Jump to content

Has the shows writing become worse because it isn't following the books?


Recommended Posts

IMO, NO the writing hasn't become worse.    I think that they had a few bumps this season, but over all it was much better than 5, and I liked 5.

I too am a Book reader, and Re-reader, and Re-reader.  I must say that I never really had a problem with the changes in the show from the books.   The books are massive & there is no way that they could/or should put everything from the books into the show.   Some things just don't translate from the page to screen.    I must say though in season 6 after the 1st 2 episodes I pretty much caught on all the time jumps, that other fans failed to see & just complained about until the closing credits of episode 10.    I think that the story is getting better because we are coming to a close.   I don't know if it is a good or bad thing because there is no book to go by, hence D & D haters will look for anything to latch onto because they no longer have material to go by.       I find that a good thing,  HOWEVER, I also find it a Bad thing because I do want the books for my own selfish reason.  I love this series & I want to get it from the horse's mouth.  In the meant time,  this substitute will just have to do for now.  Thing is once it is over with what will have to watch that is just is good as this show.    Right Now, NOTHING.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I strongly suspect that some storylines that were so disliked in the show (Stannis getting stuck in the snow and Shireen's death) and Sansa in WF/VAle, Dorne storyline were  direct result of GRRM NOT finishing the books on time and leaving D&D in the lurch going from point B to ending in point F.

You can actually see that writers faithfully attempting to do go with the books and then realizing the book is nowhere near and changing everything drastically.  

Stannis storyline in the books ends with him being stuck in the snowstorm with his army starving and freezing. We get a "Pink Letter" indicating his death. Since D&D know that a) Stannis does die and b)Shireen burns and c) his Stormlands forces including his wife are somehow written off. So D&D know they need somehow to wheedle Stannis into burning Shireen and dying and getting rid of his forces. So how do you get from being stuck in Snowstorm to end of Stannis family? 

Same for Sansa, she is in Vale still pretending. Then somehow at the end she ends up at WF with Jon and with Vale forces and unmarried and possibly mentally scarred plus they have no idea what to do with Jayne Poole after she escapes

Dorne. Dorne is a complete mess. I believe that in the books Doran's plan backfires and his children die and he dies (of broken heart possibly) and still Dorne forces somehow end up involved in KL and Targs and Myrcella still dies possibly while on her way from Dorne to KL. D&D wanted to avoid adding a fAegon story filler  (which storyline also most likely ends before Dany ever encounters him) and they somehow needed to accomplish these things. Possibly if their Dorne storyline in 5th season was better accepted by audience they might have involved Doran and Ellaria conspiring together but now they just cut their losses.

I suspect that if they realized as they beginning to write 5th season that TWOW book was nowhere near, they would have attempted to drastically change certain story-lines to make them better and as such they tried to keep more of less faithfully to the book in fruitless attempt to wait out GRRM.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1 september 2016 at 6:55 PM, Panther2000 said:

IMO, NO the writing hasn't become worse.    I think that they had a few bumps this season, but over all it was much better than 5, and I liked 5.

I too am a Book reader, and Re-reader, and Re-reader.  I must say that I never really had a problem with the changes in the show from the books.   The books are massive & there is no way that they could/or should put everything from the books into the show.   Some things just don't translate from the page to screen.    I must say though in season 6 after the 1st 2 episodes I pretty much caught on all the time jumps, that other fans failed to see & just complained about until the closing credits of episode 10.    I think that the story is getting better because we are coming to a close.   I don't know if it is a good or bad thing because there is no book to go by, hence D & D haters will look for anything to latch onto because they no longer have material to go by.       I find that a good thing,  HOWEVER, I also find it a Bad thing because I do want the books for my own selfish reason.  I love this series & I want to get it from the horse's mouth.  In the meant time,  this substitute will just have to do for now.  Thing is once it is over with what will have to watch that is just is good as this show.    Right Now, NOTHING.

I suggest you check out Preston Jacobs on youtube. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think there is not much arguing about the drop in writing quality somewhere around S3/4. There are just to many clear plot holes, contrivancies, meaningless scenes, childish humor, horrible pacing, etc.

Following the books less closely surely plays a role in that, especially when it comes to problems with consistency. Also, the later books might be harder to translate to the screen.

But imho the main problem is, after the Red Wedding everything seems to focus more and more on just getting to the next "big shock" moment and everything else either bends (and sometimes breaks) towards these moments or consists of interchangeable filler scenes. Characters are not developed, but just shoved into the place they need to be.
Most of the indiviual scenes are still somewhat enjoyable to watch (thanks to good actors), but they don't come together as a whole. It feels more and more like just getting random glimpses of what's going on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...