Game of Thrones (HBO)

Stout

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My thoughts exactly...fantastic till the mythical fantasy stuff was brought in..IMO the dragons were just over the top. The ending was no shocker to me. Just a big disappointment. Stark getting beheaded was far and away the best episode ender in season 1.

Over the top? So you don't approve of the history of the mythos in this show (and in the books)? Because dragons were quite real and lived in the land before. Oh well. I loved them, and the show was incredibly well received. This thread has the first real criticisms of the show I have seen, heard or read yet.
 

Pariah

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I loved them, and the show was incredibly well received.
I think even the people who have made a criticism have said the same.
This thread has the first real criticisms of the show I have seen, heard or read yet.
Oh, then they must not be valid.

As for it following the books, that's all well and good but I would have likely had the same reaction. Seems unnecessary to me.
 

Stout

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Pariah, you have no idea--NO IDEA--what is to come. None. This stuff should blow yours and everyone's minds. And if you think it was unnecessary, honestly, why bother watching something in the fantasy genre? Martin is literally one of the best fantasy writers for several generations, and this certainly was quite essential to what he was doing with this series.
 

Pariah

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Pariah, you have no idea--NO IDEA--what is to come. None. This stuff should blow yours and everyone's minds. And if you think it was unnecessary, honestly, why bother watching something in the fantasy genre? Martin is literally one of the best fantasy writers for several generations, and this certainly was quite essential to what he was doing with this series.

I was enjoying the series without the heavy-duty fantasy. That's all. From someone who hasn't read the books--which I imagine would be a majority of the viewers of the show--it seemed unnecessary to bring it in.

I'm not saying they should have changed anything at all. I'm saying I didn't like it as much had it just been played out without it.
 

Stout

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I was enjoying the series without the heavy-duty fantasy. That's all. From someone who hasn't read the books--which I imagine would be a majority of the viewers of the show--it seemed unnecessary to bring it in.

I'm not saying they should have changed anything at all. I'm saying I didn't like it as much had it just been played out without it.

But I have a feeling you will end up liking it juuuust fine. And with the numbers and reaction from non-readers I've read plastered all over the web, the viewers absolutely loved the season finale.
 

Shane

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I was enjoying the series without the heavy-duty fantasy. That's all. From someone who hasn't read the books--which I imagine would be a majority of the viewers of the show--it seemed unnecessary to bring it in.

I'm not saying they should have changed anything at all. I'm saying I didn't like it as much had it just been played out without it.

Agree 100% not saying they should change especially if that's how the books go. But if I had known that it was headed more toward fantasy I probably wouldn't have bothered watching it at all. Same reason I don't read books like that. Just not my cup of tea. IMO the show was a freaking masterpiece when it was more realistic. All the bloody gore and tension between the the different families etc.... That is what sucked me in. The other stuff for me is just over the top and not what I enjoy. (Although I am admittedly intrigued by the white walker aspect)
 

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I do not recall from the TV series....did they show the great hall at Kings Landing with all of the giant dragon skulls??


I finished the latest book a few weeks back, been reading this series for a few years....and I thoroughly enjoy the TV show. Peter Dinklage brought Tyrion to life in a way I never expected and the casting as a whole has been amazing.

I am anxious to see how they progress over the next couple of seasons...but very disappointed in this new trend on TV where a season is short,...then there is a three or four month break(longer even for some)before the next season..... IMO these breaks are unnecessary and just done so they can create more shows and sell more advertising.
 

oaken1

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Agree 100% not saying they should change especially if that's how the books go. But if I had known that it was headed more toward fantasy I probably wouldn't have bothered watching it at all. Same reason I don't read books like that. Just not my cup of tea. IMO the show was a freaking masterpiece when it was more realistic. All the bloody gore and tension between the the different families etc.... That is what sucked me in. The other stuff for me is just over the top and not what I enjoy. (Although I am admittedly intrigued by the white walker aspect)




IMO the fantasy aspect of the show/books is actually quite limited....the whole midieval/war/battle/kings/knights/kinda historic aspect is still the dominant theme throughout.
 

Brian in Mesa

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I do not recall from the TV series....did they show the great hall at Kings Landing with all of the giant dragon skulls??

They are talked about in a bathtub scene and then Arya hides in one after chasing the cat into the dungeons. So we hear about them and see them in the tv show.
 

Duckjake

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As long as HBO keeps showing clips of Emilia Clarke like the one that ended season one I'm in.

Camelot for instance was awful except for Eva Green. Wow.
 

D-Dogg

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Getting ready to watch the first episode now. So excited!

Halfway through the Clash of Kings book now, too.
 

D-Dogg

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So far, so good. Good start. I have a major beef though, in the decision to make Catelyn seem weak (don't go, ned, blah blah). She is a stronger character than they've made her out to be...in the books she was the driving force of Ned going to Kings Landing, not Ned himself, knowing that it was to be his duty. She was more protective of Bran going with, than Ned.

Tyrion (one of my favorite characters) was perfectly cast. ("call me an elf one more time....") Arya is also perfectly spunky...she's my favorite from the book.
 

azsportsfan01

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Bought the blu-ray but unfortunately go out of town early Saturday morning. Gonna plow through them when I get home so I can remember everything before season 2 starts.
 

Pariah

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I watched the show first, and--this is going to rankle a lot of people--I prefer it to the book. I just read the first one and won't be reading the rest. It was good, but I prefer the show.
 

D-Dogg

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I watched the show first, and--this is going to rankle a lot of people--I prefer it to the book. I just read the first one and won't be reading the rest. It was good, but I prefer the show.

ACK!!!

:rankled:


Dude. No. Fracking. Way.


I'm actually "liking" the series but much more interested in reading the second book than watching more episodes.

I'm shocked. I'm disgusted. I'm also pretty intrigued...I'm finding the show almost meh compared to the book and it seems like you are the exact opposite...the OMG moments are probably the reason. Watching the first episode I was basically saying in my head "ah, here is when Bran get shoved; ah, here is where Jon finds Snow...ah, here is when Tyrion compares being a dwarf to being a bastard." But it had no real...power. The book, that was POWER...I literally jaw-dropped several times.

How funny...
 

jf-08

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ACK!!!

:rankled:


Dude. No. Fracking. Way.


I'm actually "liking" the series but much more interested in reading the second book than watching more episodes.

I'm shocked. I'm disgusted. I'm also pretty intrigued...I'm finding the show almost meh compared to the book and it seems like you are the exact opposite...the OMG moments are probably the reason. Watching the first episode I was basically saying in my head "ah, here is when Bran get shoved; ah, here is where Jon finds Snow...ah, here is when Tyrion compares being a dwarf to being a bastard." But it had no real...power. The book, that was POWER...I literally jaw-dropped several times.

How funny...

:yeahthat:

I think the perspective is possibly which one you experienced first - book or show, because both are fantastic. I read the book first so I could understand the intricacies about the plot, which some have to be omitted on the show due to time constraints.


I can't wait for S2.
 

Pariah

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I think the perspective is possibly which one you experienced first
I'm sure that's the case for me. It's not like I'm not a reader and it's not as if I don't usually prefer books over the film adaptions.

In this case, I watched the series in a matter of a couple of weeks and was really hooked. I knocked out the first book relatively quickly--end enjoyed it, but I knew what was around the corner, so it didn't hold my attention like the series did.
 

D-Dogg

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I am sure it is perspective. I heard all the internet clamor about Ned's head and having already read about it in the book I was able to laugh about how people freaked out on the show over that twist. But I know when I get to that part when watching the show, it won't have the effect on me that it did in the book.

The OMG moments in this story (book or show) are delicious. There was a point in Clash of Kings that I was texting back and forth with my wife over a scene that came out of the effing blue...super nerdy.
 

D-Dogg

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It's increasingly hard to appropriately dislike Littlefinger when he's played by the guy who played one of my favorite Wire characters in Tommy Carcetti. I shouldn't be enjoying Petyr as much as I am.
 

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So many characters, so little time. I look forward to the episodes (probably starting next season) where story lines really start to converge and/or drop. The fact that they have so many stories to tell works against the building tension that is palpable in the books.
 

Shane

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I liked the first episode of this season. Gawwwwwd I hate Joffy!
 
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