HBO's Game of Thrones- Anybody watching?

[Netwit2008]

Is anyone besides me watching HBO's Game of Thrones series? It's really quite well done. I discovered it while I was recovering from being sick. Watched all 5 episodes in one sitting.

 

The land of Westeros reminds me of Cyrodiil. Anyway, just curious. Would love to discuss the episodes that have already aired. Episode 7 airs later this evening. It was available for early viewing last week after episode 6 if you have HBOgo. My daughter thinks I waited, but I really peeked early last week, I couldn't help it, lol :facepalm:

[Illiad86]

I've heard some good things about it...but I don't have a TV, cable, or want to pay $8/month for HBO :P Can you watch it on their website?

[SilverDNA]

Sadly not watching, but since 2006 fan of the books from G. R. R. Martin Edited May 30, 2011 by SilverDNA

[brokenergy]

I hear it's really good, I'm asking my mum who's going overseas to buy all the books published this far for me (Aus is too expensive to buy anything).

[Dark0ne]

It's alright. Started off really slowly (nothing happens between episodes 2 and 4!) but it's starting to pick up some pace now. The acting is pretty dire; Sean Bean cannot act for the life of him, the king is pathetic, and Stark's wife is awful. The only actor who's actually acting well is the Imp. Still love Sean Bean to bits (I'm a big fan of the Sharpe series), but he cannot act.

 

I haven't read the books but I think it's pretty easy to predict what's going to happen...I'll throw my predictions in a spoiler tag so if you don't want to see what I think will happen (I don't know, I haven't read the books or researched ahead) then don't look. I'll come back and eat my words later when I find out I'm horribly wrong at the end of the series ;)

 

 

 

My tactless prediction of what's going to happen:

 

1. Fair haired girl in horsey land decides to live a nice peaceful life. No invasion planned. Happy as she is. Same with horsey people.
   
2. Along comes the king's assassin(s). They fail.
   
3. Horsey people get pissed off. They weren't going to invade but now they have the impetus to do it.
   
4. Crap hits the fan back in the seven kingdoms as they go to war against the horsey people.
   
5. The seven kingdoms get spanked by the horsey people.
   
6. Before the horsey people can truely dominate the winter comes.
   
7. The winter brings bad things with it, like the Nightstalkers, and the Night's Watch are horribly under equiped and undermanned to deal with it
   
8. Night's watch get rinsed and whiped out. Remainder turn in to typical fantasy "rangers".
   
9. Seven kingdoms and horsey people form an alliance to attack this new threat together as only a combined army will deal with the threat
   

 

That's about as far as it goes for me right now.

 

On the other side of town I think Stark and the Lanisters will sort their little squabble out (maybe the Imp will be nice about it all) and everything will seem to be fine. Then the little boy will remember Jamie was the one who pushed him and then crap will happen :)

 

[Netwit2008]

I've heard some good things about it...but I don't have a TV, cable, or want to pay $8/month for HBO :P Can you watch it on their website?

 

You can watch the trailers and see the behind the scenes stuff on their website. I had just decided to get rid of HBO, then this came on, lol So now we'll be keeping it for a while. I think there are at least three books in the series! :confused:

 

Sadly not watching, but since 2006 fan of the books fro G. R. R. Martin

 

Hey Silver! I've heard the books are very good. I also saw on a blog the series is following the books pretty closely, but of course, not exactly. I know it will come out on DVD, so you'll always be able to see it then I bet.

 

I hear it's really good, I'm asking my mum who's going overseas to buy all the books published this far for me (Aus is too expensive to buy anything).

 

I think you'll enjoy them BE, at least from what I've read on the blogs. I didn't know things were that expensive in Aus! Glad you have an alternate source to get things :thumbsup:

 

@Dark0ne, lol at the acting being dire. Yes it's true of Sean Bean, and I love him too. But especially in the last couple of episodes, I've felt like putting the man out of his misery myself! Cersei Lannister drives me nuts with that "perpetual brows furrowed" look! Not to mention she is a calculating wench. And Lady Kat, acting aside, seems to be impulsive and foolhardy.

 

I said to my daughter, (before I got her hooked as well, lol) that the series did start out slow, but honestly for me, once the story line of Daenerys Targaryen

was introduced, I was hooked bigtime. She and Khal Drogo are my favorite characters besides Tyrion. He is a very interesting character.

 

I suspect you're one of "those" lol Meaning nobody in my family except my daughter, who is now just like me in this respect, likes to watch movies with us because we always try to predict what's going to happen. I think your assumptions are right on. I like your last supposition. I've been thinking how I'm going to muddle thru the tedium of all the crossed wires and miscommunications among the leaders. I hate that! Example- Tyrion being blamed when he actually made a great gesture of kindness with the saddle for Bran.

 

I think also what got me hooked so quickly was reading and viewing all the "behind the scenes" information on the series. The production design was fascinating to me. I loved that they created a whole new language for the Dothraki. Khal Drogo does a great, gutteral job of speaking it. Plus being reminded of just how seedy politics are, even in a fantasy medieval realm, it is quite intriguing, albeit predictable.

 

I will say, your first two predictions have already come true in Episode 7. I suspect next will follow 4-5. If you saw last night's ep, Ned already figured what you said out. But the way he presented it to Cersei comes across as though the child remembered. (It's hard not talking in spoilers, but I've decided any episode that has already aired is fair game and not really a spoiler :tongue: )

 

I'm curious to know what Littlefinger has done, although I'm sure my prediction on that is correct. He goes where the purse strings are loosest. I think in this case Ned was WAY too honorable! :ohdear: Who knows, it may be Tyrion that ends up being instrumental in helping the Starks. I know one thing, someone needs to pop Sansa upside the head! What a pair she and Joffrey would make. Meh! What a cluster of a kingdom!

 

Oh well, we'll see what goes down next week. We'll be on holiday, but thank God for HBOgo, we can watch from the computer or the cellie. :thumbsup:

[SilverDNA]

Personally I liked the books because to some point George Martin was referring to History medieval not only but ancient Rome and Egypt in more than one way that made the Game of thrones series very interesting to read as well as a a changes of perspectives of characters in each chapter because he did write from the view of some characters and kept them going till....( nope i don't want to spoil the books either) only say he used a unusual approach on that is a break with established unspoken series rules that are too old to make a story interesting.

On the start of game of thrones book i had the feeling he mixed up several Shakespeare plays in to one start up at 1st it isn't that visible to the common reader but i enjoyed reading the books greatly because he keeps up a intrigue line till he completely twists it in another direction that is not fully predictable so i warn Dark0ne to make such predictions often because at some stages in the stories he tends to hard breaks that only to some degree predictable and the full consequences are not shown in the direct aftermath. to predict all you must be one hell of a historian that knows all twist of histories from Egypt till today and always pick the right one. Thats what made it interesting to re-read the books.

 

I will not spoil anything but i recommend watching out some characters... Ayra Stark and Jon Snow :whistling:

oh and one thing you can be certain of is the credo of House Stark

"Winter is coming"

Edited May 30, 2011 by SilverDNA

[brokenergy]

 

I hear it's really good, I'm asking my mum who's going overseas to buy all the books published this far for me (Aus is too expensive to buy anything).

 

I think you'll enjoy them BE, at least from what I've read on the blogs. I didn't know things were that expensive in Aus! Glad you have an alternate source to get things :thumbsup:

 

 

Yes but I have to wait weeks before they come to my little hands. :verymad:

[Netwit2008]

Bummer BE, but at least you know they're coming, so you have something to look forward to :dance:

 

@Silver, yep they talked about that same sort of mix when I viewed the production notes. They took credit for it though, lol Seems the author was the one that really mixed up regions and times. But they filmed in Malta and Ireland. Gemma Jackson, the production designer, talked about making the look and feel of the piece seem recognizable, yet not- which of course maintains the fantasy element.

 

I had a feeling Jon Snow would be one to watch. I also think that Arya's dire wolf will factor back in later, at least I hope so. The whole handling of that situation was infuriating! Then for Cersei to say later that it was "extreme" was even more so. But as you can tell, I don't like her very much, lol

 

It was funny when Ned gave Arya her "dance instructor." I think at first he indulged her because he thought her interest was "cute" in a way. It became apparent on his face when he watched her that- hey this kid's really got something!

 

I'm sure the books are better than the series. They usually are. We'll keep you posted on what happens so you can compare whether they stayed true to the story or not. Dark0ne has the series all sewn up and put to bed, lol But I like some of his predictions, and others have already come to pass, so he's not too far off so far. :thumbsup:

 

One thing I think we all can predict and agree on, winter IS truly coming this time! :ohdear:

[Yamcakes]

I've read the first two books. This show is really great, I watch it with my fiance every Sunday. He loves it, and I am envious of his experiencing it without reading the books and knowing what to expect. What a treat it must be for him!

As a comic book fan who gets peeved at every little detail changed when they get translated into films, I have to say my inner fangirl has been quiet throughout GoT. I don't mind Daenerys' eyecolour, or other little differing bits. I think they've done a great job. I'm grateful that I'm part of a generation that has been able to see CGI and special effects grow over the years, and have a true appreciation for when direction and storytelling trumps special effects.