Apparently the script for the pilot leaked back in Feb and I guess HBO doesn't care as it's still available at the original link. Of course, who knows what may have changed between now and then, but for anyone interested here is the link to the PDF.
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Just read through it and it looks fantastic to me. It sets up the various Houses, their relationships to each other, the relationships between many of the characters, the idea of the Night Watch, and the tone for the story perfectly. And for anyone new to the series, ends with a "gasp" style reveal and cliffhanger at the end that will leave them wanting to know what happens next.
I also thought the idea for opening credits with the raven flying between castles and having it switch to a map with names for the locations was nifty to get the new viewer familiar with the geography. I hope it's not the same flight every single time. It would be cool if each episode opens with a raven flying between different locations so the viewer gets to see different parts of the map each time. But I can see that getting pretty expensive.
Maybe I'm doing her wrong, but IMHO, Cat's role could be played by the mother on any Disney Channel show or network sitcom that plays during the family hour. She's the medieval equivalent of the bored soccer mom. I suppose the story needs an anchor, someone who acts like a normal person and can be sympathetic. Certainly the way she chose duty over everything else and then had to watch while people who made the opposite choice ruined her life, family, and civilization is central to the story. Still, whoever plays her is playing a part where the main action is sitting back and watching. (at least in life.) I don't think that Lena Headey is a good fit there. Certainly someone line Annette Benning or Meryl Streep could craft a masterpiece out of Caetlyn's internal pain at the destruction of her world, but again, the action is all internal. While a great actor could make the role memorable, the story won't really suffer if someone of lesser talent is there to remind us that nice people aren't fit to survive in the place the seven kingdoms have become.
Wow, you said that very well, and I'm in agreement. In a similar vein, Catelyn could be mucked up pretty easily if someone overacted the role and tried to insert themselves too much into scenes that didn't really involve her/involve her much in the books. She was very much not a finger in every pot/meddlesome character.
Apparently the script for the pilot leaked back in Feb and I guess HBO doesn't care as it's still available at the original link. Of course, who knows what may have changed between now and then, but for anyone interested here is the link to the PDF.
-edit-
Just read through it and it looks fantastic to me. It sets up the various Houses, their relationships to each other, the relationships between many of the characters, the idea of the Night Watch, and the tone for the story perfectly. And for anyone new to the series, ends with a "gasp" style reveal and cliffhanger at the end that will leave them wanting to know what happens next.I also thought the idea for opening credits with the raven flying between castles and having it switch to a map with names for the locations was nifty to get the new viewer familiar with the geography. I hope it's not the same flight every single time. It would be cool if each episode opens with a raven flying between different locations so the viewer gets to see different parts of the map each time. But I can see that getting pretty expensive.
Holy carp, a million internets for you! There's obviously a bit of translational exaggeration that has to occur for the medium -- emphasizing Jon Snow's bitterness, Jaime's explicit cockiness and early showdown with Ned -- but if they cast and film this right I won't need any other entertainment product ever again. The BluRays will keep me occupied into my grave.
Maybe I'm doing her wrong, but IMHO, Cat's role could be played by the mother on any Disney Channel show or network sitcom that plays during the family hour. She's the medieval equivalent of the bored soccer mom. I suppose the story needs an anchor, someone who acts like a normal person and can be sympathetic. Certainly the way she chose duty over everything else and then had to watch while people who made the opposite choice ruined her life, family, and civilization is central to the story. Still, whoever plays her is playing a part where the main action is sitting back and watching. (at least in life.) I don't think that Lena Headey is a good fit there. Certainly someone line Annette Benning or Meryl Streep could craft a masterpiece out of Caetlyn's internal pain at the destruction of her world, but again, the action is all internal. While a great actor could make the role memorable, the story won't really suffer if someone of lesser talent is there to remind us that nice people aren't fit to survive in the place the seven kingdoms have become.
You could say the same for the whole Stark clan (with the exception of Jon for the usual reasons) - they're all decent people who generally get stepped on by those that are more ruthless. At least initially, their story function is to be the goodies, the sympathetic characters all placed in different places in the plot so we can observe enough of Westeros to understand what's happening in the larger tapestry of plot threads, and possibly to get to the point where we can start following characters like Jaime and Tyrion with some level of empathy and understanding.
Catelyn's not a starmaking role, but I think she's crucial to the plot for the reasons you stated. I liken her to Kima Greggs in The Wire, who was the first character I really latched on to (more than McNulty). I'd argue that the emotional punch to The Red Wedding is her fate rather than Robb's (partly because we see it from her POV, and partly because Robb is a boring character).
Does anyone have info on how they will do the wolves? CGI, or large real dogs?
Does anyone have info on how they will do the wolves? CGI, or large real dogs?
No real info and pure speculation on my part, but I assume they'd start off with actual puppies for the pilot and first couple episodes. Perhaps even real grownup wolves when they're supposed to be like 3-6 months old. But once full grown, I don't see anywhere to go except CGI. That's the one area I'm a little worried about because even though it's HBO, it's still TV and a TV budget. That and if you look at all the great series HBO has done there isn't a single one that required the special effects this series is going to require. HBO has to know what they're getting into though and the more seaons that run, the more CGI it's going to involve. I don't expect it to be SyFy Channel made-for-tv-monster-of-the-week bad, but I don't expect LoTR quality either. I'm just glad the BBC is helping them out as I don't think they would have attempted this on their own.
Not to mention the dragons... No way to do that except with CGI.
Have we discussed how they're ever going to end this show? I mean if the show runs more than a couple seasons (books), this means about four years will have passed and George will probably still not have finished book 5 let alone started on 6 or 7.
Oh lord. Can you imagine the mess that Feast will be as a show. Talk about a snoozer. They could probably cut it down to two episodes and move on . . . kind of like his editor should have.
Not to mention the dragons... No way to do that except with CGI.
They could just use real ones. I know, I know. Difficult to train. Yada yada yada.
Oh lord. Can you imagine the mess that Feast will be as a show. Talk about a snoozer. They could probably cut it down to two episodes and move on . . . kind of like his editor should have.
Re: ending the show
I have concerns that, like Rurouni Kenshin (anime), when the show people run out of his material, they will just make some stuff up. In the case of Kenshin it is generally considered okay stuff, but nothing spectacular - I assume they couldn't actually have any characters develop or change, because the author was eventually going to finish the story via the manga. You don't want to kill off a character on TV only to have him integral to the canonical manga ending.
I was just talking about this yesterday with a coworker, and my thought is that they could pad out later seasons with additional characters we don't see much of as long as GRRM approves it and gives info on them.
Because I really don't see him keeping pace with TV seasons to finish up the final three books.
I really don't see him living long enough to finish up the final three books.
Fixed that for you. At this point, I'm not sure we'll see the fifth book. I hope the guy finishes it before football season starts - Jets could be a train wreck this year and that will not do his heart good.
Does anyone have info on how they will do the wolves? CGI, or large real dogs?
There was no CGI in Ladyhawke.
NathanialG wrote:Does anyone have info on how they will do the wolves? CGI, or large real dogs?
There was no CGI in Ladyhawke.
And for good reason. That was made in the mid 80's. 
NathanialG wrote:Does anyone have info on how they will do the wolves? CGI, or large real dogs?
There was no CGI in Ladyhawke.
That was just a plain ole normal wolf, though. These are direwolves the size of a pony. I suppose if they wanted to save money they could still call them direwolves and just use regular wolves for the show. I don't think it would affect the story any. I guess we'll know for sure when they air the pilot and we see how large the mama is.
Fair point. I don't really remember how big they were supposed to be.
Well, at the risk of a vague spoiler. The direwolf thing should be okay because well, there's a significant amount of attrition as I remember.
There's at least two that get a pretty significant chunk of screentime though.
Also, one in dream through out.
If they featured a mid-season arch set during flashbacks of the period establishing the importance of Jaime Lannister and his sobriquet, how Robert Baratheon came to power, and the coincidentally tragic story of Rhaeger, they'll have one of the best seasons of television in history.
Yes, very much yes.
I honestly think the series has the potential to overall be one of the best TV series ever created, given the serial-friendly nature of the books, and the wide-ranging and complicated (but believable) character arcs throughout the story.
Well, at the risk of a vague spoiler. The direwolf thing should be okay because well, there's a significant amount of attrition as I remember.
Just thought I'd throw a reminder out there. This thread has a spoiler warning and we've been talking freely about stuff, which is nice.
So, like, are Rhaegar and Lyanna Jon's parents or what?
So, like, are Rhaegar and Lyanna Jon's parents or what?
I subscribe to that theory myself. 
[edit]Updated thread title to reinforce spoiler warning!
Yeah but if they did a midseason flashback they would need to keep it strictly on Jaime. In a later book (cant remember which) one of the Reeds tells the story of the tournament, which seems to be the real cause of what goes on later. As long as it doesnt ruin that reveal I dont have a problem with that. It might also make Jaime a sympathetic character too early.
I really hated Jamie for a long time but in some of the later books I really started to root for him.
Tyrion might also be my favorite character ever.
Check it out! We have Tyrion!
Check it out! We have Tyrion!
Awesome! I hope we get more casting info soon.
Slightly off topic, but I see further down his blog that they are going to re-print the first three Wild Card books. That is also awesome news for people like me who came into the series late.
Check it out! We have Tyrion!
Finally confirmation. I think Dinklage is going to be awesome and I even pictured him as I read the script (posted last page) and everything just fit. He definitely does not fit the image from the book, but then who ever does in these deals? From what I've seen of his work I think he'll be perfect and I wish this was coming this Fall. Sigh.
Slightly off topic, but I see further down his blog that they are going to re-print the first three Wild Card books. That is also awesome news for people like me who came into the series late.
I ripped through the two from the "new" series, so I'm looking forward to seeing these reprints. Now, he says they might be hardcovers, which is total cheese, and they can forget the idea that I'm paying $20 for a reprint.
If you like the new WildCards you will like the old. They are significantly better, worth the HC price.
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