Connecting four distinct storylines **SPOILERS**

[Commodore]

The hardest thing about this adaptation will be the multiple plot lines that rarely intersect. The stuff that happens at Winterfell, the stuff that happens at the Wall, the stuff that happens at Kings Landing, the stuff that happens with Dany, rarely do the characters involved ever interact with someone outside their story thread (other than the initial events at Winterfell).

Tyrion is probably the only common link, since he travels to several of the locations. Cat also travels around. Everyone else stays where they are.

I imagine a viewer could get very easily confused trying to figure out how the four stories are connected.

But that's why the people that do screen adaptations get paid the big bucks, to figure stuff like that out.

[Maester Joergensen]

Well, people who read the books managed to figure it out. I don´t think you should underestimate the viewers. The general storyline isn´t that hard to figure out.
They would miss some details certainly. But who doesn´t in the books.
And the story still grabs you.

[cybroleach]

[quote name='Commodore' post='1601216' date='Nov 26 2008, 14.34']The hardest thing about this adaptation will be the multiple plot lines that rarely intersect. The stuff that happens at Winterfell, the stuff that happens at the Wall, the stuff that happens at Kings Landing, the stuff that happens with Dany, rarely do the characters involved ever interact with someone outside their story thread (other than the initial events at Winterfell).

Tyrion is probably the only common link, since he travels to several of the locations. Cat also travels around. Everyone else stays where they are.

I imagine a viewer could get very easily confused trying to figure out how the four stories are connected.

But that's why the people that do screen adaptations get paid the big bucks, to figure stuff like that out.[/quote]

It doesn't seem to hard to me except Dany's and about half of Jon's. Winterfell and KL directly relate to each other.

If it were me personally shooting the series depending on how many epps are in total I'd split them up completely with little prelude and endings.
Epp 1 Start Prologue, then Winterfell, End, Bran falls
Epp 2 Start Ned goes south, Jon North, End at KL
Epp 3 Start Pentos, Dany get married, End kill Visaerys
Epp 4 Start Cat Winterfell, Cat Captures Tyrion, End Vale
Epp 5 Start Ned KL, hand's Tourney, End fight with Jaime
Epp 6 Start Dany, Attack on her life, End Drago's dies
Epp 7 Start Ned dream, Kl drama, Robert Dies
Epp 8 Start Bran Winterfell, coping with disability, Robb's army leaves
Epp 9 Start Cat vale, Tyrion's Trial, End reentering into Mts,
Epp 10Jon Training, Weights attack, End Gets Longclaw
Epp 11 Start Ned powerstruggle, End Sansa begs council for his life
Epp 12 Cat Returns North, Twins, End Battle of the Greenfork
Epp 13 Start March to Riverrun, battle of WW, End KL Ned dies, Sansa&Arya
Epp 14 Tyrion headed to KL, Dany raises Dragons, Jon prepares for the Fist, Bran gets message, Robb becomes King of the North

The last Epp is ment to tie all them in together. I'd see each epp started with alittle narriation that set it up using the prevous ones and end with the same narriation setting up next wks.

[King Nobody]

I like it Cybroleach. IMO, the only storyline that might be confusing at first as to what it has to do with the story is Dany's. All the rest start off together before they branch off.

[Maester Joergensen]

They do talk about Dany and the Targaryens in the other Storylines.
Perhaps extend a little on those conversations to set her up.
(without seeming like an infodump)

Perhaps start out a full Dany episode (if they choose to make one full Dany episode and not jam her into various episodes) with a quick showing of the various conversations about her. Like Ned and Robert in the crypts. Roberts order to assassinate Dany etc.
As a sort of resume of the previous Targaryen references in the previous episodes.

[cybroleach]

[quote name='Maester Joergensen' post='1601610' date='Nov 27 2008, 02.38']They do talk about Dany and the Targaryens in the other Storylines.
Perhaps extend a little on those conversations to set her up.
(without seeming like an infodump)

Perhaps start out a full Dany episode (if they choose to make one full Dany episode and not jam her into various episodes) with a quick showing of the various conversations about her. Like Ned and Robert in the crypts. Roberts order to assassinate Dany etc.
As a sort of resume of the previous Targaryen references in the previous episodes.[/quote]

Ya that is what I was thinking since before both the Dany Epps I'd plan the prevous Epps were ones that relate to her since Epp 2 would have Ned and Robert talking about Visaerys and her durring their ride and Epp 5 would have the council scene where they plan to kill her.

[Smoldering Hound]

For Reference on this subject.

The North is the wall
Winterfell is primarily Bran.
Mystery is the Ned investigations and fallout thread.
WAR is the lanisters and starks fighting (mostly cat and tyrion)
East is dany.

............... means info from that chap is relayed to the lower chapter
|\/_ are direct storyline threads.

p pages
tp total pages
ap adjusted pages
atp adjusted total pages

Pages and total pages are based on the 807 page paperback
Adjusted pages accounts for every chapter starts with a half page, and nearly every chapter ends with a half page.
The prologue even has an extra blank page.

Notes shorthand
* means shock in the chapter (aka plot twists, aka awesomeness)
X means action in the chapter (fights)
x means the fighting is MINOR
$ means nudity/sex in the chapter (or at least the potential)
|#- means minor story arc starts here
-#| means minor story arc ends here
O means talking heads/exposition
! means character death
~ means dream/flashback
^ means aftermath/epilogue/recap
@ means scenery (castles)


Minor arcs
1)intro arc
2)Visceris plots and gets his crown
3)Tyrion controls his own destiny
4)Jon becomes a Knight
5)Eddard goes to Kingsguard
6)Cat goes to kingsguard
7)Eddard investigates Jon's murder
8)Cat Brings Tyrion to "justice"
9)Tyrion raises an army of clansmen
10)Ned plays and loses at the Game of Thrones
11)Jon becomes a man
12)Robb goes to war
13)Dany hatches dragons[font="Courier New"]

NORTH=======WINTERFELL==MYSTERY=======WAR=========EAST=======P==TP==AP=ATP=Notes
Prologue____================================================12==12==10==10=X!!@ Enter Others @the wall
============BRAN 1===========================================9==21===8==18=O!@ |1- Enter Stark Crew, Ice @Winterfell
============CAT 1============================================6==27===5==23=O Enter Cat
==============|=========================..........DANY 1====11==38==10==33=O|2- Enter Eastern crew, Drogo @Pentos
============EDDARD 1===================.============|=======10==48===9==42=O~Enter Lannisters, King, Sandor
============JON 1=====================.=============|========9==57===8==50=O Enter Benjen, Meet Jon
============CAT 2====================.==============|=======10==67===9==59=O$ $both nude
============ARYA 1==================.===============|========8==75===7==66=xO Meet Arya
============BRAN 2=================.================|=======10==85===9==75=* -1| * Yes, we cripple kids.
============TYRION 1==============.=================|========7==92===6==81=O^|3-
==========__JON 2______==========.==================|========6==96===5==86=O|4-
=========/====|========\========..................DANY 2====12=108==11==97=$X@!
========/=====|=========EDDARD 2====================|========9=117===8=105=|5- (...After dany married)
TYRION 2======|============|========================|=======10=127===9=114=O Enter Dragonlore
==|=========CAT 3__________|_______=================|=======10=137===9=123=O|6- Enter Dagger
==|===========|=========SANSA 1====\================|=======15=152==14=137=Ox@
==|===========|=========EDDARD 3====\===============|========7=159===6=143=O!
==|===......BRAN 3=========|=========\==============|========5=164===4=147=~^ crow dream
==|==.========|============|=====_____CAT 4=========|=======11=175==10=157=O@ Enter Littlefinger, Varys
JON 3=========|============|====/===================|=======14=189==13=170=Ox(bran is alive) Goodbye Benjen?
==|===========|=========EDDARD 4_===================|=======13=202==12=182=O$ -5| -6| Enter Pycelle $Brothel
TYRION 3__====|============|=====\==================|=======12=214==11=193=O Enter Lord Captain Mormont
==|=======\===|=========ARYA 2====\=================|=======11=225==10=203=Ox Enter Syrio
==|========\==|============|=======\====..........DANY 3=====9=234===8=211=Ox$~ $Drogo every night ~montage
==|=========BRAN 4_________|_______=\==.============|=======15=249==14=225=O Enter Hodor
==|===========|=========EDDARD 5===\=\.=============|========9=258===8=233=O |7-
JON 4=========|============|========\.\=============|=======13=271==12=245=Ox enter Sam
==|===========|=========EDDARD 6====.\=\============|=======11=282==10=255=O Enter Gendry
==|===========|============|=======.==CAT 5=========|=======10=292===9=264=* |8- Cliffhanger
==|===========|=========SANSA 2===.==.==|===========|=======12=304==11=275=X! X Tournament Enter the Mountain
==|===========|=========EDDARD 7=.==.===|===========|=======19=323==18=293=XO X Tournament Finale
==|===========|============|==...==.==TYRION 4======|=======15=337==14=307=XO! X Mountain Clans
==|===========|=========ARYA 3===..=====|===========|=======13=350==12=319=O (must happen after Dany pregnant)
==|===========|=========EDDARD 8...=====|===========|========8=358===7=326=O
==|===========|============|=======.==CAT 6=========|=======19=377==18=344=O$@ Enter Vale people
==|===========|====.....EDDARD 9====.===|===========|========7=384===6=350=O$X streefight (After Tyrion's capture)
==|===========|===.========|====.====...|.........DANY 4====11=395==10=360=0x@ @Vaes Dothrak (after EDD7)
==|=========BRAN 5=========|=====.======|===========|=======14=409==13=373=OX X Enter Osha (...after Jory dead)
==|===========|============|======.===TYRION 5======|=======14=423==13=386=0@ cliffhanger @Sky cells
==|===========|=========EDDARD 10==.====|===========|========7=430===6=392=O~ ~Tower of joy
==|===========|============|=======.==CAT 7=========|=======13=443==12=404=OX! -8| X BRONN Saves Tyrion
JON 5=========|============|=======.=/==|===========|========8=451===7=411=O Enter Maester Aemon
==|===========|============|=======./=TYRION 6======|=======10=461===9=420=O |9- Enter Shagga and crew
==|===========|=========EDDARD 11==/.========|======|=======10=471===9=429=O^ ^Rounding up a Posse
==|===========|=========SANSA 3===|==.=======|======|========8=479===7=436=O^ ^Time to pack up and Ned Figures it out.
==|===========|=========EDDARD 12=|===.......|======|========9=488===8=444=O -7|* * Did he really just do that?
==|===========|============|======|==========|====DANY 5====12=500==11=455=OX! -2|* X* Visc gets crowned
==|===========|=========EDDARD 13.|.........=|.=====|=======14=514==13=468=O |10-
JON 6=========|============|======|=========.|=.====|========8=522===7=475=O -4| Cliffhanger
==|====.......|.........EDDARD 14=|==========|==.===|========7=529===6=481=OX!* X* "I did warn you not to trust me"
==|===.=======|=========ARYA 4====|==========|.==.==|=======12=541==11=492=X!~ X Arya's first kill
==|==.========|====.....SANSA 4===|==========|=.==.=|=======10=551===9=501=O (Sansa sends letters...)
JON 7=========|===.========|======.\=========|==.==.|=======16=567==15=516=OX |11- X ( After Ned in jail)
==|=========BRAN 6=========|======.=\=BRAN 6=|===.==|=======15=582==14=530=O |12- Enter Northern Lords
==|===========|============|======.==\==|====|====DANY 6====12=594==11=544=OX^ X Mormont vs Wine Seller
==|===========|============|======.===CAT 8==|======|=======12=606==11=555=O@^ @Moat Cailin
==|===========|============|======.===TYRION 7======|=======11=617==10=565=O Enter Tywin, Kevin Lannister
==|====.......|.........SANSA 5==.======|===========|=======10=627===9=574=O
==|===.=======|=========EDDARD 15=======|===========|=======10=637===9=583=O~ (After Imp beat the rap)
==|==.========|============|==========CAT 9=========|=======14=651==13=596=O@ @Twins Enter Walder Frey
JON 8=========|============|============|===========|=======13=664==12=608=O Enter Longclaw (...Selmy fired)
==|===========|============|============|=========DANY 7====10=674===9=617=O$x! |13- Lamb men slaughter
==|===========|============|==========TYRION 8======|=======19=693==18=635=O$X! $Enter Shae XBattle of Green Fork
==|===========|============|==========CAT 10========|========8=701===7=642=OX X Battle of Whispering Woods
==|===========|============|============|=========DANY 8====14=715==13=655=OX~ "he fell off his horse"
==|===========|===.......ARYA 5....=====|===========|=======13=728==12=667=OX!*^ -10| Curse of Sean Bean
==|=========BRAN 7==.======.=====.=.====|===========|=======12=740==11=678=O~^ Green dreams sux0r
==|================.=====SANSA 6==.=.===|===========|=======10=750===9=687=O^ ^Sansa is alone
==|===.............================.=.==|=========DANY 9====11=761==10=697=O!~ Exit Drogo ~red magic
==|==.==============================.=TYRION 9======|=======10=771===9=706=O^ -9| ^Tyrion is the new hand
JON 9================================.==|===========|=======13=784==12=718=O^ -11| ^Jon stays at the wall
======================================CAT 11========|=======13=797==12=730=O@^ -12| @Riverrun King in the North
==================================================DANY 10===10=807===9=739=O^* -13| ^Dany has dragons[/font]

Phear my ascii fu.

[Smoldering Hound]

Assuming 1 min/page...and 12 episodes. That's 61 min/episode. ugh.

We can chop out bran 5 and 7 fairly effortlessly and gain 24 pages, which brings the total page count down to 715, and puts us as 59.5 pages per episode. Still a bit high, but whatever....Script pages and book pages are different.

The only problem then, is how bran 5 and 7 affects the orders of sections. Ah well, time to make a version with nothing cut! The preliminary cuts there have some obvious flaws... Let the fun begin.

[Smoldering Hound]

So Episode 1 is fairly painless. Drop Dany, Add Bran 2, and add the tower of joy flashback in the crypt...Enough for them to mention that willam darry took the targs to dragonstone, but the rest (aside from "promise me, ned") can be sacrificed to time. The main point of putting in that willam darry bit is so that before episode 2 it can be put in the "previously on Game of Thrones" to provide context for starting episode 2 with DANY 1.

NORTH=======WINTERFELL==MYSTERY=======WAR=========EAST=======P==TP==AP=ATP=Notes
Prologue____================================================12==12==10==10=X!!@ Enter Others @the wall
============BRAN 1===========================================9==21===8==18=O!@ |1- Enter Stark Crew, Ice @Winterfell
============CAT 1============================================6==27===5==23=O Enter Cat
============EDDARD 1===================.============|=======10==48===9==42=O~Enter Lannisters, King, Sandor ~tower of joy
============JON 1=====================.=============|========9==57===8==50=O Enter Benjen, Meet Jon
============CAT 2====================.==============|=======10==67===9==59=O$ $both nude
============ARYA 1==================.===============|========8==75===7==66=xO Meet Arya
============BRAN 2=================.================|=======10==85===9==75=* -1| * Yes, in this story, we cripple kids.

10+8+5+9+8+9+7+9=65 +4 pages.

2nd draft, we say to heck with tower of joy, and stick it at the begining of episode 2 along with the rest of the exposition at the beginning of dany 1, and skip a page and change of Jon's origin (the ashara dayne theory) to bring this down to +2 pages.

[Smoldering Hound]

Similarly, episode 12 works just fine as written, being the aftermath episode of the execution. Sansa provides the graphic reminder of what happened,
Dany 9 then resolves the cliffhanger from dany 8, and everything else is aftermath, with Dany 10 providing the coda that brings on the hunger for the next season.

==|================.=====SANSA 6==.=.===|===========|=======10=750===9=687=O^ ^Sansa is alone
==|===.............================.=.==|=========DANY 9====11=761==10=697=O!~ Exit Drogo ~red magic
==|==.==============================.=TYRION 9======|=======10=771===9=706=O^ -9| ^Tyrion is the new hand
JON 9================================.==|===========|=======13=784==12=718=O^ -11| ^Jon stays at the wall
======================================CAT 11========|=======13=797==12=730=O@^ -12| @Riverrun ^Rob is King in the North
==================================================DANY 10===10=807===9=739=O^* -13| ^Dany has dragons

9+10+9+12+12+9=61 +0pages

2nd draft, this stays the same

[Smoldering Hound]

Episode 2 now, well, Cat 3 is a lousy ending, but sansa 1 is huge, so the only real way to make it work is to shuffle down tyrion 2 and cat 3, and shuffle up sansa 1 and ned 3. Ending with a dead dog further makes this "not just another story!" Also Action, check. Sex/nudity? check. Slight change though. Putting the wedding between sansa1 and edd3 gives some time for the cliffhanger to, well, cliffhang. This can be fixed in ned 2 by slightly changing the tense of the line refering to the wedding.

[font="Courier New"]==============|=========================..........DANY 1====11==38==10==33=O|2- Enter Eastern crew, Drogo @Pentos
============TYRION 1==============.=================|========7==92===6==81=O^|3-
==========__JON 2______==========.==================|========6==96===5==86=O|4-
========/=====|=========EDDARD 2====================|========9=117===8=105=|5- (...Dany wedding)
==|===========|=========SANSA 1====\================|=======15=152==14=137=Ox@ cliffhanger Enter Ilyn Payne, Barristan, Renly @Ruby Ford
=========/====|========\========..................DANY 2====12=108==11==97=$X@! Enter Dany's girls, Dragon eggs $Dany's first time @Khal camp
==|===========|=========EDDARD 3====\===============|========7=159===6=143=O!

10+6+5+8+14+11+6=60 -1pages

ALT episode 2
This method stays closer to the book order.
==============|=========================..........DANY 1====11==38==10==33=O|2- Enter Eastern crew, Drogo @Pentos
============TYRION 1==============.=================|========7==92===6==81=O^|3-
==========__JON 2______==========.==================|========6==96===5==86=O|4-
=========/====|========\========..................DANY 2====12=108==11==97=$X@! Enter Dany's girls, Dragon eggs $Dany's first time @Khal camp
========/=====|=========EDDARD 2====================|========9=117===8=105=|5- (...Dany wedding)
==|===========|=========SANSA 1====\================|=======15=152==14=137=Ox@ cliffhanger Enter Ilyn Payne, Barristan, Renly @Ruby Ford
==|===========|=========EDDARD 3====\===============|========7=159===6=143=O!
[/font][font="Courier New"]10+6+5+8+14+11+6=60 -1pages[/font]

[Smoldering Hound]

For episode 3, we move cat to the top, and then every section works just fine for intercutting. We pass off aliser's training in jon3 and the fact that edd 4 is in a brothel to get in our requisite sex and violence. The cat3, cat4, edd 4 arc makes a good cat episode. Unfortunately, this is the shortest episode...57 pages...

==|=========CAT 3__________|_______=================|=======10=137===9=123=O|6- Enter Dagger
TYRION 2======|============|========================|=======10=127===9=114=O Enter Dragonlore
==|===......BRAN 3=========|=========\==============|========5=164===4=147=~^ crow dream
==|==.========|============|=====_____CAT 4=========|=======11=175==10=157=O@ Enter Littlefinger, Varys Meet Rodrick @Kings Landing
JON 3=========|============|====/===================|=======14=189==13=170=Ox(bran is alive) Goodbye Benjen? Enter Jon's crew, Ser Thorne
==|===========|=========EDDARD 4_===================|=======13=202==12=182=O$ -5| -6| Enter Pycelle $Brothel

9+9+4+10+13+12=57 -4pages

Second draft,when I tried to avoid going less than -1pages in any episode, episode 3 turned into the tyrion fest, with just enough Winterfell to explain why Robb was greeting tyrion without cat in BRAN 4. I'm not sure I like the complete lack of ned in this episode, but time constraints were a pain.

==|=========CAT 3__________|_______=================|=======10=137===9=123=O|6- Enter Dagger
TYRION 2======|============|========================|=======10=127===9=114=O Enter Dragonlore
==|===......BRAN 3=========|=========\==============|========5=164===4=147=~^ crow dream
JON 3=========|============|====/===================|=======14=189==13=170=Ox(bran is alive) Goodbye Benjen? Enter Jon's crew, Ser Thorne
TYRION 3__====|============|=====\==================|=======12=214==11=193=O Enter Lord Captain Mormont
==|=========BRAN 4_________|_______=\==.============|=======15=249==14=225=O Enter Hodor
-1

[Smoldering Hound]

For episode 4, we have some issues.
JON 4, our intro to Sam, has to lead an episode. Fortunately, it's not really connected, so it can be placed anywhere.
Dany 3 is also unconnected, but is removed more for arc reasons. making this the tyrion and investigation episode.

No sex, and the violence is limited to arya's dancing lesson, but it's a tyrion episode, and has one of the awesomeness scenes in it, so we'll let it slide.

TYRION 3__====|============|=====\==================|=======12=214==11=193=O Enter Lord Captain Mormont
==|=======\===|=========ARYA 2====\=================|=======11=225==10=203=Ox Enter Syrio
==|=========BRAN 4_________|_______=\==.============|=======15=249==14=225=O Enter Hodor
==|===========|=========EDDARD 5===\=\.=============|========9=258===8=233=O |7-
==|===========|============|=======.==CAT 5=========|=======10=292===9=264=* -3||8- Cliffhanger Enter Marillon, Bronn @THE INN * Did she really just do that?
==|===========|=========EDDARD 6====.\=\============|=======11=282==10=255=O Enter Gendry

11+10+14+8+9+10=62 +1 pages

Second draft, this becomes the Cat and kings landing episode:
==|==.========|============|=====_____CAT 4=========|=======11=175==10=157=O@ Enter Littlefinger, Varys Meet Rodrick @Kings Landing
==|===========|=========EDDARD 4_===================|=======13=202==12=182=O$ -5| -6| Enter Pycelle $Brothel
==|=======\===|=========ARYA 2====\=================|=======11=225==10=203=Ox Enter Syrio
==|========\==|============|=======\====..........DANY 3=====9=234===8=211=Ox$~ $Drogo every night ~montage
JON 4=========|============|========\.\=============|=======13=271==12=245=Ox enter Sam
==|===========|============|=======.==CAT 5=========|=======10=292===9=264=* -3||8- Cliffhanger Enter Marillon, Bronn @THE INN * Did she really just do that?
+0

[Smoldering Hound]

Episode 5 just rocks. Sex, violence, tournaments, and even arya doing some spying, dany 3 to arya 3 makes a good arc, and we
bump up tyrion 4 to provide a pause between the two days of tournament.

==|========\==|============|=======\====..........DANY 3=====9=234===8=211=Ox$~ $Drogo every night ~montage
==|===========|=========SANSA 2===.==.==|===========|=======12=304==11=275=X! X Tournament Enter the Mountain, Beric, Thoros, Jalabar Xho, Loras
==|===========|============|==...==.==TYRION 4======|=======14=337==13=307=XO! X Mountain Clans
==|===========|=========EDDARD 7=.==.===|===========|=======19=323==18=293=XO X Tournament Finale
==|===========|=========ARYA 3====.=====|===========|=======13=350==12=319=O (...Dany pregnant)

8+11+14+18+12=62 +1 pages

2nd draft puts arya 3 in the next episode, where, frankly, it belongs.
==|===========|=========EDDARD 5===\=\.=============|========9=258===8=233=O |7-
==|===========|============|==...==.==TYRION 4======|=======15=337==14=307=XO! X Mountain Clans
==|===========|=========EDDARD 6====.\=\============|=======11=282==10=255=O Enter Gendry
==|===========|=========SANSA 2===.==.==|===========|=======12=304==11=275=X! X Tournament Enter the Mountain, Beric, Thoros, Jalabar Xho, Loras
==|===========|=========EDDARD 7=.==.===|===========|=======19=323==18=293=XO X Tournament Finale
+0

[Smoldering Hound]

Episode 6 is a breather from 5, so we get some spectacle with cat and dany, while edd quits and gets in a fight, and Sam actually has his own arc (mostly jon pulling for him).
Jon 5 gets pulled up for time reasons.

JON 4=========|============|========\.\=============|=======13=271==12=245=Ox enter Sam
==|===========|=========EDDARD 8...=====|===========|========8=358===7=326=O
==|===========|============|====.==.==CAT 6=========|=======19=377==18=344=O$@ Enter Blackfish, Mya, Lysa and Rob $breastfeeding @the Gate, Vale, Eyrie
==|===========|===.========|======.==...|.........DANY 4====11=395==10=360=0x@ @Vaes Dothrak (...Can't have Mormont assassinate here)
==|===========|====.....EDDARD 9=.==.===|===========|========7=384===6=350=O$X cliffhanger $brothel X street fight (...Tyrion's capture)
JON 5=========|============|=======.=/==|===========|========8=451===7=411=O Enter Maester Aemon

12+7+18+10+6+7=60 -1pages

2nd draft basically replaces sam's entrance with arya's evesdropping, which is better at the top of the episode anyway
==|===========|=========ARYA 3====.=====|===========|=======13=350==12=319=O (...Dany pregnant)
==|===========|=========EDDARD 8...=====|===========|========8=358===7=326=O
==|===========|============|====.==.==CAT 6=========|=======19=377==18=344=O$@ Enter Blackfish, Mya, Lysa and Rob $breastfeeding @the Gate, Vale, Eyrie
==|===========|===.========|======.==...|.........DANY 4====11=395==10=360=0x@ @Vaes Dothrak (...Can't have Mormont assassinate here)
JON 5=========|============|=======.=/==|===========|========8=451===7=411=O Enter Maester Aemon
==|===========|====.....EDDARD 9=.==.===|===========|========7=384===6=350=O$X cliffhanger $brothel X street fight (...Tyrion's capture)
-1

[Smoldering Hound]

Episode 7, where SECRETS ARE REVEALED.
Also, Tyrion gets himself out of a jam.
Where possible, dream sequences should lead episodes, so that's why edd 10 gets bumped up
Cat 7 gets moved down because sansa 3 and edd 12 were a bit of an abrupt jump. Also good to have meaningfull battles at the end of an episode.


==|===========|=========EDDARD 10==.====|===========|========7=430===6=392=O~ ~Tower of joy
==|=========BRAN 5=========|=======.====|===========|=======14=409==13=373=OX X Enter Osha (...Jory dead)
==|===========|============|=======.==TYRION 5======|=======14=423==13=386=0@ cliffhanger @Sky cells
==|===========|=========EDDARD 11==/.========|======|=======10=471===9=429=O^ ^Rounding up a Posse
==|===========|=========SANSA 3===|==.=======|======|========8=479===7=436=O^ ^Time to pack up and Ned Figures it out.
==|===========|============|=======.==CAT 7=========|=======13=443==12=404=OX! -8| X BRONN Saves Tyrion

6+13+13+9+7+12=60 -1 page

Edit: While ending with Circei pulling out the arrogance card is cool, -6 pages is unacceptable. Putting bran 5 back in puts it second
Bronn's win is a good ending anyway.

2nd draft, in avoiding the plus 4 pages (except first episode), we end up with having the ned thread go from incopacitated to ned looking like he's running the show, and ending with the nightwatch vow. This ends up being the feel good episode that makes all the later episodes that much more horrifying.
==|=========BRAN 5=========|=======.====|===========|=======14=409==13=373=OX X Enter Osha (...Jory dead)
==|===========|=========EDDARD 10==.====|===========|========7=430===6=392=O~ ~Tower of joy
==|===========|============|=======.==TYRION 5======|=======14=423==13=386=0@ cliffhanger @Sky cells
==|===========|=========EDDARD 11==/.========|======|=======10=471===9=429=O^ ^Rounding up a Posse
==|===========|=========SANSA 3===|==.=======|======|========8=479===7=436=O^ ^Time to pack up and Ned Figures it out.
==|===========|=========EDDARD 12=|===.......|======|========9=488===8=444=O -7|* * Did he really just do that?
JON 6=========|============|======|=========.|=.====|========8=522===7=475=O -4| Cliffhanger
+2

[Smoldering Hound]

Climbing back up to episode 11
only change is to put dany 8 up first, on the "magic, flashbacks, and dreams go best up front" theory
Bran 7 is the exception that proves the rule.....

==|===========|============|============|=========DANY 8====14=715==13=655=OX~ cliffhanger X Chaos via "he fell off his horse" ~red magic
==|===========|============|==========TYRION 8======|=======19=693==18=635=O$X! $Enter Shae XBattle of Green Fork
==|===========|============|==========CAT 10========|========8=701===7=642=OX X Battle of Whispering Woods
==|===========|===.......ARYA 5....=====|===========|=======13=728==12=667=OX!*^ -10| X Ned dies ^Arya goes with Yoren (Ned's dead..)
==|=========BRAN 7==.======.=====.=.====|===========|=======12=740==11=678=O~^ ~Ned's in the crypt ^Green Dreams Sux0r

13+18+7+12+11=61 +0 pages


2nd draft, we put things back in author order.
==|===========|============|==========TYRION 8======|=======19=693==18=635=O$X! $Enter Shae XBattle of Green Fork
==|===========|============|==========CAT 10========|========8=701===7=642=OX X Battle of Whispering Woods
==|===========|============|============|=========DANY 8====14=715==13=655=OX~ cliffhanger X Chaos via "he fell off his horse" ~red magic
==|===========|===.......ARYA 5....=====|===========|=======13=728==12=667=OX!*^ -10| X Ned dies ^Arya goes with Yoren (Ned's dead..)
==|=========BRAN 7==.======.=====.=.====|===========|=======12=740==11=678=O~^ ~Ned's in the crypt ^Green Dreams Sux0r
+0

[Smoldering Hound]

For episode 8...the mystery thread works great: Confront the guilty, the king dies, the resolution goes awry.
The only problem is that visceris getting crowned really deserves to be at the end of an episode...ah well, Kings dying becomes the theme here.
Time tops out as the same time as the opening episode. Personally, I'd switch the dany 5 and jon 6, but defaulted to the way it was written instead.

==|===========|=========EDDARD 12=|===.......|======|========9=488===8=444=O -7|* * Did he really just do that?
==|===========|============|=======./=TYRION 6======|=======10=461===9=420=O |9- Enter Shagga and crew
==|===========|============|======|==========|====DANY 5====12=500==11=455=OX! -2|* X* Visc gets crowned
==|===========|=========EDDARD 13.|.........=|.=====|=======14=514==13=468=O |10-
JON 6=========|============|======|=========.|=.====|========8=522===7=475=O -4| Cliffhanger
==|====.......|.........EDDARD 14=|==========|==.===|========7=529===6=481=OX!* X* "I did warn you not to trust me"
==|===.=======|=========ARYA 4====|==========|.==.==|=======12=541==11=492=X!~ X Arya's first kill, Syrio schools Lannisters ~Crypt Flashback

2nd draft Spreading out the plus 4 pages turns this episode into the "plot twist, you don't want to miss" episode.
==|===========|============|=======.==CAT 7=========|=======13=443==12=404=OX! -8| X BRONN Saves Tyrion
==|===========|============|======|==========|====DANY 5====12=500==11=455=OX! -2|* X* Visc gets crowned
==|===========|=========EDDARD 13.|.........=|.=====|=======14=514==13=468=O |10-
==|====.......|.........EDDARD 14=|==========|==.===|========7=529===6=481=OX!* X* "I did warn you not to trust me"
==|===.=======|=========ARYA 4====|==========|.==.==|=======12=541==11=492=X!~ X Arya's first kill, Syrio schools Lannisters ~Crypt Flashback
==|==.========|====.....SANSA 4===|==========|=.==.=|=======10=551===9=501=O (Sansa sends letters...)
+1

8+9+11+13+7+6+11=65 +4

[Smoldering Hound]

These two episodes I left as written, not because I thought they'd work best as episodes in this order, but because I'm lazy. Besides, defaulting to "as written"
is a safe bet. the good: Sansa provides a shock while dany provides the violence in 9, while tyrion 7 in 10 reduces the talking head quotient in 9.

10 should be stolen by Walder Frey or he's cast wrong.

episode 9
==|==.========|====.....SANSA 4===|==========|=.==.=|=======10=551===9=501=O (Sansa sends letters...)
JON 7=========|===.========|======.\=========|==.==.|=======16=567==15=516=OX |11- X fight with wights in Lord Mormont's tower (...Edd in jail)
==|=========BRAN 6=========|======.=\=BRAN 6=|===.==|=======15=582==14=530=O |12- Enter Roose Bolton, Robet Glover, Maege Mormont, Greatjon Umber
==|===========|============|======.==\==|====|====DANY 6====12=594==11=544=OX^ X Mormont vs Wine Seller ^(...Assassination sent and rescinded)
==|===========|============|======.===CAT 8==|======|=======12=606==11=555=O@^ Enter Wylis and Wendel @Moat Cailin ^War news

9+15+14+11+11=60 -1page

episode 10
==|===========|============|======.===TYRION 7======|=======11=617==10=565=O Enter Tywin, Kevin Lannister
==|====.......|.........SANSA 5==.======|===========|=======10=627===9=574=O
==|===.=======|=========EDDARD 15=======|===========|=======10=637===9=583=O~ (...The Imp beat the rap) ~flashback harrenhal, tower of joy
==|==.========|============|==========CAT 9=========|=======14=651==13=596=O@ @Twins Enter Walder Frey
JON 8=========|============|============|===========|=======13=664==12=608=O Enter Longclaw (...Selmy removed from Kingsguard)
==|===========|============|============|=========DANY 7====10=674===9=617=O$x! |13- $rape xBattle Aftermath Enter Maegi Mirri Maz Dur

10+9+9+13+12+9=62 +1page

2nd draft goes back towards author order, and begins the final threads. Only problem with episode 10 is that dany 7 is kind of lame as a the end of an episode.

Episode 9
==|===========|============|=======./=TYRION 6======|=======10=461===9=420=O |9- Enter Shagga and crew
JON 7=========|===.========|======.\=========|==.==.|=======16=567==15=516=OX |11- X fight with wights in Lord Mormont's tower (...Edd in jail)
==|=========BRAN 6=========|======.=\=BRAN 6=|===.==|=======15=582==14=530=O |12- Enter Roose Bolton, Robet Glover, Maege Mormont, Greatjon Umber
==|===========|============|======.==\==|====|====DANY 6====12=594==11=544=OX^ X Mormont vs Wine Seller ^(...Assassination sent and rescinded)
==|===========|============|======.===CAT 8==|======|=======12=606==11=555=O@^ Enter Wylis and Wendel @Moat Cailin ^War news
-1

Episode 10
==|===========|============|======.===TYRION 7======|=======11=617==10=565=O Enter Tywin, Kevin Lannister
==|====.......|.........SANSA 5==.======|===========|=======10=627===9=574=O
==|===.=======|=========EDDARD 15=======|===========|=======10=637===9=583=O~ (...The Imp beat the rap) ~flashback harrenhal, tower of joy
==|==.========|============|==========CAT 9=========|=======14=651==13=596=O@ @Twins Enter Walder Frey
JON 8=========|============|============|===========|=======13=664==12=608=O Enter Longclaw (...Selmy removed from Kingsguard)
==|===========|============|============|=========DANY 7====10=674===9=617=O$x! |13- $rape xBattle Aftermath Enter Maegi Mirri Maz Dur
+1

[krakenblood]

[quote name='cybroleach' post='1601278' date='Nov 26 2008, 15.35']It doesn't seem to hard to me except Dany's and about half of Jon's. Winterfell and KL directly relate to each other.

If it were me personally shooting the series depending on how many epps are in total I'd split them up completely with little prelude and endings.
Epp 1 Start Prologue, then Winterfell, End, Bran falls
Epp 2 Start Ned goes south, Jon North, End at KL
Epp 3 Start Pentos, Dany get married, End kill Visaerys
Epp 4 Start Cat Winterfell, Cat Captures Tyrion, End Vale
Epp 5 Start Ned KL, hand's Tourney, End fight with Jaime
Epp 6 Start Dany, Attack on her life, End Drago's dies
Epp 7 Start Ned dream, Kl drama, Robert Dies
Epp 8 Start Bran Winterfell, coping with disability, Robb's army leaves
Epp 9 Start Cat vale, Tyrion's Trial, End reentering into Mts,
Epp 10Jon Training, Weights attack, End Gets Longclaw
Epp 11 Start Ned powerstruggle, End Sansa begs council for his life
Epp 12 Cat Returns North, Twins, End Battle of the Greenfork
Epp 13 Start March to Riverrun, battle of WW, End KL Ned dies, Sansa&Arya
Epp 14 Tyrion headed to KL, Dany raises Dragons, Jon prepares for the Fist, Bran gets message, Robb becomes King of the North

The last Epp is ment to tie all them in together. I'd see each epp started with alittle narriation that set it up using the prevous ones and end with the same narriation setting up next wks.[/quote]

Some of this seems a little rushed to me. Dany's wedding and Viserys getting crowned in the same episode? I think the viewer would need to see what happened to Dany and Viserys while traveling with the khalasar (e.g. The Cart King), to understand why Drogo kills Viserys, and why Dany allows it to happen. Also, Drogo dies towards the end of A Game of Thrones. Episode 5 seems to early for this.