How will the TV series deal with R+L=J?

[tzanth]

I was just thinking that a lot of the hints we get in the books might not lend themselves to well to being depicted in film. I feel like hints dropped in TV tend to be more explicit, simply due to the fact they have a lot less "screen time" to deal with and the need to be conscious about what is included/excluded. Basically, any R+L=J stuff they chose to emphasize is going to be pretty obvious to anyone familiar with the books

I guess my question is how will they deal with all the back story? Flashbacks seem like they would be pretty heavy handed...

[jurble]

Scene-cuts. Like, for example, they could have Robert say "Rhaegar won, damn it" and the next scene immediately is Jon Snow doing somefin.

[tzanth]

Scene-cuts. Like, for example, they could have Robert say "Rhaegar won, damn it" and the next scene immediately is Jon Snow doing somefin.

So do you think that the series will choose to actively emphasize the whole Lyanna backstory? I mean, there are many other things they could focus on with regards to foreshadowing and scene-cuts...

[Jaime L]

I guess my question is how will they deal with all the back story? Flashbacks seem like they would be pretty heavy handed...

I'm not sure why they would be though. I mean, half of Ned's chapters are flashbacks. His memories serve as the backbone for our understanding of everything that came before and how we got to this point. Some of this can be revealed through dialogue with Robert in the crypts but otherwise we're going to need to see these memories visually portrayed. Heck even in the conversation with Robert I'd like to see a visual of him smashing Rhaegar in the Trident because it is the kind of stirring visual of which epic fantasy series are based.

That said, I think they'll be of the quick cut variety, repeatedly flashing back to Lyanna's "Promise me, Ned" and confronting the Kingsguard outside the Tower of Joy. I don't think you even need to give these memories context but each time Ned flashes back, a little more is revealed.

[JungianQueen]

In my mind, something similar to Fellowship of the Rings would be pretty cool (i.e. the beginning where they go into the history of the ring, etc.) I don't know. Chances are, they'll cut back on some backstory until it becomes more urgent to the present story. But, having characters just "talk" about backstory is always less engaging than actually seeing it in some form.

[Padraig]

Chances are, they'll cut back on some backstory until it becomes more urgent to the present story.

Yes. This seems most likely to me. I don't expect people to figure out who Jon's parents are after watching GoT, unlike reading aGoT. Given we haven't found out for sure yet after 4 books, hinting at it isn't that important. They'll have plenty other things to focus on in S1.

The only flashback (really a dream) that I think we may see is Ned v the Kingsguard. The series is complicated enough without flashing back all over the place. And we have had no hints that they are doing any. For example, the draft pilot script had none.

[Horza]

Just amend the dialogue to provide subtle leads:

"Father, what was my Aunt Lyanna like?"

"Jon, your moth- er, she was moth-like. Very mothlike. Grey and flappy, you know?"

[Brude]

This all assumes, of course, that R+L=J is even true. It's still just a theory.

[Vvandal]

Very mothlike. Grey and flappy, you know?"

Perfect! rofl

I would really prefer to see short flashbacks throughout the series i want the information doled out at the same rate that we get it from the books. I'm wondering How they are going to handle the fact that peoples colorings ( eye, hair, skin) that are always laid out for you in the books wont be as noticeable on screen.

[Jack Sparrow]

I'm wondering How they are going to handle the fact that peoples colorings ( eye, hair, skin) that are always laid out for you in the books wont be as noticeable on screen.

From what we've seen so far, it doesn't even look like they're bothering with eye colors, unless they're doing it in post (don't see why they would do it that way, though).

[ogbebaba]

This all assumes, of course, that R+L=J is even true. It's still just a theory.

yeah its just a theory but the other day I was listining to the audio version read by Roy Dotrice and i couldn't help but notice ned listing all his children and John not being on the list so...

theory or not as of now it seems to me that there is a 85% its true

[tzanth]

This all assumes, of course, that R+L=J is even true. It's still just a theory.

Thats part of my point. Unlike a book, there are only so many things you can fit into a TV series. The makers of each episode would thus be making a conscious decision to either emphasize or deemphasize the part of the backstory which deals with Jon's parentage. If emphasized, it would probably be pretty obvious to anyone who had read the books. Would such an emphasis be another line of evidence in support of the theory? Or would it just be TV producers doing whatever they want?

[jurble]

Just amend the dialogue to provide subtle leads:

"Father, what was my Aunt Lyanna like?"

"Jon, your moth- er, she was moth-like. Very mothlike. Grey and flappy, you know?"

In high school, in Speech class, we had to do a speech where we talk about a class-mate and stuff. It was really dumb, but people were using animal motifs for some reason, so I decided to compare my partner (some girl) to a moth about three minutes into my unrehearsed rambling speech, which was like 5 minutes over the 5 minute maximum. She apparently started crying during my speech. It was pretty funny. God, that teacher hated me so much. In a self introduction speech, I brought in a replica lightsaber and just swung it around for like 3 minutes talking about the origins of the Jedi and the Sith.

[Ran]

It's a very interesting question, certainly. I think in a certain sense, they're going to have to be even more subtle about it than GRRM. But I have to imagine, there'll be at least one clue in the first season.

[Brude]

The events surrounding Lyanna, "promise me, Ned," the great Tourney at Harrenhal and quite likely Jon's birth and Ned's journey to Starfall are clearly all very important to the present plotline of the novels and there are things that haven't come out yet that happened back then that no doubt will need to be learned before all is revealed. I'm pretty sure we will have to somehow see or hear some of this stuff as the series goes along. How it's presented? We have no idea, yet.

If it's done in flashbacks, I think they can get away with just the Tower of Joy stuff for the first novel. I know some of the events of the Great Tournament are mentioned, but I don't think they go into too much detail. I could see that remaining in dialogue, perhaps until we get to Season 3 and Jojen and Meera's telling of the events of the Great Tourney, as they heard it probably from their father.

If they do go the flashback route, they should probably round out the motif with the Rhaegar's death and perhaps Jaime in the throne room, A ) because those scenes are cool, and B ) so that flashbaks become established as a way some of the story is to be told to maintain consistency. The throne room is an established set, the Ruby Ford is an exterior so doesn't have to be built, so they would be saving money on those. The Tower of Joy would be the only set they'd need to either fine or build, but I think it's probably key enough that it is worth it.

[Lundy]

If they do any flashbacks they'd have to hire actors to portray the long dead characters. I haven't heard of any such castings. :huh: Has anyone else? I hope that part of the story does not get neglected.

[Brude]

If they do any flashbacks they'd have to hire actors to portray the long dead characters. I haven't heard of any such castings. :huh: Has anyone else? I hope that part of the story does not get neglected.

No, there haven't been any castings for flashbacks announced, except probably for Jon Arryn. In the book he only is mentioned in memories and in the leaked pilot script he appears briefly as a corpse, however the actor they hired to portray him, John Standing, has quite a resume and is well esteemed (he's worked continuously since 1959!). If you were only going to be casting him as a dead guy for a single scene, you would hire just an extra for the part, not someone Standing's standing (hah!), so it's fairly certain we'll be seeing flashbacks of him. If so, then flashbacks are to be used at least for this one character, so why not for others?

There has been at least one totally unconfirmed rumor of a certain very well known actor from another HBO series doing a cameo in this show and one guess was that it might be as Rhaegar. If it is true, then HBO could be playing very close to the vest with some roles like that (Lyanna, too). A lot of the flashback people will likely be stuntmen and extras, too, if we're talking the Tower of Joy or the Trident.

Also, a lot of small roles have not been announced by HBO or others and only dribbled out as people mentioned their own casting on Twitter or a credit was found or mentioned in an article somewhere relating to other projects that actor might be involved in. Since Rhaegar and Lyanna would be very small (even if significant) roles, they might have hired unknown actors for the parts and simply not announced anything.

[jurble]

Wtb Sean Connery as Ser Gerold Hightower for a ToJ flashback. I don't care if they have to spend half their budget for one line in a three minute scene.

[smegma]

OMG I want to know who the rumored Rhaegar casting is. In all honesty, I think what I have seen out of HBO is even better than I could have imagined - with the slightest bit of concern about how they will handle R & L = J stuff. I hope they do flashbacks.

[Lord Toblerone]

OMG I want to know who the rumored Rhaegar casting is. In all honesty, I think what I have seen out of HBO is even better than I could have imagined - with the slightest bit of concern about how they will handle R & L = J stuff. I hope they do flashbacks.

I'd guess

Alexander Skarsgard