Game of Thrones (spoiler-free zone)

[keg in kc]

A few have suggested it, might as well test the waters. The idea is to give people who haven't read the books a safe place to talk about the show.

A few quick ground rules:

• No Spoilers!!!!! for upcoming episodes.
• Larger Song of Ice and Fire discussion should be limited to the other thread although I think a tiny bit of book delving to fill in holes should be okay (example of this would be talking about Catelyn and her treatment of the wolves in the novel, which was alluded to on TV but never really made clear...)
• Everything that happened that week is fair game once an episode airs. So if you don't watch on Sunday night, I'd stay outta here until you do...

[KC_Connection]

Thought about including Jon Snow in that list of mine, but wasn't sure I could. He's definitely Ned Stark's son (in many ways) and somebody you root for, but I don't think you can call him a fascinating character yet.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by Chief Gump

I don't think it is the lack of biters that makes the walking dead shit. It is the lack of everything else like actors and storyline.

I admit I still watch it but only because it is the only thing like it on TV. If any other network had done the show I believe it would have turned out much better. Everything about the show just screams 'B' TV.

OK.

[alexsmithsfan]

ok i'm not going to read through this thread to figure it out but does anyone know the point to the ending? That last walker looked like the walker jesus or something? WTF WAS THAT

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I have complaints. WTF is up with Danerys staying fully clothed for most of the last three seasons?!?! That's some bullshit if you ask me.

I agree but she has a contract about nudity. And its not to show us more of the goods.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by alexsmithsfan

ok i'm not going to read through this thread to figure it out but does anyone know the point to the ending? That last walker looked like the walker jesus or something? WTF WAS THAT

Duhhhh Spoiler free zone.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by Silock

In fact, I like Tyrion more than just about any other TV character since Omar. I just want more from it; I want it to diversify a little bit. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that. If I'm disappointed by GoT, it's because it could be better, and I like it enough that I think it deserves to be.

I agree. It could be better. The books especially. GRR loves details. But I don't give a shit about reading all the details of the food, the prep, the circumstance of some dinner.

Originally Posted by Silock

Second, there are quite a few shows that are better than Game of Thrones.

??? Matter of opinion.

Originally Posted by Silock

Frankly, I think it's that a lot of people really love the fantasy genre, and it's something that is basically missing on TV.

I never liked the fantasy genre. Look at my quotes earlier in this thread. I did like the Asimov books as a teenager. The GoT book series was very well written but could have been better.

Originally Posted by Silock

The CGI on the last episode was very cool, especially the last 5 minutes.

There is a major story line coming that screams top quality CGI or it will look like shit.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by KC_Connection

Again, that just comes off as another specious complaint to me. It's true that several of the secondary characters are fairly one dimensional and fit into traditional archetypes, but this show is very unique in that there are so many characters in this world. Even if there is something in the source material that they could use in this regard, there just isn't the time available to commit to developing many of them. They barely have enough time to focus on the primary ones at all.

It's hard to differentiate who the secondary characters and main characters are, because it seems that irrelevant people get more screentime than those that are supposed to be main characters. Up until Sunday, we hadn't seen Bran since like 1976.

Sansa, Bran, Theon, Davos, and Samwell are all fascinating, multi-dimensional characters who have changed significantly as the show has gone on (some to a greater extent than others). When you look at them, I just don't see this as a problem with GoT at all.

I haven't seen a ton of character development out of these people. Maybe it's coming. But it's certainly not anywhere near the extent of Jaime, Dan, or Tyrion. I mean, unless you count Reek. But if you wanted some real character development, you would have had him slit that idiot's throat while shaving him. That would have made the storyline seem worthwhile, but for now, it is rather boring. Maybe that's because I haven't read the books and don't know how it all ties together, but it seems largely irrelevant right now.

[Aries Walker]

The only currently-running shows that I can think of that are in the same league as Game of Thrones are Sherlock and True Detective. I could put any of the three on the top of the heap on any given day.

And Sansa has gone through a ton of character development.

[NewChief]

Come on now: Reek not slitting Ramsay's throat was actually a huge piece of dynamic character development. It shows how completely he's been broken which is a definite progression from season to season.

I still agree with a lot of your points, but that was a poor example, IMO.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by NewChief

Come on now: Reek not slitting Ramsay's throat was actually a huge piece of dynamic character development. It shows how completely he's been broken which is a definite progression from season to season.

I still agree with a lot of your points, but that was a poor example, IMO.

If he had done, I would have been pleasantly surprised. It's not super compelling for him to be so broken. It's just ... shitty.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Silock

If he had done, I would have been pleasantly surprised. It's not super compelling for him to be so broken. It's just ... shitty.

I think that's kinda the point.

[NewChief]

Originally Posted by Silock

If he had done, I would have been pleasantly surprised. It's not super compelling for him to be so broken. It's just ... shitty.

Right. I don't want to give spoilers so I'll put something cryptic in:

Spoiler!

It's once again a matter of pacing when you translate a series of novels to screen. The transformation is coming (I think), it just hasn't happened yet.

[Silock]

Originally Posted by Fire Me Boy!

I think that's kinda the point.

I meant it in the sense that they took a character that was actually developing some real potential (friend of the Starks, turned enemy) in terms of actually impacting the larger storyline, and lobotomized him.

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Silock

It's hard to differentiate who the secondary characters and main characters are, because it seems that irrelevant people get more screentime than those that are supposed to be main characters. Up until Sunday, we hadn't seen Bran since like 1976.

I don't think it's that difficult. Just take a look at the characters who have been in the most episodes over the course of the series (Tyrion, Cersei, Jaime, Dany, Arya, Sansa, Bran, Jon Snow, Samwell, Theon). They also tend to be the ones who receive the most screen time, although there are sometimes exceptions as you note (which likely have to do with the source material not having a lot on them for a particular season, like Jaime in S2).

I haven't seen a ton of character development out of these people. Maybe it's coming. But it's certainly not anywhere near the extent of Jaime, Dan, or Tyrion. I mean, unless you count Reek. But if you wanted some real character development, you would have had him slit that idiot's throat while shaving him. That would have made the storyline seem worthwhile, but for now, it is rather boring. Maybe that's because I haven't read the books and don't know how it all ties together, but it seems largely irrelevant right now.

Nobody is really going to match those major transformations, but Sansa, Bran, Theon, and Samwell have changed significantly from what they were when we first met them. Perhaps Davos hasn't yet, but he's still a pretty interesting character to me (far more than than perpetually grumpy Stannis anyway).

[KC_Connection]

Originally Posted by Aries Walker

The only currently-running shows that I can think of that are in the same league as Game of Thrones are Sherlock and True Detective. I could put any of the three on the top of the heap on any given day.

And Sansa has gone through a ton of character development.

Agreed on both.