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Book vs. Show Characters: Better, Worse, Mixed, or just Different?


Rill Redthorn

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Better in the Show: Margarey, Tywin- love his character on the show was indifferent with his book character. & I'll probably be flayed for this one but I love Jon on the show :-/

Worse in the show: Petyr, Robb, Loras

Different but still good: Tyrion, Cersei

Pretty spot on from the books: Ned, Bran is pretty much who I pictured, Cat

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i like this topic a lot


1) Better in the show than in the books (where "better" doesn't mean "nicer", but rather "More developed" or "More interesting" or "Even more like themselves than I imagined")


robb. having him actually on-screen really helped with this. his love story i think was done very well too.


the hound: i thought he was annoyingly bitter in te books. i no he has good reason to be, but it was still annoying. plus, show sandor is a much bigger fan of chicken.


brienne


bronn is absolutely hilarious in the show


podd is a lot less annoying in the show and pretty funny too


2) Worse in the show than in the books (where "worse" is "flatter", "less interesting", and so on, not "meaner")


stannis. he's not as bad as a lot of people think, but he's definitely worse than the books. especially in this last episode, they seem to portray him more as a villain. even his theme music is really ominous. i think they can change people's minds with him by the end of the seaaon though. hopefully


sansa. not worse exactly, but she comes across worse because we arent in her head. she is a character who we really need to hear her thoughts to actually understand her because she is always putting on a false face.


3) Basically unchanged between the show and the books


ned. yeah i agree with the op


4) A mix of good and bad changes, hard to separate out


cat. she was made more sympathetic i think, and im not sure how i feel about that, so im putting her here.


5) Completely different in the show and in the books


shae definitely. and marge. and obviously jey-- i mean talisa


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1) Better in the show than in the books



The Hound. Can't get enough. Runner up goes to Bronn




2) Worse in the show than in the books



Brienne. I think she was only casted for her appearance. The acting is painful. Sorry. Runner up goes to the 2nd Mountain.




3) Basically unchanged between the show and the books



Joffrey. I can't read the books without picturing that kid. Runner up, LC Mormont




4) A mix of good and bad changes, hard to separate out



Melisandre. Time will tell, I am both worried and optimistic. Runner up, Davos




5) Completely different in the show and in the books



Basically characters who got name changes. Other than that, everyone knows it's Shae


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As someone who watched the first two seasons, then started reading the books I am guilty of picturing the characters in my head as they are when I have watched the show, so from that point of view.



I loved Tyrion & Dany's actors in season 1 & 2 & then started reading the books & thought he was perfect but by the 3rd HBO series I got kinda sick of Peter Dinklage struggling with an English accent & Dany in the show is OTT.



There are so many of the main players I think they got really well, - Samwell, LC Jeormont, Cercei, Jamie, Ned, Theon, Catelyn, Tywin, Jon, Sandor Clegane, Osha, Ygritte - all excellent portrayals - Bran, Arya, Joffrey & Sansa for kids they are especially well cast - spot on.



Mance Rayder big disappointment in casting. (this is probably because I wanted to like the Rhaegar is really Mance theory) so no that won't work in my head now.....Brienne not nearly so ugly in the show as she is presented in the books.


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Worse in the show:



Pretty much everyone, aside from those who really aren't different but have different lines (mostly secondary characters like Bronn). The most egregious changes to a character have been to Jon, Dany, Sansa, LittleFinger, and Catelyn (I almost forgot to mention her, but then the show almost forgot to give her any meaningful characterization).


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1) Better in the show than in the books

Tywin.

2) Worse in the show than in the books

Stannis

3) Basically unchanged between the show and the books

Viserys

4) A mix of good and bad changes, hard to separate out

Tormund

5) Completely different in the show and in the books

Shae

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1) Better in the show than in the books

Osha. Shireen. Jaqen H'Ghar. VISERYS, omg how could I forget. Harry Lloyd was amazing :bowdown:

2) Worse in the show than in the books

Stannis. Catelyn. Sansa. Theon. Robb.

3) Basically unchanged between the show and the books

Varys. Ned.

4) A mix of good and bad changes, hard to separate out

Melisandre. Tormund.

5) Completely different in the show and in the books

Shae. Mance.

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1) Better in the show than in the books


-Tywin,I'm always excited when a Tywin scene comes up on the show.


-Thoros of Myr, I think the TV guy is funny and real serious as well,compared to the fat one in books


-Osha,Natalia handled that character of almost foster-mother really well.(Hey,even GRRM was impressed.)


-Joffery,Jack nailed the role but improved on it as well,I was annoyed by the book Joffery,I HATED the TV joffery.


-Viserys,Harry did a great work in understanding the character and did it much better than the books.


2) Worse in the show than in the books


- Varys,not the acting,Varys in books is this perfumed,powdered,fancy and very enigmatic character,not some boring filler-scene character.


- LF,the second part of Varys applies here,just how obvious can they make it that he is evil?


-Loras,not the arrogant swordsman I knew from the books,the show Loras is just a snarky stero-type gay guy.


3) Basically unchanged between the show and the books


-Walder Frey,This guy is exactly off the pages,even better portrayal than Ned on show.


-Ned,handled like a pro by Sean Bean.


-Syrio Forel,they changed the looks,but its for the better imo.


-Jeor Mormont,Old Bear was perfect.


-Jaime,the S1 bad guy Jaime+the present redemption Jaime are just as they were in the books.


-Jaquen H'gar, just as i had imagined.


-HODOR!!


-The Reeds


-Maester Aemon is wonderful too.


-Davos, he is the perfect fit yet on the show


4) A mix of good and bad changes, hard to separate out


-Stannis,I was gonna put him in the "worse" section,bad writing, but they made him an amazing warrior leading from the front,unlike the books,which is nice.


-Jorah, great acting,classic Jorah stuff,but they really need to show his lust(not love) for Dany.


-Cersei,great acting, needs more dark side and less sympathy wave(guess,that will change soon)


-


5) Completely different in the show and in the books


-Mance,the show Mance is just not the same as the awesome book guy.


-Shae.


-Yara Greyjoy?? Random storyline? :S


-Talisa? while it was good that she was damn hot ..not even remotely connected to books.


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1) Better in the show than in the books



Bronn/Osha/Margaery/Tywin/Joffrey- More developed and charismatic




2) Worse in the show than in the books



Mance Rayder- Too generic and gruff as opposed to charming and deceptive




3) Basically unchanged between the show and the books



Varys/Samwell Tarly/Walder Frey- Pretty much spot on




4) A mix of good and bad changes, hard to separate out



Tyrion- I definitely like show Tyrion more but I agree with the OP that the whitewashing is irritating




5) Completely different in the show and in the books



Tormund Giantsbane/Theon Greyjoy/Asha/Ramsay/Jorah Mormont- Not necessarily in a bad way


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Lots of people are mentioning Osha as being better in the TV series, but I think i'd put her in the mixed catagory. Even though she's more interesting in the show, it sometimes feels like the actress playing her takes the "wild" in "wildling" a bit too far compared to every other wildling we see. Especially when she's first introduced, she skulks around too much like an animal.



That could just be the fault of the producers though being undecided about how to portray wildlings.


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1) Better in the show than in the books (where "better" doesn't mean "nicer", but rather "More developed" or "More interesting" or "Even more like themselves than I imagined")



Tywin


Jorah


Ramsay



2) Worse in the show than in the books (where "worse" is "flatter", "less interesting", and so on, not "meaner")



Mance


Edmure


Sansa



3) Basically unchanged between the show and the books



Theon


Davos


Jamie


Ned



4) A mix of good and bad changes, hard to separate out



Stannis


Cersei



5) Completely different in the show and in the books



Loras


Jeyne :P


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1) Better in the show than in the books (where "better" doesn't mean "nicer", but rather "More developed" or "More interesting" or "Even more like themselves than I imagined")



  • Margaery - Love Natalie Dormer
  • Olenna - Truly he QoT
  • Tywinning - Always a pleasure
  • Sandor
  • Shireen - I really wasn't expecting them to merge her and Patchface. A really nice change, don't mind it.
  • Osha
  • Cersei - I like how they made her more sympathetic. Less of a moustache twirling villain who we have little to no sympathy for.


2) Worse in the show than in the books (where "worse" is "flatter", "less interesting", and so on, not "meaner")



  • Stannis - Wanted Stannis the Mannis and got Ferdinand II and his waifu Isabella due to the script. Love his actor though.
  • Asha/Yara - I don't mind the actress but they made her such a stone :(
  • Tyrion - I can't stand the whitewashing at all.


3) Basically unchanged between the show and the books



  • Eddard
  • Varys
  • Daenerys for the most part
  • The Reeds
  • Davos
  • Sansa
  • Jorah
  • Lord Walder
  • Samwell
  • Melisandre
  • Balon

4) A mix of good and bad changes, hard to separate out



  • Brienne - Like how they made her seem more confident, but with that she sort of lost her edge of innocence and shyness. And I find the actress pretty even in the show.

5) Completely different in the show and in the books



  • Shae - Not necessarily a bad thing though. She's teaching Sansa some "lessons" so I appreciate that.
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Better: Tywin, Margaery, Jorah, Osha, Joffrey, Littlefinger & The Hound . I did not care for the last two much in the book, but love them on the show. I like show LF and his scenes with Varys


Worse: Robb, Stannis, Ramsay, Mance, Cersei, Renly


Unchanged/ Perfect Fit: Varys, Ned, Jaime, Sam, Davos, Master Aemon, Viserys


Mix of good and bad changes: Tyrion ( Though I do love PD as Tyrion), Catelyn


Different: Shae, Talisa


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1) Better in the show than in the books (where "better" doesn't mean "nicer", but rather "More developed" or "More interesting" or "Even more like themselves than I imagined")



Tywin, Cersei, Joffrey, Marg, Bronn



2) Worse in the show than in the books (where "worse" is "flatter", "less interesting", and so on, not "meaner")



Ramsay, Stannis so far, Tormund and Mance



3) Basically unchanged between the show and the books



Ned, Varys, Davos, Jamie



4) A mix of good and bad changes, hard to separate out



Melisandre, Tyrion (mostly good changes, agree with the whitewash though)


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I like what they have done with Cersei, she wasn't anywhere as deep as in the show. Prior to the rejection of Jaime in 4x01, you could actually understand her motivations.



Worse than the books. Renly (they should have changed his name like they did with Jayne Westerling), Littlefinger.



Perfect representation from the books: Maester Luwin.


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