EW Reveals 7 Season Plan

[ebevan91]

And GRRM can only blame himself.

[Ser Creighton]

I think it's clear that 8 seasons are out of the question, in terms of seasons in the sense that is usually used. However, HBO can bypass the restriction by making the final season longer. The Sopranos is widely agreed to be a seven-season show, even though officially it's a six-season one (the last season was double-length and then split in half and shown separately, to prevent them having to do contract renegotiations). BSG is sold on DVD as a five-season show, even though it's a four season show with the final season split in half and shown a year apart. There's also the situation with Breaking Bad, and HBO previously did something similar with Oz (though, oddly, halfway through its run rather than at the end).

The problem is that production lead-time for GoT is pretty intense and they probably don't have the time to do a significantly longer-than-normal season if they are sticking to their normal timetable (filming July-December, transmitting April-June). So the only way it'd be doable is if they also moved GoT to say Boardwalk Empire's slot in September (though we should remember that there'll be another show in that slot by that point) for the last season and then maybe broke it in two. That way they could get anything from 5 to 10 extra episodes.

However, I the problems involved in moving timeslots and the extra cost of a double-length final season mean that I don't think it's likely that HBO will do this. If they do, that would at least square that circle (7 seasons = 80 episodes, so both HBO and D&D are right).

I also think D&D have mentioned just how tight and expensive filming is and that they leave very little on the cutting room floor. I guess I am part of the minority that is fine with 7 seasons. They also appear not to be going one book at a time anymore, as season 4 appears to have scenes for Swords, Crows and Dance. So it's really a season and half to finish of Swords, and crows and Dance go together anyway. The 2 will probably have a good 18-20 episodes and I think that's enough given the length of Crows.

I still don't see the big deal I get 7 seasons of AGOT, how is that bad? I was worried the show would get cancelled before it started given the lack of success of the fantasy genre on tv. The only thing that worries me is dialogue for season 7 as I am pretty sure Spring will not be out and while they may have the broad strokes of the story and great writers, I am not sure what the scripts will be based off of, maybe Martin can write a lot of the scripts. Like all of them. Not going to happen but it would be nice.

[Calibandar]

I also think D&D have mentioned just how tight and expensive filming is and that they leave very little on the cutting room floor. I guess I am part of the minority that is fine with 7 seasons. They also appear not to be going one book at a time anymore, as season 4 appears to have scenes for Swords, Crows and Dance. So it's really a season and half to finish of Swords, and crows and Dance go together anyway. The 2 will probably have a good 18-20 episodes and I think that's enough given the length of Crows.

I still don't see the big deal I get 7 seasons of AGOT, how is that bad?

Like you say, it's not. I'd be happy to see the story resolved in 7 seasons, and 7 seasons is a lot anyway.

They'll be very happy to have managed that.

And 7 seasons forces them to have resolution earlier, to not expand unnecessarily. Apparently they feel 7 seasons is enough, you don't hear any talk about them even pushing for an 8th season.

[kingofcombos]

But I wanted 8!!! >_<

[Strytos]

For me the much bigger news from that Vanity Fair article is that fact that Weiss/Benioff went to GRRM to talk about the remaining unpublished plot for one entire week. Until now, it wasn't quite clear as to how much details they actually know. There can't be any question now that they know the whole plot as detailed as you could possibly ask for. Plus they obviously plan to use these unpublished plot lines unhesitatingly.

[StarlightShoals]

I still don't see the big deal I get 7 seasons of AGOT, how is that bad? I was worried the show would get cancelled before it started given the lack of success of the fantasy genre on tv. The only thing that worries me is dialogue for season 7 as I am pretty sure Spring will not be out and while they may have the broad strokes of the story and great writers, I am not sure what the scripts will be based off of, maybe Martin can write a lot of the scripts. Like all of them. Not going to happen but it would be nice.

You know, that's an interesting idea -- if A Dream of Spring is nowhere near finished by the time production for Season Seven starts, what if GRRM takes time off to write most if not all of the scripts? That would make things a little easier to deal with, maybe...

[~DarkHorse~]

I don't think they'll cut out Aegon, he's a new (and major) player introduced to the game which keeps people interested.

His role in the last two books will probably be too influential to cut...remember, the Tyrells, Dornish and Mags prophecy (presumably all taken place down south) still need to be wrapped up so the story won't just be focussing on the North and Dany.

....However, if he is (f)Aegon the show hasn't really made a mention of the Blackfyres yet.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

Ok what worries me is if the show ends before Dream of Spring is released, which seems almost inevitable, how exactly will it end? D&D know generally where our characters are going, so will we know the ending of the books before DOS is released? Will the show purposely end differently from the books? Will Martin change the ending in the books because of the way the show ends? Either way it kind of spoils things for us readers. Not good. Not good at all.

[D-Shiznit]

Aegon, Dorne and Greyjoys aren't happening, not enough time and to be frank I doubt the GA would give a F about them. As the show gets closer to the end, it will go into tunnel vision on Dany, Starks, Lannisters and WW.

[Tall Tyrion Lannister!]

Ok what worries me is if the show ends before Dream of Spring is released, which seems almost inevitable, how exactly will it end? D&D know generally where our characters are going, so will we know the ending of the books before DOS is released? Will the show purposely end differently from the books? Will Martin change the ending in the books because of the way the show ends? Either way it kind of spoils things for us readers. Not good. Not good at all.

I'm fairly positive that the books and show will end the same way. Just the book will be more detailed and perhaps go a different way with how thew characters get to the end of the story.

[TheWhiteRabbit]

I'm fairly positive that the books and show will end the same way. Just the book will be more detailed and perhaps go a different way with how thew characters get to the end of the story.

Honestly I think that kind of sucks. I only started reading these books about five years ago. Not too long compared to others here. I've never started a series where I knew the ending before the last book came out.

[DaveyJoe]

Yeah, none of us wanted it go down like this.

[Newstar]

Fewer Martells? Aegon's role limited or eliminated? Fewer Greyjoys? All the fat trimmed from AFFC/ADWD? Brienne and Tyrion travelogues radically condensed? Irrelevant subplots and worldbuilding exposition trimmed or eliminated? More focus on the Dany, Starks and the Lannisters?

...Not really seeing a downside, to be honest.

And GRRM can only blame himself.

You're goddamn right. #Heisenberg

[King Tommen]

On the other hand, the show will become infinitely more interesting and exciting when we don't know what to expect. It will completely change the viewing experience.

[Newstar]

For me the much bigger news from that Vanity Fair article is that fact that Weiss/Benioff went to GRRM to talk about the remaining unpublished plot for one entire week. Until now, it wasn't quite clear as to how much details they actually know. There can't be any question now that they know the whole plot as detailed as you could possibly ask for. Plus they obviously plan to use these unpublished plot lines unhesitatingly.

GRRM has said that the showrunners have the "broad strokes" and are lacking the "details." Someone on another thread described it as the showrunners now having the equivalent of the Wikipedia plot summary to take them through to the end of the series, which seems an apt comparison.

...One thing I will miss once the writers hit TWOW/ADOS territory is GRRM's dialogue, though.

[Hiram McDrogon]

GRRM has said that the showrunners have the "broad strokes" and are lacking the "details." Someone on another thread described it as the showrunners now having the equivalent of the Wikipedia plot summary to take them through to the end of the series, which seems an apt comparison.

Heck, that's basically what "The Princess and the Queen" was.

I have a dark fantasy in which GRRM basically says to all of us, "No, seriously, f**k this, I am NOT your b*tch", and just publishes the final two books as a novella in "Princess and the Queen" style.

[pleonasm]

...One thing I will miss once the writers hit TWOW/ADOS territory is GRRM's dialogue, though.

Agreed. Benioff and Weiss are average writers at best and while they have crafted a couple of good original scenes, the far and away the best moments in the series to-date have have almost always been scenes which lifted large chunks of plot and dialogue from the books. When they go off the reservation the results are pretty mixed, often cringe worthy. Fingers crossed that they actually hire more than one other writer for next three seasons instead of trying to put it all together by themselves.

And as much as I liked to have spent some time in Dorne and a few other places, this does also streamline the story-line, reduces the cast bloat, and force them to focus on the end game.

Though I can't say I'm looking forward to Martin's nonstop critiques as they fill in the blanks and drop entire subplots. It's not like they didn't have many options at this point.

[Newstar]

Heck, that's basically what "The Princess and the Queen" was.

Never thought of that way, but yes, that's pretty much how TPATQ read, like a Cliff's Notes-style summary of the actual work.

Though I can't say I'm looking forward to Martin's nonstop critiques as they fill in the blanks and drop entire subplots. It's not like they didn't have many options at this point.

Yeah. If he threw a fit over the lack of helmets during the Blackwater battle and killing off Mago, how's he going to feel about the writers dispensing with large chunks of the plot and many of the new characters introduced in AFFC/ADWD?

...I'll be veeeery interested to see which new major characters get cast when casting news for Season 5 starts coming out in July. The omissions should be very telling.

[Tall Tyrion Lannister!]

he threw a fit over that stuff? I must have missed it since iirc he didn't sound that mad in the commentary he does for the show.

[pleonasm]

he threw a fit over that stuff? I must have missed it since iirc he didn't sound that mad in the commentary he does for the show.

Watch just about any panel discussions he's done with cast members of Game of Thrones. He's sounds like a complete fan-boy badgering them over usually pretty innocuous changes. It's so bizarre, since he was fully aware of the challenges of adapting novels, writing for television, and the fact he signed over complete control to HBO and Benioff and Weiss. If he wanted the definitive adaption, which can never happen, he should have locked up a show runner position on the series and wrote most of it himself.