Benioff Talks Season 2

[Westeros]

Hollywood.TV caught up with executive producer David Benioff and his wife Amanda Peet at the Writers Guild of America Awards, where the show was nominated in the Best Drama Series and the Best New Series categories. Benioff apparently expected that this wasn’t Game of Thrones‘s year, from the sounds of it—and he was right, as Breaking Bad and Homeland took those awards, respectively. However, he was in a cheerful mood, as was Peet (who seems to have used marital privilege to get a look at the season already—or at least the scripts!) and he shared some thoughts on the second season:

Nothing really new here, as such, but Benioff does think this season will look even better than last season, and he feels the actors have had more time to get their characters and push them to another level. Amanda Peet focused on just how “tortuously suspensful” it was in her remarks, and claimed it was a problem in their marriage, which one could certainly understand! Benioff was also asked about faithfulness to the series, and he indicates that it’s still very much George’s world and story and characters, though of course, as an adaptation some changes need to take place, and they’ve moved some thing from later in the series into this season.

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[Arkash]

Well, nothing really new, of course, but interesting to hear him say that it is still GRRM story... and I wonder what things will be pushed to further seasons and what things will be in this one that come from further times.

[StarkBlack21]

Notice he said some things had to get pushed back. I think he is talking about Ramsay. I think Ramsay is getting pushed back to season 3, a long with the Tullys. I wouldn't be surprised if the sack of Winterfell doesn't happen till the end of the season.

[Ser Dermett Corbray]

Wonder what the thing that's been moved forward from a later book is...

[Arkash]

My bet would be that Jon's arc story will be longer than in the book !

[Arrogant Bastard]

My bet would be that Jon's arc story will be longer than in the book !

That's possible, but I doubt it.

In Jon's first chapter in ASOS he meets Mance Rayder and Tormund. There haven't been any casting announcements for each, so I think they're saving them for season 3. My bet would be that Jaime's release by Catelyn has been moved up.

[Ser Dermett Corbray]

Yeah there seems to be a seasons worth of story for Jon in ACoK.

Leaving the wall, scouting the wildling villages, probably a couple episodes at Craster's Keep, a couple scouting the Frostfangs, being surrounded by Rattleshirt's men with Qhorin.

Lots of stuff going on for Jon this season. And the latter scenario in the list would be the perfect climax to the season for Jon; for the non-book readers, it will leave a lot of suspense going into season 3.

Would be cool, as Arrogant Bastard suggests, if we got to see the start of the 'Tale of the Lion and the Wench' early ;)

If we aren't going to see Riverrun this season, I could easily see Cat freeing Jaime from Robb's camp (where he is being held now) while Brienne is in her company. Then maybe Robb will send her back to Riverrun for season 3 when her father and Edmure will be introduced.

[StarkBlack21]

Yeah there seems to be a seasons worth of story for Jon in ACoK.

Leaving the wall, scouting the wildling villages, probably a couple episodes at Craster's Keep, a couple scouting the Frostfangs, being surrounded by Rattleshirt's men with Qhorin.

Lots of stuff going on for Jon this season. And the latter scenario in the list would be the perfect climax to the season for Jon; for the non-book readers, it will leave a lot of suspense going into season 3.

Would be cool, as Arrogant Bastard suggests, if we got to see the start of the 'Tale of the Lion and the Wench' early ;)

If we aren't going to see Riverrun this season, I could easily see Cat freeing Jaime from Robb's camp (where he is being held now) while Brienne is in her company. Then maybe Robb will send her back to Riverrun for season 3 when her father and Edmure will be introduced.

Your scenario makes sense. And storywise for TV it will make sense. She could get worried, and makes a deal with Jamie and has Brienne go with him. It could also happen after Jamie's first escape attempt that we never saw in the book.

[David C. Hunter]

I would think and hope that its the storyline involving Bran the Reed kids, Theon, Ramsay and the sack of Winterfell. Since there is no Ramsay, or Reed children. Also this is why I also believe we have not seen the Tullys or Riverrun.

I hope so at least

BTW whenever Benioff talks he makes it seem as if he doesn't believe the show will go past book 3. He is clearly the pessimist of the pair.

[Arkash]

From all we can gather, yes, the Bran arc will be the one to be cut..

I've rechecked the beginning of the Jon arc in Storm, and yes, they have to stop exactly where it ends in Clash.

Arya leaving Harrenhal is, too one hell of a way to end her arc in the show.

Theon's arc, will be obviously shorter if Bran's shorter too.

I dont see how Catelyn's arc could be any longer than in the book...

As for Sansa... well, maybe her arc can go further, I think her arc may last until she meets Margaery and the Queen of Thorns.

Same for Tyrion: it can last until he wakes up and meet with Tywin.

Maybe Dany's arc will be longer too: maybe it will go until she decides to move on Slaver's Bay under the council of Jorah.

The story of Davos ends perfectly at the end of Clash, we dont know if he's lost in the Blackwater or not, having him facing the flames is one perfect hell of a way to finish his arc.

Well, that's it for the PoVs of clash...

Maybe they can further the story of Sam and ending the season with the attack on the Fist of the First Men, that would be a perfect cliffhanger.

And maybe, too, have the first Jaime's chapter in the season...

[Padraig]

From all we can gather, yes, the Bran arc will be the one to be cut.

I'm not sure about that. There is evidence out there that we will see all of Bran's arc. Except for the lack of Ramsay, there is little evidence to the contrary.

If there are talking of holding back some stories, it could be that they intend on introducing the Tullys and maybe the Reeds in S3. They would be introduced in a different way than in the books but its still holding back their stories.

I don't think they will end with the Cat v Jaime cliffhanger. We'll see him escape.

If anything they could leave some of Sansa's last chapter for S3. We wouldn't see QoT in S2 anyhow. And they could cut some of Tyrion's last chapter also in aCoK.

[David C. Hunter]

From all we can gather, yes, the Bran arc will be the one to be cut..

I've rechecked the beginning of the Jon arc in Storm, and yes, they have to stop exactly where it ends in Clash.

Arya leaving Harrenhal is, too one hell of a way to end her arc in the show.

Theon's arc, will be obviously shorter if Bran's shorter too.

I dont see how Catelyn's arc could be any longer than in the book...

As for Sansa... well, maybe her arc can go further, I think her arc may last until she meets Margaery and the Queen of Thorns.

Same for Tyrion: it can last until he wakes up and meet with Tywin.

Maybe Dany's arc will be longer too: maybe it will go until she decides to move on Slaver's Bay under the council of Jorah.

The story of Davos ends perfectly at the end of Clash, we dont know if he's lost in the Blackwater or not, having him facing the flames is one perfect hell of a way to finish his arc.

Well, that's it for the PoVs of clash...

Maybe they can further the story of Sam and ending the season with the attack on the Fist of the First Men, that would be a perfect cliffhanger.

And maybe, too, have the first Jaime's chapter in the season...

I also think they will have Jaime leaving with Brienne at the end of the season.

As far as Catelyn goes I think they can slow down her arc in the 2nd book. She seems like shes going to spend and awful long time with Renly and the new scenes with Littlefinger seem to add to that theory.

I'm not sure about that. There is evidence out there that we will see all of Bran's arc. Except for the lack of Ramsay, there is little evidence to the contrary.

If there are talking of holding back some stories, it could be that they intend on introducing the Tullys and maybe the Reeds in S3. They would be introduced in a different way than in the books but its still holding back their stories.

I don't think they will end with the Cat v Jaime cliffhanger. We'll see him escape.

If anything they could leave some of Sansa's last chapter for S3. We wouldn't see QoT in S2 anyhow. And they could cut some of Tyrion's last chapter also in aCoK.

Well one storyline I think will really change is the one of Osha. Im not sure if DnD will want to split up Bran and Osha after it was so well received in the first season and tv viewers only glimpsed Rickon like twice. So I can definitely see them pushing back the appearnce of the Reeds, but I hope not

[Umberto]

It seems like he just wants to at least make it to the Red Wedding.

But honestly I don't see them canceling this show. It's just too popular and has too much quality. The other shows HBO have canceled had nowhere near as much of a following as GoT does.

We will have 8 seasons, it is known :)

[Lord Godric]

I'll be very disappointed in the Bran arc is cut, because it is so pivotal. If the introduction of the Reeds and the sack of Winterfell is simply pushed back to next season that will be much more acceptable, but if the decision to entirely cut the Reeds has been made, it will be the first time I have a large problem with the series.

[salt]

I think the chances of this show making it through the entire book series are maybe 35 percent. I can't think of any other big budget HBO show like this that lasted for 8 seasons or more. I just want them to make it through RW.

[Lord Godric]

I think ending after the Red Wedding would be horrible, they would have to at least get past the "Purple Wedding" so there is that bit of satisfaction too. Ending after the Red Wedding would end the show on a way too depressing note.

I, honestly, can not see them deciding the split the third book between two seasons and not order both seasons. So I think we will at least get through ASoS and then perhaps a condensed version of AFfC/ADwD

[StarkBlack21]

This show will not be cancelled anytime soon. For a variety of reasons. Right now True Blood and Game of Thrones are the most popular Dramas that HBO has. Boardwalk empire a close third. Luck, unfortunately might not be on HBO past the 2nd season. And right now HBO has to find more dramas that click with audiences. True Blood is one its 5th season, and who know how long they can keep Alan Ball on True Blood, though technically they could continue the show without him, but that's not a popular option.

The cash cows for HBO are True Blood and Game of Thrones. What most people don't realize, in cable series, after Season 3 is renegotiation time for the creators and the Network; ie Dave and Dan and HBO. The cast seems like they are locked in contract wise for at least 7 seasons, with various pay bumps etc ( normally networks cover themselves by doing this, so there is no SOPRANOS situation)

So really it comes down to, after the 3rd Season does Benioff and Dan want to do the show anymore, and at what price HBO will have to pay.

Remember Benioff is a high in demand feature writer, this show might take away from gigs he can take, so the payout would have to be worth it to him. I think that's why he is non-commital when he talks about the series after season 3, because there are a lot of factors to take into consideration, and you never know where the chips will fall.

Plus you have to take into consideration where George is with writing the books. Though, technically Dave and Dan could continue the series without GRRM's future 6,7, and possibly 8 books.

[Plem]

This show will not be cancelled anytime soon. For a variety of reasons. Right now True Blood and Game of Thrones are the most popular Dramas that HBO has. Boardwalk empire a close third. Luck, unfortunately might not be on HBO past the 2nd season. And right now HBO has to find more dramas that click with audiences. True Blood is one its 5th season, and who know how long they can keep Alan Ball on True Blood, though technically they could continue the show without him, but that's not a popular option.

That's all true, but I don't think you can compare GoT with TB, just because former is so much more expensive and it will probably only get more expensive as they go along, seeing as how they're gonna have to pay more money to actors and such.

[The GRRumbler]

You guys are really making me worried about the future of this show :uhoh:

especially if you think as i do, that the success of this show could be something that would press Martin to dedicate himself a lit bit more to the finishing of the series.