A Game of Thrones Television Adaptation on HBO/BBC

[Trent]

Like the family trees of the different Houses!

[valentinesdead?]

Well I guess it'll be soon time for me to whip out A Clash of Kings to re-read to get ready for Season 2. And btw Vector, that blu-ray/dvd set looks fuckin' sexy. I pre-ordered the blu ray last summer when they first became available. It'll be great to have these in pristine HD quality, not to mention all the extras. Can't wait for March 6th.

[Dracarys]

I'm very tempted to get the box set, my main fear though is that the series will be cancelled...especially when it gets to parts of the series that require a big budget and cannot be cut to black like Tyrions battle in GOT. Things like the Battle of the Blackwater needs to be seen. Plus the dragons...

I don't want a half finished series of box sets.

[Vector]

...it won't get canceled.

[Dracarys]

...it won't get canceled.

If Star Trek can get cancelled anything can.

[Vector]

It's not TV, it's HBO. The series has an immense following, both the show and the books, and they're not even finished yet. The hype and interest will only grow as Martin releases books 6 and 7. The show was already nominated for Emmys and Golden Globes, and the story only gets more interesting from here on out. It's not going to get canceled.

[Dracarys]

Star Trek had an immense following too and was up for/probably won awards. Peoples interests can change, when some of the currently popular characters get killed off that can have big changes for the audience, if viewers drop low enough they aren't going to keep pumping money into more series, HBO or not.

[Vector]

Then just look at HBO's track record for following through with popular shows. They rarely ever cancel shows, unless they don't perform well, like Hung or How To Make it in America. You can't start something that has a set timeline to follow and then cancel it halfway through, it just doesn't work like that. They've made the investment and they're in this for the long haul.

Don't get the DVD's, I really couldn't care less, but the show will go on.


On a more important note, HBO released some images today, furthering my faith in the casting on this show.


Brienne of Tarth


'Arry'


Melisandre <3 and Stannis Baratheon


The Onion Knight, Ser Davos Seaworth


Balon Greyjoy

[Dracarys]

Brienne isn't ugly enough.

[valentinesdead?]

Well My Game of Thrones blu ray arrived yesterday in the mail. Right out the gate, it has one of the best packaging for a blu ray set that I've seen/owned. Watched the first episode, and the quality is as great as I expected it to be. Flesh tones and colors are much more vibrant, plus, I was able to make out some details i missed before--like actually being able to distinguish the bit of food Arya launches at Sansa's face with her spoon. Pretty impressive since I watched the series in 720p to begin with.

Very much looking forward to the commentaries on each episode. It seems like they get different mix of cast members for each one. Not sure if Sean Bean recorded one, but it seems like everyone else is accounted for in some form or fashion. I'm almost done ripping the footage to my computer so I can take a bazillion screencaps. Each blu ray disc is a duel-layered 50GB. But what's interesting is how the episodes are distributed across the disk. Disc 1 has episodes 1+2, Disc 2 Episodes 3+4+5, Disc 3 Episode 6, Disc 4 Episodes 7, 8, 9, and Disc 5 with 10. I assume the single episode disc are where the bigger special features are on the set(as well as being particularly tied to those specific episodes themselves).

All in all, I'm very happy to own this set. HBO put alot of care and love into it. This is the kind of standard that should be done for blu ray tv shows/movies.

[valentinesdead?]

So, anyone been watching season 2 over the past couple of months? After getting caught up in the semester, and thus dragging through A Clash of Kings very, VERY slowly, I dedicated all last week to finishing the novel and watching the blu ray for season 1(episodes, audio commentaries, and special features all). To sum up my thoughts on the 9 episodes so far--there's SO MUCH to love, barring a few minor quips, and a couple "why the fuck did you change/alter that?" It's really hard to say one scene or story stands out, since there's just such a wealth of great scenes and acting from all the cast. I suppose my favorite bits are the endings to episode 4, 7, and 9--all masterfully done. My only major beefs are not having Meera/Jojen Reed involved in Bran's story arch, nor "Reek" being apart of Theon's. The story ended up being a bit more condescend than I would have preferred, but understandable given the amount of content. This shouldn't be much a problem going forward though, since book 3 and 4/5 are most likely going to be 2 seasons each to tell their respective stories(with a little overlap between each I'm sure). Can't wait for episode 10 tommrow to wrap it all up, and see how they're going to end it and build the anticipation for those who haven't read the books.


The battle is over. We have won!

Tywin Lannister is boss. So is Stannis.

[Dracarys]

Season 2 has butchered the story too much for me to really enjoy it. Adding things never in the book and that are not needed which just cuts into running time which already isn't enough to get everything in. Way too many changes that were just not needed also and have no reason for being. Thanks to some of these changes it has also ruined some mysteries left in the lastest books.

Blackwater was a great episode, the rest not so much.

[valentinesdead?]

I can't say I really agree with that. . .though maybe because I just look at the series anyways as a great visual companion to the novels. If you're judging it as a possible replacement for the books, then yeah, I'd probably dislike a lot of the changes or additions, but they honestly don't bother me because hey, they only have so much time and budget at the end of the day. Nothing will replace the books, and I would always recommend reading them before the series, because they are the source, and the series is an adaptation. I actually like how we get to see different viewpoints fleshed out that aren't possible in the books themselves because of the restricted POV's.

But funny enough, I almost think I'd have to recommend people read the 3rd book before watching the second season because of a few things that are "spoiled" I suppose you could say. (Robb and Jeyne, Jaime and Brienne, etc). Not to mention a few book 3 conversations that got pulled into season 2, which struck me as odd. All the Jon/Ygritte stuff took my by complete surprise, though it's hard to fault because I really enjoyed those scenes, but yeah, not exactly what happened with Jon and the Halfhand near the end of book 2. Though, I was really, really disappointed in the casting for Halfhand. Barely resembles Halfhand in the books. Plus, why write out Stannis's queen and his daughter?

[Dracarys]

I think Arya has been the biggest victim, since in the books she really struggles and has to cope with a lot. In the series most of her roughness is completely cut and she barely faces anything, then gets an easy time serving Tywin.

Season 1 was so perfect compared to the book, I just expected better of season 2 I guess. It is the needless changes that annoy me, changes that need not be made and do not add to the story. Jeyne Westerling did not need be replaced with some volantine tart, Dany's character is being made to look weak with the crying about her Dragon's too, they were never stolen and she went to the house of the undying to learn her fate. The thirteen are all well and healthy and didn't all get slain, and they were all meant to be white ('the milk men'), unlike Xaro.

[valentinesdead?]

Season 2 did end up being a bit more condescend in comparison to the first season. But looking at the bigger picture, season 3/4 will be spread over book 3(and maybe a bit of A Feast and A Dance near the end), so hopefully they'll be able to decompress enough so they won't have to make the few more drastic changes they made compared to the first season. Aryra's journey is certainly more brutal in the books(though I do love the scenes between her and Tywin). While I do question changing Jeyne's origion from a small house Westero's lady to a Voltantis one, I'm still glad they've fleshed her and Robb out. After all, that should make the RW all the more tragic for non-readers in season 3, since the books simply dump her at the doorstep around the beginning of book 3. Still not sure how I feel about the alterations with Dany in Qarth. Feels like they didn't want to minimize the role for this season(since really, she doesn't end up doing that much). But heck, they kept Jaime out the picture most the season anyways(Despite saying it would be "different" than the book in EW), so I sorta agree maybe they could have used some of the screentime to incorporate more of what actually happened in the book. I'm really disappointed that "Reek" isn't involved in Theon's story. Makes him murdering those two millhouse kids more his action than Reek playing the little devil whispering in his ear at his most desperate and vulnerable moment. Not to mention, how the Theon/Reek thing turns out. . .