TV: Game of Thrones

[Splash!]

Oh shit, you're right! It's brilliant how he worked all these years to fuck the system from within so he could take it all from himself. Now i really get what Varys meant when he said he'd burn the realm to rule over the ashes.

I am not entirely sure how 'brilliant' the idea was. It is really through the lens of other smart characters in the show (like Tyrion or Varys) that you see that while he may be a bit smarter than some of the other idiots at King's Landing, the real problem is his malicious intent. I am not entirely convinced that screwing the entire kingdom over is the best way to be self-serving. If I were the bank looking to collect, I would pay special attention to the treasurer at the time the debt was incurred just as much as the king. If they would go as far as funding a rebellion to overthrow the current king, then surely they would also want to make an example of the culprits who had a direct hand in creating the huge collection hassle. Being resourceful enough to replace regimes, I am sure they could spread some additional coin to trace it back to littlefinger.

[lilphatboi88]

Sansa is pretty much a window into parts of the world in King's Landing. She is definitely one of the most uninteresting characters, either in the book or the show. Catelyn is another Stark who pretty much makes the same kind of super depressing speech every time we see her but otherwise contributes little.

I feel like your comments are spoiling it for me. For some reason it feels as though you know Sansa and Catelyn are not going to be playing any important roles throughout the rest of the series.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't read the book. So please be careful not to spoil it for others.

[Animeniax]

Has anyone else read the books before watching the series? I'm having a hard time watching the show because it conflicts with images in my mind from when I read the book (like Boromir as head of House Stark). I've seen most of the first episode but can't get past it.

[Y]

I feel like your comments are spoiling it for me. For some reason it feels as though you know Sansa and Catelyn are not going to be playing any important roles throughout the rest of the series.

Please correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't read the book. So please be careful not to spoil it for others.

My comments are in no way a spoiler. If I were to correct you, it would be a spoiler, because I would be revealing to you the extent that Sansa/Catelyn play a role in upcoming plots. My comments are obviously in the context of "so far in the show, X" with regards to the roles Sansa and Catelyn have played thus far and my opinion on their plotline.

[Abdula]

Has anyone else read the books before watching the series? I'm having a hard time watching the show because it conflicts with images in my mind from when I read the book (like Boromir as head of House Stark). I've seen most of the first episode but can't get past it.

Yeah I read the books before I watched the series. I thought the first season was pretty good but haven't really been into it since then. It is not so much because of the changes but that the characters and the character interaction which is what makes the show interesting are far less so once you know the general plot. I'm not current but if you liked ASoIaF or just good political intrique you should get past your rather trivial gripe and watch the show.

I feel like your comments are spoiling it for me. For some reason it feels as though you know Sansa and Catelyn are not going to be playing any important roles throughout the rest of the series. Just watch the show though

Please correct me if I'm wrong, I haven't read the book. So please be careful not to spoil it for others.

Yeah it is not spoiling to say that those two are uninteresting characters. Sansa in particular is just a bore, Stannis is another rather boring character and it has nothing to do with what role he has in the plot.

[Y]

Yeah it is not spoiling to say that those two are uninteresting characters. Sansa in particular is just a bore, Stannis is another rather boring character and it has nothing to do with what role he has in the plot.

I don't find Stannis boring at all, either in the books or in the show. Well, maybe Stannis himself is a bit droll, but his motivations are complex and he has a great supporting cast (Melisandre, Davos, Sallador Sahn).

[Abdula]

Exactly. I think Stannis by himself is a boring character but he has the most interesting people around him. Personally I think the show should be about Stannis, Daenerys and Jon. Their 3 factions are the only ones with any legitimacy. All the rest are motivated by greed, a desire for revenge or just plain old self interest.

[Augury]

Has anyone else read the books before watching the series? I'm having a hard time watching the show because it conflicts with images in my mind from when I read the book (like Boromir as head of House Stark). I've seen most of the first episode but can't get past it.

I also read the books before watching the series. There were definitely conflicts between how I imagined the characters and how they cast them in the show. Arya, Jon, and Littlefinger in particular were very different than what I expected. However, I think that the overall acting and directing has made this a minor point. It was a better move for them to make casting decisions based on acting ability rather than whoever looked the part, and there really isn't a large enough pool of talented actors (child actors in particular) that can make fitting the image perfectly a reality.

Yeah it is not spoiling to say that those two are uninteresting characters. Sansa in particular is just a bore, Stannis is another rather boring character and it has nothing to do with what role he has in the plot.

Part of what's great about this show is that every character is a shade of gray rather than black or white. I agree with Y that Stannis is rather dry and rigid at first glance, but isn't so simple underneath. Sansa also has her own share of drama and has been (poorly) navigating through the political treachery in King's Landing, but with so many different types of characters its no surprise that not every character is going to be appealing to a viewer.

[Abdula]

I agree with you completely except that Sansa is unappealing by design. First of all she is incredibly naive and incompetent and both of those qualities get people killed. If that wasn't bad enough she seems like she would betray anyone for no more than a girlish whim. Most damning of all she thought she was in love with Joffrey and she should have been killed for that alone. The funny thing is that of all the characters in the show she would probably be the most likely to survive because no one at all considers her a threat.

[Animeniax]

You're being kind of harsh on a little girl whose entire life up until Joffrey was dreams of being a princess.

[Splash!]

I agree with you completely except that Sansa is unappealing by design.

Her Stark contrast to Arya probably doesn't help her cause either.

[Abdula]

Exactly

You're being kind of harsh on a little girl whose entire life up until Joffrey was dreams of being a princess.

Undoubtedly but not unduly so. Her life pretty much since she left Winterfell has been worse.

[Ryllharu]

Back to the current episode, I found the fact that Melissandre's Spirit of Light cult was spreading to the rebels incredibly disturbing.

It's not like they're worshiping the old gods like the wildings, or something like that. The audience (and the salty smuggler, Brienne and Catelyn) have witnessed the results of following such beliefs, and it is quite plainly demon worship.

Praying to the old gods will never turn a fetus into a shadow demon, the act of doing so also damaging a man's life force at the same time, as she told Stannis why she wouldn't give him another one. Not to mention all the brainwashing, making it obvious that she chose Stannis not because he was a strong fighter, or a righteous man, or even a good leader, but because he was the easiest to manipulate.

[lilphatboi88]

If the book shows that Sansa's storyline is so boring and the director can tell all this from the critics and other reviews, why don't they just cut her scenes. She gets way too much screen time. She is pretty, so at least make her more interesting if you're going to give her so much screen time.

[Sapphire]

Sansa isn't that bad. She's the key to the north, as they say.

If anything, they should cut Robb's boring scenes. What's he doing all day other than being angry at his mother and banging a woman he's not supposed to be banging (which WON'T end well)?

[Y]

If the book shows that Sansa's storyline is so boring and the director can tell all this from the critics and other reviews, why don't they just cut her scenes. She gets way too much screen time. She is pretty, so at least make her more interesting if you're going to give her so much screen time.

Again, you complain about spoilers and then ask a question like "why doesn't the director just remove Sansa from the plot?" Is there any answer to this question that isn't a spoiler?

[Ryllharu]

I agree with Saph, if there are anyone's scenes who should be abbreviated or reduced as much as possible, it's Robb's. Which says a lot, considering he already has the least screen time of any of the Starks older than 12. Sure, he's important in the grand scheme of things...but he has had negative character development going on the past 8 episodes.

He's either "really good as a commander," making upset faces at his mother (which should be a *way* more interesting storyline considering what she did releasing Jamie), or flirting in really boring ways with his wife.

[lilphatboi88]

Again, you complain about spoilers and then ask a question like "why doesn't the director just remove Sansa from the plot?" Is there any answer to this question that isn't a spoiler?

That's cuz someone earlier said Sansa and Catelyn in the book and show aren't significant. I pick up spoilers when someone tries not to spoil.

[Y]

That's cuz someone earlier said Sansa and Catelyn in the book and show aren't significant. I pick up spoilers when someone tries not to spoil.

You pick up spoilers that aren't there because you read posts badly and then ask for straight up spoilers. I was the poster who said Sansa and Catelyn are boring in both the books in the show and I clarified that I was referring to the show not having improved their so-far boring character arcs, not indicative of future material.

[Carnage]

I'm a little confused why they've continued bringing up the boy's sex talent with the whores. At first I thought it was just Lord Baelish repaying Tyrion but am I missing something here? Why do they keep bringing it up? Or did they just use it as a literary device to bring up the talent of the ex-whore who works for Varys?