Game of Thrones (TV show)

[Thyroid]

While I'm not happy with a lot of the casting and some of the art direction, I'm excited for the Game of Thrones adaptation by HBO. (The book is really good, by the way.) Here's a 10-minute Inside Look.

[Orv]

While I'm not happy with a lot of the casting and some of the art direction, I'm excited for the Game of Thrones adaptation by HBO. (The book is really good, by the way.) Here's a 10-minute Inside Look.

Really? You're not happy with the casting? I love almost all of it.

[Thyroid]

Keeping in mind that I only read book one, I'm not happy with a lot of it because it seems that most of the actors were cast on the basis of what the characters look like, as opposed to who they really are. Ned, for example, is a middle-aged man; but is, really, quite old and weary, at least mentally. The king is the other way round - a little older, but a complete prat.

To be honest, I don't think Mark Addy looks or even fits the part, but I'll hopefully be proved wrong. I'm not, usually, when it comes to casting and adaptations (especially if it's not something I'm a bit of fanboy for, like Monkey Island), but who knows?

I should read book 2. I love the first one; I don't know why it's taken me so long to pick-up the second.

[Orv]

To be honest, I'm actually going to agree with you.

Physically, for the most part, they're on par. I had a discussion with a friend when the casting was first announced about the "genius of casting Peter Dinklage" and that sort of thing.

So there's an excellent chance you're on the money, Krom, but I'll have to watch the thing first.

[Thyroid]

Random topic change.

Do you know who'd have made a fantastic Ned Stark for the Game of Thrones adaptation? Christopher Eccleston.

Whoever cast Harry Lloyd as Viserys needs a medal, though.

[Orv]

Random topic change.

Do you know who'd have made a fantastic Ned Stark for the Game of Thrones adaptation? Christopher Eccleston.

Whoever cast Harry Lloyd as Viserys needs a medal, though.

I don't know how many hours I've burned to a mental crisp discussing the casting of HBO's GoT, but it must be somewhere in the range of self-malfeasance, because I've gone over it backwards and forwards and the only person I can honestly say I don't think is good for the part is. . .

Emilia Clarke as Daenerys, simply because I have no damn idea who she is.

Otherwise, I think GoT is going to be the first mini-series I've bought on DVD in a very, very long time. I believe since Children of Dune, I've had all the mini-series I want gifted to me.

We'll see!

[Orv]

So I'll be frank. I do not regret my current HBO subscription.

Game of Thrones = :tup::tup: (Using a meh because we don't have a half a thumbs-up)

If you enjoy A Song of Ice and Fire, see it. Man, it's utterly fantastic. There are a few niggling issues with it, but primarily ones I notice because I've read the books eight or nine times each, over the last decade and a half. (Save ADWD, mind.)

[elmuerte]

so, that's 4.5 out of 5? or 10? or 11?

If it's 4.5 out of 5, when why not simply do 9 out of 10.

[Scrobbs]

Was going to mention GoT, been waiting for a year! Only disconcerting thing is that the book is so big, the series might move the material a little fast.

More importantly, he's finally finished the manuscript to 'A Dance With Dragons'.

[Orv]

so, that's 4.5 out of 5? or 10? or 11?

If it's 4.5 out of 5, when why not simply do 9 out of 10.

4.5

A 10 scale doesn't work for what I'm thinking for this.

[Thyroid]

So, anyone here been watching Game of Thrones? How is it? Does it live up to the book? I'm especially interested in knowing how well Harry Lloyd's been playing Viserys.

[Gwardinen]

So, anyone here been watching Game of Thrones? How is it? Does it live up to the book? I'm especially interested in knowing how well Harry Lloyd's been playing Viserys.

It's good. The script is very faithful to the book, and the performances do it justice. A particular favourite of mine is Tyrion, who I loved in the books and is as good or better in the series. The child actors are all surprisingly decent as well.

As for Viserys, in the series he isn't portrayed as being especially complicated. Fairly standard power-grabbing jealous brother, for the most part. There are one or two instances in which a bit of the insecurity due to the vast lineage he is supposedly meant to be returning to glory show through, but not much more. I don't recall whether the book went into more detail or not, it's been a while. The acting is good, though, there were never times I felt like the character wasn't coming off right.

[Orv]

It's good. The script is very faithful to the book, and the performances do it justice. A particular favourite of mine is Tyrion, who I loved in the books and is as good or better in the series. The child actors are all surprisingly decent as well.

As for Viserys, in the series he isn't portrayed as being especially complicated. Fairly standard power-grabbing jealous brother, for the most part. There are one or two instances in which a bit of the insecurity due to the vast lineage he is supposedly meant to be returning to glory show through, but not much more. I don't recall whether the book went into more detail or not, it's been a while. The acting is good, though, there were never times I felt like the character wasn't coming off right.

I can agree pretty heartily with Gwardinen's assessment. Viserys is pretty close to the books and just "got his crown" last week, so that's the end of that. I agree that Peter Dinklage is a fantastic Tyrion, and is swiftly becoming one of my favorite actors. There haven't been any real breaks from the book, and as stated, even the child actors are surprisingly good.

Syrio (Arya's "dancing" tutor) is probably my favorite background character in the entire series, and Arya herself is amusing. The direwolves are also pretty neat, but have sort of been ignored since they were found, which isn't a terrible sin, but it is sad.

Finally, I'm not a huge fan of Mark Addy in comedy roles, but he plays a very solid Robert Baratheon here. I'm honestly torn between liking him and despising him, so in that way, it follows the books incredibly well.

4.5/5 or 8.5/10

[Orv]

Well, Game of Thrones season 2 started off a bit slowly, but I'm already experiencing those slight withdrawal symptoms. Not sure how I feel about Melisandre yet, but Stannis looks like he'll be good. Also the

wolf dream of Bran's

caught me by surprise.

[Thyroid]

Well, Game of Thrones season 2 started off a bit slowly, but I'm already experiencing those slight withdrawal symptoms. Not sure how I feel about Melisandre yet, but Stannis looks like he'll be good. Also the

wolf dream of Bran's

caught me by surprise.

I'm still a bit disappointed that they haven't cast

Reek

. I understand cutting out

Jojen, Meera, Big and Little Walder

, but cutting out the first one would be a huge, huge mistake, as it would let them lose a large dimension of the relationship that later develops.

Anyway, I was thinking that they would do this thing where they would show you what all or most of the characters were up to at that point, and I was thinking this was a mistake; a show like The Wire shows you some characters, pushes their stories forward, and then spends episode 2 starting-up other storylines while continuing the stuff started in episode 1. It works really well, and I was wondering if David Benioff and DB Weiss decided to take that route or not.

So, uh, do they?

[Orv]

I'm still a bit disappointed that they haven't cast

Reek

. I understand cutting out

Jojen, Meera, Big and Little Walder

, but cutting out the first one would be a huge, huge mistake, as it would let them lose a large dimension of the relationship that later develops.

Anyway, I was thinking that they would do this thing where they would show you what all or most of the characters were up to at that point, and I was thinking this was a mistake; a show like The Wire shows you some characters, pushes their stories forward, and then spends episode 2 starting-up other storylines while continuing the stuff started in episode 1. It works really well, and I was wondering if David Benioff and DB Weiss decided to take that route or not.

So, uh, do they?

If I understand what you're saying, that's exactly what they did. They showed a three or four minute recap of last season, and then spent about five minutes with all of the major plotlines.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS-ISH

Tyrion has shown up at King's Landing to take his place as interim Hand of the King, riles up Cersei.

Joffrey is a complete dick to Sansa, his mother and basically everyone.

Baelish gets wrangled into finding Arya.

The Nights Watch ends up in the last inhabited Wildling village and finds out about Mance Raiders plans.

Rob and his mother discuss bringing the Greyjoys into the war in their side. Rob and Jaime verbally spar for a bit, quite good acting on both parts.

Daenrys and her remaining Khaleesar are crossing the Red Waste. The last we see of her for the episode is sending outriders to find the nearest end of the Waste.

A purge of the bastard children of Robert Baratheon is begun by the Kings Guard. The final scene is Arya and Gendry on the wagon north to the Wall.

[Roderick]

I loved being back in Westeros. It's very pleasant! But tell me, did anyone else feel that Carice van Houten (who plays the witch, Melisandre or something? Her name isn't mentioned) had a terrible Dutch accent? Maybe for non-Dutch people it's 'exotic', but for me it's just a person speaking English with a bad accent. Carica is usually delightful, but this was off-putting.

I had to very quickly turn the TV audio way down

during the fucking. What will the neighbours have thought!

.

[Orv]

That portion started off very loud, yeah. I was honestly surprised they contained the lewdness to a single scene this time around. The pilot was drowning in TnA.

As for Melisandre, I honestly didn't notice much of an accent. A proto-typical "fantasy voice" affectation, but she certainly didn't sound Dutch.

[Twig]

I loved being back in Westeros. It's very pleasant! But tell me, did anyone else feel that Carice van Houten (who plays the witch, Melisandre or something? Her name isn't mentioned) had a terrible Dutch accent? Maybe for non-Dutch people it's 'exotic', but for me it's just a person speaking English with a bad accent. Carica is usually delightful, but this was off-putting.

I had to very quickly turn the TV audio way down

during the fucking. What will the neighbours have thought!

.

Well, apparently she actually is Dutch and even still lives in the Leiderdorp, Netherlands, according to Wiki. So maybe your ears are broken. Or, alternatively, maybe she was trying NOT to sound Dutch and it didn't go well.

I haven't watched it, yet. D:

[MrHoatzin]

Well, apparently she actually is Dutch and even still lives in the Leiderdorp, Netherlands, according to Wiki. So maybe your ears are broken.

I think you misread the nature of his objection.

Also, I am saddened that no one cares for Rupaul's Drag Race.

[Twig]

I think you misread the nature of his objection.

Probably. Either way.

[Nachimir]

Also, I am saddened that no one cares for Rupaul's Drag Race.

Copyright blocked outside the U.S.

[Roderick]

Carice van Houten is one of the best actresses in the Netherlands, which is why I'm so stumped at how mediocre this performance seemed. Maybe I'm reading too much in it though! It's also entirely possible she was asked not to sound too 'American' and let her natural accent shine through.

I'm still interested if for non-Dutch people it was fine and really just a 'typical fantasy affectation'.

I also tried to watch RuPaul, but got blocked.

[Orv]

Carice van Houten is one of the best actresses in the Netherlands, which is why I'm so stumped at how mediocre this performance seemed. Maybe I'm reading too much in it though! It's also entirely possible she was asked not to sound too 'American' and let her natural accent shine through.

I'm still interested if for non-Dutch people it was fine and really just a 'typical fantasy affectation'.

I also tried to watch RuPaul, but got blocked.

Like I said, I definitely didn't hear much Dutch, if any, and I'm fairly good with accents. Admittedly, most of my exposure to Dutch has been through people from that area of the world with insanely thick accents, so Dutch can definitely trip me up.

[Twig]

The only Dutch accent I'm familiar with is Singsing, a pro Dota 2 player who streams a lot. X: