HBO Is Taking Note

[SergioCQH]

In the Hollywood Reporter article announcing Lena Headey's casting, the "online interest" in the series was noted. Operating on the assumption that THR prints whatever HBO feeds them, this means HBO has noticed the online fandom eagerly anticipating the series.

[SwordoftheMorning]

I've stayed out of the discussions about a possible series cause I didn't really let myself believe it was gonna happen. But for the first time, I see a major daily newspaper (Chicago Tribune) entertainment editor giving major play to the pilot being filmed in Ireland starting in October

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/entertainment_tv/

Interest in the "Thrones" pilot is already at fever pitch: The blogs Winter Is Coming and Westeros have been following the casting avidly, and I can see why.

One "Thrones" fan asked me if this level of interest in a pilot that may not show up on TV for a year or more is normal. No, it's not. But Martin's book series tends to inspire a certain kind of deep and abiding loyalty, if not obsession.

What I find really interesting is that the avid interest in the pilot seems to have inspired her to read the books this summer.

Don't let the fantasy label put you off. This is a book series about human beings and how they respond to difficult challenges. But OK, there are knights, tournaments, battles, bawdy humor, spectacles and freaky creatures from the icy north. There are also deeply moving relationships and wonderfully detailed locales, all of which kept me turning hundreds of pages all summer.

I can just imagine her joining this board. That would be interesting to say the least. lol

In short, if this "Thrones" adaptation is at least as good as HBO's "Rome," I'll be glued to it. Here's where I inject the note of caution: At this point, "Thrones" is just a pilot and it has not yet been picked up to series. Fingers crossed that its every bit as good as Martin's many fans hope it will be and we spend 2010 obsessing about HBO's cool new show.

Yea... "King in the North, King in the North" got to her too. lol

Man, I am already pissed at all the newbies who are gonna be introduced to ASOIAF from TV and start throwing opinions around like they know what they are talking about. R+L = J Forever!

[Halfhand]

They mentioned it in their last casting report as well. "One of the more buzzed about titles" is the wording they used there.

EDIT: Yes, Mo Ryan has been reading the books recently. I think partially because of the pilot but also at the recommendation of TV Guide critic Matt Roush. Matt read the books way back when LoTR first hit the theaters since he was on a fantasy kick at the time. He loved them and has been following the project's progress in his Ask Matt articles since back when HBO first picked up the rights to the series. Recently he has been pushing his fellow critics into reading the books. Ryan was one, as was James Poniewozik from TIME. So we have Matt to thank for a lot of these critics getting on board with the series and helping to build up buzz.

[Black Wizard]

Man, I am already pissed at all the newbies who are gonna be introduced to ASOIAF from TV and start throwing opinions around like they know what they are talking about. R+L = J Forever!

You just know that the average IQ of the board will drop by about 30 points when the series gets going.

[Lady Lannister]

It's great Mo Ryan is pimping it but she hasn't read the books. No way anyone who's read them would describe Cersei in positive terms.

[Halfhand]

She's read the first 3. So yeah, she hasn't gotten to see the worst of Cersei's character yet.

[Ran]

She definitely has read them .. at least AGoT.

And there's plenty of people who've read the series who feel Cersei is smart, cunning, and devious.

[The Anti-Targ]

TV critics reading the source material could backfire. Knowing how much uberfans are going to shriek at some of the changes these critics turned book fans may well rate the series down because of their personal dislike of changes made for the series. When if they had never read the source material they may give it a better review.

2-edged sword possibly.

[Padraig]

TV critics reading the source material could backfire. Knowing how much uberfans are going to shriek at some of the changes these critics turned book fans may well rate the series down because of their personal dislike of changes made for the series. When if they had never read the source material they may give it a better review.

I think its better for them to be passionate for the series than think its just another new TV show. :) Besides, critics should be very familiar with how Hollywood works. I can't see how they could get fixated with the idea that little should be changed. Maybe 1 will be annoyed but that still leaves you with a lot of happy critics. :)

[Not another Stark]

Man, I am already pissed at all the newbies who are gonna be introduced to ASOIAF from TV and start throwing opinions around like they know what they are talking about. R+L = J Forever!

Been there, done that.

Yeah, being a Tolkien fan in early 2000s was "interesting".

[trio]

Well, if they really are taking note......*clears throat*

CHARLES DANCE!!!

;)

[TK-421]

I too was surprised by the so-called online buzz that the Chicago Tribune was referring to. While, I am relatively new to this forum, I have been around other boards on GRRM for some time (please be gentle). Anywho, I am getting HBO as soon as they announce the airing date.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

Ran,

She definitely has read them .. at least AGoT.

And there's plenty of people who've read the series who feel Cersei is smart, cunning, and devious.

I think Cersei's problem is she is fairly paranoid on top of "Smart, cunning, and devious." It served her well early in the game. It hurt her significantly in AFfC.

Trio,

Well, if they really are taking note......*clears throat*

CHARLES DANCE!!!

He is Tywin.

[Wyglaaf]

TV critics reading the source material could backfire. Knowing how much uberfans are going to shriek at some of the changes these critics turned book fans may well rate the series down because of their personal dislike of changes made for the series. When if they had never read the source material they may give it a better review.

2-edged sword possibly.

You may be right, but the critics I know are generally able to accept a work (adaptaition, remake, whatever) on it's own terms without being informed too heavily by the source material. They are going to be critiquing the TV series (or pilot) on it's own merit, not how well or how poorly the series was adapted from the books.

Just want to agree 110% with "Not Another Stark", being a LotR fan in 2000 was excruciating for someone having re-read the books almost yearly since high school, he-heh.

ETA: P.S. I just found this board while I was online looking for potential release dates for a certain hoped for sooner than eventually book by another author with four initials (is that topic taboo here? lol). I hope to do my part in "lowering the general IQ" hereabouts. :-P

[Anya, Vengeance Demon]

You just know that the average IQ of the board will drop by about 30 points when the series gets going.

Clearly the time to start acting superior to hypothetical fans of the TV series is now. What a bunch of maroons they'll be. I bet they won't know who Lord Commander Qorgyle was, or even which of the houses in the riverlands still follow the old gods.

[iheartseverus]

Clearly the time to start acting superior to hypothetical fans of the TV series is now. What a bunch of maroons they'll be.

:lol:

[Piper]

I think Cersei's problem is she is fairly paranoid on top of "Smart, cunning, and devious." It served her well early in the game. It hurt her significantly in AFfC.

I know this isn't the right part of the forum for this, but

SPOILER: AFfC

I don't know that its precisely paranoia. There are people she trusts, and trusts with vital secrets. She trusts the Kettleblacks, she trusts Aurane Waters, she trusts Taena Merryweather, she trusts Qyborn. Littlefinger as well. If anything she trusts these people too much.

Her problem, I think, is more arrogance than paranoia. The people she should be trusting but doesn't, Jaime and Kevan mainly, are the ones who insult her in some way. Kevan doesn't think she's up to ruling, so she gives him the boot. Jaime no longer finds her attractive, a grave insult to Cersei, so she starts to cut him out. She hates Tryrels because with Margery wooing Tommen and Mace throwing out ideas for a new Hand, they're undercutting her perceived right as absolute ruler of the realm.

The people she trusts that I mentioned above, she trusts because they flatter her, either in her ability to rule or in her beauty or both, and don't make obvious threats to her power.

[ChaChaCha]

woohoooooo

lena headey is the hotness

[Sable899]

Man, I am already pissed at all the newbies who are gonna be introduced to ASOIAF from TV and start throwing opinions around like they know what they are talking about. R+L = J Forever!

I don't post much but this little bit stirred up some anger in me. I run a site for Sean Bean and have experienced a lot of people coming to our forums when they first see him in a Sharpe film. They may never have read a book or seen All 17 of the films, but they usually do have opinions, uneducated opinions, but nevertheless they have their own opinions. I am expecting another draft of new members once they see Sean as Ned Stark. One of the tasks that I took on when I took over that site was to ensure that nobody was every castigated for never having read the Bernard Cornwell books or for never having seen all of the Sharpes. Another task was to ensure that anyone who wanted to learn more was encouraged to ask questions, no matter how stupid, and be sure that they would be treated with respect and courtesy. When they throw around uninformed opinions, it is better to simply educate them gently than to cause yourself to look like some sort of arrogant arsehole who thinks he knows it all and takes joy in causing others to feel bad about their ignorance of a particular subject.

Be certain that this series IS going to bring a lot of "newbies" to these boards as well as boards for fans of the actors. However, I would hope that everyone here will be courteous and respectful. Consider it an opportunity to educate the illiterate masses and perhaps encourage a young person to actually pick up a book and read it. Ragging on someone because they are less knowledgeable about ASOIAF will only cause a lot of hurt and contempt and in the end will hurt this forum as new members will be driven away.

[tzanth]

It's great Mo Ryan is pimping it but she hasn't read the books. No way anyone who's read them would describe Cersei in positive terms.

I've read them. Several times over. Cersei is my favorite character.

You just know that the average IQ of the board will drop by about 30 points when the series gets going.

I'm a bit worried about this too. This is the only internet forum I've ever spent much time on, but I have seen a few others. I hope the dynamic in Genchat doesn't change much... :unsure: