Escapist Podcast: Bonus: Game of Thrones-Cast - Season 2 Wrapup

[The Escapist Staff]

Bonus: Game of Thrones-Cast - Season 2 Wrapup

Wherein we discuss all the plot changes from the book in the last two episodes.

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[ritchards]

(Don't watch the show, but enjoy listening to you guys anyway...)

On killing characters early... two possible reasons: too many characters to service properly. Or... the actors were an issue and it was decided to write them out...

 

[IRBaboon]

I was seriously annoyed about the lack of the reeds, but then I found out that they haven't been written out of the show. The plan is to introduce them into season 3, the reeds are my favourite characters, it was sad that they weren't in it

 

[Baldr]

I want to touch on the last point, Martin has acknowledged in the past that he knows he is slow at writing and that he could possibly die before finishing the books. So it could be possible that he has an outline of where he wants the books to go and a plan for another author to come in and finish the books on his behalf. It won't be the same, but it also won't be left without an ending.


I don't know if I mentioned this, I have not read the books, I got the audio books, just because I seem to enjoy audio books because I can put them on my smart phone and just have them anywhere. Roy Dotrice who is the Wildfire Pyromancer in the TV series is the narrator(except book 4). He was originally cast to play Pycelle but got seriously ill before filming, that also why he didn't narrate book 4.

I didn't find Book 1 to overly confusing with the names and locations. I didn't have the luxury of going back like you can in the book and no glossary/index. The only thing I really looked up on the internet during that was a map. The map was helpful.

 

[VladG]

I loved the question regarding who should have won the blackwater battle, but in my mind, even when I read the book for the first time, there was no other possible outcome than victory for King's Landing because it's so very important for Tyrion as a character to win.

All of Tyrion's character is based on his wits, his intelligence and the Blackwater was the proving moment for him, he managed to defeat an experienced and proven battle commander (Stannis) without any previous experience in warfare, with very limited resources and with a rag-tag group of defenders (since it's stated that the gold cloaks were not really soldiers, just militias, and most of them green at that) by using his mind, by out-thinking Stannis and by coming up with very clever strategies. The Blackwater was not about the Lannisters winning, but about Tyrion winning.

Not winning the Blackwater would have completely destroyed Tyrion as a character, not to mention that Stannis' defeat actually reinforces his own characterization - the drama of being caught between his lawful right and duty to rule (and his incredible rigidity concerning law and duty) and his lack of resources to claim the throne that pushes him to adopt Mellisandra's Red God and unsavoury witchcraft.

 

[Ramith]

At one point Martin said if he dies, the books go with him. And this will probably happen. He has shown very little interesting in actually writing his books.

But I hear HBO knows the ending? so perhaps we will have to settle for just the show?

Anyway?

Good podcast, I really enjoyed hearing the differing opinions concerning the show.

The whole Xaro thing kind of baffles me. In the book he tries to marry Dany because their culture has a custom where the bride and groom may ask a gift of the other, and he was planning on getting a dragon. Dany figures this out, says no, Xaro says scram, and they leave. And in the book he was clearly gay, which was meant to emphasised that his interest in Dany was purely for dragon gain.

Oh and of course I rooted for the Lannister's at the battle, at least I did when I was reading it. Tyrion kicks ass, I didn?t want him to lose his head.

Ah well, time for another wait.

Oh and am I the only one who really didnt like how they made the Others?

 

[VladG]

Oh and am I the only one who really didnt like how they made the Others?

Nope. Really didn't like it either. They are portrayed as graceful, confident, almost beautiful in the book, with very strange shimmering, mercury-like armour that further emphasized their strangeness.

Now they look like Kain from the Legacy of Kain games. Oh well, very minor thing to be honest, don't care about it.

 

[Mr Thin]

As a book reader whose favourite book series of all time is ASOIAF, I strongly feel that show watchers shouldn't read the books, and I only need one reason for that. There are thousands - literally thousands - of fantastic books. On the other hand, there are very, very few fantastic TV series.

The experience of reading the books for the first time, and having everything that happens come at you new and fresh - that's an uncommon experience, but it's not rare. Having that same experience with the TV show is extremely rare. Like, platinum enameled moon rock rare. There's really nothing like it.

Basically, if you read the books first, you are cheating yourself out of a truly unique experience, whereas if you watch the TV series first, you are cheating yourself out of an experience that - while fantastic - is essentially findable elsewhere.

I was seriously annoyed about the lack of the reeds, but then I found out that they haven't been written out of the show. The plan is to introduce them into season 3, the reeds are my favourite characters, it was sad that they weren't in it

I never understood the fuss people kicked up about this. The Reeds do practically nothing (at least up until AFFC, I haven't read ADWD yet), so unless they, I don't know, single-handedly slay a million white walkers or something (if they do, for the love of god don't tell me), I have no idea why so many people give a damn about them.

I loved the question regarding who should have won the blackwater battle, but in my mind, even when I read the book for the first time, there was no other possible outcome than victory for King's Landing because it's so very important for Tyrion as a character to win.

I agree it was always going to be Tyrion, but I didn't put as much thought into it as you; I just figured that, considering how much of the books was dedicated to describing Tyrion's preparation, and how comparatively little was used to describe Stannis's, it would be very anticlimactic if Stannis won.

Oh and am I the only one who really didnt like how they made the Others?

I didn't either, but I get the feeling you didn't like how they looked, while I didn't like the fact that they were entirely CGI. It made for one hell of a season finale, but it's going to make any more scenes with them crazy expensive, and the show is costly enough as is.

 

[Evilproduct]

At one point Martin said if he dies, the books go with him. And this will probably happen. He has shown very little interesting in actually writing his books.

But I hear HBO knows the ending? so perhaps we will have to settle for just the show?

Anyway?

No. That is just flat out wrong. Martin loves writing these books. Watch some interviews with him, he is really enthusiastic about this series. Yes if he dies they will with him, but he is currently writing the final two books in the series and he shows no sign of stopping. He is very interested in writing the series. In the worst possible case then yes the series could only end in the HBO series, the producers of which do know the ending of the series.

Also, I loved Feast for Crows and thought it was a great addition to the series. Yes, it may have been a whole book devoted to a bunch of new characters but it have the audience an entirely new viewpoint after the delightfully epic but admittedly exhausting Storm of Swords. Watching Cersei slowly spiral downward in her role as Queen Regent was quite cathartic to read after knowing how evil and conniving she was throughout the series. Also, the entirety of the Iron Islands series of chapters was increasingly fun to read, especially through the eyes of Asha and Aeron Damphair only to also be introduced to the frightening Euron Greyjoy and learning the implications of his return. The storyline I thought was most enlightening though was the Dorne story wherein the significance of the machinations of Prince Doran Martell and its ties to the overall machinations involving Dany and Viserys and thus the larger plot to mess with the succession of the Iron Throne was revealed. The Martells have a higher significance to the main story than first thought and we needed Feast for Crows to help us see that.

Overall, I enjoyed the podcast even if I disagree with a lot of what you guys were saying. I look forward to hearing more of these when we finally get into the epic Storm of Swords.

 

[Mumorpuger]

Susan.... If your favorite detail that was omitted was the chain....

<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Also... I was pissed about that too.

Does anyone else hear a strange reverb after the first break?

 

[Irish Soulface]

The escapist should read its own articles http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/117511-Game-of-Thrones-Season-3-Details-Surface Jojen and Meera Reed will turn up next season, I think to add them this season would've been crazy because they just had too many story arcs to deal with if you haven't read the books its a lot to take in. I imagine they'll turn up at the start of next season.

 

[Blunderboy]

I've been waiting for ages for this podcast and now it comes on the same day I have my roleplay. Boo.
Still, something to look forward to tomorrow.

 

[PiercedMonk]

I really enjoyed the bonus podcasts, even if I found the show to be something of a let down this season.

A moment I really enjoyed in episode nine -- which was easily my favourite episode from this season -- that wasn't mentioned in the cast was the interaction between Bronn and the Hound. It's a scene that wasn't in the books, but felt perfect.

Oh and am I the only one who really didnt like how they made the Others?

I liked thier appearance hear better than in episode one of the first season, but they're nothing like the image of the Others that I have in my head.

I was seriously annoyed about the lack of the reeds, but then I found out that they haven't been written out of the show. The plan is to introduce them into season 3, the reeds are my favourite characters, it was sad that they weren't in it

I never understood the fuss people kicked up about this. The Reeds do practically nothing (at least up until AFFC, I haven't read ADWD yet), so unless they, I don't know, single-handedly slay a million white walkers or something (if they do, for the love of god don't tell me), I have no idea why so many people give a damn about them.

I've been rather annoyed regarding the missing Reeds, but I hadn't really considered why.

Part of it, I think, is that the Reeds are more or less genuinely good people, and A Clash of Kings was full of horrible bastards. It was nice to occasionally get a break from all the really unlikable jackholes and get to spend time with characters who are a bit more likeable. Also, Bran isn't really all that interesting on his own.

 

[Ramith]

At one point Martin said if he dies, the books go with him. And this will probably happen. He has shown very little interesting in actually writing his books.

But I hear HBO knows the ending? so perhaps we will have to settle for just the show?

Anyway?

No. That is just flat out wrong. Martin loves writing these books. Watch some interviews with him, he is really enthusiastic about this series. Yes if he dies they will with him, but he is currently writing the final two books in the series and he shows no sign of stopping. He is very interested in writing the series. In the worst possible case then yes the series could only end in the HBO series, the producers of which do know the ending of the series.

Also, I loved Feast for Crows and thought it was a great addition to the series. Yes, it may have been a whole book devoted to a bunch of new characters but it have the audience an entirely new viewpoint after the delightfully epic but admittedly exhausting Storm of Swords. Watching Cersei slowly spiral downward in her role as Queen Regent was quite cathartic to read after knowing how evil and conniving she was throughout the series. Also, the entirety of the Iron Islands series of chapters was increasingly fun to read, especially through the eyes of Asha and Aeron Damphair only to also be introduced to the frightening Euron Greyjoy and learning the implications of his return. The storyline I thought was most enlightening though was the Dorne story wherein the significance of the machinations of Prince Doran Martell and its ties to the overall machinations involving Dany and Viserys and thus the larger plot to mess with the succession of the Iron Throne was revealed. The Martells have a higher significance to the main story than first thought and we needed Feast for Crows to help us see that.

Overall, I enjoyed the podcast even if I disagree with a lot of what you guys were saying. I look forward to hearing more of these when we finally get into the epic Storm of Swords.

Trust me when I say I really want to believe this.

But actions speak far louder than words. I don?t deny he loves his series with a passion, but when it comes time to buckle down and write, well his performance has been rather lackluster.

But nothing would make me happier than being proven wrong.

For the record I didn?t mind Feast. But I thought Dance was pretty bad.

 

[latenightapplepie]

I love this podcast! It's great listening. I really like the dynamic between the four of you. Please don't change that for next season's podcasts.

As per your advice, I think I will read all the books in the break. Sadly, I have already had some of the major events spoiled.

 

[kyogen]

Personally, I love A Feast for Crows (Book 4). Those are the characters I care most about, and I didn't find it boring at all.

Still, nice podcast.

 

[Joel Bridge]

She just really believe and have faith in the red god.

 

[bdcjacko]

So I recently got my girlfriend to read G.o.T. We have the 1st season on bluray, we don't have HBO, but we considered getting it just for G.o.T. I am half way through the 4th book. But anyhow, here is the point of my expositioning:

So my girlfriend is makes all sorts of crazy guess about how Arya is going to join the Nights Watch and getting smug when I don't answer, thinking she is correct. Of course I know better, and I don't want to give away the ending. But sometimes I get a cruel satisfaction by letting her thinks she is correct with her crazy guesses. Is that wrong of me?

 

[Susan Arendt]

So I recently got my girlfriend to read G.o.T. We have the 1st season on bluray, we don't have HBO, but we considered getting it just for G.o.T. I am half way through the 4th book. But anyhow, here is the point of my expositioning:

So my girlfriend is makes all sorts of crazy guess about how Arya is going to join the Nights Watch and getting smug when I don't answer, thinking she is correct. Of course I know better, and I don't want to give away the ending. But sometimes I get a cruel satisfaction by letting her thinks she is correct with her crazy guesses. Is that wrong of me?

She'll enjoy the journey more if she takes it on her own. Let her be proven wrong or right without interference from you - it'll be more meaningful to her in the long run. If you happen to get some particular satisfaction along the way, no harm done. Just don't be a jerk and rub it in her face when she learns the sad truth.

 

[Zydrate]

I still wish Tyrion would win at something already. He's had scattered minor victories, but it broke my heart to see him swung way back down at the finale. I do so hope he works his way back up.
(Feel free to message me if he does, no need for major details)