FOT Forum
FOT Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: JonFromMaplewood on April 17, 2011, 01:42:05 PM
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After finishing the first book, I am definitely hooked on this story. With the exception of some sexual content clearly written by a weird, drooling troll, the story and prose are impressive. I see no reason to pass on the TV adaptation, especially considering Dinklage plays such a prominent role.
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Hell, yeah. I've read the first three books, and the fourth is sitting on my bookshelf waiting for me. No way I won't be watching this (I guess I should knock some wood now).
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Absolutely, I love those books.
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Yes. It should be a good alternative to Camelot. I hope the next thing HBO does is get cracking on their adaptation of James Ellroy's Underworld USA Trilogy.
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Let's hope it's a lot better than Camelot.
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Camelot is indeed horrendous. AV Club gave this week's episode of Camelot the same grade they gave the series premiere of Game of Thrones. I hope that doesn't mean anything.
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An AV Club grade seems to reflect what the reviewer thinks a show is capable of doing. If that's so, the grades for Camelot suggest Ryan McGee doesn't expect much of it. I imagine the hopes for Game of Thrones are much loftier, so the reviewer will be much more critical.
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I kind of take exception to your description of Martin's take on sex in his books. I don't find it to be written by a drooling troll. In fact, compared to a lot of genre fiction, I felt like Martin was rather restrained. Granted, some of his descriptions are overdone but sex in most books is pretty terrible.
I'm about a third of the way through the 4th book, A Feast for Crows. God, I can't imagine waiting 6 years between books like people who have read them as they came out have. Yikes.
And yes, I am absolutely looking forward to watching this series.
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Granted, some of his descriptions are overdone but sex in most books is pretty terrible.
I guess that is what I am responding to. For example:
"They scented her with spiceflower and cinammon, a touch on each wrist, behind her ears, on the tips of her milk-heavy breasts. The last dab was for her sex. Irri's fingers felt as light and cool as a lover's kiss as it slid softly up between her lips."
And this character is thirteen years old. Maybe from a female author I wouldn't feel quite so icky after reading it.
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Plus, "fingers" are not an "it".
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I don't know why I'm playing White Knight for Martin but: I have read interviews where he justifies his use of sexualized 13 year olds as based in actual medieval practice. They didn't have the concept of adolescence, you went directly from childhood to adulthood.
I also think that since the chapters are written from the POV of the characters, the level of description fits. In other words, the quote you produced, while icky realizing that it is about a 13 year old, has both a historical precedent and the chapter is from that character's POV and thus that would be a pretty significant detail she would be noticing.
I'm afraid I'm being too knee jerk based on how some of the reviews of the show tend to take aim at fantasy as a genre rather than the actual work presented. I'm not a fantasy reader, this series and Lord of the Rings is about as deep as I go, but to have The New York Times get so condescending and describe the work as "boy fiction" really rubs me the wrong way.
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I am totally with you, Woodandiron. I am not chafing at the sexualization of underage characters. Elements like that are crucial to the gritty realism of the story (and the historical accuracy if we treat the story less as fantasy and more as medeival historical fiction).
I guess it is the way he lingers on such details (as in the example I provided) that makes me queasy. But you make a good point about POV and such a detail being relevant to the character. It's all kind of irrelevant anyway, because I am really enjoying the books and the criticism was a minor one.
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Oh I know, I just enjoy having a lively discussion. And I do agree that at times he lingers too much over details of the transgressive sex. The horrendous back story of Tyrion's first love and Martin's continual revisiting of it really makes my gut churn. But at the same time, I think that's part of the power of including such detail like that. During those chapters, we're in Tyrion's head and so of course the description of that event will be a gut punch, it was a gut punch to Tyrion and rightfully so.
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I thought the pilot was pretty good, although I'm curious as to how it will play to people who haven't read the books.
Not a fan of the actor who plays Jamie, but I wonder if that's because his character is in such a different place in my mind than in the beginning of the books.
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Not a fan of the actor who plays Jamie, but I wonder if that's because his character is in such a different place in my mind than in the beginning of the books.
Agreed. The guy playing Jamie is a little too John Wesley Shipp for my tastes. I pictured someone nicknamed "The Kingslayer" to be a little more rough around the edges.
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Several veterans briefed me on the group’s traditions. At that first Brotherhood party, in 2001, a tipsy reveller (this is a crowd that likes to lift a glass) asked [George R.R.] Martin to knight him. Martin said, “I can’t knight you. You haven’t gone on a quest yet!” When his petitioner implored Martin to invent one, he sent the fan and several others off in search of Philly cheesesteaks. When their prize was secured, Martin dubbed the group the Knights of the Cheesesteak.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/04/11/110411fa_fact_miller?currentPage=all (http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/04/11/110411fa_fact_miller?currentPage=all)
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No, looks like some Harry Potter type for adults.
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Not a fan of the actor who plays Jamie, but I wonder if that's because his character is in such a different place in my mind than in the beginning of the books.
Agreed. The guy playing Jamie is a little too John Wesley Shipp for my tastes. I pictured someone nicknamed "The Kingslayer" to be a little more rough around the edges.
Jamie is a vain fop as well as being a murderous bastard, though. I think Nikolaj Coster-Waldau will do just fine.
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Not a fan of the actor who plays Jamie, but I wonder if that's because his character is in such a different place in my mind than in the beginning of the books.
Agreed. The guy playing Jamie is a little too John Wesley Shipp for my tastes. I pictured someone nicknamed "The Kingslayer" to be a little more rough around the edges.
The entire show seems to be a little too John Wesley Shipp. What's HBO's nude-scene quota now? 5-6 an episode?
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I thought the first episode was really great. I can't believe how close to the books they are keeping. And everyone seems perfectly cast, particularly the younger roles.
Also, I don't know if anyone saw the news but already picked up for a second season. So we get to see A Clash of Kings, at the least.
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I agree! I disagree that Jaime should be rough around the edges, but everyone has their own take. Jaime is incredibly vain and considered to be just about the handsomest dude in the realm. I thought he was extremely well cast. In fact, I can' t think of much to complain about, which is unusual for an adaptation of something I love as much as GoT.
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I've never read the books, but this series is starting to be a snoozefest. I'm interested in three characters. Peter Dinklage's character and the brother and sister. Everything else is same old, same old fantasy. The same characters you see in 10-15 movies a year.
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I've never read the books, but this series is starting to be a snoozefest. I'm interested in three characters. Peter Dinklage's character and the brother and sister. Everything else is same old, same old fantasy. The same characters you see in 10-15 movies a year.
This last episode was especially boring. I cannot promise anything from the remaining show, but I know the books are a blast and not like any other fontasy books I've read.
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I was feeling that they were going every last detail to appease the fans and making it unbearable for those who haven't read the books, but it's good to know fans found the last episode (and the one before that in my opinion) boring.
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I had forgotten that I watched the latest episode last night until I saw the name of this thread just now. That's how exciting it was.
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2011: Give Up Crappy Shows and Watch "The Killing" Instead.
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Yeah I'm not sure about The Killing. :-\
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Are you not sure about just "The Killing" or also about "Forbrydelsen"? As a sweater enthusiast, I was going to watch the first season of Forbrydelsen before watching the remake.
The very first episode of Game of Thrones bored me to tears; I haven't been able to watch any of the others. My neighbors seem to like it.
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I'm not that excited by The Killing. Still watching it though. I haven't seen Förbrydelsen.
And I'm watching Game of Thrones too. Not sure why.
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I'm not that excited by The Killing. Still watching it though. I haven't seen Förbrydelsen.
And I'm watching Game of Thrones too. Not sure why.
I am doing the exact same thing. Starting to lose interest in The Killing. The political stuff is dragging it down.
Never read GoT. Still watching it. Like you, I have no idea why.
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For whatever it's worth, I have very little interest in fantasy and haven't read the books, but I'm really enjoying Game of Thrones. The casting is pretty terrific - Dinklage is up there with Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson for the most entertaining performance on TV right now, Sean Bean is great, Aiden "Carcetti" Gillen has just shown up and has been a top-notch addition - and I've had no problems following along with all the names and characters save for some early confusion about the sons of the main family.
And I'm not finding it boring at all: they've been setting up a great collection of total shitheads all trying to find the best angle to stab each other on the back (possibly literally!), and there's been a perfectly acceptable sprinking of beheadings, impalings, giant wolf maulings and what may or may not be Super Ice Zombies to keep the pace up while they set up all these creeps (and two nice people) on the board.
The only complaints I'd have so far is that I'm not crazy about one of the new characters they added last episode, and it's almost impossible to find any place to read discussions about/discuss the show, since I've never seen any movie/show with people so passionately eager about spoiling/threatening to spoil/not spoiling but saying "I could spoil!" and then kind of spoling anyway.
Meanwhile, The Killing started off strong and has been losing steam for me for the past few weeks, with a strong feel of just shuffling in place because it has to be so many episodes long. I think all four of the presumed leads (the parents and the two cops) are cast well, but only the parents have been given anthing interesting to do. The lead cop is really hampered by the "I have to catch a plane this week!" thread that shows up every week, and they don't seem to be willing to settle on whether the partner is a dope or is actually the interesting guy they showed flashes of in the second episode. The pacing also makes me very skeptical about whether there's a real chance to elegantly tie the seemingly superfluous political b-story stuff in by the end.
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Yeah OK, so that's why I watch it. I agree with pretty much all of that. And I will probably stick with GoT for the time being (I got nothing going on!).
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For whatever it's worth, I have very little interest in fantasy and haven't read the books, but I'm really enjoying Game of Thrones. The casting is pretty terrific - Dinklage is up there with Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson for the most entertaining performance on TV right now, Sean Bean is great, Aiden "Carcetti" Gillen has just shown up and has been a top-notch addition - and I've had no problems following along with all the names and characters save for some early confusion about the sons of the main family.
And I'm not finding it boring at all: they've been setting up a great collection of total shitheads all trying to find the best angle to stab each other on the back (possibly literally!), and there's been a perfectly acceptable sprinking of beheadings, impalings, giant wolf maulings and what may or may not be Super Ice Zombies to keep the pace up while they set up all these creeps (and two nice people) on the board.
The only complaints I'd have so far is that I'm not crazy about one of the new characters they added last episode, and it's almost impossible to find any place to read discussions about/discuss the show, since I've never seen any movie/show with people so passionately eager about spoiling/threatening to spoil/not spoiling but saying "I could spoil!" and then kind of spoling anyway.
Meanwhile, The Killing started off strong and has been losing steam for me for the past few weeks, with a strong feel of just shuffling in place because it has to be so many episodes long. I think all four of the presumed leads (the parents and the two cops) are cast well, but only the parents have been given anthing interesting to do. The lead cop is really hampered by the "I have to catch a plane this week!" thread that shows up every week, and they don't seem to be willing to settle on whether the partner is a dope or is actually the interesting guy they showed flashes of in the second episode. The pacing also makes me very skeptical about whether there's a real chance to elegantly tie the seemingly superfluous political b-story stuff in by the end.
you talking about that fat blob?
he seems so anachronistic to the setting. like in that scene where they're scrubbing the table and bonding or whatever by talking about girls and he says that girls don't like him because he's fat. you'd think in the middle ages being a big dude would be totally desirable cause it means he's got money and can afford a ton of food and he's not some cabbage soup eating peasant. right?
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Not a fan of the actor who plays Jamie, but I wonder if that's because his character is in such a different place in my mind than in the beginning of the books.
Agreed. The guy playing Jamie is a little too John Wesley Shipp for my tastes. I pictured someone nicknamed "The Kingslayer" to be a little more rough around the edges.
I inferred the whole "kingslayer" thing to be kind of an insult. Like calling him kingslayer is sorta like saying "hey you back stabbing traitorous prick."
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sorry for posting a ton at once, i just got into the show so there's alot of stuff on my mind.
one last thing, I know it's kind of a tired argument but seriously, why's everyone getting all upset about the sex and nudity? sure it's seems a little gratuitous at times but i don't see what the big deal is. are people that scared of nudity that it ruins the show for them? in the first episode there's three graphic beheadings. one of which is done by one of the main characters we're supposed to root for, who also forces his ten year old son to watch! that's totally cool but a few bare breasts are so offensive?
and don't say it does nothing to further the plot or is pointless because so far almost all the sex or nudity I've seen n the show has some sort of purpose, whether it's a crucial plot point, like all that incest stuff, or it sets the tone of the scene and puts you in the character's head, like all the scenes with the exiled targaryans (sp?). Those nude/sex scenes with the sister are supposed to come off as creepy and uncomfortable and exploitative because that's exactly what that character is going through. Shes basically being pimped out by her brother. As far as any of the other random nudity, like with peter dinklage at the whorehouse, well he's at a freaking whorehouse! plus it's part of his character, he's a little pervy drunk.
sorry if that's a bit ranty. it's not really aimed at anyone here specifically, since most of the sex talk on the board was about the book (which haven't read yet) but i have read alot of reviews of the show, especially the stuff on the AVclub, where the sex complaint keeps getting brought up.
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sorry for posting a ton at once, i just got into the show so there's alot of stuff on my mind.
one last thing, I know it's kind of a tired argument but seriously, why's everyone getting all upset about the sex and nudity? sure it's seems a little gratuitous at times but i don't see what the big deal is. are people that scared of nudity that it ruins the show for them? in the first episode there's three graphic beheadings. one of which is done by one of the main characters we're supposed to root for, who also forces his ten year old son to watch! that's totally cool but a few bare breasts are so offensive?
and don't say it does nothing to further the plot or is pointless because so far almost all the sex or nudity I've seen n the show has some sort of purpose, whether it's a crucial plot point, like all that incest stuff, or it sets the tone of the scene and puts you in the character's head, like all the scenes with the exiled targaryans (sp?). Those nude/sex scenes with the sister are supposed to come off as creepy and uncomfortable and exploitative because that's exactly what that character is going through. Shes basically being pimped out by her brother. As far as any of the other random nudity, like with peter dinklage at the whorehouse, well he's at a freaking whorehouse! plus it's part of his character, he's a little pervy drunk.
sorry if that's a bit ranty. it's not really aimed at anyone here specifically, since most of the sex talk on the board was about the book (which haven't read yet) but i have read alot of reviews of the show, especially the stuff on the AVclub, where the sex complaint keeps getting brought up.
I like sentences that start with capital letters.
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I think the issue people who have read the book have with the Dany/Drogo wedding night scene is that in the books she was still not totally into it but did give consent (even if it may have been just "biting the bullet"). In the show he pretty much just flips her over and has at it. Through modern, civil eyes that's rape. But I remember seeing news stories about whether a husband forcing himself on his wife even counted as rape. And this was in the 80's, in the United States! Even though the world the show takes place in is fictional, I think it does a pretty accurate job of showing how fucked up the feudal era was. Life was dirt and slaving and shit for 99% of the population and if you weren't a highborn male your options in life were pretty slim. Even the highborn females didn't have much say as to who they married. And as for the highborn males, it was probably still pretty rough compared to today.
When I watch/read L.O.T.R., there are some fucked up things in that world like Mordor and dragons and whatnot, but there are also places like The Shire and Hobbiton. When I watch LOTR and see the scenes in Hobbiton I'm like "I could totally live there and just grow a garden and smoke pipe weed with wizards and it would be pretty chill.".
Not the case with these books. It's a horrible world that nobody would want to live in (just like the real middle-ages).
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GoT:
- The sex is not the problem, the fact that it's mostly gross rape and incest is.
- Ice Wolves and beheadings are too few and far between
- " Aiden "Carcetti" Gillen has just shown up and has been a top-notch addition" AGREED, but that mainly because I can't get past thinking Carcetti has time-traveled.
The Killing:
- Yes, totally filled with some real issues (reliance on drum track to build tension, the sidekick's dumb "accent", the "Sonoma" nonsense). And yes, the name of the show should be "Frowning and Red Herrings, from the original series Frowny Herrings". But I still like it.
I would still give them both up forever in exchange for one more season of Party Down.
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Considering picking up both these shows. I'm counting on you all for a consensus and not getting it yet. >:( :( >:( :( >:( :( :o :( ??? ::) ::) ::) :P :-[ >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( :-X :D ;) :'( :o 8) >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( ::)
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For whatever it's worth, I have very little interest in fantasy and haven't read the books, but I'm really enjoying Game of Thrones. The casting is pretty terrific - Dinklage is up there with Nick Offerman as Ron Swanson for the most entertaining performance on TV right now, Sean Bean is great, Aiden "Carcetti" Gillen has just shown up and has been a top-notch addition - and I've had no problems following along with all the names and characters save for some early confusion about the sons of the main family.
And I'm not finding it boring at all: they've been setting up a great collection of total shitheads all trying to find the best angle to stab each other on the back (possibly literally!), and there's been a perfectly acceptable sprinking of beheadings, impalings, giant wolf maulings and what may or may not be Super Ice Zombies to keep the pace up while they set up all these creeps (and two nice people) on the board.
The only complaints I'd have so far is that I'm not crazy about one of the new characters they added last episode, and it's almost impossible to find any place to read discussions about/discuss the show, since I've never seen any movie/show with people so passionately eager about spoiling/threatening to spoil/not spoiling but saying "I could spoil!" and then kind of spoling anyway.
Meanwhile, The Killing started off strong and has been losing steam for me for the past few weeks, with a strong feel of just shuffling in place because it has to be so many episodes long. I think all four of the presumed leads (the parents and the two cops) are cast well, but only the parents have been given anthing interesting to do. The lead cop is really hampered by the "I have to catch a plane this week!" thread that shows up every week, and they don't seem to be willing to settle on whether the partner is a dope or is actually the interesting guy they showed flashes of in the second episode. The pacing also makes me very skeptical about whether there's a real chance to elegantly tie the seemingly superfluous political b-story stuff in by the end.
Dinklage truly is great in this.
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Half the time he is hilarious because he's a good actor and they write him good lines, and half the time he is hilarious because his English accent is appalling. But he is always hilarious.
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Can we talk about last night's graphic violence and also the crazy sister and her alternative child-rearing methods?????
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Can we talk about last night's graphic violence and also the crazy sister and her alternative child-rearing methods?????
shit kicked off hard last night!
This was the episode I was waiting for and in my opinion I think it did well. After 4 slow moving, world building episodes the stakes suddenly become really high, and I think in retrospect it's so much better this way because we've had 4 episodes to actually understand what's going on and get invested in these characters.
Also, as much as I'm fascinated by what's going on at The Wall and across the narrow sea, I think this show can really benefit from keeping the action in one or two places per episode.
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The
HoundMountain's sword sure is sharp.
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Illustrated guide to relationships in Game of Thrones (spoiler-free):
http://pics.blameitonthevoices.com/s.php?f=052011&p=relationships_in_game_of_thrones.jpg (http://pics.blameitonthevoices.com/s.php?f=052011&p=relationships_in_game_of_thrones.jpg)
(cross-post in Maps, Charts, and Shit thread)
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I just remembered something that really bothered me in the last episode: after Catelyn and her party are ambushed on their way to the Eyrie, the mercenary guy who did a lot of the killing put his sword back in its sheath while it's still covered with blood and guts. Come on! (Note: My outrage is particularly strong because I just reread The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, in which Aslan scolds Peter for not cleaning his sword after he kills Fenris Ulf. Peter can be forgiven, because it was his first kill, but Bronn is an old pro; he'd never sheathe his sword dirty: aside from the fact that it would stink to high heaven, it would rust. What sellsword wants to dull the edge of his blade? Shocking.)
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I don't know why I'm playing White Knight for Martin but: I have read interviews where he justifies his use of sexualized 13 year olds as based in actual medieval practice.
I think this was also the basis of Gary Glitter's defense.
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Just finished reading the first book and am half way through the first episode.
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I don't know why I'm playing White Knight for Martin but: I have read interviews where he justifies his use of sexualized 13 year olds as based in actual medieval practice.
I think this was also the basis of Gary Glitter's defense.
Something about hockey arenas? Do they play Rock n Roll Part II in Nashville, David?
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My system of watching for free on line (sidereel.com) has failed me from Episode 6 and on! Does anyone know of another way to watch for free?
So, now I am reading the second book in the series...
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Late to the party and it actually took some time to get into (trying to keep track of who is related to who) but I'm on board.
The guy who plays the Imp is my favourite character, he seems to have the most relate-able outlook and best lines on the show.
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@TE, if you can get a look at the first book, it contains a detailed section in the back describing all the characters and their houses and linage, and maps on the end papers.
I'm sure a lot of people watching who haven't read the books are lost. It's pretty confusing to try to sort out who's who. There is probably an internet cheat sheet somewhere.
I was at a gaming/hobby shop this weekend and got a look at the Game of Thrones board game. It sort of looks like Magic the Gathering (with cards that detail the characters and actions) and those other expensive board games that take a whole weekend to play. Has anyone played it?
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@TE, if you can get a look at the first book, it contains a detailed section in the back describing all the characters and their houses and linage, and maps on the end papers.
I'm sure a lot of people watching who haven't read the books are lost. It's pretty confusing to try to sort out who's who. There is probably an internet cheat sheet somewhere.
Upthread:
Illustrated guide to relationships in Game of Thrones (spoiler-free):
http://pics.blameitonthevoices.com/s.php?f=052011&p=relationships_in_game_of_thrones.jpg (http://pics.blameitonthevoices.com/s.php?f=052011&p=relationships_in_game_of_thrones.jpg)
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I'm sure a lot of people watching who haven't read the books are lost. It's pretty confusing to try to sort out who's who.
I kind of feel like this is one of those things that people who have read the books are more worried about on behalf of those who haven't than an actual problem for those who are watching the show without having read them. I'm in the latter camp, and the only real problem I had was in the first episode, when it wasn't yet clear which were the five "real" Stark children (since the youngest son is barely shown) and it was difficult to tell Robb, Snow and Theon apart.
That got cleared up pretty quickly, and having recently gone back to watch that episode again, I think a big part of the confusion for me was that Robb and Snow shave midway through the episode and both look different than they did in their first scenes. With hindsight, they actually do a solid job pointing out where Snow and Theon fit into the thing, other than spelling out exactly why Theon is there (something they've done so much in the last few episodes that it's hard to assume anything other than that he's going to screw the Winterfell group over at some point).
Late to the party and it actually took some time to get into (trying to keep track of who is related to who) but I'm on board.
We only got to discuss this briefly in the chat, but I'm curious, what's your top ten rankings on who could beat everybody so far? The Mountain and Drogo should have the top spots locked up, but things get muddy for me after that, thanks to Jamie and Ned going to a draw and The Hound losing to The Mountain due to ref stoppage in the jousting episode. Bronn (the guy who championed Tyrion) and The Knight of Flowers would take my #6 and #7 spots. I'd probably fill out my Top 10 with the old bald guy in the King's Guard, the guy with the whip in Drogo's camp and Jon Snow at #10, who would be like one of those guys who win a season of The Ultimate Fighter.
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Don't forget that veteran Ranger, Wes. He's one of my favorite peripheral characters.
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Or Syrio, Arya's sword fighting instructor.
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Syrio was on my shortlist and I wouldn't argue with anyone who put him in their own Top 10 rankings. Not sure which Ranger you mean, Martin. If it's Benjen (Snow's uncle/Ned's brother), I would have ranked him and taken off the old bald guy knight before this week, and only left him off because there's at least an outside chance that was his hand in the last episode. If that turns out not to be the case, I'll revise my current standings and could see him shooting up to contend for the 6/7 spot.
Similarly, Ned's bodyguard Jory seemed like a contender, but obviously he suffered that career ending eye injury in his match against Jamie a few weeks ago that served as the undercard to Stark-Lannister I.
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Is this the Highlander discussion forum?
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Wes,
Can we include the white walkers in this? I think any one of them might be able to take the Mountain.
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Is this the Highlander discussion forum?
No, but there is one over in the DEAR TOM section and, as I am sure you are well aware, there can be only one.
BOOM
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Wes,
Can we include the white walkers in this?
Do you mean to be racist?
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Wes,
Can we include the white walkers in this?
Do you mean to be racist?
Zing!
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I'm sure a lot of people watching who haven't read the books are lost. It's pretty confusing to try to sort out who's who.
I kind of feel like this is one of those things that people who have read the books are more worried about on behalf of those who haven't than an actual problem for those who are watching the show without having read them. I'm in the latter camp, and the only real problem I had was in the first episode, when it wasn't yet clear which were the five "real" Stark children (since the youngest son is barely shown) and it was difficult to tell Robb, Snow and Theon apart.
That got cleared up pretty quickly, and having recently gone back to watch that episode again, I think a big part of the confusion for me was that Robb and Snow shave midway through the episode and both look different than they did in their first scenes. With hindsight, they actually do a solid job pointing out where Snow and Theon fit into the thing, other than spelling out exactly why Theon is there (something they've done so much in the last few episodes that it's hard to assume anything other than that he's going to screw the Winterfell group over at some point).
Late to the party and it actually took some time to get into (trying to keep track of who is related to who) but I'm on board.
We only got to discuss this briefly in the chat, but I'm curious, what's your top ten rankings on who could beat everybody so far? The Mountain and Drogo should have the top spots locked up, but things get muddy for me after that, thanks to Jamie and Ned going to a draw and The Hound losing to The Mountain due to ref stoppage in the jousting episode. Bronn (the guy who championed Tyrion) and The Knight of Flowers would take my #6 and #7 spots. I'd probably fill out my Top 10 with the old bald guy in the King's Guard, the guy with the whip in Drogo's camp and Jon Snow at #10, who would be like one of those guys who win a season of The Ultimate Fighter.
I feel too ignorant to give a good response to this. I'm still not sure of how this universe works. But just based on looks and my interpretation of the plot, the writer seems to be suggesting that there are things greater than brute strength like cunning and skill. So I bet a guy like Syerio (spelling) comes out of nowhere and drops a proverbial anvil on guys like the Mountain/Drogo/ the Hound.
I was a little disappointed that the imp Tyrion wouldn't have his own kind of sneaky fighting skill/tricks to overcome the bigger guys.
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Holy shit this is some great television.
They lucked out with the actor for Tyrion.
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My favorite character and actor is Ayria. I like the fiesty and fierce little one! I think Lena Headley is great too, as the mother of Joffrey. She plays the protective, clever and no holds barred mom well. I wouldn't mess with her! Of course she had all that practice protecting her other son John Connor!
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Sp. Arya
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Thought you nerds might like this: Link expires 11pm CST on Friday
http://www.teefury.com/ (http://www.teefury.com/)
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Sooooooo. How do people who haven't read the books feel about last night's episode? I've been looking forward to hearing from people who watched this with no prior knowledge of the events that take place.
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My reaction: "What is this, The Wire?"
I was stunned.
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Holy crap they don't care about killing off main characters
was my initial reaction.
That character really got a raw deal he didn't even get to go out with his honor, the honor he lived his whole life by (and got him into the mess). It seems to me the lesson learned was if you pick a path, a way to play the game, to live your life ...you got to ride it to the end good or bad.
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That poor horse.
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I think Sean Bean must have some sort of moral clause that bars him from appearing in the second part of anything, be it a sequel or the second season of a TV show. At least if it involves swords and things.
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Sooooooo. How do people who haven't read the books feel about last night's episode? I've been looking forward to hearing from people who watched this with no prior knowledge of the events that take place.
I got my mom into the show, she's never read the books, she sent me this email this morning:
"Okay, I really dislike that baby boy king. How could they do that to Stark? And Drago on his death bed. What the heck is going on here? I can’t imagine what will happen in the season finale next week."
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The boy king is very evil. Seven novels of seven kingdoms equals a seven season series. I wonder if the viewers will turn to reading the books in the off-season?
I have gotten tendonitis from carting around the massive 973 page third book. Do these books just keep getting heavier? I now understand the Kindle concept.
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But you can't read your Kindle in the tub. (Well, you can, I suppose, but it would be mighty risky.)
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But you can't read your Kindle in the tub. (Well, you can, I suppose, but it would be mighty risky.)
No more risky than a book, except financially.
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That's a big exception.
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Is reading a Kindle in the tub an electrocution waiting to happen?
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More a hefty out-of-pocket expense, I believe.
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More a hefty out-of-pocket expense, I believe.
Surely a Floatdle is in the works.
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That's a big exception.
I just ruined another Kindle in the tub, and I'm lighting my celebratory cigar with a thousand dollar bill right now.
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You should have been in that video with Mike.
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Brandy-soaked Cuban celebratory cigar.
Too late.
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Well? Thoughts?
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I liked it. Good cliffhanger ending without being too frustrating/confusing.
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2011: Give Up Crappy Shows and Watch "The Killing" Instead.
Oh, were we ever so young?
Think I might take the GAME OF THRONES plunge sometime this week. It's not my kinda thing, but the good reviews have piqued my interest. Also, I've been watching trailers for the upcoming video game ELDER SCROLLS V: SKYRIM, and they've given me the fantasy bug but good.
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Has anyone brought up yet that George R R Martin is from Bayonne?
I wonder if there are any scenes in the later books involving dogs being thrown from windows.
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The first thing I thought after watching the finale was how much the final scene looked like something I'd see airbrushed on the side of a dude's van when I was a kid.
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Has anyone brought up yet that George R R Martin is from Bayonne?
I wonder if there are any scenes in the later books involving dogs being thrown from windows.
Bran gets thrown from a window, and he channels his dire wolf. Obviously, George R. R. Martin (god, those double middle initials annoy me) knocked a few back at Massa's Tavern at some point, had a chat with Joe Puppy, and then imposed a little artistic license.
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The first thing I thought after watching the finale was how much the final scene looked like something I'd see airbrushed on the side of a dude's van when I was a kid.
Oh my god. That is insanely true!
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2011: Give Up Crappy Shows and Watch "The Killing" Instead.
Oh, were we ever so young?
Wow, I say some dumb shit but this has proven to be SUPER dumb. Also, this preceding sentence.
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So The Killing isn't worth my time? (NB: My time is pretty worthless, but I do have plenty of other shows to waste it on.)
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Waste it on those other shows. Or watch the Danish original series, which is supposed to be great. But don't watch The Killing.
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Has anyone brought up yet that George R R Martin is from Bayonne?
I wonder if there are any scenes in the later books involving dogs being thrown from windows.
Bran gets thrown from a window, and he channels his dire wolf. Obviously, George R. R. Martin (god, those double middle initials annoy me) knocked a few back at Massa's Tavern at some point, had a chat with Joe Puppy, and then imposed a little artistic license.
man, I gotta get working on some game of thrones/ faces of massa's crossover fan fiction.
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Waste it on those other shows. Or watch the Danish original series, which is supposed to be great. But don't watch The Killing.
The Killing is only worth it if you enjoy watching trainwrecks in slow motion and if you enjoy being disappointed. It's a little like a crappy season of Top Chef.
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Well, I do sort of like those things; for example, two of the shows that entertained me the most in the last while were Persons Unknown and The Cape.
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Well, I do sort of like those things; for example, two of the shows that entertained me the most in the last while were Persons Unknown and The Cape.
Robert Picardo's amazing wig in Persons Unknown would have put him right at home in one or two of the factions in Game of Thrones. But as someone who seems to be in tune with your appreciation of fun trainwrecks, The Killing is not that kind of trainwreck, in my opinion.
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Ah, that's persuasive.
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@Sarah, Are you reading book 4 yet? I'm starting it today.
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Not yet. Maybe I'll add it to the book currently in rotation.
I just watched the final episode. Such cute little dragons! And I thought it was very funny that the actress who played Daenerys was instructed to hold one modestly in front of her crotch. Who needs fig leaves?
Laughter aside, I'm looking forward to the next season.
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I agree that scene with the dragons was well done and fun! I thought that her gray-smoldered body make-up was perfect, and that image would make a great poster for a Dungeon and Dragon's teen's room!
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just bought the first two books.
People who have read it and watched the show, do you think it's be stupid of me to just start with the second book now after watching the first season of the show? I'm itching to continue the story and from what I've gathered the show is pretty true to the books. Do you think I'll lose something in the story if I just pick up where the show has left off?
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I think you'll want to read the first book eventually, and you'll find there's much in there that's missing from the show, but the world won't go poof if you start with the second.
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Take the plunge! Read the first book first. You know the basic story from the show, but you're missing the hugely detailed world the author creates, which is the main attraction of fantasy novels. Also, the book describes a grim, dark, festering and stinky, unfair world that the glossy TV show does not portray as well. The TV characters are all fairly easy on the eyes, whereas in the book the characters aren't like that, especially Tyrion. The book will read quickly for you since you'll be able to keep the characters straight from the start. I don't think you'll find it redundant, and if you do, then skip to the second book.
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Start with book one! I just started it. I'm a couple hundred pages in, and I started less than a few days ago. It's compelling stuff. It's great.
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http://www.npr.org/2011/07/11/137652436/r-r-martins-sardonic-epic-for-an-ambivalent-age (http://www.npr.org/2011/07/11/137652436/r-r-martins-sardonic-epic-for-an-ambivalent-age)
George RR Martin interview on NPR.
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Mark your calendars!
'Game of Thrones' Season 2 Gets April 2012 Premiere Date
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Yeah, this looks pretty awesome:
Game Of Thrones Season 2: "Seven Devils" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=UV3RflsNxak#ws)
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And it's a shame that this show will inevitably go south once they get to the abysmal fourth book. But at least that won't be until Season 5 (the third book is going to be broken up into two seasons).
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Finished season 1 and found this pretty entertaining. A pretty balanced mix of cable-ready sleaze, high production values, and interesting storytelling. Haven't decided yet whether I'll read book 2 (I still haven't learned some of these characters' names).
Did the book describe the battle where Jamie is captured? Wondered if they skipped over that for budget reasons.
Also, I think this video is relevant to the board's interests.
Tyrion Slaps Joffrey For 10 Minutes To Achilles Last Stand (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYNeT2nzEgA&feature=player_embedded#)
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Finally watched Game of Thrones, I watched the whole first season plus the first two episodes of season two in one weekend. It was great to do them back-to-back, with no cliff hanging. It's like John Boorman's "Excalibur" but with more laughs. I love it, it's so fun, but the real star is the opening title sequence - wow, maybe the coolest title sequence ever.
Here's a cool version of the titles with the child actors singing the theme, haha:
Game of Thrones Season 1: Stark Kids Sing Show Open (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REasBBiJm00#ws)
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http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/13/game-of-thrones-season-3-premiere-date_n_1672521.html?ir=Entertainment&ref=topbar (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/13/game-of-thrones-season-3-premiere-date_n_1672521.html?ir=Entertainment&ref=topbar)