Incest of Thrones
I was hoping Game of Thrones might get significantly better as it progressed and it... didn’t, really. The entire season was characterised by being potentially awesome, yet mired in frustrating writing flaws.
In short:
World-building: A+
Narrative: C-
I’ve just started reading the first book and it’s actually uncanny how faithful the TV adaptation has been. I’m not even sure the Harry Potter movies are as faithful to their source text.
The problem is, what plays well in a novel doesn’t necessarily play well on screen. The thing that I take away from GoT is the sheer number of long, expository conversations, which made the series feel incredibly slow in places. Where was the “show” instead of the “tell”? For example, couldn’t we have had a flashback to Jaime stabbing the Mad King? Some sort of visual representation, rather than just having people talk about it incessantly?
I think the desire to stick close to the book really cut the screenwriters* off at the knees. Instead of taking the essence of the story and reinventing it in a cinematic style, they just ended up tearing huge chunks of pages out of the book and tossing it to the actors in lieu of a script.
*and yeah, I know George RR Martin was one of the TV writers. And suddenly, the issue becomes clear...
Another problem with adhering so closely to the book is that there were just too, too many characters to care about. Even once I’d gotten a handle on who everyone was, it became a game of, “.........oh, so that was the one Dany scene and we won’t get any more until next week... :///”
Of course, Dany fared better than other characters, who just disappeared. I mean, what the hell happened to Appealing Gaymo, younger brother of the king, and his DiCaprio-esque knight boyfriend? Sigh, sigh.
The mythical universe of GoT is undeniably compelling. The finale gave us dragons. DRAGONS!
It’s also an amazing actor showcase. Peter Dinklage is perfect. PERFECT!
But, however much I admire the acting and want to wallow happily the possibilities of universe, the story really fell short for me.
I just can’t get over that scene where Catelyn has taken Tyrion prisoner, but then they’re attacked by bandits and everyone is killed.............EXCEPT CATELYN AND TYRION. Or that scene where Jaime and his men slaughter all of Ned’s men, and Jaime is poised to kill Ned, but then.................LOL NO, I’LL LET YOU GO.
Even setting aside these contrivances, the series never really surprised me.
We all knew the dragon eggs were gonna hatch. We all knew it would be Dany riding to claim the throne, not Viserys or Drogo.
Joffrey’s an incest baby? Called it.
Ned dies? Called it.
Dany’s baby dies? Called it.
Joe Dempsie is secret trueborn heir to the throne? Well. That is going to happen, right...?
With its epic scale and interesting characters, I am certainly invested in the show, but in terms of storytelling, it seems to be taking the least inventive path.
Anyway, that’s my “review”. Now for some squee...
ROBB/CATELYN. “We’ll kill them all.” *__*
They are my ‘ship and I don’t even know whyyyyyyyyy. What if Ned’s death had a really twisted impact on their psyches and pushed them into a romantic/sexual relationship? He’s the King in the North and it’s obvious she’s his queen.
Dany is still my favourite - DRAGONS DRAGONS DRAGONS - but I’ve really grown to love Tyrion, too. He’s taking his whore to King’s Landing. Yeah he is! (Tyrion/Shae = super-adorable. The threesome with Bronn is practically canon, too.)
I got really, really happy when I realized Arya was going to the Wall and so will reunite with Jon Snow. Yayyyy. I’m not sure yet whether I ‘ship them or friendship them. MAYBE I SHOULD WAIT TILL SHE GROWS UP TO DECIDE. Um, yeah, okay...
Sansa shot up my favourite characters list with the awesome scene on the battlements where she almost pushed Joffrey to his death. Really beautifully and effectively acted/shot.
If the Dothraki “follow the strong”, surely that means they’ll come back to Dany now that she’s a BAMF with dragons?
And is it likely that Robb would form an alliance with Dany-and-the-Dothraki? Surely in terms of “my enemy’s enemy”, that would work. Then Dany and Robb could rule the 7 Kingdoms together. Starks and Dragons, bein’ awesome together, happily ever after. [/unlikely scenario]
In short:
World-building: A+
Narrative: C-
I’ve just started reading the first book and it’s actually uncanny how faithful the TV adaptation has been. I’m not even sure the Harry Potter movies are as faithful to their source text.
The problem is, what plays well in a novel doesn’t necessarily play well on screen. The thing that I take away from GoT is the sheer number of long, expository conversations, which made the series feel incredibly slow in places. Where was the “show” instead of the “tell”? For example, couldn’t we have had a flashback to Jaime stabbing the Mad King? Some sort of visual representation, rather than just having people talk about it incessantly?
I think the desire to stick close to the book really cut the screenwriters* off at the knees. Instead of taking the essence of the story and reinventing it in a cinematic style, they just ended up tearing huge chunks of pages out of the book and tossing it to the actors in lieu of a script.
*and yeah, I know George RR Martin was one of the TV writers. And suddenly, the issue becomes clear...
Another problem with adhering so closely to the book is that there were just too, too many characters to care about. Even once I’d gotten a handle on who everyone was, it became a game of, “.........oh, so that was the one Dany scene and we won’t get any more until next week... :///”
Of course, Dany fared better than other characters, who just disappeared. I mean, what the hell happened to Appealing Gaymo, younger brother of the king, and his DiCaprio-esque knight boyfriend? Sigh, sigh.
The mythical universe of GoT is undeniably compelling. The finale gave us dragons. DRAGONS!
It’s also an amazing actor showcase. Peter Dinklage is perfect. PERFECT!
But, however much I admire the acting and want to wallow happily the possibilities of universe, the story really fell short for me.
I just can’t get over that scene where Catelyn has taken Tyrion prisoner, but then they’re attacked by bandits and everyone is killed.............EXCEPT CATELYN AND TYRION. Or that scene where Jaime and his men slaughter all of Ned’s men, and Jaime is poised to kill Ned, but then.................LOL NO, I’LL LET YOU GO.
Even setting aside these contrivances, the series never really surprised me.
We all knew the dragon eggs were gonna hatch. We all knew it would be Dany riding to claim the throne, not Viserys or Drogo.
Joffrey’s an incest baby? Called it.
Ned dies? Called it.
Dany’s baby dies? Called it.
Joe Dempsie is secret trueborn heir to the throne? Well. That is going to happen, right...?
With its epic scale and interesting characters, I am certainly invested in the show, but in terms of storytelling, it seems to be taking the least inventive path.
Anyway, that’s my “review”. Now for some squee...
ROBB/CATELYN. “We’ll kill them all.” *__*
They are my ‘ship and I don’t even know whyyyyyyyyy. What if Ned’s death had a really twisted impact on their psyches and pushed them into a romantic/sexual relationship? He’s the King in the North and it’s obvious she’s his queen.
Dany is still my favourite - DRAGONS DRAGONS DRAGONS - but I’ve really grown to love Tyrion, too. He’s taking his whore to King’s Landing. Yeah he is! (Tyrion/Shae = super-adorable. The threesome with Bronn is practically canon, too.)
I got really, really happy when I realized Arya was going to the Wall and so will reunite with Jon Snow. Yayyyy. I’m not sure yet whether I ‘ship them or friendship them. MAYBE I SHOULD WAIT TILL SHE GROWS UP TO DECIDE. Um, yeah, okay...
Sansa shot up my favourite characters list with the awesome scene on the battlements where she almost pushed Joffrey to his death. Really beautifully and effectively acted/shot.
If the Dothraki “follow the strong”, surely that means they’ll come back to Dany now that she’s a BAMF with dragons?
And is it likely that Robb would form an alliance with Dany-and-the-Dothraki? Surely in terms of “my enemy’s enemy”, that would work. Then Dany and Robb could rule the 7 Kingdoms together. Starks and Dragons, bein’ awesome together, happily ever after. [/unlikely scenario]