Just watched Game of Thrones episode 1

[Lenny]

I give you all, "Baby" Rickon:

It seems obvious now we know that "Baby" Rickon is supposed to be 6 in this, rather then 3. Not sure who I thought that was on first watch through...

EDIT: Having scanned through to get to that scene, I noticed the Hound opening his visor... to show a not-very-burned face. Strange.

Also, Robert tussles Rickon's hair when he greets Cat.

 

[Tonk Rivers]

If you tinker around at the HBO website there is a great section on the major houses including family trees and selectable portraits with photographs of roles already cast.

Sandor's face is quite scarred. He has a couple of lines with Tyrion near the end EP1 but its a long shot.

You can see it clearer here. (If there is a problem with posting photos mods please take it down)

 

[Lady of Winterfell]

Hmm, I feel like I'm the only woman watching who feels "meh" about Jon - or maybe I'm just (rightly) way too old to be interested in a teenager. Give me Ned in a pair of Sharpe's tight breeches any day

I thought Kit Harrington was in his 20's?? He didn't look like a teenager to me, but who knows. And I'm still in my 20's (closer to the end than the beginning, but don't tell anyone that), so hopefully I'm good.

I forgot to mention in my post yesterday that I like who they cast as Viserys. I can see him playing that part very well. I can't wait until we get to meet some of the other characters in Kings Landing...mostly Varys and Littlefinger.

 

[Anne Lyle]

I thought Kit Harrington was in his 20's?? He didn't look like a teenager to me, but who knows. And I'm still in my 20's (closer to the end than the beginning, but don't tell anyone that), so hopefully I'm good.

Yeah, but I'm still easily old enough to be his mum. I have no desire to be called a cougar

I forgot to mention in my post yesterday that I like who they cast as Viserys. I can see him playing that part very well. I can't wait until we get to meet some of the other characters in Kings Landing...mostly Varys and Littlefinger.

Yes - the intrigue episodes will be fun. The first one was OK, but it was inevitably a lot of introductions and setup.

 

[woodsman]

Littlefinger (don't know his name) was awesome in the Wire so I have high hopes.

Would love to see "the Bunk" turn up somewhere...

 

[HoopyFrood]

Whoa, Sansa is tall!

I like that still of the whole family. They all look perfect. Well, maybe Sansa's hair lighter than I expected, I reckon it would be more Cat's colour, but that is a minor, minor quibble. Definitely liking Arya and Cat, they look especially perfect.

 

[hadd]

Weren't they supposed to make the eyes of the Targaryens lilac/violet?
Maybe I've missed it somewhere but why did that get dropped? Also what was the exact reason for the change of roles in the prologue (Gared and Will were there names I think)?

 

[Colbey Frost]

I havn't actually read the books but was interested in watching the episodes. I thought it was going to be much better than it actually turned out, but i will keep watching as i get the feeling it will get better and better.

So far i am not inspired to read the books but hopefully as the series grows, so will my interest.

 

[Brian G Turner]

On the Jon vs Robb telling them apart issue - I though the book was clear that both were very different physically. To be honest, I always imagine Jon with very pale hair. But in the episode, they seemed as similar as actual brothers. Is it just that I'm no good with faces?

 

[The Imp]

On the Jon vs Robb telling them apart issue - I though the book was clear that both were very different physically. To be honest, I always imagine Jon with very pale hair. But in the episode, they seemed as similar as actual brothers. Is it just that I'm no good with faces?

I always imagined Jon with black hair. I can't honestly remember if he was described that way. I think he was. Robb was for sure described as having auburn hair like his mother's.

I'll double-check the book later

 

[C Of K]

I havn't actually read the books but was interested in watching the episodes. I thought it was going to be much better than it actually turned out, but i will keep watching as i get the feeling it will get better and better.

So far i am not inspired to read the books but hopefully as the series grows, so will my interest.

Welcom to the forum, Christian Nash!
A very interesting post you made. I think my brother is of the same mind. It will get better, but how much better? That is the question. For me, I'm certain the story will improve as it progresses. But for people who aren't already fans? who knows.

I always imagined Jon with black hair.

Jon is dark and Rob is fair, or so Bran describes them in his first chapter. There may be further, more detailed descriptions of Jon's hair color later on, and in other books, but from this description, and that on the cover, I would say your imagination isn't far off at all.

To me, the two weren't very similar looking.

 

[Mouse]

Jon was pretty. Robb... I've got no idea. Too busy looking at Jon.

 

[No One]

I havn't actually read the books but was interested in watching the episodes. I thought it was going to be much better than it actually turned out, but i will keep watching as i get the feeling it will get better and better.

So far i am not inspired to read the books but hopefully as the series grows, so will my interest.

In my opinion you're making a huge mistake by a) watching the tv series before reading the books and b) forming an opinion of the books based on the tv series.

The tv adaptation can't begin to cover even the broad strokes with which GRRM paints his characters at the outset of A Game of Thrones and if there's a story whose spoilers should be locked in a vault, then this is it. I can't speak for your personal tastes of course, and it's possible you might not even take to the books (as unthinkable as that seems to me!) but you owe it to yourself to check out the books.

This is a generic post intended for anyone who's watching the show as opposed to reading it.

PS: so sorry to move the flow of conversation away from who's more attractive than who. I'm sure normal service will be resumed

 

[Mesanna]

@No One I think what you're saying is an interesting dilemma, though I'm sure the folks that regularly read this forum can't imagine anyone not wanting to read the books! For many people though, an 800 page novel is a little daunting, especially when it's only the first one of the series. There's a lot happening in the first book, and a huge number of characters and historical information is introduced, and I honestly think you need 2 or 3 reads to fully 'grok' all the little details that are thrown at you. At least if you've watched the TV show, you have a good head start in that you know the main characters and the major plots, so you can start to immerse yourself fully in the world that GRRM brings to life from page one.

For me personally, the TV show will never, ever be better than the book, and I'm sure most GRRM fans would feel the same. However, if the show allows non-fantasy/non-GRRM fans to dip their toe in the water first, so to speak, surely that's a good thing? But you're absolutely right that people are missing out on so much by not reading the books. They'll never realise the subtleties and the nuances that GRRM includes in his writing. I think I'd say that if you've started watching the show, then keep watching for now, and read the book at the end. You might start to get confused about the things that are different between the two if you're reading and watching at the same time. But - as always - your mileage may vary.

But back to normal service, Jon is indeed super hot, Robb ain't half bad, and I still think Jaime isn't golden enough, though I liked his arrogant attitude in the scene with Jon in episode 2.

 

[The Imp]

In my opinion you're making a huge mistake by a) watching the tv series before reading the books and b) forming an opinion of the books based on the tv series.

The tv adaptation can't begin to cover even the broad strokes with which GRRM paints his characters at the outset of A Game of Thrones and if there's a story whose spoilers should be locked in a vault, then this is it. I can't speak for your personal tastes of course, and it's possible you might not even take to the books (as unthinkable as that seems to me!) but you owe it to yourself to check out the books.

This is a generic post intended for anyone who's watching the show as opposed to reading it.

PS: so sorry to move the flow of conversation away from who's more attractive than who. I'm sure normal service will be resumed

Hodor!!!

 

[No One]

Hodor!!!

Hodor! HODOR!!

And on a slightly more sensible note - I agree with everything Messana said, except the value of getting to know the framework of the series against knowing beforehand what will happen in the books.

 

[The Imp]

Hodor! HODOR!!

And on a slightly more sensible note - I agree with everything Messana said, except the value of getting to know the framework of the series against knowing beforehand what will happen in the books.

You and I and everyone else who has read the books wants everyone else to read them. it's not going to happen Not everyone reads, and not everyone who does read reads huge books. To make it worse, not everyone reads fantasy even if they do read huge books. I'm delighted that more people will be able to at least talk about the story.

 

[Tonk Rivers]

Just got round to watching the second episode. Very impressed. Felt more of a connection with the characters and there wasn't too much daenerys nonsense which is good.

There was definitely more of rounding out of several characters. The scene where Ned and King Robert confront each other over Arya and Prince Joffery was handled brilliantly. The Queen, Joffery, Arya, and Sansa all added weight and there was a sense of conflict. I liked that there were so many extras shoved in for claustrophobic effect.

I also think that non-readers will have more of a sense now of who they are rooting for, who is 'good' and who is 'bad' at least for the next few episodes.

Impressed with Prince Joffery. He didn't feature much in the first episode but was suitably insipid in the second.

 

[Onlythepine]

Jon was pretty. Robb... I've got no idea. Too busy looking at Jon.

Robb is also pretty, trust me.
I've never thought much of him in the books, but I'm definitely warming up to him now.
I liked how he looked at Joffrey in episode 1, all suspicious and protective of Sansa. And the way he carried Arya off to bed, and talked to Cat about Rickon in episode 2 - he is shown as a good and responsible brother and son.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I always imagined Jon with black hair. I can't honestly remember if he was described that way. I think he was. Robb was for sure described as having auburn hair like his mother's.

Yes, I tend to easily overlook author descriptions and create my own.

However, I seem to remember Cat making an observation about how the Stark children had taken on different Stark/Tully attributes, with Jon being very different. I thought this a kind of juxtaposition to Ned's thoughts on Robert's bastards he made in the book, ie, their physique.