[Book & TV Spoilers] Insightful interview with writer Bryan Cogman

[Frumpus]

The weasel soup scene would have completely ruined Arya's storyline on the tv show if it was added just to satiate book readers who care more about a scene than about a character or story. I can't believe anyone keeps harping on this. The story was changed, deal with it.

[Khal-a-bunga]

Careful there. God forbid you express dissatisfaction with how the show's being run.

If you're so unhappy with how the show is being run, and if you don't have any interest in discussing it with any kind of detail (not you, the original poster you quoted), then why not stick to the forums centered around the novels and steer clear of the forums dedicated to the television show? It's especially egregious because the majority of the criticisms' rely solely on differences between the source material and what we're given on-screen. For instance, with Arya (again) we'll certainly see more of her dark side during seasons three and four, prior to her leaving for Braavos. Why did she need to become a stone-cold killer so quickly? What does it matter if she kills Polliver instead of the Tickler at the inn? All of these complaints are so shallow, of course some of us find it hard to take seriously.

I've been in love with this series of books since before I started working in the film/television industry, so it's not as if I'm trying to cut the show any unwarranted slack, but the vitrol and confusion over the changes that have been made are so (occasionally) asinine and premature that it's hard to respond with anything other than annoyance, and for that I apologize. I didn't mean to be snippy, but so many posters here are judging the integrity of the entire television show off of two seasons, simply because this second season diverged from ACoK more significantly than the first. Television operates under a totally different set of narrative rules, especially when it's as heavily serialized as something like A Game of Thrones.

It's confusing to me that something we're all clearly so passionate about can inspire such hatred over relatively minor changes that have yet to fully play out. You don't dedicate a majority of your working career to a television show if you don't have an intense passion for the story and the characters within it, even if it results in "bags of money" being thrown at you (which is almost certainly not the case here). D&D and the rest of the writing staff know what they're doing, and so far have done an excellent job bringing this story to life. Are they above criticism? Absolutely not. They bungled Qhorin Halfhand, plain and simple. Stannis and Davos should have been given a bit more screen-time, as should Sallador and Dontos (even if it were only an additional scene each for the latter two). I'm not using the books as a reference for these complaints, I'm just going by what we were given in the show, seeing as they are (and always have been) seperate entities. The sooner people are able to seperate the two - and judge them as such - the better, as far as I'm concerned.

[Ran]

The weasel soup scene would have completely ruined Arya's storyline

Arya essentially has no storyline for her character in S2, after episode 4. I guess having something happen that develops her character would indeed "ruin" that...

Not that I particularly wanted the "weasel soup" scene, and I can understand why that facet of the story was too complicated and involved too many characters to really have on screen.

But there's no good excuse for the character to remain in developmental stasis for six episodes.

Khal-a-bunga,

Why did she need to become a stone-cold killer so quickly?

Because she needs to do something that develops her character over the course of more than half a season. Her conversations with Tywin and Jaqen really do nothing to change Arya. She is the same person in episode 10 as she is at the end of episode 4. This is, thematically-speaking, dull. Very dull, even. Almost every other significant "POV" character is changed in some fashion between the start of S2 and the end of it, with Arya being a notable exception. Even Sansa has more character development than Arya. Even Tyrion.

There's something very off about that fact. The whole of her story in ACoK is about character development, and instead they put it to a screeching halt once she starts muttering her list, and they give us prettily-written-but-empty two-handers with Tywin as some sort of substitute. Because, apparently, they couldn't figure out how to make a story for her for S3 and S4.

Here's a way to do it:

1) Have her kill the guard herself to escape, the line about the rain washing the blood off, the realization she's become desensitized and cold-blooded. Killing is a means to solving problems. She may have killed through Jaqen, not fully absorbing it, but all of those deaths are conducted by proxy, by someone else. When she wields the knife herself, it's different, it's a step further for her.

2) Have Beric and the BwB -- with their ethos of giving every man a fair trial, about serving justice and the law -- provide her an image of killing-as-justice, and have her struggle with absorbing that...

3) Have Sandor -- with his claimed ethos of killing and violence separating the strong from the weak, with his thirst for vengeance against Gregor and, in his way, the whole world, with his penchant for hatred and self-hatred -- provider her an image as killing-as-revenge...

And have her commit to that route: death as vengeance. It's a way to meditate on violence through the lens of an emotionally-scarred girl in a war zone. That's what her whole story is about from ACoK on, in any case: death in all of its manifestations, the ease with which it's dealt, the humanity and inhumanity of it, and so on and so forth.

Don't squeeze that all into S3-S4 -- don't contrive some means to make her a cold-blooded killer under the influence of Beric and his band (which would require some rather radical revision regarding what they're about), have it happen in the natural place for it: the harrowing, hellish trials that lead up to and continue through Harrenhal. Then S3 and S4 can be about the struggle for understanding.

And, you know, it's just narrative economy: Arya has almost 60 minutes of screen time, and more than half of it is static: chat with Tywin, have Jaqen kill someone, rinse, wash, repeat (much the same as Jon's ep 7: Ygritte comes on to him, he rejects her, she insults him, rinse, wash, repeat until he's captured). That's not a particularly effective way of writing such a big story. They should be doing what they can to not fall behind in terms of character development, rather than putting the brakes on it.

[dni]

Hmm this was an interesting interview, it's good to know that although they made changes they at least tried to put some thought into them, and i agree that most of the stuff they changed did need changes to work on T.V.

Arya being slowed down is fine and makes sense, It would of been silly for her to take out a fully armored guard, she's gotten darker and gotten a taste for blood via proxy at least and her scenes with Tywin, though not entirely true to character, were fun to watch.

I also agree that rob's story actually needed to be shown instead of just happening off screen, I really don't understand why they needed to change who he fell in love with though. I don't entirely mind throwing some romance into his plot but throwing in the hip progressive volantis girl just felt bizarre and out of place and how much did we really learn about volantis anyways? That they have slaves with tattoos? If anything her character is so out of place in the world of asoiaf that it gives a weird and non-canon impression of Volanti

Also agree that Dany needed something to actually happen to her plot wise because her story was mostly internal development which doesn't transfer well to television, and as cliche as the xaro plot was It really didn't bother me... but it still doesn't explain why they had to ruin The house of the undying scene, He talks about how much they love the books and how they really looked forward to bringing these epic scenes and moments to t.v. but then they go and completely gut what is probably the most interesting and important scene in all of Dany's storyline thus far? They didn't even attempt to do it right, just threw in some sexy Khal to appease the female viewers with rape fantasies. I really really hope that one of these interviewers brings up HoTu someday, would be realllly interested in seeing their reasoning behind it's changes.

Jon didn't need changing though btw, so i'm not sure what that was about, his storyline with Qhorin would of worked perfectly well, wouldn't of added much budget wise, the changes they made did nothing but detract from his arc imo and even though i really did enjoy ygritte's actor I would of enjoyed her just as much in season three and Jon sparing her life would of still been enough of a lead in for their relationship, don't need to bash us over the head with it while they wander around and flirt for two episodes.

[SerMixalot]

As egregious as not killing the guard (and I do not agree the producers thought process) is the removal of so much of what Arya when through in CoK. Those things prepared her for her move to Braavos. It was important to her development into a FM that she hid on the way to the NW (done in the show), wandering helpless in the woods, becoming a sheep, a mouse to say nothing of her training with her pretend sword. It was important to her development that she experienced these things (and for extended periods of time) because they were her real life training to be a FM. By the time she left Harrenhall she was a killer. Post Harrenhall she comes to eventually embrace herself in that role and the Hound teaches her that killing can be a mercy. Compare that to where Arya is now in the show. She has had very little of the basic training to make her who she will become. Her arc during ASOS has little for her in this regards until she and Sangor kill the wounded soldier. She and gendry and hotpie wander around a little, meet up with the BwB, meets Lady Acorn and eventually hooks up with the Hound. Those actions serve to show that she no longer has a place in her old life. She has changed and can no longer go back. She needs to embrace the teachings of the Hound on killing.

I am not sure that they can catch up to that place by the end of S3 without some serious divergence from the story. Though at least they seem to recognize the need for that transition, I just hope the execution of it is not as clunky as I have come to expect from certain aspects of the TV storytelling

[kg1982]

It's pretty much a consensus that RW will be in next season. There isn't much Arya after that until she gets to Braavo, so I think that is a huge reason why they slowed down her arc. She likely will get a huge dose of war and its effects in ASOS.

[SerMixalot]

It's pretty much a consensus that RW will be in next season. There isn't much Arya after that until she gets to Braavo, so I think that is a huge reason why they slowed down her arc. She likely will get a huge dose of war and its effects in ASOS.

I dont know, after the wedding I could see a scene or two with the Dog travelling, living at the random village for an episode or two, more travel with the dog, finding the wounded soldier and learning the act of mercy, the scene in the tavern, the scene with the dog leaving him, episode 10 can be her going into saltpans and getting on board a ship. Seems a decent amount of scenes for season 4

[kg1982]

Yes... Hence why they slowed down her arc and added something like her ACOK arc until Season 4

[SerMixalot]

Yes... Hence why they slowed down her arc and added something like her ACOK arc until Season 4

but the scenes arent there in SOS. She is on a travelogue, 1st with the BwB then with the Hound, until the Hound gives her her final lesson.

[kg1982]

Yes, but there's no reason why the Red Wedding can't be used as a tipping point for Arya, leading to a much darker Season 4 arc with the Hound. She really doesn't have a lot to do in Season 4.

[jpkellirl]

A good interview, and I appreciate Bryan attempting to answer some of the changes in GoT from the source material. Personally, I think that the plot device used to speed up Dany's entry to the House of the Undying Dead was very useful. Also, the introduction of Ros gives us an insight into the disenfranchised within Westeros society.

My biggest regret, though, was the handling of the Sack of Winterfell. The introduction of Reek and his subsqeuent unmasking was [iMO] one of the best passages within the [book] series. I understand that there is various concerns over limitations, as mentioned in the article, but, if they had played it out as it happened in the book, this would have been a brilliant 'cliff-hanger' moment. As it was, I was left disappointed and felt cheated, almost.

[protar]

A good interview, and I appreciate Bryan attempting to answer some of the changes in GoT from the source material. Personally, I think that the plot device used to speed up Dany's entry to the House of the Undying Dead was very useful.

But it didn't speed up her entry into the HOTU. They had to artificially stretch her story out so they could put HOTU in episode 10 (even though it should've been in episode 8) and it was painfully obvious. This is why the defense that "Oh they had to put some more stuff in Dany's arc to make it interesting" doesn't work, because they still had to spend half the season in the Red Waste and then stretch things out in Qarth. Personally I would've done her arc like this (this doesn't really pertain to your post but I love these lists :P ):

• E1: In the Waste, talking to Doreah about her Dragons (naming them perhaps? That would've been nice.) Irri (not Doreah, I do think she better serves the show staying alive.) dies and Dany sends her bloodriders to scout out the area.
  
• E2: Bloodriders return with news of Qarth, and we then get the not so welcoming welcome scene with the Spice King.
  
• E3: Doesn't appear.
  
• E4: In Qarth, the garden party introducing us to all the characters in Qarth. Dany complains to Xaro how all the merchants have refused her and Xaro proposes. The Spice King then bursts in and accuses Dany's dothraki of stealing some valuables from his manse, ruining any chance of negotitations between them.
  
• E5: There's a trial by combat to prove Dany's guilt/innocence which Dany wins (Jorah or Kovarro as her champion.) and she is forced to accept Xaro's offer. (So we get some action without destroying the whole mystique of Qarth.)
  
• E6: Doesn't appear.
  
• E7: Doreah seduces and drunks up Xaro who reveals that he was behind the theft of the Spice King's stuff, and he also reveals the Qartheen marriage custom. Doreah tells Dany who is furious and she is decides to go to the HOTU.
  
• E8: HOTU as the climax of the episode, intercut with Weasel Soup for cool, dramatic effect and to give the sparse E8 some meat. HOTU is actually portrayed properly.
  
• E9: Doesn't appear.
  
• E10: Looking for a ship, attempted assasination attempt and meeting Arstan.
  

[jlk7e]

But it didn't speed up her entry into the HOTU. They had to artificially stretch her story out so they could put HOTU in episode 10 (even though it should've been in episode 8) and it was painfully obvious. This is why the defense that "Oh they had to put some more stuff in Dany's arc to make it interesting" doesn't work, because they still had to spend half the season in the Red Waste and then stretch things out in Qarth. Personally I would've done her arc like this (this doesn't really pertain to your post but I love these lists :P ):

• E1: In the Waste, talking to Doreah about her Dragons (naming them perhaps? That would've been nice.) Irri (not Doreah, I do think she better serves the show staying alive.) dies and Dany sends her bloodriders to scout out the area.
  
• E2: Bloodriders return with news of Qarth, and we then get the not so welcoming welcome scene with the Spice King.
  
• E3: Doesn't appear.
  
• E4: In Qarth, the garden party introducing us to all the characters in Qarth. Dany complains to Xaro how all the merchants have refused her and Xaro proposes. The Spice King then bursts in and accuses Dany's dothraki of stealing some valuables from his manse, ruining any chance of negotitations between them.
  
• E5: There's a trial by combat to prove Dany's guilt/innocence which Dany wins (Jorah or Kovarro as her champion.) and she is forced to accept Xaro's offer. (So we get some action without destroying the whole mystique of Qarth.)
  
• E6: Doesn't appear.
  
• E7: Doreah seduces and drunks up Xaro who reveals that he was behind the theft of the Spice King's stuff, and he also reveals the Qartheen marriage custom. Doreah tells Dany who is furious and she is decides to go to the HOTU.
  
• E8: HOTU as the climax of the episode, intercut with Weasel Soup for cool, dramatic effect and to give the sparse E8 some meat. HOTU is actually portrayed properly.
  
• E9: Doesn't appear.
  
• E10: Looking for a ship, attempted assasination attempt and meeting Arstan.
  

I'll just note that Protar's constant accusations that she show doesn't keep strictly enough to the books does not preclude him from proposing massive changes to the books in his own hypothetical adaptation. And you know what is lamer than the actual Qarth plot we got in season 2? A plot that revolves around false accusations that Dany stole valuables from the Spice King's manse.

[protar]

I'll just note that Protar's constant accusations that she show doesn't keep strictly enough to the books does not preclude him from proposing massive changes to the books in his own hypothetical adaptation. And you know what is lamer than the actual Qarth plot we got in season 2? A plot that revolves around false accusations that Dany stole valuables from the Spice King's manse.

I disagree with changes to the book for no reason, I am not against all book deviations so even my proposed ideas have deviations from the books, often quite large ones. However the important thing is that the character development and atmosphere stays the same despite these differences. Something dramatic needed to happen in Qarth, it was just handled incredibly poorly in the show and spoiled both these things. My proposal was just something off the top of my head and was one of many possible routes they could have taken that wouldn't have completely ruined the atmosphere of Qarth and turned the entire city into one big plot hole. And what exactly is wrong with the gist of my idea: That is to say, Xaro deliberately cutting Dany's negotiations with the merchants off at every turn to push her into a marriage. That stays faithful to the books while spicing things up enough to make for entertaining television.

[kg1982]

1. If you're a book purist and proud, then don't you want to stick with exactly how it is in the books? -- False accusations about Dany stealing isn't in the books.

2. You can always write scripts about the way that you want it to play out; I'm sure that you could even send your scripts to D&D.

[protar]

1. If you're a book purist and proud, then don't you want to stick with exactly how it is in the books? -- False accusations about Dany stealing isn't in the books.

2. You can always write scripts about the way that you want it to play out; I'm sure that you could even send your scripts to D&D.

1. Erm.. because I'm not completely unrealistic? I only disagree with changes I feel are unnecessary. I understand that some changes need to be made and that spicing up Dany's story was one of them. I simply disagree with how it was done in the show and I'd rather they'd expanded upon what was actually in the books (i.e Xaro's marriage proposal.) instead of creating a whole new plot that was boring to watch and made no sense.

2. Not sure if you're being patronizing here or not.

[jlk7e]

Your whole new plot also sounds boring to watch and makes little sense, so I don't see how it's an improvement. But more broadly, once you concede that changes are necessary, you're really giving up the game. Who is to decide what changes are necessary, precisely? Compared to a lot of adaptations (e.g., True Blood), Game of Thrones is quite faithful, and most of the changes have comprehensible reasons behind them, either story-wise or in terms of the practicalities of making a TV show.

If you're going to be a purist and say that all changes are bad, that's one thing. I think that's a silly attitude, but I understand that a lot of people seem to have trouble watching adaptations without being upset by changes to the source material. But once you admit that lots of changes are necessary (and make no mistake, most of the times that I've seen you explain what you would have done differently, you include just as many significant changes to the plot as Benioff and Weiss have), that becomes a different matter entirely. What you are saying is no longer "I wish they would stick closer to the book," but "My ideas for how they should adapt the book are better than Benioff and Weiss's." That's not the same thing at all, and while I wasn't an enormous fan of some of the changes the show runners have made, you've given me no reason to think that your version would be better.

So, do I think the Dany plot was unnecessarily stretched out? Sure, although I think if they'd just removed her silly "They are my dragons!" scene from Episode 8, it would have basically been fine - not terrific, but there's just not enough material to work with to make Dany's season 2 story terrific. Do I think that they did a bad job with Jon this season? Most definitely, although I think that part of my problem is that I just don't really care for Kit Harington. But I do wish they hadn't made Jon so whiny and entitled, and that they'd made it clearer that Jon understood that he was killing Qhorin as part of a ruse to gain the Wildlings' trust (that scene felt like a total botch to me). And while I'm not in any respect a purist, that's basically a purist concern - I wish they'd kept Jon closer to how he was in the books (although I'm totally fine with them expanding Ygritte's role). And I totally understand these kinds of complaints.

That's not what you're doing, though. What you're saying is that you, anonymous internet commenter Protar has a better handle on the story than the showrunners. You call yourself a "purist" and constantly talk about how the producers are making "unnecessary" changes, while proposing detailed and not very compelling (IMO) alternative storylines of your own. At that point, purism means whatever you want it to mean. Doreah seducing Xaro is an enormous change from the books (Xaro is gay in the books, recall). So is some abstruse plot involving the Spice King (not a character in the books). So is a Qartheen trial by combat. And you don't solve one of the biggest problems with the book, which is that Dany has no good reason to go to the Houses of the Undying. The Dany plot in the show all made perfect sense. More importantly, the motivations of characters made sense, and the important characters in that part of the story (Dany and Jorah) have pretty much the same motivations they do in the books. In your version, characters do things for no reason. Dany agrees to marry Xaro for no reason. Xaro gets drunk and reveals his entire plot to Doreah for no reason. His actual plot doesn't make any sense, anyway - what does framing Dany for stealing from the Spice King (not a character in the books!) have to do with anything? And then Dany decides to go to the House of the Undying for no reason. In your version, characters do things in order to advance the plot you've created, not because of any internal logic of the characters.

[protar]

Your whole new plot also sounds boring to watch and makes little sense, so I don't see how it's an improvement. But more broadly, once you concede that changes are necessary, you're really giving up the game. Who is to decide what changes are necessary, precisely? Compared to a lot of adaptations (e.g., True Blood), Game of Thrones is quite faithful, and most of the changes have comprehensible reasons behind them, either story-wise or in terms of the practicalities of making a TV show.

If you're going to be a purist and say that all changes are bad, that's one thing. I think that's a silly attitude, but I understand that a lot of people seem to have trouble watching adaptations without being upset by changes to the source material. But once you admit that lots of changes are necessary (and make no mistake, most of the times that I've seen you explain what you would have done differently, you include just as many significant changes to the plot as Benioff and Weiss have), that becomes a different matter entirely. What you are saying is no longer "I wish they would stick closer to the book," but "My ideas for how they should adapt the book are better than Benioff and Weiss's." That's not the same thing at all, and while I wasn't an enormous fan of some of the changes the show runners have made, you've given me no reason to think that your version would be better.

So, do I think the Dany plot was unnecessarily stretched out? Sure, although I think if they'd just removed her silly "They are my dragons!" scene from Episode 8, it would have basically been fine - not terrific, but there's just not enough material to work with to make Dany's season 2 story terrific. Do I think that they did a bad job with Jon this season? Most definitely, although I think that part of my problem is that I just don't really care for Kit Harington. But I do wish they hadn't made Jon so whiny and entitled, and that they'd made it clearer that Jon understood that he was killing Qhorin as part of a ruse to gain the Wildlings' trust (that scene felt like a total botch to me). And while I'm not in any respect a purist, that's basically a purist concern - I wish they'd kept Jon closer to how he was in the books (although I'm totally fine with them expanding Ygritte's role). And I totally understand these kinds of complaints.

That's not what you're doing, though. What you're saying is that you, anonymous internet commenter Protar has a better handle on the story than the showrunners. You call yourself a "purist" and constantly talk about how the producers are making "unnecessary" changes, while proposing detailed and not very compelling (IMO) alternative storylines of your own. At that point, purism means whatever you want it to mean. Doreah seducing Xaro is an enormous change from the books (Xaro is gay in the books, recall). So is some abstruse plot involving the Spice King (not a character in the books). So is a Qartheen trial by combat. And you don't solve one of the biggest problems with the book, which is that Dany has no good reason to go to the Houses of the Undying. The Dany plot in the show all made perfect sense. More importantly, the motivations of characters made sense, and the important characters in that part of the story (Dany and Jorah) have pretty much the same motivations they do in the books. In your version, characters do things for no reason. Dany agrees to marry Xaro for no reason. Xaro gets drunk and reveals his entire plot to Doreah for no reason. His actual plot doesn't make any sense, anyway - what does framing Dany for stealing from the Spice King (not a character in the books!) have to do with anything? And then Dany decides to go to the House of the Undying for no reason. In your version, characters do things in order to advance the plot you've created, not because of any internal logic of the characters.

Well firstly you clearly haven't even understood my proposed story. The idea was that Xaro would have been working behind the scenes to manipulate the other merchants into refusing to help Dany through bribery and possiblY through framing Dany (though as I say, it's just one suggestion, my proposal could work without it.). Without any other options Dany agrees to marry Xaro as he intends. However when she finds out about his scheming, she's obviously furious and as an absolute last resort, she goes to the HOTU to try and find help. So yes, the characters do actually do things in a logical manner, and Dany's motivations for going to the HOTU are actually closer to what was in the books.

Secondly, as to my stance on the show: I am a purist, as I believe that book deviations should only be made when absolutely necessary. So no changes to Jon's story, no changing Jeyne to Talisa etc. etc. However I realise that some changes need to be made. I've said this several times but you seem to think this conflicts with my being a purist. You may have demonized book purists into people who want a word for word adaptation, but it's not the case.

So changes need to be made, but I disagree with the specifics of these changes. Qarth needed to be expanded upon, but how they did it in the show completely ruined the atmosphere of Qarth which was one of illusion and mystique, grafting a political plot onto a setting that couldn't support it. The result was a stretched out, tedious arc riddled with plot holes. My proposal on the other hand adds drama but doesn't cause any plot holes and retains the atmosphere, motivations etc. of the books.

So yes I do believe that changes are necessary, I just feel that many of the changes in S2 haven't been, and that even the things that did have to be changed were handled poorly and didn't stay true to the spirit of the books.

[protar]

Also, note how my plot is very similar to the book plot anyway:

Book plot: Dany unsuccessfully asks the merchants of Qarth to help her while Xaro unsuccessfuly tries to get Dany to marry him. After being refused at every turn Dany tries to find help at the HOTU as a last resort.

My idea: Dany unsuccessfully asks the merchants of Qarth to help her while Xaro unsuccessfuly tries to get Dany to marry him. After being refused at every turn and after it is revealed that Xaro was ensuring the other merchants refused her, Dany tries to find help at the HOTU as a last resort.

The show: Dany unsuccessfully asks the merchants of Qarth to help her while Xaro unsuccessfuly tries to get Dany to marry him. Then Dany's dragons are stolen and Xaro succeeds in becoming the king of Qarth. Dany must go to the HOTU to rescue her dragons and then locks Xaro in a vault with Doreah and raids his manse.

So your claim that my idea is just as different from the books as the show is untrue.

[jlk7e]

Protar - who is to judge when changes are necessary? A purist might suggest that your proposed changes are unnecessary, too. Why do we need to extend Dany's story artificially at all? Just have her be in fewer episodes in season 2. I don't see how the changes you propose do anything to make the book story more interesting, and I don't see why preserving the "mystique of Qarth" is an important goal at all, nor why your version preserves it better than what they did on the show. What your version does do is mess with Dany's character by having her agree to marry Xaro, which she never does in the book.

Your position is untenable. You oppose "unnecessary" changes but support changes when "necessary." But your judgment of what is "necessary" is rather expansive. Once you're talking about "necessary" changes you've already given up the whole game. Because no two people are going to agree about what changes are "necessary."

I'm also not sure what the "plot holes" of Dany's season 2 arc are supposed to be. There's some places where you have to connect the dots, but no actual holes that I'm aware of. I'm going to reassert that the basic problem with Dany in Season 2 is that Martin left almost nothing to work with. She has no plot there, which means that the producers would either be forced to have very little Dany this season, or to make up a plot. Your suggestion is that they make up a very boring plot that involves false accusations of stealing valuables from the Spice King and a trial by combat that has no stakes. I don't see how that would be better than what was in the show, which, while perhaps not executed perfectly, was at least an interesting idea.