Game of Thrones -Episode 10 - Fire and Blood

[shadowkat]

At some point, I should probably do a review of the entire series, but no time tonight. Just finished watching Episode 10 Fire and Blood - the season #1 finale of Game of Thrones. Odd. For some reason I thought there were 11 episodes. 10 is an awfully short season even for HBO. Normally, US DVD packages require at least 13 - for pricing. Not that I'm complaining, it made the story tighter, less filler and throw-away scenes. Shorter seasons mean better and higher production value and tighter writing.

I have to admit, I've forgotten most of the books, had to ask co-worker how Game of Thrones the novel ended. Because I could not remember. And I remember even less of the second book Clash of Kings - except that it was long, I didn't enjoy it all that much, and I wanted to strangle Robb, Catelynn, Davos, Cersei, Sansa and Joffrey in no particular order by the end of it. Why, I couldn't tell you. Because I honestly don't remember. Read the bloody thing six years ago. I remember the third book better actually - but I read that one in November, and it's already fading fast. Bloody memory can only hold so much miscellaneous information. Do remember who gets killed and how. But I can't tell you that. Because spoilers! Will go so far as to state - that none of my favorite characters get killed. Well, at least not yet.




Okay, I lied. I scanned the last five chapters of the book - mostly because I was trying to figure out if the Jamie/Catelynn scene was in Game or not. It's not. I'm guessing it's from the beginning of Clash or just a part of another scene, which they've decided to break up a bit? If it's the scene I remember? They are breaking it up quite a bit, which is an interesting choice. We may end up getting segments of that scene throughout the entire second season. It's one scene in the book, but they may split it up into about five scenes. I can see them doing that, actually. They've done that a lot already. Tyrion's speech to Lysa is actually from either Clash or Storm and it's in reality to Joffrey and Cersei. Also, Robert and Ned's discussions which pop up intermittently, were actually just one long scene. And Tyrion's story about Tysha is combined into one scene as opposed to two different scenes, almost two books apart. Splitting up the Catelynn/Jamie scenes may actually work better dramatically speaking. Doesn't really matter, all they are doing is trying to build up certain characters a lot faster. There's relatively little of Jamie in Game or Clash of Kings, which becomes problematic latter and I think is a big flaw in the story. Martin does this a lot. Several major characters are taken off-stage, while you meander around with supporting characters for a bit, then you come back to the major character - only to learn everything that happened to them through a third party. It's similar to well reading Hamlet through the pov of Rosencratz and Guildenstern, or for that matter, Citizen Kane. Not a style that I'm particularly fond of. Mileage varies on this. The TV series so far, appears to be taking the opposite tact.

No time. Quickly.

*Dany - this was Dany's episode. And I loved how they did that final scene. She emerges unmarked from the flames, nude, clothed in dragons. The mother of Dragons. It's a scene that echoes Jon Snow's discovery of the big mother Direwolf and her cubs, and how he helps Rob birth them and splits them amongst his brothers and sisters, against Ned Stark's objections. Dany likewise births the Dragons against Ser Jorah's objections. Rather adore the parralel structure.

Also the witch scene with Dany is very similar to the book. But I liked it better here. The witch comes across as less looney and more sane. And what she tells Dany does not fall on death ears. Although it sort of looks like it here. How Dany kills her is ruthless - depicting that Dany is not necessarily kind and loving, but rather complex. As she comes into her power as a leader, she becomes more interesting as does her arc. (See? I told you the whole Conan the Barbarian/Drokari storyline doesn't last long. It's rather short actually. I'd forgotten about it, until I started watching Game.) Never quite understood why Dany fell in love with Drogo, didn't in the book either though.

And from what co-worker told me - the way she kills Drogo is the same in the book. Smothers him, because he's just a vacant shell, less than a zombie.

*Jon Snow - who decides to ride home and help Robb, regardless of whether anyone asked for his help. His brothers in the Night's Watch, spear-headed by the wonderful Samwell Tary, wisely stop him from making a fool of himself. And bring him home again. The old Bear states - which is the battle that needs to be fought? The one for vengeance and to sit on a throne that may not even exist if we don't stop what's coming, or the one north of the wall? Who scares you more? The boy king, or the wights, and dead walkers? Which battle needs you more? Which needs to be fought more?

Jon unlike his father, chooses the right battle and rides North. He's actually the only character outside of Dany and Ayra who does something smart in this episode. Old Bear is right - Ned Stark started a full-fledged war, when there were problems north of him that should have been attended to. But instead of listening to those who came down from the Wall to warn him (he beheaded one of them instead), he listened to Robert and went to Kings Landing and started a war that resulted in his death and thousands did. With honorable guys like this wondering about, who needs villains?
Seriously, it reminds me of that old saying : There's no-one scarier than a Just and Righteous Man who believes unwaveringly that he is Right. Question always.

I love how Ned Stark's stupidity ricochet's through the episode - with various characters vaguely commenting on it, and its results.

Jon goes off with the Old Bear to venture North of the Wall - to see what is coming. The Old Bear has decided not to wait meekly for Winter to actually come before he finds out. Wise move. And not so wise. Depending on your pov.

*Robb Stark - Robb reacts rather violently to his father's death. Can't say I blame him. And wants to kill everyone. Can't say I blame him - Dad goes to King's Landing and his whole family splinters. Catelynn stops him from heading off to kill Jamie - since they still have his sisters. (So, what, you'd kill Jamie, if they didn't? How's that make you any different than them? Actually makes you the same.) Then they have the same fight Ned had with Varys and Renly and Little Finger - over who should be king - Stannis, Renly or Ned. Ned didn't want to be King (he's not a complete idiot), so went with Stannis. No one appears to like Stannis, including Stannis' own brother - Renly, who thinks he should be King.

Robb's minions bannermen decide to elect him King, much to book Catelynn's horror and television Catelynn's astonishment or glee (hard to tell). Robb (portrayed by a very charismatic Richard Madden who makes me like Robb a lot more than I did in the books), decides this is a swell idea and goes for it. Apparently no one likes Stannis very much here either. The Lesser of Two evils and all that. (Don't worry, you'll get to meet Stannis soon enough and can decide for yourselves...)

*Catelynn tells griefstricken Robb that after they free his sisters, they'll kill them all. Actually that is easier said than done Catelynn - you are assuming both sisters are in Kings Landing and easily found. But than Catelynn's been making a lot of assumptions like that of late. She decides to go off and yell at Jamie Lannister. (This is the weird scene that wasn't in Game of Thrones the book that they added which I was commenting on at the beginning of this review.)

What she hopes to accomplish here, I've no idea. I mean what do you expect him to tell you? He hates you and your family. He knows you aren't going to kill him or you would have done it already. And he's handled scarier people and scarier situations than you. Also, I don't get the feeling Jamie likes himself all that much. There's a bit of self-loathing underneath all that spit and polish. (I don't know if any of that comes across to someone who hasn't read the books...or even to people who have. Mileage varies.) Also, it's not like Jamie killed Ned or had anything to do with Ned's beheading. He didn't kill or even wound Ned when he had the chance, he kicked the guy who did - actually. Then got yelled at by his father for not killing Ned himself. But Catelynn's frustrated and has to yell at someone, plus it gives her a chance to ask Jamie if he hurt Bran? He confesses to it - which is surprising. He doesn't tell her why - although I'm not sure why she hasn't guessed it herself? I mean, come on, she finds a long blond hair in the tower, Ned gets killed for treason - because he says Joffrey isn't the rightful heir, and there's the whole thing about Jon Arryn? Also do you really think Jamie's going to say - oh I tried to kill your son because he saw me and my sister having sex in the belfry and if he told anyone, we'd be executed?

I'm not quite sure why they chose to do this scene, exactly. We aren't really told anything we don't already know about either character and it doesn't move the story forward at all. Also, it makes Catelynn look like an idiot. Jamie ...I can't really say it makes him look like anything other than a disgruntled and beaten up prisoner who wants to get a few licks in at an enemy who defeated and killed half his army. I guess you could say he's a jerk...but he doesn't lie and well, beaten up and disgruntled prisoner. Did she do that in Clash of Kings? I recall that she asked why he attempted to kill Bran the second time - which he denies doing, and doesn't believe her until she shows him her wounds. Maybe that's why they did this scene? To lead up to that second scene? The second scene is really important. But why now? I don't know - this felt like a throw-away scene to me - the only one I've seen for a bit. (Sigh, I'd look it up in Clash - but I loaned the book to co-worker last week).

*Tyrion - two of the best scenes were with Tyrion. Rather loved the scene with his father, where Tywin tells Tyrion that he's been treating him like a stunted fool and he's proven that he's not that. Well, you were only half wrong - says Tyrion. I'm admittedly new to the strategy game. Tywin states - you were right about Eddard Stark. With him alive, we had a chance. With him dead, we have none. There's no way they'll bargain now. It was stupid and now we have fighting all over the place and pure chaos. I'm sending you to Kings Landing, take control, rule, pull Cersei and Joffrey in line. Act as the King's Hand in my place. Why me? Asks Tyrion. Because, states Tywin, you are my son. But one thing I ask - don't bring that whore with you.

Tyrion tells this to Shae, who persuades Tyrion to turn against his father and take her with him. Big mistake. It's a great scene though and I rather like Shae in it.

*Master whatever his name is and the whore - this is interesting, he is telling the whore about kings. And stating more or less that they are all the same. The Iron Throne drives them all mad or weak. Aerys was a charmer, then melted into madness. Robert was more into playing than ruling. But Joffrey shows signs of strength, a bit reckless, but you never know.

It's an eerie speech. When we see what Joffrey is capable of.

*Sansa and Joffrey - Was hoping we wouldn't have to see this scene or not yet. Rather hate this scene. I thought it was in the second book, but no, it's in Game. Joffrey decides after cutting out a man's tongue, to show Sansa her' Dad and Septa's heads up close and personal and taunt her with the betrothal. Yes, Joffrey is a sadistic creep with no redeeming qualities. The one purely one-dimensional mwwahhahhah evil character in the story. The good news - is we don't see that much of him. The bad news? He sticks around for a bit longer than we'd like. Most of the time we just see him torture Sansa.

Poor Sansa. Anyone else rooting for Sansa to push Joffrey off that castle embankment? Stupid Sandor stopped her. Although it was probably for the best - is she'd succeeded, she'd be dead. If she hadn't succeeded, she'd wish she were dead. Sandor is an interesting character. And that scene was more about Sandor and Sansa, than Joffrey.

*Ayra and Yoren Yoren sort of saves Ayra, disguises her as a boy, and wisely puts her on the cart heading north - to Jon Snow. Wise move. Jon's actually the safest sibling to be going towards at the moment, even if it may not appear that way. Ayra wisely goes along with it.
She also ironically ends up with Gendry, Robert Barratheon's bastard son, although he doesn't know it. Gendry acts as her protector, although I'm not so sure she needs protecting. I love Ayra.
Ayra and Tyrion are my two favorite characters or the one's I care the most about.

*Little Finger and Varys - I actually prefer Varys here to Little Finger - Varys is more interesting and more mysterious. Not quite sure what Varys agenda is. Little-Finger just wants to rule and hurt everyone who ever hurt him. He's probably the most dangerous person at court.
Both of them are, actually. But of the two - only Little Finger reveals his hand to Varys, Varys - the better actor, conceals most of his. Both are good actors, but Varys isn't as tied to his emotions and baggage as Little Finger.

*Bran and Rickon - ah, Rickon shows up. He disappears from the books as well. Then pops up when you forget about him. They look a like, which makes sense. And both visit the site of their father's tomb - where they dreamed they saw their father...as if their father visited them both in their dreams.

Rather good episode. Loved it. And definitely more entertaining than the books. Also there's several really good scenes in it - the Jon Snow/Old Bear and Jon Snow/Samwell scenes, Dany and the dragons, and Dany/Witch scenes...where the witch discusses being raped and enslaved and watching her temple burn and Dany has done her little favors. Life, the old witch states, can be meaningless without that which you love. Dany calls the old witches bluff - and shows her just how sacred life can be. The Jon Snow arc and the Dany arc continue to echo each other throughout the tv series. They appear to be the heroes of the piece - as they slowly arc towards each other in a song of ice and fire. I see it more here than in the books actually.

Off to bed.

Comments

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing it's from the beginning of Clash or just a part of another scene, which they've decided to break up a bit?

That. Jaime has only one scene in the entirety of CoK and it's near the end, so they took a bit of it and put it in this episode.

I tended to think that what they used here was what they felt they needed to tie up a loose thread and left the rest for Jaime's arc next year. Martin has a way of not resolving some issues until you're well beyond the point of the answer actually mattering (for example: Who sent the assassin for Bran). I think the show may have felt that they had to address the bit that started the season -- Bran's fall. They gave Catelyn that much but left out the stuff that matters to Jaime's arc.

I can't imagine that they'll actually leave it out because they basically have to come back to that scene in the dungeon because that's what sets Jaime and Brienne off on their journey, so I think we'll get the rest of that scene... eventually.

yrion's speech to Lysa is actually from either Clash or Storm
Oh! You asked me to look for that!

Tyrion 'confesses' in Storm, but it's not the same confession. There's a lot of snark in Tyrion's confession to Lysa. The Storm confession is just sad and angry and tragic (though for the life of me, I can't remember what it was he said. Just that you asked me to look for it and when I 'found' it, I noticed that it was different in tone. I don't think he dared be snarky about it in Storm. It's more just bitter.

*Master whatever his name is and the whore - this is interesting, he is telling the whore about kings. And stating more or less that they are all the same. The Iron Throne drives them all mad or weak. Aerys was a charmer, then melted into madness. Robert was more into playing than ruling. But Joffrey shows signs of strength, a bit reckless, but you never know.
I think Pycelle played that scene for Littlefinger. Ros simply has to be talking to Littlefinger, so Pycelle was making himself look both ineffectual (not a threat) and loyal to King Joffrey, thus giving Littlefinger nothing to use against him.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

I think the show may have felt that they had to address the bit that started the season -- Bran's fall. They gave Catelyn that much but left out the stuff that matters to Jaime's arc.

I think you're right - they were trying to give the audience the emotional catharthis that Martin denies the reader - partly because Martin's going for heightened reality. (In the Book - Catelynn can't do it, they are literally riding to Riverun, and she's spending all her time with her family - gathering support for Robb. Jamie's sort of knocked to one side. As is Bran, who she appears to forget due to everything else.) Oddly, I think the way Martin handles it makes more sense. Odd, because at the time I read the book - I wanted the opposite. But seeing it played out? It worked better in the books.

I can't imagine that they'll actually leave it out because they basically have to come back to that scene in the dungeon

Agreed. Otherwise what happens in Storm won't make any sense. They left out everything about the Karstarks - which is going to be problematic, since what happened to the Karstark's is why a lot of things happen in Book 2 and Book 3..It's also why Jamie still being alive is an issue. Karstark really wants Jamie dead for killing his two sons, and Robb is barely keeping Karstark in line by promising to do it later. What happens to Jamie - has a lot to do with the Karstark plot thread. It's why Robb can't free Jamie to free his sisters, he'll lose Karstark.

Tyrion 'confesses' in Storm, but it's not the same confession. There's a lot of snark in Tyrion's confession to Lysa. The Storm confession is just sad and angry and tragic (though for the life of me, I can't remember what it was he said. Just that you asked me to look for it and when I 'found' it, I noticed that it was different in tone.

Thanks. I remember it being the same words but the tone being different, more accusatory, sad and angry - in part because it is directed at his own family. While the confession to Lysa is directed at someone he doesn't care a whit about and doesn't know him. But his family - is a whole other thing.

I think Pycelle played that scene for Littlefinger. Ros simply has to be talking to Littlefinger, so Pycelle was making himself look both ineffectual (not a threat) and loyal to King Joffrey, thus giving Littlefinger nothing to use against him.

Oh definitely. The only people who can't see through Little Finger appear to be those in power, who don't see him as a threat. Ned Stark, Catelynn, Cersei, Joffrey,
etc. But Varys and Pycelle - know exactly what Littlefinger is up to and who his spies are. Can't wait for Tyrion to come into that nest of vipers. See if he fares much better than Ned Stark did.

[reginaspina.livejournal.com]

So, what, you'd kill Jamie, if they didn't? How's that make you any different than them? Actually makes you the same.

Yeah, I think they would definitely kill Jaime if Catelyn didn't fear for her daughters. (And he sorta deserves it for Bran, although he had nothing to do with Ned's death, actually.)

I'm kind of annoyed that they never brought up the damn dagger again - Tyrion doesn't get to tell Catelyn as he does in the books that the dagger WASN'T his, and Jaime doesn't get to tell Catelyn as he does in the books that Tyrion never bet against him, to sow the seed of her doubts about Littlefinger.

I don't feel like that scene belonged in this episode either - even the tiny part of it they included. It's very powerful and meaningful in Clash because Catelyn only goes to Jaime once she believes Bran and Rickon to be dead (killed by Theon, in fact.) She's driven by grief as she is here, but her grief is more concretely concerned with getting back her daughters, as she can't bear to lose any more children. There's no indication that Robb will ever agree to trade Jaime Lannister for his sister - none of his bannermen would see that as an even trade, and Robb's away anyway. Catelyn decides that she will free Jaime (into Brienne's capable hands) and trust that Tyrion (who is still the Hand when she frees Jaime) will keep his word and return her daughters (she doesn't know that the Lannisters only have Sansa) once Jaime has returned to King's Landing

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

While shipperx has a point - on why it was included to wrap up or provide some closure on the whole who threw Bran out the window bit - for Catelynn, I still think it worked better in the book. Here - it just feels a bit too
tv neat. The book was more realistic. In reality - Catelynn would not have done that.

They have another problem - they left out all the stuff about Jamie killing Karstark's sons and Karstark demanding Robb kill Jamie, and Robb barely keeping him at bay. That storyline is why Robb can't free Jamie to free his sisters. It's important. Leaving it out could cause problems later.

I actually think the whole "who tried to kill Bran" bit has got to come up latter - because it is also important.
That's the bit about the dagger, the wounds on Catelynn's hands, and Jamie realizing that someone tried to kill Bran and it wasn't him or Tyrion or Cersei.

I think they'll probably intersperse bits and pieces of that long dungeon scene throughout S2 - I'm unconvinced it's a good idea. That scene, as you say above, works better in the book in the way it was written in the book.
But we'll see. (It's actually the only scene I vividly remember from Clash of Kings, the rest of that book is a blur.)

Yeah, I think they would definitely kill Jaime if Catelyn didn't fear for her daughters. (And he sorta deserves it for Bran, although he had nothing to do with Ned's death, actually.)

Hee. I'd admittedly have attempted to break both Jamie's legs if I were Catelynn. Or wanted him dead. One or the other. Do that to my neice or a child of mine? You are going to pay, buster! Granted that would make transporting him to my dungeon a bit aggravating. So maybe not. But maybe after he got there? Don't blame her at all for hitting him with a rock.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

I was a bit underwhelmed by that finale but there was some good stuff.

For instance I like the Varys/Littlefinger scene and how the Pycelle/Roz scene proved that the two cunning schemers who thought they were smarter than anyone else actually don't know that there's a bigger player in town. Pycelle told the whore nonesense that seemed to go against everything we have seen and to point out how much a fool the old man was, and just after Roz left Pycelle stopped being a feeble old men (hence the gym moves!), and it's only when he put his "costume" on that he resumed his role before opening the door, echoing the conversation between the other two. They all have a role to play indeed, and Pycelle is the best actor of all hence his surviving!

Jaime was very Sawyer-like. BTW he's much more handsome when dirty and covered in blood.

I liked Robb and Catlyn and I liked the King of the North scene (especially the last shot with the witnesses observing from afar).

I liked the girl who was carrying Bran (the other kid, the youngest Stark already showed up in a previous episode, for the first time, but it's weird to have such a fantomn kid!), and I liked the Sandor/Sansa moment.

I must confess that I'm a bit annoyed by the "fellowship of the wall" thing, too much stuff stolen from Tolkien and therefore very cliched(the Rangers, the Samwell stereotyped fat best friend, and there's even a guy named Pyp!) but I guess it isn't the series' fault but the fault of the books' author. I like more creativity in my shows.

Cersei is shagging another relative?! That woman really trusts only her blood.

The finale didn't really look like a finale, since there wasn't any closure, and they must have been very confident about getting a second season (almost arrogant) to end the season like that with all those people going to somewhere else. It looked like a beginning, not a finale, which probably fits in the books' theme (the story really begins with the new generation, doesn't it?)but is weird tv wise.

The only storyline that was kinda resolved was Daenerys' because we had been waiting for her Dragon genes to kick in (after all the teases throughout the season about her being heat/fire-proof)and for the bloody dragon eggs to hatch since the first episode. She ends up the season naked, the same way she started it, not in boilig water but in ashes and with three babies.

Will HBO have enough money to provide decent CGI during season 2?

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

The finale didn't really look like a finale, since there wasn't any closure, and they must have been very confident about getting a second season (almost arrogant) to end the season like that with all those people going to somewhere else. It looked like a beginning, not a finale, which probably fits in the books' theme (the story really begins with the new generation, doesn't it?)but is weird tv wise.

Nope. The story doesn't really begin with the new generation - you're completely off. ;-)

It's hard to explain, without spoiling you.
But the books take place in real time. There's no passage of time between them - we pick up right where we left off.
Ayra will be about the same age next year as she is this year. The dragons won't have grown.

This isn't like any of the tv series that you are used to.
It is an extremely close almost exact direct adaptation of a long epic series of fantasy novels that were written by a writer who got fed up with the limitations of television and basically wrote books that you can't film. Or TV would balk at. No neat endings or typical season finals. Next year - at least five new characters will be introduced with new points of view. Each book is longer than the last. None end with neat closures. None are stand-alones, you sort of have to read the next one.
And the writer hasn't come close to a final - he is about to publish his fifth book in July. That took six years from the last one he released. And there's two more to come. Fans are hoping he does complete the series, but
aren't sure.

The book ended exactly the same way as the tv series. Your difficulties with the tv series oddly are all difficulties you'd most likely have with the books. The things you love, oddly, are things that are done quite differently in the books and/or don't appear in them. We don't have the Little Finger/Varys scene or the Master Pycell scene in the books really - that's done differently.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

Ok don't spoil me, but I think you didn't understand me when I said "the story really begins with a new generation" (I probbaly didn't phrase it well though). I didn't mean that we were going to jump into the future, I simply meant "the kids", like the young Stark, Jon Snow and his pals, Tyrion, or Daenerys, as opposed to the previous generation that is Robert, Ned, the old fart from the Twin thingy, Tywin Lannister, Pycelle etc. This season had to get rid of the old players (well some old peole are still there) so the young ones could have their story. At least that's the vibe I got from the season I have watched and the reason I didn't think Ned's death shocking.

You know, you pretty sumed up my biggest issue with GoT. To me when it doesn't work it is because it often seems to be more a faithful adptation and copy-on-screen than a good tv show; it mostly seems to follows the structure of the books instead of translating a book 'verse into a tv verse, a book language into a tv language. When they do it differently, as you said, it starts becoming a tv creation and it's interesting instead of just being pretty with bog production value and entertaining. Let's hope they'll do it more in season 2.


BTW you convinced me that those books are not for me ;- ), but I hardly read fantasy genre anyway.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

This season had to get rid of the old players (well some old peole are still there) so the young ones could have their story.

Well, except it'll take four seasons to do it not one. ;-)

To me when it doesn't work it is because it often seems to be more a faithful adptation and copy-on-screen than a good tv show; it mostly seems to follows the structure of the books instead of translating a book 'verse into a tv verse, a book language into a tv language. When they do it differently, as you said, it starts becoming a tv creation and it's interesting instead of just being pretty with bog production value and entertaining.

It's similar to the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter book to film translations in that you have two groups you have to please - one, the die-hard fans of the books (which really is your principal audience or main audience) and two - the people who've never read the books (which you'll be lucky to grab but don't really expect to.)

ie. The purists vs. the non-purists vs the people who haven't read the damn thing.

For me? It's all good.

[frenchani.livejournal.com]

It's similar to the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter book to film translations in that you have two groups you have to please - one, the die-hard fans of the books (which really is your principal audience or main audience) and two - the people who've never read the books (which you'll be lucky to grab but don't really expect to.)

True and as I said some time ago, Peter Jackson's adaptation of Tolkien is rather faithful but the films aren't that good movies wise.

Adapations are a tricky matter.

ie. The purists vs. the non-purists vs the people who haven't read the damn thing.

Oh but among the people who haven't read the thing there may be purists too, who aren't purists in regards to the books but in regards to the medium (tv show or movies!)!

Adapations are a tricky matter!

But you're right the targeted audience is the die-hard fans of the books first and foremost.

[ponygirl2000.livejournal.com]

I think in the book Dany's hair gets burned away in the fire and I was disappointed that didn't happen here. I really hate that wig! On a more serious note I think they really messed up with Drogo - why were we supposed to care that he died when all along he had been nothing more than a collection of grunts and glowers? In the book he was interesting, too caught up in his macho culture to change, but interesting.

There was an interview with the producers that strongly hinted that there's going to be more blending of the books next season.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Was Drogo really that interesting in the books?? I can't remember.
I have to admit, I did not find Dany's story interesting at all until Storm of Swords. But, will agree, they did not write Drogo well in this at all. Either that or the cheesy Conan-the-Barbarian dialogue was less obvious in the books because you spent more time in their thoughts and less listening to them speak. That's probably the reason. I also think they left some things out, but I can't remember what.

Agree on the wig, but I'm guessing the actress took exception to bleaching her hair white - like they did James Marsters in Buffy.
Can't say I blame her for that. From what he's said - it's not a pleasant process. They did compromise on the eyes - they are supposed to be purple, but the contacts hurt the actors so they removed them.

There was an interview with the producers that strongly hinted that there's going to be more blending of the books next season.

I'm guessing that's the direction they are going. They sort of have to - not a lot happens in the second book. Except a lot of set up and wandering around, which you can do rather quickly. Apparently they are also bringing into the story - a lot of things that happen off-stage and we're told about after the fact. Sort of hoping that Davos story gets cut out or reduced (he bored me in the books).

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

well power has clearly shifted to new hands throughout their world....

Dany's was the most dramatic change, going from a helpless pawn in the first episode and emerging from the flames as incredibly powerful and important.

Tyrion's relationship with his Father (and therefore his position of new found power) is a big change but I wonder if it will last if and when Jamie returns (don't tell me!).

Can Robb really become king?

And crazy creepy Joffrey has not only lost his bride's loyalty, I think even his Mom will want him dead soon.... I wish we didn't have to wait for more!

I know... I could read the books, but I don't really want to. I want to watch the show.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

You avoided the comments above, right? Don't read them. Well except for frenchani, who is unspoiled, but she doesn't like the tv series ..so never mind.

And crazy creepy Joffrey has not only lost his bride's loyalty, I think even his Mom will want him dead soon.... I wish we didn't have to wait for more!

That struck me as odd - her reaction to Joffrey in that scene, of annoyed tolerance? Hmm. No, Cersei's a mom, she puts her children above everyone and everything. Remember her early scenes with Joffrey - where she states the only people we can trust is us? For Cersei - it's Cersei, her kids, Jamie,
Tywin, her cousins, uncles...

(That's not a spoiler. Just my assessment of Cersei to date.)

I know... I could read the books, but I don't really want to. I want to watch the show.

I wouldn't recommend it. Watch the show - it's a lot better.

Tyrion's relationship with his Father (and therefore his position of new found power) is a big change but I wonder if it will last if and when Jamie returns (don't tell me!).

I don't think Jamie's the problem in his relationship with his Father or his new found power. Remember Jamie doesn't really want that type of power - Jamie's strength is fighting, sword-fighting. He's an adrenaline junkie.
Tyrion's problem with Tywin is his desire to love and be loved. Or his love for "whores" and women like Shae. (not a spoiler either).

[embers-log.livejournal.com]

I did avoid the comments above because you warned that they were a little too spoilery (completely spoilery? LOL)
And I totally trust you re: spoilers.

The show is so beautifully done, and they have left everything at such an interesting point, that I am really wishing it would come back soon (I'll just have to be patient)!