If you were the Showrunner of GoT........

[Nevets]

I would not denigrate the Starks and lionize/whitewash the Lannisters.  The Lannisters are a lot nicer on the show than the books, and the Starks less likable and stupider.  I think is a big reason for much of the dislike of the show.

I would also keep the characters' ages closer to the books.  Raise them by a year or two, but still keep Jon, Robb, and Dany as teenagers.  This makes their actions and people's reaction to them more understandable.

As for specific changes:

No Talisa

Harrenhal needed to be nastier and scarier.  It's a big reason Arya is so fucked-up.

Truth about Tysha.

Don't send Sansa to Ramsay.  It made Sansa an idiot, and, later, cruel.  She is neither.  Either ditch it, introduce Jeyne as Sansa's former companion, or, if you absolutely, positively have to have a major character, replace FalseArya with RealArya.  Give her a real reason to want to learn to kill people.  Given the lack of action in Braavos, her story there could be delayed.

There's probably a lot of other changes, but that's the big stuff.

 

[falcotron]

8 hours ago, Nevets said:

I would also keep the characters' ages closer to the books.  Raise them by a year or two, but still keep Jon, Robb, and Dany as teenagers.  This makes their actions and people's reaction to them more understandable.

How? They started off raised only two years, but they inevitably got way ahead of that.

The books take place over about 3 years. There's no way to film 8 seasons in 3 years. And if the series took only 3 years of in-universe time, you'd end up with 19-year-old Isaac Hampstead Wright playing a 13-year-old Bran, and nobody can suspend disbelief that far.

So the series has to cover around 8 years of in-universe time. So Isaac ends up playing a 17-year-old Bran. And similarly for the rest, including Jon and Dany. (Not so much Robb, because he dies early enough to not get stretched out too bad—in fact, he was still a teenager at his death, although just barely.)

That means some things about their characters and their stories have to change. But everything you change from the story cascades out and causes other changes, and of course some scenes are just too good to change. So there's a tricky balancing act. And the fact that they don't even know where the stories are going except in skeleton outline only makes it harder.

In hindsight, it would have been better if they just assumed that all they were ever going to get qas a late ADwD (and very different from the earlier books) and a skeleton sketch of where the major plotlines go, and started working to sketch out their own story, instead of trying to work out how to stretch a story they weren't going to get the end of. But that really isn't about dealing with the character ages, so much as on general principles (if you're filming a saga with an ending, you should know the ending so you can build toward it) and because it would mean more opportunities to ping GRRM ("Hey, George, what do you think of this?" "If you're not doing Doran and Arianne, I'd just leave Dorne in the background. And here's why: …") before writing the scripts and beginning production on things that might not lead anywhere good.

[Pecan]

I don't know if it's been mentioned already, but I definitely wouldn't have given Jorah greyscale since that plotline went absolutely nowhere. I think what happened there was a change in direction between seasons. Initially, they were going to give him the Jon Connington plotline (whatever that turns out to be) but then changed their minds, and so he was miraculously cured. 

[YoungGriff89]

4 hours ago, Pecan said:

I don't know if it's been mentioned already, but I definitely wouldn't have given Jorah greyscale since that plotline went absolutely nowhere. I think what happened there was a change in direction between seasons. Initially, they were going to give him the Jon Connington plotline (whatever that turns out to be) but then changed their minds, and so he was miraculously cured. 

I think the cure would have been better if it didn't wind up being as simple as pulling off the greyscale and putting neosporin on it.  I have really mixed feelings about how D&D have been handling things post red wedding, but I'll definitely give them a lot of credit for their accomplishments.  In an alternate universe where I ran the show, let's assume I only had seven seasons and let's just assume I knew I was going to get to make all seven seasons.  

As far as what I would do differently, not as much with a few exceptions.  Dany's storyline post season one would only vaguely resemble the books aside from the major stuff:  house of the undying, taking slaver's bay, sending Jorah away, chaining up the dragons, taking Meereen, Belwas, the fighting pit, running into the Dothraki again, etc.  The largest change would have been cutting the second sons and Daario from season three and instead introducing her to the Golden company and the last remaining Blackfyres.  Daemon Blackfyre IV would pretty much take the place of Daario and serve as a version of Aegon since the Blackfyres had loyalists in Westeros who believed in Daemon Blackfyre's claim to the throne, and instead of betraying and beheading Meero he'd be betraying and beheading Maelys Blackfyre.  That spelling might be off, but you get the idea.  In show universe Ser Barristan simply wouldn't have cut down the last Blackfyre, it just wouldn't have been part of the show universe history.  Doing that I think covers the bases on introducing some version of Aegon early enough for them to be relevant and provide a complicated challenge for Daenerys (she loves him but some in Westeros might believe his claim to the throne is better, etc). 

Where would that story ultimately go though?  He'd (Daemon) lead a force to take King's Landing in the sixth season finale and get his head twisted off by Ser Robert Strong.  As far as the other changes, just small things here and there that probably wouldn't be too dramatically different from what D&D did, I'd keep the Tysha reveal and keep Jaime's arc as close to the book as possible.  Probably no Lady Stoneheart but I don't know her purpose in the book yet, so I couldn't say for sure that I wouldn't find it more important to go through with than D&D did.  I'd also probably wind up sending Jaime to Dorne but instead of sneaking in, he'd be welcomed by Doran and blindsided by an attack from the Sand Snakes.  If possible I wouldn't have cut the queen maker plot which would probably mean reducing the number of sand snakes to two.  Fair trade I think.  I'd basically try at all costs to stay as close to the book's arcs and characterizations, I'd try to adapt all of the published material as closely as I could (given the exception of Daenerys) for seasons 1-6 then probably come up with a mostly fan fiction last season to end the show.  We still have the books after all.   

[Pecan]

1 hour ago, YoungGriff89 said:

I think the cure would have been better if it didn't wind up being as simple as pulling off the greyscale and putting neosporin on it.   

Ha Ha.

Yep, you're right about that. 

I like your ideas around Dany's character arc. It makes a lot more sense than what they actually did. 

I wonder a bit about the influence shows like this have on other writers and directors. A lot of those people are fans just like us, and I'm sure some of them are looking at the finished product and kind of rolling their eyes. On the other hand, those people are also a lot more familiar with how terrifically difficult it must be to put together a show like this. 

 

[plastic throne]

6 hours ago, Pecan said:

I don't know if it's been mentioned already, but I definitely wouldn't have given Jorah greyscale since that plotline went absolutely nowhere. I think what happened there was a change in direction between seasons. Initially, they were going to give him the Jon Connington plotline (whatever that turns out to be) but then changed their minds, and so he was miraculously cured. 

I always thought he's gonna become 'stone man' but not loose his sanity as fast. So he could join the fight against white walkers but since his skin is stone, he could be immune to wildfire and wights scratches and such. Basically, he'd become like a mini boss for a certain time duration, until you know, the inevitable.

[sweetsunray]

S2:

- Have Jaime in RR as prisoner, keep Tyrion's plan to bust out Jaime, feature a second Mountain Clan man aside from Shagga who's more cunning, to use him later in the Vale. Have Tyrion let him kill someone ruthlessly or something. Have Allister show up in KL with the wight hand and be mocked by Tyrion. Just make Tyrion far more ambiguous.

- Stannis-Renly: Renly more arrogant and opportunistic, have Stannis offer him heirship, and Renly defying it.

- Introduce Ramsay as Reek in S2 and Rodrik's daughter who looks somewhat like Arya.

- Harrenhal: have the Roose-Tywin switch at end of S2 and delay the escape for S3. She has Jaquen help her with the switch, and he reveals her his trick at HH. She decides to stay, because she believes her brother's army has HH soon.

- Qarth: streamlining was fine, but make Dany less arrogant in her demands, and more trusting (another way of making her naïve). Without Quaithe. Just have her learn how much people wants dragons through the HotU. 

- Robb conquers a castle in the Westerlands and uses it as a base, and meets with Jeyne. Have him wounded, learn the news of Bran and Rickon and sleep with Jeyne Westerling.

S3

- Ironborn: Euron murders Balon and orders the return of his relatives for a kingsmoot. Victarion abandons Moat Cailin (offscreen) and shows up, Theon is Ramsay's prisoner, Yara ignores Euron's demand and stays in Deepwood Motte (off screen). Cut back on the torture porn. Euron doesn't care.

- Harrenhal: Arya sees that Roose has or uses men as horrible as the Mountain's, and decides to escape (thus introducing Locke then already, The Robb and Roose and Catelyn arrival at HH was a nonsensical scene at the show anyway). They run into the BwB. Gendry isn't sold to Mel.

- Robb-Catelyn: shows up at RR married, losing the Freys, and having to deal with Karstark's murder of the boys. Have Catelyn urge for some reconcialiation with the Freys. Blackfish and Jeyne Westerling remained behind at RR, with Blackfish swearing to Robb to protect her. 

- KL: Sansa refuses to kneel for Tyrion for the Cloak ceremony. At the wedding night Tyrion orders her to undress, but changes his mind. Keep the marriage a cold one.

S4

- Stannis: have him just be defeated and depressed, burn his uncle for betrayal, and Davos reveals the letter of the NW. They leave for Eastwatch.

- Wall: Jon alerts the NW at CB of a coming attack by wildlings from the South. No, Allister nor Janos yet. No stupid plot at Craster's. Just have Bran and Meera run into some deserters on their way North and have Leaf save them and help them to the cave where they're attacked by wights. They put in filler that delayed everything for no reason. Jon buries Ygriitte after te victory, but Allister and Slynt show up and have him arrested. Mance's army arrives and they send Jon on a suicide mission to kill Mance. Stannis shows up, while Jon protects Mance's wife who's delivering his child (they can still decide to have both of them die), introduce Val here. Have LC elections with Stannis trying to win Jon by offering him WF, but Jon's elected LC. He executes Slynt. Stannis and Jon deal with Mance and Tormund. With his wife and child dead, Mance refuses to bend the knee and is burned. Stannis is making plans and sends Davos to Braavos for a loan. Tormund accepts a deal from Jon Snow to rescue Arya. Val accepts a deal to convince wildlings to help Jon defend the Wall.

- Dreadfort: Keep Theon's been reekified and betraying the few remaining Ironborn at Moat Cailin. Ramsay and Roose planned to get rid of Yara at Deepwood Motte next, but the news of Stannis at the Wall and Jon Snow as LC make them decide to relocate at WF. They prop up Rodrik's daughter from WF as fake Arya and hold a wedding at WF to try and lure Jon Snow and Stannis in rescuing her.

- KL: Jaime and Brienne arrive at KL just after the Purple Wedding. Casterly Rock still has gold.

- Vale: Sansa lies about her identity to the lords of the Vale and corroborates LF's lies about who murdered Lysa.

- RL: shorten the trek with Sandor for a few episodes. They never go to the Vale, learning that Tyrion's guy from the Mountain Clans is running amock and that Lysa Arryn died at the inn. Sandor's wounded at the inn. She leaves him where Brienne catches up with her, but the port is attacked by Roose's outlaws. She's knocked unconscious, but not without killing some of Roose's men she already met in S3. She never saw that Arya left on a ship to Braavos. She wakes up as a captive of the BwB who fought Roose's men, who also had tried to track Arya. Turns out that the BwB have a new leader - LS.

Meanwhile Arya arrives at HoBaW in Braavos and wanders in. She believes she gives a man water from the pool, but he dies. She's accepted as an accolyte.

- Mereen: after taking it Dany meets with issues, like the Harpy's sons.

S5

North: Stannis liberates Deepwood Motte and captures Yara and moves for WF. Mel stays behind at CB with Selyse and Shyreen. Maester Aemon dies and Jon sends Sam to the Citadel. Reek meets with Tormund and spearwives who create tension through murder and helps them rescue fArya. Davos returns from Braavos to be captured by Manderly while hosting Freys, but Manderly later reveals he wants him to find Rickon. A banker of Braavos shows up at the Wall and informs about wildlings at Hardhome. Jon makes a deal with the banker. Jon goes to Hardhome with Val to convince them to come south and help him defend the Wall. Theon's handed as captive to Stannis. Roose sends an army out in a blizzard to attack Stannis. We never see the outcome of the battle. Jon returns from Hardhome with surviving wildlings SOUTH of the wall and the Pink Letter arrives. Thorne has Jon assassinated. We never see the actual battle between Stannis and Bolton army. Bran is taught by the 3ER.

Braavos: Arya's seen spying in Braavos and reporting back what she learns, such as talk of illegal slavers who captured wildlings at Hardhome (before its attacked by wights), the lying game. She meets Sam or Davos in Braavos and helps them out of trouble. Have her be part of an actor's troupe, learn about disguise and play a role. Trant shows up and she murders him. She becomes the blind girl.

Vale: Sansa's to wed SR as Alayne, and LF vouches to give her armies to take back the North. You can do lots here as court intrigue, especially if you have the Mountain Clans launch an attack. You have LF executed here, or not. You can have SR poisoned here or not.  You have Sansa captured or not. You can insert the Hound in this. But you end it with Sansa at Royce's and his army, having to reveal her identity, and they sail for White Harbor.

Reach: Sam goes to Oldtown and enters the CItadel and starts to learn stuff.

Ironborn: Euron attacks the Reach. Victarion is sent to Mereen to make Dany his queen.

Essos: Slavers besiege Mereen. Dany tries for peace, but flies off on Dragon and ends up in the Dothraki sea (much earlier). Meanwhile Tyrion makes his way to Mereen. He's stolen by Jorah (no greyscale). Jorah and Tyrion are taken as slave captives, but freed by Victarion who wishes to attack the slavers at Mereen to win a queen, but pretends with the Yunkai he's there to help them. He sends Tyrion in. Selmy lives and trusts Tyrion, who sets the dragons free. Together with Dothraki and Ironborn and dragons Mereen's liberated. And sail for Dragonstone.

Riverlands: LS has BwB mop up Roose's outlaws and hang Freys. Brienne helps taking out leftover outlaws of Roose, but is dismayed about the hangings. She's undecided about going to KL to Jaime to tell him she failed, OR go North to kill Stannis. But Jaime has been sent to take RR from the Blackfish. He uses Edmure to get the castle, threatening him and Edmure's child. A BwB infiltrant witnesses this. And LS has Brienne lure Jaime to be taken captive. After learning what he did, she consents. LS organizes a slaughter of Freys with infiltrants of the BwB who open the doors of the castle. Brienne gives her mercy and sets Jaime free. She goes North, taking both Podrick and Gendry (after telling who his father sis). You can still have Jaime go to KL for Tommen.

KL: Margaery marries Tommen. Cersei gives the HS power and sends Jaime to deal with the Blackfish, and someone to the Iron Bank to negotiate delays of payment. They're not happy. They learn of Euron's attacks to the Reach. Margaery and Loras demand to have armies sent there. Cersei orders Loras to take Dragonstone instead. He finds it abandoned and cooks up a lie for Cersei to sail with the army to meet Euron. Cersei has Margaery arrested on accusations of adultery. But Cersei ends up arrested and having to do the walk of shame.

NO Dorne.

S6:

KL: Tommen is the popular king and shuts out Cersei from power. He cooperates with the HS, sets up peace accords with the RL Makes more sense for him to rally support against Dany's invasion, and for her not to antagonize him. He settles for an armistice and is willing to send an army North against the dead, with Jaime's backing. After receiving the message that Myrcella was assassinated in Dorne, Cersei ends up doing her thing to blow up the Sept, especially after Tyrion has the Unsullied capture Casterly Rock, that still has gold. 

Reach: Euron takes out Loras' fleet and Highgarden. Sam finds out the stuff he needs and with Oldtown threatened to be taken by Euron, he flees, gets Heartsbane and journeys North.

Wall: Mel burns Shyreen at the Wall in the hope to resurrect the presumed dead Stannis, but ends up resurrecting Jon, and leaves with wildlings for WF. Selise hangs herself. Bran gets to the Wall and has warnings sent.Davos arrives with Rickon at Eastwatch, while the army of dead is marching to Eastwatch. When the wall falls, Rickon dies there. Send others to go fetch a wight.

Winterfell: Stannis did not die in the battle, but took heavy losses. Roose got killed, leaving Ramsay to hold WF. Theon and Yara leave for Pyke to take it from Euron. Manderly and Vale armies also move for WF. Ramsay dies. Brienne kills Stannis. Jon is proclaimed KitN, and sends a plea to Dany and Tommen. Etc.

Arya: She does her stick thing, gets an assignment, but instead takes a ship back to Westeros. No parcours.

 

 

[tormond]

i would have killed Cersei 3 season ago.

[Batbob45]

I would of turn Renly into the charismatic jerk that he is in the books

I would leave out Ramsey's wedding(having it would cause people to wonder if it was for shock value)

Shireen would actually  meet Wun Weg

Have Brienne save Shireen  and Patchface before she get burn(Brienne motivation would be that she doing it because Shireen is Renly's niece).

Have Dany less entitled

 

 

[YoungGriff89]

Tonight's episode gave me another thing I'd do differently if I were showrunner.  

Spoiler

Assuming that the trip beyond the wall to bring a wight back to KL even happened in my version, the episode would have began with the group getting stranded on the rock in the middle of the frozen lake and it would be established that at least a week had passed between the being stranded and Dany flying in so the dragons showing up in time was a little more believable.  Also, Rhaegal would have saved Jon at the end and not Benjenhands.  Might have just been smarter to restructure the story a little and have the white walkers lay siege to Eastwatch for several days and maybe have wight giants actually damaging the gate.  

What is up the wights and water?  They can't swim, they can swim, diving down who knows how deep to chain up a dead dragon is possible, etc.  They can apparently cross the wall and go far enough south to show the queen.  It doesn't make sense as to why the wights couldn't just swim around eastwatch and attack from both sides.  The writing is so inconsistent.