The show versus the books.. What differences

[mrsjonsnowstark]

What are the differences between the show and the books that irritate you? There are some that (I think) we can all understand are excluded and some weird scenes that are included.

For example, I love in the show how The Hound's relationship with Arya is almost plutonic versus the book where he's definitely more cruel to her.

[Lord Lannister]

What are the differences between the show and the books that irritate you? There are some that (I think) we can all understand are excluded and some weird scenes that are included.

For example, I love in the show how The Hound's relationship with Arya is almost plutonic versus the book where he's definitely more cruel to her.

Welcome to the board! :) Just an FYI, this thread probably will end up getting locked. Threads on this board are for book discussion only. If you want to compare/contrast the show and books it should be on the show forum. Not sure why it's that way, it seems somewhat awkward to me, but it is what is is.

[Isobel Harper]

I have only seen bits and pieces of Seasons 2-4, but I've seen all of Season 1. From what I can tell, the story surrounding Dany in Qarth totally derail from the book. Oberyn and Tyrion are two of the biggest smart-asses in the books, and their banter from ACoK was not translated as well in-show. And don't getting me started on the Dany-Drogo wedding scene on the show.

There were little tid-bits from the show that I enjoyed. Tyrion's "profession of guilt" in the veil and Robin's added response is probably one of the funniest scenes on the show. There's also the scene where Cersei professes having lost a child (stillbirth or shortly after birth) while Bran is in his coma. People only having watched the show will see that scene as face value, and maybe the scene should be taken as such. But I think it means more for the readers. Cersei did, if I remember correctly, have a child from Robert and which she killed/drain moon tea late in the pregnancy to abort it. It makes the scene so underhandely cold and fake, which would not be easily caught if one didn't read the books. (Or maybe I'm reading too much into it?) The show adds that Joffrey killed Robert's bastards as well, while we assume that Cersei does this through Tyrion's perceptive. I wonder now if Joffrey truly didn't order the murder of his bastards or not.

[RoamingRonin]

Only Bran is shown to be a warg. No Nymeria wolf dreams. No Jon and Ghost.

[Annara Snow]

What are the differences between the show and the books that irritate you? There are some that (I think) we can all understand are excluded and some weird scenes that are included.

For example, I love in the show how The Hound's relationship with Arya is almost plutonic versus the book where he's definitely more cruel to her.

Plutonic? :huh:

And how was he cruel to her in the book? In the show, he hit her, in the books he never actually did.

[Isobel Harper]

Plutonic? :huh:

And how was he cruel to her in the book? In the show, he hit her, in the books he never actually did.

Need I quote the Arya "death" scene during the Red Wedding that made me throw my book across the bed?

[Isobel Harper]

Only Bran is shown to be a warg. No Nymeria wolf dreams. No Jon and Ghost.

What?! As if.

[Annara Snow]

Need I quote the Arya "death" scene during the Red Wedding that made me throw my book across the bed?

What, knocking her out to save her life was cruel? :huh:

[TimJames]

In the books, Arya and Jon are the only black haired Starks. Robb, Bran, Sansa, and Rickon are all redheads.

In the show, Bran, Robb, and Rickon are all black haired. This quite frankly makes them look monolithic.

[TheNinjaDC]

Too many to list off, but the show & book are more similar than most book purist want to admit, as they face the dreaded fate of being spoiled in season 6 & 7(and some, tiny bit of 5).

The big thing is allot of roles(characters) & events are rolled together for the sake of simplification.

Characters looks are also changed do to actors(almost all look hollywood pretty). This has pros and cons. For one, I love handsome/normal looking Ramsey. Its adds an added level of creepy that his exterior hides the demon within.

[MyLittleFinger]

I've come to terms with most of the differences so I'm not mad anymore. However irritants are.

Cersei as mother of the year who secretly knows Joffrey is evil with all her evil deeds passed on to Joffrey. I know why there did and are doing this, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.

Littlefinger being a mustache twirling villain with throat cancer. The whole point of his character is everybody knew he was a douche, but not how much of one, nobody thinks he's a threat, Varys doesn't even really think he's too big a problem. Then he buggers them over blind.

[Isobel Harper]

In the books, Arya and Jon are the only black haired Starks. Robb, Bran, Sansa, and Rickon are all redheads.

In the show, Bran, Robb, and Rickon are all black haired. This quite frankly makes them look monolithic.

That reminds me. In the books, all of the Stark children look like Catelyn, except Arya. On the show, none of the Stark children look like Catelyn, except Arya. (Okay, maybe Sansa I guess ;) )

[Kienn]

In the show Grey Wind is dead.

[MyLittleFinger]

In the show Grey Wind is dead.

He's dead in the books too.

[Kienn]

He's dead in the books too.

Perhaps in a way, but part of him will never fade completely in the amalgamation of him and Robb. Even if neither is the same as they were before I still consider both alive in GW's body.

[MyLittleFinger]

Perhaps in a way, but part of him will never fade completely in the amalgamation of him and Robb. Even if neither is the same as they were before I still consider both alive in GW's body.

His headless wolf corpse?

[SnowHeart]

- They replaced the westerling plot with a random healer so Robbs wife would look like a more interesting character

- Mel and Gendry (ugh hated that scene)

- Age difference of the children (actually makes more sense)

- Agree with whoever said LF was worse in the shows. My show friends give me some serious hate when I say I like him

[JRose1989]

In the books, Arya and Jon are the only black haired Starks. Robb, Bran, Sansa, and Rickon are all redheads.

In the show, Bran, Robb, and Rickon are all black haired. This quite frankly makes them look monolithic.

Sorry to nitpick here but Robb has red hair.

Bran does have brown as well though.

[Petyr Patter]

Off the top of my head, and probably because it was so recent, the lack of a "Tysha" reveal. The reveal being she was never a whore.

[SeanF]

Series 1 follows the Books closely. Then, there are divergences.

Season 2, Dany in Qarth made no sense to me. In one Episode, her followers are wiped out. Then, in the final Episode, they're sufficiently numerous to overwhelm any forces that belong to the King of Qarth, before he and Doreah are locked in a vault. And without any explanation, Doreah goes from being Dany's close confidante to being a traitor. The show generally plays up the harsh, cruel side part of Dany's character.

Talisa doesn't appear in the books, and takes the place of Jeyne Westerling. I'm apparently the only person in the World who actually liked Talisa.

The Harrenhall storyline is simplified (rightly, it would be confusing to portray all the shifts in control that take place in the book).

Cersei and Tyrion are notably more sympathetic than in the books. Jaime is worse (shown as murdering his cousin). Catelyn's decision to free Jaime is shown as quite irrational, rather than the fascinating duel of wits we see in the book.

LF is so obviously evil in the Show that you wonder why anyone would trust him. Melisandre is completely evil in the Show, rather than the more ambiguous character in the books.