lyvyathan

The problem will always be compromise - we all know that the book and the TV are two different mediums - one visual, one text based. There's always going to be differences - but the reasonable complaint that people can have is the way the TV series differs from the book's plot/storyline - or more precisely, how much difference. I sympathize with critics who poke at additional plots and dialogues/scenes that do not contribute to the storyline - ie the additional Ros' brothel scenes. And the addition of character like Osha who seems to be intended to replace the Reeds. Now sometimes additional scenes/characters/dialogue does further the storyline (imho). Case in point is that powerful dialogue that Cersei and Robert (Mark Addy) have about the threat of Dany (the Targaryen girl) in Season 1. Its not in the book, but Robert's explanation of Dany's threat and the reflective conversation they had about their marriage was simply incredible writing - it gave greater depth to the two characters than the book (imho). It showed that Robert was a much cleverer military strategist than the book alluded too - and that gave a greater sense of realism to his rise to power. I also thought their conversation about the failure and pathetic relationship of their marriage and the humorous line that it was holding up the 7 Kingdoms was simply brilliant and even Shakespearean. Then we come to Season 2 - LF is dumbdowned to a smirky insufferable wisecrack, and we get more Ros and Osha in scenes delivering lines where an actual character in the book would have done better imho. To top it all off - I find Ros/Osha's acting deplorable - that's just me. First time in history that I'm not happy to see a scene with a pretty naked prostitute.

We are truly blessed that we have Maisie Williams as Arya Stark - she is absolutely brilliant in her role. I hope that she wins an Emmy for that. Contrast her to the kid who plays Anakin Skywalker in Phantom Menace. I still find it astounding that with all the money in the Lucas treasure chest, they couldn't find a better child actor for that role. But anyway I'm just so happy that we have so many extremely talented actors in this series. As mentioned - Maisie Wiliams - then the actors who play Tyrion!!!, Tywin, Cersei, Jamie (actually I thought that Josh Holloway would have been better :), Littlefinger, Asha!!! Baleon, Theon, Robb Stark, Bran Stark, Cat, Ned!!!, Arya's extremely handsome assasin friend, Dany, Dany's knight from Bear Island, Dany's husband... sorry I don't want to say their actual names because its 3am and I'll probably write them wrong. Yeah wow, thank you so much HBO for getting this stellar cast of absolutely amazing actors and spend the money to get the props and everything else so beautiful. I'm a glass is half full kind of guy - so I'm not going to complain too much about their curious choices of giving more screen to Ros and the wilding woman who has that head tilting problem. But wow, it is just pure joy to see Maisie Wiliams, Charles Dance, Peter Dinklage, Iain Glenn, James Cosmos, Jack Gleeson in action and saying their lines!!!

I thought it was pretty good. For one thing I enjoy watching the actor who plays Tywin and Bronn a lot. I was a little disappointed by Renly's death and I thought the actress who plays Brienne didn't do a good job out of it. Best of all - we were spared another Ros and that other prostitute scene. I'm not sure why the HBO writers had Cersei being the one who devised the dragonfire idea though. But i did like Bronn's reaction to it.

I was more than a little disappointed by the actors who was playing Lancet and the Mountain who rides - and Mel's birthing of the Shadow Monster was to mho rather b-grade - even the actor who played Davos - his reaction to it seemed off. But I really liked the actor who played Tywin- he carried the day in my book. The physical chastisement of Sansa could also have been done better- nothing wrong with (the actress playing Sansa). But it really should have been more vicious. And did we really have to have a scene with Joff and the sex-workers?? This tit-n-ass subplots are taking up too much valuable screentime.

Haven you heard the expression - As stiff as a guardsman (on duty)? :D

I'll give it a 9/10. Why, because when the credits rolled I was still awestruck. OK, so they dicked around with the GRRM's story - but we saw that coming in Season 1 when Renly and the Knight of Flowers were transformed into a Freddie Mercury that couldn't sing and a Leonardo Dicaprio who couldn't act. One of the many things that stood out for me - and I'm not talking about Stannis's organ. 1. Theon Greyjoy's scene with Asha and his father - I thought that was pretty riverting acting coming from all three. Best of all, you could feel the Ironborn culture oozing out from the contempt of (the actor playing) Baleon. Wow. 2. Asha/Yara - I really really like the actress who plays the character - she carries it with a subtle swagger. I like it. As in 201, I could have done without another brothel scene - it was a new development unnecessary to the storyplot and it wasted time which could have been devoted elsewhere imho. I don't mind additions - I absolutely loved the added conversation between Cersei and Robert about Dany's threat in Season1 and the humorous remark about how their marriage was holding up the Kingdom. But this LF twaddle? It detracts from the overall story imho. 3. Peter Dinklage was absolutely brilliant - again. 4. Davos and Saan - brilliant acting there too. I loved how Saan told off Davos' son. Its not often that when the credits roll I'm awestruck - so I rate it 9/10. Acting 4 + Props/Dress 4 + 1 point for HBO for the balls to produce this epic instead of a reality TV show or a butchered cheap version. So all up 9.

Haha. argh, you got me!!!! my eyes glazed over the 2nd sentence - well in my faux defence I offer this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/17525070

I agree - each time I watch Ros' pathetic explanation about a brothel - I grind my teeth and wonder why the HBO writers didn't put more effort into Stannis' scene at Dragonestone. If I wanted to watch porn - I'd get it from the Adult Channel- I came to watch GoT d@mnit not the Playboy channel!!!

I like that vision of yours. What I was worried about was the lack of explanatory text to accompany the scene. You and I know its Dragonstone - but the other viewers who haven't read the books wouldn't have a clue.

I think you meant the actor portrayed the book version accurately - not us? Oh wait!!! HOW DARE YOU INSULT.... haha. I didn't like Stannis because he didn't seem to have that screen presence - he carried off the book idea to an extent.... I envisioned him to look more like David Gant the actor who played one of the English Lords in Joan of Arc The Messenger movie. Then again it could be the stage direction - as I loved the way Stephen Dillane played Thomas Jefferson in "John Adams" - another stellar HBO production. I didn't really like the brothel child murder scene. Not so much for the Goldcloaks or their leader - but due to Ros and the prostitute holding Robert's bastard child. The whole "Bethlehem murder scene" could have been done better I thought. - ie. a scene where LF and Cersei are talking somewhere and they see a small commotion - and Cersei remarks to LF that's she's tying up some of Robert's loose ends. I so did not like the way they had LF insult Cersei to her face - there was NO WAY that the book LF would ever have done such a stupid act. He was much too clever and would have never insulted Cersei either intentionally or indirectly. Yeah I concur - I didn't like the direwolves. If they are going to resort to CGI - at least make them to be much bigger - and the CGI scene with Jamie + direwolf - it looked too fake to me. There's a clever way to do cheap CGI - indirect shots - subtle hints of the monsterous form of the direwolf - once you see the bad CGI closeup - the illusion starts to vanish.

Yeah Ros. This is probably the first time in history when I'm not happy to see a good looking prostitute. :D

Awkward yes - awkward at playing the character.

I totally agree. The confrontation scene with Cersei was totally not in keeping with LF's character - there was no way in hades that "book" LF would tick Cersei off like that. He knew what she was capable of and made absolute certainty never to offend her in any way possible or to doubt his loyalty to her cause. Now how is she going to appoint LF to Harrenhal?