Hahaha, a relatively measured response. When I first read through A Game of Thrones I literally tossed my library copy across the room, I was so heartbroken.
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I just finished the latest episode myself. Just about made me cry, despite knowing exactly what happens.
SpoilerI felt like shouting "No!" at Jorah when he brought Dany into the tent. And the excecution. In the books it's told from Arya's perspective, as I recall. But seeing Ned's face, his utter uncertainty as to the fate of his daughters. That was painful. He knows Sansa's in Cersei's clutches and Arya's been lost in the crowd, but to what end?
Also, I was really disappointed they didn't show the battle scenes. Felt very ripped off as they're very well described in the books. I wanted to see the movement of the Lannister forces. The surprise on Jaime's face when he gets ambushed.
And was I the only one missing the "Bastard sword for a bastard" line? Oh, and paying a gold coin "because a Lannister's worth more" in Tyrion's tale about his wife. Perhaps that was just too dark for HBO? Though i find that hard to believe...
I wonder if HBO is reserving a proper set piece battle scene for the last episode, end the season with a bang you know? I understand budget concerns restricted a lot of what the could in regards to keeping faithful to GRRM's vision.
Alas, if I was a multi-billionaire I would happily support HBO with my patronage but unfortunately I am an unemployed peon currently slaving away at a Political Science degree (the better with which to serve you coffee at Starbucks with)
Aye they pulled a Rome on the battle scenes. It was expected but still disappointing.
Also, got to see my families faces during the final scenes. Absolutely priceless that.
Wow, that is hilarious... You can watch him as he's watching the end of the episode, he just storms off and starts thrashing stuff. But seriously, poor guy. I remember when I first read the book, I must have been between 12 and 14 or so (yeah, a bit young but my dad had a habit of buying random books for me, with varying results). I must have reread that scene half a dozen times, trying to find a way out for Ned.
Kidding about SOIAF cheery popping aside, I liked the episode a lot, but Jon is starting to feel a bit wooden... Maybe that's just how he copes. The Dothraki parts were really cool (armour pwns weird kopesh scimitar thing), wish we could have spent more time with Arya, but I understand why it was cut. Tyrion and Co remain the spotlight stealing squad (btw the actress playing Shae is one of the most attractive women I have ever seen), I have high hopes for Shagga being even more awesome then in the books. And while the battle cop-outs were not unexpected they were still disappointing, but I understand huge battle scenes cost ridiculous sums of money, money that I rather be spent on talented actors and more episodes.
I can see why they'd want to add depth to Shae's character, since she is rather shallow in the books. I don't like it though, she was better off as a shallow whore.
Link to the review? It sounds amusing.
Wonderful episode, annoyed with the lack of battles. I wanted to see the whispering woods. Maybe a flashback from Jaime later on?
Wasn't Shae a redhead?
Here A bit of a warning, he cusses a lot. The entire thing he is just fuming and nodding his head in anger, and it is hilarious.
Also, the show says no flashback (I wanted to see the death of Dayne dammit), also as to Shae's hair I don't remember but don't think it's all that important.
SpoilerI don't think it's in the books, but even if it were, it's hardly conclusive. A incredibly large number of targs died from fire, such as Aerion Brightflame, who drank a pot of wildfire, Aegon V and his son Duncan, who perished in the Tragedy at Summerhall, and Viserys, who, while not in direct contact with fire, died by having 1000 degree gold poured on his head. Daenerys doesn't count, because magic was involved.
I was very annoyed at the episode when they whopped Tyrion on the head and used that as their excuse to blot out the battle. It was really a disservice to the character who, despite being a dwarf, is actually a fairly decent warrior. They turned him into comic relief in the scene, and that bothers me.
They could have done it better simply by having them mount up, and then cut to a different scene, then shown the after effects. It would have been more understandable and less insulting.
SpoilerIn the show, right before the truth or dare game we had tyrion and shae with a burning candle between them. Tyrion got burned and flinched first.
Of course, I don't buy the idea that if you can be hurt by fire you can't be one of the heads of the dragon. First, because I'm pretty sure Dany even said the heads don't all need to be Targaryens. If they don't need to be Targaryen they surely don't need to possess her fire immunity.
And secondly, a lot of people root for Jon Snow as a secret Targaryen, yet he clearly gets burned by fire in both the book and show, I'd argue that's a much bigger wrench than Tyrion
Big agreement here. The fact that he does prove, over and over, that he really is at least competant at the things no one expects him to be is one of his big character traits. It was only made doubly worse because it was a way to cop out of showing the battle.
Shae...I really didn't like for some reason. I think the actress just clashes far too much with what's in my head (which, admittedly, is probably less-than-accurate).
Seeing Filch as Lord Frey is going to make me giggle any time LadyMeyers forces me to watch the early Harry Potter films :smallbiggrin:, maybe I'll finally be entertained by them now...
As for the books, finally finished number 3:
SpoilerThe ending was worth the soft middle. Watching Joffrey die like the pitiful whelp he is: grand. Gregor Clegane dying bit by bit in agonizing pain: even better. Tywin getting his for arranging the Red Wedding: priceless. Throw in Lysa getting thrown from the Eerie as a bonus. I couldn't be happier with the way that book was wrapped up.
On Tyrion fighting: There's still time for him to shine, for example at the siege
yea and they can't really skip over that. it is far too important.
Rome skipped over every single battle. Personally I think it'll go like this.
SpoilerThere will be a lot of noise in the background a few far off fuzzy shots of people moving. Tyrion goes to the boat, a burst of fire or something to get Tyrion out of position, epic Podrick Payne maneuver and Tyrion falls unconscious before we actually see anything.
SpoilerWhich is incidentally how the book did it. We got a lot of talking, then Tyrion riding out, getting knocked unconcious, then waking up and getting filled in on the rest. I think people who came into the show expecting to see the stuff that we missed in the books are really missing the point of an adaption. It isn't to show things we couldn't see otherwise, it's to show what we see in the books.
The only problem I really have with the way it's been portrayed so far is Tyrion getting knocked out by his own men before the fight even started. I think it would have worked just as well with a quick 10 second shot of some melee combat ending with Tyrion getting knocked out, or even just skipping the battle entirely, cutting away from him walking to war and cutting back in with him unconcious, lending the appearance of Tyrion actually getting injured in battle. The way they handled it is, as someone else mentioned, making him comedic relief.
On the other hand, I am glad we don't have Tyrion the axe wielding knight killer, who takes out a half dozen men by the end of the first book. That was really stretching credulity, and just like I was glad they took out his little acrobatic stunt when talking to Jon Snow back at Winterfell, I am glad they are downplaying his martial prowess. While I don't like him being knocked out by his own men, seeing him go out into battle and kill a bunch of people himself would be even less believable.
My favourite bit of that video was when he said
SpoilerHe'll definitely quit if Drogo dies.
I smiled
Quick, we need to move Martin to a secure location!
Wait wait wait....omg...
spoiler for episode 9
SpoilerDid Ned Stark really just get beheaded? For realzys? I hate this show...
I don't see how that needs a spoiler considering the episode already aired, but...
SpoilerYes. Ned just got beheaded because Joffrey is a little prick who would kill the man for spite. Hell, Varys said it perfectly... Theres more use in a tame wolf than a dead one. Ned was going to submit for his family's sake. They had him in the best possible position for their interests. Cercei, bitch or not, knew this. She had planned for this. She wanted this. But like I said, Joffrey is a spiteful little prick. I'm really hoping his impulsiveness and spitefulness will come back to bite him in the ass later.
Other thoughts... Jorah was awesome even though he has his armor to thank for saving his ass. As ominous as the scene seemed, I'm guessing taking Danerys into the tent was the stupidest damn thing he could've done (what's her name the witch said no one should go in there...)
Whatshisname... The old guy who was Filch from the HP movies... Frey I think it was... He seems like a real creeper...
Oh, and anyone else notice that the opening changes between episodes? Different parts of the map are shown... I kinda thought I saw it before but this episode confirmed it for me... Last few episodes, I remember showing off The Eyrie, but this one showed off The Twins...
I hate this show...
Spoiler
Yup. Ned's dead, baby...Ned's dead.
*drives off on a motorcycle*