We are not getting too much sex, we are getting the wrong sex.

[Raksha the Demon]

In the TV series, Sansa has not been beaten nearly as badly as she was in the books. She got a bloody lip once; and Tyrion saved her from worse when Joffrey had her dress torn. I don't want to see any gratuitous violence, but Sansa was beaten fairly frequently in the books, enough so that she learned to cover the bruises on her face; and at least once so badly that she needed medical attention and sedatives and there were welts on her legs - not enough to cripple her, but enough to cause her far more physical pain than she has endured in the series. Sansa's refusal to despair and her composure between beatings is a sign of her growing strength of character; that's why I had hoped that they would show that Sansa was coping with and surviving more than emotional pain. Is there a film industry code against showing pain and minor injury to underage actors?

[Buckwheat]

In the TV series, Sansa has not been beaten nearly as badly as she was in the books. She got a bloody lip once; and Tyrion saved her from worse when Joffrey had her dress torn. I don't want to see any gratuitous violence, but Sansa was beaten fairly frequently in the books, enough so that she learned to cover the bruises on her face; and at least once so badly that she needed medical attention and sedatives and there were welts on her legs - not enough to cripple her, but enough to cause her far more physical pain than she has endured in the series. Sansa's refusal to despair and her composure between beatings is a sign of her growing strength of character; that's why I had hoped that they would show that Sansa was coping with and surviving more than emotional pain. Is there a film industry code against showing pain and minor injury to underage actors?

If there is, they have broken it already in the first episode of the first season. So, I doubt there is. But it is a good idea.

[I'll pay the iron price]

I liked the Joffrey makes Ros beat her friend scene because it helped show his cruel streak on TV and why giving a young, immature person a position of great power doesnt work!

It also helps sow the depth of dislike between him and Tyrion

(BTW, Tyrion slapping him at Winterfell in season1 was outstanding!)

[Greywolf2375]

Is there a film industry code against showing pain and minor injury to underage actors?

There may be an unwritten avoidance of the topic, but there are definitely examples of it happening. As far as the Sansa scene in the throneroom, they could have gone the route of American Beauty in which the Thora Birch and her parents signed an agreement that they were ok with Thora being partially naked. That they didn't is no loss, the nudity in that scene isn't the attention grabber, it is Joffrey's treatment of her in front of the court.

[julandro]

Is it coincidence that the number of viewers is rising when there is not much sex? LOL

[Dreadnaught]

Really? Loras and Renly certainly seemed to be enjoying each other. It was kinda sweet, even, especialy the last scene.

I thought it was sickening, wish they'd have left it out.

[Lyeder]

The thing that bothers me with the way sex is portrayed in the show, is that with the exception of Tyrion's scenes and the one with Littlefinger instructing his employees, no one seems to be enjoying any of it.

Well, in the book, I did not find sex described as particularly enjoying either - especially for women. They are most of the time objects and for many men in Westeros (at least among the highborn) their sexlive seems limited to impregnating your wife, fuck some whores and some peasant girls who can't say no - but certainly not a lot of affection there.

There is a lot of verbal sexual talk in the books, and it is a way of transfering that athmosphere to the screen. Also, it shows how violent this world of Westeros is. I found the Joffrey/whore beating scene rather pointless, but it does show the growing hatred between him and his uncle - which is interesting regarding a certain other deadly wedding.

[Thorny Issues]

I thought it was sickening, wish they'd have left it out.

I feel sorry for you.

[ThePrinceOfSunspear]

HBO is making Littlfefinger way too much of a bad guy.

its really stupid. He's the quintessential complex grey character. And i agree when it comes time for Lysa to FLY its not even going to be shocking anymore....

[Woman of War]

Really? Loras and Renly certainly seemed to be enjoying each other. It was kinda sweet, even, especialy the last scene.

I thought it was sickening, wish they'd have left it out.

seriously,

you feel sickened by two men having sex but not by heads chopped off and arms ripped out?

[RhaenysBee]

It also appears that HBO won't show Ros nude anymore, as she had put on some weight. Only athletic bodies on TV! Quite disgusting when you think about it.

That has nothing to do with her weight. it's film industry. If they tell her to put on weight, she will. If they tell her to lose weight, she will. She gets a lot of money for this, you see. Besides, GoT was never a show to be shy showing non-athletic bodies.

Isn't Sophie Turner sixteen? I'm pretty sure anything more than what HBO did with that scene would have been (at least somewhat) illegal. They pretty much went as far as anybody would have been willing to go with a teenage girl.

Dakota Fanning wasn't sixteen when she had a sex scene with Kristen Stewart in Runaways and thirteen when she had a rape scene in Hounddog. Both were stunningly powerful movies and neither showed Dakota naked, so cameraman, creativity and you have it if you want.

Sophie Turner was the same age (almost sixteen) as Dakota when they shot the second season. PLUS she just had a rape-attempt scene too. I think they should have give more screentime to that Sansa beating scene, because it would have also give a picture of Sansa's situation, not only tell us how sick Joffrey is.

We were deprived of a sex scene between Eddard and Catelyn, which could of given both characters much more humanity. (Maybe Sean Bean doesn't do nudity? =( )

We had a sort of Eddard Catelyn post-sex scene. When they are lying in bed and Maester Luwin comes. You can guess what they were doing beforehand. And I think that's enough, because they are portrayed as respectable middle aged parents. We don't usually see sex scenes on screen between ~40-5 year old wife and husband with five kids. Catelyn and Ned are simply not the kind of characters whose relationship is determined by sex. They've been happily married for looooooong years five kids are proof enough of their intensive sexual life.Plus, that scene was very cute.

There are two main reasons for sex and nudity being in a show like this. Obviously, it gives the characters more depth and complexity. More importantly, however, it should make the audience uncomfortable. The viewer will never truly become invested in a show if they are comfortable.

I doubt that HBO creates sex scenes to make the audience uncomfortable. It's the opposite I think. They have to sell the show. Draw audience. How can you sell a show or a film? With sex and blood (Tudors, Borgias, Dexter, Rome as shows, 300, Black Swan, Cronenberg movies as films, just to mention some examples that pop into my head). But of course quantity does not equal quality, so they should pay attention to what sort of sex scenes they give us.

[Bride of Winter]

You're completely right. that's why I get so mad when people say "how could you complain about sex in the show - did you even read the series???"

The issue is, while sex and nudity add a deeper level to the books, by using it differently in the show they manage to make everything so much more superficial than it should be. The sex scenes are there in the books if hbo wants them, but they seem content with changing them, effectively cheapening the story with their choices.

[gogorath]

I really have no problem with the sex or violence in the show, but I do agree with the initial poster: we really need more sex, and sex that's actually a positive thing.

Let's get a scene with Jeyne and Robb; a scene with Jon and Ygritte. Heck, even a real, loving sex scene between Jaime and Cersei would be interesting.

[I'll pay the iron price]

Tyrion and Shae would be better :cool4:

[gogorath]

Tyrion and Shae would be better :cool4:

We actually do need a reminder of the fact that he actually does care for her.

[GoodGuyA]

Tyrion and Shae would be better :cool4:

I think it's a Dinklage problem. The few times they saw things getting ready in the first season, they cut away from it. Not sure if it's the actors, HBO, or general audience reception that's not in favor of it. I personally won't mind if they kept doing as they did for Season 1 in regards to that particular sex. Not because I would dislike seeing the actors naked, but it just seems to fit better that way.

[master]

my opinion is that the sex isnt nessesary, but if you had to add it at least make it accurate to the books. though there does seem to be less sex the last couple of episodes. iis there a reason for that?

[Hoo]

I love the sex scenes. I'm single, and I do not care if it prevents you from watching with your family or about anything you find wrong with sex scenes.

[teemo]

I agree, although it's been a little bit better lately. These books are my babies. If I want to see hot nude women, I can go to a porn site or go to Cinemax. I don't watch television shows for tits. Isn't that what 15 year old boys do?

I don't mind sex in the show. There is plenty of sex or at least references to it in the books, but extreme, unnecessary, non-story related gratuitous sex doesn't have a place in the show, in my opinion.

And people need to stop bitching about the Loras/Renly scene. Are you freakin' kidding me? I have actually heard people refer to it as an explicit gay sex scene. Um, there was no sex. Did you see any asses and cocks? I didn't think so. We're nearing the end of two seasons of the show, and there have been countless number of whores and naked women that added nothing to the story. Then we see a brief romantic scene between two actual important characters who really loved each other, and OMG DISGUSTING. If you are a guy and love the books, that scene could easily be appreciated, regardless of your sexuality. It's something we have always known, but have never been able to see. It's like being excited to see Robb/Jeyne, although it looks like they've botched that up pretty bad. I actually got into a pretty bad argument with a friend when he started going off on how disgusting the "graphic" gay sex scene was. Grow up!

[HouseLark]

One thing I always find weird is that when people complain about the sex in the show they never complain about Dany being raped twice by Drogo. Did we need two full scenes of that? One would have sufficed and the rest could have been implied.

So far, the only sex scene that I have found objectionable was the famous sexposition scene. It was the only unnecessary scene. Now that's not to say that other scenes have been comfortable to watch, but they all added something to the characters in them (saying that, maybe the season one Ros/Theon scene was unnecessary given that we were always going to get the Theon/Captain's daughter scene in season two).

In truth, we've had much more gratuitous violence than sex. Did we really need Drogo to so brutally kill his bloodrider in season one? He never removed his tongue with his bare hands in the books but I guess that just makes him "badass" or something. The brutal Ser Rodrick beheading wasn't in the book either and I don't remember The Tickler's grotesquely twisted neck being described in ACOK.