Game of Thrones—NO SPOILERS—The Balls

I demand an episode dedicated to Rickon.

BadKen wrote:

I demand an episode dedicated to Rickon.

With only 10 episodes in the season you want to waste one on the most useless character in the entire series?

Thin_J wrote:
4xis.black wrote:

While I've found I only really like one of the characters (Tyrion), there are quite a few whom I hope receive elaborate and painful deaths.

Keep watching. The odds are with you.

Is this still the spoiler-free thread for those of us who wavent't read the books? We can create a third thread.

Sinatar wrote:
BadKen wrote:

I demand an episode dedicated to Rickon.

With only 10 episodes in the season you want to waste one on the most useless character in the entire series?

Rrrrrrr

Books are pretty heavily discounted at Amazon right now, wish the kindle version was lower I'd grab it for the iPad for slow days at the office, would rather not carry around the paperback.

http://www.amazon.com/George-Martins...

So I just watched the latest episode and am still a little disappointed. This series is head-and-shoulders above the usual TV drivel, and way better than all the SyFy channel fantasy series. But I can't shake the feeling that GoT is the slacking B+ student who should be class valedictorian.

The Starks are really coming into their own, especially Jon Snow's character. The Lannisters are still awesome, especially Tyrion. But Daenerys' story is really boring and Khal Drogo has all the depth of your typical male porn star.

Yeah, I'm hoping for some more development with Daenerys and Drogo. Right now my favorite character in that plotline is Jorah Mormont who is oddly sympathetic even though you know he's kind of shady.

Latrine wrote:

Yeah, I'm hoping for some more development with Daenerys and Drogo. Right now my favorite character in that plotline is Jorah Mormont who is oddly sympathetic even though you know he's kind of shady.

That is one of my favorite stories/plots as well. I'm wondering how they will fit into all of this. I kinda like the barbarians, hehe.

I know people may hate to hear this but this show is starting to remind me of "The Wire" in one simple way. It has a slew of characters that I find really interesting, well-acted and I can't wait to see how their story arc unfolds. That's not how most TV shows work, even the good dramas. They barely have time to give enough screen time to Tyrion, Jon Snow, even the younger daughter. So many interesting characters and backstory. I'm actually glad I didn't read the books. I think it's served me well in this case as I'm viewing it purely as a TV show.

Not sure why someone would hate to hear that, The Wire is one of the best shows of all time for exactly those reasons.

DSGamer wrote:

I know people may hate to hear this but

I hate you so much now.

I sometimes wonder how I would like the show without the knowledge of whats coming.

Happytime Harry wrote:

Not sure why someone would hate to hear that, The Wire is one of the best shows of all time for exactly those reasons.

Oh, mostly because "The Wire" is brought up so often in comparison to TV shows.

Happytime Harry wrote:

Not sure why someone would hate to hear that, The Wire is one of the best shows of all time for exactly those reasons.

Because people already spent a whole page figuring out which GoT character mapped to which The Wire character. >_<

Quintin_Stone wrote:
Happytime Harry wrote:

Not sure why someone would hate to hear that, The Wire is one of the best shows of all time for exactly those reasons.

Because people already spent a whole page figuring out which GoT character mapped to which The Wire character. >_<

Like you have anything better to do.

DSGamer wrote:
Happytime Harry wrote:

Not sure why someone would hate to hear that, The Wire is one of the best shows of all time for exactly those reasons.

Oh, mostly because "The Wire" is brought up so often in comparison to TV shows.

Because they are all lacking in said comparison.

zeroKFE wrote:

However, at least at this point if someone asked me whether they should read the books before watching the show, I would unequivocally say yes. You only get to form your initial impression of the characters once, you only get to have your expectations for them met and broken unexpectedly once, and you only get one chance to experience the gut wrenching impact of George Martin's masterful plot twists one time. As good as the show may be, the books are so damn amazing that I think if possible the story is best experienced in "long form" first. Yes, you will then watch the show with a sense of minor letdown coloring the experience as I and many others now are, but I'll wager most people will find it worth the cost.

Agreed. I wouldn't want to go have the experience of this story through the Cliff Notes version that is necessitated by distilling the story down to a TV series.

I'm sure it's enjoyable, but if I ever planned to read the books, I'd get to them as soon as possible to truly see what's going on in the TV series.

zeroKFE wrote:

For instance, the initial chapters of Dany's story (the part you're currently seeing, and I promise I will only talk in terms of what has transpired so far) are written with a subtlety and nuance that is flat out missing from the show. Her relationship with Khal Drogo and the Dothraki people is immensely, richly complicated. They are both a prison and a freedom that she has never known. They are one more terrible thing that has happened in a terrible life, but also a chance to finally shape her life into what she wants it to be -- hell, they are her first chance to even contemplate what she wants from life rather than being blindly ordered around by her brother. They are foreign and frightening and brutal and savage but also direct and honest and noble and loving in a way that the "civilized" society that sold her to them never was. Her situation is all at once the most heartbreaking and the most hopeful thing in a world full of heartbreaking and hopeful things, and by this point in her story she was already the most relatable character in the book (and my favorite, for that matter), and I don't think anyone would say that at this point in the TV show. I will allow that the actors in her story definitely show the promise of being able to eventually deliver, but so far they haven't had the room to do so (understandably so, given everything else that needs to be packed into each episode).

But anyway, the point stands that none of this would matter if I didn't know the source material. It would just be an well written, well produced, mostly well acted show that was just beginning to show the promise of an amazing story populated with interesting, relatable, realistic characters.

I disagree. I got all of that from how she has been portrayed and do find her one of my favorite characters. Perhaps because I am female as well, I apply a lot of how I would feel in the situation, but having not read the books, I still find her a relatable favorite and have contemplated her plight in much the same terms you have described.

Although, without a doubt, she is probably much more richly drawn in the books.

I disagree. I got all of that from how she has been portrayed and do find her one of my favorite characters. Perhaps because I am female as well, I apply a lot of how I would feel in the situation, but having not read the books, I still find her a relatable favorite and have contemplated her plight in much the same terms you have described.

Although, without a doubt, she is probably much more richly drawn in the books.

It makes me quite happy to hear your disagreement, actually.

But yes, if you do read the books (please do!) I think you'll find her story engaging in a way that the show only begins to hint at.

As someone who's not read the books, I find Dany (or as I refer to her, Tits McBlondie), to have perhaps the best potential for character improvement on the show. It was kind of blatantly obvious when they introduced her, showing how weak she was to her brother. Now it's great fun watching her character grow more powerful and more confident (and pick up that language pretty damn quickly!)

I think the most disappointing thing about the Dany arc so far is one seemingly small change they made to the scene in episode 3 where her brother throws a tantrum at her over being ordered to wait.

In the show, a dothraki bloodrider tells him to walk but in the books it was Dany herself. It's a pretty pivotal moment for her and for some reason they decided to lose that in the show.

I may have to duck out of this thread. Apparently the spoiler warning at the top excludes books.

At the risk of sounding like "that guy" I'd like to back up DSGamer a bit (and Iaintgotnopants a while back). Let's keep the book info. out of this thread if we can.

I've read the books, more than once. Just like any book that's been adapted there is obviously a ton of depth lost when you convert it to a movie or TV series. I doubt anyone is arguing that. I never read "The Walking Dead" but still liked that series.

But I thought this thread was started specifically for those who are watching the show with no book background (and unlikely to do so before the next episode each week). There is the other thread for us to go full-frontal-nerdity on book themes etc.

I am enjoying reading how people are taking the story and characters just from what is shown. I am another who is happy to see that Peacensunshine (and presumably others) are still able to see the transformation of Dany into a stronger character.

Sorry if I offend, but I just wanted to throw another vote for all of us to try and be careful and follow the thread's title.

Just calling back to some older posts - I actually didn't remember the 'war stories' conversation between Robert et. al from the books, but it played out _so_ well in the show. Mark Addy is really owning this role and seems so natural. So glad that the show seems to be holding its own and holding people's interests.

DSGamer wrote:

I may have to duck out of this thread. Apparently the spoiler warning at the top excludes books.

Quit your whining. Most of the book discussion has been things they omitted or changed; thus, no spoilers. I can respect a fresh experience, but people on this page have been respectful.

I'm trying to understand the spoiler objection here: are DSGamer and Burnt Toast saying that nothing from A Game of Thrones the book should be discussed even if it's already been shown on A Game of Thrones the HBO series?

That wasn't really my intention in starting the thread. I just wanted to avoid spoiling parts of the story that had yet to be revealed on television, not parts of the story that were edited for television.

BadKen wrote:

I'm trying to understand the spoiler objection here: are DSGamer and Burnt Toast saying that nothing from A Game of Thrones the book should be discussed even if it's already been shown on A Game of Thrones the HBO series?

I thought that's what DSGamer was saying, and I can support that, but maybe that's too heavy-handed.

From my own perspective either way is fine for me. I just thought people who haven't read the books may not want to discuss all the things they're missing.

But who am I to speak for others?

(Shutting up now).

If it is glossed over in the series, but has happened in the book and doesn't impact future events I have no issue with it being discussed. (no book, absolute noobie here)

DSGamer wrote:

I may have to duck out of this thread. Apparently the spoiler warning at the top excludes books.

You made a post starting a discussion about the merits of watching the show without reading the books, so I spent an excessive amount of time carefully choosing my example and my phrasing within that example so I could share my perspective on the subject while not making mention of anything that hasn't fully transpired in the show. However, if you would prefer to not have any interaction with anyone who has read the book, so be it; I'll edit my post and not waste my time the next time I see a discussion I could potentially add something to within the context of what has aired.

Are you guys thinking of one day reading the books and don't want the book spoiled? I can see that but can't see how stating how a event played out differently in the book is a spoiler for the tv show. That is no different from someone saying how they wished a scene played out.

Yes. For example, instead of cutting Lady's throat, I wish Ned Stark had cut Joffrey's throat. Even though that would go against book canon, I think it would make the show much better.

There's also the point of things that have been in the books but didnt make it into show. There's some items that will never see the light of day from the books that can offer some clarity to whats happening on the show. I dont think anyone has specifically given anything away that's going to happen in this thread.

BadKen wrote:

Yes. For example, instead of cutting Lady's throat, I wish Ned Stark had cut Joffrey's throat. Even though that would go against book canon, I think it would make the show much better.

+1