"Game of Thrones" - HBO Series Coming in 2011

[wurwolf]

That's a good idea. I asked APGIL if we had closed captioning for the show and he got mad at me. He normally doesn't mind subtitles, I guess he just didn't feel like hunting around to see if we had it. But if I can do subtitles for the HBO Go thing I will. Thanks.

[a pretty girl is like]

That's a good idea. I asked APGIL if we had closed captioning for the show and he got mad at me. He normally doesn't mind subtitles, I guess he just didn't feel like hunting around to see if we had it. But if I can do subtitles for the HBO Go thing I will. Thanks.

I'm not closed captioning the show because I speak English and I am not deaf.

[wurwolf]

That's a good idea. I asked APGIL if we had closed captioning for the show and he got mad at me. He normally doesn't mind subtitles, I guess he just didn't feel like hunting around to see if we had it. But if I can do subtitles for the HBO Go thing I will. Thanks.

I'm not closed captioning the show because I speak English and I am not deaf.

Yeah. Thanks. Doesn't matter if I'm having a hard time with it.

[Nergol]

Some comments about Episode 7, with spoilers for those who haven't seen it:

Yeah, I pretty much figured that trying to kill Danaerys was a really stupid idea, and that Drogo would react that way. What the hell was Robert thinking? That you'd kill Khal Drogo's wife, and he'd just sit there and say: "Boy, that was a damn shame"? That Drogo, or Mormont, or Viserys (if he had till been alive when the hit on Danaerys went down, as Robert believed he would be) wouldn't figure out what happened? Even assuming that Robert's assassins used the Tears of Lys, it would have been suspicious. Jon Arryn was an old man who was seemingly loved by all, so his death could be easily explained away. Danaerys was a young, healthy girl with lots of enemies - her death couldn't be. Robert allowed his judgment to be clouded by his obsessive hatred of the Targeryens, and didn't fully think out the consequences of his actions - unforgivable in a King. And as for Ned, he should have brought up these practical considerations instead of moral ones.

And as for Ned, I think we've found his flaw: the fact that he's too honorable for his own - or anyone else's - good. There's a Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode (entitled "In The Pale Moonlight", in case you're interested) in which Ben Sisko gets involved in a plot that eventually kills a Romulan Senator, and brings the Romulans into the Federation's losing war against the Dominion. In the end, Sisko understands that his own personal self-respect and sense of honor aren't as important as keeping his people from being overrun and enslaved. Agreeing to give your all for a cause that is bigger than yourself may end up meaning not only being willing to sacrifice your life, but also your honor and self-respect. Ned doesn't see that, or refuses to. There are things bigger than Eddard Stark's personal sense of honor - things like keeping a monster like Joffrey off the Iron Throne, and keeping the Seven Kingdoms from descending into civil war. He had chances to keep those things from happening - Renly's offer probably being the most sensible and palatable among them - and turned them down because they offended his sense of honor. This decision may have appealed to his sense of honor and respect for the letter of the law, but it was a disaster for the Seven Kingdoms. I haven't read the novels, and I don't know what happens during Joffrey's reign - but I already know that no good can come of it. And Ned could have prevented it, and should have, no matter what.

[Kete]

I like CC if there is a complex story line.  I'm a visual person, and I retain knowledge much better if I see it visually.  I don't need it on GoT because I've read the book, but if I hadn't, I would probably use it to help keep all the names straight.

[wurwolf]

Yeah, her tit looked pretty damn real but in the end I figured it had to be a fake. I don't think they could get away with having a kid of almost ten sucking on a real tit.

Again, I didn't read the books, but I feel like some of the casting is brilliant and some of it is lacking. Among the brilliant casting choices are, of course, Peter Dinklage (I know you don't like his accent, Im, but I think his acting is fantastic), Aiden Gillen as Littlefinger (loved him in The Wire, love him here -- perfect casting choice), Maise something as Arya, and of course Sean Bean. Also love Harry Lloyd. There are a lot of other people who interest me, too, like Alfie Allen as Theon and Emilia Clarke as Dany.

The biggest misstep in casting for me was The Knight of the Flowers. I don't know if they're going for the whole twink angle here because he's gay, but he looks ridiculous. I in no way believe that that guy can lift a blade that heavy to fight, or even be able to clunk around in a suit of armor. I don't really know enough about Renly to make an informed opinion.

I still haven't quite decided how I feel about Lena Headley's Cersei. I've read complaints that she's too subtle, too icy. Evidently the Cersei of the books was quite the flamboyant villainess, but I actually think it might be a positive thing that Lena Headley isn't portraying her that way. I think a more subtle and understated approach works better for what HBO is known (dramas about behind-the-scenes intrigue and the machinations of the powers that be) than Cersei as Snidely Whiplash, twirling her mustache and snickering with evil intent.

Also still not sure about Mark Addy's King Robert. All he does is bellow. That scene where he ordered Ned to kill Dany really got on my nerves, it was just one bellowed line after another. I mean, I get that bellowing is what Robert does best, but come on already.

[Bob]

We use it a lot--especially on British shows.  The only place I don't like to use CC is on comedies as it often ruins the timing of the jokes.

I'm just glad there don't seem to be any Geordies in the cast--that's a fucking impenetrable accent.

The show that I REALLY need close captioning on is the Aussie show Underbelly.    They mumble and have thick accents.

[wurwolf]

Yeah, that quiet scene with Cersei did show a non-bellowing side of Mark Addy's portrayal. Those are few and far between, however.

I would imagine there are quite a few miscasts in the minds of book readers. I haven't read the books so I'm taking these characters for who they are in the HBO telling of the story.

I'd heard that the Mountain was supposed to be enormous. I like it when he's about to joust and he opens the oven door on his helmet to show the king his grumpy face.

[wurwolf]

Well, I guess one thing to keep in mind when watching this show is this: Don't get too attached to any one character.

I really didn't see Robert's death coming. Viserys, yes. Robert, no. I also didn't expect Cersei to outright admit that all of her kids are her brother's, too.

[wurwolf]

Noooooooooo

[dignan]

I'm also not sure about Lena Headey; I thought originally that it was just that the character was being written differently, but I'm beginning to think she's just unable to emote very much.  She seems to always just have this sort of "sleepy frog" expression on her face--flat wide mouth, heavy lidded eyes, never really reacts to much.  Even when she's getting it from Jaime she's just kind of there.  Maybe she's had a lot of botox or surgery or something which has deadened her facial features, but she was always very deadpan in Sarah Connor Chronicles too.

I was thinking along the same lines.  She wears the same expression on her face no matter what the scene calls for. 

[Bob]

Noooooooooo

Double Noooooooooo

[dignan]

Aside from Tyrion, and perhaps Dany and Arya, I think I'd be hard-pressed to name a character whose death would upset me significantly. 

[wurwolf]

Aside from Tyrion, and perhaps Dany and Arya, I think I'd be hard-pressed to name a character whose death would upset me significantly. 

I agree with this. I really don't like kids in movies and tv shows but I don't mind the kids so much in this one. Arya's alright, if only for the suppressed chuckle she shared with her father when Sansa said, "I don't want someone who's kind and handsome and brave! I want Joffrey!"

So far I'm digging the Dothraki story line and Tyrion's story. I really didn't care much about the Wall but this last episode started reeling me in.

[TeamRAD]

Aside from Tyrion, and perhaps Dany and Arya, I think I'd be hard-pressed to name a character whose death would upset me significantly. 

Aww, dig. You don't have any love for Jon, Samwell, or Bran for starters?

Which is weird, because I hated both the wall and Dany (dear sweet lord I hated Dany) in the books. 

Past tense, Im?   

I knew you'd come around.