Just finished watching first three episodes. Awesome awesome show so far. Can't really think of anything done poorly. Some characters already annoying me, but that happens in real life. Man.... Didn't read the books, though have read a lot of fantasy, but can tell this will be a fantastic series. Especially since I am using my dads HBO GO subscription - which is a freaking awesome website / app btw.
Episode three moved a little slow. Not terrible, but I preferred episode two. They have done a poor job of defining the Drogo/Dany relationship. Spoiler Episode three you see them cuddling and talking about their future child, and it seems like they did little to transition from the rape scenes in episode one to this.
Not everything translates as well to screen. I'm not crazy about it, but isn't really ruining anything for me.
I forgot to add...the lack of Ghost is the only thing bothering me. I understand they had a difficult time filming with these dogs, but now the bond between Jon and Ghost is going to seem forced when it finally does start to be portrayed. Other than that, zero complaints.
Just finished watching episode three and was left wanting MORE !! God that hour seem to have gone by so fast. Just like in the novel, I love Tyrion and Arya, (possibly even more in tyrions case, dinkage is just so funny). The actor play Jaime Lannistor is also doing an excellent job, loved the line about the beheaded outlaw. The only complaints I have about the series so far, is that each episode is too condensed. Time passes very quickly in and between each episode. Months pass by between events, yet its not really that apparent or obvious, thereby giving the episodes a slightly off kilter flow and narrative. Of course this is due to the fact that you can only fit/cover so much of book 1 into a 10 episode season. So while unrealistic and moot, I wished HBO had made this atleast 13 to 20 episode per season instead of 10 (i'd prefer 20 lol).
Arya and Tyrion are also my favorite characters so far, seems as if this is true for most people. The actors that play them are great, same for Jaime. I don't think know why HBO decided to only do 10 episodes, seems like the last series you would want to shorten. Six Feet Under, The Sopranos, The Wire, Curb Your Enthusiasm all had 13 episodes while Deadwood, Flight of the Cochords, and Boardwalk Empire had 12. An extra 2 or 3 hours would make a huge difference.
I thought they translated that when She took charge in the bedroom during episode 2. Her slave explained to her to stop having sex like a slave and that he did not marry her for another slave. BTW, I loved the episode last night. Each episode just keeps getting better and better IMO. I especially love the three specific scenes where Jon was obviously the better swordsman among the new recruits, Tyrlon essentially saves Jon and then explains why he should not look down at them and then the third scene where Jon is actually teaching them about using a sword. I think these three scenes were critical in establishing the relationship between Jon Snow and the rest of the night watch. I also think this is the first time I've seen the King looking down on the Lanisters. He obviously does not like them which is something I did not realize until episode 3. I thought he was just being a major ass to the boy holding his wine until I realized the boy was a Lanister. And then bringing Jamie in just to belittle him. Until that scene I never really liked the King but I like him much more now.
Yeah, great scene with King Robert. I honestly like the message that Dany/Drogo is sending. Modern women are so spoiled and act so entitled. You want your relationship to change? Don't pout and be a brat, do something proactive.
The other thing is that the book itself has quite a bit of time lapse in between chapters/plot points-- which makes sense given that traveling is slow when you don't have airplanes and motor vehicles. For example, it took a month for King Robert's party to go from Kings Landing to Winterfell. It is similarly slow going for the Dothraki nomads. Between the 1st and 3rd episode, I think Drogo and Daenaerys spent months together in "real time" but we only see them on screen for a few minutes each episode. It's not even just the "downtime" that got skipped/fast-forwarded in the books, either. There are points where a chapter takes you up to the eve of a significnat event, then changes to a different plot line, and came back days/weeks later only to describe what happened retrospectively in the dialogues or thoughts of a character. In book form, the author used the characters' thinking/memory to flesh out what happened when we are not "watching" but I don't think the equivalent device on TV (flashback scenes?) would have worked well even if they had enough episodes and screen time to do it.
I loved the part where Ned thought Littlefinger was ****ing with him by taking him to see his wife in the whorehouse. "You're a funny man" as he's choking him. Felt like something right out of the Soprano's. :grin: I agree it's confusing why they only decided to do 10 episodes. I know it would feel rushed either way because there's so much to cover, but it doesn't make much sense when the standard for HBO is 12. Hell, a lot of the other HBO shows don't even have near the complexity or plot that GoT has to address. Just a really perplexing decision. Anyway, they've done about the best job they can putting in the most important stuff. Not really a book spoiler, but Spoiler I was shocked when Cersei told Joffrey he could **** whoever he wants even after he marries Sansa. I do not remember her speaking so frankly to Joffrey in the books (especially about sex).
The last episode was boring IMO. It kind of made me lose interest in the show a bit, but I'll still watch. Yes it is, I've been watching The Sopranos all over again..nice!
I'm going to spoiler this even though I really don't think it is much of a spoiler... Spoiler I think it is interesting that they are throwing in the moral ambiguity of what Jaime did to the Targaryn king so early in the series. From what I remember they didn't really start revealing some of the reasons behind why Jaime turned on his king until he was on the road with Brienne. Of course, I might just not be remembering it. I vaguely recall being a little confused about the history of the kings and who did what in the books until at least a couple books in. So maybe I just glossed over the conversation that Jaime and Ned had in the the throne room in the latest episode. And these are definitely spoilers: Spoiler And I'm still holding out hope that the actress playing Daenyrs will be capable of displaying the fire and determination she shows later on when she is the ruler of her Dothraki group with her dragons. Her character has so many money moments in later books. My wife asked me after this episode if Daenyres' child is a boy. I just looked at her and said, "Uhh, I don't remember." Maybe they tell you in the books, but it never really sunk in based on how everything goes down. I hope my reaction didn't give away to her what's coming. Also would like to second Arya and Tyrion as my favorite characters so far. And they really did do an excellent job casting Jaime. That actor is perfect for that role.
I just have to randomly contribute that I'm loving this series so far. My wife, surprisingly, is really into it as well. Also, I don't know if anyone noticed: http://www.georgerrmartin.com/if-update.html
Ha Ha! Well, he always did say that he would not be cute about it and he would just come out and say it was done. There it is. Can't wait until July!
I thought it was a good episode with some needed character development a long with introducing a ton of new characters. We met Pyp, Gren, Lord Mormont, Ser Alister Thorne, Yoren, and Maester Aemon at the wall. Littlefinger, Varys, Renly, Maester Pycelle, and Syrio in Kings Landing along with the yet unnamed Ser Barristan Selmy, and Jhogo on the Dothraki side. Loved the Arya and Tyrion scenes, and the stuff they added that wasn't in the book was mostly good. Some critics did say it was the lowest action episode of the six they previewed, but I think they needed a short calm before the next storm. Nitpicking, I did miss not seeing any of the wolves in particular Ghost. We have only seen him twice, once as a puppy and in the where's waldo like landscape shot before Tyrion and Jon start talking at the camp on the way to the wall last episode. He hasn't even been given a name on screen yet, so slightly disappointing. I also thought Dany stopping whole the khalasar horde just so she could go walk off the path for no explained reason was a bit odd and unexplained. But like I said nitpicks on an episode I still enjoyed a lot. Next week we should meet the Mountain, Ser Loras, possibly Samwell, and Bronn.
for those rightly complaining about a lack of direwolves, the producers stated the dogs were hard to work with. People who have seen the first six episodes have stated Spoiler that Ghost will be (re)introduced at some point in these episodes and will have a role. I'll see if I can find the articles were I read this
