Game of Thrones - HBO TV series based on 'A Song of Ice and Fire'

[Adorno]

'A song of Ice and Fire' is often mentioned on this forum, but I've never read any of the books.
Anybody seen the new TV series 'Game of Thrones?
Info and trailer: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0944947/ (you must log in - due to partial nudity - to watch trailer).

Seems to have a relatively big budget. 1st episode - 1 hour - was shown on Sky Channel Monday.
Jean Bean as Lord Eddard
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Jaime Lannister (unknown actor, who had the leading role in 'New Amsterdam', a series that only went one season)
Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister.

I'm new to the whole Westeros world, so it was a bit confusing. But not bad. Could be an interesting story later on.

 

[rejenorst]

I saw the first episode, am looking forward to the second episode. I am sure the book is much better (I have been advised to read it but never got around to it) but I found the series episiode 1 highly entertaining. Although I feel perhaps that the visuals outside of wintefell (that tribal area) could have used a bit of a makeover but never the less. The winter constumes and setting was pretty sweet.

 

[Worbah]

http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,23259.0.html

 

[Adorno]

Yeah, I know. Just didn't want to clutter up a 103 pages thread about the books, with this TV series.

 

[Worbah]

It's basically all they discuss there now.

 

[Reilnur]

I would prefer we keep the TV series discussion separate from the book series discussion. Otherwise, newcomers who have started out on the TV adaptation won't have to worry quite as much about sifting through spoilers for later books. And, those folks who don't give a rats ass about the TV series can focus on worrying over author mortality.

 

[Wellenbrecher]

For some... strange reason I keep hoping for

Spoiler

Joffrey

to die in the first book already and thus in this season as well.
First scene and I hated that bastard at once.

Good casting right there I'd say.


For the record, I've read the books more than once and I know it's not going to happen. Unfortunately.



But all in all it's pretty damn awesome to finally see it in motion. Quality and acting seem to be fine and the changes to the books seem to be of no real importance.
So far.

I forgot to add:
I can't wait to see how they'll do Viserys'... coronation

 

[Radalan]

It was an ok start. felt like it was over a bit too fast.
Felt like they're trying to sell some tv shows with loads of boobs, I think there was a pair bouncing around in nearly every scene.

Also

I also liked the Pilot. Though I don't really see how orcish dudes in Loincloths and vambraces look better than blue eyed humanoids in very alien glass armor.

Spoiler

I don't think the glass armour could have looked any worse than the Lannister armor.
For the love of god, look at the guy on the far right.

Spoiler

The hound's armor is my fav so far.
It's got actual arm and neck protection.

Spoiler

 

[Dryvus]

I found it amusing how the Hound's helmet bounced a bit with the motion of his horse. That had to be really annoying.

Although I feel perhaps that the visuals outside of wintefell (that tribal area) could have used a bit of a makeover but never the less.

Do you mean the parts involving the Dothraki? Their costumes are a fairly large departure from the books.

 

[Wellenbrecher]

I found the Hound's facial scars a tad disappointing to be honest.
It just looked like someone played a prank on him while he was passed out the night before.

 

[Belisarius]

I found it amusing how the Hound's helmet bounced a bit with the motion of his horse. That had to be really annoying.

Don't you get it? He was barking!

 

[Radalan]

I found the Hound's facial scars a tad disappointing to be honest.
It just looked like someone played a prank on him while he was passed out the night before.

I agree with the former, not really with the latter.
Though I'm not sure how Gregor would have had to hold his face against the burning coals to get it burned like that.

Spoiler

 

[Devercia]

So much is left unsaid    They really should have made it 2 seasons a book. 

For those that have not read the book, the 10 minute opening scene was an hour of reading in the book.

Also, unecesary departures are pissing me off. Not for their own trait of being different, but many times they are less practical, more expensive, and worse than what canon prescribes.

Where is all the ugly?

It was an ok start. felt like it was over a bit too fast.
Felt like they're trying to sell some tv shows with loads of boobs, I think there was a pair bouncing around in nearly every scene.

With exception to Tyrion's whores, they were all in the book.

 

[Blackfish]

Not to mention there is at least one scene that was nude in the books but not the TV series (Catelyn in the scene when Lysa's letter arrives).

So much is left unsaid    They really should have made it 2 seasons a book. 

For those that have not read the book, the 10 minute opening scene was an hour of reading in the book.

Where would you split the seasons for book one? Hypothetically speaking.

 

[Kazzan]

Where would you split the seasons for book one? Hypothetically speaking.

When the king and Eddard get back to Kings Landing?

 

[Blackfish]

Where would you split the seasons for book one? Hypothetically speaking.

When the king and Eddard get back to Kings Landing?

That's like less than 200 pages into the first book... I don't know. I'm still not convinced that two seasons would have worked for the first book, AGoT is pretty much a contained story, without natural breaks anywhere around halfway point. A longer season, like 12 or more episodes, yes, but not two seasons.

 

[Wellenbrecher]

They broke each book into two parts for the German translation. I can't remember where the break was exactly, but it worked pretty well storywise.
So well even that I didn't even sensed that I got ripped off before looking at the English releases.

This post would work a lot better if I could remember where the break is/was, but unfortunately I only own the English books now. Threw the utterly horrible, overpriced and halved translation out. Err, my point is, that there is a point in the story where you can neatly split it in half.
Would it be enough for two seasons though? I wouldn't say so, no. A Game of Thrones is only really the introduction for the more interesting story parts anyhow. A necessary evil and hindrance.

 

[Blackfish]

Hm, I'd be interested to know where the German translation splits it, I've not read AGoT in a while so I cannot remember if there was such a point.

 

[Temuzu]

I was lured to watching the first episode, and I loved it. I have never read the books, but have always wanted, so I think this will work quite fine.

Also, I dont get the ending of the first episode. It was just so... Bleh, why would you do that?

 

[Wellenbrecher]

Cersei and Jaime are brother and sister.
To add to that both are members one of the mightiest houses of the Seven Kingdoms Westeros, she's the Queen and he's one of the most famous members of the Kingsguard.

-edit
as Dryvus pointed out below, they're not only mere siblings but twins