[BOOK/TV Spoilers] Season Two - speculation

[Xanderpanda]

One can hope. The beef Im seeing with viewers is that the first season was too short.

I have to agree. Does any other HBO series only have 10 episode seasons? I get the fact the first season was a pilot, testing the waters, but its shown that it is a hit. Would be a shame to mince CoK up so it fits into 10 episodes.

DnD said it was mostly their own choice due to not having a full time writing staff. Other then one ep a season done my George they write every episode themselves with help here and there from Jane Espenson. They said that 10 is a safe number for them because they don't think they could keep up with a larger number. I prefer it that way too because it keeps it neater and on track if the writers stay the same few people and it also lowers costs that can be put towards other things.

[TheEvilKing]

This interview has some interesting comments about sesaon 2.

We want to get in as many dire wolves and dragons and massive naval armadas. So it's about where and how to do it and how much to show....

One of the characters visits the Meereen, and the fashion in that city in that book is that women wear one-breasted gowns. But we're not sure if we're going to replicate that.

The book is always going to be our template, our go-to bible. It's mainly about the balancing act between keeping the characters the viewers have spent so much time investing in front-and-center and introducing all these new characters George has come up with and giving them their fair share. That's what we're currently engaged in doing.

Weiss: In the book there are a couple of characters who have more of an offscreen role and come back in Book 3. But in the case of, say, Robb Stark — played by Richard Madden — he has more of an offscreen presence in the book, but Richard did such a fabulous job once his character came to the fore, he so commanded the screen that we realized there's no way to talk about this guy and not have him in the show. So there are people offscreen in the book who we are going to write onscreen in the show to make sure people who viewers have fallen in love with are still there in the second season.

Benioff: In the case of Jaime Lannister, he's got one scene in the second book, but he's such an important character we want to see more of him. There's fluidity in that certain scenes from the third book find their way into the second season just as certain scenes from the second book find their way into the end of the first season. We wanted to make sure those characters stayed in the audience's mind and didn't disappear for a whole year.

[Lasair]

I really have no idea how they're going to move bits of Jaime's S3 storyline to S2, taking into account how much stuff has to happen before he gets back to KL.

[Luca98]

Read an interview with Benoiff and Weiss and it sounds like they may free Jaime in season 2 and have him running around the Riverlands to keep NCW onscreen. They also had this to say, "We want to get in as many dire wolves and dragons and massive naval armadas". Hopefully they can pull it off.

[ferthepoet]

Read an interview with Benoiff and Weiss and it sounds like they may free Jaime in season 2 and have him running around the Riverlands to keep NCW onscreen. They also had this to say, "We want to get in as many dire wolves and dragons and massive naval armadas". Hopefully they can pull it off.

Without Brienne?

[gogorath]

Or they could simply accelerate Catelyn's storyline in the early eps and free Jaime halfway through.

[Basileus777]

I really have no idea how they're going to move bits of Jaime's S3 storyline to S2, taking into account how much stuff has to happen before he gets back to KL.

Does it really affect anything if he gets back before the Red Wedding or Joffrey's death?

I think it's interesting that they talk about Meereen having one-breasted gowns. I wonder if that means they will merge Qarth and Meereen, something I suggested in a thread some time back.

[Alexius]

Does it really affect anything if he gets back before the Red Wedding or Joffrey's death?

Yes. He will have an opportunity to negotiate Sansa's freedom.

[Basileus777]

Yes. He will have an opportunity to negotiate Sansa's freedom.

Ah, I overlooked that angle. I wonder how that could be handled then. Maybe Jaime does try to get her freedom, but Tywin and Cersei object and then the Purple Wedding happens making it all moot.

[Padraig]

Or they could simply accelerate Catelyn's storyline in the early eps and free Jaime halfway through.

I don't think they will do anything major like that. Look at how much Jaime appeared in S1. I expected to see more of him in the latter half of S1 but instead he has stayed in the background except for a few fleeting glimpses with Tywin and Robb. So they are not going out of their way to give Jaime extra scenes.

As D&D mentioned, in theory Jaime could just appear in one episode in S2. Increasing that to 3 episodes is a major change but it wouldn't change the story much. Just include a couple chapters from aSoS in S2. So he could get released at the end of E9 (or at a stretch E8) and spend the next 1 or 2 episodes wandering around. And we can see a bit more of him if they show his early escape attempt or have him been interrogated by Robb or Cat earlier.

I think the most interesting thing in that interview is that it confirms that Robb will have a bigger role. They acknowledged previously that they were considering it but that was before it was confirmed S2 would be 10 episodes. So I wasn't sure would that change their outlook.

Maybe Jaime does try to get her freedom, but Tywin and Cersei object and then the Purple Wedding happens making it all moot.

He could be released earlier but spend more time recovering from his serious injury in Harrenhal. He can spend as much time there as the producers wish.

I wonder if that means they will merge Qarth and Meereen, something I suggested in a thread some time back.

More likely, he was just mistaken. The problem with combining those cities is that Dany has a low profile in aCoK already. She doesn't need to lose more story.

DnD said it was mostly their own choice due to not having a full time writing staff.

This was from the interview with the HBO executives? They said that D&D thought 10 was fine but that's what they would have to say. :)

[seppuku]

Season 1 was exceedingly faithful to the source material, but it's pretty much inevitable that as the show progresses, it's going to diverge from the books more and more. Limiting the number of characters and merging more character roles is going to be important. For example, I don't really see the need for the Blackfish in the show, he isn't an essential character and whatever role he has can be merged with Edmure.

That's stupid. Blackfish and Edmure are completely different characters. The fact that they're giving Robb more screen time makes it easier to include Blackfish, since he can help develop Robb as a growing influence, leader and man. Not to mention, D&D mentioned that Jaimie will also be getting more screentime in S2 because he was awesome S1. So you can easily throw in a Jaimie/Blackfish scene that makes their future encounter have more impact.

The Blackfish isn't dead and has future influence on the books. Cutting him makes no sense whatsoever. You don't cast Dolorous Edd and then cut Blackfish. Cutting a guy like Dolan like makes sense, as he dies in a battle that will never be properly filmed anyway. If any Tully gets axed early, then it's going to Lord Hoster. He dies anyway and you lose nothing by killing him off early when it makes way for a more beloved character, like the Blackfish, which coincidentally, can be fleshed a bit (like the stuff we missed in book 1) with him taking the news of brother's death.

[Padraig]

The Blackfish isn't dead and has future influence on the books. Cutting him makes no sense whatsoever. You don't cast Dolorous Edd and then cut Blackfish.

To be honest, you can't really compare to two. Dolorous Edd isn't as important as the Blackfish when it comes to the plot but he suits a specific storytelling requirement (i.e. humour). OTOH, now that we have heard that Robb will feature more in S2, the chances of having Blackfish appear has increased. Otherwise, it would just be Robb and the Greatjon wandering around the West.

[ferthepoet]

Or they could simply accelerate Catelyn's storyline in the early eps and free Jaime halfway through.

Thats what I'm afraid of, this seems like what they are planning to do, but to speed up Jaime release its not only Catelyn but Theon Story that also need to be accelerated, it sounds like he wnat Jaime to be on his way at least by episode 5, which seem to little to fill Catelyn and Theon arks, plus there's the problem that then Catelyn is left with nothing to do for the rest of the season.

I'm also wondering if they plan to cast Jeyne Westerling for this season and whether we are going to see her "conforting" Robb, they can show Robb being conforted but not the wedding and then end the season for Robb/Caitlin with Robb revealing to his mother than he has got married

[Padraig]

Thats what I'm afraid of, this seems like what they are planning to do, but to speed up Jaime release its not only Catelyn but Theon Story that also need to be accelerated, it sounds like he wnat Jaime to be on his way at least by episode 5,

There is no real indiction that they want to do any of that. All they have said (AFAICT) is that we will see more Jaime. IMO, that is most likely to be 1 or 2 more episodes with Jaime.

Robb marrying Jeyne at the end of S2 would be a cliffhanger in itself.

[Cliff]

Just because they want to show Jaime more on screen doesn't mean that they have to rush his release excessively. He might just get more screen time from his cell in Riverrun. Showing more of the failed escape attempt and one or two extra interrogation scenes in the dungeons for example.

[ferthepoet]

BTW do we know if J'aqen, Biter, and the other guy whose name I don't remember been cast? as it would seem that they plan to Start Arya fleeding of King's Landing story next episode to free time for season 2, but that would require this 3 guys being in next episode and so far I've heard Hot Pie has been cast but not the other 3.

[TheEvilKing]

Here's a brief map on what I think season 2 will look like, over 10 eps:

Ep 1:

Tyrion arrives in KL

Visits the Small Council, talks to Cersei,

Sansa is beaten and treated cruelly, she is there for Tyrion's entrance

We meet Stannis (and Mel & Davos),

Dany wanders to that dead city

Arya and Jon do some walking

Stannis he declares himself King

Varys meets Shae

Robb goes to Riverrun, meets Edmure and Blackfish, River Lords swear fealty

Ep 2:

Sansa/Ser Dontos

Cat wants to release Jaime for her daughters but Robb says nay, he sends Theon to the Iron Islands

Probably a short Winterfell scene to remind us Bran's still alive

Stannis renounces the Seven and follows R'hllor. He sends his incest letter

Tyrion sends Janos Slynt to the Wall

Dany makes her three new friends

Ep 3:

Theon arrives at Iron Islands

Tyrion's famous "1, 2, 3" trick

Jon and co arrive at deserted Whitetree

Some lordly visitors at Winterfell. Bran remembers it was Jaime Lannister who threw him

Sansa meets Dontos in the Godswood, he promises to take her home

Arya & co get attacked by the Lannisters, she frees Jaqen and his mates

Theon's father declares himself King

Ep 4:

Asha cockteases Theon

Robb sends a negotiator to Kings Landing, sends Cat to Renly

Jon arrives at Craster's keep

Cersei confronts Tyrion re: Myrcella, he works out Pycelle is the informant

Theon gets treated like shit by his old man again and sent off with Dagmer Cleftjaw

Bran feasts at Winterfell, meets the Reeds

Arya & co are captured by the Mountain, Lommy Greenhands is killed

Tyrion therefore pwns Pycelle

Ep 5:

Arya witnesses the Tickler's torture etc

Ser Allister arrives at court

Cat meets Renly & co, including Brienne & Margaery.

Tyrion negotiates with Robb, finds out Lancel is banging Cersei

Arya arrives at Harrenhal

Dany arrives in Qarth

Robb defeats Stafford Lannister at Oxcross

Tyrion agrees to release Pycelle

Arya has Chiswyck killed by Jaqen

A rider informs Renly that Storm's End is besieged by Stannis

Ep 6:

Renly & Stannis's peach parley

Tyrion saves Sansa from a beating

Lord Tywin marches from Harrenhal

Jon arrives at the First of the First Men

Theon arrives at the North, sends the Cleftjaw to Torrhen's Square

Jojen tells Bran of his green dream, Ser Rodrik rides to Torrhen's Square

Tyrion sends LF to treat with the Tyrells

Arya has Weese murdered

Renly plans to attack Stannis, Renly is killed, Cat and Brienne flee

Ep 7:

Dany hangs with Xaro, negotiates with him for ships, he proposes of course. She ponders where to go next

Riot in King's Landing after Myrcella leaves for Dorne. Tyrion brings Shae into the Red Keep

Stannis treats with Cortney Penrose

Jon meets the Halfhand, they find out the Wildlings are marching on the Wall, Jon goes scouting

Theon takes Winterfell

Brienne swears herself to Cat's service

Ep 8:

Arya has Jaqen kill those dudes, he gives her the coin and changes his face, Roose Bolton takes Harrenhal

Davos and Mel do some smuggling

Cat & Brienne they arrive at Riverrun, Cat sees Ned's bones, Edmure defeats the Lannisters in battle

House of the Undying

Theon kills the miller's kids, Asha visits Winterfell

Jon takes Ygritte captive, then releases her

Ep 9:

Battle of the Blackwater

Ep 10:

Cat hears of her sons' deaths. She releases Jaime Lannister

Sorrowful Man attacks Dany, Barristan and Strong Belwas show up, Dany and her khalasar set sail

Arya escapes Harrenhal

Aftermath to the Blackwater. Loras promoted to Kingsguard, Joff engaged to Marg, Tywin takes his seat as Hand, LF granted Harrenhal and the riverlands, Tyrion wakes up

Jon slays the Halfhand and joins the wildlings

Winterfell is sacked

We know ep 9 is Blackwater, so ep 10 must be the finale. However I could see it stretching to 11 eps as there is a hell of a lot of juicy stuff in that final episode. If it's one hour, that's approx 10 mins for each of those plotlines I mentioned. They could easily make that 90-120 mins and make it much better TV.

I don't think season 2 would need to be over 11 eps though, looking at the material.

[The Scabbard Of the Morning]

They are going to have a lot of Robb in season 2. In fact he'll be one of the main protagonists. I would not be surprised if we see all his adventures in the Westerlands, including taking the Crag. And we see the entire Robb/Jeyne romance/marriage on screen.

Which is going to take a big bite out of some of the other storylines.

[Padraig]

as it would seem that they plan to Start Arya fleeding of King's Landing story next episode to free time for season 2, but that would require this 3 guys being in next episode and so far I've heard Hot Pie has been cast but not the other 3.

Strictly speaking, in Arya's first chapter in aCoK, she has already left KL, so showing her leaving KL in the last episode of this series doesn't actually cover any new story. Although, we do get to see Gendry and Hot Pie presumably.

As for Jaqen. I imagine we'll see a covered wagon. We'll only see who is inside in S2.

We know ep 9 is Blackwater, so ep 10 must be the finale.

Does GRRM's episode only cover the Blackwater? A rather expensive idea. I would have thought it would primarily cover the Blackwater but we'll see a few other plots (Jaime's release for one).

They are going to have a lot of Robb in season 2. In fact he'll be one of the main protagonists.

D&D haven't said that though. I think Jon, Tyrion and Dany will still be the main protagonists in S2 (although Jon and Dany have less to do overall). They've spent too much time on those characters to change things radically.

[The Scabbard Of the Morning]

That's the thing, Jon and Dany doesn't do much in book 2, except wondering around. Jon's story doesn't get exciting toward the end.

They would make boring protagonists for season 2, you need a hero who's actually driving the action and doing stuff. And that will be Tyrion and Robb.