "Stannis & Davos appearance" as there's not much for them to do. It's difficult source material to work with as in the books, you may not hear from them for close to ten chapters, but in the show they need to show their faces.