[BOOK SPOILERS] Would you watch the show if it overpasses the books?

[Conquered Sun]

Would the show have a different ending to the books though? An alternative ending perhaps that just fits the show? There have been enough changes in the show already and there will probably be a lot more to come so it wouldn't surprise me if there were two different endings. It wouldn't be fair to the readers who have put almost 20 years in to reading the books IMO.

[Law Lord]

Id have to watch the show. Either that or one of my friend would spell the story by telling me what happened in the show. Better the show than nothing at all

[victim]

I'd watch the show, I owe it as much for introducing me to such a fine series.

[Won Bin]

I would watch it.. I've watched plenty of series with a different ending because the manga was not finished yet and they're usually pretty good endings :)

[Phaing]

I've just read that Martin was signed on for another 2 years as executive producer of the show, which seems to me that the show is here to stay at least for a few more years. So I was wondering, if it does come to pass that the show runs out of material before either the next or last book - and GRRM gives his blessing for the show to continue past the point at which the latest book at the time ends and even gives D&D an overview of how he plans to finish the series so that the show stays faithful, would you still watch the show? Would you allow your read of the final book to be spoiled by watching the show first, or would you keep the show locked in some dark place, and wait till the book is released and you've read it before you watch?

Not only no but hell no, and there is no reason for that anyway.

Keep it "locked in some dark place"? I watch TV, infrequently, to get away from Dark Places, the daily grind, Real Life and all it's attendant misery.

Putting the characters through their paces and making them earn our respect is one thing, and a good thing... but I am not one of those people that enjoy seeing imaginary people being made to suffer because I'm afraid they are better than I am, and I wonder why else an audience would be gratified by the torment and slaughter I see being wrought on really swell folks on so much of TV, Movies and fiction these days.

And to complete my stand on being the odd man out, I save the books for later, since they are always better anyway (for me, anyway). This series is essentially nothing by a vast teaser to me.

The fact that the series and the books differ from each other only makes it that much better. ;)

I would watch it.. I've watched plenty of series with a different ending because the manga was not finished yet and they're usually pretty good endings :)

Agreed.

I think most of us see the series taking on a life of its own, and are not horrified by the prospect.

Not as long as they continue doing such a great job, that's for sure!

My fear is that the people making this show will bow to the pressure that is always brought to a successful formula by fans, producers, and their own doubts, and end up trashing the fundamentals that got them this far.

[Lord Flashheart]

This would be the ultimate injustice allowing tv viewers to spoil the end of the books for loyal fans.

[Osric]

I'd try to wait until I have read the books... I'd try but I don't know if I could, ja

But there is enough diferences between the show and the books to keep you curious even if the conclussion is the same, plus the books are always better.....

In the end I don't think that would happen because there are still two and a half books that haven't appeared in the series and two (probably more) more to come, so that is gonna take a while.

Also it is an advantage because I hope that, in order to avoid spoiling, GRRM rushes to finish the next books

[Nezzer]

This would be the ultimate injustice allowing tv viewers to spoil the end of the books for loyal fans.

Yeah, but you know what? I'd really love to see those assholes who love spoiling the non-readers on YouTube and on Facebook now being spoiled by the same non-readers they loved to spoil years before. I really hate those fuckers and seeing them being spoiled because the show overpassed the books would be lovely. Of course, the cost is way too high for my enjoyment. If the show overpasses the books it will be a disaster, unless it overpasses just by a few months, with the source material nearly completed. In that case, it wouldn't be that much of a failure, I guess.

[ServantOnIce]

If Martin was alive and writing, the I'd try my hardest to just wait for the remaining books.

However, if it's a situation where he passes away and the show is finished based off of what he has told the producers, then I'd have no problem watching.

I agree, this is my stance as well.

[ServantOnIce]

This would be the ultimate injustice allowing tv viewers to spoil the end of the books for loyal fans.

LOL,

Signed,

The dude who ruined the RW for me on Game of Throne's Facebook page!

[JimWolf]

I currently wait a year to watch each season as I don't get HBO and am just buying the blu-rays. I would absolutely not watch the show until I'd read the books. I would probably abandon visiting this site as well.

[Dragon greyscale]

It's funny that some people here emphasize that this scenario is hypothetical. Obviously it's hypothetical. Stressing that seems like a deflected reaction to come to terms with the possibility. A bit like knocking wood.

OT: I'd watch it. It's a very entertaining universe, regardless of the specific plots.

I do hope they won't use "Naruto" fillers. As it stands now, Pacing is already a big problem.

[Masamune]

No, I wouldn't.

The show might have been my first love but it's second fiddle to the novels now. Even if the show does diverge from the book continuity (and S2 showed they aren't afraid to go there), there's still going to be spoilers. I don't believe they'd make any significant changes, in terms of character deaths etc. but the way they get from plot point A to plot point B will be the variable. And for that reason, I'd be out, because the show is a pale imitation of the books and I'd want to enjoy those moments from GRRM himself (provided he gets around to completing his magnum opus).

[Spearsister]

I can't imagine GRRM letting HBO show the ending before he's written it himself. It's just not his style. He won't even give someone permission to finish the series in the event of his death -- no way he'd hand over his glorious ending to HBO. They'd never be able to go into as much depth as he'd want.

That said, I would only keep watching the show if it was clear that it spun off in a different direction from the book. If it overpassed the books and used the ending GRRM has planned (again, I don't think that would ever happen) I definitely would not watch. I love the show and I love the casting but there's no way the show's ending can compare to the written one.

[raegho]

would definatly watch it, but liking it is another matter

[Draco_Dracul]

I would, but then again I haven't had the chance to read the books.

[Vengeance]

It won't happen. Could you imagine Warner Brothers arbitrarily finishing off the Harry Potter series because Rowling didn't get Deathly Hallows out in time? It won't happen. People seem to forget that ASoS, which is almost as long as ADwD, was written and published within 18months of Clash of Kings. Martin can write when he gets in his stride.

He tied himself in knots with the 4th/5th books and discarded hundreds of pages of material before going in a completely different direction and he struggled for a long time to make it all fit nicely together. Those struggles are behind him now. The next book will be out within the next two years, and the last book will just fucking flow: it's his endgame, what he's been building upto all these years, and there's nothing that will motivate him more than the fear of the show catching up. And even if we ignore the many delaying tactics that the producers can use to give him another few years, if the worst comes to the worst HBO will just have to fucking lump it and wait. But it won't come to that.

[teemo]

i would be really, really pissed off, but i'd still watch it.. no, just NO!! :bang:

[Shit_for_Honour]

Yep, I'd prefer the books were released first of course but I wouldn't be able to miss it...

[King of the Road]

This would be the ultimate injustice allowing tv viewers to spoil the end of the books for loyal fans.

Why can't TV fans be just as loyal as book-readers? If they're loyal to what they enjoy then why should they be denied an ending?

Non book-readers have been getting spoiled since the show began so to be honest a bit of karma perhaps wouldn't go amiss in some cases. In answer to the question yes, I would continue watching the show. It's done a fantastic job thus far and was what introduced me and many others to ASoIaF; I kind of feel like I would owe it to the show and it's writers and producers to watch what they've worked so hard to bring to the screen.