Game of Thrones

[Kaz]

For once we didn't have to wait ages before a new show premiered in the UK.

I've been following the George RR Martin books for years now and was excited about the idea of it making it to TV. Series was preceded by a lot of hype, and could have been a huge let down, but I actually really enjoyed the first episode.

I wonder how they'll do season 4. Anyone who watched the show but hasn't been reading the series might be interested to know that he tells the story from the point of view of a different character each chapter, a bit like roleplaying here.

By the time we get to book 4, they are all in different locations following their own plots. The better half of the major characters were not in book 4. When I say better, I mean the most interesting characters.

Book 5 tells the story for the time period of book 4, from the other charcters points of view, and is due out in July.

It'll be interesting to see how they deal with it. If they follow the books, season 4 ratings could be interesting. They could overlay the two books, but the fans of the series might not like the idea of not following the flow of the books,

Hopefully the series with spur the author to get the remaining books written a little quicker.

[bigSparky]

I enjoyed it as well. More so than Rome or either Spartacus. Haven't read the books. I also didn't get a lot of the hype. While I have had the premium channels for a bit over a year now, I don't seem to watch them all that much, so I only saw a few of the commercials. Of course seeing Piper Parabo fully nude might have helped to keep my interest. Mark Addey and that cat from LoTR did a pretty good job also. I knew what was going to happen right before that guy said "ahh, the things I do for love" but I kept hoping he wouldn't do it. I guess for some reason he just REALLY did not want to be caught screwing the king's wife.

Uhm, were you interchanging season 4 and book 4 by chance.

[Teanos]

Rome was good, at least the first season. I felt Season 2 was rushed, they could of let that series run a good 4 seasons with the material they had to work with, but instead they just rushed through it to end it.

Sparticus has been freaking awesome. If you get past the mass amounts of blood and guts, both the first season and this prequel have had really good story lines. Plus, you got to see Xena's boobs!

I haven't seen Game of Thrones yet, can't really justify HBO for just that show. I might have to see if I can find it elsewhere, or just wait until it comes out on NetFlix.

[owly]

I saw something on TV about it, they said the author was the american version of Tokien

[Gili]

Rome was good, at least the first season. I felt Season 2 was rushed, they could of let that series run a good 4 seasons with the material they had to work with, but instead they just rushed through it to end it.

Sparticus has been freaking awesome. If you get past the mass amounts of blood and guts, both the first season and this prequel have had really good story lines. Plus, you got to see Xena's boobs!

Thats exactly my feeling. Rome season 1 was excellent, season 2 meh. Sparticus was excellent, as you put it...just gotta try and get past the random extra blood, cock and tits everywhere

Game of Thrones I have been looking forward to it, and wasn't disappointed. I don't read so don't know the plot, but an rp forum i hang out in the book is referenced a lot as a great resource. Bring on episode 2!

*edit* Forum seems rather quick today

[Kaz]

Didn't see Rome, but I too have been enjoying Spartacus. Yes its bloody, but who can argue bad things about a series where you get to see an elven princess naked

bigSparky, yes I was interchanging season 4 with book 4. It's logical to expect them to do a series per book. That gives George RR Martin 6 years to get the final two books written, which seems about right for his recent speed of releasing books in the series. I know it's a far way off, but never the less it will be interesting to see how they get around the book 4 & 5 overlap

[Maverick]

I thought it was good, have not read the books. I watched Rome the first season, second season I stopped keeping up.

As for how HBO will do it, I wouldnt be so sure that they will do a book a season. They could make 1 book 2 seasons, 1 book half a season, etc. It really is just going to depend on how it translates to tv.

[Kaz]

As far as I'm aware, there are set to be 7 books in total.

Book 5 is still not totally written (after 6 years), but has been promised for a July 2011 release.

A book every 2 seasons, and one season a year, would mean a 14 year run. I think that's a lot.

2 books a season, would put a major rush on the author completing books 6 and 7 in time to meet HBO demands.

[Kenos]

I guess the good thing is then that they have something objective to keep the pacing, even though they'd make the classic mistake of going at it slow to draw out the show as long as possible just so they don't have to stop receiving their paychecks until something else kicks them out..., risking they end up with a far shorter show than it should have been and with an unsatisfying ending...

in modern television very few shows have the luxury of being able to start out slow and/or very serialized to establish an overall framework for their show, shows that still try this (SGU, Caprica, Survivor) have a big chance of getting axed for low ratings...

[Jokingjoe]

I wouldn't rush them into pushing this out too fast. Martin has had a hard time getting Dance With Dragons written.

Comparing Martin with Tolkien is difficult. Tolkien writes in the more traditional heroic epic style. Martin writes in a much more realistic and, in my opinion, a much more "gritty" style. I'm current on the Martin novels, and I've never ceased to be amazed at his writing style. Of all the fantasy fiction writers I've read, he's been by far, the most realistic of writers in regards to portraying war and the spoils thereof. He certainly has no qualms about killing off characters.

With regards to that, I can see how it would make writing easier, especially if you compare him to Robert Jordan's style of writing, who had a hard time killing anyone off and ends up getting hunkered down with too many characters who need to be tied off.

Just my 2¢.

[Aeropagitica]

Sure...I think Martin should seek a more happy medium though. You don't want a never-ending web of complications like Jordan, but killing off so many apparently major characters leaves your plot line with holes. You have an idea of major events from an historical point of view, but now five books in, you've only a handful of the characters you began with and you task yourself with re-writing the history through others points of view, based on the new new central characters who've been introduced, which as we've seen, has made writing very difficult. Gritty indeed, and a lot of extra work!

[bigSparky]

I watched the season finale last night and all I can say is no,no,no,no,no! I want more and I want it now. I mean come on. My Khaleesi(Emilia Clarke, not Piper Perabo as I originally thought, and possibly even finer if that is at all possible) has baby dragons climbing on her. I'm even beginning to like the littlest Lanister. I can't wait to see how Sansa Stark fucks up that little rat boy king, Joffrey. You know she is going to. Unless (perfect world) Arya gets to him first.

Not quite sure how they got away with the nude scene of Sansa bathing. Sophie Turner is only 15. Maybe it was a body double, but I think even that is questionable. But then Brooke shields barely kept her clothes on until AFTER she turned 18.

And WHY am I so turned on by Michelle Fairley who plays Catelyn Stark? Maybe I'm just getting old cuz I also find Julie White, the mom in the Transformers movies, extremely hot. They look a lot alike as well.

But yeah, they have killed off 4 MAJOR characters already. So far they have been able to keep the continuity. Is this all keeping in line with the books, or have they taken some license? I can't wait for next season.

[asoc]

I watched the season finale last night and all I can say is no,no,no,no,no! I want more and I want it now. I mean come on. My Khaleesi(Emilia Clarke, not Piper Perabo as I originally thought, and possibly even finer if that is at all possible) has baby dragons climbing on her. I'm even beginning to like the littlest Lanister. I can't wait to see how Sansa Stark fucks up that little rat boy king, Joffrey. You know she is going to. Unless (perfect world) Arya gets to him first.

Not quite sure how they got away with the nude scene of Sansa bathing. Sophie Turner is only 15. Maybe it was a body double, but I think even that is questionable. But then Brooke shields barely kept her clothes on until AFTER she turned 18.

And WHY am I so turned on by Michelle Fairley who plays Catelyn Stark? Maybe I'm just getting old cuz I also find Julie White, the mom in the Transformers movies, extremely hot. They look a lot alike as well.

But yeah, they have killed off 4 MAJOR characters already. So far they have been able to keep the continuity. Is this all keeping in line with the books, or have they taken some license? I can't wait for next season.

Don't recall any nude scene of Sansa bathing...

I read all the books before the series came out on HBO. There was a lot of underage stuff going on that I was wondering how they would fit in. Turns out they just aged everyone a few years from the start. Obviously Sansa is still too young. But Daenarys was supposed to be pretty young too.

I am enjoying the series. The books are pretty good and the next one is out very soon.

[bigSparky]

It was towards the end after Eddard was executed. She was talking with the old blind guy I think. I didn't really see any point to the nudity, other than for nudity's sake, which is what bothered me a bit. I'm not complaining about it mind you. I was actually impressed enough to look her up on line, and that's when I found out she is only 15. I was fine with it till then.

[Gili]

I'm fairly sure that was the talkative hooker type girl from the previous episode. The one who was lezzing off with instruction from $scheming_dude1.

I vaguely remember the scene and being shocked for a little while, then realising it wasn't the little girl


***am pissed so memory not working at full capacity

[bigSparky]

But you could be entirely correct Gili. Guess I'll just have to go to on demand and watch that part again. I love fast forwarding TV.

[Kenos]

that was the hooker from winterfell

[bigSparky]

Shae, the one with Tywin(sp?)? Or the one that showed her goodies to the guy when she was leaving on the hay wagon? The gal that plays Shae has done at least 10 hardcore scenes IRL.

[asoc]

Its the red head hooker from Winterfell.

Not sure how you can confuse her with Sansa, lmfao.

[bigSparky]

The red hair and the lighting and the timing and the subject of conversation? For some reason I thought they killed that gal off after she flashed that guy. The episode wasn't available On Demand last night so I haven't had a chance to re watch it yet. In any case, I stand both corrected and relieved they aren't being TOO risque.