HBO's Game of Thrones (1 Viewer)

[TravisR]

One has to be very careful to make absolute statements on this forum.

I guess I should have said that "... And if it wasn't for Lord Of The Rings, almost no one would know or care who Bean was...". I knew he had been in Patriot Games when I saw him in LOTR but I think it's fair to say that the vast majority of people first learned his name when he was in LOTR.

 

[Steve_Tk]

Game of Thrones was on my radar before I even knew Bean was in it. Their early teasers for the show didn't even show his face. I enjoyed seeing him there, and felt comfortable with him very early on because he's so good, but now I'm invested in the show and other characters. I don't need Bean there to enjoy it.

 

[ArchMike]

If people are going to throw a fit every time a major character dies, they are going to have a really hard time iwth this as a series.

 

[TravisR]

I enjoyed seeing [Bean] there, and felt comfortable with him very early on because he's so good, but now I'm invested in the show and other characters.

Exactly. I assume that readers of the book didn't quit reading the series at that point so I doubt the viewers of the TV show will be much different. I'm not the typical viewer of the show but it made me more interested and impressed by the story because now it seems like anything, even the death of the main character, can potentially happen.

 

[Mikah Cerucco]

Josh, as a "non-reader", here's my take... book discussion for events that have already occurred in the series is fine, even when constrasting the TV show against events in the books. The key is that you're not spoiling the story for non-readers.


Quick references to future events based on knowledge of the books should be in spoiler tags with an intro of what's being spoiled.


On-going expansive discussion of the future events in the books needs a home somewhere else, though I thought there was already a book thread.


Most importantly, I trust your judgement in your spoiler usage. If it's too difficult and you want a more comfortable way to discuss things, I'm open to that, but I have no concern about how you're currently handling things.


All I ask of anyone who has read the book is consideration and not, "Screw 'em, they should read the books too... they've been out forever." Because at that point I have to point out this thread is for discussion of the TV show, not the books the show is based on.

 

[Charlie Campisi]

Well said, Mikah. Those of us who haven't read the books (yet) appreciate it, though I'll likely read them before next season.


Having not read the books, last week was traumatic. Losing Ned and not knowing about Drogo in the same ep was devastating. Joffrey needs a gold helmet death or worse. I find no fault with HBO casting Bean. He's great and was great in that role (also a fan since Patriot Games). I don't feel like I was sucked in on a false promise. I watched the show because it was HBO Sunday night theater. All of their shows at this point deserve a try. I grew to love Ned and his story and losing him hurts, but I am fully invested in this show. Pick any HBO or SHO character who got offed early in a series -- D'Angelo Barksdale, Wallace, Stringer Bell (Wire), Big Pussy, Lt. Doakes and even Wild Bill Hickok -- excellent shows will still continue, excellently.

 

[ChadMcCallum]

Originally Posted by ArchMike

If people are going to throw a fit every time a major character dies, they are going to have a really hard time iwth this as a series.

Yeah. Folks, Ned is just the first. You'll get over the loss of Bean and trust me, there are far worse things to come. There's a chapter in book 3 that many claimed caused them to throw the book across the room but I think most readers returned to it later because despite how much you like a certain characters the other characters are compelling enough to carry the story and your opinions on certain characters will change over the course of the story. The series is awful when it comes to killing off characters but its a fun kind of awful.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

So how long till HBO decides this show is too expensive and cancel this series, ala Deadwood?

 

[Quentin]

Originally Posted by Dave Scarpa

So how long till HBO decides this show is too expensive and cancel this series, ala Deadwood?

It's going to get REALLY expensive next year. Their numbers will have to see a jump to justify any more.

 

[Josh Dial]

There is also the side-marketing of the merchandise, such as t-shirts and mugs, which are licensed by HBO. I'm not sure what sort of income that is generating, but I've personally seen a number of shirts around Calgary, so they are definitely selling. That, plus the new subscriptions may be enough to entice HBO to keep going after the second season. The show is popular, the books are popular, and sometimes, that's a combination networks are willing to run with, despite marginal profits.

 

[Hanson]

I first remembered him from Goldeneye because I saw his name in the credits and thought that his name looks like it rhymes but it doesn't. Then he just started cropping up everywhere.

 

[Michael Harris]

thought that his name looks like it rhymes

Shawn Bawn or Sheen Bean? Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[PhilipG]

He-he, I always call him, "Shawn B'horn"!

 

[Spero D]

What an ending. Bring on Season 2.

 

[Greg.K]

It was good to see Sansa finally turning on Joffrey. She should have pushed him though.


10 episodes is not enough!

 

[Josh Dial]

Terrific ending to the season--really everything was close to perfection.


I think the finale did a great job in setting up the dynamics of the next installment: we have Tyrion and Cersei sparring over regency, Varys and Littlefinger and Pycelle scheming behind the scenes, Bran and Rickon alone in the North, Robb and Catelyn looking for the girls while also bring war to the Lannisters, Sansa suffering Joffrey, Stannis and Renly and Robb and Joffrey clashing over the realm, Dany as truly the blood of the dragon and looking to build her dynasty, and all throughout, the Night's Watch, alone at the edge of the world.


I really liked how the final scene paid homage to a number of artistic renderings of the scene used in the various editions of the books, calendars, sculptures, et cetera (which in turn evoke Botticelli's Venus in a Half Shell).

 

[Patrick Sun]

I thought the finale lacked some punch through some of the running time, but the ending scene (though foreshadowed) was a nice reveal (for this non-reader of the books).


Someone correct this line (I'll fix it later tonight if I got it wrong), but it made me laugh.


"I'm sure you stay awake at night thinking about my gash" LOL.

 

[joshEH]

Yeah, this one felt slightly less like a finale than the last episode did, but that was both (A) the most satisfying rookie season of a one-hour drama in a long time, and (B) one of the best adaptations of a written work since forever. Fucking kudos. Spring 2012 needs to be here tomorrow.


That final scene was a cool moment for Dany, and in terms of plot, it raises the stakes, but pure human drama always trumps CGI dragons. It just does. That said, it was a really strong episode, and I think Sansa in particular really came into her own. Never can it be said that a naked chick holding dragons isn't the greatest way to end a season, ever.


(That final image of her is going to launch a slew of T-shirts, Comic-Con costumes, and custom van paint-jobs.)


Arya continues to be awesome; we got to see more of that inner conflict that I believe will come to fully define Jaime; Robb and Catelyn have an amazing moment together; and though I joked about it earlier, Cersei's dutiful, passionless commitment to institutionalized incest is ultimately more tragic than it is gross.


Lord Commander Mormont's speech to Jon was pure badass: "Do you want to go fight humans like a pussy over some stupid throne, or go north and fight zombies, and gods know what else?" Likewise, I guess my fanboy status is confirmed, because I basically squee'd at the Jaqen H'qar cameo.


Finally, someone posted this on another forum:

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Legitimately great first season. No bad episodes and at least 4 spectacular ones. I had high hopes for the show (based on great word of mouth regarding the book series; I have not read them), and it managed to exceed all of them.


The finale was also exceptionally well handled. It was confident and character-driven.

 

[TravisR]

...this one felt slightly less like a finale than the last episode did...

Yeah, this episode seemed like set up for a finale to me. I guess it works well enough for the TV show (especially since they have novels to guide them) but does the first book have so little closure? If so, Martin's got some balls and alot of confidence.