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[BOOK SPOILERS] Watching the show if it overpasses the books [Part 2]


Stubby

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I have tempered optimism that GRRM will stay ahead of the show.



I'm not saying I'd bet the farm on it. Obviously, it looks the other way. But remember, GRRM has a heavy background in TV-writing. He's used to writing on deadline, and he has stated publicly that he hears the train coming up the tracks behind him.



It's doable, and based on his professional background I think there's a good chance he will do it.



BUT . . . there is little time left to squander. No more coffee-table history of Westeroses, no more Dunk 'n Egg novellas. One more big side project and the dream of staying ahead is probably over.



But let's say for the sake of argument that we get another year down the line and there's still no definite pub date for WOW. At some point - and not too far off, either - the show is going to have to start planning its own future because it can't wait any longer.



What I'd like to see them do then is to publicly announce that the show's ending is going to be different from the books' ending. Remember that GRRM is working with them, and can work with them on this. They would come up with an alternate, plausible ending, and tell the audience beforehand that they were doing so. They would also announce that not everything will be different, i.e., just because you see it in the show doesn't mean that it won't happen in the books.



If they do it that way, the spoilery nature of what they're doing will be minimized.



On the other hand, if the show runs the same ending as the books, and does it first, that's just awful on so many levels. Not only will it ruin my book-reading experience - which, face it, is just more important to a reader than a show-watching experience is to a viewer - but as a huge mega-profitable enterprise it will spawn more of the same spoily movies/TV shows in the future. It's just one of those things that feels wrong, and is wrong.



But I'll be watching, whatever they do. I really can't imagine myself not watching.


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I have tempered optimism that GRRM will stay ahead of the show.

I'm not saying I'd bet the farm on it. Obviously, it looks the other way. But remember, GRRM has a heavy background in TV-writing. He's used to writing on deadline, and he has stated publicly that he hears the train coming up the tracks behind him.

It's doable, and based on his professional background I think there's a good chance he will do it.

BUT . . . there is little time left to squander. No more coffee-table history of Westeroses, no more Dunk 'n Egg novellas. One more big side project and the dream of staying ahead is probably over.

But let's say for the sake of argument that we get another year down the line and there's still no definite pub date for WOW. At some point - and not too far off, either - the show is going to have to start planning its own future because it can't wait any longer.

What I'd like to see them do then is to publicly announce that the show's ending is going to be different from the books' ending. Remember that GRRM is working with them, and can work with them on this. They would come up with an alternate, plausible ending, and tell the audience beforehand that they were doing so. They would also announce that not everything will be different, i.e., just because you see it in the show doesn't mean that it won't happen in the books.

If they do it that way, the spoilery nature of what they're doing will be minimized.

On the other hand, if the show runs the same ending as the books, and does it first, that's just awful on so many levels. Not only will it ruin my book-reading experience - which, face it, is just more important to a reader than a show-watching experience is to a viewer - but as a huge mega-profitable enterprise it will spawn more of the same spoily movies/TV shows in the future. It's just one of those things that feels wrong, and is wrong.

But I'll be watching, whatever they do. I really can't imagine myself not watching.

D&D know the ending of ASOIAF so this is not happening. ASOIAF and Game of Thrones will have the same end game. The things that will be different are the journey they take to get there. But stuff like what character will end up on the iron throne at the end will be the same. What might be different are the details of how said character gets the iron throne

Also, ofcourse I will watch. True ASOIAF fans watch Game of Thrones religiously, read sample chapters, discuss theories, bitch about show changes, bitch about book release dates, discuss the episodes in forums, discuss the books in forums, etc.

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Why





D&D know the ending of ASOIAF so this is not happening. ASOIAF and Game of Thrones will have the same end game. The things that will be different are the journey they take to get there. But stuff like what character will end up on the iron throne at the end will be the same. * * *





Why do you say that? From my point of view, the fact that they know the ending is the thing that makes it possible to craft a different ending. If you didn't know, and were just working from the clues in the books, you'd more than likely come up with something pretty similar to what GRRM has planned.



It's a matter of choice. They know the ending, so they can choose to make the same ending or an alternate ending. I hope they choose the latter.

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Why

Why do you say that? From my point of view, the fact that they know the ending is the thing that makes it possible to craft a different ending. If you didn't know, and were just working from the clues in the books, you'd more than likely come up with something pretty similar to what GRRM has planned.

It's a matter of choice. They know the ending, so they can choose to make the same ending or an alternate ending. I hope they choose the latter.

Why in seven hells would they choose to do that?? A story can't have ANY ending - it has to be a logical ending, with all the previous pieces leading naturally into that.

Why would the show sacrifice the best possible ending (the one the story is leading up to) to create another one?

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Why

Why do you say that? From my point of view, the fact that they know the ending is the thing that makes it possible to craft a different ending. If you didn't know, and were just working from the clues in the books, you'd more than likely come up with something pretty similar to what GRRM has planned.

It's a matter of choice. They know the ending, so they can choose to make the same ending or an alternate ending. I hope they choose the latter.

I don't see that happening. Details will be different, of course, but the end is going to be the same in both because they wouldn't have asked Martin for all of the information about the ending otherwise. For all we know, they may be contractually obligated to end it the same way. But I don't see them embarking on their own story after following the story so closely for so long. They've also said that they think Martin's ending will be 100% satisfying, so everything points to them using that same ending.

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Why

Why do you say that? From my point of view, the fact that they know the ending is the thing that makes it possible to craft a different ending. If you didn't know, and were just working from the clues in the books, you'd more than likely come up with something pretty similar to what GRRM has planned.

It's a matter of choice. They know the ending, so they can choose to make the same ending or an alternate ending. I hope they choose the latter.

In interviews D&D have stated that Martin's ending is immensely satisfying and that's what they are building to. Hence why the endings will be the same

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Why in seven hells would they choose to do that?? A story can't have ANY ending - it has to be a logical ending, with all the previous pieces leading naturally into that.

Why would the show sacrifice the best possible ending (the one the story is leading up to) to create another one?

There are always multiple endings available for a good story, unless maybe it's a murder mystery. From where we are in this story right now, after 5 books, there are a bunch of logical directions that the story could go. The shows creators, working in concert with GRRM, could pick a really good one that's not the same one the book is going to go down.

As for why, I'm kind of surprised you asking that, since I spent so much time on why in my original post, but let me boil it down. The why is that it would be a crying tragic shame for a great work of literature to have its ending prematurely revealed on a TV show, a slap in the face to the millions who have bought the first five volumes.

And it might just start a really nasty trend.

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At this point I have to agree. The chances of the show overtaking are getting higher and higher so I'd rather they at least decided not to spoil things. And given how much they look to be changing things in TWOW anyway, it wouldn't surprise me if several major details turned out completely different even if they do end up generally following the books.



ETA: And of course if D+D end up working from unreleased books things are bound to be different. Although I think if they do decide to go 8 seasons, Martin can just make it.


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Also GRRM knew the ending of ASOIAF before a single page of any book was published. In the interview with GRRMs editor she states how she is dieing to reveal the 5+ page layout of GRRMs original outline for ASOIAF after the series is over (back when he planned it to be a trilogy). So GRRM is also not changing his end game at this point either

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There are always multiple endings available for a good story, unless maybe it's a murder mystery. From where we are in this story right now, after 5 books, there are a bunch of logical directions that the story could go. The shows creators, working in concert with GRRM, could pick a really good one that's not the same one the book is going to go down.

As for why, I'm kind of surprised you asking that, since I spent so much time on why in my original post, but let me boil it down. The why is that it would be a crying tragic shame for a great work of literature to have its ending prematurely revealed on a TV show, a slap in the face to the millions who have bought the first five volumes.

And it might just start a really nasty trend.

If GRRM allows the show to catch up that will be his fault alone. He knew what he was signing up for when he gave HBO the rights to the series. The show spoiling the ending need not damage the books as the books can do things television could never do. Those who dont want to be spoiled have the option of not watching the series. Good luck on avoiding internet spoilers though. The roles of sullied and unsullied viewers will be reversed
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If GRRM allows the show to catch up that will be his fault alone.

Don't care about fault, just about fixing the mess that's about to happen

* * *

The show spoiling the ending need not damage the books as the books can do things television could never do.

That's pretty glib. As a reader who puts reading first, I'd be really, really angry. Reading the last books of this series - unspoiled - is probably in the top 10 of the things I'm most looking forward to in life.

Those who dont want to be spoiled have the option of not watching the series. Good luck on avoiding internet spoilers though.

You're answering yourself here.

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If GRRM allows the show to catch up that will be his fault alone. He knew what he was signing up for when he gave HBO the rights to the series. The show spoiling the ending need not damage the books as the books can do things television could never do. Those who dont want to be spoiled have the option of not watching the series. Good luck on avoiding internet spoilers though. The roles of sullied and unsullied viewers will be reversed

^Absolutely this. It's not the show's fault that Martin has taken so long writing the last installments in the series, considering they contacted him in 2006 about making his books into a show. He's had 8 years since then, and has only managed to write one book since. But Martin knows better than anyone the restrictions of tv, and that they can't drag it out to wait on him.

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That's pretty glib. As a reader who puts reading first, I'd be really, really angry. Reading the last books of this series - unspoiled - is probably in the top 10 of the things I'm most looking forward to in life.

Wait...in your entire life? Really?

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^Absolutely this. It's not the show's fault that Martin has taken so long writing the last installments in the series, considering they contacted him in 2006 about making his books into a show. He's had 8 years since then, and has only managed to write one book since. But Martin knows better than anyone the restrictions of tv, and that they can't drag it out to wait on him.

Yes Martin should be fully understanding of the nature of tv, tv contracts, and other issues of the show such as the child actors growing up
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Wait...in your entire life? Really?

Well it's great literature. These books are a big part of my life, and so is literature as a whole. I hope it becomes an even bigger part in the future. So I can totally get that mindset. I mean I'm not sure i'd say that myself, although then again I don't think I have ten things I consider absolutely vital to achieve in my life anyway.

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Wait...in your entire life? Really?

Well, I'm not much of a planner, so that's one pretty easy. I am planning on reading those books if and when they come out, and I anticipate that greatly. I'm not sure there are another 10 things I'm absolutely planning on doing . . . other than going to work for the next 10 workdays . . . and I think I'm looking forward to the last books in the ASOIAF series more than that!

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I care more about ASOIAF than I do about world history or politics. Its just who I am and I'm happy with that. If a magic genie granted me 3 wishes you can bet the second one will be the remaining books.

I would have to admit to more mundane wishes such as the money to pay off our debt, our childrens' health and happiness and to travel the world.

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