My doubts about the directors.

[Cimon]

The episodes of "Rome" directed by Van Patten were shitty, on the other hand. I just looked 'em up on IMDB.

:eek: How can you not like the first episode of Season 2? That's one of my absolute favourites, and given Van Patten's other credentials, I'm stoked to see him on board.

[Werthead]

Roger Allam is at least as well known as Ian McNeice, and probably a bigger name as he's done more important supporting roles in major films. He's one of those people you see all the time and say, "oh yeah, THAT guy, he's great." Just compare his credits to that of McNeice. Hey, I would have loved McNeice in the role, too, he's perfect for it, but Allam is at least an equivalent replacement.

If you take into consideration TV, Allam's recurring stint on Ashes to Ashes last year also gives him more screen recognition over here than McNeice. McNeice is probably slightly more familiar to American audiences from his role on Rome and his playing of Baron Harkonnen though, but there's not much in it.

Certainly I thought, "Shit!" when McNeice left and then breathed a sigh of relief when Allam was announced as his replacement.

Losing Ehle was a big blow. She should have absolutely owned that role. I've since caught Fairley's role in Best and Misfits and she is a very good actress, so that appears to have worked out. Still, I'd have liked to have seen Ehle in the series (she'd also have made a great Cersei, as discussed a lot previously).

[AxB]

She was in Misfits? Oh, he'd have been Nathan's Mum. She was good in that.

Speaking of Misfits (Series 2 starts on Thursday), I spent the whole of the first three episodes thinking how much Nathan looked like Dexter Fletcher. And then in the fourth ep, his Dad showed up, played by Dexter Fletcher. Smart casting.

[MirriMaz]

I wouldn't say that Ehle and Fairly are that different in terms of star power, they are both practically unknown to the majority of people. Also from the teaser Fairly as Catelyn looks amazing and in my head out of all of the cast she looks closest to what I imagined her.

Edit: Looking at their Wikipedia pages, Ehle actually has been in more high profile movies "The others, Hideous Kinky and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows".

[Ran]

Yes, Ehle is certainly better known to those who are fans of cinema or theatre. She has been in more high profile work. So in terms of name draw, she's better than Fairley ... but it's a rather marginal difference, I expect, in terms of the total awareness of the series.

[Brude]

I wouldn't say that Ehle and Fairly are that different in terms of star power, they are both practically unknown to the majority of people. Also from the teaser Fairly as Catelyn looks amazing and in my head out of all of the cast she looks closest to what I imagined her.

Edit: Looking at their Wikipedia pages, Ehle actually has been in more high profile movies "The others, Hideous Kinky and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows".

Ehle actually would have brought with her a sizable female fan base from the "Pride & Prejudice" mini-series she did and from Possession, both of which have pretty sizable followings (especially P&P, though I think it's largely the same audience for both). P&P was a pretty big deal when it ran on PBS in the States - it's one of the most popular mini-series they ever ran and also really helped propel Colin Firth's career.

She also has two Tony Awards, which doesn't carry over into ratings, generally, but does lend significant cache to anything she does from here on out. She's definitely a bigger star and it was a shame to lose her for those reasons, but by all accounts Fairly is a very fine actress (still never seen her in anything), so as long as she pulls off the role well, I'm good with it.

[Blaine]

Wait, someone doubts Tim Van Patton's directing ability? No offense to Tom McCarthy, but that's sort of insane. Van Patton has a pretty awesome track record. As a matter of fact, the only TV director I'd trust more than him to turn in an awesome show is Alan Taylor, who is also directing two episode of Game of Thrones.

The rest of this actor concern is a lot of worry over nothing. They wouldn't cast someone if no one liked him/her. And there's no one person who's the only good fit for a role (with the exception of Dinklage, who is already cast)

[Ser_not_appearing_yet]

I'm actually much happier with Van Patton as a director than McCarthy.

Not that McCarthy has bad credentials as a director, but he's never done anything like GOT (in regards to managing a huge cast and multiple plotlines). In terms of experience, Van Patton is a surer option.

[Timbits]

She was in Misfits? Oh, he'd have been Nathan's Mum. She was good in that.

Speaking of Misfits (Series 2 starts on Thursday), I spent the whole of the first three episodes thinking how much Nathan looked like Dexter Fletcher. And then in the fourth ep, his Dad showed up, played by Dexter Fletcher. Smart casting.

I can't wait for season 2. It's a shame that the seasons are so short though, only 6 episodes

[Songlian]

I disagree with Ehle being the better choice Fairley. Ehle might be more famous, but she strikes me as an actress who's more likely to play softer roles, whereas Fairley has a toughness about her that suits Catelyn much better in my opinion.

[awesome possum]

I also thought Tom McCarthy sounded better. IMO, it's kind of pathetic how they went from having actors like Jamie Campbell Bower, Jennifer Ehle and Ian McNeice, to having absolute nobodies.

To Americans, who will likely make up the bulk of the viewing audience for this show, everyone but Sean Bean and Lena Headey are nobodies. Seriously. The average viewing audience might recognize Mark Addy as "that fat guy from A Knights Tale" or Peter Dinklage as "that midget from Elf" but won't otherwise have a clue. Even Sean Bean will likely be, "Hey it's Boromir" and Lena Headey, "Hey, it's the hot wife from 300/Sarah Connor."

You know what other HBO shows was cast with mostly nobodies? Oh.... almost every single one! Was James Gandolfini well known before The Sopranos? Was Ian McShane well known before Deadwood? Kevin McKidd, Ray Stevenson, and James Purefoy before Rome? Stephen Moyer and Alexander Skarsgaard before True Blood? Etc. Etc. Etc.

The thing about HBO shows, which others have already pointed out, is that the show makes the star, not the other way around. This isn't network television, where star power needs to help get a series off the ground. HBO shows are known for quality production and quality acting and as a result, stars are made.

Basically, I see no validity in this gripe. Especially since, unless you're some type of film buff- and an English film/pop culture buff at that- you have no clue who the hell Jamie Campbell Bower, Jennifer Ehle and Ian McNeice are in the first place.

[Maltaran]

Ian McShane was well known in Britain as Lovejoy, but your point is well made.

[williamjm]

Ian McShane was well known in Britain as Lovejoy, but your point is well made.

I think anyone watching Deadwood having previously only seen McShane in Lovejoy would get quite a shock. Part of the shock being that McShane could actually act.

[Brude]

To Americans, who will likely make up the bulk of the viewing audience for this show, everyone but Sean Bean and Lena Headey are nobodies. Seriously. The average viewing audience might recognize Mark Addy as "that fat guy from A Knights Tale" or Peter Dinklage as "that midget from Elf" but won't otherwise have a clue. Even Sean Bean will likely be, "Hey it's Boromir" and Lena Headey, "Hey, it's the hot wife from 300/Sarah Connor."

Actually, Mark Addy had a reasonably successful sit-com on American TV for 4 years, Still Standing; not a well regarded show, though - I never saw it, but I hear it was pretty bad. (What little I saw reminded me of "When the Whistle Blows," the horrible sit-com within the show on Rickey Gervais' "Extras.") For a lot of people this show caused consternation when they heard Addy was playing Robert because they could only imagine him in this role - they didn't know him from other work like Red Riding or The Order/The Sin Eater, where he's been very, very good in serious roles.

The bigger point you make about the other actors being largely unknown like Gandolfini, McShane, McKidd, Stevenson, Purefoy, etc., etc. I agree with, though. None of these people had any sort of following in the States except probably for McShane, since Lovejoy ran on PBS for quite a while and was popular, so far as shows on PBS go (which isn't a very big audience compared to most networks). Gandolfini was a pretty recognizable character actor in many movies, but he wasn't someone with any name recognition. For him to have landed the lead on The Sopranos was a huge coup for his career, akin to Bob Hoskins landing the lead in "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" (very similar career trajectories before both break-out roles). I think Gandolfini's most famous roles before the Sopranos were as the guy Patricia Arquette beats the hell out of in the motel room in "True Romance" and as the stuntman/leg breaker Chilli Palmer befriends in "Get Shorty." Both memorable, but ultimately small supporting performances.

I think anyone watching Deadwood having previously only seen McShane in Lovejoy would get quite a shock. Part of the shock being that McShane could actually act.

I keep hearing this, which is strange because Lovejoy is so well regarded in the States and McShane's work in it, too. I've only seen a few episodes of it, but I thought he was great from what I saw. Wert was saying somewhere that by the later seasons he started phoning it in, so maybe I just missed that.

[smegma]

Yeah I knew of Gandolfini before the Sopranos (huge True Romance fan), I love Ehle in P & P, adore Dinklage in everything he's done, I'm a Sean Bean fanatic, indifferent but very aware of Lena Headey (liked her in 300, never watched Sarah Connor), Aiden Gillen is amazing in The Wire (admittedly I didn't know who he was until after he was cast, which was while I was watching the Wire - but definitely would have tuned in to AGOT on HBO for him), I fell in love with Purefoy in A Knight's Tale, etc. While I may be more film/television literate than the average American, we do exist.

Also, I just have to add that Mark Addy's show Still Standing is simply, and without a doubt, the worst show I have ever seen - the fact that it ran for as long as it did boggles my mind. I gave it a shot cause I liked Jamie Gertz but good lord, it's unbearable. When I heard he'd been cast as Robert I almost shit my pants - til I found out he had a much more impressive body of work other than that horrible show.

But anyway, people will watch it if word of mouth is good, HBO has a great track record, and if the quality remains high while not being too expensive.

[Bronn Stone]

I would disagree with those who suggest that Allam is a bigger name in the US than McNeice.

But it is also irrelevant. The role is Illyrio Mopatis. It is a small, small part. Barring some enormous change to the story, he'll be around for Daenerys' wedding and one brief meeting with Varys. Stego could do it and the overall show would hardly be affected.

[AxB]

Kevin McKidd

He was in Trainspotting, which was the big youth film of the 90s (in England). He might have become a much bigger star off the back of it, if only he'd stayed around long enough to be in the poster campaign (he went on holiday right after the film wrapped, and therefore didn't get to be on the posters... but those things were everywhere in '95. Probably the second most copied-in-other-media movie poster behind the Usual Suspects, too). His co-stars who stayed and were on the posters were the then barely known Ewan McGregor, Robert Carlyle, Jonny Lee Miller (who didn't become a huge movie star, but did get to marry Angelina Jolie for a bit), Kelly McDonald and Ewen Bremner (who's next film role was in the Stallone Judge Dredd, of all things).

Ian McNeice was in the remake of Day of the Dead. Because if Running Zombies weren't bad enough, now here's Zombies with Superpowers!

[Werthead]

I disagree with Ehle being the better choice Fairley. Ehle might be more famous, but she strikes me as an actress who's more likely to play softer roles, whereas Fairley has a toughness about her that suits Catelyn much better in my opinion.

Ehle was quite tough-minded in Pride & Prejudice and exceptionally ruthless and conniving in The Camomile Lawn, where she was basically playing a slightly saner WW2 British high society version of Cersei. Very impressive performance, especially given it was her first television role, and a shame she's better-known (and probably typecast, to an extent) for P&P. She could play either Cersei or Catelyn in her sleep, IMO.

Given that she parted from the project on good terms and has bigged it up a few times on Twitter, it would seem to be that the workload was incompatible with her status as a new mother rather than any performance issues.

[williamjm]

I keep hearing this, which is strange because Lovejoy is so well regarded in the States and McShane's work in it, too. I've only seen a few episodes of it, but I thought he was great from what I saw. Wert was saying somewhere that by the later seasons he started phoning it in, so maybe I just missed that.

It's possible that I'm being unfair on it since it has been such a long time since it was on, and I probably didn't really watch it properly anyway, it was just a show my Mum had on in the background sometimes when I was a child.

[Brude]

Also, I just have to add that Mark Addy's show Still Standing is simply, and without a doubt, the worst show I have ever seen - the fact that it ran for as long as it did boggles my mind.

I am guessing that you are not quite old enough to have endured a few minutes of

, then?