Comments on: Game of Thrones: Redux

By: Miranda

Miranda — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:28:11 +0000

In reply to Stephen B.

It makes “Do you remember our first ride?” bloody nonsensical, though, dunnit.

Both Rob and I went “YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THAT TEARFUL NON-CON SEX! THAT RIDE!” at the screen when she said that.

By: Stephen B

Stephen B — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 11:35:16 +0000

In reply to Joff.

Interesting! (Why am I not surprised that GRRM said “You know? This isn’t grim enough. Make it nastier.”)

As for men in the fridge (awesome) I keep thinking of this: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/615/wtmnmv.jpg/sr=1

By: Joff

Joff — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 16:02:32 +0000

Martin said that they went with the less consensual first night with Drogo because it was never meant to be OK, in the book, Dany is much younger (many of the characters are), so with an older Dany, things happening as they did in the book didn’t sufficiently highlight how fucked up the situation her brother put her in was.

That said, the later stages of that arc are a lovely reversal of one of the more unpleasantly misogynistic tropes common in genre fiction these days. By which I mean that’s one big manly refrigerator right there.

By: Mark W

Mark W — Tue, 28 Jun 2011 13:30:29 +0000

What I’m wondering is how they’re going to treat Brienne of Tarth when she appears.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 12:21:23 +0000

In reply to Stephen B.

I totally agree with you about Danaerys and Drogo. I feel like it makes both of them come off as much weaker than they actually are, and also makes some things not make sense. When Drogo is so protective of Danaerys claiming the women from the village they raid, in the book it makes total sense because he’s actively defending her point of view rather than her personal safety. In the series it’s a bit…I don’t know, less rounded as an action. Both of them end up looking wrong in some ways – I found Danaerys in the books really manipulative and clever. In the series she comes off as all brute strength and force of will, which is part of it but I don’t think it’s the whole story.

Arya is my absolute favourite character in the books and I wish she got more time on the screen :( Something I liked about the books is that -all- of the characters started off almost stereotypical and developed over time. Not just the women, though it was definitely refreshing to see it happening for both. The only male characters that I can really see developing like they do in the books are Tyrion and Jon, and to be honest they get the most screen time so it’s not surprising.

Mixed feelings about it but overall erring towards pleasantly surprised I think. However if they mess up my Arya I kill them. Dead.

By: James R

James R — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 11:33:06 +0000

I concur with the above: I read the book after the series and the distinction between Dany’s wedding night is just a bit odd. It’s rather less rapey in the book and I’m not really sure why they took the choice they did, here.

By: Stephen B

Stephen B — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 08:47:38 +0000

I just don’t understand it. Fair enough, George RR Martin chose to go medieval and have women be just as oppressed and powerless as they were histoically – it’s a shame our fantasies so rarely go the other way when they’re meant to be imaginative, but fine, that’s the book.

What I don’t get is why HBO then invented entirely new things, especially the epic racefail that is most scenes with the Dothraki. Danaerys’ first night was NOT a rape in the books, her relationship with Drogo was completely different, HE was different – more intelligent, communicative and subtle, and the entire Dothraki culture was a full culture, not the charicatured savages HBO went with.

There are several decisions about the female characters which stay the same as the books, mostly as you say where they start off oppressed and later become kick-ass. I’m okay with that IF it causes the viewer/reader to see their situation and want it to get better. I think GRRM manages this. But HBO invented so much of the dynamic between Danaerys and Drogo (and the Dothraki) in the show that this is entirely on them.

They do have fantastic actresses though :) Especially Maisie Williams and Michelle Fairley. It’s incredibly rare for women over 40 to get screentime at all, and scenes such as the one with only Catelyn and the very old Lord she is bargaining with have no shiny teens in them, just amazing acting.

Overall I thought the series came out as a win, but with some inexplicable decisions from HBO.