Game of Thrones Television Series Thread (No Spoilers!)

[blayze]

R+L=J. What I had feared since we saw the Tower scene so early in the season....I feel like a lot of non book reader or avid fans would have no idea the significance of it.

You're spot on here HR... this was the scene this morning in my office (I'm the only one who's read the books, they all just watch the show):

Me: "What'd you guys think Snow being revealed as a Targaryen? Exciting possibilities now huh!?!" (I never disclose any of my own theories or anything from the internet... don't want to ruin their experience so I wait for the show to catch up)
Office: "He's a Targaryen!?!? How do you know that???"
Me: "The Tower! When they showed the baby... then switched right to Snow... DUH!!!"
Office: "Wow, guess it makes sense now... I thought they were just using a cool directors trick to transition to a new scene"
Me: "Are you guys shitting me right now... it was so obvious lol"

All the tower stuff, the Sword of the Morning, all that was way above their heads. Some of them didn't even know the woman in the bed was Ned's sister. I was flabbergasted, but I guess (after berating them about how OBVIOUS it was) if I really put myself in their shoes, without my backgorund knowledge from the book and internet, I could understand the oversight given how complex this show and how little time was spent explaining the backdrop with Lyanna & Rhegar (none of them even know who Rhegar is).

The writers will definitely have to reinforce the connection and make it more painfully obvious for the casuals.

[Atomic Wedgy]

And why have her whisper? Just frigging say he's mine and Rhaegar's son.

I was yelling at the tv. "SPEAK UP LADY!!!! SAY IT! SAY IT!!!" haha. I knew what it meant anyway, but I wanted to hear her say it. I can see how the average viewer who just watches the shows might miss what was happening. Maybe they are assuming that with everyone on the internet nowadays that these things are widely known?

[hockeyrobot]

You're spot on here HR... this was the scene this morning in my office (I'm the only one who's read the books, they all just watch the show):

Me: "What'd you guys think Snow being revealed as a Targaryen? Exciting possibilities now huh!?!" (I never disclose any of my own theories or anything from the internet... don't want to ruin their experience so I wait for the show to catch up)
Office: "He's a Targaryen!?!? How do you know that???"
Me: "The Tower! When they showed the baby... then switched right to Snow... DUH!!!"
Office: "Wow, guess it makes sense now... I thought they were just using a cool directors trick to transition to a new scene"
Me: "Are you guys shitting me right now... it was so obvious lol"

All the tower stuff, the Sword of the Morning, all that was way above their heads. Some of them didn't even know the woman in the bed was Ned's sister. I was flabbergasted, but I guess (after berating them about how OBVIOUS it was) if I really put myself in their shoes, without my backgorund knowledge from the book and internet, I could understand the oversight given how complex this show and how little time was spent explaining the backdrop with Lyanna & Rhegar (none of them even know who Rhegar is).

The writers will definitely have to reinforce the connection and make it more painfully obvious for the casuals.

It's true. This kind of thing has frustrated me with this show over the years.

I asked one friend "do you know who Rhaegar Targaryen is" and he said "who is she?". On a show that has SO MANY characters and names.....it's hard for people to grasp the names that aren't even present on the show.

[glorybe23]

I paused the show 3 damn times to explain the whole Rhaegar thing to everyone watching at my weekly viewing party haha.

Had one dude who never even knew the Hound and the Mountain were brothers! Pretty sure I got a migraine after that argument.

[hockeyrobot]

I paused the show 3 damn times to explain the whole Rhaegar thing to everyone watching at my weekly viewing party haha.

Had one dude who never even knew the Hound and the Mountain were brothers! Pretty sure I got a migraine after that argument.

It's like people zone out during any dialogue scenes

[blayze]

The end King in both shows/book... Tyrion. Write it in pen.

Hmmm... could still work. Tyrion's obviously falling in love with Dany on the show... keeps with the whole Targaryen incest theme. I just think it'll be hard for the audience to digest that given the limited time left on the show... most of the casuals are still having trouble wrapping their heads around Jon being a Targaryen (I would guess based on my office watercooler talk this morning that probably a third to half of the audience STILL doesn't get it even after last night's OBVIOUS tell!)

The problem is that all the back stories, subtleties, hints, foreshadowing that Martin drops throughout the books is completely stripped in the show, so it becomes even harder for casual television viewers to pick up, much less *believe* all these intricate connections. It doesn't translate well, and then everything feels random and chaotic to the average viewer.

Good example: One of the pivotal scenes in both book and show is the Cersei/Witch three prophecies scene that they opened up one of the previous seasons with. In the book there are THREE prophecies.. . the last prophecy is particularly important because it alludes to either Tyrion or Jaime ultimately choking Cersei to death. They COMPLETELY stripped that out of the television show, leaving only the two prophecies dealing with her marriage to the King and death of her three kids.

[theIceWookie]

Hmmm... could still work. Tyrion's obviously falling in love with Dany on the show... keeps with the whole Targaryen incest theme. I just think it'll be hard for the audience to digest that given the limited time left on the show... most of the casuals are still having trouble wrapping their heads around Jon being a Targaryen (I would guess based on my office watercooler talk this morning that probably a third to half of the audience STILL doesn't get it even after last night's OBVIOUS tell!)

The problem is that all the back stories, subtleties, hints, foreshadowing that Martin drops throughout the books is completely stripped in the show, so it becomes even harder for casual television viewers to pick up, much less *believe* all these intricate connections. It doesn't translate well, and then everything feels random and chaotic to the average viewer.

Good example: One of the pivotal scenes in both book and show is the Cersei/Witch three prophecies scene that they opened up one of the previous seasons with. In the book there are THREE prophecies.. . the last prophecy is particularly important because it alludes to either Tyrion or Jaime ultimately choking Cersei to death. They COMPLETELY stripped that out of the television show, leaving only the two prophecies dealing with her marriage to the King and death of her three kids.

It's always going to be hard to put that much information, subtlety, lead up and foreshadowing into the TV series. Martin puts sooooo much effort into foreshadowing and depth of the story and ensuring that storylines fit well, that it's impossible to transfer that to the show. It would be a 30 season long show lol. You can kind of see that sort of thing in movies that are based off of books. It's just hard to put everything from the book into the movie and really transfer the feeling the author was trying to get across in the book. It's a different medium, and I don't think you'll ever see a movie/TV show that fully captures the intention of the book.

I think they're trying their best, but there are so many details and storylines they are being forced to consolidate or cut out that they're struggling with some of the gravity of things. People clearly haven't really realized the importance of the Jon Snow being a Targaryen or that he even is one (I feel your pain haha, I paused the show last night to explain it to my two housemates, and it was painfully slow in explaining it to them haha). I don't even think they did a great job with the prophecies, I found myself being like "oh right, last night the prophecy of Cersei's three children dying was fulfilled finally". They also haven't done a great job of teasing the other part of the marriage prophecy, that she would be replaced by a younger prettier women (likely Danaery's now).

I think the fact that they closed up soooo many sotrylines in the episode will help them keep things less chaotic and convoluted.

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It's like people zone out during any dialogue scenes

My housemate has this problem. He's constantly asking me "who is that?" or "what just happened?" Which astounds me cause the guy has a masters degree, is working on his doctorate and is probably one of the smartest people I know. He just doesn't pay attention (half the time he's on his damn phone).

[blayze]

It's like people zone out during any dialogue scenes

Speaking of dialogue scenes... did anyone else get goose bumps during the Dany/Tyrion exchange? Especially when she gave him the badge... his reaction, without even saying a word, was captivating.

Dinklage is the best actor on that show hands down.

[Pengwin7]

^ I agree.
To my knowledge, Tyrion is the only character that has verbal interaction with both Jon and Dany. (both Book & Show)
Dinklage is phenomenal.
I remember reading an article that the show producers absolutely wanted about three actors for show: Sean Bean to play Season 1 Ned, Charles Dance to play Tywin Lannister, and Peter Dinklage to play Tyrion.
They've done a great job with casting of the adult-characters.
The guy that has played Varys has been dynamite as well.

[RizzeeDizzee]

My housemate has this problem. He's constantly asking me "who is that?" or "what just happened?" Which astounds me cause the guy has a masters degree, is working on his doctorate and is probably one of the smartest people I know. He just doesn't pay attention (half the time he's on his damn phone).

In my house, I coined the HOWIT scale for each GOT episode in honor of my wife, who kind of 75% watches each episode. HOWIT stands for - "hold on, who is that?" For example, S6E6 (when Benjen returns, we meet Sam's family, we see Edmure again) probably rated a 9 out of 10 on the HOWIT scale.

[Sulla]

Some of the younger characters have been just as good for me... the difference we now see in Sansa is excellent and I love the young girl from bear island...

[Atomic Wedgy]

Some of the younger characters have been just as good for me... the difference we now see in Sansa is excellent and I love the young girl from bear island...

Agree! Sansa's transformation has been incredible. That was done really well.

[blayze]

After laying the smack down on the North in the finale I have to say Lady Mormont has quickly become one of my favs... which means she'll meet a gruesome end very soon.

[blayze]

DB has confirmed... only 20 episodes left.

How will I ever fill the void in my life...

[Dobber]

Speaking of dialogue scenes... did anyone else get goose bumps during the Dany/Tyrion exchange? Especially when she gave him the badge.

Me!!