Game of Thrones Part Deax: The Readers Thread

[Rubes]

her window????

 

you know that part seemed odd to me..

I thought the old crone said the highest window of the abandoned tower. seems a difficult task, and might raise questions.

 

or did I misread / hear which window

 

No, you're right, I think she said the broken tower. I forgot about that. Who knows what that means.

[Deranged Rhino]

I, for one, am axiously waiting for the walk of shame. They've already foreshadowed it with the previous high septon. Unlike the books, Cersei won't get caught sleeping with "everyone but Moonboy," but they've set her up with Lancel's character and her role in Robert's death. I don't know why they decided to have Cersei go after Margaery's brother instead of her, but it will work out the same, I guess. However, I think I've said one of my favorite parts of the books is when Cersei suddenly realizes she's screwed and tries to escape, but it looks like they probably won't do the same scene in the show.

 

As for Sansa, I think it's going to get ugly. I don't think they'll let Ramsay pop her cherry, or perhaps they will but Sansa will get her revenge during the act. But I have a feeling that it will be bloody. She has the option of lighting the candle in her window as per last episode, but not sure what the response will be. Perhaps Brienne will come to her aid. I'm expecting blood and death. Would be interesting if it's fit into the attack by Stannis. But it's anybody's guess at this point, since this storyline is so far removed from the books.

 

My take with Lancel is they needed to incapacitate him and the siege of Dragonstone would be cool but expensive (for an already expensive show). Cersei ratting him out to the Sparrows who then torture him to death (or close) serves the same purpose as Cersei sending Lancel to his sure-death at Dragonstone. Like you said, same outcome just a bit cheaper. I guess it also helps make clear to the TV audience that Cersei has unleashed an uncontrollable force where no one is beyond judgement.

 

I expect them to keep that bit you loved in the book, I don't see that changing. It's too good to mess with in my opinion.

[FireChan]

 

My take with Lancel is they needed to incapacitate him and the siege of Dragonstone would be cool but expensive (for an already expensive show). Cersei ratting him out to the Sparrows who then torture him to death (or close) serves the same purpose as Cersei sending Lancel to his sure-death at Dragonstone. Like you said, same outcome just a bit cheaper. I guess it also helps make clear to the TV audience that Cersei has unleashed an uncontrollable force where no one is beyond judgement.

 

I expect them to keep that bit you loved in the book, I don't see that changing. It's too good to mess with in my opinion.

The walk of shame sequence is a great scene. "Real" Cersei scenes have always been a high point for Martin's writing. My favorite still goes to Cersei getting drunk during the siege and telling Sansa about what happens when a city is sacked. The sardonic tone really translated fantastically to screen, which I didn't think possible. Lena Hadley (sic?) is great. Edited May 17, 2015 by FireChan

[Rubes]

 

My take with Lancel is they needed to incapacitate him and the siege of Dragonstone would be cool but expensive (for an already expensive show). Cersei ratting him out to the Sparrows who then torture him to death (or close) serves the same purpose as Cersei sending Lancel to his sure-death at Dragonstone. Like you said, same outcome just a bit cheaper. I guess it also helps make clear to the TV audience that Cersei has unleashed an uncontrollable force where no one is beyond judgement.

 

I expect them to keep that bit you loved in the book, I don't see that changing. It's too good to mess with in my opinion.

 

I'm not sure I follow...in the TV series, Lancel *is* one of the sparrows, and his role is very different than the books. In the TV show, I think they're using him as the one who nails Cersei because of his knowledge of her role in Robert's death, as well as the fact that she used to bang him (if I remember correctly -- didn't Tyrion use him to spy on Cersei?). Now that he's a sparrow, he is the pious one who will turn in Cersei and bring her down.

 

Because of that, I'm not sure I see the same cool scene playing out. In the book, she is brought to where the Sparrows are torturing one of the Kettleblacks who she is both banging and plotting with/using to bring down Margaery. So once she sees the torture, she realizes he has just ratted her out, and she is toast. Not sure how they could do that in the TV show quite so much. But who knows...

 

The snippet for tonight's episode mentions Arya beginning her training, so should be some good stuff there...

Edited May 18, 2015 by Rubes

[/dev/null]

you evil man allowing Sansa to get touched by Ramsey

Being right all the time can sometimes be a burden

[motorguy]

 

My take with Lancel is they needed to incapacitate him and the siege of Dragonstone would be cool but expensive (for an already expensive show). Cersei ratting him out to the Sparrows who then torture him to death (or close) serves the same purpose as Cersei sending Lancel to his sure-death at Dragonstone. Like you said, same outcome just a bit cheaper. I guess it also helps make clear to the TV audience that Cersei has unleashed an uncontrollable force where no one is beyond judgement.

 

I expect them to keep that bit you loved in the book, I don't see that changing. It's too good to mess with in my opinion.

[Rubes]

Ugh. Some decent things in that episode, but it's really going downhill. The scenes in Dorne were especially cringe-worthy. Now that the TV show is going in all sorts of different directions from the books, the quality of the writing is really getting bad. I'm pretty disappointed.

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

Being right all the time can sometimes be a burden

LOL

Poor Sansa. I kept hoping / expecting Theon to grow a pair and rescue her during that scene.

Not sure where Dorn is going either ... was the cut to Bronn minor or poisonous?

The Sand Snakes are caught plotting and imprisoned - which was expected.

Jorah and Tyrion captured by pirates and delivered to the fighting pits.

 

Was actually caught off guard when they took Margaery captive for lying. I thought they'd skip that and go straight to Cersei's captivity.

Tommen is as powerless as he is clueless. but that may be because of momma's wishes.

 

Arya's story is closest to the books so far as can be expected.

 

As for LF. I hope he gets flayed alive or worse

 

Ugh. Some decent things in that episode, but it's really going downhill. The scenes in Dorne were especially cringe-worthy. Now that the TV show is going in all sorts of different directions from the books, the quality of the writing is really getting bad. I'm pretty disappointed.

more sideways than downhill. well at least until I see where the side road ends.

[Deranged Rhino]

 

I'm not sure I follow...in the TV series, Lancel *is* one of the sparrows, and his role is very different than the books.

 

Oops. Meant Loras not Lancel.

Ugh. Some decent things in that episode, but it's really going downhill. The scenes in Dorne were especially cringe-worthy. Now that the TV show is going in all sorts of different directions from the books, the quality of the writing is really getting bad. I'm pretty disappointed.

 

Agreed the Dorne fight was bad. It looked like Xena the Warrior Princess kind of staging.

[Rubes]

Agreed the Dorne fight was bad. It looked like Xena the Warrior Princess kind of staging.

 

That, and the fact that (a) Bronn and Jaime could just waltz into the Water Gardens and stroll right up to the princess, and (b) Bronn and Jaime meet up with Myrcella at precisely the same time that the Sand Snakes do? Seriously? As I read elsewhere on the intertubes: "The show’s version of the plot, such as it is, is extraordinarily basic and seems to lack even basic features of planning (like knowing where exactly Myrcella is when they spring into action)." The whole way they have dealt with the Sand Snakes is embarrassingly bad. It's like they are trying to save a whole lot of money by making their scenes ridiculously simple (and as a result, uninteresting).

 

At least Xena was intentionally cheeky.

 

The whole scene with Tyrion and Jorah being captured by pirates is just lousy dialogue. They could have just followed the book ever so slightly by having the pirates intend Jorah for the fighting pits from the start, and keep Tyrion around for entertainment. All they did in the show was just introduce a bunch of fake drama and tension for no reason. As someone elsewhere said: "Luckily there was still time to fit in a 'Tyrion has a big rooster reference.'"

 

It also feels like Lady Olenna was added into the script just because everybody liked her, kind of like Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey. She's a good actor, but she has no real role here, and she just seems tacked on for fun.

 

Finally, that Myranda character that is in love with Ramsay Bolton is just annoying and vapid.

 

Honestly, this is getting pretty nitpicky, but it really seems like this season the writing has taken a nosedive.

Edited May 18, 2015 by Rubes

[FireChan]

 

That, and the fact that (a) Bronn and Jaime could just waltz into the Water Gardens and stroll right up to the princess, and (b) Bronn and Jaime meet up with Myrcella at precisely the same time that the Sand Snakes do? Seriously? As I read elsewhere on the intertubes: "The shows version of the plot, such as it is, is extraordinarily basic and seems to lack even basic features of planning (like knowing where exactly Myrcella is when they spring into action)." The whole way they have dealt with the Sand Snakes is embarrassingly bad. It's like they are trying to save a whole lot of money by making their scenes ridiculously simple (and as a result, uninteresting).

 

At least Xena was intentionally cheeky.

 

The whole scene with Tyrion and Jorah being captured by pirates is just lousy dialogue. They could have just followed the book ever so slightly by having the pirates intend Jorah for the fighting pits from the start, and keep Tyrion around for entertainment. All they did in the show was just introduce a bunch of fake drama and tension for no reason. As someone elsewhere said: "Luckily there was still time to fit in a 'Tyrion has a big rooster reference.'"

 

It also feels like Lady Olenna was added into the script just because everybody liked her, kind of like Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey. She's a good actor, but she has no real role here, and she just seems tacked on for fun.

 

Finally, that Myranda character that is in love with Ramsay Bolton is just annoying and vapid.

 

Honestly, this is getting pretty nitpicky, but it really seems like this season the writing has taken a nosedive.

In fairness, Martin added/expanded on 30 some tertiary characters with fluff chapters in books 4-5, which doesn't really translate well to screen. Jaime does very little in books 4-5 but he's a lead character. That means they gotta shoehorn his character somewhere. Likewise with Sansa/Olenna. In fact, I don't think Olenna is even in any book past ASOS.

 

Martin's writing/story development suffered as well in these books, IMO. The Oberyn Martell plotline tried too hard to be an echo of the Ned Stark story. Characters like Sansa, Bran got pushed to the wayside when their story arcs ended in 4 chapters, leaving lots of chapters for snooze Mereen politics, and Tyrion walking. AFFC and ADWD were far worse than ASOS, even though I enjoyed them.

Edited May 18, 2015 by FireChan

[Rubes]

In fairness, Martin added/expanded on 30 some tertiary characters with fluff chapters in books 4-5, which doesn't really translate well to screen. Jaime does very little in books 4-5 but he's a lead character. That means they gotta shoehorn his character somewhere. Likewise with Sansa/Olenna. In fact, I don't think Olenna is even in any book past ASOS.

 

Martin's writing/story development suffered as well in these books, IMO. The Oberyn Martell plotline tried too hard to be an echo of the Ned Stark story. Characters like Sansa, Bran got pushed to the wayside when their story arcs ended in 4 chapters, leaving lots of chapters for snooze Mereen politics, and Tyrion walking. AFFC and ADWD were far worse than ASOS, even though I enjoyed them.

 

Yeah, I don't disagree with any of that. The problem that the TV show is having is that they are struggling to condense the massive complexity of GRRM's world into a simplfied version. I don't mind that certain characters are repurposed for different story arcs (such as Jamie and Bronn), but what I do have a problem with is how really awful some of the scripting is, and how badly it's mangling the characterizations of the books.

 

Littlefinger's plot, for instance, is very different now because of his different travels -- which is okay, but his plot is now convoluted and just plain dumb. If any one person had seen him with Sansa and reported it back to Cersei, his plot is foiled. Yet he makes no effort to conceal Sansa's identity, or the fact that they were together going to Moat Cailin and the Boltons. Ugh.

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

midget dick !!! LOL

 

I had forgotten that. You need me alive to prove it.

[Buftex]

The advantage of not reading the books...you can save a lot of time, and actually enjoy the television show.

[BillsFan-4-Ever]

The advantage of not reading the books...you can save a lot of time, and actually enjoy the television show.

you can still enjoy the show knowing that a more well thought out storyline will be forthcoming

[FireChan]

I'm really hoping that Aegon will be revealed at the end. Maybe post mutiny/epilogue scene. If he's some fake nobody, and he doesn't get on the show, I'll be annoyed.

The advantage of not reading the books...you can save a lot of time, and actually enjoy the television show.

But that doesn't mean I won't enjoy the show for what it is.

[Rubes]

I'm really hoping that Aegon will be revealed at the end. Maybe post mutiny/epilogue scene. If he's some fake nobody, and he doesn't get on the show, I'll be annoyed.

 

I think Aegon is a fake, but probably doesn't know it himself. I think he's the "mummer's dragon" as told to Daenerys, I believe. The three-headed dragon is likely Daenerys, Jon, and Tyrion. In fact, I think by leaving Aegon off the TV show, the producers are basically acknowledging he's not going to be part of the main story and ending.

Edited May 19, 2015 by Rubes

[FireChan]

 

I think Aegon is a fake, but probably doesn't know it himself. I think he's the "mummer's dragon" as told to Daenerys, I believe. The three-headed dragon is likely Daenerys, Jon, and Tyrion. In fact, I think by leaving Aegon off the TV show, the producers are basically acknowledging he's not going to be part of the main story and ending.

That's why I'd be annoyed. It's like a spoiler almost.

[Metal Man]

That's why I'd be annoyed. It's like a spoiler almost.

 

This is the same as I've been thinking.

 

What they leave out of the show going forward can spoil just as much as adding things that haven't officially been written by Martin yet.

[Dibs]

 

That, and the fact that (a) Bronn and Jaime could just waltz into the Water Gardens and stroll right up to the princess, and (b) Bronn and Jaime meet up with Myrcella at precisely the same time that the Sand Snakes do? Seriously? As I read elsewhere on the intertubes: "The shows version of the plot, such as it is, is extraordinarily basic and seems to lack even basic features of planning (like knowing where exactly Myrcella is when they spring into action)." The whole way they have dealt with the Sand Snakes is embarrassingly bad. It's like they are trying to save a whole lot of money by making their scenes ridiculously simple (and as a result, uninteresting).

 

At least Xena was intentionally cheeky.

 

The whole scene with Tyrion and Jorah being captured by pirates is just lousy dialogue. They could have just followed the book ever so slightly by having the pirates intend Jorah for the fighting pits from the start, and keep Tyrion around for entertainment. All they did in the show was just introduce a bunch of fake drama and tension for no reason. As someone elsewhere said: "Luckily there was still time to fit in a 'Tyrion has a big rooster reference.'"

 

It also feels like Lady Olenna was added into the script just because everybody liked her, kind of like Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey. She's a good actor, but she has no real role here, and she just seems tacked on for fun.

 

Finally, that Myranda character that is in love with Ramsay Bolton is just annoying and vapid.

 

Honestly, this is getting pretty nitpicky, but it really seems like this season the writing has taken a nosedive.

I very much agree with you. It seems to me that the writer's strength is in the dialog, and when getting to write with a preexisting plot they did a great job. Now that the show is going away from the books' plotting, the writers are showing severe weaknesses in their abilities.

 

For me the show has quickly moved from fantastic to simply meh.

 

....and that Dorne scene reminded me of The Life of Brian when the People's Judean Front snuck into the palace at the comically coincidental time as the People's Front of Judea.....then fought. "Drop your weapons" was what was said by the guard in GOT....what I heard was "Thwow him to the fwoor!".

Edited May 22, 2015 by Dibs