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[Steelyuhas]

Edit: That reminds me... has the [ASoS]

Spoiler

Ghost of Hight Heart been cast? I don't think she has. I hope she wasn't cut. Her prophecies are very, very interesting. She predicts Balon Greyjoy's death, and Joffrey's poisoning from Sansa's hairnet, and Arya's dark turn, and even Catelyn's dead and undeath! But since they're cutting all the prophecy stuff, she's probably cut.

Haven't heard anything, I'd assume cut.

ASOS/AFFC

Spoiler

With how fast they're advancing some plot lines, like with Danny and Theon, has there been any word if there's going to be plot advancement in the Iron Islands this season, maybe do the King's Moot this season, or at least introduce Crow's Eye? Or is it expected that they'll just kind of ignore them this season?

Series/Seasons 3 & 4

Spoiler

There was a shot or two of Yara in the trailers and promos, so she's in the season in some capacity. There was some speculation that they'll do Balon's funeral this season, and that will set the seeds for the King's Moot, which although it's in AFFC, I think it lines up chronologically with some of the later events in ASOS, so I think that will probably be in season 4 (also then the Ironborn aren't essentially not in the show for 2 seasons)

 

[-griffy-]

I didn't say it was indefensible...

You didn't say it was indefensible, but someone else in this thread used that very word. And I'm not angry, just providing a counter point to you and others.

 

[RaidenZR]

Edit: That reminds me... has the [ASoS]

Spoiler

Ghost of Hight Heart been cast? I don't think she has. I hope she wasn't cut. Her prophecies are very, very interesting. She predicts Balon Greyjoy's death, and Joffrey's poisoning from Sansa's hairnet, and Arya's dark turn, and even Catelyn's dead and undeath! But since they're cutting all the prophecy stuff, she's probably cut.

Spoiler

Wouldn't that be like a one-scene thing though? I don't think they'd have to announce the casting for that kind of role. If it's coming up somewhere this season, it wouldn't need any pre-hype fanfare. It's not like the interest in the casting of a larger role like Mance Rayder.

 

[DrForester]

Edit: That reminds me... has the [ASoS]

Spoiler

Ghost of Hight Heart been cast? I don't think she has. I hope she wasn't cut. Her prophecies are very, very interesting. She predicts Balon Greyjoy's death, and Joffrey's poisoning from Sansa's hairnet, and Arya's dark turn, and even Catelyn's dead and undeath! But since they're cutting all the prophecy stuff, she's probably cut.

ASOS

Spoiler

I kind of hope it's cut, less it get the same crap treatment the House of the Undying did

 

[Morrigan Stark]

I meant for the proposition that D&D have free leave to write whatever they want regardless of what GRRM wants.

Bah, I saw this in many video interviews, but I can't find a text link at the moment. I'll keep googling, but I even distinctly recall someone (possibly GRRM himself) jokingly saying something like, they could add aliens in the mix and they'd be entitled to it.

I didn't say it was indefensible, and if I do compartmentalize myself and judge the show on its own terms I certainly don't feel that Catelyn is a cold character. Therefore that scene doesn't change my opinion of her drastically, either. If they want to make her warmer and have the viewers sympathize with her, they could certainly do it in a dozens ways. Now, having knowledge of the source material- [book series spoilers]

Spoiler

I find it striking that what they would choose to do is something that flies in the face of a REALLY specific thing that the book often goes out of its way to underscore. How she feels about Jon Snow is not something that needed to be compromised in my opinion. And while I don't disagree that it doesn't radically alter the fabric of the series, it does radically alter the fabric of a main character. That's notable in my opinion as well, and as a show watched it certainly tempers my expectations of the liberties they may take.

There's no reason to get all angry. It's not blind book rage you're seeing. It's hard to know the machinations of the show's decisions because while some changes are understandable (for budget, time, casting, and scope reasons) some are not that transparent. Hence why I was speculating out loud here if the showrunners may know something further and feel like dropping nuggets that could provide color the books never did.

The show is still based on A Song of Fire and Ice, as far as I know, so we are free to discuss the relationship between the two and how that changes as the show carries on over the course of this thread.

Well said.

But it's always the same thing. If you complain about any change, you get the "it's an adaptation", no matter what it is. I swear they could have said aliens and someone will defend it somehow.

ASOS

Spoiler

I kind of hope it's cut, less it get the same crap treatment the House of the Undying did

True enough.

 

[RaidenZR]

ASOS

Spoiler

I kind of hope it's cut, less it get the same crap treatment the House of the Undying did

C'mon, nah... [ASOS]

Spoiler

It's not a scene of visions and and crazy illusions. Isn't it her just telling the Brotherhood and Arya's group about stuff verbally? That's easy and she's funny with her wanting a kiss as a means of payment.

 

[timetokill]

Yeah, I'm not getting the hate for the Catelyn scene. It was well acted and (series)

Spoiler

won't really have any difference to the rest of her arc

. I think her book version could have done the same thing, it doesn't really change her character.

 

[Morrigan Stark]

I meant for the proposition that D&D have free leave to write whatever they want regardless of what GRRM wants.

Okay, here's one source I found:

http://www.omnivoracious.com/2013/03/valar-dohaeris-an-interview-with-george-rr-martin.html

GRRM:
[...]
They're doing a terrific job with the show and the show is their baby and the books are my baby.

[...]
RAR: Now that you're back in television on your terms, how does that feel to be out from under the burden of other people's decision-making to actually be the decision-maker?

GRRM:
I'm really not though. We have to put this in perspective. Yes I'm involved with the show. It's based on my books and they're doing quite a faithful job. However, David Benioff and Dan Weiss are the showrunners. They're working on the show 7 days a week 24 hours a day, you know? They're dealing with all the problems. They're approving the set designs and they're doing the location scouts and they're watching dailies everyday and they're in the room with the editors making necessary cuts and they're in all the casting sessions deciding what actors to hire.

This was the stuff that I was involved with when I was doing development and when I was even on Beauty and the Beast as a supervising producer, but I'm not in that position on this show. I'm back in Santa Fe, New Mexico and I'm writing books. Once a year I write one script [this season it's episode 7, May 12], and when I can I visit the set and hang around for a week or so and meet some of the actors and watch them film, but I'm not involved in the day-to-day production.

So, in some ways I have the best of both worlds, and it's very good. Sometimes I get the urge, like an old warhorse, "Boy I would love to be more involved in the show." Maybe when I finish the books -- if I can finish the books and they're still filming -- maybe I'll do more in the last season of the show and I'll go out and do some of those things and be on the set for six months at a time, but I can't do that right now. My main responsibility is to finish the books.

[...]

RAR: There do seem to be an increasing number of deviations from the books -- not so many in Season 1 but more in Season 2...

GRRM: I think that's a process that's likely to continue, and some of that is just the nature of the process. I mean, when you make... Everything is related to everything else. So, if you make a small change in Season 1, it could lead to a really big change in Season 4 because the thing that was supposed to happen didn't happen and the guy who was supposed to come in never appeared and it was just a line in that book but now you're in this later season and you don't have him set up. So, everything gets magnified and you have to deal with it.

And then there's this, about the "Butterfly Effect":

http://www.vulture.com/2011/10/george_rr_martin_on_his_favori.html

The other thing that concerns me is what I call the butterfly effect. If you're familiar with the Ray Bradbury short story, you'll know what I mean. On TV, we saw the death of Mago, but we will see him in the books — he's still alive. It will have to be different in the book than in the show, because they killed him on TV. These are the kind of ripple effects that can happen.

http://www.aoltv.com/2011/08/12/game-of-thrones-george-r-r-martin-interview-part-2/

The Butterfly Effect is at work in the books. When David and Dan make changes, and we talk about some of this, it does have a ripple effect in later seasons that may be larger than it appeared. For example, you know, we're going to see ... well, I don't want to give too much away if you write about this.

But, for example, the character Marillion. In the books, yes, Joffrey does give a singer a choice between his tongue and his fingers, it's just some anonymous singer. It's not Marillion, who [ASoS]

Spoiler

remains in the Vale and sort of becomes Lysa's court singer and then later gets the blame for [certain events that happen there]. So David and Dan then changed that and they made Marillion [the singer who got his tongue cut out]. So when they get to the Vale they're going to have to figure that out.

And similarly, the scene where Drogo rips out the throat of Mago. A great scene. I love that. A wonderful addition. But Mago doesn't die in the books. He's still alive. He's out there and Dany said to him, "You will die screaming." But she hasn't delivered on that yet. So, you know, these kinds of divergences are going to creep in.

 

[Dysun]

Any alteration is going to get slammed at this point, I'm not stressing on the little stuff. I'll save my rage if they butcher stuff like Arya/Jon from last year again

 

[Duane Cunningham]

Dudes, don't post in the other thread. At all. It's a very simple rule of thumb.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Okay, here's one source I found:

http://www.omnivoracious.com/2013/03/valar-dohaeris-an-interview-with-george-rr-martin.html



And then there's this, about the "Butterfly Effect":

http://www.vulture.com/2011/10/george_rr_martin_on_his_favori.html



http://www.aoltv.com/2011/08/12/game-of-thrones-george-r-r-martin-interview-part-2/

That's very circumstantial evidence at best; it merely suggests he doesn't have involvement with every single scene. That isn't sufficient evidence to lead to the conclusion that Martin has literally no creative control at all like you're suggesting.

 

[-griffy-]

That's very circumstantial evidence at best; it merely suggests he doesn't have involvement with every single scene. That isn't sufficient evidence to lead to the conclusion that Martin has literally no creative control at all like you're suggesting.

Or that he is in any way upset with what they are doing to the story.

 

[Gvaz]

That's very circumstantial evidence at best; it merely suggests he doesn't have involvement with every single scene. That isn't sufficient evidence to lead to the conclusion that Martin has literally no creative control at all like you're suggesting.

That's pretty much saying that martin doesn't want to fuck around with it and leaves it to them so he can be fat and lazy and die before finishing the books.

 

[Paches]

[ASOS] SPOILERS

Spoiler

With news that GRRM is writing (and has already handed in) episode 2 of season 4 per WIC.net, I bet that is when Joffrey chokes. Will be nice to start the new season out with a bang, since new readers especially have a hard time getting back in to the swing of things and picking the story back up

 

[ronito]

I think they're telegraphing the whole thing with little finger and Sansa I was personally shocked when ASOS spoilers

Spoiler

Sir Dontoss got shot and it was little finger was the person that did it and that whole Dontoss thing was just a ruse orchestrated by little finger. I was further surprised (not so shocked but surprised) when little finger kissed Sansa at the Eyrie. It seems to me that with the show not even having Dontoss involved now and poking the audience in the ribs over and over with the whole "Oooh watch out for little finger! He's up to SOMETHING!" they're ruining that arch

 

[Angry Grimace]

I think they're telegraphing the whole thing with little finger and Sansa I was personally shocked when ASOS spoilers

Spoiler

Sir Dontoss got shot and it was little finger was the person that did it and that whole Dontoss thing was just a ruse orchestrated by little finger. I was further surprised (not so shocked but surprised) when little finger kissed Sansa at the Eyrie. It seems to me that with the show not even having Dontoss involved now and poking the audience in the ribs over and over with the whole "Oooh watch out for little finger! He's up to SOMETHING!" they're ruining that arch

series/ASOS

Spoiler

I'm not sure I follow. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Littlefinger is up to something at any given time, show or book.

 

[ronito]

series/ASOS

Spoiler

I'm not sure I follow. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that Littlefinger is up to something at any given time, show or book.

Right but ASOS spoiler

Spoiler

Perhaps I was dumb but I didn't see that Little Finger had orchestrated the whole Dontoss "rescue". That was chillingly delightful reveal. And yes, Little Finger is never to be trusted but I think they're just telling the audience, "Oh by the way, Little finger is going to take Sansa for his own. Just be prepared ok?"

 

[ZeroRay]

I didn't really have too much issue with Cat's scene, same as timetokill. I'm disappointed that it looks like Arya's arc won't live up to the books.

Series

Spoiler

Someone mentioned that the way the show was going is going more "realistic" for her when it comes to her development and that she became a killer too fast in the books. I think a lot of readers kinda missed Arya being a little psychopath from the beginning, those traits being magnified further and further due to the horrors she was exposed to: Mass murder, torture, rape, etc. Her arc served a purpose of not only developing her character but also as a window to how the war is affecting the common people. So far, the show, has gone on a completely different direction and is looking to do something else with her character. Guess I gotta accept that.

They don't have that excuse with Jon though so they better not fuck that up.

 

[Angry Grimace]

Right but ASOS spoiler

Spoiler

Perhaps I was dumb but I didn't see that Little Finger had orchestrated the whole Dontoss "rescue". That was chillingly delightful reveal. And yes, Little Finger is never to be trusted but I think they're just telling the audience, "Oh by the way, Little finger is going to take Sansa for his own. Just be prepared ok?"

ASOS

Spoiler

I honestly didn't think it was some big reveal in the book at all and I don't blame the writers for deleting Dontos. There's already a ton of characters to remember and frankly, as I said, Littlefinger's always up to some shit and prior to that event I don't recall him doing much of anything in ASOS anyways.

I didn't really have too much issue with Cat's scene, same as timetokill. I'm disappointed that it looks like Arya's arc won't live up to the books.

Series

Spoiler

Someone mentioned that the way the show was going is going more "realistic" for her when it comes to her development and that she became a killer too fast in the books. I think a lot of readers kinda missed Arya being a little psychopath from the beginning which were magnified further and further due to the horrors she was exposed to: Mass murder, torture, rape, etc. Her arc served a purpose of not only developing her character but also as a window to how the war is affecting the common people. So far, the show, has gone on a completely different direction and is looking to do something else with her character. Guess I gotta accept that.

They don't have that excuse with Jon though so they better not fuck that up.

ACOK/ASOS

Spoiler

Sure, but none of that stuff was depicted in the show for a lot of completely meritorious reasons. I like Arya's story arc in ACOK but it at least follows that there'd be dissonance within the audience if she just started shanking people right now because she hasn't been shown to suffer the type of tribulations that would lead her to it. I don't think that kind of subtlety works on television.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

I want Margery to kill Geoffry.
I'm guessing her game plan is to pull a lannister (and make her bro put a seed in her), and then kill off Geoffry.

I don't care who gets to kill that bitch king at this point.

 

[Lkr]

I want Margery to kill Geoffry.
I'm guessing her game plan is to pull a lannister (and make her bro put a seed in her), and then kill off Geoffry.

I don't care who gets to kill that bitch king at this point.

Joffrey and you might not want to post in this thread...

 

[jett]

In the preview for the next episode

Spoiler

They show Theon actually escaping. Where are they going with this?

 

[exYle]

In the preview for the next episode

Spoiler

They show Theon actually escaping. Where are they going with this?

Spoiler

He will either be tricked to return to the Dreadfort or hunted down and recaptured, or both! Either way, it's through this that we'll get to meet Ramsay.

I want Margery to kill Geoffry.
I'm guessing her game plan is to pull a lannister (and make her bro put a seed in her), and then kill off Geoffry.

I don't care who gets to kill that bitch king at this point.

Well, Loras is gay...

 

[woodchuck]

Spoiler

He will either be tricked to return to the Dreadfort or hunted down and recaptured, or both! Either way, it's through this that we'll get to meet Ramsay.

Well, Loras is gay...

preview and ADWD spoiler:

Spoiler

Yep, I agree with him being tricked into escaping and then hunted down by Ramsay for sport

 

[Iksenpets]

In the preview for the next episode

Spoiler

They show Theon actually escaping. Where are they going with this?

DwD spoilers

Spoiler

Ramsay once lets Theon escape just so he can hunt him down. He likes hunts and false hope.

 

[Cpt.Underpants]

DwD spoilers

Spoiler

Ramsay once lets Theon escape just so he can hunt him down. He likes hunts and false hope.

Especially girls

 

[SquiddyCracker]

I want all of the lannisters but Tyrion killed asap.
Jamie and his smugass grin, I'll never forgive him for disabling the little Stark one.

 

[ZeroRay]

I think I remember you saying you read the books, squid boy!

 

[dubq]

Edit: That reminds me... has the [ASoS]

Spoiler

Ghost of Hight Heart been cast? I don't think she has. I hope she wasn't cut. Her prophecies are very, very interesting. She predicts Balon Greyjoy's death, and Joffrey's poisoning from Sansa's hairnet, and Arya's dark turn, and even Catelyn's dead and undeath! But since they're cutting all the prophecy stuff, she's probably cut.

From what I gather that character has been

Spoiler

merged with Melisandre. There are screencaps of her meeting with Beric and Thoros in Hollow Hill. This will probably tie in with Gendry being merged with Edric Storm and the whole King's Blood thing.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

I think I remember you saying you read the books, squid boy!

Books:

Spoiler

I hope they will ignore the books and give us more lannister deaths sooner

 

[exYle]

Books:

Spoiler

I hope they will ignore the books and give us more lannister deaths sooner

But if you've read the books, how could you possibly call for

Spoiler

Jaime's or, hell, even Cersei's death? They become pretty interesting and vital to the story.

 

[dubq]

Seriously. That makes no sense to me to call for that if you've read the books.

 

[SquiddyCracker]

But if you've read the books, how could you possibly call for

Spoiler

Jaime's or, hell, even Cersei's death? They become pretty interesting and vital to the story.

Spoiler

Wouldn't at all mind a completely diverging storyline in the TV-series. Why just do a repeat? It won't do most people's imagined scenarios justice anyway judging by a lot of posts in the book spoiler threads.

 

[dubq]

lol no

 

[Morrigan Stark]

That's very circumstantial evidence at best; it merely suggests he doesn't have involvement with every single scene. That isn't sufficient evidence to lead to the conclusion that Martin has literally no creative control at all like you're suggesting.

Whatever dude. You can interpret this as you please, but "it's their baby and the book is my baby" says it all to me. Besides, I've been following the development of the show and the updates about the books since day frigging one, and I've seen most interviews out there, so I know what GRRM has said, and I know he has no veto power at all, or at least, nothing remotely close to the power JK Rowling had.

And anyway, here's one more source:

http://thewertzone.blogspot.ca/2012...howComment=1329434829013#c4208472500853519540

GRRM retains all the rights to the SONG OF ICE AND FIRE novels, short stories and related merchandise. However, he has sold the screen rights to the novels (at the moment it's unclear if the short stories were included in that deal) to HBO.

That means that HBO are free to do whatever they see fit with the story in the transition to the screen. If they decided to kill Tyrion in Episode 3 of Season 3 and have the Faceless Men turn out to be shapeshifting robots, they are free to do that and depict that on screen. GRRM has no creative control over the TV series. As part of the deal, HBO have to offer him the chance to write one episode per season and that's it. He's already said that there's been changes that he objected to (Mago's death in Season 1 most notably) and he was overruled by HBO who proceeded without his approval.

At the same time, of course, HBO have no control, input or influence over the remaining novels. If HBO make up their own ending to the story (based on GRRM's input or not), GRRM is not bound to follow that ending when he reaches the end of the novel series.

The TV series and the books are separate entities, HBO have total control over one and GRRM has total control over the other. That's pretty much always been the case with screen adaptations of novels or existing properties. The sole exception I know of is HARRY POTTER, where the desperation of the movie studios to make the films led to them signing an unprecedented deal with JK Rowling giving her director, scripwriter and script approval. GRRM does not have such a generous deal with HBO.

(Adam Whitehead aka The Wertzone is a very reliable blogger, those who closely followed the production of the series should be familiar with him.)

Besides, it's obvious he has no veto just seeing how drastic some of those changes are.

 

[dubq]

Some of the stuff like Mago being killed, I don't mind so much. There is no reason he couldn't be replaced by the tv show only character named Kovarro (the one dude who is always with them throughout season 2).

 

[DrForester]

From the funny picture thread.

Not a pic, but fuck it

Seeking Robb Stark Look-alike from GoT



Any takers?

 

[Discotheque]

a stark in the streets but a wildling in the sheets.

geekiest shit i've read all day.

 

[Rentahamster]

Whatever dude. You can interpret this as you please, but "it's their baby and the book is my baby" says it all to me. Besides, I've been following the development of the show and the updates about the books since day frigging one, and I've seen most interviews out there, so I know what GRRM has said, and I know he has no veto power at all, or at least, nothing remotely close to the power JK Rowling had.

And anyway, here's one more source:

http://thewertzone.blogspot.ca/2012...howComment=1329434829013#c4208472500853519540



(Adam Whitehead aka The Wertzone is a very reliable blogger, those who closely followed the production of the series should be familiar with him.)

Besides, it's obvious he has no veto just seeing how drastic some of those changes are.

GRRM has no creative control over the TV series. As part of the deal, HBO have to offer him the chance to write one episode per season and that's it. He's already said that there's been changes that he objected to (Mago's death in Season 1 most notably) and he was overruled by HBO who proceeded without his approval.

Isn't that the same episode that GRRM himself wrote? How did HBO proceed "without his approval" if he wrote the script?

 

[RaidenZR]

Whatever dude. You can interpret this as you please, but "it's their baby and the book is my baby" says it all to me. Besides, I've been following the development of the show and the updates about the books since day frigging one, and I've seen most interviews out there, so I know what GRRM has said, and I know he has no veto power at all, or at least, nothing remotely close to the power JK Rowling had.

And anyway, here's one more source:

http://thewertzone.blogspot.ca/2012...howComment=1329434829013#c4208472500853519540



(Adam Whitehead aka The Wertzone is a very reliable blogger, those who closely followed the production of the series should be familiar with him.)

Besides, it's obvious he has no veto just seeing how drastic some of those changes are.

I did not realize how much control JK Rowling had. Dayumm.

 

[heliosRAzi]

I had to look Mago up on Google...

Anyway, here's some pictures of the cast

 

[NathanMcMahon]

Whatever dude. You can interpret this as you please, but "it's their baby and the book is my baby" says it all to me. Besides, I've been following the development of the show and the updates about the books since day frigging one, and I've seen most interviews out there, so I know what GRRM has said, and I know he has no veto power at all, or at least, nothing remotely close to the power JK Rowling had.

And anyway, here's one more source:

http://thewertzone.blogspot.ca/2012...howComment=1329434829013#c4208472500853519540



(Adam Whitehead aka The Wertzone is a very reliable blogger, those who closely followed the production of the series should be familiar with him.)

Besides, it's obvious he has no veto just seeing how drastic some of those changes are.

you're mostly right Morrigan

 

[Brashnir]

I had to look Mago up on Google...

Anyway, here's some pictures of the cast

so sad:

 

[exYle]

Spoiler

Wouldn't at all mind a completely diverging storyline in the TV-series. Why just do a repeat? It won't do most people's imagined scenarios justice anyway judging by a lot of posts in the book spoiler threads.

The posters in this thread are freaking out over minor changes to character motivation.

Spoiler

You think diverting the story so vastly by killing off one of the Lannister siblings would do the book-readers or non-book-readers any justice at all? How could something like that even possibly be salvaged? GoT has been, up to this point, a very faithful adaption. What you suggest is insanity.

Moreover, you still haven't explained why you don't like the twins, especially after their excellent recent characterization.

 

[Joni]

So, we're not the only ones that have trouble seeing the difference between Jon and Robb.

 

[Latvian Hitman]

So, we're not the only ones that have trouble seeing the difference between Jon and Robb.

My father-in-law asks me about three times per season, "is that one the bastard?"

"No, Dad, the bastard's the other one- the one that always looks like he's about to cry."

 

[AlphaDragoon]

I had to look Mago up on Google...

Anyway, here's some pictures of the cast

That bastard.

But you know what, I'm pretty sure any of the male cast would take the opportunity to kiss Emilia if given the chance.

 

[exYle]

I had to look Mago up on Google...

Anyway, here's some pictures of the cast

My thoughts:

I'm always shocked to see that Maisie is still a 15 year old girl doing 15 year old girl things
Lena is sooooo gorgeous. Blonde doesn't really suit her well!
Emilia... oh Emilia
ALFIE AND IWAN SHOULD NOT BE HANGING OUT TOGETHER. THEY SHOULD NOT EVER BE HAPPY IN THE SAME ROOM EVER.
Why is Kit on crutches?
The two elder Stark children are quite dapper
SAM SLAYED THOSE TWO LATER THAT NIGHT
So, do you think Jaime and Cersei invited Tyrion to join them?

 

[CassSept]

The posters in this thread are freaking out over minor changes to character motivation. [SERIES]

Spoiler

You think diverting the story so vastly by killing off one of the Lannister siblings would do the book-readers or non-book-readers any justice at all? How could something like that even possibly be salvaged? GoT has been, up to this point, a very faithful adaption. What you suggest is insanity.

Moreover, you still haven't explained why you don't like the twins, especially after their excellent recent characterization.

Ugh-ogh, better spoiler that, this is basically a MASSIVE spoiler

 

[Morrigan Stark]

Isn't that the same episode that GRRM himself wrote? How did HBO proceed "without his approval" if he wrote the script?

They often shuffle some scenes from one episode to another when editing episodes in a series, and sometimes the producers simply outright add new scenes. The script GRRM wrote didn't include that duel:

http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/The_Pointy_End#Commentary

Martin notes that it was Jason Momoa's idea to put in a fight scene to show Drogo's physical prowess, which is only ever talked about otherwise. The scene itself was extended with new material from David Benioff and D.B. Weiss to show the fight between Drogo and Mago. (In the book, Drogo's ultimately fatal injuries occur "off-screen" and do not involve a fight with one of his followers.)

Somewhat similarly, with Blackwater, he didn't include that scene with the random nude girl around Bronn at the beginning, it wasn't in the script. This was added by the director, who in turn was pretty much forced to do that after pressure from the co-exec prods to add more nudity for the pervs out there (I wish I were kidding). And GRRM also didn't write Stannis to be charging at the frontline, this was added by the director.

So... even in episodes written by GRRM, he doesn't have full control. Anyone still wanna argue he's like JK Rowling now?