[Book Spoilers] Will the impact of the RW be different due to differing medium

[Pasha Pook]

It seems that if S3 is greenlighted, it will be the first half of ASOS;) D&D just confirmed that ( see WiC).

[Aegnor]

They've said in previous interviews that they hoped to make it to the RW in season 3. If I had to guess, I'd say it will be episode 9 of season three. Honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it is the season finale.

[The Mountain That Glides]

It won't be the finale, I can pretty much guarantee that.

My thought though is that they should try to include Walder more on screen so the viewers remember him, otherwise it'll be like, "Who the hell is this guy?" putting him in an episode for 2 minutes two years previously probably won't connect with most of the viewers. We need new Walder scenes. Maybe a scene or two of him brooding on how Robb has betrayed his oath, and recalling his kin back to the Twins or something. Just so viewers keep him in mind.

[SkyPirateJack]

It really depends on how much people connect with Robb. If it shows more of him outside Catelyn's POV and he can really draw some pathos, then the impact will be pretty strong. If Catelyn comes off as a truly sympathetic character on screen by then, it will be epic. If they don't screw it up with obvious 'dragon egg' foreshadowing, televisions will be kicked in and bricks will be shat just like with the book.

My mom just read GoT and one of the comments she had was that 'all Walder Frey ever wanted to be acknowledged and given respect. When he got that he let them through'. She picked up on the kind of foreshadowing that will need to happen in the show. If she ever makes it to the RW, I may be in for a rough couple of days.

[DragonAge93]

I'm only almost done with ACoK, so I haven't read the Red Wedding yet, though I know the outcome. But yes, it will be different on screen, as we are actually SEEING the brutality of it, instead of mind's perception of it, which might be equally as jarring as will be portrayed on screen. As others have stated, we are getting to know Robb a lot better than in the books, where he only showed up when Catelyn talked to him. Other than that we just got descriptions of his brilliance as a strategist and battle leader. But by the time the horrific event comes around, we'll know Robb as a whole new person.

[imladolen]

No way RW's gonna be the final episode. They have to show Joffrey's death to give some satisfaction after that. And then, in season 4... Viper vs. Mountain for another FFFFUUUU.

I'm hoping that the Red Wedding is the end of season 3 (last 20 minutes or so of episode 3.10). Then, Joffrey's wedding shouid be at the beginning of season 4 (like late in 4.01, or no later than the end of 4.02).

What I really want to see is the inevitable "Hitler finds out about the RW" video.

Oh that will be glorious!

[The Mountain That Glides]

That doesn't make sense for storytelling purposes. As it's been mentioned, the season should end on a positive note, or atleast a bittersweet moment, IE Joffrey dying but Tyrion getting blamed for it. Main chracters should not die in the first episode of a season, with only rare exceptions (See, Season five of 24.) If the reprocussions for Joffrey's wedding were to last all season, for instance, it'd be understandable. But that would require stretching out the trial and Tyrion killing Tywin for 10 episodes from Joffrey's death, when in the books they only happen a few chapters from each other.

tldr; Joffrey isn't dying at the beginning of season four.

[Aegnor]

I know that based on comments from the producers, their goal was to get at least as far as the Red Wedding during season 3. That tells me that it is going to be a close thing. I don't think they have enough time to do both the RW and Joffrey's wedding.

[The Mountain That Glides]

They essentially happen right after one another, and I believe the producers will move a couple things around a bit so it works more organically.

[VivaVictarion]

My two cents: Ned's beheading was shocking for TV viewers...Killing off not one but two "main" characters (plus all the supporting ones) will be ten times as shocking...and set GoT apart from any other show ever made. So yes, I think it will be one of the most shocking moments in TV history, truth be told.

[The Mountain That Glides]

My two cents: Ned's beheading was shocking for TV viewers...Killing off not one but two "main" characters (plus all the supporting ones) will be ten times as shocking...and set GoT apart from any other show ever made. So yes, I think it will be one of the most shocking moments in TV history, truth be told.

Then you're biased.

Killing off two main characters isn't some uber mega ultimate thing that no show has ever attempted before. Plenty of shows do it. I'll repeat: What made Ned's death so showing wasn't that he was a main character, it was because people presumed he was THE main character, and it's pretty much unprecedented to kill off your MAIN character after 9 eps.

Killing off main characters happens all the time. People will be shocked, yes, upset, yes. But it won't be the thing that sets GoT apart from other TV shows. And I don't think it'll be as upsetting as Ned's death (But I could be wrong).

IMO: (Dexter Spoiler)

The most shocking death I've ever seen on TV was Rita on Dexter. Nothing else GoT ever does will reach that level, except maybe,

DwD spoilers:

Spoiler

Jon's death if they don't establish he's going to be okay right off.

[Aegnor]

Then you're biased.

Killing off two main characters isn't some uber mega ultimate thing that no show has ever attempted before. Plenty of shows do it. I'll repeat: What made Ned's death so showing wasn't that he was a main character, it was because people presumed he was THE main character, and it's pretty much unprecedented to kill off your MAIN character after 9 eps.

Killing off main characters happens all the time. People will be shocked, yes, upset, yes. But it won't be the thing that sets GoT apart from other TV shows. And I don't think it'll be as upsetting as Ned's death (But I could be wrong).

IMO:

The most shocking death I've ever seen on TV was Rita on Dexter. Nothing else GoT ever does will reach that level, except maybe,

DwD spoilers:

Spoiler

Jon's death if they don't establish he's going to be okay right off.

I don't agree. I think the RW deaths are much more shocking than Ned's death. They certainly were in the book, and I think they will be on TV as well. Note that it isn't just the deaths, but the manor. I wouldn't have been shocked if Rob was killed in some battle, but the way it went down just floored me.

Dexter spoiler:

I don't think Rita's death was as shocking as Ned's death, or the RW will be. Don't get me wrong, it was shocking. But that was because it happened at a point where you thought the danger was over.

I agree with VivaVictarion that it will be the most shocking deaths on TV.

[littlespider]

BUGGER. Why did I hit your Dexter spoiler before I caught up on all the seasons?? Silly me.

[The Mountain That Glides]

I don't agree. I think the RW deaths are much more shocking than Ned's death. They certainly were in the book, and I think they will be on TV as well. Note that it isn't just the deaths, but the manor. I wouldn't have been shocked if Rob was killed in some battle, but the way it went down just floored me.

Dexter spoiler:

I don't think Rita's death was as shocking as Ned's death, or the RW will be. Don't get me wrong, it was shocking. But that was because it happened at a point where you thought the danger was over.

I agree with VivaVictarion that it will be the most shocking deaths on TV.

Hmm, I dunno. I wasn't spoiled for Ned's death, whereas I was spoiled that Robb would die 3/4 of the way through aSoS, so I was kinda spoiled for the RW. So it's possible I'm biased. But I was also floored by the manor Robb died, and I just don't think by then, people will be thinking Robb is the MAIN character, he'll be part of an obvious ensemble. People will be uber upset because Robb is awesome, but it's not the same type of upset, because people new to the series this year assumed Ned was the absolute guy who would Kick Everyones Ass And Be The Protagonist For The Whole Series guy. Then they got a rude wake up call. Most of the complaints about it weren't, "I can't believe you killed a main character!', it was, "I can't believe you guys killed the main character!"

The different between the and a in this case is paramount, IMO. But we can agree to disagree on this.

[Sasha Steelsong]

I appreciate that people think that the RW will be in season three and that the producers might even want it to be in season three, but none of that changes the fact that the RW doesn't happen until about 2/3 of the way through the book so I can't see how it would be at the end of a season. I can see it being like epidode two or even the season opener in season four but seriouly, does anyone actually think they will make a whole season based on what happens after the RW in SOS? There really isn't that much to tell after that point in terms of major issues, Joffery's Wedding and Tyrion's trial, that is maybe five episodes if I'm being generous. I also happen to agree that they are not going to kill off Robb and then make people wait a year for the hollow Joffery satisfaction. I think the kings deaths will bracket season four but not actually make it into season three.

[Mattyp]

The trouble with delaying the RW scene until the forth season is that by then most viewers would of had the death spoiled for them. The phrase 'RW' is popping up all over the net and 3 years of having that constantly thrown about viewers are going to get curious. Not to mention the huge spoiler plague that is IMDB at the moment. Some douchebags are spoiling the events up until ADWD. Scenes the show might not even get too!

I can imagine at least 50% of viewers will know about the RW before it even happens if it is drawn out until series 4.

[BrosBeforeSnows]

Newbies are going to hate it even more than when Ned lost his head. Plus, if done right, playing it out on TV will make it seem much more real to people than simply reading about it. It will be a difficult scene to act, no doubt, especially for Michelle Fairley, but people aren't going to like Roose Bolton any better than Prince Joffrey once it's all said and done.

[BrosBeforeSnows]

I can imagine at least 50% of viewers will know about the RW before it even happens if it is drawn out until series 4.

I would imagine they'll end season 3 with the RW. Season 4 will then cover Joffrey's death, and subsequent events from AFfC and ADwD (they'll probably film the two books simultaneously, since they cover the same time period). Of course, that is if they make it to S4.

[Mattyp]

I would imagine they'll end season 3 with the RW. Season 4 will then cover Joffrey's death, and subsequent events from AFfC and ADwD (they'll probably film the two books simultaneously, since they cover the same time period). Of course, that is if they make it to S4.

My God none of you American's are very hopeful about the show reaching the end of the novels! What has the Fox network done to you all?

[Ser Robin the Not-So-Brave]

My two cents: Ned's beheading was shocking for TV viewers...Killing off not one but two "main" characters (plus all the supporting ones) will be ten times as shocking...and set GoT apart from any other show ever made. So yes, I think it will be one of the most shocking moments in TV history, truth be told.

The emotional impact of watching Ned's beheading was different from, but just as affecting on the show as in the books. RW has even higher potential - it was 10x more shocking and horrifying than Ned's beheading to me. I think if done right the RW could go down as one of the cultural landmarks in television this decade. The closest analogy I can think of would be the opening of Saving Private Ryan. Only, imagine if you have been following Tom Hank and his friends for many months as they prepare for the invasion, and also no one expects the Germans to be anywhere close. And once the beach landing happens, total mind-numbing chaos and slaughter. And it ends with Tom Hank's character shot dead right as he is about to get off the beach.

Of course this relies on proper buildup, i.e. in season 2 building up Robb as a main character, providing a lot of hope in the cause of the King in the North. But yea, I don't know any other story where the cause you have been fervently rooting for for two seasons (2 years for TV viewers) is mercilessly slaughtered in one single moment. Not just 1 or 2 main characters, but the entire cause obliterated so cruelly. If would be like if D-Day had failed, an A-bomb got dropped on the US, and the Allies lost the war all in a single day.

In my mind they can't make RW the season finale, b/c it would cause too many viewers to rage quit and think there is nothing worth watching anymore. They would need an episode or two afterwards for the aftermath, provide some hope and relief, and set up the "preview" for the next season, the way season 1 episode 10 was.

I'm really hoping that they show a gruesome preview of the scene in Dany's House of the Undying, enough so that viewers are like "WTF?" but not enough that they can guess what it's foreshadowing.