Game of Thrones on HBO

[spleen1015]

Yep, it is.

[cschex]

Saw there first episode at a preview screening on Friday. Set up everything for this season, some awesome scenes, dragon+direwolf CGI is even better. Can't wait for the season

[MrBug708]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Correct me if I'm wrong, but was the plan was to split book 3 up into 2 seasons?

All a ploy to let GRRM to take even longer on his book

[spleen1015]

Glad it is back!

[DaddyTorgo]

GIANTS!!!!

TORMUND!!!!

THE DRAGONS ARE GROWING UP!!!

[DaddyTorgo]

Oh - but the one thing I didn't like - Barristan revealing to Dany right away. It would have been cool to save that for a little bit at least, like in the books. It came off as less epic, and tbh I didn't like the delivery of his speech.

[Simbo Klice]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Oh - but the one thing I didn't like - Barristan revealing to Dany right away. It would have been cool to save that for a little bit at least, like in the books. It came off as less epic, and tbh I didn't like the delivery of his speech.

A couple of the "meeting scenes" were way different. Not sure why they felt the need to change Mance & Jon Snow's dialogue so radically, and from a first impression Mance feels way different than he seems from the books. Then you have Tywin and Tyrion's scene, which went almost word for word from the book and was awesome.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Oh - but the one thing I didn't like - Barristan revealing to Dany right away. It would have been cool to save that for a little bit at least, like in the books. It came off as less epic, and tbh I didn't like the delivery of his speech.

Part of that is probably due to the medium. In the books, GRRM could hint at Whitebeard's identity, but hold off on officially revealing it. On TV everyone watching knows who he is, so it makes less sense to hold off on it. I also liked the speech.

Book spoiler re: Dany

Spoiler

I wonder how many episodes they'll hold off until Dany buys the Unsullied. I can not wait for that scene, but I hope they don't spend the next 3 or 4 episodes having her agonize over whether to sell a dragon. Give me one scene of that between her and Jorah/maybe Barristan, then get to the purchase. Also, Strong Belwas better be showing up.

[Vince, Pt. II]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Part of that is probably due to the medium. In the books, GRRM could hint at Whitebeard's identity, but hold off on officially revealing it. On TV everyone watching knows who he is, so it makes less sense to hold off on it. I also liked the speech.

Book spoiler re: Dany

Spoiler

I wonder how many episodes they'll hold off until Dany buys the Unsullied. I can not wait for that scene, but I hope they don't spend the next 3 or 4 episodes having her agonize over whether to sell a dragon. Give me one scene of that between her and Jorah/maybe Barristan, then get to the purchase. Also, Strong Belwas better be showing up.

I am also very disappointed at the distinct lack of Belwas. I'm equally disappointed in the Selmy reveal...there's enough characters in the show that with a beard some (most?) people might not have seen it coming if they had played that out a little longer.

That being said, the rest was great. The interaction between Tyrion and Cersei was biting and fantastic, Bronn was his typical badass self and the Dragons are looking fantastic.

[Julio Riddols]

This is the type of world and story where you just never lose that desire to see it continue indefinitely somehow. Major characters could die and the end cast could be completely different than the beginning cast when it is all said and done, but I'll never get tired of the constant chess game everyone is playing in order to achieve their own goals. If football was a TV show, this would be it.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by BishopMVP

Part of that is probably due to the medium. In the books, GRRM could hint at Whitebeard's identity, but hold off on officially revealing it. On TV everyone watching knows who he is, so it makes less sense to hold off on it. I also liked the speech.[/spoiler]

I agree. You really can't pull off the Whitebeard/Selmy thing on TV like he did in the book. It just wouldn't work on TV. It would either be weird or just confuse people. I thought the reveal was fine. Glad to have the character and actor back on the show.

I am pretty sure Strong Belwas has been written out.

I agree that I much preferred the initial meeting with Mance in the book than the show. I understand cutting it back a bit, but they should have kept the general course.

I loved all the Lannister scenes and Bronn was in perfect form.

The Unsullied and that whole thing was great.

Can't wait for more!

[ISiddiqui]

Booo, no Strong Belwas

Also agree with on TV, no surprise reveal could happen.

Dany-wise:

Spoiler

Also don't think that Dany will agonize over buying the Unsullied... she's gotta lot of stuff to conquer in the next two season.

[DaddyTorgo]

It could have been known to the viewer but just a surprise to Dany. Even if it was only dragged out for say...15 minutes between the end of the episode and when he reveals next episode (or if you're skipping Dany next week, in 2 weeks).

[Alan T]

I have no issues with how the Selmy reveal went. I'll echo others that I wasn't as thrilled with the Jon Snow meeting with the King beyond the wall though.

The biggest issue for me last night though was that I was so pumped with the start of this season, I literally am itching for some of the things coming this year to happen. It causes me to not be as invested perhaps in some of the other scenes that I would have normally been much more excited about.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Alan T

I have no issues with how the Selmy reveal went. I'll echo others that I wasn't as thrilled with the Jon Snow meeting with the King beyond the wall though.

The biggest issue for me last night though was that I was so pumped with the start of this season, I literally am itching for some of the things coming this year to happen. It causes me to not be as invested perhaps in some of the other scenes that I would have normally been much more excited about.

Yeah - I was thinking I need to go back and rewatch it to pick up some of the detail that I missed because I was so amped-up.

Or maybe that's why I wasn't digging at least the acting in the Selmy reveal - I felt like it came off very...wooden and unemotional as the ending scene to the opener, but maybe that's because I was amped-up and it will be better the second time around...

[Vince, Pt. II]

As much as I didn't like the Mance/Jon meeting, I thought Tormund was pretty much perfect.

[Neon_Chaos]

Question for those who have read the book...

Spoiler

red wedding not in this season, right?

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Neon_Chaos

Question for those who have read the book...

Spoiler

red wedding not in this season, right?

Spoiler

It is most likely going to be the season finale.

[ISiddiqui]

Actually

Spoiler

Most likely the penultimate episode - I think it's titled "Rains of Castamere"

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by ISiddiqui

Actually

Spoiler

Most likely the penultimate episode - I think it's titled "Rains of Castamere"

Yeah, some where in there.

[DaddyTorgo]

Yeah - 2nd to last episode is the general consensus on that (as funny as that sounds).

[Alan T]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Yeah - 2nd to last episode is the general consensus on that (as funny as that sounds).

2nd to last as in next to last or the one before that?

In both seasons 1 and 2, arguably the biggest scene of both seasons was the next to last episode, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that be where it shows up.

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Alan T

2nd to last as in next to last or the one before that?

In both seasons 1 and 2, arguably the biggest scene of both seasons was the next to last episode, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that be where it shows up.

sorry - next to last

[Vince, Pt. II]

Does 2nd to last not mean the same thing as penultimate?

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Vince, Pt. II

Does 2nd to last not mean the same thing as penultimate?

They are the same thing.

[Coffee Warlord]

So for the finale...

Spoiler

Which leads me to believe the finale will be Joffrey's wedding. That'd be a fitting send off.

[korme]

I've heard so many good things from people about this show, hell - my mother told me it's her favorite show on TV right now.

Would someone who has zero interest in sci-fi/fantasy be able to get into this?

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by korme

I've heard so many good things from people about this show, hell - my mother told me it's her favorite show on TV right now.

Would someone who has zero interest in sci-fi/fantasy be able to get into this?

I have introduced this series to a number of people who I really wouldn't consider sci-fi/fantasy fans or bordeline sci-fi/fantasy fans, at best, and generally they have loved it.

I am talking more about the books than the show, but I would imagine the same would hold true to some extent.

[Logan]

Originally Posted by korme

I've heard so many good things from people about this show, hell - my mother told me it's her favorite show on TV right now.

Would someone who has zero interest in sci-fi/fantasy be able to get into this?

Yes. That's the exact reason I didn't watch it from the start, despite the tremendous amount of positive buzz it was getting from even non-nerds (sorry guys). But about halfway into the first season, I had nothing else to watch, was still hearing great things, so I fired up episode 1 and was hooked.

[bhlloy]

My wife has less than zero interest in the genre but loves this show. Just good TV IMO

[Logan]

Oh and shorty, you should give it a shot just for all the violence and tits. That will get you through any adjustment period. Just don't tell your mom that you finally came around due to the latter.

[Honolulu_Blue]

Originally Posted by Logan

from even non-nerds (sorry guys).

Apology.... DENIED.

NERDRAGE!!!!!

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by korme

I've heard so many good things from people about this show, hell - my mother told me it's her favorite show on TV right now.

Would someone who has zero interest in sci-fi/fantasy be able to get into this?

There isn't a lot of fantasy in the first three books, and that will probably translate into the first four TV seasons. Most of it is about relationships and politics in a vaguely middle-age world. It's closer to historical fiction until books four and especially five.

[ISiddiqui]

True... though I will say that magic tends to ramp up a bit, so if you aren't into that, well, maybe its not for you.

[finketr]

this is the only reason i am subscribed to hbo.

[cschex]

In the most shocking news ever, it was officially renewed for Season 4 today.

[Chief Rum]

Any word on the ratings for the season premiere? I would guess it did well, but I also was wondering if Easter/Walking Dead/Opening Day baseball might affect it.

[Pyser]

episode 1 on Facebook:

Spoiler

http://www.happyplace.com/22775/game-of-thrones-facebook-recap-season-3-episode-1

[Pyser]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Any word on the ratings for the season premiere? I would guess it did well, but I also was wondering if Easter/Walking Dead/Opening Day baseball might affect it.

highest rated episode yet. 4.4m watched, with 6.7 million seeing one of the many airings that night.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Any word on the ratings for the season premiere? I would guess it did well, but I also was wondering if Easter/Walking Dead/Opening Day baseball might affect it.

'Game of Thrones' season 3 premiere ratings break records | Inside TV | EW.com

[DaddyTorgo]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

Any word on the ratings for the season premiere? I would guess it did well, but I also was wondering if Easter/Walking Dead/Opening Day baseball might affect it.

Officially renewed for S4 too.

Oh, and this on piracy from Lombardo (HBO exec)

“I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but it is a compliment of sorts,” Lombardo said. “The demand is there. And it certainly didn’t negatively impact the DVD sales. [Piracy is] something that comes along with having a wildly successful show on a subscription network.”
The show is currently, on a per-season basis, the network’s top money-earner despite widespread piracy of the show, the executive confirmed. “If you look at aggregate of international and DVD sales — which are the two revenue streams we look at since we’re not selling it domestically on another platform — yes, absolutely, in terms of shows we have on now,” Lombardo said.

[Neon_Chaos]

The Tywinn/Tyrion scene was awesome. Charles Dance has done a great job as Tywinn.

[BishopMVP]

Relatively boring (but necessarily so) episode. I agree with the need to show Sansa/Joff/Tyrell King's Landing stuff, and Samwell being a pussy, and I guess if we care about timing stuff up across the narrow sea no Daenerys makes sense, but other than the Arya/Brotherhood scenes there really wasn't any payoff tonight.

[spleen1015]

I found myself drifting off to sleep a few times last night.

I know there are a lot of plot lines, but I don't like leaving some of them out from episode to episode, ie. no Bran in Episode 1, no Dany is episode 2.

[Vince, Pt. II]

I find myself enjoying Jojen and Meera far more than I expected to.

[Neon_Chaos]

Spoiler

That guy who was "sent" by Theon's sister is the Bastard of Bolton, right?

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Neon_Chaos

Spoiler

That guy who was "sent" by Theon's sister is the Bastard of Bolton, right?

Spoiler

I thought the bastard was the one torturing him.

[DaddyTorgo]

Spoiler

Bastard is the one torturing him.

IIRC there wasn't an escape-attempt in the books, seems like that's more of a concession to the TV shows. Of course I could be wrong, the details of that plotline escaped me at some points during my reading.

[Honolulu_Blue]

That episode was really all over the place. It's a known problem with the series. As the series progresses the characters get more and more far flung and have less interaction with each other.

Things I enjoyed:

1. Lots of dire wolves
2. Jojen and Meera
3. Brienne and Jamie
4. The Queen of Thorns
5. It looks like they combined Thoros of Myr and Tom O' Sevens, which is fine.

[BishopMVP]

Originally Posted by DaddyTorgo

Spoiler

Bastard is the one torturing him.

IIRC there wasn't an escape-attempt in the books, seems like that's more of a concession to the TV shows. Of course I could be wrong, the details of that plotline escaped me at some points during my reading.

Spoiler

I can't remember if Theon had the fake escape attempt happen to him, or just knew it happened to girls there, but the Bastard liked to give people a chance to run so he could hunt them down.