The Zone

by **Nachokoolaid** on Tue May 10, 2011 9:37 pm

Yeah, because no other author ever "borrowed" from Tolkien before. Happens all the time, and I thought in this case at least, it was funny/appropriate.

by **Nice Marmot** on Tue May 17, 2011 2:15 pm

Show's been kickin' butt.

As soon as I first saw The Mountain, I told my wife to prepare for some animal cruelty.

SKY CELLS!

anyone there . . . ?

cricket chirp . . . cricket chirp . . .

by **swoop91** on Tue May 17, 2011 2:28 pm

Did anyone like Knight of Flowers as much as Renly?

by **BuckyO'harre** on Tue May 17, 2011 6:55 pm

Piss on that,I WANT TO HIT SOMETHING!

by **Ribbons** on Tue May 17, 2011 11:49 pm

I've really liked the last few episodes of Game of Thrones. I enjoyed the first two as well, but I was a little afraid it was going to feel too much like a rote adaptation of the book. Now that the world is set up and they have some breathing room, they've been able to build some interesting original scenes around the characters while keeping the heart of the story intact.

by **Nachokoolaid** on Wed May 18, 2011 11:40 pm

Mark Addy earned his paycheck this week. That was a stellar scene with him and the queen. (The Lannister one, not the Knight of Flowers).

And seriously, that was my favorite scene of the series so far. Well written, better acted. The queen finally seemed like a real person, and not a cliche. Addy wasn't chewing the entire scene away. It was nice and measured, and high peaks and valleys. I really hope for more like this.

And honestly, there was a bit for everyone. My wife audibly gasped when they showed a cock on the screen.

(By the way, who is that guy. I was assuming he was one of the Stark boys, but he's a ward or something? Someone who knows the books, chime in on that guy).

But there were lots for the fellas to ogle at too. And there were a ton of deaths. And don't forget horse beheading.

So, if that Struggling Background Artist wouldn't have intervened, who would have won between Ned and Jamie at the end?

My favorite episode so far.

by **BuckyO'harre** on Thu May 19, 2011 12:34 am

Nachokoolaid wrote: So, if that Struggling Background Artist wouldn't have intervened, who would have won between Ned and Jamie at the end?

They would have killed each other I'm thinking. One immediate winner but the other mortally wounded. Might give the edge to Ned if only because he had some righteous fury going at the moment. Jaime is probably the better fighter on a normal day.Younger at least.

By the way,here's a handy visual guide to the characters.

by **Ribbons** on Thu May 19, 2011 12:56 am

Nachokoolaid wrote:(By the way, who is that guy. I was assuming he was one of the Stark boys, but he's a ward or something? Someone who knows the books, chime in on that guy).

I'm a week or two behind as usual, but I think you're talking about Theon Greyjoy. He's the son of a Lord of another one of the little kingdoms/houses that make up Westeros, House Greyjoy across the sea. His dad tried and failed to kick King Robert off the throne back when everyone was fighting for it, and as punishment Theon was given to the Starks as a ward. It is kind of confusing, especially since they cast someone who looks a lot like the Stark brothers.

by **Fievel** on Thu May 19, 2011 1:41 am

BuckyO'harre wrote:By the way,here's a handy visual guide to the characters.

Really cool.... but I wish they would have included pictures of the characters. I'm following along by a thread as far as characters go. Holy shit there's so many people intertwined in so many stories. I'm by no means in danger of dropping out, but man... you people that have read the books are at such a serious advantage.

by **BuckyO'harre** on Thu May 19, 2011 2:18 am

Fievel wrote:
BuckyO'harre wrote:By the way,here's a handy visual guide to the characters.

Really cool.... but I wish they would have included pictures of the characters. I'm following along by a thread as far as characters go. Holy shit there's so many people intertwined in so many stories. I'm by no means in danger of dropping out, but man... you people that have read the books are at such a serious advantage.

I haven't read the books either,but I'm keeping up so far (while I'm watching at least).
Check out this post by Starks which has pics of the cast and the character they play.

by **TonyWilson** on Thu May 19, 2011 4:10 am

Jamie would have destroyed Ned - it would have taken a bit of time and Jamie wouldn't be unscathed but The Kingslayer is the greatest swordsman alive in Westeros currently.

by **Nachokoolaid** on Fri May 20, 2011 12:13 am

BuckyO'harre wrote:
Fievel wrote:
BuckyO'harre wrote:By the way,here's a handy visual guide to the characters.

Really cool.... but I wish they would have included pictures of the characters. I'm following along by a thread as far as characters go. Holy shit there's so many people intertwined in so many stories. I'm by no means in danger of dropping out, but man... you people that have read the books are at such a serious advantage.

I haven't read the books either,but I'm keeping up so far (while I'm watching at least).
Check out this post by Starks which has pics of the cast and the character they play.

Except it seems like about a third of those roles have been recast since that point.

by **BuckyO'harre** on Fri May 20, 2011 12:37 am

Nachokoolaid wrote:
BuckyO'harre wrote:
Fievel wrote:
BuckyO'harre wrote:By the way,here's a handy visual guide to the characters.

Really cool.... but I wish they would have included pictures of the characters. I'm following along by a thread as far as characters go. Holy shit there's so many people intertwined in so many stories. I'm by no means in danger of dropping out, but man... you people that have read the books are at such a serious advantage.

I haven't read the books either,but I'm keeping up so far (while I'm watching at least).
Check out this post by Starks which has pics of the cast and the character they play.

Except it seems like about a third of those roles have been recast since that point.

No... if you follow the link to the correct post,it is an updated version of his first and the only actors that have been recast since are Ian McNeice and Derek Halligan.
Though I admit not all of the pics are very helpful.

by **Nachokoolaid** on Fri May 20, 2011 1:45 am

Ah. I didn't scroll down. The link went to the original post for me.

by **Fievel** on Sun May 22, 2011 10:06 pm

In case you haven't seen the advertisements, next week's episode is going to be available starting tonight on HBO Go.

by **Fievel** on Sun May 22, 2011 11:35 pm

And after having it crash three times I'm guessing either my connection is especially shitty tonight, or HBO's servers are being overloaded.
Maybe later or tomorrow.
...or next Sunday.

p.s. Crown of Gold..... :shock:

by **Ribbons** on Sun May 22, 2011 11:47 pm

Don't worry, it's actually a lot more painful than it looks.

by **Nachokoolaid** on Mon May 23, 2011 12:10 am

This is a really well written show, and Mark Addy gets a shit load of the better lines. Check out this stand out from this week's show:

The King slaps the fuck out of wife, drawing a little blood. She retorts, "I shall wear it as a badge of honor." Addy responds, "Wear it in silence, or I'll honor you again." ZING!

And that golden crown was intense. I figured that (or Drogo pissing on him) was coming his way, but the way he clanged on the floor was pretty unsettling.

by **Fievel** on Mon May 23, 2011 12:17 am

Agreed 1000% on the zinger and the spoiler-texted sound effect!

At the risk of sounding like a misogynist, I was so happy he smacked her. Over the past few episodes I was wonder just how much he was going to allow her to gentleman out like she had been.

by **VegasRon** on Mon May 23, 2011 3:57 am

Ribbons wrote:
Nachokoolaid wrote:(By the way, who is that guy. I was assuming he was one of the Stark boys, but he's a ward or something? Someone who knows the books, chime in on that guy).

I'm a week or two behind as usual, but I think you're talking about Theon Greyjoy. He's the son of a Lord of another one of the little kingdoms/houses that make up Westeros, House Greyjoy across the sea. His dad tried and failed to kick King Robert off the throne back when everyone was fighting for it, and as punishment Theon was given to the Starks as a ward. It is kind of confusing, especially since they cast someone who looks a lot like the Stark brothers.

Close. Balon Greyjoy(Theon's father) led a rebellion for independence of the Iron Islands. They lost and Theon was taken as a ward, which is sort of a glorified hostage to make sure Balon behaves. And a common practice in Westeros. The Iron Islands are home to Martin's version of vikings and figure prominently from the second book on.

I hope Asha Greyjoy gets the attention she deserves.

by **Nice Marmot** on Mon May 23, 2011 11:31 am

What's w/ Theon and the hotty from the brothel? It's been awhile but I swear its just an excuse for extra nudity that wasn't in the book.

by **TonyWilson** on Mon May 23, 2011 11:49 am

And that's a perfectly valid reason. I just wish we got more naked Dany and her super hot Hollyoaks bedslave.

by **swoop91** on Mon May 23, 2011 3:27 pm

Ros is somewhat of a inside joke we're yet to understand.

Apparently everoyne has fucked Ros. Even Harry Potter himself.

by **Fievel** on Tue May 24, 2011 12:39 am

I just watched next week's episode via HBO Go. Unlike last night there were no pauses in the stream and it looked much better than the minute I was able to watch last night.
As far as the episode itself goes - Holy SHIT!
That is all.

by **TonyWilson** on Tue May 24, 2011 6:53 am

First 10 minutes of ep7 is pretty damn hot, gotta love Littlefinger being all pimp too.

by **swoop91** on Tue May 24, 2011 8:25 am

I wont watch WEBrip, unless it comes out in 720p. but 2 weeks without agot? i'd shoot myself.

by **Fievel** on Tue May 24, 2011 9:23 am

swoop91 wrote:I wont watch WEBrip, unless it comes out in 720p. but 2 weeks without agot? i'd shoot myself.

WEBrip?

by **swoop91** on Tue May 24, 2011 9:32 am

Rip from HBOgo? I'm not in the states.

I WANNA SEE BAD MAN FLY!

When I close my eyes I can still see her tits bouncing.

by **VegasRon** on Tue May 24, 2011 11:15 pm

I just watched episode 7. I'm an idiot.

by **Nachokoolaid** on Tue May 24, 2011 11:56 pm

You're an idiot because something happened that you didn't see coming? Or that you watched it early and spoiled it for yourself? Or just in general?

by **VegasRon** on Wed May 25, 2011 2:16 am

Nachokoolaid wrote:You're an idiot because something happened that you didn't see coming? Or that you watched it early and spoiled it for yourself? Or just in general?

12 days until I can watch a new ep. I held out exactly two days, haha. Maybe I'll rewatch it next weeknd. And I'm almost done with the second book(again), so I'll be plenty "Throned", I guess, until ep 8.

One of the signs of how strong this show is...almost every added scene that wasn't in the book are generally the strongest of the episode and they've all added something. Even Greyjoy's whore.

by **swoop91** on Mon May 30, 2011 12:46 pm

Ros has gone faaaaar

Ghost, <3.

by **ONeillSG1** on Tue May 31, 2011 1:36 am

Are they putting eps. of GOT on iTunes?

by **Ribbons** on Tue May 31, 2011 1:38 am

I don't know ONeill, HBO almost never puts anything on iTunes. I haven't checked but I wouldn't count on it.

by **swoop91** on Tue May 31, 2011 4:28 am

So, know you all know how to properly skin a deer, right?

by **Nice Marmot** on Tue May 31, 2011 8:31 am

My wife wouldn't shut up about that deer. We had to pause the show and talk about the damn thing.

I swear it looked 100% real. We were debating whether or not that would be allowed to happen on a TV show. Seems like the PETA would be all over that . . .

Either way, NICE intro to Tywin. Great scene.

by **swoop91** on Tue May 31, 2011 9:18 am

Nice Marmot wrote:My wife wouldn't shut up about that deer. We had to pause the show and talk about the damn thing.

I swear it looked 100% real. We were debating whether or not that would be allowed to happen on a TV show. Seems like the PETA would be all over that . . .

You can kill a human, but not skin a deer?

by **Nice Marmot** on Tue May 31, 2011 9:25 am

Come on. We were debating whether or not it was a REAL DEER being gutted and skinned.

It's not like we thought humans were already really being hacked up w/ swords on the show.

by **swoop91** on Tue May 31, 2011 3:15 pm

Yea, that would be an awesome show :p
Martin posted an interesting article about lady getting knifed - http://grrm.livejournal.com/216015.html

Actually I wouldn't mind if it were a real deer that was being gutted - I just hate it when they kill dogs. Really really hate it.

by **Nachokoolaid** on Tue May 31, 2011 11:56 pm

So we had the hottest soft core scene ever filmed, and not one comment about it? For shame, Zone, for shame.

That scene just kept going, didn't it? We thought about using this episode as an introduction to the show for my folks, because my wife and I have been enjoying it. Thank God we didn't. That might have gotten a bit uncomfortable.

And damn that ending. You can't fucking trust anyone on this show. Just when someone seems a bit sympathetic, they A) die, B) show their true cuntish colors. FUCK.

by **ONeillSG1** on Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:03 am

Ribbons wrote:I don't know ONeill, HBO almost never puts anything on iTunes. I haven't checked but I wouldn't count on it.

The Wire is on iTunes. True Blood, Hung, The Sopranos . . . the list goes on.

I'm dumbfounded as to why this isn't on iTunes as well.

by **VegasRon** on Wed Jun 01, 2011 5:33 am

Ep. 7 was available immediately after ep. 6 aired on HBOgo, some phone app or another.

I think it's just a one-time thing, though.

Best episode of the season, though we may be saying that about every ep between now and the end of S1. Some serious shit hits the fan in the next 3 weeks. On all three story fronts.

by **Nice Marmot** on Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:40 pm

How many episodes are left?

Story moves along at a wicked fast pace w/out all the descriptions of what people are wearing and eating.

by **TonyWilson** on Wed Jun 01, 2011 12:58 pm

3 eps left - I hope the final one will be extended like the pilot (it should go to 90 mins to fit in everything that needs to be set up for season 2)
I really like the show but I have the same issue I do with most fantasy or sci fi novels that get adapted - they're nothing like what I imagine in my head, whether it's down to budget restraints or just that everyone always imagines things differently like that. I should get over it but it's hard to do especially with GoT because I've spent so much time in that world before I saw a single frame.
That said, as a book reader I think the extra scenes (someone likened them to deleted scenes from the book which I like very much) are often the strongest in the episode, perhaps only excluding the Littlefinger monologuing from 7, which I found hot, funny but in structural terms quite weak. Even small stuff like "possesion is an abstract concept" bring the world to life for me in a way the interpreted scenes don't seem to manage.

by **VegasRon** on Wed Jun 01, 2011 2:31 pm

It's odd that you say that, Tony, cuz the most important thing to get right from the books, IMO, are the actors. And they've nailed every single actor(with the possible exception of Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon, but he's such a good actor i've let the physical dissimilarities slide). Dinklage as Tyrion is emmy worthy stuff. More importantly, though, is that the child actors have all been top-notch. Nothing takes you out of the moment worse than a bad child actor(loljakelloyd).

What, specifically, have you had issues with?

And to those needing a scorecard, HBO's site has a great character summary with a nifty map and is very user-friendly:

http://viewers-guide.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/#!/map/

by **Hermanator X** on Wed Jun 01, 2011 10:02 pm

I'm absolutely loving this show I am yet to read the books, but have the first one waiting once I escape from iain m banks cultures grip.
But I read an amazing comment o hitfix that the dothraki were a poor Klingon rip off cos of there gruff voices and warrior ways. Limited frame of reference methinks. The very little interest I had on the new conan went up considerably after his war speech.

by **TonyWilson** on Thu Jun 02, 2011 4:38 am

VegasRon wrote:It's odd that you say that, Tony, cuz the most important thing to get right from the books, IMO, are the actors. And they've nailed every single actor(with the possible exception of Mark Addy as Robert Baratheon, but he's such a good actor i've let the physical dissimilarities slide). Dinklage as Tyrion is emmy worthy stuff. More importantly, though, is that the child actors have all been top-notch. Nothing takes you out of the moment worse than a bad child actor(loljakelloyd).

What, specifically, have you had issues with?

And to those needing a scorecard, HBO's site has a great character summary with a nifty map and is very user-friendly:

http://viewers-guide.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/#!/map/

Let me say first that this is just a personal beef, I don't really hold it against the show apart from one bit of casting/character I'll go into in a moment. What the "deleted" scenes are doing are making non pov characters a bit more 3d and that's then contrasted with the characters I already know about but have imagined in a specific way I'm not seeing on screen.
Actor wise I think it's top notch but there's a couple of flaws imo, the one I mentioned previously is that Renly doesn't have the charming but foppish qualities he does in the books (I really miss him not pissing himself with laughter when he hears the name of Joffrey's sword) and I don't buy the scene where he implores Ned to side with him after the King dies, it seems like something Loras put him up to which doesn't work as well as in the book where I get the sense of Renly's independence. The only other role I find to be marginally weaker than the rest is Tywin, not that Charles Dance didn't fucking bring it because he absolutely did. However he didn't feel like the Tywin from the books, I think the one quality I get from Tywin is his stillness, that he can sit in his chair and command armies and family and psychopathic mercenaries with a gruff word or two, that despite his stern still demeanour inside he's a calculating strategising genius. The show's intepretation is just as valid but personally I don't think it's quite as cool or scary.
The lack of direwolves bugs me, I know how hard it must be to either train the dogs, augment with CGI or go full CGI but whichever they choose the producers need to fully commit.
Agreed about the kids though, and as good as Maisie Williams is Bran is even better I think, he's going to shine in season 2.

by **swoop91** on Thu Jun 02, 2011 12:29 pm

Hermanator X wrote:But I read an amazing comment o hitfix that the dothraki were a poor Klingon rip off cos of there gruff voices and warrior ways. Limited frame of reference methinks. The very little interest I had on the new conan went up considerably after his war speech.

They're horselord savages and have braids. And weird swords. They rule on law of the fittest. Just like Klingons. And have a weird language they just invented.
Note that there are only few words of dothraki in books, and they had to invent all other stuff for TV - they couldn't have had dothraki talking english and everyone else
pretending its dothraki.

And why would they be a poor Klingon ripoff? do klingons ride horses and are horselords of the praerie?

by **VegasRon** on Sat Jun 04, 2011 5:51 am

Hermanator X wrote:I'm absolutely loving this show I am yet to read the books, but have the first one waiting once I escape from iain m banks cultures grip.
But I read an amazing comment o hitfix that the dothraki were a poor Klingon rip off cos of there gruff voices and warrior ways. Limited frame of reference methinks. The very little interest I had on the new conan went up considerably after his war speech.

I find it hilarious that the Klingons are considered original at all.

by **VegasRon** on Sat Jun 04, 2011 6:10 am

TonyWilson wrote:
Let me say first that this is just a personal beef, I don't really hold it against the show apart from one bit of casting/character I'll go into in a moment. What the "deleted" scenes are doing are making non pov characters a bit more 3d and that's then contrasted with the characters I already know about but have imagined in a specific way I'm not seeing on screen.
Actor wise I think it's top notch but there's a couple of flaws imo, the one I mentioned previously is that Renly doesn't have the charming but foppish qualities he does in the books (I really miss him not pissing himself with laughter when he hears the name of Joffrey's sword) and I don't buy the scene where he implores Ned to side with him after the King dies, it seems like something Loras put him up to which doesn't work as well as in the book where I get the sense of Renly's independence.

While I totally agree with you on this, the rich character development in the book wasn't going to be all there in a TV show. Some are going to suffer, and sadly the on-screen Renly is a shadow of the witty Martin creation. I love that you isolated his reaction to Jof's sword, it's probably my favorite Renly jape in the book. I just don't have a problem with how it's presented in the show. But I hear ya.

TonyWilson wrote:The only other role I find to be marginally weaker than the rest is Tywin, not that Charles Dance didn't fucking bring it because he absolutely did. However he didn't feel like the Tywin from the books, I think the one quality I get from Tywin is his stillness, that he can sit in his chair and command armies and family and psychopathic mercenaries with a gruff word or two, that despite his stern still demeanour inside he's a calculating strategising genius. The show's intepretation is just as valid but personally I don't think it's quite as cool or scary.
The lack of direwolves bugs me, I know how hard it must be to either train the dogs, augment with CGI or go full CGI but whichever they choose the producers need to fully commit.
Agreed about the kids though, and as good as Maisie Williams is Bran is even better I think, he's going to shine in season 2.

What's funny is that when i originally read the books, I was totally envisioning Dance, but ive had a mancrush on him since he was wasted in Alien 3. I LOVE the scene of him butchering a stag, very symbolic of what was about to happen to Baratheon and the kingdom. This is easily the best added scene of the series so far.

The lack of direwolves is something I brought up in the TBs a couple weeks ago. Logistically, animals are very hard to deal with, but we're totally on the same page there. Summer and Grey Wind not being in the Wildling scene is borderline criminal. Though as an unexpected bonus, the actress playing Osha is absolutely brilliant. I really hope we see more of her in the TV series.