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[Linius]

Episode was good but I'm annoyed with they way they've handled the Arya storyline. 10 episodes isn't enough. I'm not saying that it needs to have every detail from the book but it really hurts the character development when everything is so rushed. I had a problem with Arya trusting Gendry so quickly and revealing her identity to him. Now you have Lommy dying and there's no emotional impact on it whatsoever. Oh hey, some kid that was on the screen for like 4 minutes just died. Who cares? The same thing goes for her saving Jagen and the other two. That scene was so poorly choreographed. I didn't feel they were in that much danger with the fire. Also, I'm not too pleased either with how clumsy she was during that fight.

I haven't read the books yet so I can offer a fresh opinion on this. I'm guessing that it took Arya a lot longer to trust him in the books but for me it didn't felt strange at all. Gendry simply knew the truth about her not being a boy so there was no reason for Arya trying to withhold that truth. And her knowing that he had something to do with her fathers death made her so curious that she gave out herself easily. But to me it didn't felt that strange. I actually found the scene itself quite funny.

About Lommy you're totally right. From your post I understand he played an emotional bigger role in the books? I didn't even remember the kid's name up until I saw this post. Felt no connection or anything at the moment he died.

 

[Gregorn]

I was more shocked when Lommy died than when Ned Stark died.

 

[Vespene]

Has anyone noticed how when a location calls for an epic setting, and they don't have the budget for a big exterior set, they just populate the landscape with dozens of dudes holding up banners?

 

[Frost_Ace]

Lommy :'(

 

[Rekubot]

Thought it was a great episode up till the last scene, where I don't think they had time to fit everything in. It felt rushed.

The ending was stupid. All the guards are told to slaughter boys with black hair and suddenly they accept that the blonde Lommy is one of Robert's bastards? Pretty sure the smith even tells them that Gendry has black hair.

 

[Peru]

Not the same men.

 

[Basileus777]

All the guards are told to slaughter boys with black hair and suddenly they accept that the blonde Lommy is one of Robert's bastards? Pretty sure the smith even tells them that Gendry has black hair.

No, they were told to capture a boy named Gendry with a stag helmet. Why would Lannister soldiers not even from the capital know about the significance of his hair color?

 

[vitaminwateryum]

Okay, am I missing something with the wolves? It's blowing me away every week how good they look. They are full cg, right?

 

[AngryMoth]

Wait, seen a few people say Yoren's story wasn't in the books? Really? I swear I can remember it? If so then bravo because that was my favourite part of the episode and I usually think the added scenes stand out.

Okay, am I missing something with the wolves? It's blowing me away every week how good they look. They are full cg, right?

I think they are just enhanced with cgi. Like, they're shooting real wolves and then using cgi to make them look bigger. Something like that anyway.

 

[Linius]

In season one, the production team used adult dogs to stand in for the juvenile direwolf puppies. In interviews they have stated that this was done to allow the audience to grow attached to them, which would have been more difficult had the dogs been created by special effects. However they have also stated that by season two, the direwolves will reach the point when they are too big to be represented by dogs, and will be portrayed as a CGI effect (i.e. a horse-sized Grey Wind ripping the throat out of Lannister war-horses, utterly terrified because they've never encountered a wolf bigger than themselves).

This is what I found on the GoT wikia.

 

[Chuck Norris]

I actually LIKE Yara's casting a LOT. She looks related to Theon in a way, she seems to be a really solid actor and seems to have a cocky confidence to her demeanour, without being to overt about it

I was never a big Asha fan though, so I could care less if she's not hot enough.

Also I'm abit saddened they seem to be rushing / skipping the best part of Arya's whole arc IMO

Spoiler

her running from the Lannisters with Hot Pie and Lommy was great, really down to earth and gave a great perspective on the devastation the Mountain was causing in the Riverlands. I feel like they've missed out a lot of potential for the chemistry between those kids

 

[CrankyJay]

I thought Brienne was awesome. That is all.

 

[Korey]

Okay, am I missing something with the wolves? It's blowing me away every week how good they look. They are full cg, right?

Really? They look SUPER fake to me for some reason. Especially in episode 1

 

[Deleted member 30609]

Horse-sized?! I didn't realise they were meant to be that big.

 

[Frost_Ace]

Really? They look SUPER fake to me for some reason. Especially in episode 1

But in season 1 they were real dogs?

Horse-sized?! I didn't realise they were meant to be that big.

more like pony-sized if I remember the books correctly.

 

[LuchaShaq]

The episodes have felt so rushed compared to season one it seems insane that they don't have more than 10 episodes and are still adding random ass scenes.


Hated that they cut out arya/gendry/hotpie stabbing guys over the wall.

Actually loved the Renly/Marg conversation.

Little finger in renly's camp next week? Wtf?

Yara's casting is still an absolute joke. Made me laugh my ass off when Theon said "last time I saw you, you looked like a fat little boy". Well she still does, not some warrior.

 

[JGS]

I'm having weird feelings about the Tyrion scenes. I liked how it played out, but it honestly felt too simple for the machinations that go on in King's Landing. The most cunning and conniving people in the city who are duplicity squared should have made this ploy more complex.

I can't think of any of them trusting Tyrion enough to not see this as a ruse. At the same time, considering it involves the Queen's daughter and the haste at which it was undertaken, there would not be enough time to corroborate stories.

 

[Peru]

Yara's casting is still an absolute joke. Made me laugh my ass off when Theon said "last time I saw you, you looked like a fat little boy". Well she still does, not some warrior.

You are becoming truly obnoxious.

 

[JGS]

The Yara hate has become annoying after just 2 episodes. This should be a fun season to discuss.

 

[Basileus777]

Yara's appearance is fine, it's more that the actress lacks presence and charisma, and the character comes off as sort of insipid.

 

[neoism]

most definitely the worst episode of the series... hated the pacing and it need about 95% more Arya, and 100% more Dany...

 

[Lakitu]

Loved this episode and the previous two episodes as well.

 

[Memento Mori]

most definitely the worst episode of the series... hated the pacing and it need about 95% more Arya, and 100% more Dany...

100% of zero is still zero.

 

[neoism]

Man, I feel so bad for Sansa

and LOL, I love Tyrion's plan

meh she can do only one thing to redeem herself/character ... lol Its weird I didn't like her from the start and I really like her sister's character a lot more.

 

[neoism]

100% of zero is still zero.

you know what I mean. She should be in every episode al least 5 minutes....
maybe they will over load us later in the season.

 

[noah111]

I just finished episode 9 (S01). This can't be real.... My jaw was dropped and when the credits rolled I literally said FUUUUUUUUU—on to the last episode now.

 

[Emerson]

I just read from GRRM's blog that season 3 will be [aSoS]

Spoiler

roughly the first half of the 3rd book, concluding with the Red Wedding.

FUCK!

Nobody really wants to have this debate again for another ten pages, but it doesn't say that on GRRM's blog.

Yara's appearance is fine, it's more that the actress lacks presence and charisma, and the character comes off as sort of insipid.

Yeah I agree with this. I really can't see this actress carrying that character through her arc very well at all.

 

[neoism]

First time posting in any GoT related GAF threads, but just putting my 2 cents in.

The deeper the tv series goes into the story the less i am enjoying it. After reading through the entire series 5 times over the last 12+ years and spending years on the Westeros forums discussing every little detail its hard to see it objectively. I can accept that it is a separate thing and i can appreciate the effort they have put into it and the cuts that they have to make, but every time something is changed or left out i cringe lol.

this is actually why I usually read the books after.. I see a show or movie of it. Did the same with all the harry potter movies. I read them after I'd saw the movies. I just wouldn't watch if I was disappointed all the time about them changing shit, which always happens.

 

[cubicle47b]

I have a thing for the girl playing Gilly. I blame Skins for this.

 

[AlimNassor]

Wait, so we won't get to see

Spoiler

the Mountain?

and the whole riverlands? Lame. That was rather important...

 

[Emerson]

Wait, so we won't get to see

Spoiler

the Mountain?

and the whole riverlands? Lame. That was rather important...

ACOK/season 2 spoilers

Spoiler

We'll see him, quite possibly next episode. They condensed the way Arya's story is playing out but Gregor is still in.

 

[jett]

Yeah the compressed Arya arc is really sad. Well sad for the non-book readers who will never know just how great she really is.

Horse-sized?! I didn't realise they were meant to be that big.

That's about the size I pictured the wolves, maybe a little bit smaller. I imagined them HUGE. On the show they look like slightly bigger-than-normal wolves. They don't look as monstrous. I guess, again, HBO trying to be as grounded as possible.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

I thought Brienne was awesome. That is all.

It's all that matters. After a 12 episode prologue, the show started last night.

Also, surprised to see so many people continuing to compare the books to the series after I explicitly told them not to. You're life will only sink into disappointment but, you know, whatever.

 

[Lonestar]

I hear

Spoiler

The Mountain

has a new

Spoiler

Actor playing him

 

[Outdoor Miner]

Man it was a little jarring to see that great scene between Yoren and Arya and then realize upon conclusion of the scene that follows that they skipped pretty much half of her arc from the books. Still, if you're going to cut things out I guess they went about it in a "clever" way.

 

[shira]

I hear

Spoiler

The Mountain

has a new

Spoiler

Actor playing him

Spoiler

Georghe Muresan?

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Man it was a little jarring to see that great scene between Yoren and Arya and then realize upon conclusion of the scene that follows that they skipped pretty much half of her arc from the books. Still, if you're going to cut things out I guess they went about it in a "clever" way.

I am fully behind sacrificing "cool shit" for spending more time on her dealing with her father's friggin' beheading just a few days ago in show time. I like how people are complaining about things being "rushed" when they gave her like a six minute dialogue scene that's crucial to her character and sets up her motivation for the rest of the series.

But oh no she ate worms or whatever.

Yeesh.

 

[brianjones]

yeah what exactly did they cut that shows how great she is?

(book spoilers)

Spoiler

she still ends up at harrenhal with jaqen right?

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

yeah what exactly did they cut that shows how great she is?

Who knows, really. It's not like they haven't established the danger of their situation by killing Yoren and the BastardTage.

I think the progression on the show is perfectly in keeping with the character they've established. Fuck is she supposed to be doing, whirlwind killing Lannisters in the name of Pop Swatch and Syrio?

 

[jett]

I am fully behind sacrificing "cool shit" for spending more time on her dealing with her father's friggin' beheading just a few days ago in show time. I like how people are complaining about things being "rushed" when they gave her like a six minute dialogue scene that's crucial to her character and sets up her motivation for the rest of the series.

But oh no she ate worms or whatever.

Yeesh.

You haven't read the books, have you?

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

You haven't read the books, have you?

5% into Dance With Dragons.

 

[jett]

5% into Dance With Dragons.

Then how can you say that cutting most of Aray's pre-Harrenhal content isn't a big deal?

 

[Staab]

Pretty fucking rushed for Arya's arc, can't feel any emotional attachment to Lommy's death, didn't get to see shit of their travels...

Rest of the episode seemed fine, maybe a bit too much Theon to my liking.

 

[British Monsoon]

I thought the final scene itself was handled pretty poorly in terms of direction and choreography, but I'm not averse to the way they've cut down Arya's story. I like how they had Yoren give Arya the idea of the prayer, and although in the stuff cut out there were a lot of opportunities for Arya to show herself as a strong character, her story in Harrenhall should provide other opportunities for that and deserves more of the focus, imo.

Overall, I like the way they've handled Theon's scenes this episode - was the priest at the baptism meant to be Aeron? Bran and Master Luwin's scene was good too, but Tyrion's deception and the scene with Littlefinger made the episode for me.

 

[JGS]

Yeah the compressed Arya arc is really sad. Well sad for the non-book readers who will never know just how great she really is.



That's about the size I pictured the wolves, maybe a little bit smaller. I imagined them HUGE. On the show they look like slightly bigger-than-normal wolves. They don't look as monstrous. I guess, again, HBO trying to be as grounded as possible.

I'm under the impression that the wolves are still puppies. Their mother was huge and all of this has happened in the past year.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Then how can you say that cutting most of Aray's pre-Harrenhal content isn't a big deal?

Because the show and the books are clearly doing different things. Look at the pathway of the series:
Arya is there for her father's murder>She's taken on the road>She's captured by the people who killed him.

It's much more important to me in the context of the series that they give her a sensible and satisfying emotional arc than following the A to B to C to D to E to F to G to H to I setups of the books.

 

[brianjones]

Pretty fucking rushed for Arya's arc, can't feel any emotional attachment to Lommen's death, didn't get to see shit of their travels...

this i can agree with .. i didnt feel anything for lommie, it all happened so fast

the final scene was poor in execution, but i dont really have a problem with the idea of it

 

[jett]

Because the show and the books are clearly doing different things. Look at the pathway of the series:
Arya is there for her father's murder>She's taken on the road>She's captured by the people who killed him.

It's much more important to me in the context of the series that they give her a sensible and satisfying emotional arc than following the A to B to C to D to E to F to G to H to I setups of the books.

I'm personally mostly fine with the changes and cuts done, but this change is a big deal and tv viewers are losing a lot of development for Arya. On the show she's still some stupid little girl. No, Yoren telling her some story doesn't really cut it.

Sux for them.

I'm under the impression that the wolves are still puppies. Their mother was huge and all of this has happened in the past year.

I think this is as big as they're gonna get.

 

[Harry Potter]

Hot Pie better yell "Hot Pie" at some point this season.

 

[ultron87]

There is approximately one and a half Arya chapters in between the battle at the Holdfast and them going to Harrenhal. And everything in there can be covered pretty easily at Harrenhal without them needing to create several more sets.

Edit: The only real loss is Lommy being an actual character, but let's be serious that ain't a big deal.