TV Review: Game of Thrones

Warning: Possible minor spoilers ahead for Game of Thrones. If you have any interest in watching the show or reading the books, go no further.

About two years ago I heard of a series of books called "A Song of Ice and Fire," by the author George R.R. Martin. They were talking about how the first book, "A Game of Thrones," would be turned into an HBO series with Sean Bean. I'm always one for a good fantasy epic, so I rushed through all four monster-sized books to prepare myself. I was intrigued because I'll watch almost anything with Sean Bean, and a fantasy epic shown on HBO? Where could it go wrong?

Well, the books are amazing, if a little dense. It's one of those series that has to have an explanation in the back with all the characters, their houses, extended family, etc. Apparently it had been quite some time before the last book was written, as the fifth one is just coming out next week. I believe it's been almost 5 years. So the natives are getting restless. I have no doubt in my mind that Martin planned this release to coincide with the show on HBO. And no, I am not going to suggest everyone read the books. They are not for everyone, and yes, a bit daunting at times.

I had my doubts, and my worries, but the show was excellent. Of course there are things I will nitpick about, as always. It was good that I watched the show with my husband. He's never read the books and had a fresh outlook on the events going on in the show. I was intrigued at the very first when almost two years before the show began, the first trailer was shown on HBO with the simple tagline: "Winter is Coming." (and get used to hearing that phrase- I told the husband we should have a drinking game for every time someone says that line).

Now all we had to wait was two years. Easy, right?  Hah! I kept myself occupied reading through all the books, but others who didn't want to were very anxious indeed.

So my thoughts on the series?  I loved it.  I loved it more than I loved True Blood, which was another favorite of mine. Sean Bean was perfectly cast as head of house Stark, Eddard. Whoever the young actor is that plays Joffrey is also perfect. I already wanted to smack him in the face after seeing him on screen for the first time. They managed to take monster books and turn them into an excellent 10 episode series. Rory McCann as the Hound...wow. Perfectly cast, if they only gave him a few more lines and some damn screen time, which leads me to...

the things that bothered me with the series.  They aged the characters quite a bit. I understand it was probably for the sake of the audience, as many of the children are young and have horrifying things happen to them. Martin had no problem writing about them, so shouldn't the audience be mature enough to handle it? A few examples are Daenarys, who is 13 in the book, but looks about 21 in the show. Sansa Stark is also supposed to be around 12 in the books, but looks like 18 in the show. I don't know why, but it irked me a bit.

The Hound. Again. This character has such incredible scenes in the first book, and yet they took his most important scene and gave it to Littlefinger!!! Littlefinger had no right telling Sansa how exactly the Hound got his scars. This is a pivotal scene in the book between Sandor and Sansa, and the writers of the show just smacked fans in the face with it. (warning: possible spoiler!) 

Sansa and the Hound have an interesting...friendship later on in the books, and this scene would have set it up nicely.

Anyhoos...My last gripe is the time they wasted on the made up character. Yes. That whore, Roz. Wow. When I think of all the other scenes they could have included, and the characters, it just blows my mind. I am fully aware of the need for boobs and butts in a show (hello, True Blood!) but was it really necessary to have this bitch in almost every episode? Ok, we've seen her rack. It's lovely. Now can we move on to something more important???  I'm no prude, and I enjoy the flesh as much as anyone else, but this just agitated many fans.

Otherwise, the show was true and loyal to the books. It ended, of course, with a major character death that had many newbies crying out in outrage. "Maybe this character won't really be dead," they hoped. Nope. Sorry to disappoint, but they are really and truly dead. Gone. And when I first read the book, I was as shocked as anyone else. But Martin is good at that: he kills off major characters in all the books, but as you keep on reading, there are new people and you slowly forget how upset you were about these deaths. He makes up for it. And I think if an author has the guts to do that, then he is a great author indeed.  Some people are vowing not to come back for Season 2, but they are only short-changing themselves. 

So I'm ready to get my grubby little hands on the new novel next week (A Dance with Dragons, not that you asked) and spend the next week with my nose pressed against the book.  And while I impatiently wait for Season 2 next year, I can soothe myself with the re-runs on HBO.

And here is one of my favorite scenes thus far. Enjoy!

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