What's your favourite moment from the book that isn't in the show?

[thadcastle]

I thought that the Battle of the Wall (Season 4 Ep. 9) was actually a lot better in the show, and I liked how Shae was in the Red Keep, rather than Tyrion going through absurd tunnels and all that.

On the other (half) hand, Jon and Qhorin's ranging was definitely a huge missed opportunity for the show.

[Fisch]

I'm cheating on some of these, as they're additions/alternative versions/expansions rather than whole scenes, but:

From the show not in the book:

- The scenes following Renly. When I first read the books, I thought Renly came off as almost a plot device, a minor point that could have easily been trimmed to save words and space. It was very hard to understand why he was so popular a candidate for King, and I didn't have a good sense of his personality. By creating just a few scenes that followed him, the show gave a clearer picture of who he was, why people might like him, and why he thought he should be King. Best of all, the show created only the scenes necessary to show this, and no more (unlike some other plot points...)

- All the additional material created for Shae and Osha. If any two characters can be called indisputably better in the show than they are in the books, it's these two IMO. Love all their scenes.

- Expanding on Theon's brotherly feelings toward Robb and his relationship with Bran. Made for much deeper conflict in his loyalties.

- The scene with Robert and Cersei. Pretty much the only moment in the show that showed Robert's deeper side IMO.

- This isn't a scene so much as an element that changes the context of scenes, but: aging the kids up. Technically, most of the characters are aged up, but it makes the most difference with the kids. Dany, Robb, and Jon especially. GRRM does a great job with Dany's chapters, and I don't think of her age when I read them. But that's only due to the quality of the writing; if I stop and think about it, it's a huge demand on suspension of disbelief to buy a girl that young thinking and doing the things she thinks and does. Her story is more believable, especially in cinematic/TV terms, with an older girl. Same goes for Robb. And the instances in AGoT where Robb acts like a hotheaded pouty teenager were cut in adaptation, as is appropriate. Too bad they didn't do that with Jon (more on that later...)

From the books not the show:

- Robert expressing his concerns to Ned about Joffrey, and Cersei's influence over him should he come to reign.

- Jojen and Meera's time at Winterfell. Pretty much all of their material that was left out, actually, especially Meera's. She's much more interesting in the books.

- Many have noted this already, but - Qhorin and Jon. Having Jon lead Ygritte around with a rope was idiotic, and the original material could easily have been shaped in a way to make for good TV without breaking the budget.

- Edmure's grief for his dying father. Edmure's love for the smallfolk. Pretty much all of Edmure's better traits, honestly.

- Robb's plans leading up to the Red Wedding. I've said this in a few threads by now, but - I don't have a problem with Robb having a different sort of wife in the series. True, the show lost the "he saved her honour and ruined his own" point, but the story with Talisa was interesting and engaging for me. What I didn't like was Robb plotting to take Casterly Rock instead of returning north to deal with the Ironborn.

- On a similar note, I prefer the way Sansa's story is going in the books to what we saw at the end of Season 4. Having her slowly realising who Littlefinger is, struggling with her identity, developing protective feelings toward Robin while seeing what's happening to him, is far more nuanced and interesting to me than her using her looks as a weapon against Littlefinger.

- I suppose that, for the show, it was necessary to show some of Theon's torture, but this point was the very definition of overkill in the show.

- Stannis being much more reluctant to burn or harm a child, let alone one of his own blood.

- The truth about Tyrion's wife coming out.

- The aging up didn't work as well with Jon, at least not in the early seasons, for one big reason: the material that showed Jon acting like a sullen teenage boy wasn't cut or modified to reflect his being aged up, leaving a young man acting like a young boy.

- Ragging on the Starks. GRRM once said, in response to accusations that ASOIaF was nihilistic, "my world view is anything but." He also said, in at least one interview, that he sees the Starks as heroes. Both points are well reflected in the novels. The show seems much more determined to take the piss out of the Starks, at seemingly every turn. Littlefinger mocks Ned's honour in the books, but the show sees any notions of honour and nobility taking shots from all sides; the villains, people like Qhorin Halfhand (in a monologue to Jon I found very much at odds with his character in the books), the Hound, etc.

[Thevalonqar]

Jorah and Danerys kiss. Made their faking out that much more emotional.

[Thevalonqar]

My favorite non book parts would be Varys and Littlefingers monologues. Or maybe Cersei and Roberts emotional rememberance of the beginning of their relationship

[Balerion the one eared cat]

Like everyone else said - Jon and Qhorin, all the memories/prophecies being cut, though I understand why (ToJ, House of the Undying).

I miss the scene where Jorah kisses Dany, partly because at the time I shipped them and because I think it's important to the storyline.

The one I miss most, however, is Meera and Jojen's arrival at Winterfell where they swear fealty to Bran. I just don't think the show conveyed the importance of the Reeds and their father at all... especially since they then decided to kill off Jojen. Come ON!

There's also a chapter in the book which is Tyrion talking to Cersei about Jaime which if I remember correctly they butchered...

And, of course, Tyrion and Jaime's final conversation - "She's been fucking Lancel and Osmund Kettleblack and Moon Boy, for all I know..."

...and the subsequent "where do whores go?" conversation with Tywin.

My favourite scene which they created has to be a small council meeting with sibling rivalry between Cersei and Tyrion. There's no way I could explain it in words, but there was certain rearrangement of furniture which floored me.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GCb0lldiiM

I also love Dany/Jorah's "You need to be their strength now." "As you are mine" conversation, and Jorah's speech before Drogo's funeral pyre where he gives her reasons to live.

My favourite serious scene has to be Jon and Ygritte meeting after he's run away from the wildlings. "Ygritte you know I didn't have a choice! I do know some things... I know I love you, and I know you love me." I'm really glad that was added in, it was such a beautiful scene with such heartbreaking acting from Rose, and I think it really showed the beauty and grace in Ygritte's character.

[Summer IslanderQ]

Favorite moment. Hound cunt punts Brienne!!!! And its gooood!!!!

[Red Tiger]

I miss Arianne.

[Alysanne Baelish]

Favourite moments added in the show:

Arya's time at Harrenhal with Tywin there instead, and Baelish showing up and recognising her too.

The relationship between Sansa & Shae.

Many of the scenes with the non-POV characters; Renly & Margeary at his camp, Varys & Littlefinger conversations.

Favourite moments in the book I wish were in the show:

Sansa & Petyr making the snow castle together during that scene at The Eyrie, because it shows a less guarded Petyr.

The Seige of Riverrun, including Jaime and Genna dialogue (I know timeline wise it can't have been on the show, but I am about 98% sure they will cut it).

General establishment of what happened during Robert's Rebellion.

[Northbound3.0]

I'm not the biggest Dany fan, when it comes to either the books or show and I personally feel the show has white washed her character. That being said; the scaled down version of The House of the Undying scene was flipping pathetic and the one that sticks out the most to me.

Jon not having warging moments is weak.

Ramsay taking WF

Arya, just laying waste to HH with her crew and freeing the Northmen.

Also, pretty much anything involving the Stark direwolves being left out. It's MHO, that they are woefully underused in the show. But, I get why....CGI budgets being what they are.

[sj4iy]

All of the moments with Donel Noye...where he chews Jon out, where he helps Jon to Aemon after Jon comes back wounded, etc. I always liked his character- I'm still glad they got most of them in via other means, but still.

[Asha Grcyjoy]

Arianne.

((And in the other direction, the Arya and Tywin scenes were pretty great on the show though having Roose at Harrenhal in the books worked just as well, and would have been interesting too.))

[CaptainTheo]

Key points of Tyrion's last chapter in ASOS:

1. Jaime reveals that Tysha was no whore
   
2. Tyrion retaliates by telling Jaime of Cersei's infidelities
   
3. Tyrion totally losing his cool and going upstairs as a result (instead of without good reason)
   
4. Tywin's almost-last words, "wherever whores go"
   

[Bagga]

I missed theTysha/Jaime revelation

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the cersei scene where she confronted Tywin about her incest. One of my favorite scenes from the show.

[FalseKnight]

Key points of Tyrion's last chapter in ASOS:

• Jaime reveals that Tysha was no whore
• Tyrion retaliates by telling Jaime of Cersei's infidelities
• Tyrion totally losing his cool and going upstairs as a result (instead of without good reason)
• Tywin's almost-last words, "wherever whores go"

I don't mind those changes if Tyrion doesn't mope through S5 asking people where whores go.

[sj4iy]

I don't mind those changes if Tyrion doesn't mope through S5 asking people where whores go.

^This x 1000.

[Lord Tony of House Stark]

Only Cat! def one of the biggest screw ups in the show

[FalseKnight]

Really? It's two words, and their omission didn't change the scene in any real way. If that's one of their biggest screw ups, they're alright.

[sj4iy]

Jon not having warging moments is weak.

I think we get this next season.

[Northbound3.0]

I think we get this next season.

I really hope so. Apparently, we are getting are first flashback of the show; if that's true and we get some Jon warging action...next season might awesome.

[sj4iy]

I really hope so. Apparently, we are getting are first flashback of the show; if that's true and we get some Jon warging action...next season might awesome.

I think the show will continue to use the premise that a physical shock to the system will 'initiate' the warging ability, like it did with Bran. Arya's could be induced by going blind, and Jon's could be induced by being stabbed. I think that would be awesome, to tell the truth, and would make a lot of sense in the show. And how awesome would it be if Jon were stabbed and the very last shot of him was of his eyes going white?