Game Of Thrones featurette!

[Steve]

Figured I'd necro this thread instead of starting a new one. I picked up Season 1 on blu ray and am through episode 3. I am completely unfamiliar with the books or the story and have to say that these are EXCELLENT. I am going to watch the entire season before reading the books, but I love the way they weave traditional fantasy elements throughout, but they are so low key that the political machinations take the front seat.

I haven't read the entire thread for fear of picking up spoilers, but I'm trying to watch one episode each night, after the kids are in bed. So far, I am completely hooked.

 

[Sukerkin]

Aye, sensible to make sure the kids are in bed when watching this. I enjoyed the first season a great deal but there was still too much unnecessary fornication in it.

Season two is shaping up to be even worse, sad to say.

 

[KempoGuy06]

Aye, sensible to make sure the kids are in bed when watching this. I enjoyed the first season a great deal but there was still too much unnecessary fornication in it.

Season two is shaping up to be even worse, sad to say.

The show is tame compared to what martin put in the books.

Sex is a driving force in the series

B

 

[Steve]

You can call me a prude if you'd like, but I'm not up for watching it with my 15 and 16 year old children. My son's like, "But my friends all watch it." And I'm like, "Yeah, well I've never really liked any of your friends."

Seriously, though, I'm only three episodes into season 1, but the sex seems to me to be part of the story. I'm not up on the names yet, but the imp's character was established. The twincest situation was important to the plot. The blonde, dragon lady is clearly growing from girl to woman, and I get the impression that she's going to be a force before too long. In other words, from someone who is completely unfamiliar with the characters or story, it is graphic, but not gratuitous... if that makes sense. And they tend to be short scenes.

I'll tell you this is nothing compared to the first season of Spartacus... that was a virtual orgy of sex and violence with a little plot thrown in. This is WAY better so far.

As I said before, I'm completely hooked. The young Stark daughter with Needle is a terrific character and I can't wait to see how she progresses.

 

[Sukerkin]

Aye, I am familiar with the original works - I read them when they were first published.

It is one thing to accept something as part of the 'world' when you read the written word and quite another when it is it put on the screen to draw in the young male audience with a bit of T & A spiced up with some violence.

I don't expect people to agree with me, I'm just telling what my reaction as a well brought up middle-aged Englishman is. I am not alone in my views, indeed some of my workmates, who have not read the books, are even more put off by what they see as a cheap trick to try and raise audience figures.

 

[KempoGuy06]

You can call me a prude if you'd like, but I'm not up for watching it with my 15 and 16 year old children. My son's like, "But my friends all watch it." And I'm like, "Yeah, well I've never really liked any of your friends."

Seriously, though, I'm only three episodes into season 1, but the sex seems to me to be part of the story. I'm not up on the names yet, but the imp's character was established. The twincest situation was important to the plot. The blonde, dragon lady is clearly growing from girl to woman, and I get the impression that she's going to be a force before too long. In other words, from someone who is completely unfamiliar with the characters or story, it is graphic, but not gratuitous... if that makes sense. And they tend to be short scenes.

I'll tell you this is nothing compared to the first season of Spartacus... that was a virtual orgy of sex and violence with a little plot thrown in. This is WAY better so far.

As I said before, I'm completely hooked. The young Stark daughter with Needle is a terrific character and I can't wait to see how she progresses.

Glad you are enjoying the show.

I watched the entire first season and then read the 5 books that are out.

"The books are WAY better than the show!!" A lot of people will say this and in most cases it is true. For this particular show it is VERY true and very important. There are small details the show leaves out that you only pick up in the book. The books give far greater detail to characters and events that are likewise very important and often left to be told by visuals in the show. Im glad you are going to read the books after watching the show. It will make the show that much better.

B

 

[Omar B]

Yes sex is a big part of it. It's called Game Of Thrones, it's about people doing everything in their power to grab more power. It's castle intrigue, betrayal, sex, murder, anything to get ahead.

It's a political climate where the nobles are not held in check, htere's no press, the nobles run roughshod over each other. Easily my second favorite fantasy novels ever.

 

[Empty Hands]

Easily my second favorite fantasy novels ever.

What's first?

The first 3 books of A Song of Ice and Fire would have been my favorite fantasy series. Then books 4 and 5 came out.

 

[Omar B]

My favorite series ever is Sword Of Truth by Terry Goodkind. MJore linear with clearer good/bad guys. But Goodkind is an Objectivist and you can see Rand's influence in the writing, particular further on from the firs few.

 

[billc]

Sukerkin, I couldn't agree with you more. I am no prude but the sex is just way over the top for the series to the point it becomes distracting, but not in a good way. I sit there wondering, where else in the world could you get women to do those things and not have lawyers suing you into the poor house. This is what I mean, sure, sex is part of the events, but it doesn't have to be shown the way they show it. I think they could do the old side shots, or implied sex thing they still do on regular television. There hasn't been one sex scene that couldn't have been done with less graphic nudity and sex. The show is good enough to not need gratuitous sex to "make it more interesting." Given that you could do this show without the graphic nudity or sex, how do these guys get away with telling actresses that if they want to be in this show, they have to get naked and have sex on camera. Any where else and they would be in court. Hollywood is the only place left where it is possible to get away with this kind of abuse of women.

I used to think that these cable shows would put all the graphic sex and nudity in the first few episodes to show to the suits in order to get the series made, and then tone it down in later episodes. That doesn't seem to be the case with this show or some of the others. I personally think it is a little bit guys having women get naked for them, and lazy story telling. I think that one of these women should sue one of these productions, knowing that her career will be over, but sueing will help other actresses get jobs without having to submit to this stuff. Just some thoughts.

 

[KempoGuy06]

I understand everybody's apprehension with the sex in this show, i have seen many shows where the nudity and sex are unneeded. For this show however it is different, im not going to sit here and say that it is needed, but the books play a heavy emphasis on sex and the show is based on the books. It is an integral part of the era the books are set in. Marriages were sealed with sex, as were alliances between warring houses.

As the story progresses there will be less, i promise that.

B

 

[Steve]

I don't have any problems with the sex. i think it's great. I just don't want to watch it with my kids.

 

[Omar B]

I understand everybody's apprehension with the sex in this show, i have seen many shows where the nudity and sex are unneeded. For this show however it is different, im not going to sit here and say that it is needed, but the books play a heavy emphasis on sex and the show is based on the books. It is an integral part of the era the books are set in. Marriages were sealed with sex, as were alliances between warring houses.

As the story progresses there will be less, i promise that.

B

I don't get how people are getting hung up on the sex. It's a series based upon seizing powers through any means necessary, and yes, sex is apart of that, as is double crossing, blackmail, etc.

I wonder how you prudes gonna react when they show the first Westerosi Wedding where the guests undress the couple. Or the full version of the Dothraki wedding ceremonies with the king taking his prize in front of his entire court. As excessive as you may think it is, it's still a lot less than in the books. Just like it's a lot less story on screen.

 

[Sukerkin]

It is important to understand what it is that is being objected to, by me at least. It does no good whatsoever to say that it's much worse in the books. I know it is, I've read them, remember, almost (if not actually) before Omar was born .

If you (plural form) are fine with how the series is being portrayed, then that is okay. I'm not going to judge you because of what is acceptable in your eyes to be seen on television; that is, after all, a question of personal moral sensibilities.

My negative reaction is no doubt a generational thing and almost certainly my being an Englishman brought up in a strictly religious household has it's role to play too. All I can say is that the overt and violent sexual scenes detract from the story for me and for many of the adults that I know - which rather gives the lie to the phrase "Scenes of an adult nature" if adults don't want to see them :lol:.

For me, HBO is using a rather tattered shroud to pass off near pornography as 'art' and the line that it is "essential to the story" carries no weight for me. As I said earlier in this thread, you can get across the moral bankruptcy of many of the characters in the story without having to hang it all out to dry. An audience should be intelligent enough not to need to have it spelled out in 78 point font . Of course, this is not exactly new for HBO as all their series that I have seen bits of rely on the same 'hook' to drag in the young male viewer.

It's not exactly new to television either, of course. Even Auntie Beeb put on some pretty salacious fare in the seventies - "I Claudius" for example {:faints whilst blushing:}.

In the end, the line of what is acceptable viewing is a moving target but I can't help but feel, as I age, that the line that marks where 'decency' lies is in danger of being trampled underfoot if 'pushing the boundaries' becomes seen as a necessity just to get some ratings figures.

 

[Omar B]

It is important to understand what it is that is being objected to, by me at least. It does no good whatsoever to say that it's much worse in the books. I know it is, I've read them, remember, almost (if not actually) before Omar was born .

If you (plural form) are fine with how the series is being portrayed, then that is okay. I'm not going to judge you because of what is acceptable in your eyes to be seen on television; that is, after all, a question of personal moral sensibilities.

My negative reaction is no doubt a generational thing and almost certainly my being an Englishman brought up in a strictly religious household has it's role to play too. All I can say is that the overt and violent sexual scenes detract from the story for me and for many of the adults that I know - which rather gives the lie to the phrase "Scenes of an adult nature" if adults don't want to see them :lol:.

For me, HBO is using a rather tattered shroud to pass off near pornography as 'art' and the line that it is "essential to the story" carries no weight for me. As I said earlier in this thread, you can get across the moral bankruptcy of many of the characters in the story without having to hang it all out to dry. An audience should be intelligent enough not to need to have it spelled out in 78 point font . Of course, this is not exactly new for HBO as all their series that I have seen bits of rely on the same 'hook' to drag in the young male viewer.

It's not exactly new to television either, of course. Even Auntie Beeb put on some pretty salacious fare in the seventies - "I Claudius" for example {:faints whilst blushing:}.

In the end, the line of what is acceptable viewing is a moving target but I can't help but feel, as I age, that the line that marks where 'decency' lies is in danger of being trampled underfoot if 'pushing the boundaries' becomes seen as a necessity just to get some ratings figures.

But the last book in the series came out last summer, I'm more than a year old.

 

[Sukerkin]

:gives up:

 

[Dirty Dog]

Wow, one response to a thread about possibly the greatest series ever written.

Did you notice Joff on the Iron Throne? Or Danny holding the dragon egg? Or the tiny peek we got at the wall? Insane! Or The Mountain Who Rides and his dog shaped helm!

Small correction. The Mountain Who Rides is the elder brother of The Hound. I do not think they both wear dog hats.

 

[Omar B]

Yeah, mmy mistake mixing up two big giant bad guys who are brothers. Maybe I should be like the Queen Of Flowers and just refer to my knights as Left and Right.

 

[Dirty Dog]

Yeah, mmy mistake mixing up two big giant bad guys who are brothers. Maybe I should be like the Queen Of Flowers and just refer to my knights as Left and Right.

Wouldn't work. The Hound is very quick to point out that he is NOT a knight.

 

[Omar B]

Big giant brothers who wear armor, close enough. Wayta quibble over me mixing up the helms.