Game of Thrones / House of Dragon

[gizmo1990]

I know what you're saying and I agree, in part.. But the frequency and thought behind things like that happening has always made me feel the author (or filmmaker or scriptwriter) is taking a cheap way out, if that makes sense.

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Far easier to kill someone off than think of better more plausible routes.

[SuperBeatBoy]

10 afaik

Oh thats good. I've read through the first book, good to see its got two hours left which should be more than enough to wrap everything up nicely for the next season.

[Shoju]

I know what you're saying and I agree, in part.. But the frequency and thought behind things like that happening has always made me feel the author (or filmmaker or scriptwriter) is taking a cheap way out, if that makes sense.

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Far easier to kill someone off than think of better more plausible routes.

In certain cases you might be right but in others it could be considered quite courageous on the part of the author. I find it refreshingly different and it makes me care and worry about the characters more.

[rmoxon]

I know what you're saying and I agree, in part.. But the frequency and thought behind things like that happening has always made me feel the author (or filmmaker or scriptwriter) is taking a cheap way out, if that makes sense.

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Far easier to kill someone off than think of better more plausible routes.

Life is fragile, it should be plausible that in any story anyone could die at any time. I dont think its an easy way out for the writer, the world this story is set in is not the most pleasent of places to live. Theres a chance anyone could die at any time, thats just the world it takes place in.

[SuperBeatBoy]

I agree with rmoxon 100% if it was an easy way out for the writer there wouldn't be 7 books in total. One of which has been split into two. Its a very bleak, violent and corrupt world.

[MrMarbles]

FUUUUUUUUUUUUU JOFFREY YOU LIPLESS BAST!

[Harry]

SPOILER

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Unless it has already been posted, I give you an excellent tribute to our Lord of Winterfell & Warden of the North, Eddard Stark:

Pass it on to the last remnants of the rullum as you see fit.

They killed ma' nigga' ned.

[PeteJ]

Erm, that's a ****ing huge spoiler Harry. Most folks aren't going to watch this until it's out on BluRay but may still enter this thread.

[gizmo1990]

In certain cases you might be right but in others it could be considered quite courageous on the part of the author. I find it refreshingly different and it makes me care and worry about the characters more.

I take your point certainly, but in this case I think it's to the detriment of the series. I suspect the producers are going to have a very hard time keeping it going past season 2 after what's happened.

Their problem is that they now don't have a character strong enough to carry the series. Even combined, the cast is very threadbare, save for the imp perhaps.

For me they're between a rock and a hard place. They cast (as they had to) a fine fine actor who anchored the show and gave it gravitas and interest. But by doing so they created a huge rod for their backs as they knew they'd have to lose them.

The books may well work using this formula but a successful tv series is a completely different matter. I predict a big audience falloff for season 2 as it grapples with it's multitude of secondary characters, none of which are fleshed out enough for people to care about.

Anyhow it's just my opinion. I understand why people may think differently, it'll be interesting seeing how season 2 pans out. But as of right now, it smacks to me of a book series which should have stayed on the printed page.

[rmoxon]

I take your point certainly, but in this case I think it's to the detriment of the series. I suspect the producers are going to have a very hard time keeping it going past season 2 after what's happened.

Their problem is that they now don't have a character strong enough to carry the series. Even combined, the cast is very threadbare, save for the imp perhaps.

For me they're between a rock and a hard place. They cast (as they had to) a fine fine actor who anchored the show and gave it gravitas and interest. But by doing so they created a huge rod for their backs as they knew they'd have to lose them.

The books may well work using this formula but a successful tv series is a completely different matter. I predict a big audience falloff for season 2 as it grapples with it's multitude of secondary characters, none of which are fleshed out enough for people to care about.

Anyhow it's just my opinion. I understand why people may think differently, it'll be interesting seeing how season 2 pans out. But as of right now, it smacks to me of a book series which should have stayed on the printed page.

I think youve missed the whole point.

The point is that (im gonna spoiler this for the people that arent up to date with the show)

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Sean beans Character was suppose to the the most likeable, you were suppose to love him, now hes dead and youre like "what the hell?" you want vengence... and it will come, as well as alot of other spectacular stuff too. The fact is that the whole story is actualy about his death and we are only just seeing that now. This is the tip of the iceberg. This show never actualy had a main character, you just thought it did. youre suppose to be shaken to the core right now, and clearly you are, you think you wont like whats to come next, but youre gonna keep watching, and youre gonna be shocked that its even better than whats come before it.

Just watch and see.

[gizmo1990]

I haven't missed the point, I do appreciate that view, friends who have read the books have said the same.

What I'm saying though is that within the confines of a tv drama, drawn out over multiple seasons, that that structure doesn't hold up. The book obviously has many pages to devote to characters, plotlines and arcs. A tv drama does not, especially one which costs so much.

I'll still watch the finale and likely dip into the 2nd season. I may even read the rest of the books, that might indeed make me keep watching the show. But therein lies what I'm trying to get to, the vast majority of people will not read the books so will take the show on face value. And on that value I don't think it holds up.

[merf]

I'm trying to not spoiler myself as not read the books but love the idea of multiple threads and no single central character who you always know will 'win', its exactly what made the Wire so great that as a viewer you never felt safe and like you knew what would happen next.

I just hope the imp survives, he's the best character and performance on TV since Omar or Pauly Walnuts.

[rmoxon]

I haven't missed the point, I do appreciate that view, friends who have read the books have said the same.

What I'm saying though is that within the confines of a tv drama, drawn out over multiple seasons, that that structure doesn't hold up. The book obviously has many pages to devote to characters, plotlines and arcs. A tv drama does not, especially one which costs so much.

I'll still watch the finale and likely dip into the 2nd season. I may even read the rest of the books, that might indeed make me keep watching the show. But therein lies what I'm trying to get to, the vast majority of people will not read the books so will take the show on face value. And on that value I don't think it holds up.

Thats not true though, not for me anyway becuase I havent actualy read the books, sorry if it seemed like I had.

The reason i'm so enthusiastic about it is becuase as Merf says not having a "hero" opens the story up in all different directions and this is actualy perfect for a TV show, more so than for a series of books in fact.

The Wire is a good comparison, that show was epic, you didnt know what was gonna happen next and thats what kept you watching it actualy made you care more. Game of thrones will be the same.

[Matt]

I agree with Gizmo. What's happened will put many off.

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TV audiences like having a character to follow. Would 24, for example, have been successful longterm if Jack had died end of series 1?

It may have been true to the book, and fair play to them, but they're in a tough place now.

[rmoxon]

I agree with Gizmo. What's happened will put many off.

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TV audiences like having a character to follow. Would 24, for example, have been successful longterm if Jack had died end of series 1?

It may have been true to the book, and fair play to them, but they're in a tough place now.

But You were only suppose to Follow Ned Stark so that

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you were pissed off when he died

. now other characters will come to the forefront. I dont know what happens from now in the books really, but I know that it basicaly turns into three on going stories and if there is a main character it will be

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John Snow becuase he basicaly has his own story

.

I think the thing that you arent really realising is that in some ways, although each season of the show will carry on to the next, they are all based on a different book, they are self contained in ways as well. Ned Stark was the main character in this story, he wont be in the next one.

And the Jack buaer comparison doesnt work eithert becuase 24 was about his character, Game of thrones is actualy about

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The fallout from Ned Starks death and the story didnt even really begin until the end of this last episode