EverydayBeast
ChatGPT 0.1
Episode 2 was incredible, the dragons felt big.
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AJUMP23
Parody of actual AJUMP23
But they were only 1s and 0s.
ManaByte
Member
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JusticeForAll
Gold Member
Really pleased with the two episodes released so far. Unlike with Game of Thrones, I did not read the book beforehand. That might help.
Bragr
Banned
One thing I dislike about the way George R.R. Martin writes is that he makes everyone have some second agenda, he overdoes it, in reality, 90% of the court would likely be just followers and dumb as a brick.
But it was a good second episode, they slowed down and focused more on building the characters, it makes the drama more interesting when you know/care about who is who. That the king is gonna marry the daughter of the hand was a bit too predictable.
The wigs still look comical though, especially on that kid the king was supposed to marry.
And the effects are, frankly, atrocious. The overview shots of the city and that scene on the bridge were far below par.
But it was a good second episode, they slowed down and focused more on building the characters, it makes the drama more interesting when you know/care about who is who. That the king is gonna marry the daughter of the hand was a bit too predictable.
The wigs still look comical though, especially on that kid the king was supposed to marry.
And the effects are, frankly, atrocious. The overview shots of the city and that scene on the bridge were far below par.
What A Shame...
Banned
The intro of Ep 2 showed the bloodline "end" at Baelon (Viserys' deceased son). I'm guessing it will update over the episodes as various Targs marry/give birth/die off.
It's a neat idea. The problem is the camera zips around too much that it's hard to make out what anything means.
Hardensoul
Member
Really liking the young Rhaenyra, the time skip going suck. It’s when Molly Alcock is replaced by older actress. Supposedly this happens mid season.They were in the first stills released for the series:
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Hardensoul
Member
Read time skip happens mid season!
ManaByte
Member
Yea but then we also get Olivia Cooke.
Hardensoul
Member
Yea, but Emma D’Arcy just looked too old in comparison. Molly Alcock is very surprising star of show to me right now. She’s looks so young and I was not expecting her to have such a strong performance!
sol_bad
Member
Great second episode, liking the characters more and more. Rhaenyra is just a bad ass and is going to become even more badass.
I think there is more "game of the thrones" going on her more than the original show. All the characters feel like they are vying for power and position.
I think there is more "game of the thrones" going on her more than the original show. All the characters feel like they are vying for power and position.
Nobody_Important
“Aww, it’s so...average,” she said to him in a cold brick of passion
E-Cat
Member
Her giant schnozz is way off compared to young Rhaenyra.
MisterFalcon
Member
Upright is an Aussie show with Milly Alcock and she's fantastic in it. It's probably why she got the role, so much energy and depth in such a tiny person.
BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
It looks like they'll keep skipping forward in time to wrap up the Triarchy within an episode or two, as the conflict takes years to resolve. Probably coinciding with a speed run of how the friendship between Rhaenyra and Alicent quickly turns into a rivalry.
Also looking forward to Viserys's next stream.
Fools idol
Banned
Do you think we will see any of the Wall / Children of the forest in this season?
Elysion
Banned
I doubt we‘ll even see the North at all this season. The Starks and the North play only a relatively small role in this story, and the Wall none at all. We‘ll probably see the Starks next season, when one of the characters flies to Winterfell, but unless they‘ve changed things radically, the wildlings, Children, and White Walkers aren’t in this at all.
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Ulysses 31
Member
Is the book even canon anymore if it was told by an unreliable narrator while the show is the definitive telling of the story?
Punished Miku
Banned
I'm sure the showrunners have final say to some extent on what they create, with guidance from GRR. Two different canons basically, just like GoT. Two slightly different versions.Is the book even canon anymore if it was told by an unreliable narrator while the show is the definitive telling of the story?
Still potential for massive spoilers.
That was a good episode to get a sense of how the show is going to diverge from the book's historical narrative regarding Rhaenyra.
Daemon is a bit too relatable.
After being put in the heat like a dragon egg, so to speak, by her father last episode when he put her in line for the throne, she shows she's a dragon by retrieving that egg.
Daemon is a bit too relatable.
BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
I thought the Dragonstone scene showed how the people of Westeros are pawns at the whims of the dragon riders - even those as powerful as the Hand of the King. Rhaenyra even lands Syrax behind the contingent from King's Landing, cutting them off, ignoring them while casually saying "take care with Syrax my lords, she's rather protective of me (sic)" - which was a literal threat to Hightower in that moment who was attempting to flex and have Cole accompany her home.
On the other side you have Daemon, who is literally doing whatever the fuck he wants as if the entire kingdom were his playground. I mean, he just took his family's ancestral home without asking his king, using the king's own city watch.
AJUMP23
Parody of actual AJUMP23
I don't think 90% of people in a court would be dumb, but it isn't about a second agenda, it is about having interest. Think of each person as not having friends, but having an interest that they want to accomplish. They work together as long as their interest are aligned.
That's certainly a viable defense of some changes for the show, but I'd say this era of Westeros history is documented well enough that so long as it isn't the "Tales According to Mushroom" show (a character I don't think they even intend to introduce in the show....and damn, now I want this as at least a comicIs the book even canon anymore if it was told by an unreliable narrator while the show is the definitive telling of the story?
then the broad strokes and timelines should hew close.I'm willing to cut them some timeline slack just so we can get Alcock as a 10(ish?) year old through to 16 or so and not have to jump to too many versions of Rhaenrya. If they dress her appropriately she's fairly convincing as a growing girl. GRRM LOVES having pre-teen kids wage war and adolescents with 3 kids already (true to the history he is referencing, no doubt) so some actor age shifting is to be expected.
Part warning, part threat. Those lords might have tried to make a move to stop her in that moment. She wasn't going to be stopped no matter what and that implication was clear. She knew how to handle the situation. It was assertive.
She learned a lot from Daemon and she looked like she took many cues from him. In her time she saw when he was successful and when he wasn't.
This is proper character development. EVERYONE should have their own goals. When they align with the protag, things are good. When they diverge, it creates natural conflict to be resolved.
Contrast this to the typical YA soap opera writing where, in order to create tension and dramatic conflict, characters flip flop weekly about who they do and don't like because they have NO INTERNAL GOALS and thus can be altered to suit the whim of whatever hack writer is doing them this episode. GRRM may be off the writing bandwagon now but he is a MASTER OF THE CRAFT when he is engaged, no question.
PrimetimeKnight
Member
Seriously? That worked out so well last time for this series....
DKehoe
Gold Member
The story this show is telling has been finished.
BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
I mean, I am being tongue in cheek there, but it has been four years since volume one was published, and he doesn't exactly have a great track record with either finishing his collective works or keeping promises.
Hell, the guy actually enjoys writing the Dunk and Egg stories, and promised at least one new short story shortly after the updated A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms dropped. That was in 2015.
PrimetimeKnight
Member
Thank god, my heart can't take another GRRM show being completed by hacks. I didn't think I would like this show when it was announced and was pretty bitter about how GoT last 3 seasons were. I really only gave it a shot when I heard positive buzz surrounding episode 1 and so far I'm loving House of the Dragon, hopefully this keeps up.
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BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
Just be cautious - I know that's the official line but I am not holding my breath. We were told similar during GoT - that the ending is known and complete, the books will be finished by then, they won't add anything original, etc, etc. And, well, we see how that worked out. All of those claims either changed or were amended over time.
I can completely envision three years from now, the show still attracting over ten million viewers a week, so WBD wants to push it another two or three seasons. Only whoops! GRRM never finished volume 2. So we get some kind of monstrosity just like season 7 and 8, when far lesser writers attempted to interpret what the heck GRRM wanted in the first place.
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DKehoe
Gold Member
If this is a success, and it does seem to be so far, I can see them adapting something else from the existing material. The Dance of the Dragons is the most fleshed out part of that history but there will be other parts they can do too.
BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
I would love an animated anthology exploring the weird places in the far east mentioned in The World of Ice and Fire. Man, I'd seriously pay $10 an hour-long episode for that.
As for The Dance', I fear no matter how much people adore this show (and I agree, this is looking to be a serious hit on their hands, critically and commercially) even more Targs after this might not be the way to go. I say aside from my previous suggestion, Dunk and Egg would be the next logical choice. One Targ, and this time he takes a back seat to the action and (most of) the intrigue. I also want to hear Dunc tell Egg he's going to clout him on the ear. Book readers know.
DKehoe
Gold Member
An animated show about Yi Ti is one of the shows that's reported to be in development. So you may get your wish there. It does seem like it could be a really cool setting so I'd be really interested to see that. But on the other hand it would be so disconnected from Westeros that I wonder if some executives might decide to axe it before it sees the light of day, particularly with all the HBO Max cut backs going on right now
A Dunk and Egg adaptation would be great. I think it could work really well as a series of films. But there's still a lot of that story to be written there, going all the way up to Summerhall. So they may want to hold off on starting that for if/when that story is complete.
DKehoe
Gold Member
Honestly, you might just be best watching the show as it comes out, at least for this season. The book is presented as a history book and is written in that style so it's not got the same narrative flair as the novels or show. So the show may end up presenting the twists and turns in a more fun way.
Jooxed
Gold Member
Awesome. Thanks for the info.
D
Deleted member 1159
Unconfirmed Member
I would hope that the feedback from how GoT ended and GRRM’s closer involvement would prevent this show from repeating the same mistakes… but fool me once…I’ll be cautious for sure
But after two episodes I’m cautiously optimistic. We got our first aww shit moment and it felt totally earned and a significant development, not just for the character, but for her place as heir…instead of ham-fisted in for the yasss queen.
One thing: the show looks gorgeous in Dolby Vision and the sets/production values look great, but the CG? It feels like a step back? I dunno that’s been the most disappointing thing so far. The reprisal of the intro theme and style felt like it fit in perfectly.
But after two episodes I’m cautiously optimistic. We got our first aww shit moment and it felt totally earned and a significant development, not just for the character, but for her place as heir…instead of ham-fisted in for the yasss queen.
One thing: the show looks gorgeous in Dolby Vision and the sets/production values look great, but the CG? It feels like a step back? I dunno that’s been the most disappointing thing so far. The reprisal of the intro theme and style felt like it fit in perfectly.
DKehoe
Gold Member
No worries man. Entirely up to you if you want to go ahead and read the book. By all means go for it if you like. But imagine you were watching a show based on a real historical civil war and enjoyed it so much that you decided to buy a history book that lays out everything that happens. It's cool to know, but the show is going to present it in a much more dramatic way. Martin wrote the history stuff in a different style than he did the ASOIAF series, it's kinda drier. If you're reading Fire & Blood it will take a little while to get up to that point anyway. So if you want to scratch that itch by reading about Aegon's conquest and all the stuff following it then go for it and then you can maybe see for yourself what way you'd like to first find out about The Dance of the Dragons once you get up to Viserys' reign.
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To put it in context, this show seems to be adapting pages 339 to 548 of Fire and Blood. It keeps going to page 706. We got time
Plus World of Ice & Fire covers everything up to just before GoT, including this period, so they could extend past F&B and STILL have a pretty clear road map all the way to where GoT starts. There are no gaps for any of the major players. The most logical time periods to cover after HotD, in my opinion, would be the early conquest of Westeros by Aegon I (covered in F&B) or the Dunk & Egg novellas. Eventually they may pick up the fall of the Targaryens with the couple of decades right before GoT starts but I think that would be a long term prospect as it has the least "unknown" outcomes for casual viewers. Might make for a good movie though, just to see the Battle of the Trident and EXACTLY how R+L=J comes to be.
Lord Corlys would be the PERFECT framing device for such a show, as I believe he made it that far. Use Marco Polo as a template and you are done!
DKehoe
Gold Member
Yeh true having a Westerosi acting as a "stranger in a strange land" type figure to give us an entry point would be a good way to work that.
Bragr
Banned
Everyone does not have their own goals though, George R.R. Martin takes his favorite historical sly characters and throws them all into the same royal family.
It makes for good drama, and I like it, but there are times when it goes too far. Sometimes it's like the Call of Duty of political intrigue, everything happens all at once and everything is over the top.
BadBurger
Many “Whelps”! Handle It!
Just finished rewatching ep2 again while I worked, and my ranking of major characters in order of how entertaining and well-acted they are is:
1. Daemon
2. Corlys
3. Rhaenyra
4. Otto
5. Viserys
6. Alicent
A strong honorable mention goes to Rhaenys but she's only truly had one scene to shine, but damn was that a good scene.
1. Daemon
2. Corlys
3. Rhaenyra
4. Otto
5. Viserys
6. Alicent
A strong honorable mention goes to Rhaenys but she's only truly had one scene to shine, but damn was that a good scene.
elcapitano
Member
Decent second episode, not quite as good as the first. Enjoying this thoroughly so far.
That shot with the dragon and clouds was epic.
Rhaenyra favourite character but sadly I don't think that'll continue with the actress switch. I wish we stayed with the young version.
That shot with the dragon and clouds was epic.
Rhaenyra favourite character but sadly I don't think that'll continue with the actress switch. I wish we stayed with the young version.
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ManaByte
Member
A Dance of Dragons =/= Dance of The Dragons
It's based on the Dance of The Dragons Targaryen civil war chapters from Fire and Blood, which are complete.
taizuke
Member
But, eventually they will run out of material from Fire and Blood?