Season 6 Casting, Sightings and Speculations

[Cas Stark]

...which in no way stops him from using her to make political deals with whatever dubious character best serves his interest as long as he thinks he can get away with it.

Arguably, the worse she is treated by others, the more easily he can lead her to believe he is her saviour. That's how emotional manipulation works.

The show is very clear that LF doesn't know Ramsay is a psycho, so his purpose wasn't to have her treated poorly...of course one wonders what happened to LF's spy network that the guy who flays his enemies openly and sent Theon's penis to Balon would have no info. on him...LOL.

But, be that as it may, in the show his intent is not that Sansa be harmed by the marriage.

[Hippocras]

The show is very clear that LF doesn't know Ramsay is a psycho, so his purpose wasn't to have her treated poorly...of course one wonders what happened to LF's spy network that the guy who flays his enemies openly and sent Theon's penis to Balon would have no info. on him...LOL.

But, be that as it may, in the show his intent is not that Sansa be harmed by the marriage.

Yeah, I agree it is really not very believable that no word on who and what Ramsay is has left the North. That was not very well handled.

Even so though, LF's goal is personal power, not the wellbeing of Sansa. Sansa is, to him, a tool to that end. He doesn't much care if she is happy, only that she is on the path to eventually becoming his, after having been used as a tool for the accumulation of power in various regions where the Stark/Tully name matters.

[Colonel Green]

Even so though, LF's goal is personal power, not the wellbeing of Sansa. Sansa is, to him, a tool to that end. He doesn't much care if she is happy, only that she is on the path to eventually becoming his, after having been used as a tool for the accumulation of power in various regions where the Stark/Tully name matters.

Her wellbeing is kind of important in that she can't be of any use to either his political or emotional investments in her if she's badly damaged.

[Hippocras]

Her wellbeing is kind of important in that she can't be of any use to either his political or emotional investments in her if she's badly damaged.

I'm not so sure about that. Mostly he just wants her for her pedigree.

[Arkash]

Just leaving this interview with Mads Mikkelsen here. It's short, but he'd definitely consider a role or even just a cameo on the show. Mads Mikkelsen for Euron!

I'd love to know if he's aware he's a fan favourite for a major role !

[Colonel Green]

I'm not so sure about that. Mostly he just wants her for her pedigree.

You don't think Baelish wants the beautiful teen Catelyn of his dreams? GRRM has said as much, in his own dissection of his motives, that he views Sansa three different ways: as a daughter figure, as an object of lust, and as a political pawn.

[alienarea]

Do we know whether Alexander Siddig (Doran) signed for more than 1 season?

[Stan Man]

Do we know whether Alexander Siddig (Doran) signed for more than 1 season?

Off-topic, but I adore your signature.

[Colonel Green]

Do we know whether Alexander Siddig (Doran) signed for more than 1 season?

He's only a guest star, so I don't believe he would be contracted for multiple seasons regardless.

[Hippocras]

You don't think Baelish wants the beautiful teen Catelyn of his dreams? GRRM has said as much, in his own dissection of his motives, that he views Sansa three different ways: as a daughter figure, as an object of lust, and as a political pawn.

I think he is a sociopath, so doesn't have a healthy or normal concept of love. He may think of her as a daughter in the same way some cultures trade daughters for cows and goats. He probably does lust for her, but the same way a jon lusts for a prostitute: without much concern for her wellbeing. Making her his to him means transfering the benefits of her pedigree to himself. The power of the right family name.

But we shall see.

[Valyrian Lance]

It would have been perfectly possible to faithfully adapt the books into 7 or 8 seasons.

I disagree. The scope would likely be impossible to make succinct enough to allow for a marketable TV show. Not to mention the problem of finite assets.

[protar]

I disagree. The scope would likely be impossible to make succinct enough to allow for a marketable TV show. Not to mention the problem of finite assets.

Obviously I cannot speak with complete certainty not having read Winds and Dream. But one can assume that those final two books will focus in the narrative towards the end game. So if they could manage to get all the plots of Feast and Dance mostly into one season, they presumably would have enough space to faithfully adapt the latter two books if you follow me. And S5 could very easily have managed with 7 main plot lines (Winterfell, Kings Landing, Meereen, The Wall, Dorne, Tyrion and Braavos) along with some micro plot lines (The Vale (4 episodes), the Riverlands and Aegon (two episodes a piece)). S4 could have taken off some of the load, with Brienne's Quest, Bran, The Kingsmoot, some Meereen in that season. So S5 could easily have remained faithful to the book with fewer plot lines than S3 (Which remains the season with the most plot threads). Much of what D+D are doing here doesn't save time.

[Valyrian Lance]

Obviously I cannot speak with complete certainty not having read Winds and Dream. But one can assume that those final two books will focus in the narrative towards the end game. So if they could manage to get all the plots of Feast and Dance mostly into one season, they presumably would have enough space to faithfully adapt the latter two books if you follow me. And S5 could very easily have managed with 7 main plot lines (Winterfell, Kings Landing, Meereen, The Wall, Dorne, Tyrion and Braavos) along with some micro plot lines (The Vale (4 episodes), the Riverlands and Aegon (two episodes a piece)). S4 could have taken off some of the load, with Brienne's Quest, Bran, The Kingsmoot, some Meereen in that season. So S5 could easily have remained faithful to the book with fewer plot lines than S3 (Which remains the season with the most plot threads). Much of what D+D are doing here doesn't save time.

Move more into Season 4 without affecting those scenes already there and add plot to season 5, all while adding about 12 or more characters and the money to pay for them. It probably would have worked.

[protar]

Move more into Season 4 without affecting those scenes already there and add plot to season 5, all while adding about 12 characters and the money to pay for them. It probably would have worked.

It couldn't be done by taking the current version of the show and cutting out scenes and inserting new ones. But it absolutely could be done if the show was built from the ground up to accommodate those plot lines. My proposed version of S5 would only have 8 storylines, less than S3 did in the real world. S3 would be the biggest season in terms of plot numbers. S4 had a lot of superfluous material. It had Stannis in Braavos, Craster's Keep, Theon's filler plot, rushed through Sansa's AFFC material. Plenty of room for the Ironborn without all that.

[Valyrian Lance]

It couldn't be done by taking the current version of the show and cutting out scenes and inserting new ones. But it absolutely could be done if the show was built from the ground up to accommodate those plot lines. My proposed version of S5 would only have 8 storylines, less than S3 did in the real world. S3 would be the biggest season in terms of plot numbers. S4 had a lot of superfluous material. It had Stannis in Braavos, Craster's Keep, Theon's filler plot, rushed through Sansa's AFFC material. Plenty of room for the Ironborn without all that.

TV is a different medium than books. Things like Crasters are needed to keep the action level up to attract viewers. It's sad but true. They needed to show Theon's turning into Reek because inner monologue is unavailable to explain it to viewers. A lot of these plots need serious screentime to set up unless you want it to end up like how the SandSnakes are perceived in Dorne.

You are also completely ignoring money. I doubt its a coincidence that all of the series regulars got large raises this season.

[protar]

TV is a different medium than books. Things like Crasters are needed to keep the action level up to attract viewers. It's sad but true. They needed to show Theon's turning into Reek because inner monologue is unavailable to explain it to viewers. A lot of these plots need serious screentime to set up unless you want it to end up like how the SandSnakes are perceived in Dorne.

You are also completely ignoring money. I doubt its a coincidence that all of the series regulars got large raises this season.

Good TV does not need mindless action every few episodes. If the characters and interactions are deep, that will attract viewers. If you write an intelligent show that doesn't rely on shoe-horned action scenes, then you will attract an audience which doesn't demand those scenes. Once GoT was this kind of show.

The show does not have infinite money, but it certainly does have enough money to cast new characters. We already got a lot of new characters in Dorne, they were just under-serviced. And we know they are at least casting Euron for S6. So the only new big names would be Aegon, Joncon and Lemore.

[Valyrian Lance]

Good TV does not need mindless action every few episodes. If the characters and interactions are deep, that will attract viewers. If you write an intelligent show that doesn't rely on shoe-horned action scenes, then you will attract an audience which doesn't demand those scenes. Once GoT was this kind of show.

The show does not have infinite money, but it certainly does have enough money to cast new characters. We already got a lot of new characters in Dorne, they were just under-serviced. And we know they are at least casting Euron for S6. So the only new big names would be Aegon, Joncon and Lemore.

I agree that good TV does not need mindless action. The mindful action with main characters from the first few books is largely missing in the final two, so the average viewer needs to change his or her mindset of expecting action among the stars or the writers add in a few scenes. GOT probably wanted to keep viewers.

Their budget is already astronomical, it is laughable to say that they can just afford it. Sometimes it isn't the big names, it is the little names that add up.

To do it faithfully, we would need more characters in the Vale (heck, if we are leaving Sansa in the Vale we need a host of characters for Winterfell), we need more characters in Dorne, we would need more Greyjoy characters than just Euron, we would need a host of Riverland characters (some Freys, Brackens, and Blackwoods) to have Jamie travel those parts unless we wanted to make it extremely hollow like Dorne. With all those new characters you also need time to provide some backstory, or they feel hollow like the Sand Snakes.

[protar]

I agree that good TV does not need mindless action. The mindful action with main characters from the first few books is largely missing in the final two, so the average viewer needs to change his or her mindset of expecting action among the stars or the writers add in a few scenes. GOT probably wanted to keep viewers.

Their budget is already astronomical, it is laughable to say that they can just afford it. Sometimes it isn't the big names, it is the little names that add up.

To do it faithfully, we would need more characters in the Vale (heck, if we are leaving Sansa in the Vale we need a host of characters for Winterfell), we need more characters in Dorne, we would need more Greyjoy characters than just Euron, we would need a host of Riverland characters (some Freys, Brackens, and Blackwoods) to have Jamie travel those parts unless we wanted to make it extremely hollow like Dorne. With all those new characters you also need time to provide some backstory, or they feel hollow like the Sand Snakes.

To do it entirely faithfully yes. But that is not what I'm suggesting. Trim the fat, keep the main bits.

To be honest I don't think the show handles its budget very well. It inserts shoe-horned action sequences and spends loads on set dressing that most people would never notice. I refuse to believe that there would not be enough money to cast a few extra characters over multiple seasons. S4 would need Euron, Vic and Aeron (at least Euron and probably another Greyjoy uncle is being cast in S6). S5 would need quite a lot of big characters, but again it's not like they didn't already cast a large Dornish cast.

[Valyrian Lance]

To do it entirely faithfully yes. But that is not what I'm suggesting. Trim the fat, keep the main bits.

To be honest I don't think the show handles its budget very well. It inserts shoe-horned action sequences and spends loads on set dressing that most people would never notice. I refuse to believe that there would not be enough money to cast a few extra characters over multiple seasons. S4 would need Euron, Vic and Aeron (at least Euron and probably another Greyjoy uncle is being cast in S6). S5 would need quite a lot of big characters, but again it's not like they didn't already cast a large Dornish cast.

I don't disagree that a mostly faithful with lots of fat trimmed adaptation could have been done but whether it would have lasted this long or have been this popular, I seriously doubt. Money is still the name of the game. They are going to make decisions that they think makes them more, and they aren't going to spend it unless they think it will return.

[protar]

I don't disagree that a mostly faithful with lots of fat trimmed adaptation could have been done but whether it would have lasted this long or have been this popular, I seriously doubt. Money is still the name of the game. They are going to make decisions that they think makes them more, and they aren't going to spend it unless they think it will return.

Thing is, D+D aren't infallible. Just because they think something will make for better television doesn't mean it will. The story of the books is far deeper than the show. I think a more faithful adaptation would have been even more successful. I also don't think that this version of the show will remain highly thought of by critics once the show is done.