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[BOOK SPOILERS] EP101 Discussion


Ran

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Too fast, too fast! I was like 'Wait! Wait! Let me spend a moment savoring this or that before we move on!' Fastest hour of my life. Love everything except Dany's wig, which bears no resemblance to actual human hair, more like dead grey rope. Love the direwolf pups! Love cocky Jamie, bitter Cersei, worried Cat, grim Ned, wasted, decadant Robert.

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I think keeping the scene more like the book, where he's fucking her standing up against the wall would have worked better. Perhaps they thought doggy style would make the scene grittier.

I assumed it was so that her face was hidden by that beam in the way, so that when she straightened up, it was more shocking for viewers who didn't know who it was going to be.

The only really major disappointment I had so far was with Tyrion. He just didn't seem as sarcastic and humorously bitter as he seems in the books. I am hoping that this is just because this was an exposition episode - there are plenty more Tyrion moments to come.

Would have liked to have had a close up of the Hound without his helmet (looked great). All we got was a medium ranged shot of him, so no detail on his facial scarring.

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When this HBO deal was first announced, I immediately pictured the pilot episode ending with "The things I do for love...", so I'm glad that is indeed how they ended it. Just such a perfect way to end that first episode, in my opinion.

I really enjoyed it overall. There were some things they changed, of course, but that's a given when taking something from one medium and transferring it into another. The only change that bothered me at all was Drogo pretty much raping Dany, but it definitely wasn't a deal-breaker, and I can understand why they went that way.

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Just remembered something I wanted to point out that I thought was cool. At the Dothraki wedding in the background you can see one of the Unsullied standing guard. At least, I assumed it was this - a man who didn't have the Dothraki look, who was shirtless but had on a skull cap. It is a great sign (as if there weren't already a million great signs!) that they are going to throw in some little details.

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The only really major disappointment I had so far was with Tyrion. He just didn't seem as sarcastic and humorously bitter as he seems in the books. I am hoping that this is just because this was an exposition episode - there are plenty more Tyrion moments to come.

Yeah none of these scenes were Tyrion involved. I'll wait till later. The Jaime-Tyrion dynamic was fantastic.

You know, he could have backflipped off a ledge or something :P.

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Loved Arya and Daenerys the most! My favorite characters in the books, also. Peter Dinklage is almost too attractive to be Tyrion, but he has the attitude down perfect. So pleased* with the first episode! :D

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I had a few nit-picky points. Dany's eyes, Illyrio should have been fatter, i couldn't see any scarring on the hounds face, Ned was carrying a sword other than Ice when they found the pups but all in all i was very impressed. If i had to guess i would say they chose doggy style for Jamie and Cerseis sex scene so they could hide cerseis face and use a body double for Lena Headey.

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Just remembered something I wanted to point out that I thought was cool. At the Dothraki wedding in the background you can see one of the Unsullied standing guard. At least, I assumed it was this - a man who didn't have the Dothraki look, who was shirtless but had on a skull cap. It is a great sign (as if there weren't already a million great signs!) that they are going to throw in some little details.

whoa -- I didn't even notice that (we have a small screen that will be replaced ASAP), and will be on the lookout for it on rewatch. :thumbsup:

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When this HBO deal was first announced, I immediately pictured the pilot episode ending with "The things I do for love...", so I'm glad that is indeed how they ended it. Just such a perfect way to end that first episode, in my opinion.

I just got through telling my wife the same thing. I just knew that's the note they would end on....

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I thought it was decent but I wasn't impressed with the dialogue. I know they were trying to fit a lot of background info through dialogue, and couldn't really avoid it, but I just can't stand how awkward "explanation through dialogue" can be when setting up a story. The scene where Cat is explaining why she doesn't want Ned to go south comes to mind as well as when she's scolding bran abut climbing. I thought the weakest people in the episode so far, acting wise, would have to be Cat and Sansa (the part where sansa is begging to go to kings landing was a little painful actually). I thought Jaime/cercei was spot on as was viserys and john (Although jaimes accent through me off a little bit). I was underwhelmed overall by Ned and Tyrions character portrayal. I wasn't blown away by the "things we do for love" part. I thought the delivery was a little off.

Also, does anyone think that people who have never read the books might have a hard time telling the difference between the actors who play rob and snow? My dad was pretty confused because he thinks they look too similar.

I think the show is decent overall, and I was certainly entertained but I can definitely see why those who are not already fans might be a little bored by the first episode.

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At long last!

I think that parts of it were amazing. I had that same heart-in-my throat, hairs-rising-on-the-back of my neck sensation when Cat visited Ned in the Goswood as I did when the Peter Jackson LOTR showed Frodo reading with his back up against a tree - that was done just right.

I liked it, although I do sense a revisionary hand here and there that suggests that GRRM is ever-so-slightly tweaking some of the characters based upon a decade of comments and/or abuse - for example, Sansa and Catelyn's hair-grooming scene (alluded to in a Cat POV, we actually see it), and the Jon Arryn funeral scene, gives us a little early peek into Cersei (as do her warm and gracious comments to Sansa) before we are presented with Cersei, the incestuous scheming bitch (which is what happened in the novels. I reserve judgement that it will be successful.

Another example? The promo showing Catelyn going all CSI and checking the scene of Bran's fall for hair and fiber evidence, which would augment her actions that we know are coming, perhaps showing her in a less questionable light for the television audience (again, as opposed to the books).

Oh, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau? I want to marry him and have a zillion of his cocky, sardonic babies. Back off, bitches - he's mine.

The girl playing Sansa is so effortlessly beautiful, and I appreciated the early peek into her mindset also. I am "iffy" on the portrayal of Arya as an uncontrollable little scamp - would she really disgrace her family by starting a food fight at the banquet?

The Targaryens, I think, are less successful - Harry Lloyd(?) imbues Viserys with a lot more swagger and charisma than ever was present in the novels, and that is good, and Emilia Clark makes for an acceptable nubile pawn, but - I CANNOT STAND THEIR HAIR. It's white and tussles and icky. It should be long and sleek and silvery. Sansa Stark obviously has access to medieval hair care products, why can't they?

I hate Theon anew, thanks to the smug and assholey portrayal, so nice job there, HBO.

I do take issue with the portrayal of Winterfell as rough and muddy and coarse and dirty. Yes, it is remote and cold and frosty, but I pictured it also as imposing and spartan and clean. Just because they are Northmen doesn't mean that Catelyn would trail her skirts through a muck-filled courtyard, nor would the lord's bedroom (actually, that was Catelyn's room) be encrusted with inches of gobbed-up candlewax. A little housekeeping, please.

I am pleased with Cersei as done by Lena Headley - she shows us a canny and haughty woman, with something swimming in her depths (we know it be abject lunacy, but shhhhhh - let's not tell everyone yet ;) ) but her costume and hair... I guess they are trying to show genuine cultural differences among the Seven kingdoms, with the Westlands being all Iberian and ornate and baroque, but I cannot help but feel that no matter what the age and region, that triangular hairstyle is an abomination.

I like... so far.

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Ok, I posted how great the show was. What's just as good is looking over the list of members and seeing names that have been missed for a long time. I see you Dalla, so I know Jimmy is reading too. WB Snake, man we haven't argued the boosk in years. Treb, Sergio, Hot Pie ... and others I haven't seen yet. GOOD to see you all!!!! Friends from when there were less than 1000 members on this board. I'm sure even more are coming, hey Ran. Maybe a wb sign-in thread in this forum would be a good idea. A place for old friends to holla at each other and not disrupt the sure to come debates over the series.

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I think for trying to condense a book this size into 10 episodes it's going pretty well so far, understandably a lot has to be cut or introduced in other ways. I think my only real quip with this episode was with the consummation scene between Dany and Drogo. The audience didn't get to be shown his kindness and gentle approach with Dany, the way it ended still appeared forced and uncaring. Everyone else seemed to personify their characters so far!!! Very pleased!!! AND some really good lines not in the book!!!!

BUT, I am slightly worried after watching the upcoming previews. What was with those clips of Cat discovering Cersei's hair in the tower??? And then saying she thinks the Lannisters are behind Bran's fall (unless they show the dagger scene and all that)? I can't imagine they'd forgo "the seed is strong" and have Cat play a major role in that storyline.

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Overall, I think the premier was pretty awesome. It does suffer from exposition, as was mentioned in many of the reviews, but on the whole it was bad-ass.

I don't know if I can watch this series, though. it is PAINFUL seeing these people and knowing what is in store for their characters. :bawl:

My husband had no clue what was coming. When Bran was pushed he just sat there for a full minute or more not even moving. Then he asked if he lived...but it was more like "He lives, doesn't he?" He seemed rather upset at the thought of him not living.

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