Ranking the seasons

[Konradsmith]

^He was introduced in episode 107 "You Win or You Die" and appeared in the following three episodes as well. Consulting GoT wiki or rewatching those episodes will prove just that.

[Adam_Up_Bxtch]

^He was introduced in episode 107 "You Win or You Die" and appeared in the following three episodes as well. Consulting GoT wiki or rewatching those episodes will prove just that.

As soon as I saw his post I started thinking about it I realized he does appear after Tyrion has already been captured. I go brain dead sometimes when it comes to earlier seasons

[oierem]

Wow, Season 2 is really ranked low here.

Book 2 is generally ranked lower than the other two. The ranking of the seasons depends greatly on the ranking of the books.

[MyLittleFinger]

I don't think S2's ranking has much to do with the book, and more with massive inconsistency in the story and to be blunt, the lamest clichéd bullshit ending for Dany's arc possible. "He never had any gold" poof let's leave Qarth now because apparently everybody in the city is dead. Weeeee.

[Red Tiger]

....I now realize why I had season 2 over season 4, I psychologically blocked out all the Dany scenes

New rankings

3

1

4

2

[Ingelheim]

Wow, Season 2 is really ranked low here.

ACOK is probably the weakest book of the series, if you ask me. At least, weaker than AGOT and ASOS, that's for sure.

Now, add the terrible arc Daenerys had (HOTU...they really fucked up this. I'm not even gonna talk about Emilia's acting that season), quite some stupid changes (Jaime killing his cousin for no reason at all, etc. Jaime's arc in season 2 was bad as hell), and great inconsistencies, and there you have it, the worst season of all.

Still, above 90% of what it's done nowdays on TV, but clearly worse than season 1, 2 and 4.

[Red Tiger]

ACOK is probably the weakest book of the series, if you ask me. At least, weaker than AGOT and ASOS, that's for sure.

Worse than AFFC and ADWD?

[Ingelheim]

Worse than AFFC and ADWD?

I liked ADWD better than ACOK, if I have to be honest. In fact, it's my favourite book after ASOS.

AFFC...well, it has some of my favourite POVs ever (Jaime's arc was extraordinary, for example), and the terrible Brienne travelogue. ACOK is steady, but I don't like it at all. It's worse than AGOT, and definetely worse than ASOS, the strongest book so far.

[Red Tiger]

I liked ADWD better than ACOK, if I have to be honest. In fact, it's my favourite book after ASOS.

AFFC...well, it has some of my favourite POVs ever (Jaime's arc was extraordinary, for example), and the terrible Brienne travelogue. ACOK is steady, but I don't like it at all. It's worse than AGOT, and definetely worse than ASOS, the strongest book so far.

I understand where you're coming from. Steady and consistent can get dull and boring if it's not done right.

[Trickrs]

I only remembered him being in Baelor, been a while since I've seen S1 though.

How did you forgot the stag skinning scene?

Anyways 1 - 3 - 4 - 2

[Ingelheim]

I understand where you're coming from. Steady and consistent can get dull and boring if it's not done right.

Yep, and the Show didn't do it right.

[Nictarion]

How did you forgot the stag skinning scene?

Anyways 1 - 3 - 4 - 2

I thought that was in Baelor. I completely forgot he was in so many episodes in S1.

[Ingelheim]

I thought that was in Baelor. I completely forgot he was in so many episodes in S1.

IIRC, Charles Dance is the ninth actor in number of episodes. 27 out of 40, or something like that. And considering he didn't show up for the first 6 episodes of GOT, and 4x09 as well...it is quite impressive.

[Red Tiger]

He was in 4 episodes of the first season

http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Tywin_Lannister

[Annara Snow]

Book 2 is generally ranked lower than the other two. The ranking of the seasons depends greatly on the ranking of the books.

No, I don't think so. Season 2 is rank low because it was really badly written and diverged from the books is really stupid ways (fucking up Jon's storyline, doing a terrible show-only Dany storyline, changing Robb's personality and inventing Talisa and doing a really awful romance between them, not casting Ramsay which resulted in a weird and confusing ending to Theon's storyline, cutting 70% of Sansa's story and 80% of Sandor's lines, watering down Arya's Harrenhal storyline, OOC Tywin, whitewashed Cersei, stupid Littefinger, etc.) The only episodes I like it its entirety are Blackwater and What Is Dead May Never Die. And the only ACOK storylines the show did halfway well were Tyrion's, and Theon's before the season finale.

ACOK is great, probably my favorite book in the series after ASOS. I liked it much better than AGOT the first time and on re-read. But the disparity between the quality of the book and the show was the largest with ACOK/season 2.

[Jack Bauer 24]

No, I don't think so. Season 2 is rank low because it was really badly written and diverged from the books is really stupid ways (fucking up Jon's storyline, doing a terrible show-only Dany storyline, changing Robb's personality and inventing Talisa and doing a really awful romance between them, not casting Ramsay which resulted in a weird and confusing ending to Theon's storyline, cutting 70% of Sansa's story and 80% of Sandor's lines, watering down Arya's Harrenhal storyline, OOC Tywin, whitewashed Cersei, stupid Littefinger, etc.) The only episodes I like it its entirety are Blackwater and What Is Dead May Never Die. And the only ACOK storylines the show did halfway well were Tyrion's, and Theon's before the season finale.

ACOK is great, probably my favorite book in the series after ASOS. I liked it much better than AGOT the first time and on re-read. But the disparity between the quality of the book and the show was the largest with ACOK/season 2.

What was wrong with Jon's story and what do you mean not casting Ramsay? I don't remember where they left Theon's arc in Season 2.

[Ingelheim]

What was wrong with Jon's story and what do you mean not casting Ramsay? I don't remember where they left Theon's arc in Season 2.

Jon's arc was badly done in the show. Many changes. Too many changes. Also, Kit Harington wasn't half as good as he was in season 3 and 4. But the script didn't help, either.

In fact, it's his worst storyline so far. While I'd say it's the worst in the books as well, it was still a good one.

[Annara Snow]

What was wrong with Jon's story and what do you mean not casting Ramsay? I don't remember where they left Theon's arc in Season 2.

There was plenty wrong with Jon's story in season 2. The changes from the book made Jon look clueless and incompetent on the show - in the books, it was not his mistake that they got captured by the wildlings. In fact, they don't even get captured in the books, they get surrounded by a group of wildlings while they're in a shelter, and that's when Quorin commands Jon to pretend that he's going over to the wildlings. Also, Quorin does not come over as a fool because he was aware that Jon might release Ygritte (and releasing her wasn't detrimental to their cause). The character of Quorin Halfhand and his relationship with Jon wasn't nearly as well developed on the show, and the resolution of that plot (when Quorin makes Jon kill him so he could go undercover with the wildlings) was also done in a very confusing way. In the books, everything is much clearer, since Quorin commands Jon to go to the wildlings and pretend that he's a turncloak so he could gather information and Jon agrees, and that happens before they even meet the wildlings again. Quorin is a pretty awesome character in the book, very smart, and in the end it becomes clear he had that plan all along, or at least for a lot of their mission, while in the show, it looks like Quorin decided that on the spot after they got captured due to Jon's incompetence, and what is worse, Jon never seems to make a conscious decision to sacrifice his honor (reputation) and go undercover with the wildlings.

In the books, Ramsay plays a crucial role in Theon's story in Winterfell, and the resolution (the burning of Winterfell) is really well done. It's a real twist in the books. In the show, they didn't want to cast him for season 2, so they gave most of his role to Dagmar (Theon's right hand man) and they ended Theon's season 2 storyline with a comical scene where Dagmar knocks him out and his men prepare to yield to the northmen (who are supposed to be lead by Ramsay). Then we just later see the burned Winterfell when Bran and Rickon come out of the crypts, but the viewers had no explanation what really happened. It must have been really confusing for viewers who didn't read the books (and from what I've heard from some Unsullied, it really was confusing what the heck happened). They only explained what happened 10 episodes later, in the season 3 finale.

[ctid1977]

There was plenty wrong with Jon's story in season 2. The changes from the book made Jon look clueless and incompetent on the show - in the books, it was not his mistake that they got captured by the wildlings. In fact, they don't even get captured in the books, they get surrounded by a group of wildlings while they're in a shelter, and that's when Quorin commands Jon to pretend that he's going over to the wildlings. Also, Quorin does not come over as a fool because he was aware that Jon might release Ygritte (and releasing her wasn't detrimental to their cause). The character of Quorin Halfhand and his relationship with Jon wasn't nearly as well developed on the show, and the resolution of that plot (when Quorin makes Jon kill him so he could go undercover with the wildlings) was also done in a very confusing way. In the books, everything is much clearer, since Quorin commands Jon to go to the wildlings and pretend that he's a turncloak so he could gather information and Jon agrees, and that happens before they even meet the wildlings again. Quorin is a pretty awesome character in the book, very smart, and in the end it becomes clear he had that plan all along, or at least for a lot of their mission, while in the show, it looks like Quorin decided that on the spot after they got captured due to Jon's incompetence, and what is worse, Jon never seems to make a conscious decision to sacrifice his honor (reputation) and go undercover with the wildlings.

In the books, Ramsay plays a crucial role in Theon's story in Winterfell, and the resolution (the burning of Winterfell) is really well done. It's a real twist in the books. In the show, they didn't want to cast him for season 2, so they gave most of his role to Dagmar (Theon's right hand man) and they ended Theon's season 2 storyline with a comical scene where Dagmar knocks him out and his men prepare to yield to the northmen (who are supposed to be lead by Ramsay). Then we just later see the burned Winterfell when Bran and Rickon come out of the crypts, but the viewers had no explanation what really happened. It must have been really confusing for viewers who didn't read the books (and from what I've heard from some Unsullied, it really was confusing what the heck happened). They only explained what happened 10 episodes later, in the season 3 finale.

This. All this.

The north is generally watered down in the show in favour of more Lannister action. I understand why they do this because they're the fan favourite characters but it does seem detrimental to the story as a whole.

[aFeastForDragons]

I wouldn't be surprised if most unsullied don't understand what happened until S5 when they come to Winterfell and Roose scolds Ramsey.