As much as I want to see GOT stay on air for years, I worry a bit about getting through until the end, which is still at least two books away right? It will be interesting to see how they handle Storm of Swords. I can think of some subplots they could take out of the TV show from it.
An English teacher from my old school was in the last episode. He played the northern lord who was petitioning Bran Stark. He was never taught me so I missed it, but I was out last night and a few of my friends who were in his class told me. A friend of mine was an extra in an episode in the last series, but I wasn’t able to pick her out of the crowd. I’ll have to keep a better eye out just in case there are others I know.
Nice, so he was the 2nd northern lord? Cause I believe the first one was Roy Dotrice who narrates the audio books.
I checked IMDB and he’s credited as “northern lord”. I’ll look at the episode again and try to ID him. It’s been years since I’ve seen him
I’ve been impressed with how Benioff and the other writers are able to distill so much information. I think splitting the books into seasons is promising, but I also think there’s a LOT of stuff they could cut out without it affecting things much…or maybe making them better (as the series has progressed my respect for G.R.R. Martin as a writer has significantly decreased. He seems to have forgotten the first rule of writing: show, don’t tell, not to mention fallen in love with his descriptions and gotten an editor who won’t stand up to him. But that’s just me).
^^^ What he said.
I, too, worry about the long term. In the later books, things get big and expensive. More, though, I’m worried about Arya and Brandon hitting puberty and looking much older-bigger.
Yeah, especially height. Face I reckon they can still sort of remedy with makeup/hair in some ways, but if they suddenly gain a foot, it would involve some tricky filming shots.
Then again, I’m not very aware of how quickly/slowly time passes in the books. It seems condensed at times (that a lot of events happen in rapid succession), but also dragged out from a logistics/geographical point of view (that people take time to get to places). So maybe they’d get lucky and the kids would just grow at a pace congruent with the story?
Magnus, that is a cool story. 
It would sort of be a cool thing if over the years it becomes a LotR kind of situation, where everyone around where they film ends up being in the show in some form or another.
Sometimes I get the sense that not even George R.R. Martin knows how much time has passed from one book to another. Arya, in book four, talks about having been “a little girl then” but then we’re told only a few months have passed. The hell? I know time passed more slowly in the middle ages (well, not really, obviously) but still.
Watching the season 2 premiere with The Mrs. the other night, her comment at Arya’s appearance that, “well, she’s sprouted up!” suggests that they’re already hitting this issue. And it doesn’t really worry me at all. They’ve already changed the ages on the kids, haven’t they? (Or is Jon Snow the most buffest, Schwartzeneggerest 14 year old in history?)
Regardless, it’s two different story telling media with different story telling needs. It’s best if we not worry about it and just enjoy the ride.
If they can CGI up the wolves, maybe they can CGI down the Stark children.
Armando, you missed Joffrey last night, huh? He’s your favorite character ever, isn’t he?
I kid, I kid. Some really good fan site, maybe Tower of the Hand, had a poll of the most hated character. Joffrey was like 90-some percent.
Joffrey? I love Joffrey! Who doesn’t love a spoiled Aryan stereotype whose sole raison d’etre is to be slapped around by older members of his family? (That IS the only reason he’s around, right?) 
Well I got my Game of Thrones DVD set, and sat down to watch a couple of episodes. And am already wondering if I will watch any more of it…
You see I read the book quite awhile ago and now some of it is coming back to me as I watch and I find myself dreading things that I know are coming. I am not sure if I want to endure all of the horrible things I know are going to befall these people; again. Just watching that poor wolf being executed was enough to make me seriously ponder if I want to watch anymore of it. I desperately want to see the Eyrie, and that prick Viserys to get what is coming to him… And I am finding it highly ironic that Peter Dinklage (who I have always enjoyed as an actor) is playing a character so very much like the one he played in Threshold… 
I like the music, and the production designs, and the cinematography, costumes, casting etc. It is just going to be sooo painful…
I may take a break and catch up on Sanctuary for a while to cleanse my palette. Maybe in small bites this series will not bother me so much…
Trust me, you want to see it. Especially Viserys getting his crown. A most amazingly terrifying scene.
(In many ways, I think the series is superior to the books. Keep soldiering on.)
The news is that it has been renewed for a third season and that they are splitting A Storm of Swords over two seasons. I think I have a pretty good idea where the split point will be. I’m not going to spoil or speculate but I expect quite strong reactions if they end it where I think they will.
Let’s hope it gets picked up for a FOURTH season then!
My estimate is that the five books have covered no more than three years in time. Anyone else have thoughts on that?
What the show seems to not be afraid of is showing the graphic and brutal nature of the world Martin created. Some are going to be drawn in even further by those choices, others, even those of us who have read and loved (mostly) the books might struggle. I was completely unprepared for the final moments of the first episode, even though I knew those things happened. In contrast, Sunday’s episode with Littlefinger’s wiping of the mouth of his employee added so much to that scene and his character, I was pleased to see the show go there even though I was disgusted too.
Book three will really present some challenges along these lines.
One thing we’re all going to have to give up thinking…the further this goes the less faithful they will be to book and season. This is an adaptation of A Song of Ice & Fire as a whole not each book. Things will be moved around depending on how it makes sense to the stories they feel they can tell in a season.
With only three episodes shown thus far, I have to say I am exceedingly pleased with the choices the show is making both in how the narrative is condensed and in new content. I love what they take the time to show (Tyrion this week could have been a one man episode) and what they get through more quickly without unnecessary lingering- like at Craster’s house.
Like in the books, the show manages to get me looking at the characters in a different like. I feel for Cersei now in a way I didn’t in the books at this point and it makes for a much more satisfying experience.
So I guess I’m pretty happy right now.
Awww omra! Yes GoT remains as brutal as the books are, but the show is really well done and definitely worth watching even if like the books the show does tear your heart out…
Cannot stressed how psyched I was meeting Brienne. Superb casting!
[spoiler]I was really impressed with how they did Tyrion’s scenes for 2x3 - it was economical and dare I say, better than how it went in the novel! I also thought the short scene with Theon writing then burning his letter to Robb did wonders for Theon. The decision to shorten Aria’s journey to Harrenhal was also a wise choice even though I enjoyed the parts in the book where the kids were off on their own for a bit first. And at first I was wondering why they casted someone older than book Margaery, but just from te scenes this week - and from what we know from the books later on, I actually wonder if book Margaery shoul’ve been more akin to tv Margaery’s age, because she is cleary much more well aversed in politicking than her age in the books would suggest.[/spoiler]
But yeah I agree! Season 2 has been aces so far. I’ve forgotten how much I enjoyed book 2 in some ways after book 3 so it’s really nice that watching the show gets me all pumped again for it.
Since this is no longer a spoiler for me…it seemed like something that was just waiting to be done. So I did…
