WOOF! WOOF!

[About Yea High]

I think most of the Sandor / Sansa "shippers" (God, I love that term; my immortal thanks to the interwebs) are more than likely looking down the road rather than in the here and now.

Sansa is cast at age 13, Sandor at 35. They don't have their strange and pivotal kiss until the end of season 2; Sansa would be 14, Sandor 36. Still creepy, as I think it's meant to be.

However, if we're going with the assumption (hope) that Game of Thrones lasts a full seven seasons, then at endgame (again - assuming a lot) Sansa is 20 and Sandor is 42.

Then it becomes extremely dysfunctional rather than creepy.

I'm still not certain dysfunctional is what we want either ... but saying there is no romance implied between Sansa and the Hound is a little like putting blinders on. I still think there's plenty of foreshadowing to argue for it.

Do I think it will end well? No. This is my personal speculation ... (NO PROOF, just SPECULATION) but I think

SPOILER: ASoIaF

Sansa will achieve all that Littlefinger is setting up for her; I think she, not Dany, will be the more beautiful queen (Queen In The North?) that will ruin Cersei ... I think Cersei will send UnGREGOR after her and I think the Hound will come out of religious retirement to take his rightful vengeance and kill his brother. I think Sandor will then die in her arms. Tragic!

I don't think most of the Sansa / Sandor fans think it will end well either.

Also, fitheach: I know you're down about the Sandor casting, but for me he (as a no-name) stole a scene from (an admittedly bad) Colin Farrel in Alexander. I think he can do plenty with his eyes - and that's what we need in our Hound. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

ETA: Spoilers dealt with.

[Morrigan]

I'm still not certain dysfunctional is what we want either ... but saying there is no romance implied between Sansa and the Hound is a little like putting blinders on. I still think there's plenty of foreshadowing to argue for it.

I'm not saying it's impossible, but there's nothing to indicate that it will go beyond Sansa's warped fantasies. Sandor is a symbol of what she has learned to fear and hate all her life, and he acts as a sort of foil. That doesn't mean they'll have a goddamn relationship.

[fitheach]

Also, fitheach: I know you're down about the Sandor casting, but for me he (as a no-name) stole a scene from (an admittedly bad) Colin Farrel in Alexander. I think he can do plenty with his eyes - and that's what we need in our Hound. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

ETA: Spoilers dealt with.

Well, I'm being very cautious on this one I know. I mean, I was pushing for an actor with less experience than McCann so I shouldn't be so harsh.

I'll have to look the scene up again, but I really don't want to watch any more of that film than I have to. :tantrum:

Someone should compile a Rory McCann video of his best work to win over the sceptics, don't have it in me to do it myself though.

[JeriMarie]

If George thinks of the Sandor as Ron Perlman...and Ron Perlman sorts of looks like Tom Waits...how about Tom Waits for the Hound? :lol:

Well, he could do the "rocks grating together" voice, at least.

Maybe Ron was GRRM's inspiration for the Hound? Since Ron was the Beast in Beauty and the Beast, and Sandor/Sansa relationship is very comparable to Beauty and the Beast.

[JeriMarie]

Rory does have the physical appearance of Sandor. But I am not completely sold on him being Sandor. To me, he looks more the part of Hodor. And apparently, Hodor has been cast according to GRRM's latest blog entry.

[The white rabbit]

I think that Hodor is not in the pilot.

I could be wrong, but as far as I remeber the books..

[Fate's Bitch]

Rory does have the physical appearance of Sandor. But I am not completely sold on him being Sandor. To me, he looks more the part of Hodor. And apparently, Hodor has been cast according to GRRM's latest blog entry.

One of the clues pointing to McGann was "The dog is green". He's definitely the Hound rather than Hodor.

[About Yea High]

Hodor has not been cast because he's not in the pilot. We should see Hodor in episode 2.

I understand there is a desire to see the entire Winterfell cast of characters from the get-go, but I personally wouldn't mind a few "intros" held off until the second show, Hodor especially.

I think we'll see Old Nan in episode 2 as well. Some have suggested that her character might be merged with Septa Mordane's ... though ...

SPOILER: ASOIAF

The Septa's head ends up on Joffrey's wall, and as far as we know, Old Nan is still kicking--though likely held in the Dreadfort.

I personally think Old Nan still has some story left in her, and may be a relatively important player in the future. Especially due to her knowledge / connection to Hodor.

[Richie]

Yesterday I saw the Heroes and Villains episode starring McCann as Attila the Hun and I must say I quite liked him. I didn't expect that much but I was pleased with his performance, it wasn't the most demanding role ever but I think he showed some good range and I actually think his performance had some Hound-ish qualities to it. :) Those who see McCann more as Hodor should check him out as Attila, he's quite threatening and "scary" at times.

And, as have been said before, Gareth Edwards who was responsible for the visual effects (and also directed) produced something remarkable considering the circumstances. This is the type of thing David & Dan should be looking for in terms of effects. You can produce some really cool and good effects without a big Hollywood budget, effects which at least are quite good for a television show.

[Jonathan]

It's true Ron does look a bit old for a Sandor, but i hope you girls aren't expecting Hugh Jackman? He's suppose to be ugly and repulsive, you'll have to find it in your hearts to love an ugly man, Sansa did :smug:

[Brude]

I have a feeling that we'll see Hodor in the background of the first episode when it airs, but it may be that they won't actually cast him now. There are ways to get him in there with inserts later on - shots of him around the castle that are not done at the same time as shooting the pilot. It wouldn't take much, just a shot or two of him to set him up as someone around the castle for later episodes when he becomes more of a character (to whatever extent you can actually call Hodor a "character").

Honestly, of all the things in the books, Hodor is the thing I worry about most not translating to the screen. He's really odd and...I just don't know if he's going to work. And it's not a small thing because he's pretty much in every scene that Bran is in once we get to the point where Bran wakes up. He's going to be on the show a long while.

[daimonion]

It's true Ron does look a bit old for a Sandor, but i hope you girls aren't expecting Hugh Jackman? He's suppose to be ugly and repulsive, you'll have to find it in your hearts to love an ugly man, Sansa did :smug:

I honestly think he is borderline handsome. And it seems about right for the Hound - he really shouldn't be all that good looking.

Then again, i'm a guy.

[fireface]

It's true Ron does look a bit old for a Sandor, but i hope you girls aren't expecting Hugh Jackman? He's suppose to be ugly and repulsive, you'll have to find it in your hearts to love an ugly man, Sansa did :smug:

It was just his burnt side that was repulsive, Sansa comments that his right side is okay, not ugly not beautiful.

I'll be happy as long as the actor is in his late 20's-ish. But this is personal, I look young and get a lot of 40ish pedophiles looking/offering to buy me cookies. So I am pretty anti guys over 30. Anyway...

And acts great for the part, obviously.

[fitheach]

It was just his burnt side that was repulsive, Sansa comments that his right side is okay, not ugly not beautiful.

I'll be happy as long as the actor is in his late 20's-ish. But this is personal, I look young and get a lot of 40ish pedophiles looking/offering to buy me cookies. So I am pretty anti guys over 30. Anyway...

And acts great for the part, obviously.

I wouldn't hold my breath.. They're ageing up characters and Sandor was in his late 20's in the novels. So, the character will be in his mid to late 30's on the show.

Remember, an actor (not actual person ;-o) at 45 can look 35...

Also, as a chick speaking- I don't think Ron Perlman is an ugly dude. He has character look and I wouldn't call him a leading man, but he isn't ugly. It's like Clancy Brown, has a character look but not leading man... Although personally I find Clancy Brown handsome.

[daimonion]

I'll be happy as long as the actor is in his late 20's-ish.

Uh.... You must be rather dissapointed with Rory, then. He's 40.

But then again, Sansa is cast by a 15 year old, so it might not matter?

[AxB]

Not been on the boards a while (or actually have that many posts come to think of it), but I did choose McCann in one of the Hound casting threads a few months ago. So I'm now one of the three or four people who predicted an actual casting. Yay me.

He was excellent in the Book Group. It's a sitcom set in Glasgow, he plays a paraplegic gym employee. Co-starring James Lance, who's role in No Heroics would make a good audition for playing the Red Viper (nb: James Lance is one of those actors who could play any role in any film and make it good).

[Wyglaaf]

It's true Ron does look a bit old for a Sandor, but i hope you girls aren't expecting Hugh Jackman? He's suppose to be ugly and repulsive, you'll have to find it in your hearts to love an ugly man, Sansa did :smug:

...hang on, let me get my flameproof suit on before I post this...

Ok, I've read these books several times over and I have to admit that the idea of a lovey-dovey relationship between The Hound and Sansa never occured to me in a thousand years. Sure, there's pity - Sansa can't help but be a sweetheart, it's innate in her, she's been bred to be all courtesy and like that. No doubt she'd try to find the "good" in as many around her as she can, she is grasping to make sense of her now-upside-down world after all. But I honestly never read anything to make me believe that there's love blooming there (sure, he gets all drunk and maudlin with the "little bird" weirdness, but a reciprocal love-love relationship? /shrug). I know you girls just love to pine for the "bad boy" but this is just weird, lol...

Happy to receive some elucidating passages to change my mind though.

[daimonion]

Yeah. Even GRRM himself was quite surprised with that interpretation. But i have to agree. Theres definately some sexual tension going on there - like it or not. Probably more from Sansa, than from Sandor - still, though. He is definately drawn to her - and he even wanted to save her at one point - offering her to ride away with him (*female sigh....*) she refused, yet still dreamed about him kissing her.

I think its a slightly uncomfortable - yet still compelling, and awfully romantic story. And i hope they keep it the way it is in the tv-series.

[ladyclegane]

I too have been absent from the boards for quite sometime and I am happy to be back although I think I'll be doing more reading than posting. I am sooooo excited about this pilot, I can't stand it. And of course, I'm reading the books again.

The Hound has always been my favorite supporting character - no, i bet u didn't guess - haha- anywhoo, i think I like this Rory guy. I support that he should not be handsome... but just be contrary... because he's among my faves I did want him to be decent looking. And I think Rory is decent looking.

I support the unGregor idea. I dont' ever think it was meant for them to fall in love. I did not know that GRRM had said he was surprised by that theory until daimonion's post. That's very telling, isn't it? I think he'll die in her service or at least doing something somewhat heroic. And I say somewhat because it's not very realistic for someone like Sandor to do a complete turn around and I think that GRRM is really keen on understanding, not just his characters, but human nature and different personalities.

Yay, Rory. he's Scottish... that's going to be funny...

just picture a thick scottish accent, "if you believe that you're as empty-headed as a bird for true"

... LOL!

[Brighid]

Found this a while ago, it's a nice collection of Sansa/Sandor scenes, maybe helpful for those looking for evidence of the much-debated "romantic" element between the two:

http://community.livejournal.com/sansaxsandor/1977.html