A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

[Amor de Cosmos]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

I still can't remember anyone's name, and I've watched every episode. I suppose I need to make more of an effort. Why can't they be called Don, Roger or Peggy?

[VTTBoscombe]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

rick derris wrote: i was a bit disappointed at the lack of dragons on the latest episode and of course their keeper

how was the hound caught btw? was that in the first episode? he was certainly in it

I'm not a Dany fan, so I was quite happy, although Selmy coming back makes it a touch more interesting for me.

The hound was basically pissed out of his skull, so he was "relatively" easy to catch.
Nothing very cunning, the archer dude explained that to Thoros, who doubted how such a small chap could catch such a big guy. We didn't actually see his capture (which is how I remember it from the book).

[matt j]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

The hound wasn't in the first episode (and if he was, I really don't remember it), and even the book doesn't really give details as to how he gets captured. (Though it happens a bit later too.) He's a broken man really, so it doesn't take a lot to imagine him vomiting in a gutter somewhere when taken.

But I haven't seen the second episode, so I better back off the thread for a while.

(Love the anticipation from the non-book readers though... all I think is... just wait and see. Hehehehe.)

[rick derris]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

he was the guard outside the room when the kings mum was talking to the stark daughter who was to marry the king, but was snubbed

he nearly had a fight with the guy who used to be in robson and jerome

I'm awful with the names as well

[matt j]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Nah, there is no way the Hound was still in King's Landing. (After telling Joffrey to fuck himself. )

I think you are thinking of the Season 2 finale. And that's when he and Bronn nearly fought. (edit: no, not the finale, the episode before.)

I really like the guy who plays the Hound. He's been very good.

[VTTBoscombe]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

In Episode 1, Bronn (Robson or Jerome) almost had a fight with one of the King's Guard - neither of who was The Hound.
The Hound as Mat mentioned, shouted "Fuck the King" at everyones favourite boy King, while Blackwater was glowing green from nuclear attack, and failed to persuade Sansa to run off with him.
He's been not seen since.

He's been drinking his way round Westoros since, until the Brotherhood picked him up out of a gutter, et voila here he is.

I think a fully sober Hound would have been a bit too tricky to catch, if you valued your limbs that is.

I still can't get over Wilko Johnson is Ser Ilyn. Give the man an axe.

[Mumpo]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Remind me, who captured Theon at the end of the last series, and under what circumstances?

[matt j]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

A: We don't really know (though we assume they were northerners). And circumstances were bad. (His own men probably turned him over.)

[rick derris]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

so wasn't the hound then. looked like him. plus he had a helmet on

[garcia]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

no, it wasn't him. you find out who it is soon enough - they obviously have a reason for holding the information back. iirc it's not made immediately clear in the books either. in fact, i think the reappearance of theon at this relatively early stage is a departure from the books.

[Posty Webber]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

It's The Bastard of Bolton. He be a sadist.

How many of you have not read the books yet astounds me. The books are like 100x better than the shows.

You're doing yourselves a disservice.

[Femme Folle]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Holy shit.

[VTTBoscombe]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Ah! Mother of Cats, I haven't watched it yet, all lined up for a view tonight; but I think I know what bit you are Holy Shitting about.
Unfortunately, so I have heard, no "Thasfires" though.

Posty - I agree the books are far better; but some things are actually improved, for pace etc.
Some things you cannot do visually e.g. -Selmy disguising himself for a complete series - works in the book; but would be daft on screen.
And it is still the best thing on TV by a fair bit.

[Posty Webber]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Sure, the HBO stuff is totally worth watching, but just not at the expense of the books. You'll only have one chance to experience the story through the books without taint, so capitalise while you can, folk!

I agree that there's certain things that are more easily conveyed through the show, although I'm not sure I agree with your "Arstan Whitebeard" example. Remember in the books he was an old man with a staff, squiring for Strong Belwas, and as such on-screen he could have been concealed through hair, beard and lack-of-dialogue until the right time.

I agree with whomever mentioned it earlier in the thread – some of the casting has been outstanding: Jamie, Cersei and Tyrion, the Stark kids, Varys, Brienne, Pycelle, The Old Bear and Theon to name some of the many.

But equally, there's some shockers in there: Stannis neither looks nor acts like his book character and Melisandre doesn't remotely evoke in me the power she projects in the books. Renly's supposed to be big, powerful and cock-sure, not a weedy weakling, and although Tywin acts well, he looks wrong. Bolton is severely lacking menace, and don't get me started on Shae. Seriously, what the fuck is up with her? She actually likes Sansa in this?

And what about the changes-in-plot, like the way the Reeds have (finally) arrived, the extremely crap House of the Undying in Series 2 and the addition of Ros to name a few. Consider some of the more fun aspects of the book, like when Strong Belwas defeats the Hero of Mereen, hangs a turd, wipes his arse on the fallen hero's cloak and then demands a plate of liver.

If the author wanted the story and characters to be presented in the HBO light, he'd have written it thusly, and although I get that the screen adaptation needs strategic amends to make work, the books exist and do tell the story in the way yer man intended.

[Femme Folle]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

I can't read a book that long as I have neither the time nor the attention span. I think I will just have to suffer the consequences of my ignorance.

In the past, when I had the time to read, seeing film adaptations of books I had read annoyed me. I don't think this would be any different, based on comments I've read and heard from people who've read the books.

Just let me be, boy.

[Posty Webber]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Heh - ignorance is bliss, hey

Boooo!

[Femme Folle]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

I'm surprised you still find time to read with all of your procreation activities and what-not.

[VTTBoscombe]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Posty, there are two, no three ways to watch this.
1. As a "that's different than the book, how dare they?" stance
2. That's different to the book, but let's enjoy it for what it is, and revel in the fact someone is attempting something like this, and still getting 90% of the good stuff down.
3. Haven't read the books, and just wanting to enjoy this as a TV experience.
Of course there is a 4th too - "Fucking Hobbit/Beard Hammer type crap, get a life" - just thought I would get that one in before someone else does.

I agree on a lot of the points you make, except on Renly - I thought it was great they made him so "fabulous".

And don't get me started on Shae - she can't act , becomes the whore with a heart of gold. I can only think they have combined her character with Ser Dontos, or whatever he was called. - anyway - she still cannot act.
You also missed out no Goat, which brings us to Episode 3......

Anyway - - how to fuck up what visually was a great traumatic, Holy Shit, ending, next time D & D, just ask the Pogues' younger brothers to lay off the noise for five more seconds, twats. (unless my download was out of sync although I have seen the same complaint elsewhere).

I will have to wait for The Night Watch Podcast to come out to get some serious insight I think.

Anyway up to 5 seconds till the end I was very happy with last night's attempt - Pod is Dirk Diggler.

[Femme Folle]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Anyway - - how to fuck up what visually was a great traumatic, Holy Shit, ending, next time D & D, just ask the Pogues' younger brothers to lay off the noise for five more seconds, twats. (unless my download was out of sync although I have seen the same complaint elsewhere).

Maybe it was intentional. I'll have to watch again to be sure, but I think the rushed feeling of it lent itself to my shock. I wasn't expecting it and then I didn't get a chance to really gawk for any length of time. Not that I wanted to...

[Posty Webber]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Femme Folle wrote: I'm surprised you still find time to read with all of your procreation activities and what-not.

I like to divide my time equally between watching footy, re-reading my favourite series and procreational activities. if ever I work out how to do all three at the same time, I'll be living the dream.

[Posty Webber]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

VTTBoscombe wrote: Posty, there are two, no three ways to watch this.
1. As a "that's different than the book, how dare they?" stance
2. That's different to the book, but let's enjoy it for what it is, and revel in the fact someone is attempting something like this, and still getting 90% of the good stuff down.
3. Haven't read the books, and just wanting to enjoy this as a TV experience.
Of course there is a 4th too - "Fucking Hobbit/Beard Hammer type crap, get a life" - just thought I would get that one in before someone else does.

I sit comfortably between 1 and 2, but become unhealthily unhinged when Shae enters the picture.

[Ginger Yellow]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

You'll only have one chance to experience the story through the books without taint, so capitalise while you can, folk!

I know the HBO show can be explicit, but they haven't shown a taint yet.

As for the changes, I have to say that having been very worried at the end of season two, I'm actually quite happy with most of the changes this season.

[Posty Webber]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

VTTBoscombe wrote: I agree on a lot of the points you make, except on Renly - I thought it was great they made him so "fabulous"..

It's funny - I always enjoyed that the gay characters were not any less "manly" than the strait ones - think Renly, Blackfish, Connington, Loras to name a few.

VTTBoscombe wrote: And don't get me started on Shae - she can't act , becomes the whore with a heart of gold. I can only think they have combined her character with Ser Dontos, or whatever he was called. - anyway - she still cannot act.

The only reason I can see for the revised Shae character (awful acting, notwithstanding) is that the surprise viewers will get later on (you know what I mean) will be all the greater for it (which in itself makes it even dumber, if you think about it).

VTTBoscombe wrote: You also missed out no Goat, which brings us to Episode 3......

I thought the Ben Mendelsohn character was a lispless Vargo Hoat (he certainly looked like him and chopped Jamie's hand off).

VTTBoscombe wrote: Anyway - - how to fuck up what visually was a great traumatic, Holy Shit, ending, next time D & D, just ask the Pogues' younger brothers to lay off the noise for five more seconds, twats. (unless my download was out of sync although I have seen the same complaint elsewhere).

Dude - my streaming mp4 also had that abhorrence. No way that was an intentional part of the production.

[Posty Webber]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

Ginger Yellow wrote:
As for the changes, I have to say that having been very worried at the end of season two, I'm actually quite happy with most of the changes this season.

Yep. Although episode 1 was crud - a s2 extension, I thought episodes 2 and 3 were very good.

[slackster]

A Song of Ice & Fire on HBO

s3 e3 last night was the first time I thought the multiplying storylines and characters of middling importance to the narrative popping up for a couple of minutes - often without being named - was getting beyond confusing. And I've read the books, so Gawd knows what it's like for those that haven't.

And the regular long ad breaks on Sky Atlantic every 10 minutes aren't helping. I may have to record so I can skip them.