Game of Thrones [2]

Just an observation as I'm rereading the series. I recently finished Dany's chapter when she's in the House of the Undying and one of the visions she sees is

Spoiler:

I tried to see if there was anything familiar about the other visions Dany saw but nothing stuck out particularly, but it's always interesting to pick up on these little tidbits when rereading a book or series.

This was too good not to share.

‘In terms of the blocking in that scene, Reek is positioned as the observer in the background, which had people bothered that we’re essentially watching Sansa’s humiliation through his eyes. Was that something that was in the script or did it emerge on the day?’//

“'It was definitely in the script. And again, it’s not something I really want to talk about, to be honest.’

—
Interview between Yahoo and Jeremy Podeswa about the Black Wedding.

Three months later, Jeremy Podeswa:

“To be fair, the criticism was the notion of it, not the execution.”
— Jeremy Podeswa

They really are completely oblivious aren't they.

Nah, scratch that. At best they they are criminally negligent, at worst willfully so.

I finished the first Game of Thrones book about 2 weeks ago, and although breaking a record of the most things ever spoiled for me prior to reading any book (you can add the previous post onto my list   ), George R.R. Martin's brilliant writing always kept me interested. The first half of the tv series was certainly underwhelming and clunky in some places, partly because I've was reading and watching the series as I went along (I've abandoned that method now), but it seems the writers really picked up the pace with the latter half. Also, GRRM wrote the 8th episode, which for me made it the best in the 1st season.

One thing that did piss me off was that they completely took out the final battle scene !!! That's all I really have to say, though I most definitely come up with some more later.

They were finding their feet in some ways in the first season, and they definitely didn't have the budget they would later get (I imagine that's why the battle scene occurred offscreen), but I still think it was one of the better seasons. I've never tried simultaneously watching and reading, though I guess that early on they adapted the story linearly enough that it wouldn't be too difficult.

Glad to hear that you enjoyed the first book.

We do have a book thread too.

Although, I'm not sure that's any less spoilery.

Maybe we need a first-time readers thread?

We initially split the thread so that book spoilers wouldn't be a concern for people who hadn't read them, but honestly the main concern would be going the other way now. But I don't think we have any readers who are refusing to watch the show (other than Bluebottle, but I don't think you're trying to remain spoiler free, though correct me if I'm wrong). So yeah it's kinda moot now.

When does the next season come out anyway? June or something?

Forest Shepherd wrote:When does the next season come out anyway? June or something?

S6 premiers on Sunday, April 24.

nice. cant wait.

*bleurgh* Nah, no thanks. I'm done with this rape appologizing, mysoginistic, nihilistic, a mile wide of the mark evisceration of one of the seminal epic fantasy series out there.

And it feels really good to say that.

Its not misogynistic because it has some of the most self determined female characters I have ever seen. There just aren't many characters on tv as interesting and non stereotypical as Arya, Brienne, Queen of Thorns, Theon's sister, just to name a few. People cant dismiss the whole show as misogynist just because of one slightly dodgy scene with Sansa.

Bluebottle wrote:*bleurgh* Nah, no thanks. I'm done with this rape appologizing, mysoginistic, nihilistic, a mile wide of the mark evisceration of one of the seminal epic fantasy series out there.

And it feels really good to say that.

Yeah, going to avoid this like grayscale and the bloody flux myself.

Though I still haven't seen season 5 (except for the rape scene) I rather agree with Figgs on this one. Nobody was calling male mysogyny when the castration happened.

Wait, remind me where the rape apologist accusation came from? Was is that one director mouthing off about the Cersei/Jaime scene? Cause I can understand the complaints about the use of rape as drama, though I don't necessarily totally agree with it, but the personal accusations leveled at D&D are a bit much. Just because they aren't right-thinking by tumblr standards doesn't make them bad people. That said, there was no excuse for the sex slave scene with Tyrion, so I do definitely get where the criticisms are coming from.

Anyway, I thought S5 was plenty bad enough from a storytelling perspective without getting into the politics of it. That was my main objection to the whole Sansa thing: that nothing going on in that arc made any sense given what we knew of the characters and setting. But I'm still probably gonna watch at least part of S6.

I'm going to watch all of Season 6 myself. Even if it is like greyscale and the bloody flux!

Knowing me, I will probably stick with it no matter what, but I came close to giving up on S5 so maybe I'm getting better at letting go of shows/franchises that I used to like if they're no longer good.

Then again, I went back for all three Hobbit movies plus the EEs soooo...

I agree S5 was a dip in quality from the past seasons, but not that much. Considering the full on sexual violence in the books its a bit rich to criticise the show from showing you know.. sexual violence. It what it is famous for, and that's what it gives us unapologetically. The female characters are still very unusual for tv. given that its set in a pseudo mediaeval world.

I think an irritating problem that has sprung up in the series thus far for me is that there are some really great sequences in the show, but they don't always flow with the show. The ninth episode, Baelor, had the moment when Robb won the battle and captured Jaime Lannister, and he made the speech about one victory not making them conquerors. That speech would have worked better if we had actually seen the battle he was referencing. There's other moments like this which feel a bit clunky and unorganized.

The problem is that they're making the show too much like the book for it's own good. What works on the page doesn't necessarily work on screen, including organization of events and so fourth. I hope later on in the series the creators realize this

The later seasons have definitely gotten a lot different from the book, especially season five. They've also gotten a much bigger budget so they can show more battles and stuff.

https://twitter.com/disowngot

For anyone planning on watching the upcoming season, I bring you "Sansagate: Mark II";

http://gotgifsandmusings.tumblr.com/post/139613553742/here-we-go-again-ew

My, my...the vitriole.

I can't get quite so worked up when GRRM is mucked with as when Tolkien is mucked with because Tolkien is a far more thematic writer, while Martin is all about showing the randomness of real life. I could very well have seen Martin writing a scene where Theon rapes Sansa, but can't see Tolkien writing a bunny sled; or an ignoble Denethor.