I love this show and devoured last nights season 2 opener!!

But i have to admit, i have no clue what's going on

mark, if jamie dies...so does sansa. they were killing robert's bastards.

100% correct BAM!

The Starks can not kill or otherwise harm Jaime because whatever happens to Jaime happens to Sansa.

In the book it's Cersei who orchestrates the child killing, as much as out of a final revenge on her husband as for realpolitik. In the show it's unclear as to whether it's Cersei or Joffrey but it doesn't much matter, I guess. The goal is to eliminate any future contenders for the throne and to prevent people from noticing or talking about the fact that ALL of Robert's children are dark haired and not blonde like Joffrey and his siblings who were born from incest.

The fellow with the bull helmet is one of Robert's older illegitimate children, Gendry, and is said to be the spitting image of Robert, which is why the Lannisters are extremely interesting in killing him.

Check your PM, Yogi.

Thanks for the clarity, guys! I got it now!

I've been telling everybody that does not watch this that they are really missing the boat. I think they assume it is some weird Dungeons & Dragons/Harry Potter stuff but they are mistaken. This is a very good series!

Game Of Thrones wins Peabody Award

Fuck Yeah! How awesome!!!

Caught the first two ep's; and wow. Love it. I had a tingly feeling watching it. Once again, of course, a little different from the book, but well done and emminently watchable. Just awesome.

I'm the furthest thing from a feminist but the writers are significantly reducing the agency of two rather important female characters (Cersei Lannister and Catelyn Stark) and giving their insights or even actions to their sons.

Adaptations must make alterations of course and book and TV are different works of art but some of these changes are altering characters a bit too much.

In the books for example

I'm glad I read the books first. The show is still very enjoyable. But if you like the show and haven't read the books I would urge you to do so.

Great points Lilo. Also, once again, the pacing is way off. Ive noticed too, the portrayal of Stannis has been curiously unsympahetic. As a character I've always imagined as stoically "honour bound" and rigid, almost somewhat like Ned Stark, they seem like they're playing him off as a thuggish dick.

The scenes of Theon back on the Iron Islands though...AWESOME. Basically exactly what Id imagined.

Came across a few GoT memes and articles, thought Id share.

GoT cake.

Theons yearbook.

Jake Gleeson (Joffrey) on quitting acting after GoT to purse a career in academia: http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/...ng-3082256.html

Charles Dance, on "nailing" Tywin Lannister

They're definitely pulling it off, in any case.

Thanks MMB!!! Good finds.
I always thought the definitive scene between Tyrion and Tywin was in the war council last year where under his father's pitiless glare and atypically at a loss for words, Tyrion reaches for a goblet of wine and Twyin casually moves it out of his son's reach, while never taking his eyes off him.

Did anyone pickup the George Martin shout out to Lovecraft?

HP Lovecraft: "That is not dead which can eternal lie and with strange eons even death may die" used in discussing the great old God Cthulhu who looks similar to a giant octopoid and is trapped in a sunken city.


George RR Martin: "What is dead may never die but rises again, harder and stronger" used by Ironborn to describe their "Drowned God" who may take the form of a giant octopoid.

Game of Thrones continues to do well in viewership.
Variety Article

Richard Madden (Robb Stark) interview. His Scottish accent is much more obvious here. Interview

Seeing as we're about a week behind you guys, I've been streaming it after all. I need my fix ASAP. Just finished the fifth episode, and some points;

After episode four "Garden of Bones", its apparent that they're really endeavouring to get us to hate Joffrey. Not just hate him, but actually loath him. The scene with him beating the prostitutes went on just a little too long, no? I wonder if they mean to speed up his storyline pursuantto the books.

Also, apparently the healer Talisa is a composite character, primarily based on Jeyne Westerling. I do wonder at what their direction with her will be. An interesting note, the actress, Oona Chaplin, is apparantly a grand-daughter of Charlie Chaplin.

And Jojen and Meera? IIRC, it was Jojen that had the "Sea coming to Winterfell" premonition, no? And now its Bran. Am I right on that? I plan on rereading the books again very soon in any case, there's a few things Id like to clarify and check.

Also, as yet not Ramsay Bolton. Considering what a big part he plays in later story arcs, I'd be very surprised if he's left out.

So once again, a few things here and there (Renly's peach during his parlay with Stannis, Harranhal being changed to Harranhall and Tywin instead of Roose Bolton taking Arya as a cupbearer) but understandable in what needs to be done in regards to pacing and and streamlining the story. Cant wait for the next one.

Hey MMD!!

I don't think the Reeds have been cast so they might be out all together. It was Jojen that had the premonition. So far Robb's maternal relatives have not been shown either. I don't see how they can be left out with what is coming in the storyline.

I get that they only have 10 episodes and can not either for story or for money reasons include every character GRRM wrote. But a few of the changes were a bit unnerving. But I still trust the writers.

I guess they want to emphasize that Joffrey is a psycho but I already got that with the constant assaults on Sansa, the removal of the bard's tongue, the threatened murder of Ser Dontos, etc. I did like the brief happiness between Cersei and lil bro Tyrion that almost immediately went away.

And I am impressed with Gwendolyn Christie as Brienne. I had doubts but last night's episode removed them completely.

Hey Lilo. One plus to be said for coming into the series late; you could watch the entire season in one block rather than waiting for the weekly ration.

Honestly, I totally agree. When I first saw who'd been cast, I thought Christie was too pretty to play Brienne, but man, is she pulling it off. She swordfights better than most men on the show! And her rigid, ungainly and overly solemn traits are really coming through.

And of course! The Blackfish! Cant believe I missed that one, and the other Tullys.

I totally understand how some characters need to be cut, but the choices are somewhat alarming, to say the least. Who's going to to act as Brans guide? Osha I guess. Which raises more questions. And why is Tywin seemingly so much more likable than the books? Will this impact on his later storylines?

Apparantly Weiss and Benioff have said that rather than completely cut characters, they mean to introduce them more slowly. So...I guess we'll see what happens.

I think Tywin still scares most of the people he comes in contact with. Notice his dismissal of his cousin for what he saw as defeatist talk and threat to have him beheaded. They've made Joffrey worse and in comparison Twyin looks "nicer"..

The first three episodes were disappointing, but the last two are good. Hopefully they continue this line.

What did you like and what didn't you like?

[img]http://imgur.com/Wxor9[/img]

4chan's take on GoT.

Deleted Hodor Chapter;

[img]http://imgur.com/cW3iD[/img]

How I feel having just finished the first book;

I thought it was a nice touch how , faced with disrespect and possible mutiny by his men, Theon tries to use the same verbal smackdown that Robb Stark used in a similar situation. But Theon Greyjoy is not Robb Stark and the target of the supposed intimidation just laughs in his face. It would have helped to have had a direwolf too. Alfie Allen is doing a good job playing Theon. And Madden IS Robb Stark.

Sansa Stark gets a lot of fan contempt for her silly attachment to fairy tales, romances and belief in honor. But she was the oldest daughter. That is what she was taught and trained in by her parents. As we will no doubt see tonight or next week, Robb Stark has a lot (too many???) of the same beliefs about honor, doing the right thing and so on that can prove limiting in war time. It's not as obvious as with Sansa, because as a male he gets to be in a more active leadership role. The younger Stark children haven't yet had the opportunity to have been completely indoctrinated in Stark ethics and because of that and sheer necessity, will have to take a more flexible (realistic/Machiavellian??) approach to conflict.

And I really like Michelle Fairley as Catelyn Stark. Both her and Bean were a bit older than than the written characters but despite the writers taking actions away from Fairley, she is really shining in her role.

The first three episodes were very soap-like and slow-paced. Too much nakedness and boring dialoges to please the larger public and compensate for a slow start. The last two episodes finally made some progress and I expect the next ones will continue that line. I'm a fan of the first season and don't want to see this series being ruined by all that other bullshit.

Theon Greyjoy is a despicable character BUT one has to look at it from his point of view. He is an oath breaker and murderer but at the same time he is trying to remain loyal to his blood family who clearly despise him.

It's an interesting parallel with Tom Hagen, of all people, because both men were raised as "adopted children" by more powerful families and each of them knew they could never hope to inherit power from their adopted family. The difference though is that Hagen's family is gone and never had any conflict with the Corleones.

Theon's family is still very much around and has major unsettled business with the rest of Westeros and most especially the Starks. It was foolish for Robb to send Theon back to his family but was in keeping with the "honor before reason" characteristic which seems to plague Stark males. Once Theon's father decided to attack , Theon was in an impossible position. There was no way he could turn against his own blood. I thought Alfie Allen did a really good job portraying Theon's internal struggles as well as his essential need to prove that he's as good or better than the Starks.

Ultimately one could blame Ned Stark's mercy in taking Theon as a ward all those years ago instead of just ending the Greyjoys completely, which is certainly what Tywin Lannister would have done. But hindsight is always 20/20.

I was stoked to hear mention of Ramsay Snow in the latest episode. The Bastard of Bolton is going to have quite a big role in later seasons.

Also, Natalia Tena! Naked! That was...that was pretty damn awesome. Who would have thought Nymphadora Tonks would agree to a full nude scene?

GRRM Announcements:


Journal

Although I am told not in the books, the dynamic between Tywin Lannister and Arya Stark is very good. At this point, Tywin has figured out that Arya is "high born," and some people are speculating whether he'll actually find out she's a Stark or whether she'll slip away somehow.

The Battle of Blackwater will be portrayed in a few episodes. I heard a rumor that they were saving "battle budget" for this episode, but we'll see.

Yes, they have changed some things around from the books more so than from last season. Their show; their call. I don't mind...unless they start to alter the big picture. The Starks have maternal relatives/in-laws and the fact that they haven't been shown this season is a bit irksome since they have quite a lot to do with things, as it is mostly their kingdom where the majority of the war is fought.

I finally gave in and started watching game of thrones two weeks ago. It took me 2 days to watch season 1 and the first four episodes of season 2. It's clear to say... i'm hooked! LOL

Should i be reading the books?