2.01: Game of Thrones - The North Remembers

[ctg]

A bit disappointed that our American fans couldn't create threads. I guess this season isn't going to as successful as the first one.

War grips the continent of Westeros. As Tyrion Lannister tries to take this strong-willed nephew in hand in King's Landing, Stanis Baratheon launches his own campaing to take the Iron Throne with the help of a mysterious priestess. In the east, Daenerys must lead her retinue through a desolate wasteland whilst beyond the Wall the Night's Watch seeks the aid of a wildling.

[Mouse]

I presume other guys are posting in the GRRM forum about it.

Anyways, I watched it today. Was impressed with the lack of sex until... yep, there it was. Completely pointless but brief, thankfully.

Loved seeing the huge direwolf. Can't remember much else of what happened, think it needs to warm up.

[firstfist]

First episode was a good reintroduction to old, and introduction to new characters. Set up a couple major plot points well.

As far as the skin goes...
I could do without it. It almost always felt out of place. The thing is, I never really noticed it all that much during my read of the series. I've recently finished a reread, and noticed it much more in the novels. Almost, so much so that I could possibly argue that the TV series doesn't have enough of it to stay true to the source material. Almost every POV chapter has some sort of lude behavior, or at the least nakedness.
Hopefully we will have more nakedness done with class and reason like most of it was in season one. Episode one's nakedness was tacky, and used only for shock value.

[ctg]

Originally Posted by Mouse

Anyways, I watched it today. Was impressed with the lack of sex until... yep, there it was. Completely pointless but brief, thankfully.

You are strange, my mouse. So strange. You accept blood, violence, murder, suicide, black magic and death of animal beings over something that is so natural.

Why?

The GoT is meant for the adult audience and it's never going to cross the boundary with the younger ones. Hence they are showing it in the Sky Atlantic after nine o'clock. Don't know when it is exactly broadcasted in the states, other than that it comes out at Sunday and ours in Monday.

Surely some could had done the scene in the House of Little Finger a bit differently, but taken in the account that it happen to be a house of pleasures, it was only a brief reminder of the realities in this series.

But I, for one, find it so strange that some of the female folk can read them "romance" novels and watch all sorts - like for example my upcoming daughter-in-law - and when it comes to GoT, they shy away and cannot understand the series, "because it's all sex."



LOL

Love you Mouse. Here, have a bit of Wensleydale.

[ctg]

I have a question in regards of the Lady in the Red (don't know her name yet), but that ruby pendant, is it magically enhanced or is it a piece of dragon's heart?

[Mouse]

Ah no, I don't have a problem with sex at all (more Loras and Renly, I say!). I just didn't think the scene in this episode had any relevance to anything. It was even any of 'our' characters!

That's Melisandre. Didn't notice a pendant! I can't remember it from the books either so can't help.

[ctg]

If you look closely the death scene with her in it, you can see that after the man passes on the floor, the ruby pendant flares up a bit as if it has fire in it. And as far as I understand the magic in the Westros has roots in the dragons, hence the question: is it a piece of dragon's heart?

[Mouse]

Quite possibly. She does have spooky powers, and what with the whole drinking-poison-but-not-dying thing too.

[Warren_Paul]

Risking people coming along and throwing in spoilers here.


The nude scene was unnecessary, just an excuse to get naked women on the screen. If they wanted such a scene, it would have been better taste to have Shay show a bit of flesh in that scene with Tyrion instead.

And considering Loras and Renly didn't even do anything in the book - although it was implied - I see no need to include it in the show either, beyond implying it, which is what Petyr did at the tournament in season one.

[Keldaris]

Originally Posted by ctg

If you look closely the death scene with her in it, you can see that after the man passes on the floor, the ruby pendant flares up a bit as if it has fire in it. And as far as I understand the magic in the Westros has roots in the dragons, hence the question: is it a piece of dragon's heart?

She is Melisandre priestess of R'hllor(a religion of the free cities) The gem around her neck is a ruby, it flare up like fire to represent her gods powers. R'hllor's power is based on fire, which is why you saw her burning the statues of the seven,whom she declares false gods.

on a sidenote, the mans name was Maester cressen....not sure if they named him in the episode if they did I missed it...

it's really hard not to explain anymore without giving spoilers...Just remember the series is actually called A song of ice and fire dragons,blood magic and a fiery god are only some aspects of magic...Warging, greensight, prophecy, necromancy(well kind of...), the old gods, the others(white walkers), Faceless men(you all saw one of them...but i can't say more on the subject yet) also exist...hell even the wall has some magic about it!


PS:GREY WIND LOOKED AWESOME!! I'm glad they finally got the direwolves right, can't wait to see full grown ghost....

[Warren_Paul]

Originally Posted by Keldaris

PS:GREY WIND LOOKED AWESOME!! I'm glad they finally got the direwolves right, can't wait to see full grown ghost....

Definitely! More direwolves, please!

Of course they are CG now, since they are too big to be real wolves, which allows them to do that extra creepy feeling to them.

[svalbard]

It was a good episode to get the series going again. Highlights for me were Tyrion arriving at King's Landing, Jack Gleeson as Joffery and Stannis dictating the letter. That was the perfect way to get across Stannis's character.

I also thought the added scenes at the end with Janos Slynt killing the baby was a good way of showing what a **** the guy is.

Anyone notice the better production values so far in this season. It looks like they have a bigger budget this time round.

[Ursa major]

Won't be seeing this until the DVD comes out, but....

I thought the wolves were meant to be real wolves (the "actors", that is, not the dire wolves in the book); the cgi is used to place them on screen with the humans, making them look bigger while doing so.

[svalbard]

Originally Posted by Ursa major

Won't be seeing this until the DVD comes out, but....

I thought the wolves were meant to be real wolves (the "actors", that is, not the dire wolves in the book); the cgi is used to place them on screen with the humans, making them look bigger while doing so.

You could be right, Ursa, but they looked enhanced this time round, especially Grey Wind. Did you get Season 1 on DVD?

[Ursa major]

Yes. (Well, the blu-ray.) Well worth the wait. Give or take the poorly-attended jousting, I think they did an excellent job.

And now, it seems from various comments I've read, the budget is either enhanced, or they've made good use of existing sets (from season 1) and spent the money that process saved really well.