The HBO Show

I present the new project I am working on, ontop of book reviews. I've always had a soft place in my heart for HBO TV Shows and this project offers me a little bit of a change of pace from what I am usually doing. 

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Let's Talk Game of Thrones: "The Night Lands"

After watching the first episode I really wanted to see the second one. I dreamed and wished and hoped. I really really really didn't want to have to wait another week and a bit before I could find out what happens next. And then the episode leaked and all my wishing came true.

The second episode was much stronger then the first one. It didn't feel like they were jumping around as much between the different characters. I was right (it seemed) when I assumed that the first episode was more erratic because they needed to introduce all of the new major players. The episode managed to find a nice flow between all their stories similar to what they had going on in the previous season. As I've come to expect (and what has been said in many of the interviews) this season will be much more difficult to keep a clear story since most of the characters have wandered off in different directions and it takes a long time before they wander back together.

Alright. Pros and Cons.


From here on there will be spoilers.

MAJOR GLORIOUS PRO

"Salladhor Saan is a good name for songs"

Davos and Salladhor Saan. My GOD was that scene well done. The show managed to capture the essence of Davos, his undying loyalty to Stannis and his straight forward outlook on life. I'm slightly upset that they haven't given more of his backstory. The whole concept of his luck (the fingers that Stannis chopped off) and the story of the Onion Knight is a really interesting one, and it definitly would help shine some light on why he is the way he is and way he loves Stannis as much as he does. This sequence touched on that briefly. I'm hoping that we do go deeper into that later on in the season. I wouldn't be surprised if it is Melisadre who brings it out in the open.

But back to this scene. The banter between the two characters felt extremely real and playful. It is clear that there is a history behind these two and I hope we get to see more of it. Salladhor's comments towards Davos's son were priceless.

SECOND PRO
The men in the cage. As Arya heads towards the wall she is accompanied by many other boys and men. Yet the ones of real interest are the guys in the cage. When I got to this part in the book I was extremely confused. If they were that dangerous that they had to be dragged to the wall in a cage, how could they be sure that when they arrived and took on the Black, that they would keep to the oath?

The actor playing Jagen H'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha) gets across just how weird and different he is. Not to mention he's strangely attractive in a dangerous caged man kind of way. The show is able to get it across to the audience that this man is going to be important later on... but it doesn't spoil anything. Which is kind of nice. I'm excited to see more of him.

THIRD PRO

Littlefinger, you God among men. Littlefinger is by far one of my favourite characters in the show. It was nice to see him given a reprieve after last episode's run in with Cersei. The scene with Littlefinger in the Brothel is a good character study. What make him such a fascinating man is how he somehow knows how to get the best out of everyone he knows, and by best I men the most useful for himself. He is not a heartless man, he just is a business man.

THE FINAL QUESTIONABLE PRO

I think it's the sideways looks that she gives creep me out
the most.

Melisandre both scares the hell out of me. But it's a good kind of scare. When I was reading the book I was worried about how she was going to be portrayed in the show. She is a rather complicated woman who has her own goals to fulfill. The relationship between her and Stannis is a complete power struggle. Davos exists to balance the two of them out, but the scene the episode ends on... we get to see Stannis and Melisandre behind closed-doors. The Producers of Game of Thrones gleefully released that the fourth episode is going to have one of the most disturbing birth sequences to air on television. As we all can guess this is the direct outcome of the final seconds in this episode. Melisandre is going to give Stannis a son.... and it's not going to be pretty.

CON?
Alright Theon, I was waiting for this scene and it was only slightly fulfilling. You hit on your sister, it was awkward. You moved on. Your sister is a threat to your rightful throne, you have some work to do. Yara, his sister was just not.... right. I'm waiting to see more of her before I make my final judgement.

All in all I think the second episode was much stronger then the first. There is still so much more to get into before the meat of the season begins. I'm hoping episode three will finish up with our introductions to characters and by episode four we'll be live and kicking.

Let's Talk About Game of Thrones Season Two

So last night the first episode of the second season of HBO's Game of Thrones aired and the fans went wild. After the major cliffhanger from the previous season, millions of fans were left hyperventilating and driving off to the nearest bookstore so they could figure out what would happen next. There was no way on God's green earth that these fans were going to wait another year till they could find out what happened next. And if that meant they had to crack a spine of a 800+ page book then by god they were going to do it!

So true.

I really didn't want to read the books, I knew if I read the books it was going to spoil the show for me. This of course broke my usual vow of reading before watching... but the show was just so good and I was so weak. Until three days later when I found myself standing in Chapters looking at the "Buy the first Four Books of A Song of Ice and Fire for Twenty Dollars" sign did I give in. I bought them all without a second thought and dove into the series and never looked back.

Like almost every other fantasy nerd, I counted down the days till the show was back, I read and watched everything that was released about the filming. I knew George R.R. Martin's touring schedule. I changed my cover photo on facebook to a direwolf. I've planned a Game of Thrones feast for the Season Finale on june 3rd. I was an all round fangirl.

And then the episode aired.

From here down there be spoilers:

So I was little sad with how the episode opened. In the book it opens on Dragonstone with the introduction of Melisandre. The sequence is a slow build which ends with the Reader realizing that there is more to this woman then just being a Priestess. She manages to survive a poisoning attempt with no side effects. This sequence is shown in the television series, but it is quickly rushed through. There is no information give about the man (The Maester of Dragonstone) and why he chose to sacrifice himself to try and kill Melisandre. I think this sequence represents my major fear of what could happen with this season. That it is going to try and do everything, and thus have to rush through everything at break neck speed. If you've read the books, you'll be fine... but if you haven't you'll find yourself scratching your head.

This was cleverly done. It's a little hard to see from the picture.
But Melisandre is the only character wearing vivid colour
It makes her stand out. Makes her seem like the odd person out.

Don't get me wrong. The episode was really good. It had its fantastic moments. For example, right before the poisoning incident, Stannis is dictating a letter that he plans to send out to every Lord bringing to light the Incest between Cersei and Jaimie. As Stannis corrects the letter, he makes little comments such as reminding the scribe to call him "Ser Jaimie Lannister the King Slayer," cause he still is a knight after all. Stannis is a really interesting character. I'm not sure how I feel about the casting of him or Davos... but Melisandre was spot on. I mean seriously.... she looks like she's going to end up being scary.

My other major issue with the episode is how they painted the Lannisters. Cersei and Joffery are labelled as villains, and will never ever be able to do anything right because they are so evil. There are many scenes that are dedicated to how horrible these characters are. Yes, I am not their biggest fans. I love the scenes were Joffery gets slapped (that 10 hour video of Joffery being slapped is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever seen in my life). But, this isn't a story focused on a big bad. Everyone here is out for something, either themselves, their family or what they deem to be what is right. Cersei and Joffery aren't good people, but then again there are a lot of bad people in this world. Tyrion on the other hand, will always be a fan favourite of the audience. Even though he's a Lannister... he's not a bad guy. Hell, he's the best guy in the whole wide world. I'll talk about him later on in the season... when more interesting things happen to him.... Hint, Hint.

All in all, as I said before. I really did enjoy the episode. I expect the series is going to be awesome. Its HBO, we have to expect only the best from them. It is rather nice to have a television show that has the same level of production values as most film sets. I am going to keep an open mind, I expect the show just needs to get the ball rolling and prove to me all my fears are for not.

Let the Battle of the Five Kings begin. :D