HBO's A Game of Thrones

[QPCloudy 2]

Well holy stuff on a shingle. The end where that thing happened with that guy, and he went all crazy and made his speech and rallied the troops!! What an awesome scene! Lol, spoiler alert cleverly averted

[psyberwolfe1 1075]

Well holy stuff on a shingle. The end where that thing happened with that guy, and he went all crazy and made his speech and rallied the troops!! What an awesome scene! Lol, spoiler alert cleverly averted

LOL! Indeed things have become interesting.

[QPCloudy 2]

Now that I think of it, both awesome scenes at the end were awesome!!!! Wooden horses ftw!

[Chrome 1752]

Wooden horses ftw!

QFT! Until that scene, I'd totally forgotten that by the time I'd finished the latest book that I was rooting for the Dothraki.

[Chrome 1752]

WOW! I just read the wikipedia entry for Arya... just WOW.... I've had those wikipidia nazis jump all over me for the dumbest things. How do they let the English language get raped so badly?

 

Something I noticed that I'd forgotten from reading the books tho is just how young all of the kids were in the novels. They've made them a lot older in the HBO series. I knew they'd done it w/Bran, but the rest seem like they're a lot older than need be too. Robb and Jon definitely aren't in their mid-teens.

 

Anyways, everyone love last night's episode? I loved watching Syrio kick butt with his wooden sword.

[psyberwolfe1 1075]

The more I watch this show the more I hate the Lannisters. I want the Dothraki to just overrun Westeros.

[Chrome 1752]

I hate most of the Lannisters, but Tyrion is far and away my favorite character, and Dinklage has played him perfectly.

[Kang 677]

Yes, they have aged-up all the kids. I believe Daenerys was 12 years old on her wedding night in the book, and IMO it's not too surprising that even HBO isn't about to go there...

 

I thought this episode (#8, "The Pointy End") was pretty awesome, and maybe the truest to the events as described in the book so far - no doubt at least in part due to the fact that George R. R. Martin himself wrote it (he's also writing one key episode for season 2). The scene where Grey Wind (Robb's direwolf) bit off two of Greatjon Umber's fingers and he just laughed about it was classic! Syrio fighting the Lannister men sent to capture Arya was pretty incredible as well.

 

There were just a couple of scenes that played out a little stangely though, although not enough so to detract from it being one of the best of this season so far (though to me episode 6 is still be badassest):

 

Anyone else think they made Arya running the stable boy through with Needle seem like maybe she did it by accident, even though we know she has a fairly good idea how to use her sword, she knew the Lannisters had just butchered her father's men (most likely including Syrio) and were after her, and the boy straight out told her he was planning to take her to the queen in hopes of some kind of reward? I'm pretty sure it's not just me - I've read a couple of reviews of the episode where they interpreted it this way. I found this a bit curious.

 

Also, Winterfell is built on and heated by natural hot springs, and there are hot pools in the godswood there as a result. I'm guessing the fact that they have never mentioned or (IIRC) shown this in the series must have made the sudden Full-Frontal-Hodor right in the middle of Bran and Osha's religious chat seem a little unexpected and confusing to those who haven't read the book...

 

Anyhow, I can hardly wait for episode 9... It's going to be so awesome! But at the same time, I am dreading the fact that there are only 2 episodes left in season 1, and that we'll probably have to wait for ages and ages for season 2. At least we will have the DVD's/Blu-Rays to look forward to!

 

Kang

 

PS. My wife tried to use a coupon code found on HBO Canada's sit to order me a T-shirt (they're selling them at 20% off), but it redirected her to the US site's store, where you apparently need a US delivery address to complete the order. That sort of sucks, I have to say. So much for me getting to walk around with the 3 dogs of House Clegane's arms on my chest...

[psyberwolfe1 1075]

So any bets on how many eisodes they stretch the funeral pyre scene? Also I'm so glad Geoffrey's uppance is coming.

[QPCloudy 2]

So any bets on how many eisodes they stretch the funeral pyre scene? Also I'm so glad Geoffrey's uppance is coming.

If you've read the books, please don't spoil future episodes. I'm still of the belief you know who is not dead. Or so I am praying. It won't be the same without him, although his son seems to be making a name for himself :)

[psyberwolfe1 1075]

So way to go HBO on the first season! Great spot to end on. Please next time give us a full season. The Hound became suddenly interesting I hope his kindness continues.

 

@QPcloudy. I've known about the funeral pyre scene because of Dark Sword's Daenerys figure not because of the books. Martin also has written a very cynical world. Where the best and worst will die while those tortured by good and evil live. This is why I'm certain Geoffery has an uppance comeing.

[QPCloudy 2]

Oh man what a finale!!! I see what you meant by the pyre, but I thought you were talking about Stark! I was really hoping he wasn't dead. Umm, gotta say though, my wife and I enjoyed the dragon boob. With all the rampant nudity in the series, that was definitely a set we deserved to have a peak at We are reading the books now and waiting for season two. I picked up the box set from Barnes and Noble :D

[BKBass 0]

Being a big fan of the books I am very pleased with how HBO handled the show. 2012 is WAY to far away!

[QPCloudy 2]

Being a big fan of the books I am very pleased with how HBO handled the show. 2012 is WAY to far away!

THat's why I got the box set of all 4 books. :D

[Chrome 1752]

Being a big fan of the books I am very pleased with how HBO handled the show. 2012 is WAY to far away!

 

I'm kinda "eh" on the whole thing. I think they did a passable job, but it could have been so much better. I think what bothers me the most is that they decided to cover the whole entire 1st book in Season 1, which kinda makes me think that they don't have much faith in the series ever finishing. I mean we've got 4 books now, with a 5th due out this summer. If HBO keeps up with 1 season = 1 book, and assuming that the take the events of books 4 & 5 and merge them into 2 seasons*, that means they're done with season 5 in 2015. Martin will have to have book 6 done by then in order for HBO to start filming the next season right away. So he's got less than 4 years to do the next book. [:(] To me, they should have at least split the first book into 2 seasons.

 

The other thing that bothered me is that they seemed to go out of their way to avoid most of the fighting scenes. I suppose its expensive hiring hundreds of actors to fill a battlefield and they had to keep costs down, but that's one of the best parts about these books. At least to me.

 

They're going to have a problem with the Harry Potter factor too. How much time passes during the books? 2 years? I know that the first book covers 6+ months, but the events in the rest seem to happen fairly fast. However the actors and actresses are going to keep growing, so by the time we see season 5, little Arya is going to be in her mid-teens.

 

 

* for those of you who haven't read all the books yet, books 4 & 5 take place at the same time. Martin got diarrhea of the pen and couldn't keep the page count in check for book 4, so he decided to split it into two books, with each book telling the stories of different characters. FREX Tyrion is nowhere to be seen in book 4, his story is told in book 5.