A Game of Thrones - TV Show Discussion Thread

[Dinner]

The last episode wasn't as good as the previous two but still not bad even with all the big changes. GRRM is right that the books are the books and the show is the show.

[MOBIUS]

I read the books last year so its easier to follow but some of the scenes around Margaree Tyrell are ones I don't recall from the book. They seem plausible and do create more of a backstory for her than I recall in the books.

Yes, all the stuff that was only hinted at in the books, they've basically slapped us in the face with in the TV series - the fact that she does indeed know how to play 'the game of thrones' with the best of them...

Quite apt that they picked that particular actress to play her, given her portrayal of Anne Boleyn in The Tudors...

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Hey look. They're hinting at actually giving Iain Glen a bit of character development, now that he's spent umpteen episodes patiently explaining stuff and providing exposition.

[Guynemer]

He's actually one of my favorite characters; hopefully the show won't deprive him of the character development of books two and three.

[joncha]

I thought this was probably the strongest episode of the season, despite its appalling lack of boobs.

[Lord Avalon]

And viewers don't have a handy character tree on the back of the books to consult when needed.

Well, they can go online for that.

[Dinner]

Hey look. They're hinting at actually giving Iain Glen a bit of character development, now that he's spent umpteen episodes patiently explaining stuff and providing exposition.

He gets a ton of character development in the books but sadly much of the development is him going down hill.

[DaShi]

He could easily grab a sword from one of the guards he'd fought off and confront their commander (Amory Lorch?). Obviously that one didn't die, but there's no ruling out Syrio may have escaped the scene. After all he's too cool to be dead.

"A dynamic character with the ability to survive certain death and a questionable death scene leaving no corpse? Face it, we'll never see HIM again."

[Dinner]

It will be interesting to see if he turns up in Braavos.

[Asher]

Just so.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Now that the whole horseshagger sub-plot has mercifully receded and the quality of the show has picked up, a new weak point has been revealed.

The senior Starks. Aren't they boring?

In series 1 they got away with it. Sean Bean carried them along nicely, and all of the Stark kids have been turning in really spirited performances across both series. But let's just take a look at Kate Stark. This is a woman who has seen-

1- A husband spirited away, betrayed, imprisoned and decapitated.

2- A son rebelling against superior forces and facing death on the battlefield or assassination on a daily basis.

3- Another son maimed.

4- A daughter held hostage by the family's arch-enemies and facing marriage to a monstrous little pervert.

5- Another daughter missing, presumed dead.

6- A king murdered by a mystical smokeyvaginademon in front of her, and getting implicated as his murderer.

And she's reacting to all this by steadily maintaining an expression of mild anxiety as if she can't shake a lingering suspicion that she's left the iron on. Come on, woman! Emote! Go Lady MacBeth for a bit!

Senior Stark son is no better, except he replaces the anxious expression with a slightly petulant Emo teenager sulk, like someone's stolen his bicycle. A leader of men he is not. The Lannister family are managing to be many times more interesting.

What's especially galling in the case of young Lord Stark is that they've got an excellent young actor of similar age in Joe Dempsie. Dempsie has amassed a track record of compelling performances in challenging roles, but in his criminally under-written role he's been asked to do nothing more stretching than sit in a puddle or take his shirt off. He should be playing the Stark role.

[Asher]

dp

[Asher]

Don't worry. Cat will unleash her emotions soon enough.

What's especially galling in the case of young Lord Stark is that they've got an excellent young actor of similar age in Joe Dempsie. Dempsie has amassed a track record of compelling performances in challenging roles, but in his criminally under-written role he's been asked to do nothing more stretching than sit in a puddle or take his shirt off. He should be playing the Stark role.

Oh, you make it so tempting to spoil...

[Hauldren Collider]

Just so.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Oh, you make it so tempting to spoil...

Indeed.

And the character of Robb wasn't exactly all that interesting in the books either. I guess most of that is due to not having any POV chapters with him.