[TV Spoilers] I'm sick of Ros

[Balefont]

Perhaps I should have waited until everyone is caught up through episode 7. But I'm feeling the fire right now so I'm going to speak up.

Let me preface this by saying that I think the woman playing Ros has been great in the role. Saucy. Intelligent. Great. I can see why the producers wanted to expand her role in the series.

But come on. Things are going too far, imo. Enough all ready. I'm sick of her character popping up almost every episode. It's distracting. She's not in the books at all yet she's getting considerable screen time. It's distracting to the point where it's taking me out of the story everytime she's in a scene. As I said in a post in the another thread, I actually fast-forward through all of her scenes whenever I re-watch now.

So, how do other viewers feel about this addition and the amount of screen time she is getting?

[Ran]

I'm not, and not for prurient reasons. She shows up in 5-7, but I don't expect she'll be seen again... this season.

And "this season" is the key. Like others, I suspect she'll have a role to play next season. Book spoilers:

I think she'll be replacing Chataya and/or Alayaya, or at least replacing their function -- the woman who helps Tyrion get to Shae in secret, but who then becomes caught up in the Cersei-Tyrion conflict.

So, makes sense to flesh her out.

More importantly, though, her scenes in 5-6 are all about Theon, fleshing him out in a way that obviously fits the kind of narrative they're constructing for him.

And then, 7, well, if they're going to use a prostitute character, why not one we're familiar with, anyways? That scene certainly seems to require someone speaking back to Littlefinger, so better it'd be from a character who has already had lines rather than just some random prostitute girl.

So... it just makes sense. If prostitutes are going to figure into the plot, might as well make one of them a genuine character.

[Arrogant Bastard]

I'm not, and not for prurient reasons. She shows up in 5-7, but I don't expect she'll be seen again... this season.

And "this season" is the key. Like others, I suspect she'll have a role to play next season. Book spoilers:

I think she'll be replacing Chataya and/or Alayaya, or at least replacing their function -- the woman who helps Tyrion get to Shae in secret, but who then becomes caught up in the Cersei-Tyrion conflict.

So, makes sense to flesh her out.

More importantly, though, her scenes in 5-6 are all about Theon, fleshing him out in a way that obviously fits the kind of narrative they're constructing for him.

And then, 7, well, if they're going to use a prostitute character, why not one we're familiar with, anyways? That scene certainly seems to require someone speaking back to Littlefinger, so better it'd be from a character who has already had lines rather than just some random prostitute girl.

So... it just makes sense. If prostitutes are going to figure into the plot, might as well make one of them a genuine character.

In regards to the spoiler.

I don't think it would work to have Ros replace Chattaya and/or Alayaya, simply because Ros works for Littlefinger. Unless she gets her own brothel in between seasons, but then it will still seem like she's probably reporting back to Littlefinger. From my memory Littlefinger didn't know anything about Tyrion or Shae, so I think it would be better to have a different brothel with Chattaya or someone else new.

I guess I can see using Ros since the audience is familiar with her; my only problem (nitpick really) is it feels like she got to King's Landing pretty damn fast, even if by ship.

[Werthead]

I've got a feeling that Ros:

Is one of Varys's little birds, the ones he has 'even in the North'. That explains why she'd be forewarned of Tyrion's arrival in Episode 1 (which makes more sense than Luwin passing on a message to the brothel or there being some kind express Whoresline raven messaging service) and why she'd be summoned to KL if Varys thought he could get an agent into Littlefinger's brothel. Ros working for Littlefinger but also being truly loyal to Varys would also explain her actions in S2 if as Ran says she is replacing Chataya/Alayaya. In particular, having Ros take the fall and get the shit kicked out of her on Cersei's orders will hurt harder than it being a relatively new character we've barely ever seen.

I can see why they've taken this approach and it could work out well. At the moment it's just a bit random.

[Lord Varys]

Being privy to Littlefinger's true persona, at least to an extent, and (speculatively) becoming a part of Tyrion's power play in ACoK just feels wrong to me. More than wrong, actually. Chataya owns her own brothel - she has nothing to do with Littlefinger. And it's Varys who helps Tyrion to hide his relationship with Shae. Not that likely that they would include Littlefinger, or one of Littlefinger's cronies - and Ros is now nothing more than that. I know that the TV series cut the dialogue on the Mountain Road, so Tyrion is apparently ignorant about Littlefinger's involvement in the dagger affair. So I assume they are going to make him mistrust Littlefinger for another reason.

I'm sick of her as well, as it is really a caricature to believe that this women is privy to Jon's, Theon's, Tyrion's, and Petyr Baelish's secret thoughts/important moments of their lives. Likely she was Robb's first woman as well.

I assumed they would use her to be his mistress when he conquers Winterfell. And that would have been enough. We don't need her down in KL, and I actually liked it that she was just a whore to Tyrion (and now she may be 'more', whatever 'more' is). One he paid and forgot afterwards. Not every whore is a Shae.

The Littlefinger scene works with whores - if we accept Littlefinger as a pimp who happens to be good with finances, which is not actual my picture of him -, much better actually as it would have worked seeing him talking to Oswell Kettleblack or Lothor Brune. But it should not have been Ros.

Edit:

I like Wert's theory. And it would be rather mean of

Varys to fuck Littlefinger with a whore ;-). I like that a lot. But for her to play the part of 'Yaya they would have place the secret passage in the brothel she is working. And that's still owned by Littlefinger at this point. And I'm not sure if the 'bird theory' would make much sense if Ros would suddenly leave Littlefinger's brothel to work at another place. But of course this could be accomplished if they reveal her as a bird and have Varys command her to leave Littlefinger's brothel to play the decoy whore for Tyrion.

[Greywolf2375]

I think I said this in the other thread; if they are doing this for the reasoning Ran & Wert give, ok - I get the condensing of story lines and characters. As it is though with the character expectations I have, she is superfluous to anything in KL.

[SergioCQH]

I am waiting until Sunday to see Episode 7, but I have a hard time imagining that the showrunners decided to dedicate this much precious screen time to Ros for no reason. I would love to see her replace the 'ayas in Season 2.

[kairparavel]

I guess, for me, there are enough characters in the books that creating one for televisions seems, well....ridiculous.

And I've read here that George will consider adding her to books because he likes the actress so much?

WTFF? Seriously. ( I did read that, didn't I? I'm going back to look but I'm riled so I don't think I'm mistaken)

Ah. In the TWOP thread:

We know Ros was never in the book and was only added to the show to give Tyrion a more HBO like introduction so we know she could not be involved in the conspiracy. Although George was so impressed with Esme Bianco that he might write Ros into future books as a minor character so who knows what she could end up being.

Lots about the tv adaptation puts knots on my face (though I did enjoy Ep 6) but seriously, enough already. It's one thing to adapt the books for television. It's entirely something else to adapt the book because of television. I cannot abide that. No HBO, no Ros. Let's not forget that, eh.

Eventually I will edit this into something coherent. Argh.

[Bronn Stone]

Lots about the tv adaptation puts knots on my face (though I did enjoy Ep 6) but seriously, enough already. It's one thing to adapt the books for television. It's entirely something else to adapt the book because of television. I cannot abide that. No HBO, no Ros. Let's not forget that, eh.

It depends on how he does it. There are all sorts of nods and winks in the story. A character named Green Gergen exists in the books solely because the BwB (led by a formerly active boarder whose handle was Green Gerg) won an auction to add him in (GRRM made the character a member of the BwB and is mentioned having helped Beric Dondarrion). Treb from the Hedge Knight series may be a nod to our own moderator Trebla. Alaric of Eysen (a singer at Jofrrey's wedding) is the name of a character created by George's friend Phyllis Eisenstein. I am sure there are others. If Ros gets a little nod, I don't see a problem. Too big and maybe you have a point.

But I think D&D, having seen how Esme Bianco lights up the screen in the pilot, would have been out of their collective gourds to not expand her part. She's adorable.

[Balefont]

I've got a feeling that Ros:

Is one of Varys's little birds, the ones he has 'even in the North'. That explains why she'd be forewarned of Tyrion's arrival in Episode 1 (which makes more sense than Luwin passing on a message to the brothel or there being some kind express Whoresline raven messaging service) and why she'd be summoned to KL if Varys thought he could get an agent into Littlefinger's brothel. Ros working for Littlefinger but also being truly loyal to Varys would also explain her actions in S2 if as Ran says she is replacing Chataya/Alayaya. In particular, having Ros take the fall and get the shit kicked out of her on Cersei's orders will hurt harder than it being a relatively new character we've barely ever seen.

I can see why they've taken this approach and it could work out well. At the moment it's just a bit random.

Yeah, but that's inserting some major retconning via the show, imo.

[The Anti-Targ]

So they changed to story so that Varys knew Catelyn was coming to KL and why before Catelyn arrived. Whereas in the book Varys only knew that Catelyn was there after it was reported to him (possibly by the ship's captain) and the dagger bit was only known because Rodders took it to Aron Santagar for a gander.

So making that change causes ripples thoughout the plot. One of them being Ros.

[Faint]

I'm hoping that Ran or Werthead are right because, as things stand, I'm utterly perplexed by the prominence of Ros so far. If she were to have assumed Shae's role that would be one thing but obviously that isn't the case. She's had three large scenes now, in three separate episodes. Viewers who have not read the books probably assume she's a significant character, if not a primary one. Why would the television writers do that unless there is a purpose behind all this? It just wouldn't make sense.

[Avalanche3319]

I'm sick of Ros and I havent even seen the 7th episode yet. I enjoy looking at her as much as the next guy, but did they really need to create a character who'se sole purpose is to be naked in every single scene she's in?

[j52y]

I too like Werthead's theory. I like it so much that, if by chance the writers are reading this, they decide to adopt this theory for season 2.

[Spoony]

I agree - I don't like her inclusion either.

Like a certain amount of minor decisions so far, it seems as if this will help make the series a little more bland dramatically.

In this case it will effect the characterization and uniqueness of Shae.

Or at least that is how I see it spinning out.

[Arrogant Bastard]

In this case it will effect the characterization and uniqueness of Shae.

Or at least that is how I see it spinning out.

That's a pretty good point. With the amount of time Ros has spent with major characters, Shae's interactions with Tyrion might now seem kind of stale. I like the actress and her performance as Ros, but I feel like they are starting to use her too much.

I'll be really worried if next season she winds up in Dragonstone with Stannis explaining in bed to her why he's the rightful king.

[Spoony]

I'll be really worried if next season she winds up in Dragonstone with Stannis explaining in bed to her why he's the rightful king.

HA HA.

I'd bee more worried about her making her way to Harrenhal to take the place of pretty pia.

[Ran]

It's been claimed that George has said he'll write Ros into the books. Anyone have a cite for that?

[MinDonner]

I'm with those who reckon Ros will have a bigger part to play, one way or another. With the need for scriptwriters to economise on speaking parts and cast-bloat, I can't believe they'd have just put her in to flash her tits a lot, and it would be really disappointing (and surprising, given the tightness of the adaptation elsewhere) if that turned out to be her only purpose.

[The Anti-Targ]

I'm with those who reckon Ros will have a bigger part to play, one way or another. With the need for scriptwriters to economise on speaking parts and cast-bloat, I can't believe they'd have just put her in to flash her tits a lot, and it would be really disappointing (and surprising, given the tightness of the adaptation elsewhere) if that turned out to be her only purpose.

Like I said earlier (apologies I didn't realise this was only TV spoilers). Changes from the original story probably caused D&D to invent a Winterfell based character to make things internally plausible. A whore popular with visitors and residents alike is as good as any, and better than most.

I guess my problem was more with what seemed to be rather pointless scenes, with me thinking they were entirely about the other characters. But if Ros has her own part to play in the Game then those scenes were necessary to introduce her to us moreso than to give us more time and exposition with the book characters. And it puts a little twist in the tail of "we've been expecting you" in the scene with Tyrion in EP1.