Game of Thrones

[Hisako]

I've mentioned this to a lot of people in IRC before, but I found one of the early scenes in Episode 2 really jarring and out-of-place, esp. considering it wasn't in the book.

It was trying to set up Cersei as a more sympathetic-slash-relatable character and it felt downright out of character for what should be a wholesale royal bitch.
And when she started crying I pretty much facepalmed.

Everything else I'm watching so far, very impressed Vote Ned Stark for Father of the Year

 

[Ⓐaron]

German actress Laura Pradelska has evidently been cast as sorceress Quaithe of the Shadow. I honestly can't remember which character that is and I just reread A Clash of Kings, so it's probably not a very large part.

Additionally, character actor Forbes KB has evidently been cast as Ironborn warrior Black Lorren.

Finally, here's an interview with Roy Dotrice.

 

[Cthulhu]

Wasn't she one of the weirdos Dany kills after some acid trip?

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Any news at all on

Spoiler

the swamp twins and who will be expected to play them?

I really should get back into reading the third book.

 

[Masamune]

Spoiler

I'm quite curious about Varys. Heck, I might even be growing to like him. At first, I thought he was just a slimy, bald sycophant with his own agenda, but he appeared to be the only counsellor who cared about Ned's fate. There was nothing for him to gain by pleading with Ned to save himself, unless Cersei put him up to it, but I see no proof of that. And when Joffrey orders Ned's execution, you clearly see Varys runs over to the dais, looking distressed.

Then again, it's also suggested that he's a pedo. D:

 

[Hisako]

Spoiler

I used to hate Varys too, but seeing the powerplay between him and Petyr, and having read what Petyr's been doing throughout the books, I'd much rather side with the eunuch than the traitorous fart

Spoiler: Book Spoiler

with the hard on for Sansa

who owns brothels as a side investment. Ugh.

Varys comes off as far more sympathetic, although it could simply be leading up to something 9001x more insidious than anything Littlefinger does.

Also, if the books are anything to go by I'm fairly certain Sansa is going to continue to be a simpering little shit for the next series. Which is a shame, as you'd think a smarter woman would have figured out not to trust anyone by then

 

[Cthulhu]

Spoiler

Then again, it's also suggested that he's a pedo. D:

Only him?

 

[Ⓐaron]

Varys is a badass. You don't really realise the full extent until the end of the fifth book.

And yeah Sansa is kind of dumb in the second season but she gets a lot better by the fourth book.

New locations for filming: Croatia and Iceland. Evidently Malta will not be used for filming next season, however.

 

[Cthulhu]

I'm glad too, it seemed far too overcast liek all the time, compared to what I always thought the Dothraki sea etc looked like, i.e. like a savannah, instead of an overcast and dreary... thingy.

Dunno about Croatia, but definite win in Iceland, scenery = win there. Like New Zealand, but on this side of the world, . What locations are they going to shoot there? Iron Islands, perhaps? (can't remember if much took place there in the second book)

 

[Masamune]

Does anyone else find it difficult to believe that Littlefinger's "saving himself" for Catelyn? Just find it hard to imagine a pimp surrounded by whores is taking a vow of chastity.

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Spoiler

It's heavily implied in the first book that Littlefinger was actually sleeping with her sister and that she had attempted to deny john in marriage so that she could be with him.

 

[Cthulhu]

Does anyone else find it difficult to believe that Littlefinger's "saving himself" for Catelyn? Just find it hard to imagine a pimp surrounded by whores is taking a vow of chastity.

Wait till you get to book 3, .

But yarly, shit's fucked up. Also, people and Martin's characters are all weird.

 

[Ⓐaron]

British actor Patrick Malahide has been cast as Balon Greyjoy.

 

[Masamune]

Two questions about the first book:

Spoiler

Q. How does Jory die in the book?

Q. Is it true that Ned's warrior prowess is overstated in the TV series? For example, he doesn't fight Jaime in the book and wouldn't be able to stand toe-to-toe with the Lannister?

 

[Ⓐaron]

Two questions about the first book:

Spoiler

Q. How does Jory die in the book?

Spoiler

Same way as in the TV show.

Spoiler

Q. Is it true that Ned's warrior prowess is overstated in the TV series? For example, he doesn't fight Jaime in the book and wouldn't be able to stand toe-to-toe with the Lannister?

Spoiler

Basically, yeah. At least, that's what the speculation of other characters indicates. Ned gets injured because his horse falls on his leg instead.

 

[Masamune]

Spoiler

Same way as in the TV show.

Spoiler

Oh. Someone lied to me.

Spoiler

Basically, yeah. At least, that's what the speculation of other characters indicates. Ned gets injured because his horse falls on his leg instead.

Spoiler

What a klutz. The moment he became Sean Bean it was obvious that he'd go down fighting. Fanservice aside, I reckon TV-Ned would need to get it over with quickly to stand any chance of beating Jaime.

 

[Hisako]

Spoiler

What a klutz. The moment he became Sean Bean it was obvious that he'd go down fighting. Fanservice aside, I reckon TV-Ned would need to get it over with quickly to stand any chance of beating Jaime.

Spoiler

Or, yknow

use Ice, that might do the trick
Since in the lore Valyrian steel basically cuts through anything including other swords

imo Ned probably would have been able to stand up to Jaime Lannister, if we sort of took it back to the era when the Targaryens were still on the throne and Ned was cutting through everything with Ice

 

[Ⓐaron]

Spoiler

The basic implication in the book is that Ned used to be one of the best swordsmen in the land, but he's past his prime now. He took down Arthur Dayne, for example, who was widely regarded as one of the best swordsmen in Westeros. But he's gotten older and hasn't practised as much so he's not as good as he used to be. That said, yeah, with Ice, he probably would've stood more of a chance against Jaime.

Also the details of how Jory dies might have been slightly different; I can't remember if Jaime actually stabbed him through the eye, but he definitely killed him.

 

[Ⓐaron]

Daniel Portman has been cast as Tyrion's squire Podrick Payne. It is being speculated that the character has been aged up, as most of the rest of the child and teenager characters have been. Podrick was not yet a teenager in the books, but will likely be a couple of years older in the series.

 

[Ⓐaron]

More casting news: Hannah Murray as Craster's wife/daughter Gilly (it's north of the Wall, anything goes). She plays a more major rôle in later books, particularly A Feast for Crows.

 

[Cthulhu]

1. Fuck Balon, lemme see some Asha and/or Aeron, .

2. Care -1 about Pod's actor's age, as long as he's a complete derp, .

3. +1 on Gilly / Craster.

 

[Ⓐaron]

1. Fuck Balon, lemme see some Asha and/or Aeron, .

Asha's been cast.

 

[Ⓐaron]

@Masa: I just reread the scene where

Spoiler: major season one spoiler, do not click if you haven't seen the first five episodes

Jory dies. It doesn't explicitly mention where he was stabbed (Ned couldn't see him at the time), so the through-the-eye thing was inserted for the show. However, he was killed in the same scene.

 

[Cthulhu]

Asha's been cast.

Fuck that, give me full-body shots of her pwning what's-his-face with great justice and boobage, .

 

[Hisako]

jesus christ every time Emilia Clarke does an interview her eyebrows go all over the fucking place

Spoiler

Also yes Jory dies in the book, I knew that much. Distinctly remember Ned not duelling mano-e-mano with Jaime, but he was cutting down bitches like they were butter iirc. And then his horse derped on him.