42 replies to this topic

[Ran]

Non-spoiler discussion of the show goes here, for those who've not read the books or those who have but are happy to not actually reference them at all in discussion, taking each episode as it comes.

This topic should open automatically when the pre-show (starting at 8:45PM) begins.

[Vikingkingq]

I thought that it was incredibly well done for an episode that had to go everywhere and do everything to set things up.

The use of the comet for transitions was very deft.

[Bubba Mudd]

I loved it.  I think this season will be better than the first.  Although, I always pictured Davos younger.

[Crazydog7]

Agian the coolest part of the show for me were those scenes made for the show.  Turning Cresi into a more sympathetic charecter.

[seeyouintee]

Interesting topic. Since the series began, they've had to cram a lot of book into every episode, so everything seems to happen fast to me, having read the books (more than once) before ever seeing the show, I'm always wondering if the way they present the story in the show is disjointed or seems incomplete in places.

[sennahoj]

Great episode. Of course there had to be a lot of exposition, such as introducing Stannis as a new player to the Game of Thrones. Part of me thinks they should've shown Renly's camp as well, since all the other contenders for the crown are shown, but that's just a minor issue. Overall the many settings were woven together nicely.
My favourite was the opening scene in King's Landing with the melee. Joffrey was delightfully cruel in dealing with Dontos, but I just loved Tyrion's entry with his mountain clan retainers. Totally confuses the "little king". Tyrion doesn't like Joffrey, who shares Cersei's hate of Tyrion, but he seems to genuinely care for the other two children. Peter Dinklage was really great in that scene, and then crashing into small council meeting was just the icing on the cake.
The Dany scene was a little too short for my taste, but it nevertheless conveyed the desperate situation her little khalasar is in. Shame we only saw one of the dragons though.

[Elevator]

Bubba Mudd, on 02 April 2012 - 01:04 AM, said:

I loved it.  I think this season will be better than the first.  Although, I always pictured Davos younger.

That's going to be the major challenge for me.  I am usually always a "read the books first" person, but w/ A Game of Thrones, I watched the first season before reading the book.  Now that I've read most of Clash of Kings I've already got my ideas of how those characters developed and what the new ones look like.   I too picture Davos to be a bit younger and a bit more cheery.

But again, it's only one episode.

[Little Miss Sunshine]

I'll say the episode did a good job of introducing the new characters and picking up where they had left in Season 1.

Props to Carice van Houten, for me she was stupendous! Also good work on the direwolves and final sequence with the bastards! The coordination between the score and the images was perfect.

The episode was not perfect for me, however. The Littlefinger/Cersei scene felt out of place and out of character and some scenes were too rushed, which is understandble though given they had a lot to show in this first episode.

[TheCheesecakeMassacre]

Jack Gleeson as Joffrey for a child actor is incredible, massive props to him.

[Ygritte's fur]

Stannis cheery? I can't think of anything in the books that would lead you to think that. He is always described as being cheerless and flat. I thought he was actually more appealing, physically at least, than I imagined.

In general though I think casting is one of the strongest aspects of the show. All of the actors have to convey so much back and side story that can't be fit into a tv show--and they all do a wonderful job. I'm sure that also goes to great direction. Regardless, it's well done.

Sansa, for ex, wasn't a stand out actress in Season 1. Not bad not amazing. But she does so well at portraying the utter sublimation of self Sansa has to undertake for her survival.

(null)

[boojam]

This is down in the noise.
Why did Hodor shave, that was last season.
Can he shave himself? Or get help?
I thought he looked better with a beard.

[boojam]

Like the places were there was new music, what there was.
Is someone ever going to interview Ramin Djawadi about the series?
(I mean besides little squibs here and there.)
I suppose they have him solid now.

[Shillen]

I think I'll stick to the no-spoiler section because it's frustrating reading the spoiler section as all they do is complain and whine about it not being exactly like the book even though it's the best tv series ever created.  This episode was no exception, incredibly well done.  I read all the books long before the show came out and re-read them twice and I absolutely adore the book series.  But if the show followed the book exactly it would be bad.  Books and television are not the same, you cannot make them the same.  They have done a remarkable job making the books into an incredibly entertaining television series.

[Cherokee]

Thought Peter Dinklage picked up right where he left off.  Dude continues to absolutely nail that role and well-deserving of the top billing.

[JayDubya]

I really enjoyed the "bastard-hunting" - that was a great way to deviate from the book but give a great sense of background motivation.

[Merentha]

Cherokee, on 02 April 2012 - 10:20 AM, said:

Thought Peter Dinklage picked up right where he left off.  Dude continues to absolutely nail that role and well-deserving of the top billing.

My girlfriend watched the ep with me, after not really enjoying the first few episodes of S1.  Her response after him crashing the small council and Joffrey's party was "if there's a lot of that in this season, I am totally in."

[Ser Robin Hill]

Vikingkingq, on 02 April 2012 - 12:53 AM, said:

The use of the comet for transitions was very deft.

Yes, that was most effective.

[camradio]

One of the things that I was a little worried about this season was the direwolves because sometimes cgi or what have you can look look very cheesy and horrible. ( the polar bears from lost for example)
However they did an awesome job, seeing the kingslayer pissing himself as Grey Wind snarls at him was awesome.
Lastly as other people said I always pictured Davos to be younger but I think that the actor still did a good job.

Edited by camradio, 02 April 2012 - 11:17 AM.

[Crown]

camradio, on 02 April 2012 - 11:17 AM, said:

One of the things that I was a little worried about this season was the direwolves because sometimes cgi or what have you can look look very cheesy and horrible. ( the polar bears from lost for example)
However they did an awesome job, seeing the kingslayer pissing himself as Grey Wind snarls at him was awesome.
Lastly as other people said I always pictured Davos to be younger but I think that the actor still did a good job.

Actually, this is exactly how I pictured Davos in my head, Liam did a terrific job in portraying him in the first episode.

[boojam]

Robin Hill, on 02 April 2012 - 10:59 AM, said:

Yes, that was most effective.

The comet segues were cool.