game of thrones

[overthere]

To me the more unrealistic part is what are they going to do with all those wildlings? He said they'd put them in chains, but that seems unlikely.

Stannis has plenty of determination. What he lacked was money and manpower. The Iron Bank sorted the first part, and lookie here- an entire horde looking for a new role.....

[Boges]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/25/game-of-thrones-lady-stoneheart-michelle-fairley_n_5530215.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Lady Stoneheart won't be shown in the TV show. So I guess it really isn't a spoiler then.

[Mighty AC]

Ned Stark (Sean Bean really), believes in the R+L=J theory. It makes sense and if true we will likely see flashbacks of Rhaegar and Lyanna through Bran and the Weirwood trees. I can't wait for the next book this fall.

[WLDB]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/25/game-of-thrones-lady-stoneheart-michelle-fairley_n_5530215.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

Lady Stoneheart won't be shown in the TV show. So I guess it really isn't a spoiler then.

Well thats a real pisser. She has important things to do. I wonder how the showrunners will change it.

[Boges]

Coming back next week!

[Boges]

So I'm re-watching older episodes of GoT on HBO this week.

Rob Stark executes the leader of one of his banner men The Carstarks. So he instantly loses half his forces. He needs to find more soldiers.

The King of the North decides to go back to the dude that he shunned earlier because he found a nice piece of tail to marry instead of Frey's daughter.

IDIOT!!!!

In summary Rob Stark deserved to die. Oh sorry Spoiler!

[Boges]

So one, or more, of you people who are too cheap for TMN/HBO need to bit torrent "Wars to Come" so we can talk about this show coming back again. This thread feels quite lonely.

[overthere]

It has been so long since the airing of the last TV series, and much longer since I read the books, that I feel like everything is new again.

Things are not lookng bright for Cersei and her ambitions......

[Mighty AC]

I enjoyed the show simply because it has been so long since there was new GOT content. However, it really just a table setting episode. It was nice to see the angry dragons again. I like that Varys is firmly in camp Targaryen, no longer just a political survivor pretending to be a neutral protector of the realm. I enjoyed the Cersei flash backs and the almost gruesome end to Mance. Every scene with Tyrion is pure gold. However, overall not much happened. My only complaint is the fact that male nudity severely dominated over the female variety. I thought I was in favour of equality, but apparently not in all instances.

I see that the first 4 episodes have been leaked online. I'm trying to fight the urge to download the next three and then face a month without new Thrones content.....but I want it and I'm weak.

Edited April 14, 2015 by Mighty AC

[Boges]

I enjoyed the show simply because it has been so long since there was new GOT content. However, it really just a table setting episode. It was nice to see the angry dragons again. I like that Varys is firmly in camp Targaryen, no longer just a political survivor pretending to be a neutral protector of the realm. I enjoyed the Cersei flash backs and the almost gruesome end to Mance. Every scene with Tyrion is pure gold. However, overall not much happened. My only complaint is the fact that male nudity severely dominated over the female variety. I thought I was in favour of equality, but apparently not in all instances.

I see that the first 4 episodes have been leaked online. I'm trying to fight the urge to download the next three and then face a month without new Thrones content.....but I want it and I'm weak.

Loras IS dreamy though right?

That scene at the brothel where the Unsullied gets murdered was quite impactful and I'm thinking the mental state of the Unsullied may be a story going forward. Dany's translator Missandei was curious why a dude with no junk would go to a brothel. They just want to cuddle. HOW CUTE!!!

I still don't get how someone so good like Davos can be so loyal to such an Asshat like Stannis. That can't last long can it?

If you look at the opening again, you can see the Bolton Sigil over Winterfell. The upcoming war between Stannis' army and the Boltons will be interesting.

Edited April 14, 2015 by Boges

[overthere]

I see that the first 4 episodes have been leaked online. I'm trying to fight the urge to download the next three and then face a month without new Thrones content.....but I want it and I'm weak.

me too. Probably the only thing that keeps me from doing it is my significant other. We watch GOT together and if I cheat and watch them online I'll have to watch them all again off PVR and pretend I haven't seen them already.

The upcoming war between Stannis' army and the Boltons will be interesting.

Stannis is hardly a likable character, but I look forward to the Boltons- father and son- getting what they deserve. And let us not forget that the Freys are owed a wee slaughter too.

[Mighty AC]

I wonder who will be killed by men and who will remain standing to be later killed by dragons.

[Boges]

I'd have to say GoT is probably the most watchable shows on TV. Even when not a whole lot is happening. It's still freakin' entertaining.

Dorne looks like Qarth, Awesome! Still worth watching.

Bronn and Jamie Lannister Bromance. That wasn't in the books apparently and it's still awesome.

The only shitty part is that Dany being a complete dumbass. If she didn't have Dragons and wasn't hot, she'd have been deposed by now. I guess the Dragon part is important eh.

Even stuff from the Wall/Jon Snow which used to be boring was great.

And that doesn't even touch Arya in Bravos and Brienne getting shunned by the other Stark girl. Littlefinger did have a point though didn't he?

[overthere]

several of the main characters are coming together geographically..... winter is coming....

[Mighty AC]

My favourite line from that episode was when Tyrion complained about a bug in his wine and Varys says something like "Best be careful, you might actually consume some solid food."

[Mighty AC]

Bronn and Jamie Lannister Bromance. That wasn't in the books apparently and it's still awesome.

And that doesn't even touch Arya in Bravos and Brienne getting shunned by the other Stark girl. Littlefinger did have a point though didn't he?

The show is starting to finally drift from the books in a significant way. The Bronn and Kingslayer bromance is a great idea; far better than Jamie's story line in the books.

Mance was burned at the stake though his death was faked in the books. Brienne spends countless pages wandering in the books, thus her new arc is shaping up to be much better in the show. The show has Arya find a new purpose much faster and we get to see the very interesting Jaqen H'ghar character again.

In short, it seems that George lost his way in the books by introducing an endless list of new characters and story threads that are hard to care about, but the show is staying more streamlined and engaging. Boges is right, even when it seems like little is happening this series is still extremely entertaining.

Edited April 22, 2015 by Mighty AC

[overthere]

I sometimes wonder how the producers of Game Of Thrones can sustain the very high production values of the series. They must have huge location expenses, and actors get more and more greedy the longer it runs.

[Boges]

I sometimes wonder how the producers of Game Of Thrones can sustain the very high production values of the series. They must have huge location expenses, and actors get more and more greedy the longer it runs.

You can see where they obviously cut costs. Mereen is like 2 or 3 sets. They completely skip large scale battles except for once or twice a season and we don't see dragons every episode.

I imagine they can cut deals shooting at certain spots considering there's prestige having your country seen on Game of Thrones.

GoT is the highest rated show HBO has ever had and it's popular worldwide. I'm sure they're doing just fine.

[overthere]

You can see where they obviously cut costs. Mereen is like 2 or 3 sets. They completely skip large scale battles except for once or twice a season and we don't see dragons every episode.

I imagine they can cut deals shooting at certain spots considering there's prestige having your country seen on Game of Thrones.

GoT is the highest rated show HBO has ever had and it's popular worldwide. I'm sure they're doing just fine.

Many shows have been derailed by the major cost: actors.

Long running shows like Law and Order easily got around this by keeping the same format, but dumping key characters one at a time when they tried to leverage the shows fame into a bigger paycheque.

GoT cannot really do this as it is based on a script and characters that they cannot deviate from too much. What would they do without Tyrion, Daenrys, Arya and a few others? What do they do when Peter Drinklage says no more work unless they pay up? It's pretty hard to write him out of the script now, unless JJ Martin has already done it.

Perhaps they could simply replace him, as happened with the lead actor in Spartacus due to the death of a principal after the first season. But GoT is much further advanced in the plot, and in Spartacus they were writing scripts around a flexible story.

[Boges]

Many shows have been derailed by the major cost: actors.

Long running shows like Law and Order easily got around this by keeping the same format, but dumping key characters one at a time when they tried to leverage the shows fame into a bigger paycheque.

GoT cannot really do this as it is based on a script and characters that they cannot deviate from too much. What would they do without Tyrion, Daenrys, Arya and a few others? What do they do when Peter Drinklage says no more work unless they pay up? It's pretty hard to write him out of the script now, unless JJ Martin has already done it.

Perhaps they could simply replace him, as happened with the lead actor in Spartacus due to the death of a principal after the first season. But GoT is much further advanced in the plot, and in Spartacus they were writing scripts around a flexible story.

Walking Dead is the top rated cable show on TV. Now their filming budget is clearly less, but it's still pretty high (lots of special effects and set design) and they seem to be doing fine with the actors they have.

I don't even know what these actors get paid. Another consideration is that the season is only 10 episodes, unlike these old classic Network sitcoms that were like 24 episode seasons and these actors appeared in every episode.

For GoT, as well, the main actors get killed off rather frequently. I can only think of Jon Snow, Cersei, Tyrion and Daenerys that are in just about every episode in every season.

[overthere]

they seem to be doing fine with the actors they have.

The point is that shows like Walking Dead are written on the fly, rather than novel based programs like GoT.

Walking Dead routinely gets rid of people using the same old meme, getting chomped by the extras.

They can continue or end the show by simply writing it through.

G0T theoretically has a more of less predetermined plot and hopefully an ending.

I have heard that MadMen ended because they could not afford the actors any longer.

[Boges]

The point is that shows like Walking Dead are written on the fly, rather than novel based programs like GoT.

Walking Dead routinely gets rid of people using the same old meme, getting chomped by the extras.

They can continue or end the show by simply writing it through.

G0T theoretically has a more of less predetermined plot and hopefully an ending.

I have heard that MadMen ended because they could not afford the actors any longer.

Walking Dead has source material, and they do loosely follow the comics. They've done it more recently. Though Terminus wasn't in the comics, Herchel's Farm, the Prison, Woodbury and Alexandria are all inspired sets from the comics.

Now that the shows have caught up with the books in GoT, the outcome isn't so pre-determined actually. A lot of the things we're seeing this season never happened in the books, I hear.

[Mighty AC]

A lot of the things we're seeing this season never happened in the books, I hear.

True. The show has already started repurposing popular characters and cutting tiny side threads. A great move! After the first 3 books Martin lost his focus and just start adding an endless stream of characters. From what I understand he had only intended to write a trilogy, but was persuaded to continue after the success of the first few books.

[Boges]

So Jorah and Tyrion are a thing now? Those are 2 of the cooler characters on the show IMHO.

Apparently the Ramsa marriage is completely new to this universe as Sansa's plight isn't in the books yet. So we're in uncharted territory here. And it'a pretty major plot twist. Also that Brienne is going to Winterfell to follow Sansa and Stannis (who Brienne wants to kill) and, most likely Jon Snow, are going to Winterfell to take it back from the Bolton.

That'll be an awkward reunion. BUT AWESOME! I hope it happens this season.

Tommen is one lucky kid.

[kimmy]

I'm getting pretty bored of the lack of progress in Dany's storyline. It seems like for the last 3 seasons she's been doing the same thing. "Woe is me, how to balance my conscience with the ruthlessness needed to rule?" I thought things would start to pick up now that Tyrion is on his way to meet her, but it seems like they're never going to get to Meereen.

Pretty cool to see Jorah back, though. I was a little stoked when I saw Iain Glenn in the opening credits. Just as I was pretty stoked last episode to see Jerome Flynn's name pop up. I sometimes watch the opening credits twice, once to watch the names of the actors, and a second time to watch the locations.

Poor Sansa. My anxiety meter immediately went to 11 when I found out that Littlefinger planned to take her to Ramsay Bolton. The girl just keeps going from bad to worse. But I am starting to wonder: she has been swimming with the sharks for so long, maybe she's starting to figure the game out. She's surrounded herself with ruthless, dangerous individuals. What if, instead of getting played, this time she's the one doing the playing? I don't think she's the helpless little lamb she used to be. I can only wonder what Cersei wants with Littlefinger.

It was nice to see that scumbag Janos Slynt get what he had coming. One small measure of revenge for the Starks! I wonder when the wheel is going to come around and run over Walder Frey? That's going to be sweet. Remember at the end of Season 3, Bran told a story about the Rat Cook, who was cursed for all eternity for breaking the laws of hospitality by murdering his guests. And then immediately they cut to Walder Frey who had also just broken the laws of hospitality by murdering his guests. It seemed like foreshadowing... but we've not seen anything of Walder since. He might die of old age before that storyline gets picked up again.

There's always so much going on that unfortunately we don't get to see everybody each episode. I'm interested in finding out what Jaime and Bronn are up to. Dr Bashir seems like the Dornish answer to Ned Stark, a principled ruler who's going to get stabbed in the back by the Red Viper's widow and those Serpent Sisters or Sand Sisters or whatever the hell their name was.

I also notice we haven't heard anything about Bran and the Funky Bunch for quite some time. Will they be back, or is their journey at an end?

-k