Pilot content: what scenes?

[Werthead]

[url="http://winter-is-coming.blogspot.com/2008/12/winter-is-comings-exclusive-pilot.html"]And now we know for sure what will be in it.[/url]

As of that draft anyway.

Looks very promising :)

[Ninepenny]

[quote name='Werthead' post='1621708' date='Dec 16 2008, 21.43'][url="http://winter-is-coming.blogspot.com/2008/12/winter-is-comings-exclusive-pilot.html"]And now we know for sure what will be in it.[/url]

As of that draft anyway.

Looks very promising :)[/quote]
Very interesting. The new introduction of Tyrion seems fitting.

[Stephen Deas]

The ascension of Robert and the overthrow of the Targaryons. Lots of action, but more importantly it lays the background for the critical relationships. You do it up front and then you save yourself a lot of explaining later. I do like the idea of starting with the prologue as written - genius in book-form, but it's a very long time before that side of the story really starts to develop and I don't know if the average viewer would have the patience.

<reads rest of thread>

Oh bah! Well that's what *I* would have done... :dunce:

[Padraig]

The script looks terrific. I'm a little worried that it was leaked though. Hardly ideal so far from production but hopefully it wouldn't cause any problems.

[quote]I do like the idea of starting with the prologue as written - genius in book-form, but it's a very long time before that side of the story really starts to develop and I don't know if the average viewer would have the patience.[/quote]
That's the neat part about one of them ending up beheaded in chapter 1. And then connects to Jon wanting to join the NW. GRRM does a better job connecting the bits than one realises straight away.

[Lady Blackfish]

I'm pretty fucking excited right now.

[About Yea High]

[i]Winter Is Coming[/i] gets all the 'sauce scoops. Frickin' great!

The four notable changes that diverge from the book, and my comments:

1. [i]We don't actually see the Others kill Waymer:[/i] I love it. Leaving the Others a mystery for future days is perfect, especially if you want the concept of magic to be introduced slowly into the series.

2. [i]At Kings Landing, Cersei and Grand Maester Pycelle discuss Jon Arryn's last words, "The seed is strong":[/i] An interesting introduction of Cersei; this could go well or badly, really, depending on what they say. Cersei could be immediately pegged by (unknowing) viewers as Jon Arryn's killer, depending on how worried she seems, which fits in nicely.

3. [i]At Kings Landing, Jaime finds Tyrion in a whorehouse (with a red-headed whore - Dancy from Chataya's?) and says, "We're going to Winterfell":[/i] This I truly love. While many have speculated it would be a nice scene to showcase Tyrion and Jaime's humor, I believe it will paint them in a slightly negative fashion (it's a frickin' whorehouse). That, coupled with a possibly secretive-and-malicious Cersei scene beforehand (see above) will immediately showcase the Lannisters as the antagonists of the series. And even the unsuspecting viewing audience can't guess exactly [i]how[/i] evil they can be until that last "The things I do for love" line.

4. [i]At Winterfell, Ned and Jaime have a discussion during the feast:[/i] This I would worry about unless it's done just right. If it's senseless banter, it could work against the story. If, however, they rehash Jaime's "Kingslayer" origin, it could be brilliant.

Note 1: No flashback sequences; all of the backstory is explained verbally, through conversations. Interesting. I'll withhold opinion until I see it. Flashbacks can be notoriously expensive, especially if there's something momentous happening (say, the Trident).

Note 2: Everyone is aged up about two years, except the Lannister---ERR, I MEAN BARATHEON---children. I guess this puts Joffrey closer to Sansa in age. Works for me!

At the end of the day, I'm left with the thought that the most vital casting choice of all with be Jaime. The series could hinge on the extremely delicate portrayal of him.

[Rimmer]

[quote]4. At Winterfell, Ned and Jaime have a discussion during the feast: This I would worry about unless it's done just right. If it's senseless banter, it could work against the story. If, however, they rehash Jaime's "Kingslayer" origin, it could be brilliant.[/quote]

From the comments on the blog: [quote]They speak mostly about Jaime slaying the Mad King. I believe it was put in mostly to establish Jaime's character and reveal more of the back story.[/quote][quote]Without going into too much detail (I fear I'm treading on thin ice as it is about what I've revealed so far), Jaime mentions avenging Brandon and Rickard's deaths and Ned kinda blows him off.[/quote]

Sounds good to me, a prelude to finding out about their confrontation at the Iron Throne earlier.

[About Yea High]

Nice catch, Rimmer. I completely glazed over that in my drooling haste to get the the next tidbit.

I hesitate to say it ... but I have very, very high hopes for [i]Game of Thrones.[/i]

Color me About Yea Happy.

[Commodore]

It's clear to me that Jaime is going to get more dialog in the TV series than in the book, and that's a good thing. You can't expect a character like that to stay in the background more or less until the third season, just not realistic. He has to be developed more if he is gonna be on screen.

[Padraig]

[quote name='About Yea High' post='1621893' date='Dec 16 2008, 23.24']An interesting introduction of Cersei; this could go well or badly, really, depending on what they say. Cersei could be immediately pegged by (unknowing) viewers as Jon Arryn's killer, depending on how worried she seems, which fits in nicely.[/quote]
I think there is very little reason to believe that it wouldn't go well. Its going to make the conclusion of the episode even more apt.

Introducing the characters in KL is a great idea IMO. We can understand where they are coming from before they are thrown into the Stark group.

[quote]While many have speculated it would be a nice scene to showcase Tyrion and Jaime's humor[/quote]
Indeed. :) This is what first struck me. Besides the awesome scene at the end of aSoS, we get very little Tyrion and Jaime scenes. So it would be great to see this explored a little.

I do agree that Jaime is likely to be one of the most complicated characters to portray. Especially given the extra scenes. I imagine Jaime wouldn't seem as despicable as people initially thought when reading the first book. At the same time, part of the brilliance in the book is that he does these horrible things. So we probably will see signs that he is somewhat haunted, yet also proud and can be ruthless. Tough one. The scene with Ned will be a key scene to show all 3 traits.

But yes, to balance that up, Cersei may seem even more the antagonist. :) He does everything for her in many way.

I'm glad there is no flashbacks. Seemed a bit much. One or 2 might crop up later on but I think they just complicate the story if used too much (especially at the beginning).

The ages seems very logical. The only surprise is that that they didn't age Joffrey. Bran was aged only a year. While Robb and Jon were aged 3.

Really...i'm generally amazed how well this comes together. :)

[A Time for Wolves]

I just read the synopsis - EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK! I could just imagine the credit sequence, and I love how the Lannisters are introduced (esp. Tyrion). Although Dany's parts might come off as too random in a one-hour pilot, I think her scenes sound awesome.

Squeeeee, I am so excited.

Also, I cannot believe how much story they are putting in one episode alone. From the Wall to "the things I do for love", and everything in between included from the book's first few chapters. This is going to rock. :smash:

[Ran]

My only concern is the fact that it doesn't sound like fantasy very much, you know? No appearance of the Others or of wights. I can see some particularly ignorant viewers, seeing a lack of magic or monsters, thinking it's some sort of historical thing.

Maybe they'll reference magic-type stuff heavily enough -- dragons, surely even the most ignorant can't think those were real, right? ;)

[holyte]

Seems like they excluded the whole Arya chapter except the Stark and Lannister boys swordplay :unsure:.

[Tywin's bastard]

[quote name='Ran' post='1622049' date='Dec 17 2008, 02.11']My only concern is the fact that it doesn't sound like fantasy very much, you know? No appearance of the Others or of wights. I can see some particularly ignorant viewers, seeing a lack of magic or monsters, thinking it's some sort of historical thing.[/quote]
According to the summary of the script the Others make their appearance, we just don't get to see them actually fight. As for the theory itself you might be correct but it's pretty much the way they have to go about it to be in line with the storyline of how magic is reborn so that's imo a matter of whether GRRM's story holds up for TV or not.

[Caligula_K]

[quote name='holyte' post='1622059' date='Dec 16 2008, 20.19']Seems like they excluded the whole Arya chapter except the Stark and Lannister boys swordplay :unsure:.[/quote]

If I remember right (and I could be wrong), isn't the first Arya chapter after Bran's fall, when everyone's leaving Winterfell?

And the description makes the script sound awesome. All the changes look good, too: Tyrion in a brothel is the perfect way to introduce the character, the John Arryn stuff will work better in King's Landing (though it might be awkward to have them leave in one scene and arrive in Winterfell the next) and Jaime and Ned should be fun.

[Fat Belwas]

[quote]If I remember right (and I could be wrong), isn't the first Arya chapter after Bran's fall, when everyone's leaving Winterfell?[/quote]
My copy of AGOT is being borrowed right now, but I think the first Arya chapter is the one right before Bran's fall, and includes her sewing with Sansa and Myrcella, and Jon giving her Needle.

[holyte]

[quote name='Fat Belwas' post='1622176' date='Dec 17 2008, 14.12']My copy of AGOT is being borrowed right now, but I think the first Arya chapter is the one right before Bran's fall, and includes her sewing with Sansa and Myrcella, and Jon giving her Needle.[/quote]
Yep you're right, it's the chapter preceding Bran's fall. But it's not the chapter where Jon gives her Needle - that happens in Jon's chapter when everyone is preparing to leave.

[Shea]

Wow, I'm totally pumped now for the pilot. Little bit disappointed that we won't be seeing any flashbacks--namely, Rhaegar and Robert on the Trident--but it'd be impossible to do the entire series without any flashbacks, so I'll just have to pray the show makes it past the pilot (as if I wasn't already praying to The Seven for that to happen!).

[Padraig]

[quote]Seems like they excluded the whole Arya chapter except the Stark and Lannister boys swordplay[/quote]
There was a mention of seeing Arya briefly trying to do needlework in the script. Not sure what else happens in that chapter?

And we've never had a flashback scene showing Rhaegar and Robert fighting in the books. So would have been surprising to see it in the series. At least initially. :)

The interesting thing about showing the Others but not the wight is that it means the later Jon chapter is going to be quite the surprise.

[Durendale]

The pilot looks quiet good except the part where Jaime reveals his motives for killing Aerys to Ned. I don't mind Jaime being in the background for a while.
The fact that he didn't turn out to be a complete ass later in the story, was one of those great surprises in the books. For me, that was a mayor attraction to the books. I hope that effect doesn't get lost now.
Still very excited though!