It was pretty faint but it looked more like a face than Jesus on a cracker.
It was pretty faint but it looked more like a face than Jesus on a cracker.
Major or minor concerns?
I don't like how they changed the introduction of the Others and the death of Ser Waymar Royce. I think it's much more frightening for Will to see Royce fight off the Others and get his sword shattered. The others look nothing like described in the book.
They also changed the introduction of the direwolf pups and completely left out the mention of it being an omen. (It'd be nigh impossible to even make that connection for new viewers). I'm pretty sure direwolves are supposed be a a dark gray which makes Ghost stand out more. The wolves are hardly getting any attention even though they're very important.
Robb and Jon look too smurfing similar, only Jon is supposed to bear much resemblance to Ned.
Ice looks too much like a normal sword.
Viserys actually comes off as a likeable character so far. Even when he says he'd let Drogo's whole khalasar smurf Dany it's not even cringeworthy.
It seems everyone likes Jaime, but they're still supposed to call him Kingslayer behind it back at least. I'm pissed that wasn't mentioned once.
I think it wouldn't have hurt to explain some things a little better. The omen is one that should have received a little more attention, though I can understand needing to cut some stuff out to fit tv time constraints. Hopefully it gets brought up later in the series.
Another thing that bothered me was how Ned and Catelyn were talking in the wooded area about the face and the old gods, but they didn't even show the face. I noticed she looked at a specific part off camera when she mentioned how the place creeped her out, but that was it. I'll have to pay more attention next time I watch it to see if it's visible somewhere.
The Others weren't what I pictured them like at all, but, again, I understand the need to change some things. It's been a while since I read the book but weren't they supposed to be sleek and quiet and indistinguishable? These looked like yetis.
I don't mind Viserys being a little more likable, but I'd like to see just a little bit of that sleeping dragon. We saw some hint of what he was willing to do to get what he wanted in those scenes in the book. He just kind of stated it like it was common knowledge in the episode. No anger, no pinching, nothing. I can dig it though, I don't really want to see a bro pinching his sister's nip.
I was a bit confused why the twins were shown talking about Jaime being made the King's Hand. Didn't they kill Jon Arryn (Still haven't finished GoT)? They had to have known Jaime's name wasn't in the hat for that job. Or was it just a little shameless flirting?
That's about all I got. Overall I liked the show. They sped things up well enough and explained the passage of time pretty well. The characters are spot on, I won't hold a little age changing over anyone's head, and so far they're not butchering the plot. I'm always worried about that ever since Eragon was made into a movie (If that raised some questions, I was young when I read it and yes I do realize it's an awful rip-off of Star Wars and a horrible excuse for a fantasy novel).
How the hell is Viserys remotely likable? He forces his little, terrified sister into marrying a huge savage, and openly tells her he'd let the whole smurfing army rape her if it'd get him his crown. Actually I can see why Julian would like him.
This happens with every single movie or show that is based on a book; people always complain it's not exactly like the book. Enjoy and judge the show for what it is. Hell, I would say it's been far more faithful to the book than most book-based shows I've seen so far.
And seriously, the wolves weren't dark enough? One character looks like another? They didn't mention Jaime's common nickname in the first episode in which he was barely seen? If you don't pull that stick out of your ass, you won't ever be able to watch an episode without fuming.
The only complaint I had was that it sped through events and people very quickly, but that's understandable for a TV show. Oh, and Catelyn wasn't bat crazy and hateful enough. God I hated her in the books.
Um, that maybe? He's not remotely as much a monster as he is? He's a bratty little with a huge sense of entitlement in the books, there is hardly any of that present.
That's kind of why I only mentioned the two things I thought were pretty largely off. You know, the things that make them different characters.
I didn't realize that even my minor annoyances were supposed to be major concerns. My bad. Next time someone asks I'll just tell them you'll get mad.
For an HBO show, they don't have good reasons to skip out on a lot and rush.
I liked it but I'm also of the opinion that there needs to be quite a bit more explanation of characters and events. Perhaps 9 chapters was too much for the first episode? Perhaps it should have covered like maybe 5.
Also in the book, Theon Greyjoy is explained at least in so far as he is Ned Stark's Ward by this point. In the show he isn't even named, even when he tells Jon "Ah the runt of the litter, that's yours Jon" which is somewhat disappointing.
I also found Viserys not monstrous enough. Common opinion it seems though I will give Jason Momoa credit for his portrayal of Drogo it's pretty damn good to be honest though for the first episode you could say he has it easy.
Oh you idiot. I meant I liked him as a douche. Doesn't mean he wasn't still and ass. xD
Yeah it's HBO but their budget was large and their ratings are not coming in so well. They probably knew that would happen hence only 10 episodes rather than more to fit in more story. They had to cram it all in. If you recall, it's a huge book! It's gonna speed by some stuff.
I can give you the changes to the opening being largely unnecessary. I don't know why Will had to survive instead of Gared, aside from Will having more better crazed, I-just-watched-people-die-from-mythical beings look. However, I don't get the complaint about The Others. They didn't look as they were dsecribed in the books? Tall, gaunt, humanoids with bulky armor? Did we watch different episodes?I don't like how they changed the introduction of the Others and the death of Ser Waymar Royce. I think it's much more frightening for Will to see Royce fight off the Others and get his sword shattered. The others look nothing like described in the book.
With the exception of removing an overabundance of dialogue (necessary in a show that lasts only one hour), I don't see the problem with altering the introduction of the direwolves. Yeah, some key bits here and there could have served the scene better, but it wasn't all that terrible itself. Personal opinion on my part, yeah, but I really don't see the complaint that this scene is getting from almost everyone. The hardly get anymore attention in the show because they're already introducing the entire cast. Come the second episode, I've heard they spend a good amount of time on Arya-Sansa and the entire direwolf scenario. As well as the entire Bran debalace with Summer somewhere down the line.They also changed the introduction of the direwolf pups and completely left out the mention of it being an omen. (It'd be nigh impossible to even make that connection for new viewers). I'm pretty sure direwolves are supposed be a a dark gray which makes Ghost stand out more. The wolves are hardly getting any attention even though they're very important.
In the chapters that the first episode covers, Viserys isn't that much of a monster. He's just a huge dick to his sister, which they portrayed pretty well in almost all ways. They didn't need to add all of the scenes where he's basically explaining to his sister what his plans are, as that ruins the show by television standards. The fact that he's selling his sister into sexual slavery to a group of hideous barbarians is pretty good for the initial setup. The book can spend as much time on these small things as it wants, but a television show that will last roughly 10 hours needs to leave some things for the audience to pick up on.Viserys actually comes off as a likeable character so far. Even when he says he'd let Drogo's whole khalasar smurf Dany it's not even cringeworthy.
I don't recall exactly every bit of dialogue in the first few chapters, but I think the only person who says Kingslayer right away is Viserys. That's neither here nor there but the whole "Jaime isn't the character he should be immediately out of the gate" is a bit of a silly complaint, regardless of how small it is intended to be.It seems everyone likes Jaime, but they're still supposed to call him Kingslayer behind it back at least. I'm pissed that wasn't mentioned once.
Yetis have ahir that covers their entire body, the White Walkers just have long hair, which is fine since they are wild 'people' who live in a cold area.These looked like yetis.
(SPOILER)Another thing that bothered me was how Ned and Catelyn were talking in the wooded area about the face and the old gods, but they didn't even show the face. I noticed she looked at a specific part off camera when she mentioned how the place creeped her out, but that was it. I'll have to pay more attention next time I watch it to see if it's visible somewhere.
It doesn't stand out as much as it should but it is there at least.
I think that entire scene was added for exposition and character introduction. It is more for people who haven't read the book and will think "these two have a secret" or "something is rotten in Westeros" before you get to the end of the first episode. It wasn't entirely necessary for those who already read the book and know what is going to happen but it is a great introduction for Jaime and Cersei.I was a bit confused why the twins were shown talking about Jaime being made the King's Hand. Didn't they kill Jon Arryn (Still haven't finished GoT)? They had to have known Jaime's name wasn't in the hat for that job. Or was it just a little shameless flirting?
The first book has 73 chapters, including the prologue. Each chapter has something that needs to be covered in some way or you lose a lot of character development. Covering the first nine chapters in the first episode means you can spend time developing characters slower somewhere down the road. Covering a 900-page book that has an immense amount of character development in a mere 10 episodes means some things are going to get left on the back burner and some things are going to be explained at a faster pace.I liked it but I'm also of the opinion that there needs to be quite a bit more explanation of characters and events. Perhaps 9 chapters was too much for the first episode? Perhaps it should have covered like maybe 5.
Double posting so this doesn't get lost in the wall of text above.Originally Posted by Martin's blog