[Book/TV Spoilers] GOT Overall Review

[Corvinus85]

This topic is for you to give your general impressions and criticism of the overall series.

What was your favorite scene? Least favorite? Favorite character (show and/or book)? etc.

I will post my review later tonight after the finale.

[Arya The Assassin]

NOTE: I submitted this thread before Corvinus's thread appeared on the forum (new threads need to be approved first, so they don't appear instantly). So the admins have added my message here to avoid identical/similar threads.

Now that the first season has ended, I think it would be timely to discuss our opinions on the show as a whole.

After watching the last episode, what aspects of the show (writing, direction, editing, cast, characters, production values, music, sound, VFX, etc.) did you like or didn't like? What are the show's strengths and weaknesses? What parts of the show can or should be improved or changed in season two?

(I'll add my own views here later, after I've watched the last episode)

[Corvinus85]

What I liked about the series:

1) The main storyline was followed very well (one possible major flaw, though – the splitting of Robb’s army)

2) The production (costumes, settings) was very well done (I do have some disagreements with their choices for costumes, but it’s not a big thing)

3) I was very impressed with the performance of the majority of the main cast, and overall I am satisfied with how most of the characters were portrayed (there are a few exceptions).

4) Love the soundtrack and the title sequence.

What I disliked and totally disagree with:

1) Almost every episode had one piece of dialogue that was too lengthy, and often too of out character. These dialogues could have been cut short, and some scenes from the books could have been placed there. Not to mention the addition of Roz, for which I still fail to see a purpose. (other than showing more nudity)

2) The general lack of direwolves. Yes they were present in their more important scenes (baring the wildling fight in the wolfswood). But they failed to show the strong connection with their human counter-parts (in the books wherever the characters are, the wolves are there too); they also failed to show the connection between the wolves themselves, hell they even failed to give names to all of them, and overall the dogs they chose didn’t always have the necessary presence.

3) The great lack of dreams and flashbacks. The only dreams shown were Bran’s, and those were extremely vague, while Ned’s, Jon’s and Dany’s were non-existent. I know that the tower of joy and what happened with Lyanna was not central to the story of AGOT. However, considering that Ned’s dreams helped spawn the biggest ASOIAF theory to date, I find it cruel that non-readers were deprived of the opportunity to join that debate. Furthermore, the lack of some of the dreams coupled with 2) reduced even further the level of magic shown in AGOT. Add to this that they didn’t even explain what Valyrian steel means.

4) NO BATTLES!!! Yes, I know that battles are expensive to make, and yes there wasn’t much time to show them (an extra episode might have been needed), but as a fan of epic storytelling I can’t help but feeling disappointed and disillusioned. Now I am very skeptical about the battle of the Blackwater.

5) Some of the actors and their interpretation of their role as well as the writing for them I did not like: Renly, Littlefinger, Cersei, and Catelyn (the latter two got better in the last few episodes)

6) I am somewhat disappointed with the absences of some characters/things, namely the Blackfish and Mormont’s raven (I guess real birds shit on people as much as fictional ones do), and of course the red comet.

Now for some fanboy favorites

Favorite character on the show: Tyrion (in the books it was Ned, with Tyrion in 2nd place)

Favorite fight scene: Jaime vs. Ned (funny as this was not in the book, but I felt it was the best choreographed); I’m also going to mention Syrio’s “last stand” and Ser Jorah vs. Qotho

Favorite episode: E09 “Baelor”

Favorite scene: hard to say; Dany and her dragons, Ned’s execution (because it was well done, not because of what happened), and the Night’s Watch rides beyond the Wall (which I think was better than the King in the North)

Favorite direwolf: Shaggydog – present only in one scene, yet had the closest look to a wolf (Ghost is my favorite in the books)

Some nit-picks (these are not such a big deal; no need to comment on them)

I know that it is not right to stifle other people’s creativity, but I don’t understand why, if something is described in detail, you go another way just because you feel its better. I am talking, of course, about the kingsguard armor, and how this in turn, forced a change in Jaime’s armor.

Also in terms of armor, I was impressed with the Lannister guardsman armor because it denotes a feeling of “these are clearly the bad guys” even though I think those helmets are silly. What I didn’t like is that every Lannister seems to be wearing the same design and silly helmet, including Tywin. A little more diversity would have been nice.

I also don’t agree with the design for the Dothraki arakh. It looks cool, but that is not a cavalry sword. Why? Well because the way it is designed, with the two-handed handle suggests that its balance does not make it wieldy with just one hand, and thus it becomes impractical for a horseman, which obviously contradicts the Dothraki fighting style. I’ve always imagined the arakh to be very similar to a scimitar, with the handle just long enough for a single-hand grip.

The Twins was missing the Water Tower. Also, I liked the fact that the Green Fork was shown to be a big river. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Trident where Arya throws Joffrey’s sword.

I was disappointed that they did not show the fight between Ser Waymar and the Other.

The Hand’s Tourney with only two jousts did not have the feeling of grandeur described in the books.

In conclusion I think that this is one of the best shows I have seen in a while, I really love it, and I cannot wait for season 2.

And in case Mr. Benioff and Mr. Weiss are reading this thread (or anybody else involved in the show’s production) I thank you for your hard work and dedication, but I also hope you are taking some notes from all the opinions you have read.

Though it is too late now, here is a scene that in my amateur opinion should have been introduced in episode 1, a scene mentioned yet not actually described in the books: all the Stark children together at Winterfell arguing about what names to give to their wolves. By the end of that scene, all the wolves, except maybe Bran’s wolf would have had a name, and the audience would have had a little more knowledge about them.

[Wik]

What I liked about the series:

1) The main storyline was followed very well (one possible major flaw, though – the splitting of Robb’s army)

2) The production (costumes, settings) was very well done (I do have some disagreements with their choices for costumes, but it’s not a big thing)

3) I was very impressed with the performance of the majority of the main cast, and overall I am satisfied with how most of the characters were portrayed (there are a few exceptions).

4) Love the soundtrack and the title sequence.

What I disliked and totally disagree with:

1) Almost every episode had one piece of dialogue that was too lengthy, and often too of out character. These dialogues could have been cut short, and some scenes from the books could have been placed there. Not to mention the addition of Roz, for which I still fail to see a purpose. (other than showing more nudity)

2) The general lack of direwolves. Yes they were present in their more important scenes (baring the wildling fight in the wolfswood). But they failed to show the strong connection with their human counter-parts (in the books wherever the characters are, the wolves are there too); they also failed to show the connection between the wolves themselves, hell they even failed to give names to all of them, and overall the dogs they chose didn’t always have the necessary presence.

3) The great lack of dreams and flashbacks. The only dreams shown were Bran’s, and those were extremely vague, while Ned’s, Jon’s and Dany’s were non-existent. I know that the tower of joy and what happened with Lyanna was not central to the story of AGOT. However, considering that Ned’s dreams helped spawn the biggest ASOIAF theory to date, I find it cruel that non-readers were deprived of the opportunity to join that debate. Furthermore, the lack of some of the dreams coupled with 2) reduced even further the level of magic shown in AGOT. Add to this that they didn’t even explain what Valyrian steel means.

4) NO BATTLES!!! Yes, I know that battles are expensive to make, and yes there wasn’t much time to show them (an extra episode might have been needed), but as a fan of epic storytelling I can’t help but feeling disappointed and disillusioned. Now I am very skeptical about the battle of the Blackwater.

5) Some of the actors and their interpretation of their role as well as the writing for them I did not like: Renly, Littlefinger, Cersei, and Catelyn (the latter two got better in the last few episodes)

6) I am somewhat disappointed with the absences of some characters/things, namely the Blackfish and Mormont’s raven (I guess real birds shit on people as much as fictional ones do), and of course the red comet.

Now for some fanboy favorites

Favorite character on the show: Tyrion (in the books it was Ned, with Tyrion in 2nd place)

Favorite fight scene: Jaime vs. Ned (funny as this was not in the book, but I felt it was the best choreographed); I’m also going to mention Syrio’s “last stand” and Ser Jorah vs. Qotho

Favorite episode: E09 “Baelor”

Favorite scene: hard to say; Dany and her dragons, Ned’s execution (because it was well done, not because of what happened), and the Night’s Watch rides beyond the Wall (which I think was better than the King in the North)

Favorite direwolf: Shaggydog – present only in one scene, yet had the closest look to a wolf (Ghost is my favorite in the books)

Some nit-picks (these are not such a big deal; no need to comment on them)

I know that it is not right to stifle other people’s creativity, but I don’t understand why, if something is described in detail, you go another way just because you feel its better. I am talking, of course, about the kingsguard armor, and how this in turn, forced a change in Jaime’s armor.

Also in terms of armor, I was impressed with the Lannister guardsman armor because it denotes a feeling of “these are clearly the bad guys” even though I think those helmets are silly. What I didn’t like is that every Lannister seems to be wearing the same design and silly helmet, including Tywin. A little more diversity would have been nice.

I also don’t agree with the design for the Dothraki arakh. It looks cool, but that is not a cavalry sword. Why? Well because the way it is designed, with the two-handed handle suggests that its balance does not make it wieldy with just one hand, and thus it becomes impractical for a horseman, which obviously contradicts the Dothraki fighting style. I’ve always imagined the arakh to be very similar to a scimitar, with the handle just long enough for a single-hand grip.

The Twins was missing the Water Tower. Also, I liked the fact that the Green Fork was shown to be a big river. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the Trident where Arya throws Joffrey’s sword.

I was disappointed that they did not show the fight between Ser Waymar and the Other.

The Hand’s Tourney with only two jousts did not have the feeling of grandeur described in the books.

In conclusion I think that this is one of the best shows I have seen in a while, I really love it, and I cannot wait for season 2.

And in case Mr. Benioff and Mr. Weiss are reading this thread (or anybody else involved in the show’s production) I thank you for your hard work and dedication, but I also hope you are taking some notes from all the opinions you have read.

Though it is too late now, here is a scene that in my amateur opinion should have been introduced in episode 1, a scene mentioned yet not actually described in the books: all the Stark children together at Winterfell arguing about what names to give to their wolves. By the end of that scene, all the wolves, except maybe Bran’s wolf would have had a name, and the audience would have had a little more knowledge about them.

Overall the series was great, in my opinion. My biggest irk, complaint, gripe was the Whispering Woods scene or lack there of. I was really excited to see this scene as it is 1 of only 2 major "action scenes" or battles in the first book. The soundtrack initially was disappointing to me but has caught on. I think the cast was good and I can only hope they continue to find these "gems in the rough" for the characters. Very well done all in all and I can't wait to see Davos, Stannis, Mel, Brienne etc etc

Roz is definitely there for the eye candy. She is a very attractive woman and sex sells, so while it isn't really faithful, ASOIAF does have alot of sex and nudity so think of Roz's nude scenes as filler for all the scenes we missed with Dany and Cersei! lol

I posted earlier in another thread the issue of the R+L=J and lack of the flashbacks and scenes in those regards. As a reader, before I read the theories and posts about it here, I actually discovered R+L=J on my own. So I had no outside influence. To me, and for that reason, it is more concrete than many who came along and had it presented to them by someone else. The Tower of Joy is never mentioned, shown or anything and if this theory ends up being correct (and I believe 1000% it is) then I think no info or hints is a real dis-service to the series. Many said "They can just throw a flashback in next season" but GRRM took his time and made sure to feed us clues (on numerous occasions!)on this from virtually the start of the book. Ned being in jail could have been the perfect time for one of these big scene flashbacks. So, Whispering Woods and flashback info relating to Jon's parents would be a major let down for me in the series.

I have really come to enjoy Jaime and The Hound in the books. But GRRM writes Tyrion so well it is impossible to not love him. The casting of Tyrion and subsequent acting by Mr. Dinklage has only made his scenes better. He is easily the best character, for my money, in the series thus far. Many of the actors and actresses have done alot of homework on their characters, or so I have heard. But Peter has made Tyrion REALLY come to life and while Ned is the main focus in book one, Tyrion has stole the show for me.

[McGinnis]

Overall, I loved the show. That needs to be said. After I saw the first episode, despite some of the alterations they made, I was very excited to see the rest of it.

Things I Liked

1. Most of the actors/actresses. Arya, Ned, Tyrion and Jon Snow were extremely close to how I pictured them in my mind (although I always thought of Ned as having a different appearance, his overall character I feel comes across flawlessly). I also really like Osha. Physically, she's not AT ALL what she looks like in my mind, but her accent and the way she speaks just screams Wildling (with wisdom) to me. Drogo was fantastic, too. He will be missed. There aren't any major characters that I thought could have been cast that much better.

2. Scenery and locales. I really think they brought the World of Ice and Fire to life brilliantly. Especially considering what they had to work with. Even the lands beyond the Wall, which I thought were the "weakest" overall, were still really believable, even if they weren't totally how I pictured them. In some ways this show has actually added to my "sense" of the books. Places like King's Landing and Winterfell, that play hugely important parts of course, were still occasionally vague in my mind's eye. The show helped fill in the blanks a lot for me.

3. Costumes and such. I can't really put this into many words, but they handled it all well. Really felt like the various "factions" had different styles that were their own. I especially like the Night's Watch, despite them having the least flashy attire (well, maybe tied with the Starks). It's just completely believable to me. None of it really felt fake or overdone at any point in time. It just works.

4. The overall story. Yes, they added some (IMO unnecessary) scenes and yes, they took out some (IMO important) ones too. On the whole, though, I think they did very well and as far as I'm concerned, they did the book justice. This is evident in that non-readers have also fallen in love with the show. I was always looking forward to seeing some of my favorite scenes from the book. In most cases, I was pleased. In a few minor cases, I was slightly disappointed (without it ruining the show for me). And in some cases I actually thought the show was better and more dramatic than the book. Examples that some mentioned in other threads include the ranging of the Night's Watch at the end, Ned's execution, Arya's sessions with Syrio (visual just works better for that sort of stuff).

5. Title sequence. I don't think any further comment is necessary. This should play every time I go read a few chapters in the book, somehow.

6. Many of the added scenes. We have certain POVs in the books, but in a show like this, every character needs to be "their own" in general. Therefore I liked a lot of the scenes that we normally wouldn't have gotten to see, like the first Varys + Littlefinger scene, or Viserys + Jorah in Dany's tent, and most of the Cersei and Robert scenes, too. They just fleshed out the characters a bit. While this is a deviation from the books, I feel it makes the TV show more coherent and complex. Also loved the Stark kids in Winterfell scene that wasn't in the books. Likewise, Tywin and Jaime. The deer-skinning was a bit awkward at first (but the imagery makes sense if you think about it), but I liked Tywin's talk to Jaime.

Stuff I Didn't Like

1. Some of the sexposition. Ros... Err... No. I can probably never get used to her. She worked in the first scene with Tyrion. After that I just found her to be distracting, especially during Littlefinger's monologue. Also, Loras and Renly was a bit much. I'm not that prudish, but it's just a bit outside my comfort zone (more nitpicky than a real complaint, I guess). If anything that scene just dragged on too long, as did Viserys's bathtub scene with Doreah. IMO there's plenty of sex in the books. No need to add in more.

2. Pacing inconsistent at times. I'm pretty sure the writers and directors knew what they were doing and had good reasons for doing what they did. But some scenes felt rushed while others went on too much and made me lose interest. This is probably not really show-specific, as almost every show and movie has scenes like that, and they'll vary per individual. But occasionally I thought "what, this brilliant scene is over already? Should have been more," or "can this end already, so we can get to the good stuff?"

3. Not enough direwolves. I get it. The dogs are hard to train, hard to film and any CGI that may need to be added isn't easy either. But the wolves are so important in the books. They're a PART of the Stark children (well, the ones that have wolves left after the first bit anyway). Especially Jon and Bran. For me they were just something important that was always missing. I can accept it, and I understand why. But I can't shake it.

4. Some of the added scenes. There were a number that I didn't like. None ruined any episode or what have you, but I still found some of the extra material a bit gratuitous.

5. Some scenes missing. I guess everyone has a few they they really felt were needed. Wolves in the Wolfswood scene. Tyrion's battle altogether.

Conclusion

An absolutely fantastic show that stayed true to the source material, translated it very well onto a completely different medium and for a different kind of audience (that still ended up loving it). Every week I looked forward to the new episode, and I was rarely disappointed. There's not a single episode that I dislike. Just that some episodes have more scenes that I thought could have been done better (or deleted in case I found them cumbersome). But there hasn't been anything that "ruined the show" for me. I was anxious about the last scene with Dany and her dragons, but they pulled it off and I loved it. So I'm now very excited to see what Game of Thrones will bring in its second season.

Looking forward, I know that 10 episodes for A Clash of Kings seems short, and doubtless they'll have to cut back on some stuff. Just so long as they do a good job of the Battle of the Blackwater, it'll be fine. If they have to cut out some stuff to make it all happen, so be it. I'd rather have the show than nothing at all. That said, I still wish that the second season would be a little closer to the source material, a bit more faithful.

I'll definitely be getting the DVDs/Blu-Rays when they come out. And I'll be making birthday/Christmas gifts of them to all of my friends who haven't watched it yet by that time.

I'll give the show a resounding 9/10.

[Mad Queen]

Overall my opinion is very positive.

What I really enjoyed:

1. Dany, Viserys, the Dothraki: Not only were all the actors excellent, but nearly every scene was very well executed and mattered to the story (except Viserys & Doreah in the bath).
2. Sansa and Joffrey: both excellent as well and consistent with the book.
3. Tyrion: just perfect.
4. Syrio Forel: His scenes are not my favourite in the book by a long shot, but when I saw him on TV, I fell in love.
5. The Night's Watch plotline in general was well done. Jon and especially Sam are as they should be. The wight scene, when Jon burns his hand, was not scary enough though.
6. Other excellent roles: Lord Frey, Lord Commander Mormont, Varys.

What I disliked:

1. Jaime. He is not bad in the show exactly, but I want Jaime from the books. People were saying he looks like Prince Charming from Shrek, and that's the problem. He is not a prince, he is a knight, a warrior, a LION. I know it's impossible, but I wish we could have Charlie Hunnam playing Jaime instead (he plays Jax Teller in Sons of Anarchy). That's how Jaime Lannister should be in my head.
2. Too much exposition, with or without Roz. Too much dialogue. I know it's hard, but there must be better ways to present this material without info dumps.
3. Roz. Too much screen time devoted to a character who isn't even important.
4. I missed "His name is Summer", Grey Wind's presence in battles.
5. Sansa and Sandor: their relationship would develop much more naturally if they hadn't cut their first scene, when Sandor escorts Sansa back to the Red Keep after the tourney.

Nitpicks:

1. Night's Watch vow shortened. The missing parts would really make a difference for the best IMO. Not just because it's different from the books.
2. I would have added a simple battle scene, with Jaime trying to get to Robb, killing man after man, in the Whispering Wood, so people would see that Jaime is really good at what he does.

[Dalfiatach]

Overall I thought it was great, a few minor nitpicks but still the best season of telly I've seen in a long time.

If Peter Dinklage doesn't win some sort of award, then there really is no justice.

The actor playing Robb started out with little to do but really did well in the last few episodes. Emilia Clarke did a great job with Dany. Maisie Williams as Arya, Jack Gleeson as Joffrey, Mark Addy did a great Robert, His Beanness as Ned, Charles Dance as Tywin, Nikolai was a brilliantly smug and sarcastic Jamie, Varys was great and the little Varys/Littlefinger scenes are great fun, Iain Glen was great, Jon and Sam and the Old Bear, Harry Lloyd as Viserys....ach they were nearly all excellent.

Sansa was suitably annoying early in the season and suitably sympathetic in the last episode so I guess that was actually an acting job very well done!

About the only character I couldn't like - or in the case of loathsome characters like Joffrey or Alliser Thorne appreciate a job well done by the actors concerned - was Cersei.

I think we should also create some sort of award for Larry Williams at OtakuAssemble for his brilliantly enthusiastic and entertaining reviews. Somebody give that man his own TV show already.

[Analu]

Absolutely loved this season. The ending was awesome and had everyone I watched it with wanting more: what else can you ask for in a season finale? It's funny, I never hear a peep of criticism about the show IRL and on other sites I go to, but I guess they don't dissect the show the way this board does.

Favorite character: Drogo. It's amazing what the actor managed to put into a character that didn't seem to have much to him in the book.

Favorite scene: Drogo's speech. Possibly the greatest speech I've ever seen on TV. I wanted to be a Dothraki and join his army after that speech. I would pay to watch a spinoff of the early days of Drogo and how he became khal.

Least favorite scene: Renly and Loras shaving. And I felt like the "King in the North" speech lacked some little thing that made it more epic in my mind in the book.

Least favorite character: I liked them all, but I guess Ros, because I don't recall her in the books at all, and she seems to play a big part here. I'll probably skim the first book later this week, to see what part she played in the books, because I can't for the life of me remember her. I don't mind seeing her tatas, though.

[Arya The Assassin]

I think the first season of GOT has lived up to my high expectations. Overall, I'd say that GOT is one of the best and most entertaining TV series I've ever seen.

Here are my overall opinions on season one:

Good:

• Quite faithful adaptation. Adapting a long book for the small screen is quite a challenge, but I think HBO has managed to pull it off, without sacrificing too much. There are some issues here and there, but overall I don't have any major complaints in this department.
• Production design, costumes. I think the clothes, armor, props, interior design, etc. looked really good and authentic (when I saw the interior sets it looked as if people really lived there)
• VFX. Excellent integration of digital mattes and set extensions, not to mention the dragons in the last episode (which looked better than I'd dared hope for). Blue Bolt and the other VFX companies did a great job with a relatively limited budget.
• Acting/performances. A strong cast is crucial, and George and the casting directors did a great job finding the most suitable actors for each role (with only a few exceptions). Of particular note: Sean Bean, Peter Dinklage and Maisie Williams (I could've mentioned several others, but I'm trying to keep this as short and concise as possible).
• Excellent opening montage/theme. The opening montage is one of the best I've ever seen. The opening theme is also highly memorable.

Bad:

• No (major) onscreen battles! I realize that certain budget constraints makes it very difficult to shoot and stage major battles, but I was hoping that they would give us one battle (or at least glimpses of it).
• Some scenes end up being too long and too static, and they mess up the pacing of the show. Fortunately, this doesn't happen very often, but I think this is one of the few areas that need improvement.
• Now and then the show tries too hard to look or be sexy. I don't mind sex and nudity, but it helps if it serves the characters or the story.

Improvements for season 2:

• A bigger budget!
• More episodes (yes, I know that HBO has confirmed that there will only be 10 episodes, but I'm mentioning it anyway).
• More onscreen battles! George has written the Battle of the Blackwater episode, so I expect to see at least one major battle.

That's all I can think of right now. I might add more later.

[mr. peasant]

Just some comments on others' nitpicks:

I also don’t agree with the design for the Dothraki arakh. It looks cool, but that is not a cavalry sword. Why? Well because the way it is designed, with the two-handed handle suggests that its balance does not make it wieldy with just one hand, and thus it becomes impractical for a horseman, which obviously contradicts the Dothraki fighting style. I’ve always imagined the arakh to be very similar to a scimitar, with the handle just long enough for a single-hand grip.

I think it does make some sense. Firstly, the grip seems to be closer to a 'hand-and-a-half' (much like a normal arming/bastard sword) than a full two hands. This design was such that it allowed the user some flexibility of using a one-handed grip or a two-handed one; with the latter providing more power for each stroke. While at first glance, that might seem pointless for the Dothraki as they are horse riders. However, this doesn't mean that they never fight on foot (for instance, they might be knocked off their horse in battle). Moreover, as a group of warrior-nomads who lead a minimalist lifestyle, all their weapons need to be as multi-purpose as possible. Hence, why an arakh might be a hand-and-a-half as opposed to strictly one-handed.

Night's Watch vow shortened. The missing parts would really make a difference for the best IMO. Not just because it's different from the books.

I actually approve of the shortening as this utilises the rule of three; which improves pacing significantly. This especially helped in the final episode where reciting the full oath would definitely have felt draggy and uncomfortable with the viewers possibly wondering Jon Snow doesn't just stop them by saying "Fine, I get it. We'll go back."

[Mad Queen]

I actually approve of the shortening as this utilises the rule of three; which improves pacing significantly. This especially helped in the final episode where reciting the full oath would definitely have felt draggy and uncomfortable with the viewers possibly wondering Jon Snow doesn't just stop them by saying "Fine, I get it. We'll go back."

I think it would have been better that way actually, the scene was too short. It would have been better if Jon was trying to get back to his horse, but the boys were all around him, reciting the vow, he tries to explain, but the boys keep reciting the vows, because it is all that matters, so in the end Jon agrees to go back because it's so annoying and he has to make them stop. This way is more consistent with Jon's latter statement that his friends brought him back to the Wall, not his honor. The vows didn't make him change his mind. (And in the book he plans to run away again later.)

That, and I like 'the horn that wakes the sleepers'.

[Wik]

Lena Headey, while she has done a great job in the role she was given (although she isn't physically exactly what I was looking for in Cersei), I have not got the same polarizing feelings about Cersei as I had in the books. Her evil, cunning, backstabbing, plotting etc etc has seemingly (or at least in my opinion) has been overshadowed by Jaime and Joff in the TV series. I just don't get that same feel of venomous hate towards her in the series that I did in the book.

Anyhow, I figure most of the feedback here is going to be positive and while I still have given my opinion earlier in this thread (that the series IS excellent), I had thought about this and as far as the characters, I would say this is the biggest adjustment I would suggest to any one character. She is a main focus of the story and was/is/has been the cause of many of the issues in the Seven Kingdoms. So, I would like to see them tighten up here character and make her much more...hate-able? lol

[mr. peasant]

I think it would have been better that way actually, the scene was too short. It would have been better if Jon was trying to get back to his horse, but the boys were all around him, reciting the vow, he tries to explain, but the boys keep reciting the vows, because it is all that matters, so in the end Jon agrees to go back because it's so annoying and he has to make them stop. This way is more consistent with Jon's latter statement that his friends brought him back to the Wall, not his honor. The vows didn't make him change his mind. (And in the book he plans to run away again later.)

That, and I like 'the horn that wakes the sleepers'.

Fair enough; to each their own. I was just pointing out that for the way it was shot, keeping the 'I am the X' part of the vow down to three was important for the pacing.

[Easy]

The good far outweighs the bad for me.

No complaints here....ok the final Ros scene was almost the straw that broke the zorse's back in that regards but I'll forgive them that.

final grade: A+

[Tywin's bastard]

Too tired to write something elaborate so I'll just say that I found the season to be a great success. The acting, the production quality and the faithfulness to the spirit of the book has been fantastic. I went into the show with some hopes but most importantly with realistic expectations and the show definitely exceeded that. Most adaptations don't get treated nearly as well, especially not complex material like this.

As for negatives there were some, as there is with all shows, but it's surprisingly minor stuff and not really worth to get into right now. Some are inherent in putting such a complex story on tv in a faithful manner and I'm definitely not going to drag up nitpicks.

The biggest positive surprise was that some actors actually managed to bring even more life into their character than the book did. Chief among these is probably Iain Glen as Jorah but there are some more. I had certainly not expected that.

I think it does make some sense. Firstly, the grip seems to be closer to a 'hand-and-a-half' (much like a normal arming/bastard sword) than a full two hands. This design was such that it allowed the user some flexibility of using a one-handed grip or a two-handed one; with the latter providing more power for each stroke. While at first glance, that might seem pointless for the Dothraki as they are horse riders. However, this doesn't mean that they never fight on foot (for instance, they might be knocked off their horse in battle). Moreover, as a group of warrior-nomads who lead a minimalist lifestyle, all their weapons need to be as multi-purpose as possible. Hence, why an arakh might be a hand-and-a-half as opposed to strictly one-handed.

There's also things like that the Dothraki don't wear any armor and in western sword fighting you'd occasionally grasp the blade (with a gauntlet or such of course) to perform certain techniques as is seen in some of the few surviving combat manuals. That would be impossible for a Dothraki warrior, especially since they must have a very sharp blade for the ideal cut. With the longer grip they open for a bigger variety in techniques.

In the books the Dothraki actually strike with the inner side of the curve, but that's not optimal as it would only make the blade get stuck more often.

[SFA-OK]

A solid 6/10.

The Good -

- Most of the acting is good, especially the actors portraying Jorah, Ned, Dany, Tyrion, Tywin, Robb, Joffrey and Jon Snow.

- The first season is technically very faithful to the plot from the book.

- The intro is awesome.

The Bad -

- Some of the dialogue, pacing and writing is somewhat disappointing. Whenever the show uses dialogue straight from the book, it makes the new dialogue stand out, but not in a good way.

- Because of the above (pacing, writing) characterization is lacking in places, along with nuance and subtly. I think it's hard to really soak in the characters, parts of the story and scenery at times. Seems really rushed at times and details are glossed over.

- Some of the changes to some characters (Shae, Bronn, The Hound, Cersei, Loras, Renly) has been for the worse, IMO.

- Budget constraints (I guess?), only 10 episodes.

Nitpicky Stuff -

- When Jorah tells Dany that the Dothraki will rip her baby out and feed him to the dogs, I found myself disbelieving that due to the show not really showing how the Dothraki really live and how brutal they can be. Plus, (yes, this is really nitpicky) most of actors portraying the Dothraki looked clearly like Hollywood actors, IMO. Definitely not what I pictured while reading the book.

- It would've been cool (But not really essential) if they showed the sword Jon Snow receives in a little more detail. It really looked like any other sword, for the most part.

- It would've been neat if they had kept Jaime a little more of a mystery (and badass) in the first season. His continual confrontations with Ned was pretty corny.

Favorite Scenes -

- Ned's death scene. One of the few scenes in the show that rivals the book.

- The hatching of the dragons. I thought it was handled really well.

- Tyrion talking to the different tribes before the battle of the Green Forks (I would've preferred them showing the battle, but Dinklage was hilarious and it was handled pretty well).

The Ugly -

- Watching Pycelle stretch. That's one minute I'm not getting back.

[maxlongstreet]

I give it a solid 8/10.

Things I like:

-- The acting is almost uniformly excellent.

-- The writers/creators 'get' the series - they know what the most important scenes are, and they hit all the right notes on the big scenes (Ned's death, crown of gold, birth of the dragons, Tyrion's speech in the Eyrie, etc., etc.)

-- The production values are great.

Things I don't like:

-- Not enough scenes unfold cinematically without superfluous dialogue. The show's in a rush to get a lot in, and it doesn't give some scenes a chance to breathe - to have action illustrate character, rather than just a jumble of words. (In the rare cases where the talkiness disappears, such as the scene where Dany eats the horse's heart, magic happens.)

-- Aiden Gillen as Littlefinger. Needs more charm, less creepy.

-- Roz/sexposition. Overtalking/underaction at its worst.

[Mortagon]

9/10

The Good:

-Amazing cast, most actors are exactly as I have pictured their characters from the books and some have even been improved upon IMO.

-The sets, costumes and overall production value is remarkable for a TV-show

-One of the most faithful book adaptations I have ever seen

-The opening sequence and theme is one of the best intros to a show ever IMO

The bad:

-To little action/no battles

-Not enough wolves

-Some scenes seemed to drag out, a few pacing problems here and there

-Shae, the only weak character in the show for me so far (well except for Roz, but she's not canon)

[TheEvilKing]

Actor Rankings

Best: Tyrion, Syrio, Robert, Viserys, Varys, Joffrey

Awesome: Arya, Catelyn, Ned, Jaime, Jorah, Sam, Allister Thorne, Maester Aemon, Maester Luwin, Osha, Hodor, Doreah,

Drogo, Tywin, Ser Barristan

Good: Robb, Cersei, Ros, Littlefinger, Pycelle, Dany, Jon Snow, Jeor Mormont, Renly, Bran, Rakharo, Irri, Kevan, Rodrik,

Lysa Arryn, Robin Arryn, The Hound, Shagga, Gendry, Lancel

Alright: Theon, Grenn, Loras, Rickon, Illyrio, Bronn, Greatjon, Sansa

Not good: Shae, Pyp

Best Scenes

1. Syrio defending Arya

2. The first dancing lesson

3. The Night's Watch rides

4. Birth of dragons

5. Tyrion's confession

[Wolfmage]

Things I really liked:

• 
  
• Peter Dinklage really knocked it out of the park as Tyrion, what can I say. Whatever issue Mo Ryan has with his affected accent surely fades into insignificance compared to his perfect line delivery and superb characterisation.
  
• Clarke has done a terrific job with Dany, starting with the more passive stoic victimhood of her early arc, to the gone-native Khaleesi, and then finally, Daenerys Stormborn, Mother of Dragons.
  
• Nikolai’s smug but conflicted Jaime Lannister has been equally brilliant. It's just a great combination of outward cockiness and inner uncertainty and vulnerability and I'm glad we're seeing it earlier than the books.
  
• Mark Addy as King Robert was a real delight; as far as I’m concerned he stole every scene he was in with sheer drunken bellicosity. His occasional lapses of self-awareness also served to give us a glimpse at his internal self-loathing.
  
• Charles Dance as Tywin – wow talk about a powerhouse, intimidating presence; the guy is only in a handful of episodes, and he’s completely memorable. You can practically see the daddy-issues surrounding him like a vortex.
  
• I personally liked the approach to the Dothraki. They didn't shy away from the misogynistic reality of Dothraki culture, whilst still keeping it anchored with the handmaidens and individuals like Rakharo and Drogo.
  
• Virtually all the newly invented dialogue and scenes. The show felt like it could use more of these actually.
  
• Commensurate level of grittiness, including sex and nudity, compared to the books. I honestly wasn’t that worried, as it’s HBO, but you never know given the hangups of American culture and the general conservatism of the genre.
  

Things I liked that were changed from the books or otherwise treated differently due to the show’s objective perspective:

• 
  
• No stupid summersault acrobatic introduction to Tyrion
  
• More appropriate ages for the young lead cast.
  
• No romance novel bodice-ripping consent fudge on Dany’s wedding night.
  
• Ser Loras and Renly’s relationship being made explicit.
  
• No goofy, weird dragon breast-feeding.
  

Frequently made complaints I couldn’t care less about:

• The addition of Roz
  
• Every example cited about gratuitous boob, bums or sex.
  

Things I could wish were done a little differently:

• A 12 or 13 episode format instead of the overly compressed 10 we got.
  
• Bran’s crazy crow dreams in the book were written like an acid trip. The show's version of the dreams are positively pedestrian by comparison, and the locus of the weirdness is Rickon more than Bran. Not a big deal, but it was noticeable.
  
• Admittedly some of the sexposition was a bit clumsy. It is a little lazy to rely on this so often, so it would be nice to see them mix it up a bit more.