1.02 Game of Thrones - The Kings Road

I think overrall I enjoyed this episode a bit more than the first.

I really enjoyed the scenes with Jon and Tyrion, as well as the scene with Jon and Arya. I like how they have portrayed those relationships so far. Even with just the one scene between Jon and Arya, you really got a feel for how close those two are.

I felt some things were missing though. Ghost was non existent. Even on the long shot where we see the Kings people and those of the Night Watch split up, Ghost is nowhere to be seen. Shouldn't he be following Jon? I guess we just assume he is going with him.
I was also disappointed they didn't include the line Catelyn says to Jon in Bran's room, 'It should have been you.' That was a very powerful scene for me in the books, I always hated reading that but it really shows her feelings for him.
And what about the three eyed crow? Will we see him in the next episode? I sure hope so, I would be disappointed if they left that out...seems important enough to me to include.

As for Theon, I really haven't seen enough to form an opinion of him yet. Tyrion, Jon, and Dany are my favorites so far. Mark Addy is doing very well as Robert, much better than I was expecting. And Maisie Williams IS Arya. I'm still looking forward to them reaching Kings Landing where we will get to meet more of the cast of characters.

And I've always pronounced it 'Aria', the way it is pronounced in music.

Does anyone know what ratings/viewers this second episode received?
 
Just watched it. Gah! Hate Joffrey so much!

What I don't get is why Lady? Aren't Summer and Grey Wind (is that Robb's? I forget!) there? Or are they somewhere else? It's all a bit confusing actually and I've read the books! Were they separate in this episode? Starks in Starkland then the others (Ned, Ar-yuh ;), Sansa) in Lannisterland? Or somewhere else?

I know I sound like a wally, but it really was a long time ago I read the books, and I only read them once.

I kept waiting to see Ghost. Where was he?

I have no recollection of who Ilyn (sp?) Payne is.

Dany bits were ok. Viserys... yes, loving Harry Lloyd.

Tyrion... Damnit! I totally ruined him for myself. I spent the first few scenes of the episode sniggering to myself. I don't belieeeeeeeve it!

Jaime... weirdly attractive in this episode. More so than Jon.

Theon. No.

Did I mention how much I hate Joffrey?
 
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Really enjoyed this episode, too - like others I wanted to hear that "It should have been you" because it was such a powerful thing to say, but it was clear the writers wanted to keep attention focused on establishing Jon as a ******* and Ned's refusal to answer even the king on this issue, so I can appreciate that.

Overall, there is a lot of movement missing from the books, but it's been transferred very well into a TV series so far - it's picking up momentum, the locations are memorable (ie, a scene opens, you know where they are) and the characters are slowly but surely coming to the fore.

It's always going to be a sticking point on how the cuts fall, and I think after the first season cuts are going to become far more contentious.

However, at this point I think it's becoming a very fluid and clean translation, and the spirit of the GRRM books is being carried nicely. Even better, it's very watchable for people who don't know the books, and there's nothing being done to lose them as yet, which I think is especially important.
 
Mouse, you're first line seems a bit like a spoiler. You may want to edit it. :)

Well it does now. :rolleyes: Honestly, as people are talking about ep 2 in the ep 1 thread I didn't think anybody was worried about spoilers.

(Like I've said, I've read the books, but I still don't want to read about episodes I haven't watched yet!)

Summer (Bran's) and Grey Wind (Robb's) are in Winterfell still, whereas Lady (Sansa's) and Nymeria (Arya's) are traveling with the Kings host.

Ilyn Payne is the Kings Justice.

Cool, thanks. :)
 
I think it's more 'cos this section, Game of Thrones, is supposed to be strictly tv based and to avoid spoilers from later on in the books that new people might stumble across.
 
Yes. Great. I haven't actually written any spoilers. :)

(sorry, that sounds a bit b*tchy doesn't it? Long day)

My comment: Honestly, as people are talking about ep 2 in the ep 1 thread I didn't think anybody was worried about spoilers.

Was meant as a hint to the mods to get rid of that post in the other thread (or move it to this one). I was an admin on the two biggest Lost fan sites for six years, it's hard-wired into me to not write spoilers and to seek and destroy them!
 
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Removed Mouse potential spoiler - all fine with the world again. :)

(Of course, it was only a spoiler if you read the books, and I doubt anyone watching would have picked up on it - still better safe and all that. :) )
 
It wasn't a spoiler! People are going to think I'm mentally retarded. Saying I want a character to die isn't a spoiler. GAH!

I'm going to step away from the computer now. (Sorry, Brian.)
 
Great episode!!
Is there anyone on this forum here that has NOT read the books?
I am very interested in their thoughts.

I haven't read the books and am really enjoying it so far. I'm struggling to tell all the characters apart (everyone has too many brothers -ok in books but hard work in films) but am helped by having someone better with faces next to me.
:eek:
I think I can tell where there is exposition missing, but I'm truly hooked and sure that I'll catch on who's who eventually. (name tags floating on the screen would look a bit naff wouldn't they!)
 
An easy way to work out who's who is to look at people's features - the main Houses have distinguishing physical features:

- The Lannisters are the most obvious, with blonde hair and golden looks (Queen Cersei, Jaime, Tyrion and the three children, Prince Joffrey, Prince Tommen and Princess Myrcella)
- The Tully's (Catelyn Stark is a Tully) have red hair (Catelyn, Robb Stark, Sansa Stark, Bran Stark, to a degree, and Rickon Stark)
- The Starks are very rough around the edges, with dark looks (Eddard Stark, Benjen Stark of the Night's Watch, Arya Stark and Jon Snow, Ned's *******)
- The Baratheons are generally described as having dark hair (King Robert)
- And the most obvious are the Targaryens, with white hair (Daenerys and Viserys).

There are other Houses, but they don't play as big a part (well, the Tully's don't, really, but you can tell who is a Tully by their looks) - you can tell who does by their crest, as the Big Four feature in the title sequence (the Lannister's lion, Stark's direwolf, Baratheon's crowned stag and Targaryen's dragon).
 
There are a lot of characters, and as the story progresses, and visits new places, a whole slew of new cast members will be introduced. People would have an easier time following the story if they would pay special attention to the few standout characters through whom the story is actually being told. If you don't know a character's name by now, it is likely that character isn't one of those that I'm referring to (although, admittedly, not in every case)

The king and queen's children are not driving the story right now. They are important, but nearly all their screen time is dominated by someone else. Don't try to figure out what they are doing. Pay attention to how other, currently more important character's, react to them, and you won't miss so much of the story on your first watch.

For instance, Peter Dinklage's character, Tyrion the Imp, doesn't like his oldest nephew. He does like his youngest nephew, and his niece. (You may be saying to yourself, "I didn't know the Imp had more than one nephew.") NOT important. Those facts are apparent on screen, but they aren't important right now. Just focus on Peter Dinklage and other characters that you see a lot of, not those who populate the background. If they are important, that will become apparent as the story progresses.

The truth is, most of us who are acquainted with the books discover something new every time we re-read them. This is a good thing. The re-read value of the series is high, and I imagine the re-watch value will be the same.
 
I thought it much better than the last one, loved Arya, hated Joff, as expected, but the actor must be playing it right as I really hate him :)

Sansa I was expecting to be a lot prettier but she could be her mother's daughter as Cat is much older than imagined

Jon and Rob are shorter than I thought as Jaime towered over them

Something is wrong with Cersei as I am quite liking her character on screen yet I hated her in the books lol, but looking forward to her development

Pleased they didn't show Lady getting it as I was in bits waiting for that bit and for Micah and thought Sansa captured her character as wanted to slap her at that point

Liked seeing Jon's reaction to realising his fellows in the Nights watch were rapists and thieves, thought they played that well with Tyrion

The Kings retinue was pretty pathetic considering most of them were heading for the wall, were was the Queens carriage?

I thought they made up for lack of Ned and Jon interaction by his saying farewell on the road and promising to talk about his mother next time, I liked Jon's farewell to Bran, and isn't Bran a cutie

Oh and Ned didn't come across as so straight laced in his chat with Robert about whores as he does in the books, seemed like Jon could be his after all, he only looked a little uncomfortable when discussing past conquests although most were Roberts
 
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I haven't read the books and am really enjoying it so far. I'm struggling to tell all the characters apart (everyone has too many brothers -ok in books but hard work in films) but am helped by having someone better with faces next to me.
:eek:
I think I can tell where there is exposition missing, but I'm truly hooked and sure that I'll catch on who's who eventually. (name tags floating on the screen would look a bit naff wouldn't they!)

Hi CBellenis-
Yes there are alot of brothers! keep in mind Theon is not actually Robb and Bran's brother.Theon is the shorter guy at Winterfell who seems to look alot like Robb but not too handsome. Theon is sort of a ward or hostage to Ned Stark, his people are from the west coast of Westeros and they are a seafaring Viking-Pirate sort of folk.
Also Robb and Brans tyoungest brother Rickon is real small and we really have not even seen him.

I have been rewatching the first two episodes and if you feel like watching again it'll help. There are alot of cool folks here too if you have questions.
 
I don't think that was the King's Host, only Ned's retinue leaving for the King's Host.

Something interesting from Cersei's speech to Catelyn

“I lost my first boy, a little black-haired beauty. He was a fighter too, tried to beat the fever that took him. Forgive me. It’s the last thing you need to hear right now. It was years ago. Robert was crazed, beat his hands bloody on the wall, all the things men do to show you how much they care. The boy looked just like him. Such a little thing. A bird without feathers. They came to take his body away and Robert held me. I screamed and I battled, but he held me. That little bundle. They took him away and I never saw him again. Never have visited the crypt, never. I pray to the mother every morning and night that she return your child to you. Perhaps this time she’ll listen.”

Read the bolded bit as if she were talking about Jamie pushing Bran from the window.

It may not be canon but it is the spirit of the series. The veiled meaning, the questions you ask yourself of what does this truly mean, what is this character truly saying. That is ASOIAF in a nutshell.
 
I'm also glad they didn't show the bit with Lady, i couldn't have watched that.

Still really enjoying it. I haven't read the books in a while so really I just have a general gist of how the books went. Which is good because then I'm not annoyed at missing bits

I also appreciated the brief male nudity :p

(BTW the bloke at work who was an extra he's in the scene in the tavern, when Ned Stark turns to see Sansa come in, some guards turn their heads, one turns his head back - that's our guy. Also in the scene with Sansa, the hound, Joffery and Ilyria(?) in the background is a cart, near the end of the scene with just Joffrey & Sansa a guard walks over at stands beside it - that's our guy)
 
Thank you very much everyone fro your help, I'm getting there.
I've even printed off your dramatis personae Lenny, as if I can get my head round that and with the hbo site I'll be away!
Certainly it looks for all your comments about the series so far as if the books should rise to the top of the 'to read' list.
Love this site! :D
 
I envisioned Sir Ilyn Payne as being a bigger man than what he's being depicted as in the series. It seems that he kept getting pushed around in the Episode 2, and i never got the impression that he was a man to be pushed around from the books.
 

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