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HBO - Song of Ice&Fire Series -Varsity Thread - no TV only whiners (3 Viewers)
- Thread starter Sabertooth
- Start date
BillyBarooo
Footballguy
losing viewers every week this season. After this weeks stinkfest it's going to tank unless something huge happens soon.completely off the deep end this season, almost unwatchable at this point
completely off the deep end this season, almost unwatchable at this point
it's higher than any season except last season....I think it will be ok. 
Gator Shawn
Footballguy
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
You don't think that is a concern for HBO as expensive as the show is? This is the only season to not gain in popularity.
completely off the deep end this season, almost unwatchable at this point
BillyBarooo
Footballguy
disagree. of course it still makes $$$ for HBO, but it's a far cry from the must see show that it was the past 4 seasons. Wouldn't surprise me to see them have a sub 4mm viewer show this season. Which is <50% of the opening episode.
completely off the deep end this season, almost unwatchable at this point
It's peaked, nowhere to go but straight to the bottom now.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Makes sense, since the books peaked at book 3.disagree. of course it still makes $$$ for HBO, but it's a far cry from the must see show that it was the past 4 seasons. Wouldn't surprise me to see them have a sub 4mm viewer show this season. Which is <50% of the opening episode.
completely off the deep end this season, almost unwatchable at this point
It's peaked, nowhere to go but straight to the bottom now.
Thunderlips
Footballguy
Bigboy10182000
Footballguy
Higher than any season except last season and how many big plots are on the horizon? I think we discussed them a few pages back and once they roll along the show will peak again. I get that this season wasn't up to our standards but even these parts of the book were slow.disagree. of course it still makes $$$ for HBO, but it's a far cry from the must see show that it was the past 4 seasons. Wouldn't surprise me to see them have a sub 4mm viewer show this season. Which is <50% of the opening episode.
completely off the deep end this season, almost unwatchable at this point
It's peaked, nowhere to go but straight to the bottom now.
Notorious T.R.E.
Showdown!™ Administrator
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/March_on_Winterfell
Was refreshing my memory on Stannis's march to Winterfell. I wonder how long they'll drag it out on the show? This is sort of where they really start experiencing "winter coming" with the army held up by the blizzard and dudes starving and ####.
Do they show Stannis taking Deepwood Motte? I assume they skip this part, right? Otherwise they have to get Asha/Yara involved. But then do house Mormont and Glover join up anyway? Do they use the Karstarks as the turncoats or someone else so Jon Snow can send his letter and save the day?
Also, do the Freys hook up with the Boltons at some point?
Or do they skip the whole lot and have Stannis just show up at Winterfell to fight?
Was refreshing my memory on Stannis's march to Winterfell. I wonder how long they'll drag it out on the show? This is sort of where they really start experiencing "winter coming" with the army held up by the blizzard and dudes starving and ####.
Do they show Stannis taking Deepwood Motte? I assume they skip this part, right? Otherwise they have to get Asha/Yara involved. But then do house Mormont and Glover join up anyway? Do they use the Karstarks as the turncoats or someone else so Jon Snow can send his letter and save the day?
Also, do the Freys hook up with the Boltons at some point?
Or do they skip the whole lot and have Stannis just show up at Winterfell to fight?
Officer Pete Malloy
Footballguy
Gr00vus
Footballguy
The show and the books are suffering from the same problem. Martin killed off a ton of likable characters. That would be o.k. if he'd managed to introduce new likable characters to take their places, but he hasn't really accomplished that. He's also marginalized Tyrion by taking him away from the action for an extended period of time. He's made Danaerys's story dull and redundant. The result is he's taking you to all these different places in the world he's created, but you end up not really caring about most of the people he's putting into the settings. All the Brienne chapters are an example of this - try as he might, he's never really got me to care about Brienne, she's just been a viewpoint to witness other stuff. Similarly with Stannis (not that he's a viewpoint, but he's just so boring and they spend so much time on him). Similarly with Bran. The Tyrells and the Martels just haven't been very compelling. This thing really falls apart if Jon is truly dead.
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Notorious T.R.E.
Showdown!™ Administrator
In retrospect, making Stannis more like a more honorable Robert might have been the shark move for Martin. Instead of dull and honorable.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
This x10. Also, from the very little I remember, the couple mildly interesting new characters from books 4 and 5 aren't being bothered with on the show.
Gr00vus
Footballguy
Yeah, such an odd decision - I'll kill off the interesting two brothers and make the dull one a focal point. #### Gendry is more interesting than Stannis. And then he goes and sends Davos off on a wild goose chase, so it's just straight boring Stannis, no chaser now.
Notorious T.R.E.
Showdown!™ Administrator
Sabertooth
Footballguy
Seems like the show is falling apart just like the books. Hopefully they can power through the quagmire and get the story moving forward again.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
Rickon's storyline may be in play here, as he and Osha are in Skagos in the books and Davos has to find them in order to secure Manderly's support for Stannis, whereas in the tv show the last we heard Bran had instructed Rickon and Osha to go to the Last Hearth / House Umber.
Yankee23Fan
Fair Tax!
So, just a "I want to waste time and not work" question...
If the books started to have problems, would it be fair to say that the changes the show has made could potentially make the story better in the long run by shedding some unnecessary weight? Not asking to start a debate between the two I'm just wondering if it is worth my time to ever read the books if it seems like the books really lose it at some point where the show is obviously less work and possibly getting rid of stuff that is annoying about the books.
If the books started to have problems, would it be fair to say that the changes the show has made could potentially make the story better in the long run by shedding some unnecessary weight? Not asking to start a debate between the two I'm just wondering if it is worth my time to ever read the books if it seems like the books really lose it at some point where the show is obviously less work and possibly getting rid of stuff that is annoying about the books.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
I think the consensus is the TV writers initially seemed to be making great decisions in terms of where to trim the fat, consolidate storylines, drop some characters, invent others, etc. Lately, it seems they may have lost the plot a bit, have made a few odd decisions and caused some confusion, although it largely remains to be seen what direction they are going. You're right that it could be debated endlessly and I'm sure that debate is going on right now on a number of message boards out there. As for your question about reading the books, I recommend them without reservation to people who like the epic fantasy genre. Very few of my friends enjoy that type of literature. My whisky and cigar book club, consisting of middle aged professionals, would never consider science fiction or fantasy in any form. If you're open to that type of literature, I think its very good, entertaining writing.
bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
Whisky n cigar book club??
icecat4270
Footballguy
I think the books are fantastic and if you enjoy reading you will enjoy them. No one really knows the end story at this point so what people are calling "filler" may be important to the finished story.
The hardest part about reading them so far for me has been the waiting. I started not long after the third book was out in paper back and it seemed like it was forever until the fourth book came out and then it only dealt with 1/2 of the characters I knew and introduced some new ones. It was annoying and I had to wait another 6 years for the fifth book to get to some of the characters I really missed. I really liked the fifth book. On first read it was my second favorite. I got a friend hooked on them after all five were out and he wasn't nearly annoyed with the fourth one as I was so I think reading them without the years waiting in between will be better.
I have been rereading the last two by reading about 100 pages at a time from each book and am greatly enjoying it that way.
It may have been on this board but I heard that Martin said he will have the sixth book out before season six of the show so you may only have to wait on the last book if you start reading now.
I do think the books have a lot that the show will have to leave out that is really good reading so if you think you'd like more detail and just enjoy reading I think you will like the books.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
That's what we call it, although less than half the guys smoke cigars and some are beer drinkers.
Mile High
Footballguy
It's one thing to trim unnecessary weight it's a fine edge to walk when you start changing what happened in the books. Hopefully the show writers are as smart as they think they are.
bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
the problem is on TV, its hard to pull off fake arya, fake mance type stuff. plus major characters are just sitting around like Sansa and littlefinger , bran...etcMile High said:
I like a lot of what they did with the story, killing Robbs wife at the red wedding for one. The Dorne story so far has kinda stunk, but there has to be some Jamie end game there (or perhaps he dies??)
Rick James
Footballguy
More than anything, I hate that D&D totally dropped the Riverlands plot, which was one of my favorites from AFFC & ADWD. The fallout from the Red Wedding lingered throughout those two books. It was talked about in a lot of chapters well after the event took place. The smallfolk talked about it in the Brienne chapters. Manderly and The North never forgot it. Someone was killing people inside Winterfel. The Brotherhood Without Banners and Stoneheart were hanging Freys all over the damn place. Jaime Lannister had to deal with some of this when he was camped outside Riverrun.
And all of this is completely removed from the show. Bolton & Frey massacred the Starks and there has been no fallout whatsoever.
It's baffling and disappointing.
And all of this is completely removed from the show. Bolton & Frey massacred the Starks and there has been no fallout whatsoever.
It's baffling and disappointing.
Gr00vus
Footballguy
Frostillicus
Footballguy
bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
yeah it was odd that they has Thoros and Berric in the show, and now they are dropped all of sudden.
Like maybe something made them change gears. maybe those guys show up doing some of the stuff against the Boltons?
Swing 51
Footballguy
Gr00vus
Footballguy
And the Blackfish. Why introduce him and have him in a total of 2 episodes? He was one of the few characters that made the 4th book bearable.
Gr00vus
Footballguy
I think that's the way they're going - they haven't cast anybody as Arianne or Toast for the show.
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encaitar
Footballguy
They are missing a huge story in the Riverlands for sure. We need to see some revenge for the Red Wedding. The show watchers haven't gotten any of that. I don't think killing Roose and forgetting about Walder and his hundred kids is going to be enough. Plus, Jamie finally becoming the leader his father expected him to be is fascinating reading. Jaime has been weak willed the entire show. It would be great for the show to let us see the change from pre-Tywin death to current post-Tywin death like we've seen in the books.
Not to mention, there's a 6 foot tall, 300 pound direwolf leading an army of regular wolves tearing up the Riverlands right now. I know that Nymeria still has some part to play in the books(even if it's just to keep Arya from forgetting completely), yet apparently she no longer exists in the show world.
Not to mention, there's a 6 foot tall, 300 pound direwolf leading an army of regular wolves tearing up the Riverlands right now. I know that Nymeria still has some part to play in the books(even if it's just to keep Arya from forgetting completely), yet apparently she no longer exists in the show world.
Stoneys
MudCat
bicycle_seat_sniffer
Smells like chicken
ya you would think they do some warg stuff for other stark kids, I mean if that's the way jon survives don't he need to show some tendencies
SeveredHorseHeads
Footballguy
I think the Euron/Victorian subplot is pretty interesting. I think with a little cleanup (cut the kingsmoot), that would make a great storyline in the show. The events in that storyline actually seem significant too.
I'm just baffled by their chosen course with Dorne. I really know nothing new about Dorne (their culture, motivations, plan, etc.) than I did before the season started. Doran is an interesting character but he might as well be played by a mannequin this season.
I'm just baffled by their chosen course with Dorne. I really know nothing new about Dorne (their culture, motivations, plan, etc.) than I did before the season started. Doran is an interesting character but he might as well be played by a mannequin this season.
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Gr00vus
Footballguy
Notorious T.R.E.
Showdown!™ Administrator
Plus they can just use most of the sets from Black Sails...oh wait, wrong channel.
CletiusMaximus
Footballguy
Its somewhat ominous that the HBO giftshop discounted Nymeria by 25%. http://store.hbo.com/game-of-thrones-direwolf-cub-nymeria/detail.php?p=575188
Super King
Footballguy
You're doing some fine work in the TV thread
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Fun precap at Grantland. Dinklage's song is hilarious.
http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/game-of-thrones-precap-bastards-basements-and-beyond/
http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/game-of-thrones-precap-bastards-basements-and-beyond/
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
Ghost!
strykerpks
Footballguy
I thought this one was pretty damn good 
Super King
Footballguy
Solid episode. Covered a lot of storyline efficiently, with some great breasts. And a good fight scene.I thought this one was pretty damn good
Tusken Raider
Footballguy
Daznak's pit should be a great scene. Lots of BBQing & bloodshed. And maybe we'll be treated to Dinklage showing off more angry dwarf fighting skills.
Uruk-Hai
Footballguy
Yep. Much better than last week. I've tended to like the episodes that only looked in on a few storylines, but this one touched on just about everyone and yet moved most of the arcs forward.I thought this one was pretty damn good
One thing I think the show has done poorly is the direwolves. Ghost showing up last night just reinforced this to me.
Leeroy Jenkins
Footballguy
At least ghost showed up.Yep. Much better than last week. I've tended to like the episodes that only looked in on a few storylines, but this one touched on just about everyone and yet moved most of the arcs forward.One thing I think the show has done poorly is the direwolves. Ghost showing up last night just reinforced this to me.I thought this one was pretty damn good
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