So I didn't see a new thread yet, and thought I'd make one. Here we discuss primarily the
A Song of Ice and Fire series of novels by George R. R. Martin. Lately the discussion is either a) theories about where things are going after the 5th book,
A Dance with Dragons, or b) comparing the TV show to the books or otherwise discussing the TV show from the point of view of a current or past reader of the books. If you are familiar with the books, please don't discuss anything in the TV Show thread, not even a "ooohh you guys are going to freak when this thing I can't tell you happens!!!" Because they hate that and I symapthize with them.
That being said, in the TV show thread, several have recently commented about how the pieces are all set into place now, and it's time for the real stuff to start happening.
Sigh!! Three books and ten years later and, like, isn't winter still coming? Though admittedly, there a few instances of serious shizznit going down in store for the show. I can't wait to lurk the TV thread after
The Red Wedding.
If you are watching the TV shows, and have not read at least that far in the books, you seriously need to G da F O.
EDIT:
More on spoiling: Ok, so reading through the thread, I'm reminded that as the OP, I get some amount of leeway to suggest spoilage policies. Yes, this is the spoilage thread. We WILL be loose about what we do or don't tag. The general industry standard is that a spoiler is only something that involves unpublished material. If the book is published or the show has aired on the east coast, it's not a spoiler. However, to avoid chaos and murder, this thread should be a bit more careful than that.
If every single post is in spoiler tags, then we are tagging too much. I'm suggesting tags on any super-major events from the books, particularly the last book, but they've all been out a while so don't try too hard.
In keeping with the recent change in the TV show thread, I'm suggesting OPEN SPOILERS on anything that has been aired on the East Coast, except scenes from next week, that's still spoily. I'm also suggesting that if you haven't read all the books and seen the latest episode, you stay out, because I would prefer that we be able to 1) have a discussion that isn't entirely in tags, and 2) be able to actually put real spoilers of future shit in spoiler tags without everyone assuming it's not really a spoiler.
So what does all that vague spoiler talk really mean?
#1 rule is no crying about something being spoiled, assuming it's already published material. If you haven't read all the books AND seen every aired show, then you are forbidden from accusing someone else of spoiling something for you. If you're posting an interview with GRRM where he talks about stuff that will happen in Book 6, yeah, that is the very epitome of a spoiler and must be tagged.
#2 rule, less important than #1, is to use your own best judgment and put tags around some things, like maybe details of TRW, or R-L-J theories, or major stuff from Book 5. Definitely anything about a show that hasn't aired (besides what we know from the books), or confirmed plot facts in books not yet published. Someone could very well click this thread by accident instead of the TV one, and they sure has hell don't want to see this in non-tagged form:
(major spoilers from books 3 - 5)
Hey, remember when Robb and Catelyn were killed by the Freys, and Sansa married Tyrion, but then Catelyn came back as an evil zombie and Joff chokes to death and Tyrion murders his father, and Jamie sort of becomes a good guy? That was awesome.
#3 rule is to try to do what I did above and
preface your spoiler tags with a very brief description of what kind of spoiler it is and about when it occurs in the series.
Posts
I should re-read the first books and catch up with the TV show, that actually sounds like fun.
Book 3 is totally awesome, and they are considering spending two seasons on it. Which would be awesome for many reasons. 1) HBO gets another season of subscribers out of this deal. 2) Book 3 is not only the longest book IIRC, but also conversely packs the most excitement and plot twist per page. The most memorable game-changing and series-defining moments happen in that book, and every chapter is a roller-coaster of yippee! and NOOOO!, so they can definitely pack 2 seasons of episodes full of great entertainment. 3) GRRM gets another year to finish his books before the show outpaces him.
On the flipside, it would make me worry even more about how dang old some of these kids are going to be by the end of the series.
Ending with Robb's death... well, given book reader reactions I don't think that's the best place to end a season.
End after Joffrey's death and there's just not much left in the story.
I'm guessing Robb will die in episode 9 and episode 10 will give some reason to continue watching.
Season 1 he wrote Baelor
This season he's writing Blackwater
I'd guess that these Autumn Storms include some... rain.
Also it's probably a good approach to do it in episode 7, that's no way to end a season
Yeah, so:
It was and will be glorious!
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
I think you could probably make that work. It'll probably feel weird to book readers but it'd work out in terms of plot logistics
I don't see how you get 13 episodes afterwards though.
Plus not ending a season on
would be criminal.
One tragedy at the end of a season is fine to really drive that point home that it's a dark tone story, another can turn off fans.
Battlenet ID: MildC#11186 - If I'm in the game, send me an invite at anytime and I'll play.
That might be way too late, though, I don't have the books around for reference.
Contract reasons is a very compelling reason, and I think they can probably shuffle things around enough to get away with it. It's especially true with how big the cast grows in book 3.
That's a fair point, but...
It's not just major players.
Reflecting on it, Season 3 may focus on the North and Season 4 may focus on the South. Not exclusively, obviously, but it would make a good split.
Season 4 - Jon defending the wall, Dany with her army, bring in a few things in the North like Theon's torture, but the main storyline be King's Landing with Joffrey's wedding.
That is an excellent and obvious question that I do not know the answer to.
That said, I'm really looking forward to seeing how the show develops its own identity. Its rare that someone who creates a story has the chance to go back and change things later. And the chance to take a small change and explore how that ripples through an entire epic? That is a pretty cool concept to see play out.
I mean they are already cutting down/combining characters and it's still impossible to give these great actors enough screen time!
It is kinda scary that if the show does not get cancelled and is going to cover the whole series, that will be at least 8 seasons. 10 one hour episodes per season, that's about 80 hours for the whole show and still they wouldn't have had everyone and everything covered from the books. Just crazy how much stuff and details are in the books. :bz
3DS: 2852-6809-9411
It kind of seems like...
I just don't see that happening.
Balon dies first and is just referenced in passing.
STOP SPOILERING STUFF! THIS IS THE THREAD OF SPOIL!
Speaking of whom!
If Martin aims to keep her around, it would mean she could never meaningfully interact with the main POVs. "How could this be, and how could it benefit my enjoyment?" I wondered, and I think I might rather enjoy it she joined the clergy or the sparrows to give a us a POV there.
Perhaps after
(For those that dared enter despite the title: That's an every-book spoiler, not an Episode 2 spoiler.)
(Of sorts)
I'm not sure if the logical ending to that plotline would be hilarious or just cruel... Probably the latter.
Plus I doubt the Antler Men would really let her join even if she wanted to, it was sort of an upper-class thing, as I remember.
Though, as a high-class sexpositor, we could certainly learn of the Antler-men through her.
Although then they'd have to like, actually cast Antler Men, they might be happier to just leave it as Varys going, "Oh hey, found some more conspirators, look how helpful I am!"
Which I'm always reminded of when Jaime talks about how Varys was always happy to point out any conspiracies the Mad King failed to imagine. There was always the feeling that in lieu of real conspirators, Varys might simply provide some in order to appear invaluable.
they lost their shit
"oh no we know the name of a character!"
Then that episode he was there