HBO officially commissions Season 1 of GAME OF THRONES

[TK-421]

I saw Tamzin Merchant in The Tudors. She is an excellent choice. Expect a somewhat more mature Dany than you may have pictured in your head, but not too mature.

 

[Clansman]

The Dany in the series matures pretty damn fast. Quite an effective ruler/conqueror for someone just entering their teens...

 

[xLORDSNOWx]

Time, as they say, has moved on.

Dark Tower Series? I just finished that series as well, awaiting the new book in the series. ***Sorry for getting off topic***

In regards to A Game of Thrones Season 1, i believe i read somewhere that Geroge said he wished he would have made some of the younger characters a few years older, which is why he may be having issues tying things together for the end of the book.

This may be more of the reason he's casting older characters rather than that she was 13 when given to Drago. (Even though the latter is a big problem in today's society as you regulary see and hear on the news)

 

[Brian G Turner]

As long as Eddard is done right...

No matter how ingrained a character is with mutliple plot lines, to myself everything depends on Eddard. If you don't sympathise with him, if you aren't shocked by what happens, there's no reason to care about the rest of the story. He is the ball that sets everything rolling...

2c.

 

[xLORDSNOWx]

As long as Eddard is done right...

No matter how ingrained a character is with mutliple plot lines, to myself everything depends on Eddard. If you don't sympathise with him, if you aren't shocked by what happens, there's no reason to care about the rest of the story. He is the ball that sets everything rolling...

2c.

Very true. Also, how many people who will be watching AGOT and have not read the book will find out prematurely about Ned and his unfortunate demise? That will totally suck and ruin the element of surprise, as this was probably the most shocking thing that happened for everyone who read for the first time.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Sean Bean is like the Steve Buscemi of fantasy though isn't he? Won't everyone see that coming? Hell, it'll be forshadowed in the in opening episode when they find the wolf cubs.

Series 3 with the Red Wedding however... HBO's messageboard should light up like a christmas tree firesale when that episode comes to an end

 

[Werthead]

A more thorough BBC report on the pick-up, noting the appeal of the series and the fact they recruited local heavy metal fans to make up the extras!

 

[Brian G Turner]

Cool - Doune Castle is Winterfell:
BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Tayside and Central | Medieval keep becomes film set

Not really a stark place, if you'll excuse the pun - really quite lovely and with scenic surroundings.

Still a good set for any film, though.

 

[Werthead]

Noted SF TV scriptwriter Jane Espenson has been added to the writers' roster for GAME OF THRONES. She will pen the sixth episode of the first season as a freelancer.

If you're a BUFFY, ANGEL, DOLLHOUSE or FIREFLY fan this news will no doubt cheer you (she did 'Shindig' for FIREFLY and 'Conversations With Dead People' for BUFFY, both very highly rated). If you're a GALACTICA fan it may be slightly more mixed (she did 'The Passage' and 'The Hub', which were okay, but she also did the extremely disappointing 'The Plan').

Newcomer Bryan Cogman will write the fourth episode, with David Benioff and Dan Weiss writing most of the rest. One episode, probably late-season if not the finale, will be written by George R.R. Martin himself.

 

[Winters_Sorrow]

Thanks Wert, I had noted this news on other sites as well but Ms. Espenson has a pedigree if nothing else and that will hopefully send a signal to other notable screenwriters that this is a series worth joining. Shindig was probably right up there with Ariel, Out of Gas & Jaynestown as one of my favourite Firefly episodes so I hope they have noticed that she does better with the light-hearted stuff.

Hmmm...quite where this light-hearted stuff would sit within AGoT is an interesting question - probably the first Syrio/Arya lessons and associated plot might be a good segment for her to tackle. It'll be interesting to see which one GRRM goes for. I think he'd probably love to do the tourney scenes

 

[Devil's Advocate]

What do you guys think of the name? The entire TV series is being named after only the first book. I guess I can see why they couldn't give it the proper series name; it's probably not snappy enough. But maybe they could have shortened it and just gone with, say, "Ice and Fire", or maybe even "A Song".

Even as far as the name they settled on goes, I think they shouldn't have left out the 'a'. It might be only one letter, but "A Game of Thrones" sounds much better than "Game of Thrones". The former suggests a dramatic show with a fair amount of political intrigue, in a medievel setting, with love, chivalry, betrayal, sacrifice, and everything in between.

The latter sounds like a cheesy game-show where contestants compete with each other in a series of pointless tasks, and the winner gets to sit on a big, ugly 'throne', is given a big, ugly 'crown', and is then declared the big, ugly 'King', as he sits there, holding a fake jewelled staff, grinning like an idiot.

 

[Icemark]

I agree with your view - it would have been truer to name the series after the book. However, I think "Game of Thrones" might draw more viewers (other than fans) as the name presents a more definite idea of what the series might be about (ie not just fantasy, but a gritty "real world" story).

On a more depressing note - I'm probably gonna have to get cable / satellite TV once they decide to air the series in my home country....which will probably be in 2014... (if we're lucky).....

 

[Boaz]

My thoughts exactly, Ice. A song about ice and fire may lead people to believe James Taylor is involved while a game regarding thrones conjures up a more concrete image.

 

[TK-421]

It is what it is.

 

[The Imp]

Well, The Game of Thrones is mentioned by more than one person- Cersei (When you play The Game of Thrones you either win or you die) and Petyr Balish to name two- and is really the concept that much of the series is based on.. I think when that name is spoken out loud iit will be a hook to viewers and will be perfectly appropriate.

The next season will probably have the long and cumbersome name A Game of Thrones- A Clash of kings

 

[Ursa major]

The next season will probably have the long and cumbersome name A Game of Thrones- A Clash of kings

Or even Game of Thrones.

TV series are not like films: they can keep the same name season after season.

 

[The Imp]

Or even Game of Thrones.

TV series are not like films: they can keep the same name season after season.

The might be HBO precedent for that too. The series True Blood is based on books but the name of the series has remained the same in both seasons

 

[No One]

In response to the initial misgivings from Chairface (hi Chairface!) - no, you are not the only one. There's been plenty of good points made since, which rightly point out that there's no good reason why a botched tv series or film should somehow blemish our memories of the books. Hit or miss, we'll always have the books.

With that said, and as much as I love HBO, there's plenty of historical precedent to suggest that only Stephen King novels seem to be improved by the transition from page to celluloid - with very few exceptions. In almost all other instances, books are butchered to produce a film script which is usually devoid of all but a shadow of the subtleties that made the literature great. However capable the scriptwriters actually are, and this includes Martin himself, the fact is they'll still be butchering a plot and having to introduce all sorts of information through cumbersome exposition that wasn't part of the books.

Even with HBO behind it, good writers and cast, the series will almost certainly be a disappointment to the readers - even if it's actually quite good. I know, I know, "stop being so negative!" Screw it. I'm playing the percentages. I'll be happy to take the flak if I'm wrong.

One thing's for sure, it'll be an interesting discussion somewhere down the line...

 

[The Imp]

In response to the initial misgivings from Chairface (hi Chairface!) - no, you are not the only one. There's been plenty of good points made since, which rightly point out that there's no good reason why a botched tv series or film should somehow blemish our memories of the books. Hit or miss, we'll always have the books.

With that said, and as much as I love HBO, there's plenty of historical precedent to suggest that only Stephen King novels seem to be improved by the transition from page to celluloid - with very few exceptions. In almost all other instances, books are butchered to produce a film script which is usually devoid of all but a shadow of the subtleties that made the literature great. However capable the scriptwriters actually are, and this includes Martin himself, the fact is they'll still be butchering a plot and having to introduce all sorts of information through cumbersome exposition that wasn't part of the books.

Even with HBO behind it, good writers and cast, the series will almost certainly be a disappointment to the readers - even if it's actually quite good. I know, I know, "stop being so negative!" Screw it. I'm playing the percentages. I'll be happy to take the flak if I'm wrong.

One thing's for sure, it'll be an interesting discussion somewhere down the line...

I agree that there have been some real dogs that have ruined books by appearing on film, but there have also been some great adaptations. AGOT has a vfew things going for it that other endeavors havewn't always had.

First, GRRM will be involved, and not just from the sidelines. Just this fact alone gives me a lot of confidence that the end product will be at least fairly true to the books. Another factor is HBO knows how to do good TV. The Sopranos and The Wire are considered to be two of the besat shows ever to be on TV. Oz was absolutely amazing and True Blood seems to be following in the footsteps of these others. Lastly, the books themselves were written in a way that makes print to TV an easy translation. There are multiple cliffhangersvaried enough pltlines so that each new "chapter won't need introduction of any sort, and stunningly beautiful imagry. I'll make the argument that they'll have to work hard to screw it up, and it won't take much to get it right.

Of course, having said all of that, it's going to be about expectations. If someone is expecting the TV series to follow the books with 100% accuracy they'll be disappointed. Not everything is going to make it from the books, and some things that weren't in print will be in the series. For instance, we already know that a character named Roz, a King's Landing prositute, will be in the series.

in the end it's a crapshoot, but I think the chances are good that we'll be happy with what we see. of course, there's no pleasing some people, and the haters will always find something to hate, but I think most will be hppy with what we end up with.

 

[No One]

I agree that there have been some real dogs that have ruined books by appearing on film, but there have also been some great adaptations. AGOT has a vfew things going for it that other endeavors havewn't always had.

First, GRRM will be involved, and not just from the sidelines. Just this fact alone gives me a lot of confidence that the end product will be at least fairly true to the books. Another factor is HBO knows how to do good TV. The Sopranos and The Wire are considered to be two of the besat shows ever to be on TV. Oz was absolutely amazing and True Blood seems to be following in the footsteps of these others. Lastly, the books themselves were written in a way that makes print to TV an easy translation. There are multiple cliffhangersvaried enough pltlines so that each new "chapter won't need introduction of any sort, and stunningly beautiful imagry. I'll make the argument that they'll have to work hard to screw it up, and it won't take much to get it right.

Of course, having said all of that, it's going to be about expectations. If someone is expecting the TV series to follow the books with 100% accuracy they'll be disappointed. Not everything is going to make it from the books, and some things that weren't in print will be in the series. For instance, we already know that a character named Roz, a King's Landing prositute, will be in the series.

in the end it's a crapshoot, but I think the chances are good that we'll be happy with what we see. of course, there's no pleasing some people, and the haters will always find something to hate, but I think most will be hppy with what we end up with.

I tend to agree (Oz was one of the best of the best among tv shows and Rome was fantastic, as is most of HBO's programmes) and as you've pointed out, it may be that ASOIAF will translate much better than most because of the structure of the narrative. I hope you're right - I really, really do - but whereas you're maintaining the view that it'll take an effort to screw up, I'm going to stick to the view that it'll take a heraclean effort to make it half good. On balance, I think you've got the more convincing argument according to what we know of the production.

Then again, what the hell is with this Roz? This is news to me and not the sort of thing I wanted to hear! What, not enough characters to deal with already??? Has Frasier's slutty producer finally taken to the streets? Are you toying with me Imp?!