[BOOK SPOILERS] Skipping ADWD & AFFC

[TheEvilKing]

Everyone here will likely disagree with this, but I think they should skip ADWD & AFFC (or include some of the important stuff from those seasons in season 4).

Bear in mind that this will require you to think of the show and the books as separate entities.

My main reasons are that it will solve several issues that are going to come up.

The first and most important being that the show is going to catch up with the books at which point it will either be forced to go in a different direction or discontinue. If they change the storyline of their own volition after season 4, they retain more control over the show's creative direction. For example, if HBO don't pick up the series after, say, season 5, then ending it at any point during ADWD/AFFC would be unsatisfying. By completely separating the storyline from the books, it gives them the power to write a proper resolution that fits the show.

Secondly, ADWD & AFFC are not as TV friendly as the prior three books.

And thirdly, the ever growing cast of even more characters introduced in those novels makes the show more and more expensive to produce.

I propose the following changes in season 4:

- After the seige of Meereen, Dany heads for Westeros.

- Instead of election to Lord Commander, include Jon's death at the end of season 4. In fact, you could have him appointed to LC near the start of season 4, if you like.

- Have Arya go to Braavos and do her training in season 4. This would be very easy to do as I believe she only has one or two chapters in ASOS after the Red Wedding. It's either that or they make up some stuff to drag her story out anyway.

- Sansa's storyline would not need much alteration. Forget the Harry the Heir storyline, and the Lords Declarant politics. At the start of season 5 have Littlefinger getting a letter from the Iron Throne declaring him Lord Protector of the Vale. Boom, done.

- Have Stannis march to war with Ramsay in s4. Include the Reek stuff in that season too. Otherwise what, are we going to have two full seasons of Theon just being tortured?

- Skip Aegon.

- Have the Ironborn ADWD/AFFC chapters in s4. Skip the Doran/Arianne stuff entirely or include them in season 5.

- The King's Landing storyline can remain the same as ASOS.

- Bran's ADWD chapters in season 4. He doesn't have any chapters in ASOS after the Red Wedding anyway so another easy adjustment.

Too easy. Then write your own plot from there.

[YouSnowNothing]

I totally agree. They should skip the whole of ASoS too, jsut get right to the climax. Just drop the character arcs and have a big battle, so that season three cna be the final season. Actually, they should just skip the entire show completely. No more episodes. Easy!

[1234567]

I totally agree. They should skip the whole of ASoS too, jsut get right to the climax. Just drop the character arcs and have a big battle, so that season three cna be the final season. Actually, they should just skip the entire show completely. No more episodes. Easy!

Ironically a lot of the suggested would have worked if we were discussing Lost not ASOIAF.

[King of the Road]

Yeah I imagine what we'll get is a trimmed down version in order to make the storylines more concise. I would guess they'll go into a touch more detail than what you've said, but you make a good point. How much do we really need to see? In my mind only the truly important stuff should be in, with a few of the other moments expanded slightly to give the usual depth.

[KamiShikkaku]

HBO is making money from this show, and most of those involved seem to expect that the show will run for about 8 seasons.

While diversions from the source material are bound to become more and more severe, I see no reason to decidedly skip entire plot arcs that enrich the overall story.

[kevin1989]

Not going to happen. GRRM already stated that FfC and DwD will be combined and that it will be between 2 a 3 seasons total. He hopes 3 because then he will have more time writing his books.

[Mr Fixit]

Not going to happen. GRRM already stated that FfC and DwD will be combined and that it will be between 2 a 3 seasons total. He hopes 3 because then he will have more time writing his books.

He most certainly didn't say that. He said that those books had two or three seasons worth of material which is a completely different thing.

Also, D&D indicated on several occasions they see GoT lasting about 80 episodes. That makes 2.5 or even 3 seasons devoted to AFfC and ADwD very unlikely.

[kevin1989]

He most certainly didn't say that. He said that those books had two or three seasons worth of material which is a completely different thing.

Also, D&D indicated on several occasions they see GoT lasting about 80 episodes. That makes 2.5 or even 3 seasons devoted to AFfC and ADwD very unlikely.

No the said that they see it that it last at least 80 episodes, but that they don't know where it will end. Every interview that I see with them they say, we don't know how many seasons it will have, we look at it per season. And than they stated that they think that the show can have at least 80 episodes.

He most certainly did, he stated in many interviews that it will have 2 seasons FfC and DwD, that that's already clear. But in 1 interview he stated that he hoped that David and Dan make it 3 so he have 1 more year to finishing the books.

[Ignacia]

He most certainly did, he stated in many interviews that it will have 2 seasons FfC and DwD, that that's already clear. But in 1 interview he stated that he hoped that David and Dan make it 3 so he have 1 more year to finishing the books.

Oh, please no! I can't imagine those books streched over three seasons!

2 seasons I could see, specially if the story is distributed in the last 1/2 of season 4, season 5 and the first 1/2 of season 6 (ending with the battles of Ice and Fire).

I would still prefer if they would cut cut and cut and make it 1 1/2 seasons (part of season 4 and all of season 5). I believe the books we have so far fit in 5 seasons, but we may still need to make time so George can write.

It would be fun to try to make an outline with the events of the books for those 3 options...

I still can't think of a way to divide AFFC&ADWD in three, though...

[kevin1989]

Oh, please no! I can't imagine those books streched over three seasons!

2 seasons I could see, specially if the story is distributed in the last 1/2 of season 4, season 5 and the first 1/2 of season 6 (ending with the battles of Ice and Fire).

I would still prefer if they would cut cut and cut and make it 1 1/2 seasons (part of season 4 and all of season 5). I believe the books we have so far fit in 5 seasons, but we may still need to make time so George can write.

It would be fun to try to make an outline with the events of the books for those 3 options...

I still can't think of a way to divide AFFC&ADWD in three, though...

I think it depends on the character, they can easily get one character a half season ahead of the others. It all depends on what will happen in season 4. What elements of DwD and FfC are in there.

[Ignacia]

I think it depends on the character, they can easily get one character a half season ahead of the others. It all depends on what will happen in season 4. What elements of DwD and FfC are in there.

Oh yes. I think that to divide the story in seasons we have to look at each storyline separately.

For instance, I don't think they will need to give Jon's storyline any material from ADWD in s4. We can build him a nice arc with the rest of his chapters from ASOS. That would leave him all his material of ADWD. Can that be divided in 3? I don't know, I have to admit I don't remember much about what happened there...

Other characters, like Bran, are more difficult. Bran needs to get to the Wall by the end of this season, otherwise it's going to feel like he is not moving... Same in s4, I think he needs to arrive to BR's cave (I think BR telling Bran "I can´t make you walk again, but I can teach you to fly" would make a nice ending for him). That would leave him only one chapter of material for season 5. They can always make something up, but for 3 seasons? (assuming AFFC&ADWD will take seasons 5, 6 & 7).

Mmmm... let's see... Tyrion. I think s4 will have his ASOS material, and not more than maybe his first chapter of ADWD.

1. If we make AFFC&ADWD 1.5 seasons, then his chapters from ADWD would have to fit in 1 season:

SEASON 5

EP1- Meets Illyrio

EP2- Meets Aegon and Griff

EP3- Attack from the guys with greyscale. Later he reveals Aegons true/false identity, and convinces him to go to Westeros. Jorah captures him by the end of the episode.

EP4- Meets Penny. Whatever happened in Volantis that I can't remember. Takes a ship.

EP5- The ship is stucked. Penny teaches him jousting or something similar. Introduction to Moqorro. Mostly character developement.

EP6- The slavers capture the ship.

EP7- Tyrion and Penny are taken to perform for the meereenese, Dany flies with drogon. (I think they could cut the fat yunkish guy who bought them)

EP8- The yunkish seigue Meereen. Tyrion escapes from the slavers and joins the sellswords.

EP9/EP10- All the chapters from TWoW battle of fire and whatever happens there.

If they make it 2 seasons:

I'm not sure were season 5 could end. It depends a lot of Dany´s storyline. I will assume Dany story in S4 is going to be taking Meereen, may be ending with her locking the dragons, her first ADWD chapter...

SEASON 5

EP1- Meets Illyrio, who tells him he will be sent to meet Dany.

EP2- Meets Aegon and Griff.

EP3- Attack from the greyscale guys.

EP4- Tyrion reveals Aegon's true/fake identity. Convinces him to go to Westeros.

EP5- Tyrion is captured by Jorah.

EP6- Volantis 1. Meets Penny.

EP7- Volantis 2. Takes ship.

EP8- Ship 1. Moqorro's introduction. Storm ( I think there was one).

EP9- Ship 2. Tyrion learns jousting. Character developement. Captured by yunkish slavers.

EP10- They learn they are being taken to Meereen (where they could see Dany). Moqorro meets Victarion?

For season 5, Dany's story could focus in the Son's of the harpy. It could end with her marriage to Hizdhar.

SEASON 6

EP1/EP4- Tyrion is a slave for the fat yunkish guy.

EP5- Tyrion and Penny are taken to perform for the meereenese. Dany leaves with Drogon.

EP6/EP7- The yunkisk lay a siegue on Meereen. Tyrion scapes from his "owner"

EP8- Tyrion's deals with the sellswords

EP9/EP10- Battle of fire and whatever happens there.

For Dany, this version of season 6 would start with Quentyn's arrival. It could focus in her disillutionment about ruling. She would leave Meereen by the middle of the season. It would en with some of TWoW material.

The problem I see with this one is that Tyrion is that it takes Tyrion way too long to meet Dany (and even then he doesn't really "meet" her). S4 will probably end with Varys hinting that he is going to meet Dany. Then s5 would begin with Illyrio telling him he will meet Dany. Then he won't meet Dany in s5, but we will be reassured that he'll meet her in s6. It's a bit long for a travelogue, and he doesn't reach his destiny. Plus, Dany is still in Essos by the end of s6. I still think this could work, though.

Now, let's make it 3 seasons:

SEASON 5

EP1-It would start with Tyrion meeting Illyrio and telling him he will meet Dany.

EP2/4-Tyrion meets Aegon and Griff. Conversations and character developement.

EP5- Greyscale guys attack

EP6/8- More character developement. Tries to figure out who Aegon truly/fakely is.

EP9-Tyrion's reveals Aegon's true/fake identity. Convinces him to go to Westeros.

EP10- Jorah captures Tyrion.

SEASON 6

EP1- They arrive to Volantis

EP2-Meets Penny

EP3- Scene with the widow. They get on a ship.

EP4/5- Character developement. Meets Moqorro.

EP6/8- Storm. More chracter developement. Tyrion learns jousting.

EP9- Captured by yunkish slavers

EP10- On their way to Yunkai

SEASON 7

EP1/4- They are bought, and belong to yunkish fat guy

EP5- Dany flies with Drogon

EP6/7- Siegue. They scape.

EP8 - Deal with the sellswords

EP9/10- Battle of fire

Well, to be honest Tyrion's arc kind of surprised me. The 3 seasons division kind of works well for him, because he spends time with 3 different groups of people, in 3 different settings (well, sort of). However, his storyline advances very little each season (how many vague "character developement" scenes did I put there as filler?) and we still have the same problems from the other division. Besides, we still have to consider Dany, and Victarion, and the Stark kids, and...

Aghh! I feel like everything is so tangled! haha, well it's still a fun exercise. May be I'll continue other day, but right now I have homework that I should be doing... I probably shouldn't have written such a long-digressing post.

[locke and key]

the events of affc and adwd are too important in setting up characters to be in position for the rest of the story and personally they're 2 of my favourite books in the series

however, I don't think they need 3 seasons to cover them, I reckon they could either start them in season 4 and then finsih in season 5 or cover all the time up until the books join in season 5 (which is just after tyrion gets captured by slavers) and then spend the first 1/2 of season 6 covering the events at the end of adwd when the timelines have coaught up plus the first 1/2 of TWOW

[kevin1989]

I think that it will have around 2,5 season total. FfC material is around 8/9 episodes. DwD is around 16/17 episodes. Is 25 episodes.

[dtones520]

David and Dan have said that they are trying to create a series that tells the story of ASOIAF over 8-9 seasons. I don't think they are really worried about where each season ends in relation to the books, as long as they have a compelling, good TV show. AFFC/ADWD is an important part of this series, despite it being a bit less exciting than other books. I would equate them to two AFFCs, books that build up to bigger events. But you can't leave them out. This series makes a ton of money for HBO and will only make more after ASOS is seen by people.

[Lord Flashheart]

I think they will do AFFC and Dance in one season.

[kevin1989]

I think they will do AFFC and Dance in one season.

How can they do that? Look at the journey of Tyrion, that can't be in one season, this will be ridiculous. first it will be to expensive, to have all the big things happen in one season. Look at Tyrion's chapters. Second, GRRM writing. Third, they are big fans of the books, they will keep the important things. It will be at least 2 seasons. You have more change in 3 seasons than in one season. They won't rushed it. I personally think the story is great in those 2 books, only thing is the way it's told, most afterward in memories.

I personally hope for 2 seasons, maybe 3, depends on what they will bring the next 2 seasons for the tyrells and the dorners and other parts that will show up in the show.

Here's my prediction:

Season 4:

Sansa: Ends the whole SoS part

Arya: Probably some extra hound scenes, maybe she even get on her own for a moment. Ariving at Braavos.

Bran: I think his DWD arc will finish or almost

Jon: Just make commander, SoS not finished

Sam: Look at Jon

Tyrion: SoS finished no DwD, only escaping will be seen.

Jaime: SoS finished and finding his father dead (Cercei chapter from FfC)

Davos: He will be at the wall with Stannis, change from books.

Iron islanders: Euron just get chosen as new king.

Theon: I think season 3 will be little toture and trying to escape. This season will probably end with his first chapter from DwD. I even think he will be assume dead the whole season 4 until the last 2 episodes.

Danny: Taking over Mereen, will probably be bigger, we will see strategy etc. There will be couple of attacks, she will be queen, jorah send away, drogo kills a child. She puts Viserion and Rheagal in a cell.

Ending with lady stoneheart, or one of these when lady stoneheart will be in season 3: Bran :( Meeting Young Griff, instead of finding out through the next season, we will find it out by just seeing the scene. Danny putting her dragons in the cell.

Season 5:

Sansa: Everything at the eyrie. Last scene will be that Littlefinger tell they go down.

Arya: Life on the canals, just met Sam.

Jon: Probably ending with Dreams of Dust.

Sam: Just had a fight with Dareon, or just leaving Braavos.

Tyrion: Captured by Jorah mormont

Cercei: I think this will be focused on Tommen as a king, little on Margery. It will be about Tyrion too. She will probably assigned the Sparrows.

Jaime: Jaime just left for Harrenhall or just arrived there.

Davos: Just went toward Manderly.

Iron islanders: escaping Asha, Victorion is going to Danny. Everything that there is in FfC

Dorners: Closing the FfC chapters.

Qyentyn: We will think that he is going to the golden company, for the part of Arianne, around episode 6/7 we will know that he goes to Danny. He is in Volentis. Probably he will take a boat, and we will see the sacking of astapor.

Brienne: Her story has many great things, like randyll tarly, hopefully they invest there. I think it will end by here killing a important character and send back to Tarly.

Theon: Mariage.

Danny: How can she stop the attacks, attacks stop, ends with that she must marry Hizdahr. (main focus on other characters who are going to her)

Ending with: Maybe lady stoneheart will be revealed much later than the books. Or we will find out about Eagon here, but that will mess up the season 6 ending.

Season 6:

Sansa: going down probably something that is going to happen in WoW at the end of the season.

Arya: Killing Dareon. Blind. Ending DwD storyline.

Jon: Ending of DwD

Sam: Ending of FfC

Tyrion: Fighting pits.

Cercei: ending here FfC chapters. Margerey and DwD chapters.

Jaime: Ending his chapters from FFc and DwD

Davos: Death thing and send toward Skagos, ends with being there.

Iron islanders: Almost at slavers bay. Asha got captured. Reunited with Theon.

Dorners: Ends DWD

Quentyn: Fighting pits.

Brienne: Closing FfC chapters.

Theon: Just met Asha.

Danny: Wedding preperations, wedding, fighting pits. Get caught by Khal.

John connignton: Westeros.

Probably battle in the ice.

Ending probably from DWD beautiful season ending.

Season 7:

Tyrion: His slaver dies, battle mereen (wow)

Quentyn: Ending DwD

Baristan: Ending DWD

This will be about 1 episodes. So we can say that DWD will almost be finished when season 6 ends. Tyrion part will be around max 15min (battle is no part of DWD). And Quentyn dying 5min max. Barristan: 30 minutes. Total 50 minutes (one episode). I know this will be stretched over episodes with things from WoW. Battle Mereen about episode 4?

I think that or the battle of Mereen will be in season 7 or the battle in the ice, depends on the choices they make in the next seasons.

[TheEvilKing]

Not going to happen. GRRM already stated that FfC and DwD will be combined and that it will be between 2 a 3 seasons total. He hopes 3 because then he will have more time writing his books.

No, he didn't. He has basically stated that he thinks that's what will happen, but it's not his decision.

[YouSnowNothing]

I think that the bulk of AFFC/ADWD can all be done in one season, with about half a book's worth of material shoved into S4 (must be done, since only 1/3 of ASoS is left after S3 takes us up to just after the RW, and that is all KL/Wall stuff, with little material for characters elsewhere), and some stuff held back for S6. Here's how I would handle the coming seasons:

Season 4

Kings Landing - Nothing needs to change here. PW in episode 2. The season deals with Tyrion's trial and Jaime's interactions with his family. Oberyn/Gregor fight in ep 8. In episode 10, Jaime sends Brienne on her quest and then releases Tyrion, Tyrion kills Tywin and leaves (hint at him heading towards Daenerys). Take the opportunity to introduce Arriane in KL alongside Oberyn, and use her to hint at further Dornish plotting at the end.

Dragonstone - Hard to gauge the details, because we don't know how far into the Gendry Storm plot S3 will take us. Probably not all the way to Davos and his letter, but you never know. Either way, arrival at the Wall in episode 6/7, change it so that Davos comes with them all to the Wall, then we're joined up with the Wall plot.

The Wall - Big battle with Stannis' entrance in episode 6/7. Can't really be later than that, there's a decent amount of LC-related political plotting to fit in. Finish with Jon being elected LC (in episode 9 I'd say, then they can sit out ep 10).

Danerys - Re-structure her plot so that she conquers Meereen early in the season, but doesn't decide to stay there until the end (which I think is a nice climax to her arc). She can be constantly planning to get to Westeros throughout S4, but be repeatedly held up with complications. Introduce all the political players in Meereen and includes some of the early problems she experiences in ADWD.

Theon - Continue his degredation into Reek, then move a little into ADWD territory, climaxing with his introduction to Fake!Arya/Talisa/Whoever plays this role in the plot, and them all heading to Winterfell.

Sansa - No need to add anything, with the PW and events in the Eyrie, she has enough material in the latter parts of ASoS. Climax with snow-Winterfell and Lysa's fall.

Arya - Invented material to keep her busy with the Hound for half a season. They're a duo that's fun to watch, so keep them together. Then later you can delve back into ASoS for Arya's murder at the Inn (could be changed so it's related to the plot of that season, rather than events way back at Harrenhall), Sandor's "death", and Arya telling the sailor "Valar Morghulis".

Bran - Meeting Coldhands, adventures beyond the Wall, end with him meeting Bloodraven and his promise ("You will fly.")

Iron Islands - Start with Balon's death and Euron's return, then everything up to and including the Kingsmoot in episode 8/9. Then Asha flees and Euron gives Vic the dragon horn in ep 10.

Season 5

Cersei/KL - All her AFFC material, but none of her ADWD. So she gets arrested in ep 9, then writes to Jaime at the start of ep 10, and that's the last we see of her.

Jaime - All his material, with his talk to Edmure ("with a trebuchet") in ep 9, and ep 10 he burns Cersei's letter.

Brienne - A version of her search for Sansa, climaxing with her meeting LS in episode 9 - but change so we hear her shout "sword" and be freed from the rope - a "main character is about to die (maybe not really)" cliffhanger will seem incredibly similar to the climax of Jon's story. It was fine when they were in separate books, but not so much if they're in adjoining episodes. Episode 10 sees her return to Jaime, as per ADWD.

Sansa - All AFFC material, no changes

Arya - All AFFC/ADWD material, no changes

Bran - Rest of ADWD/Some TWoW, he is now our convenient infodump machine for the history of Westeros.

Jon/Wall - All ADWD material, with his assassination as a cliffhanger in episode 10.

Sam - Sent away by Jon early on, keep him in Braavos for the majority of the season (the justification being Aemon's ailing health). Arrival in Oldtown at the end, but leave the Maester stuff for later.

Davos - Sent to White Harbour early in the season, then all his ADWD stuff up to being sent to find Rickon.

Stannis - Keep him at the Wall for a bit longer - in this season plan, I would leave the Battle of Winterfell for next season, so I wouldn't want to play up that event too much too soon.

Theon - All ADWD stuff. Climax with his escape and reunion with Asha in episode 10.

Arianne/Dorne - Audience is already familiar with Arianne thanks to S4. Introduce Quentyn in Dorne in episode 1 and have him leave (for reasons unknown) to flesh out the Arianne/Quentyn relationship and fuel her suspicions/jealousy. Then frontload all of her plot in the first half of the season, with her plot going awry in ep 4, and then her talk with Doran in ep 5 ("Vengance. Justice. Fire and Blood."). Then we can switch the attention to Quentyn, who arrives in Meereen at this point.

Quentyn - Cut out his travels, they're not needed. He can be fleshed out in ep 1/2, then we can go straight to him propositioning Dany in episode 6. After this fails, he attempts to steal a dragon in episode 8, at the same time that Danerys is escaping on Drogon (a change from the timeline of the books yes, but all the same main points are there, and I love the idea of cutting between these two people both trying to tame Dragons, with one succeeding and the other very much failing.

Daenerys - ADWD material, marries Hizhdar in episode 6. Escapes on Drogon in episode 8. Then we don't see her from the rest of the season, while characters (and the audience) wonder where she is, until late episode 10, when a single crane shot shows her lost in the Dothraki Sea, with Drogon flying overhead.

Tyrion - The character whose plot I would change the most. His ADWD material is long, convoluted, and doesn't really go anywhere. The first half I would keep the same, from his meeting with Illyrio, up to his discovery of "Aegon" in episode 5 (if this can be paralleled with the "Fire and Blood" speech from Doran, the impact of both would be doubled, I think that would work really well). He would meet Penny in episode 2 as well. Then I would change the plot by cutting out Jorah and the slave subplot. Jorah I would either kill off back in S4 to create a bit of emotion for Danerys, or if he is needed for TWoW, I would have him return to Meereen independently in S6. Tyrion and Penny are instead captured by Victarion in episode 6. This allows us to be properly introduced to Victarion and see what he's up to, but through the eyes of an audience favourite, so viewers won't find Vic's scenes too boring or irrelevant. Basically, I think that a good fleshing out of Victarion and extra time spent developing the Tyrion/Penny friendship is more important in the long run character-wise than any slavery subplot or Tyrion/Jorah bonding.

Victarion - Like I say, off-screen until his capture of Tyrion.

Aegon/Jon - Listens to Tyrion's advice about heading to Westeros in ep 6, gets the sellswords in ep 7/8, then we see them landing in Westeros in ep 10. In fact, if we can see Varys' murder of Kevan and his speech about Aegon, and then cut to hundereds of ships hitting the shores of Westeros and thousands of soldiers streaming out, that'd be a season-ender to really get the blood pumping.

You can then see from all this we end up with a sort of trio of finales - episodes 8, 9 and 10, each one focusing mainly on a different area or group of characters, and each climaxing in an exciting way.

Episode 8 - The East. Dany's epic escape and Quentyn the almost-Dragontamer

Episode 9 - The South. Jaime's capture of Riverrun, Cersei's plot going awry and getting herself arrested, Brienne's trial at the hands of LS and her almost hanging.

Episode 10 - The North. Theon's escape from Winterfell and reunion with Asha, and at the Wall, the pink letter and Jon's assassination. You'd also have to wrap up some events in the South and East as well (e.g. Cersei's letter to Jaime), but other plots with less material (e.g. Davos, Bran, Sansa) can be wrapped up in earlier episodes - not everyone has to feature in the final episode.

And for the record, this would leave out the following material for S6, which would be mainly TWOW but with a decent amount of AFFC/ADWD:

All the Citadel plotting, including Jaquen's murder of Pate

Cersei's trial and the Walk of Shame

Tyrion's escape and buying of the sellswords (if that sublplot is kept at all)

Dany's final chapter, and running into the Khalasar

Some build-up to the battles in Meereen and Winterfell

Aegon's capture of Griffin's Roost (though I expect they'll simplify that by having him go straight for Storm's End in S6)

Moqorro's introduction.

The end result of this I think would give us a very strong season, filled with big events, and every character having a proper arc, and a climax to that arc. There is perhaps enough sheer volume of material for two seasons, but not nearly enough climaxes. While ASoS is filled with enough events that good turning points or climaxes can be picked out in the middle of the books for most characters, there are none in the midpoint of AFFC/ADWD. Everyone would be so stagnant and stuck in the exact same situation for two full seasons.

[Mr Fixit]

I think Void's ideas are pretty sound. Not getting bogged down in minutia, the overall picture seems about right and perfectly doable, while paying attention to character arcs and climaxes. As pretty much anyone here agress, S4 wil probably include chronologically appropriate material: Dornish, Ironborn, Bran, early ADwD Daenerys. Season 5 should have the bulk of material and all the main storylines of AFFC/ADWD in it, probably significantly condensed in some areas. Season 6 would conclude AFFC/ADWD storylines and segue nicely into early TWoW territory.

[TheEvilKing]

Arianne/Dorne - Audience is already familiar with Arianne thanks to S4. Introduce Quentyn in Dorne in episode 1 and have him leave (for reasons unknown) to flesh out the Arianne/Quentyn relationship and fuel her suspicions/jealousy. Then frontload all of her plot in the first half of the season, with her plot going awry in ep 4, and then her talk with Doran in ep 5 ("Vengance. Justice. Fire and Blood."). Then we can switch the attention to Quentyn, who arrives in Meereen at this point.

Quentyn - Cut out his travels, they're not needed. He can be fleshed out in ep 1/2, then we can go straight to him propositioning Dany in episode 6. After this fails, he attempts to steal a dragon in episode 8, at the same time that Danerys is escaping on Drogon (a change from the timeline of the books yes, but all the same main points are there, and I love the idea of cutting between these two people both trying to tame Dragons, with one succeeding and the other very much failing.

For the record I'd handle this similarly. I'd show a couple of scenes with him in the first half of the season. I'd keep him unnamed, just showing a young man and his companions trying to find their way to Dany. Doran's reveal that he's sent his son to find Dany and the "Vengeance Justice..." scene somewhere in the middle of the season, then cut straight to a shot of Quentyn arriving at the gates of Meereen, with some epic music (maybe a Martell theme) playing. End episode.