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

[Table8]

If it comes to the show catching up with the book, the producers should make Season 0!

Have it chronical the event leading up and taking place during Roberts rebellion.

[Larry of the Lawn]

I'd wait for the books. I doubt Martin would let the show overtake it anyway... Season 4 will bring us to end of Storm, in 2014. Say he releases TWOW after season 5, say mid to late 2015. I'd imagine the show will break Feast and Dance into 3 season between the two books, so he'll have two years to finish ADOS before the show would overtake it. I know it's a tight window, but maybe they spread out Feast and Dance into 4 seasons to buy him some time, or do a season based on sample chapters. If anything it won't happen till very close to the end of the books being completed, maybe HBO will just delay the final season. I have a hard time believing GRRM would sell out his book fans, that made the TV series possible, for launching season 8 or 9 on HBO's schedule.

[Lord Flashheart]

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.

I am not saying tv viewers cannot be loyal but if I had read the books say as the first one was released what16 years ago? I would be a little pissed off to have the end ruined by people who just watched the show. I read the books after I saw the first episode of GOT so I am not saying that is me I can just imagine. I would prob watch but only because I am addicted to anything ASOIAF.

[Lord Flashheart]

Spoiling can happen unintentionally as well though just by clicking a link you shouldn't have and then boom Red Wedding spoiler.

[Mladen]

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?

There is no way this scenario would occur. First, no one is an idiot to give the material of unfinished book, book that should be in sale to TV producers. Basically, who would then buy a book, if knowing what`ll happen.

If HBO catches up with the books, there are 2 possible scenarios:

1, Doing a mini series, prequel to GOT, either something from History, or unlikely RR (we should know consequences of RR to see it - Jon`s parentage, Ashara`s fate, Aegon`s legitimacy)

2. Putting show on rest for a year or two. Also, this is unlikely considering how profitable GOT is to HBO.

[Draco_Dracul]

The thing is that he's already given the show's production team (or at least D & D) the broad strokes of what is going to happen for the rest of the series. It would make far more sense for HBO to continue the show uninterrupted rather than risk bleeding viewers from a hiatus or worse having actors picked up for other projects especially as they would have to bay for the storage of the sets and props for a property that wouldn't be generating any revenue. Any kind of mini series/TV movies (Robert's Rebellion, the Dunk and Egg stories, etc) are likely going to wait until after the series is done if there is still enough popularity to justify them.

The only way I can see justifying a hiatus is if A Dream of Spring is short enough to fit into a single season so that they can shoot it and sit on the footage until the book is released.

[Peasant Rebel Leader]

Yes I would. (of course, not sure what to say more here)

I agree that miniseries are unlikely as that means the main actors needed (Dany, Tyrion, Jon, etc. ) would need to sit out a year. Not going to happen. They are going to continue and they are going to continue at the "current pace" as that works best for TV, I can't see them pushing AFFC and ADWD into too many seasons, they give (in my opinion) material for 1.5 to 2.5 seasons*, however that's distributed. What I can see though is HBO moving Game of Thrones to a Fall Spot (or Summer Spot) when one of the big shows there ends (i.e. Boardwalk Empire, True Blood). The added production time would allow for an extended season (12 to 14 episodes) to better represent the AFFC/ADWD plot. But then afterwards, it's full spead ahead again. That's my bet at least ;)

*assuming that some stuff of AFFC/ADWD will be in Season 4, and the travelling over Essos will be "concentrated" (i.e a set for Volantis and one for Braavos is enough, maybe Pentos, the rest is teleporting/ship scenes).

[Mladen]

I agree that miniseries are unlikely as that means the main actors needed (Dany, Tyrion, Jon, etc. ) would need to sit out a year. Not going to happen. They are going to continue and they are going to continue at the "current pace" as that works best for TV, I can't see them pushing AFFC and ADWD into too many seasons, they give (in my opinion) material for 1.5 to 2.5 seasons*, however that's distributed. What I can see though is HBO moving Game of Thrones to a Fall Spot (or Summer Spot) when one of the big shows there ends (i.e. Boardwalk Empire, True Blood). The added production time would allow for an extended season (12 to 14 episodes) to better represent the AFFC/ADWD plot. But then afterwards, it's full spead ahead again. That's my bet at least ;)

And why not make a mini series with actors you have? You have established actors, and in the books they all resemble on someone older. Jon, Dany, Sansa, Theon...all of them could act their parents, uncles or someone else. That would be interesting...

[Knight of the Red Chicken]

What everyone seems to forget is that the show can take a break. Not saying it will, but the Sopranos took a break at the end of its run in between seasons. This was for a number of reasons, but why couldn't the same thing happen with Game of Thrones? Betweens seasons 4 & 5 and then 5 & 6 there was a 2 year break. Much like the Sopranos, GoT is a figurehead show for the station. I'm sure they'd allow them some leeway if needed.

[Avernus]

It would be great if they made a prequel season of the rebellion and it could even include the Iron Islands rebellion if they ran out of material.

[Lord Flashheart]

And why not make a mini series with actors you have? You have established actors, and in the books they all resemble on someone older. Jon, Dany, Sansa, Theon...all of them could act their parents, uncles or someone else. That would be interesting...

Do not take this personally but that would be awful.

[Holdfast]

Yes, I don't think I could stop myself from watching. Love both the books and the show and there are enough differences that the two can be separated in my mind.

[Vengeance]

DEAR GOD, it won't happen!

[Rockroi]

SoS 1- 2013

SoS 2- 2014

AffC/DwD 1- 2015

AffC/DwD 2 -2016

Okay, so assuming that EVEN GEORGE RR MARTIN can write one book in 5 years ( I know, I know- its a leap of faith) I think we would get EITHER AffC/DwD 3 in 2017 OR TWoW in 2017 (assuming TWoW is released in 2016, which is where my money is).

Plus, the producers have shown a certain bit of dexterity in strectching or contracting the story pretty well by rearranging several story points (ie: Jaime's escape is handled at the end of Season 2, not season 3 like the books; Arya's escape from KL is handled in season 1, not season 2 like the books). Also, its no longer utterly unheard of for shows to split up time. The Sopranos did this towards the end and Breaking Bad is doing it right now by splitting the last season over 16 episodes in two years (after taking an extra-long hiatus prior to this season).

I TWoW comes out in the next three years, if that happens AND IF AGoT is still in production on HBO that means hat the series will have been on the air and filled with material for seven seasons, which would be more than The Sopranos and Oz and trail only Curb Your Enthusiasm for HBO shows. In other words, this may be a problem that sorts itself out before it actually becomes a problem.

[Lord Kyle]

If the show surpasses the books then no,I wouldn't watch it. Not only is the show vastly inferior to the novels, but there are/will be other, better shows to watch in the meantime.

[Ser Dermett Corbray]

I probably would. And hate myself for doing it.

[TheMysteriousOne]

No.

[The Red Thunder God]

I get the feeling the success of the show has lit a fire under GRRM's butt and he is writing away to finish the story before the show catches up.

[MikeL]

That's what I think too.

2013 - Season 3 (ASoS Part 1)

2014 - Season 4 (ASoS Part 2)

2015 - Season 5 (ADwD + AFfC Part 1) + Release of The Winds of Winter (early 2015)

2016 - Season 6 (ADwD + AFfC Part 2)

2017 - Season 7 (TWoW Part 1)

2018 - Season 8 (TWoW Part 2) + Release of A Dream of Spring (D&D would probably have it much earlier than we will)

2019 - Season 9 (ADoS Part 1)

2020 - Season 10 (ADoS Part 2)

Or maybe that's just wishful thinking :worried:. Still, I don't think the show will ever catch up with the books. I'm more worried about HBO letting the show last that long. I don't think any "sequel-season" show (how do we call this kind of show?) has ever lasted that long.

This, absolutely. ADwD/AFfC has enough material to be split over 3 seasons I think, and it's likely to be the same with TWoW and ADoS. However even if only the above is true, it still gives GRRM a bit over 3 years to complete each of the two books.

The only other consideration is that things like locations, actors and the general organisation of producing a tv series as massive as this is that the producers will be planning some things over a year in advance - before they even start filiming those scenes. One scenario which can happen because GRRM is involved with the series is (particularly in the seasons adapted from ADoS) is that GRRM will give the screen writers a far more detailed series of plot points to write from. It may be that certain scenes are brought forward in a way that means we see them on tv first. But it might only happen with certain characters/plot lines. Suffice to say, I wouldn't be surprised if ADoS is launched in conjuction with the tv series that are based on that book... and yes, if I can see those first, then I'll watch them.

[DaveSumm]

I think if we get to a season which concludes with the upcoming battles of Meereen and Winterfell, I would watch that before Winds came out. But that's not really the risk; if Winds isn't done by Season 6 then there's zero chance of Dream coming out on time. So past that, no, I wouldn't go anywhere near it. Even if we were explicitly told it had very little to do with GRRM's ending, I'd be constantly wondering which bits were the same, and it'd ruin it. It'd completely ruin the flow of the book, not thinking "how's this gonna end" but "is the gonna end the same?". I'd rather the show got cancelled than overtook the books. Although I'm not as sceptical that it will as others: the only season we have to worry about is 5. Four ends with the awesome ending of aSoS, and 6 can end with the battles of ice and fire. They just need to invent something toward the end of Feast/halfway through Dance to build to and it's sorted. So unless season 5 is so bad that it sheds half its viewers then I don't see HBO pulling the plug.

I'm more worried about the following: that the ratings drop a little, not so much that it's cancelled but enough for HBO to say "you need to wrap this up in x number of seasons", and it ends after 6 or 7 seasons. Then you can forget the projections of when the books are coming out against seasons, it's gonna show the ending, almost certainly based on what GRRM had told D&D. And I will hate that, and do everything I can to avoid it. Which won't be easy.