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[shadowkat]

The second episode of Game of Thrones was much much better than the first. And they are moving rapidly through the book. In some respects it works better - the jumping from points of views, which in the book often felt jarring, you'd be in one, there'd be a cliff-hanger, and suddenly you are in another for about 30 pages. Here it's faster. Less plodding through intricate and textured description. We don't need descriptions of each character, their clothing, etc.


And the casting is pitch-perfect. I don't care what anyone else says - Lena Headley is perfect as Cersei...she has the right blend. Of course I loved Headley long before SCC, seen her in a lot of films and tv shows over the years. Excellent actress - she disappears into her roles with a quiet grace, embodying each character with fierce strength.

Also Ayra - the little girl playing Ayra is blowing me away. There's not a false note here.
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion is inspired, and more or less how I envisioned him. He's amongst my favorite characters. And whoever they found to play Prince Joffrey? He's exactly what I envisioned and just as repulsively beautiful - Prince Viserys twin.

I think the fast pace is a good idea - because in some respects it plays out like a Shakespearean Tragedy of epic proportions. Think MacBeth meets Hamlet with more than a touch of Richard the III, and you'll know what I mean. Dwell too long, and things get unbelievably grim and a bit plodding - which is sort of my problem with The Killing - it's too slow, although different genre, different rules, so not fair to compare them. We've been through this before - comparing two different genres gets dicey, because their aims are so different.

Anyhow...no time to do a lengthy review. Just extremely pleased with this show. It's right up there with the Good Wife and Justified in the quality department. Direction, writing, acting, production value are all working for me. Along with pacing.


Do wonder if it works as well for people who haven't read the books? I don't remember Game of Thrones all that well, if anything the series is bringing the books back to me. I read Game five years ago. Example - I forgot most of Catelynn's arc (mostly because the character grated so much on my nerves in the books that I kept scanning, here - I find I like her a lot better). So I can't tell you precisely what is different between the two. It feels fairly faithful, just a bit faster paced and I think they combined some things and left other things out? Focusing on the important bits. There's a few side stories...that may have gotten dropped. Martin is incredibly thorough with his world-building. I kid you not about the amount of detail in these books. It may help watching this - to know exactly where each character is headed more or less. Makes certain bits, ironically amusing. And other's far less painful.

Comments

[angearia.livejournal.com]

I forgot most of Catelynn's arc (mostly because the character grated so much on my nerves in the books that I kept scanning, here - I find I like her a lot better).

This is the biggest change to me. They've altered lines and scenes, really softened Catelyn's character. She's far more likeable in the TV series than in the book. It's hard to express the nuance in how it's changed, but she came off a lot more cruel and self-involved in the book (she ordered Jon to leave Bran rather than simply allowing him to come say goodbye). I actually like her character in the TV series where as I didn't care for her much in the book. They also have added much to Cersei's role. I noticed in the pilot how they added the scheming scene during Arryn's funeral, then we have Cersei telling Catelyn how she lost her first son to fever and Lena Headey was so incredible in that scene. It's like -- is she just vindictive? Does she maybe care? What's her deal? She keeps you guessing and I'm left wondering if Cersei is just that good of an actress herself.

And yes, the casting is perfection.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I noticed in the pilot how they added the scheming scene during Arryn's funeral, then we have Cersei telling Catelyn how she lost her first son to fever and Lena Headey was so incredible in that scene.

So both of those were different from the book?

The scene during Arryn's funeral is a great addition - because it acts as short-hand for a lot of things. Martin took longer in the books to explain some of it - actually most of it was explained in the sex scene Bran ends up witnessing, where they discuss it. Rather prefer how they do it here - because it makes the Lannisters a bit more complex from the beginning.
Cersei gets across to Jamie in that scene that she's not as fearless as he is. That she is worried about her husband finding out. And Jamie lets us know how dire the consequences would be if Robert did, but why at the same time he is willing to risk it. So much conveyed in the space of five minutes.

Also her scene with Catelyn is wonderful. I think part of the difference is in how the actors are interpreting the characters. Hedly for instance, states that she thinks Cersei did care for Robert initially and may have loved him, but he called out another woman's name or indicated he preferred someone over her and that was part of the reason she turns so solidly against him. Interesting interpretation.

In the books, I imagined Cersei as being colder and more calculating. But I think this may work better. Makes her a little more likable or a villian you love to hate.

Also, Catelyn is given a bit more warmth. I think Martin struggled with his adult female characters...a bit, they come across as colder in his novels...here they are a bit warmer.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

I liked it better than the first episode too. It really helped that they could now go into the nuances.

I'm non to worried about Cersei anymore either. Watching her sentence Lady to death and then seeing the hound drag home Myca's bloody corpse pretty much did the trick of making her not likeable. It makes sense for Cersei to be a good actress and not horrible on first glance too.

In the books I always thought Ned was incredibly stupid for believing she would flee and for giving her time to kill first Robert than him, but with this Cersei it makes much more sense.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Agreed. I always thought Catelynn and Ned were idiots in the book, had a really hard time identifying with or caring for either in the books - which meant that I was often rooting for the wrong people. LOL! Here, though, I find myself caring a great deal for both of them. Not sure why exactly...it may be how the actors are interpreting the roles or how it's written.

And it works a lot better with Cersei...I rather like the two additions they made. The scene with her and Jaime in the first episode at the beginning, and the scene in the second episode where she discusses her own dead son with Catelynn.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

The one were Cersei talks about her dead son was interesting, especially because she said he had a black head like Bran's, which means it was Robert child. And in the books Cersei aborted (and killed one baby) every time she was pregnant from Robert instead of Jamie.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

That's what I remembered as well from the books - that Cersei hated Robert and any man her father forced on her that wasn't Jamie. She felt, and rightly so, that she was nothing but chattle in the eyes of her father.

Lena Hedley in an interview states she believes her character at one point loved Robert, but in the books, it's clear she didn't.
Of course Robert is not likable in the books, he's more likable here actually, as is Ned. (Ned by the third book comes across as bit less heroic...when we start to see him from another set of povs.)

I find the slight changes intriguing.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

When Tyrion was smacking the crap out of Joffrey I had to wonder how it looked to the unspoiled, because I know I should feel something about an adult hitting a child other than "Hit him MORE!" :)

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

LOL! The kid who plays him though is doing such a good job of making the character repulsive - that I think the unspoiled may route for it. (My difficulty is I read Storm of Swords not that long ago, so that story is the clearest in my head and...well, what happens in Games is oddly ironic in light of it.)

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

I never read the books, I might if I enjoy the series....
I didn't really enjoy the first episode but this second one was pretty awesome.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Not sure if you'd like the books. This second episode? Was the equivalent of 100-200 pages in the book. He really goes into nitty-gritty detail. Very Tolkienesque.

Never decide on a tv series by it's pilot episode is my motto.
(Which apparently everyone including the networks ignores - since read in the paper this morning that Paul Reiser's new show was canceled after just two episodes.)

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

Oh I'm disappointed to hear about Paul Reiser's show being cancelled so fast; I thought the first show was hilarious (I haven't watched the 2nd one yet, it is on my DVR). Comedy shows need to find their audience - but clearly they thought just his name would pull in an audience. But it is on against American Idol and other (more established) comedies.... they should have let it build an audience until American Idol finished at the very least.
sigh

Re: Game of Thrones: I have too much to read right now, so I wasn't planning to try this any time soon... but I was willing to spoil myself with the show since it is available on my computer...
I am well aware that the experiences of books & shows are completely different...

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

Well I take it back, the 2nd episode of Paul Reiser's show was REALLY bad... forced and unfunny.
Just as well it is cancelled if this is what it was going to be like.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Regarding Game of Thrones? In this case...the series is rather faithful to the books. You will be spoiled for them.

But that could of course change. (doubt it from the interviews, they appear to want to do a faithful adaptation.)

Recommend the series over the books for you. Reading each book - took me three to four months. They are about 800-1115 pages each, small print. With 20 to 30 points of view (ie. each chapter in a different pov).
I always got bogged down in the middle of them...yes, yes, enough already with each and every characters personal background and struggles. Let's get on with it! For example, Ayra spends two-three chapters raging at Sandor Cleghan and Sansa.

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

BTW while discussing TV... make sure you set your DVR to record 'In Plain Sight', it returns this Sunday night!

And Glee is totally awesome tonight (they really have some great productions numbers tonight).

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Why does everything have to be on Sunday night??? I have four shows I'm DVRing, although one did bite the dust (Upstairs Downstairs is over) and the other one is on its way. I don't know if I'll stick with The Killing (a tad on the slow side...feels like trudging through fog. Great performances...but.) So far the best of the bunch is Game of Thrones (maybe why I love it so much is I watch so many shows before it that well...)

You're right about tonight's Glee - after a slew of lack-lustre episodes, this is actually a really good episode, good performances, and a good cast-wide theme.

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

Oh I thought that tonight's Glee was one of the best ever... they justified Kurt's long absence with that brilliant performance of 'Never Said Good-bye' from Sunset Blvd... the song was so right for him (and he sang it so well I was sobbing). I'm saving this one on my DVR so I can rewatch it.

And yeah, I just set up to record 'In Plain Sight' and while I was at it I deleted my series recording of 'The Killing'... it is well written and well acted... and beautifully filmed... so why don't I care about any of the characters? Not one of them seems really layered or interesting, I certainly don't identify with any of them.

OTOH I am totally in love with several of the characters (and all the wolves) in 'Game of Thrones' - after only two episodes I'm in love! LOL