Game of Thrones: episode 1
Apr. 19th, 2011 07:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lizbeeI've been pretty excited for this since ... let's see, first I heard of the series was when Lena Headey was cast as Cersei. Then I started reading the books, and got really excited. It's one of those series where I don't get fannish per se, because there is exactly as much of the things I love as I need, and therefore very little to fix. (Not that the books aren't without issues! A warning for people who are unfamiliar with the series and thinking of picking it up, either in novel or TV format: they are pretty full of the rapin' and the orientalisin' and the graphic violenc...in'. And I don't know what George R. R. Martin has against the human nipple, but ... yeah, anyway.)
In short, at least half of the House o'Squid has been hanging out for this.suburbannoir went into a full spoiler black-out and refused to even watch trailers. I watched everything, up to the point where the promotional stuff got too much and I decided I could wait.
I'm also re-reading the books right now, so events and characters are pretty fresh in my mind.
In terms of reaction, the least spoilery thing I can say is, yes, that was mostly good. I can't even imagine what a person who isn't familiar with the books would make of it (though I, for one, appreciated not getting a full biography of every single character in the opening scene).piecesofalice was unspoiled, and aside from an aversion to the strummy-strummy Renaissance faire score, seemed to enjoy it. She also spotted that SPOILER and SPOILER are SPOILERING EACH OTHER well before the SHOCKING FINAL SCENE, so well done her.
With spoilers, I mention the following faults:
- It's really hard to tell Robb and Jon apart. They have different haircolours, but that's not really obvious in most scenes. Mostly I told them apart by the way Jon is emo and Robb is dull.
- I couldn't tell if Peter Dinklage's accent was bad, or if it was just that Tyrian was drunk in all of his scenes.
- Despite the many, many boobies on display, Lady Catelyn was not naked when Maester Luwin brought Lysa's letter. No middle-aged mother-of-five nudity for us!
- Too bad if you were watching for Alfie Allen? I caught glimpses of him here and there, but that was it. Oh well, it's not as though Theon Greyjoy has any fans. BRING ON ASHA, PLS!
- This is probably silly, but the final scene, "Things I do for love," *bunt child out of window*, was nothing at all how I imagined it, and was ... not very dramatic. I think they should have kept Bran's POV for that.
This is the actual, serious problem: Dany's deflowering scene follows the book, only it ends before she actually consents to, y'know, the deflowering. So the audience is left going, "What, her new barbarian husband raped her?"
I've seen a screencap that looked like it might be from, y'know, the actual consummation. (Oh, HBO.) So I am hoping that we will revisit that scene next week, and this is just an awkward fake-out that was meant to mislead the audience about Khal Drogo's personality. If not ... well, that's a pretty serious diversion in characterisation from the books, and basically undermines everything that Dany does from here on out. Not to mention that, if a fandom develops that has not read the books, and does not regard the books as canon, then I guess we're going to have a whole lot of fans who look somewhat askance at Drogo fans.
(Because I am a cynic, I predict that if such a fandom does develop, they will write a lot of hawt Robb/Theon slash, and find lots of reasons that the more interesting characters are actually no good at all, none of which are related to the fact that most of the interesting characters are women.)
Things that I liked:
- LENA HEADEY! I had guessed that television would be good to Cersei's character, and it is.
- Jaime was also unexpectedly likeable, and also hot. For, you know, a sisterfucker.
- I was sorry to lose Jennifer Ehle as Catelyn (judging from the timing, I'm guessing she quit to do The King's Speech?) but I really like Michelle Fairley.
- Actually, I'm either positive to neutral towards the entire cast at this point.
- Khal Drogo's guyliner was very nifty.
- Viserys was a hilarious impotent manchild. The only reason I'm not eagerly anticipating his death is that I want Theon's death more.
- I'm pretty eh on the opening credits, but I recognised Winterfell's godswood purely from where it was in relation to the castle.
The Bechdel test:
- Sansa and Septa Mordane have a conversation about Sansa's sewing.
- The conversations between Catelyn and Cersei, and Cersei and Sansa were both great. I love the way Catelyn communicates with her children with just a look.
The drinking game:
The series is ripe for it, only you'd be paralytic before the halfway point. However, if you're game, drink when:
- Someone says, "Winter is coming."
- Direwolves are present.
- Ned and the King are a bit homoerotic.
- A character has sexual tension with a close relative.
- Tyrion shags a prostitute.
In conclusion, because A Softer World remixes are my God now:
In short, at least half of the House o'Squid has been hanging out for this.
suburbannoir went into a full spoiler black-out and refused to even watch trailers. I watched everything, up to the point where the promotional stuff got too much and I decided I could wait. I'm also re-reading the books right now, so events and characters are pretty fresh in my mind.
In terms of reaction, the least spoilery thing I can say is, yes, that was mostly good. I can't even imagine what a person who isn't familiar with the books would make of it (though I, for one, appreciated not getting a full biography of every single character in the opening scene).
piecesofalice was unspoiled, and aside from an aversion to the strummy-strummy Renaissance faire score, seemed to enjoy it. She also spotted that SPOILER and SPOILER are SPOILERING EACH OTHER well before the SHOCKING FINAL SCENE, so well done her. With spoilers, I mention the following faults:
- It's really hard to tell Robb and Jon apart. They have different haircolours, but that's not really obvious in most scenes. Mostly I told them apart by the way Jon is emo and Robb is dull.
- I couldn't tell if Peter Dinklage's accent was bad, or if it was just that Tyrian was drunk in all of his scenes.
- Despite the many, many boobies on display, Lady Catelyn was not naked when Maester Luwin brought Lysa's letter. No middle-aged mother-of-five nudity for us!
- Too bad if you were watching for Alfie Allen? I caught glimpses of him here and there, but that was it. Oh well, it's not as though Theon Greyjoy has any fans. BRING ON ASHA, PLS!
- This is probably silly, but the final scene, "Things I do for love," *bunt child out of window*, was nothing at all how I imagined it, and was ... not very dramatic. I think they should have kept Bran's POV for that.
This is the actual, serious problem: Dany's deflowering scene follows the book, only it ends before she actually consents to, y'know, the deflowering. So the audience is left going, "What, her new barbarian husband raped her?"
I've seen a screencap that looked like it might be from, y'know, the actual consummation. (Oh, HBO.) So I am hoping that we will revisit that scene next week, and this is just an awkward fake-out that was meant to mislead the audience about Khal Drogo's personality. If not ... well, that's a pretty serious diversion in characterisation from the books, and basically undermines everything that Dany does from here on out. Not to mention that, if a fandom develops that has not read the books, and does not regard the books as canon, then I guess we're going to have a whole lot of fans who look somewhat askance at Drogo fans.
(Because I am a cynic, I predict that if such a fandom does develop, they will write a lot of hawt Robb/Theon slash, and find lots of reasons that the more interesting characters are actually no good at all, none of which are related to the fact that most of the interesting characters are women.)
Things that I liked:
- LENA HEADEY! I had guessed that television would be good to Cersei's character, and it is.
- Jaime was also unexpectedly likeable, and also hot. For, you know, a sisterfucker.
- I was sorry to lose Jennifer Ehle as Catelyn (judging from the timing, I'm guessing she quit to do The King's Speech?) but I really like Michelle Fairley.
- Actually, I'm either positive to neutral towards the entire cast at this point.
- Khal Drogo's guyliner was very nifty.
- Viserys was a hilarious impotent manchild. The only reason I'm not eagerly anticipating his death is that I want Theon's death more.
- I'm pretty eh on the opening credits, but I recognised Winterfell's godswood purely from where it was in relation to the castle.
The Bechdel test:
- Sansa and Septa Mordane have a conversation about Sansa's sewing.
- The conversations between Catelyn and Cersei, and Cersei and Sansa were both great. I love the way Catelyn communicates with her children with just a look.
The drinking game:
The series is ripe for it, only you'd be paralytic before the halfway point. However, if you're game, drink when:
- Someone says, "Winter is coming."
- Direwolves are present.
- Ned and the King are a bit homoerotic.
- A character has sexual tension with a close relative.
- Tyrion shags a prostitute.
In conclusion, because A Softer World remixes are my God now:
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 09:46 am (UTC)Hee, that describes my own impression of them.
The changes in the Khal/Daenarys wedding consummation are definitely eyebrow raising. My only hope for this getting fixed next week is that they wouldn't cast such a popular actor to play a one-dimensional rapist character.
(Hi, btw, I added your journal because I always ended up reading your posts through my Network page).
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 11:29 am (UTC)It was a bit confusing. Pretty, but confusing. >.>
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 12:15 pm (UTC)Pretty easy to pick up, I thought. The scriptwriters knew their stuff regarding character introduction and story exposition at least, and there's not been anything narratively surprising. But, oh, my God, the Dothraki. The naked brown murderous barbarians next door to the oh so civilised whitey mcwhiteson Greeks!
Spoiler and spoiler spoilering was obvious from their very first scene. Lovely creepy acting, I thought.
Here's my prediction: Viserys will be a massive fan favourite. I can't wait till he dies. He dies soon, right? Soon? Does his sister kill him? That would make me so happy.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 08:41 pm (UTC)OH, GOD, I KNOW!
In the books, a lot of that is negated as Dany becomes part of them, and gets to understand their culture and language. So I really hope the series pulls that off as well.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 12:47 pm (UTC)The title credits are quite lovely?
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 01:04 pm (UTC)That drinking game would kill me, though.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 04:02 pm (UTC)You mean women over 40 have and enjoy sex and are still sensual beings. Now don't be ridiculous and focus on the more realistic stuff like, um, ice zombies and dragon eggs!
I was sorry to lose Jennifer Ehle as Catelyn (judging from the timing, I'm guessing she quit to do The King's Speech?) but I really like Michelle Fairley.
Me too! By which I mean that I agree on both accounts. I also heard that she was pregnant / had a baby back then and wanted something less time-consuming to spend more time with her family, or something. Although, funnily enough, Lena Headey was also pregnant during the filming, AFAIK, but they concealed that really well.
Speaking of Lena Headey: Both Cersei and Jaime were quite terrific in that episode. Suitably villainous, but not one-dimensional. Which is all the more horrible because Isaac Hempstead-Wright as Bran was very adorable. Ouch.
Because I am a cynic, I predict that if such a fandom does develop, they will write a lot of hawt Robb/Theon slash, and find lots of reasons that the more interesting characters are actually no good at all, none of which are related to the fact that most of the interesting characters are women.
If you ignore the "evil" fanfiction/slash, that's pretty much what ASOIAF book fandom seems to boil down to in lots of places. *snerk*
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 08:41 pm (UTC)WHAT IS ROBB EVEN FOR, SAVE GETTING CATELYN KILLED?
no subject
Date: 2011-04-20 04:09 pm (UTC)It's not even that I dislike him. When I think about him (which doesn't happen all that often, granted), I'm all, "oh, he's a decent bloke, I guess", but mostly he's just ... there?
He does seem quite popular on some big discussion boards, though. He made it to #13 in the Top 30 characters list in the Tower of the Hand vote, but that's a list I spent hours making fun of.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 05:01 pm (UTC)It made pretty good sense to me, although I'm probably better-versed in how those stories work than people who haven't read everything except ASIAF. Stupid library only having the second book.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 06:38 pm (UTC)For example, regarding the thing about preferring my recollections of a book I've read being hazy when I see the onscreen version, I couldn't remember much about Dany and Drogo's wedding aside from A) him giving her a very pretty horse as a gift and B) him turning out to be so. much. better. than her brother. So I got that the whole point of the scenes together were about her being terrified at what kind of man she's being given to (and, you know, underscoring what kind of a vicious fuck her brother is that he'd happily give her to this guy to suit his own quest for power), but I so strongly remember how happy she eventually was with Drogo that it's kind of undercutting those scenes in the episode. I expect the storyline of her gradually getting to know him and learning to love him to be appearing in future episodes, so it wouldn't surprise me if the next episode picks up the two of them right from that scene -- the theme of this episode was her initial terror of him. ETA: Also, Mom and I went from GoT to The Borgias, and that was the episode with Lucretia's wedding, and I was so taken by the directly contrasting wedding nights in the two episodes...
Also, I couldn't remember who was playing Theon, so I didn't recognize him if I saw him, but I was figuring it would be no surprise that he wouldn't be introduced until a later episode. The pilot was introducing enough people as it was.
no subject
Date: 2011-04-19 11:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-04-20 03:44 am (UTC)Also, is David Bradly (Filch) in everything? Also, also! Tonks!