D and D appreciation thread . .

[Rhaenys Sand]

Agreed! Of course there will be changes that fans will not like, but overall they've done a fantastic job an the cast is amazing! GRRM himself picked them so obviously they know what they're doing.

[King Tyrion I]

Agreed! Of course there will be changes that fans will not like, but overall they've done a fantastic job an the cast is amazing! GRRM himself picked them so obviously they know what they're doing.

Couldn't have said it better.

:agree:

[Dove]

Some D&D appreciation here for the D and D appreciation thread. ;P

Game of Thrones has flaws like any adaptation, but D&D are doing a fantastic job overall of tackling these goliath books and turning them into an enjoyable and accessible show; for book readers and non-readers alike. Everyone has their nitpicks and their own personal vision for how things could be, but I think the good far outweighs the bad and I'm not sure that it could really be done justice with anyone else. They obviously care a lot about the project.

Thanks for a great show that's a touchstone of our every Sunday night when it's in-season, D&D.

[iheartseverus]

Some D&D appreciation here for the D and D appreciation thread. ;P

Game of Thrones has flaws like any adaptation, but D&D are doing a fantastic job overall of tackling these goliath books and turning them into an enjoyable and accessible show; for book readers and non-readers alike. Everyone has their nitpicks and their own personal vision for how things could be, but I think the good far outweighs the bad and I'm not sure that it could really be done justice with anyone else. They obviously care a lot about the project.

Thanks for a great show that's a touchstone of our every Sunday night when it's in-season, D&D.

Some D&D appreciation here for the D and D appreciation thread. ;P

Game of Thrones has flaws like any adaptation, but D&D are doing a fantastic job overall of tackling these goliath books and turning them into an enjoyable and accessible show; for book readers and non-readers alike. Everyone has their nitpicks and their own personal vision for how things could be, but I think the good far outweighs the bad and I'm not sure that it could really be done justice with anyone else. They obviously care a lot about the project.

Thanks for a great show that's a touchstone of our every Sunday night when it's in-season, D&D.

Agree. THANK YOU for this show! There are millions of ASOIAF fans, and each one has his/her own version of how things should be presented--its impossible to please everyone, of course, but you've pleased millions of us. Kudos, showrunners, kudos.

[StannisEndGame]

Loving it, best show I've ever seen so that says something! The production, the cast, the music, the sets. Everything almost perfect! Made possible by D&D so, yeah, appreciation is in order

[I hate Dorn]

The issue I have with some of my fellow readers is the attitude they have taken with the material. Criticism is fine. Criticism is healthy. But some people treat A Song Of Ice And Fire like it's THEIR intellectual property. The amount of offense some people take with some of D&D's choices is disturbingly ridiculous

The show has turned out better than anyone could have expected or even hoped for. What they have done so far is so fulfilling, and what the show promises to do is so exciting, I feel bad for anyone who denies themselves the chance to truly enjoy it, because they can't get passed their own odd, stubborn personality traits

[SkyBry]

Nothing but love, nothing but love!

[Dark_Sister]

Love this thread!! I think they get too much hate, yes, the books are awesome, but they are also impossible to show on a screen without making changes, they have a lot of characters and plots, too many to show them all, maybe the changes or the new material is not always great, but a lot of the changes are necessary (not only because they have a budget, but also because tv is a very different media and what works in the books might not look good in a screen), I mean, I know Dany's arc last season was bad, but they needed to give her something to do because in season 1 she had a lot of screen time and they just can't make her appear only in a couple of episodes during the second season (which is what happens in the books, book 1 has a lot of Dany, book 2 not so much). Or maybe characters that appear in one book and we don't see them again until two or three books later, that is very hard to do in a tv show because a lot of people wouldn't remember who that character is.

It's an adaption and that means changes, ASOIAF is a great book series but it would be impossible to adapt it to tv or film just the way the are. I think D&D deserve our respect because they are giving us a great show.

[Darryk]

They're doing an excellent job and the episodes they themselves write are consistently among the strongest, so they know what they're doing.

[Nazurane]

I think D&D and team are doing a great job. I just read some of the posts over at TWoP (=TV Without Pity) from people who only watch the show and I realized how hard it must be to make a TV series based on novels and to satisfy all the different audiences.

Sure there are real head-scratchers like the podrick-sexgod-joke and major changes like Talisa/Jeyne Westerling (there are many more examples) and some really don't like that. But I think those changes (however small or big) add some intrigue for the bookreaders who know all the plotlines and the history and the characters.

That's why I love the show, because if it was 1:1 from the novels it would be nice to look at, but boring.

I love all the dialogue-heavy scenes in King's Landing, because you see so much more of some cool characters (like Varys).

In some respects I see the show as an expansion to the world in the novels. Then there are limits to the show where you see them mixing Lem, Tom and Thoros into one character. But it's unterstandable and they do a fine job if they find a charismatic actor like Paul Kaye who is playing Thoros on the show.

So I love the show and what they are doing!

[Gannicus]

I have criticized them quite a bit in regards to Stannis and Jon. But even I can see they have done masterful work. In many cases they have improved already amazing characters and dare I say even improved some elements of an already fantastic story.

D&D have produced the best show on television. What more has to be said?

[Nucky Baratheon]

Been lurking forever, finally joining the action . G.O.T is, hands down IMO, the best show on TV right now. From the standpoint of a TV fan, there is nothing like it. When I hear that music every Sunday night, I get excited in a way I never have for a show ( also consider that I am a huge fan of many shows and I am a believer that this IS a golden age of television at the moment). The myriad characters, fantastical locations, intersecting plots, and shocking (SHOCKING) moments are not replicated anywhere else. From the standpoint of a book fan, I am totally satisfied. I truly believe this is the best possible adaptation. D & D are FANS, and it shows. Some decisions they have made are not exactly what I would have liked, and some scenes are far from perfect (I thought both Qhorin and Renly's deaths were both big letdowns, feeling very quick and confusing), but I also think they have made an amazing adaptation of an almost impossible-to-adapt series. It is really a thrill to see these moments you love coming to life. Usually, I have an idea in my head of what a certain scene or location looks like, and they do a remarkable job of either recreating it, or making me think "Wow, that IS what that should have looked like". Lets be honest, the casting........is AMAZING. These actors breath life into the characters ( I am even a huge fan of Lena Heady's Cersei, and don't quite understand all the criticism leveled at her). The set pieces......Winterfell, Kings Landing, the Eyrie, the Wall, Harrenhal, all come to life in a breathtaking way. Even the "in between" areas, when Bran's gang is wandering through the North, it has a totally different look and feel than Jaime and Brienne's adventures in the Riverlands. I cant wait to see what they do with Dorne and the Free Cities, I have a feeling they will be beautiful. As to the story. They cannot possible include everything, the series was always going to have to be basically a Sparknotes of the books, and they have to take shortcuts from time to time, but never in a way that truly tarnishes the adaptation. The production values have improved exponentially with each new season. I guess what I am trying to say is we are in good hands. A true test will be when we get into the next few seasons, where the plot and scope expands even more, action set pieces are significantly reduced (at least the real classic, "OMG " ones, Neds Head, RW & PW, Blackwater), and exposition and magic become more central to the story. (Plus, how long will non readers wait for Daenerys to invade Westeros, and the White Walkers to make any move at all?) I, for one, will be sticking with them to the end, and waiting with almost uncontrolled excitement for that first new trailer of every season, or news on the casting of those favorite characters (THE RED VIPER!!!)

Also, they certainly have the blessing of his Holiness GRRM, and that man loves his story and characters. I don't know how much influence he has on the show, but I'm sure he will do all he can to make sure we stay in good hands.

P.S. I love these boards, and spend way too much time on them as it is, so I am excited to finally start contributing! It certainly makes the wait for WoW more bearable.

[Words of Winter]

Been lurking forever, finally joining the action . G.O.T is, hands down IMO, the best show on TV right now. From the standpoint of a TV fan, there is nothing like it. When I hear that music every Sunday night, I get excited in a way I never have for a show ( also consider that I am a huge fan of many shows and I am a believer that this IS a golden age of television at the moment). The myriad characters, fantastical locations, intersecting plots, and shocking (SHOCKING) moments are not replicated anywhere else. From the standpoint of a book fan, I am totally satisfied. I truly believe this is the best possible adaptation. D & D are FANS, and it shows. Some decisions they have made are not exactly what I would have liked, and some scenes are far from perfect (I thought both Qhorin and Renly's deaths were both big letdowns, feeling very quick and confusing), but I also think they have made an amazing adaptation of an almost impossible-to-adapt series. It is really a thrill to see these moments you love coming to life. Usually, I have an idea in my head of what a certain scene or location looks like, and they do a remarkable job of either recreating it, or making me think "Wow, that IS what that should have looked like". Lets be honest, the casting........is AMAZING. These actors breath life into the characters ( I am even a huge fan of Lena Heady's Cersei, and don't quite understand all the criticism leveled at her). The set pieces......Winterfell, Kings Landing, the Eyrie, the Wall, Harrenhal, all come to life in a breathtaking way. Even the "in between" areas, when Bran's gang is wandering through the North, it has a totally different look and feel than Jaime and Brienne's adventures in the Riverlands. I cant wait to see what they do with Dorne and the Free Cities, I have a feeling they will be beautiful. As to the story. They cannot possible include everything, the series was always going to have to be basically a Sparknotes of the books, and they have to take shortcuts from time to time, but never in a way that truly tarnishes the adaptation. The production values have improved exponentially with each new season. I guess what I am trying to say is we are in good hands. A true test will be when we get into the next few seasons, where the plot and scope expands even more, action set pieces are significantly reduced (at least the real classic, "OMG " ones, Neds Head, RW & PW, Blackwater), and exposition and magic become more central to the story. (Plus, how long will non readers wait for Daenerys to invade Westeros, and the White Walkers to make any move at all?) I, for one, will be sticking with them to the end, and waiting with almost uncontrolled excitement for that first new trailer of every season, or news on the casting of those favorite characters (THE RED VIPER!!!)

Also, they certainly have the blessing of his Holiness GRRM, and that man loves his story and characters. I don't know how much influence he has on the show, but I'm sure he will do all he can to make sure we stay in good hands.

P.S. I love these boards, and spend way too much time on them as it is, so I am excited to finally start contributing! It certainly makes the wait for WoW more bearable.

:agree: May I just add, in the unlikely event that they read this forum, Thank you.

[thenedstark]

I was mighty pissed off at how Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie turned out when it was released (same with Half-blood Prince), but later I came to like all the HP movies. Same with LotR, although these movies were pretty close to the books. I can see why some people can be angry initially when GoT comes out on TV, but eventually it will be treasured in a few years for being the classic it is. So, well done D & D and thanks for bringing these wonderful books to screen!

[Nucky Baratheon]

thenedstark, I agree about the Harry Potter movies, I actually still consider them let-downs. The 2 Deathly Hallows movies were well done IMO, and I liked Goblet of Fire as well, but I was disappointed with every other one. The acting, I'm sorry, is NOT that good. I can't think of any specific examples, but I often felt things happened too fast, and just had a generally corny feel. I loved the LOTR movies, and I think if they had made Harry Potter more in that vein, it would have been all the better for it. A little more serious, less goofiness. These books were just begging to be made into movies, and the potential was SO there for greatness, but they bundled it. (I was especially disappointed in OotP, as it was my favorite of the series behind DH. The quality lept up so much with that book, and I was really hoping the movies would do the same, but alas, nay) Anyway, I suppose this is all to say how lucky we are to have this D and D adaptation of our beloved books. They really nail the epic feel, dramatic camera angles, beautiful tracking shots, RESTRAINED ACTING, and subtleties galore. These are all things that were NOT present in the HP movies, where the goofy camera angles, constant loudness and over the top acting distracts the viewer, or at least, distracted me.

[Ran]

I don't know how much influence he has on the show,

According to GRRM, he has none really. They ask him questions, he occasionally suggests something, but they are free to ignore him (as they have done at times). He writes one script a season, but he's basically their employee and writes according to the outline they provide and revises based on their notes, and once he turns it in they can do anything they like with it.

[Toxspecific]

To sum it up. I support them giving characters a new twist, albeit a gentle one.

I like Tywin's Arya scenes, Theon's scenes, Tyrion even, I basically am a fan of the characterization. But I maintain two moves were horrible; Jaime cousin killing and Stannis being, well, sort of horny.

[Khal Porno]

Warning: require_once() [function.require-once]: Unable to allocate memory for pool. in /home/sites/westeros.org/forum_web/ironthrone/sources/base/core.php on line 1200

I was mighty pissed off at how Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie turned out when it was released (same with Half-blood Prince), but later I came to like all the HP movies. Same with LotR, although these movies were pretty close to the books. I can see why some people can be angry initially when GoT comes out on TV, but eventually it will be treasured in a few years for being the classic it is. So, well done D & D and thanks for bringing these wonderful books to screen!

I had a friend who is a huge fan of the Harry Potter books, and she was PISSED at me when I told her I thought the Order of the Pheonix was the best of the movies (I have never read the books). I see the same thing happening here all over this forum.

[YouSnowNothing]

God, the OotP movie was an absolutely trainwreck. A gigantic book roughly the size of ACoK, crammed into an hour and a half (literally the longest book yet the shortest movie!), and as a result everything was rushed and incomplete. That book had so much brilliant character inspection, so many beautiful and memorable emotional beats, and the movie nailed exactly none of them. Dropped the ball of everything that made the book the best in the series.

It often puts things into context for me when I think about changes from the ASOIAF books to the show. Sure, Dany's visit to the House of the Undying was reduced and less surreal, but at least it kept some of the weirdness and prophecies. When I compare it to the movie's version of the Department of Mysteries - one of the most viscerally weird and magical places in the series, turned into nothing but a giant room with balls on shelves - GoT's efforts seem a lot better, especially consider how well they nailed the other climaxes. And the decisions on cutting material too...everyone has their favourite minor character gone from the show, but they've been relatively smart and logical with what they cut and keep. OotP's decision to keep GRAWP, probably the most irrelevant and meaningless part of the books, of all things, and cut out stuff like Molly's boggart, Harry's breakdown in Dumbledore's office, Kreacher, Neville's parents, and Lily's presence in Snape's memories, was just an awful choice.

[Shadow on the Wall]

Game of thrones (books) > Harry Potter (books)

Game of thrones (tv show) >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Harry Potter (films)

And I quite liked the final Harry Potter film. D&D are doing an excellent job.