Game of Thrones fans here?

[tower912]

This season seems somewhat less focused to me.   Before, they had the densely written source material.  This year, they have the cliff's notes outlines.    Maybe because I know it, I am looking for it.

[chapman]

If it makes you feel better about Shireen, the idea to torch her came from Martin, who apparently told Weiss and Benioff that'll be her fate in the next book. As brutal as the scene was, I completely disagree with the complaint that it was for the sake of "keeping it interesting." To the contrary, it was essential to the character arc of Stannis, who we shouldn't forget not only is not a good guy, but someone who has burned people and sacrificed family before for the sake of his ambition.

The show character, at least.  The book character is all about his duty.  The total botch of the character has been the biggest miss in adaptation, IMO. 

Last week might have been the biggest hit; Hardhome didn't involve Jon and was only briefly mentioned as happening elsewhere in the book.  They went right on location and got an awesome sequence out of it.

[Pakuni]

The show character, at least.  The book character is all about his duty.  The total botch of the character has been the biggest miss in adaptation, IMO.

Sense of duty. Ambition. Is there much difference here? Stannis believes it's his destiny (and what's best for the Seven Kingdoms) that he become king, and he'll make any sacrifice - even ones that are personally painful - to achieve it. I think what happened in last night's episode just took that character trait to its logical extreme.
There are some obvious religious overtones to all that as well, no?

[brewcity77]

This season seems somewhat less focused to me.   Before, they had the densely written source material.  This year, they have the cliff's notes outlines.    Maybe because I know it, I am looking for it.

They may be doing a cliffs notes version, but we are still at least a couple seasons away from them running out of source material.

[MU82]

I haven't read one word in one of the books, and I probably won't.

I am enjoying the show immensely despite the uncomfortable moments that have been discussed in this thread.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Yea. Night's King > Dragon rider. The princess burning was absolutely coming since stannis left the wall, but it was still pretty terrible.

Cbb - I think I recall you're a big fan of the show. Why the change?

I feel like it is becoming too reliant on special effects, CGI and eye candy....less on the story and character development.  Just my two cents.

[jesmu84]

I'm lukewarm on this season. There are a lot of things I don't like. Last night's sacrifice of Shireen was certainly up there. I also didn't like the twist with Ramsey tormenting Sansa. Totally unnecessary twist. I mean...we know from the whole Reek thing that Ramsey is an awful human being. We also know that Sansa was tormented by Joffrey. Having her endure that again while reinforcing that Ramsey is awful is just unnecessary.

Sure, there have been some good moments this season, but there have also been some spectacular low points and not in a good way. This is why I didn't like it when they started deviating from the books in Season 2. I get it, a lot of people read the books and you want to spice it up for them, but GRRM is bloody enough with his main characters. You don't need to further kill/abuse/torture characters, especially ones like Shireen (one of the few innocents and already tormented by Greyscale) and Sansa (already been through this ringer before), just for the sake of "keeping it interesting."

I hate to be one of "those people" because I get creative license, but they are quite literally abusing it this season.

To be fair, I am pretty sure Ramsay tortured "Sansa" in the books as well, just turns out it wasn't really Sansa. So, it was kind of a confluence of two story lines into one, and they had to decide if it was going to follow more Ramsay or Sansa

[brewcity77]

To be fair, I am pretty sure Ramsay tortured "Sansa" in the books as well, just turns out it wasn't really Sansa. So, it was kind of a confluence of two story lines into one, and they had to decide if it was going to follow more Ramsay or Sansa

Fake Arya in the books, but yeah. One problem with GRRM is that he has no problem ignoring a character for ages, but on TV they always want their main characters present.

[Henry Sugar]

There seems to be a lot more "tut-tut"ing about the show that has popped up this year. Shireen is just the latest example, but there was the Sansa rape episode before that.

It's like people forget that the very first episode had several beheadings, brother-sister incest, and the defenestration of a child.

"Game of Thrones" = Awful things happen to pretty much everyone

[tower912]

There seems to be a lot more "tut-tut"ing about the show that has popped up this year. Shireen is just the latest example, but there was the Sansa rape episode before that.

It's like people forget that the very first episode had several beheadings, brother-sister incest, and the defenestration of a child.

"Game of Thrones" = Awful things happen to pretty much everyone

And there really isn't anyone to root for, as they are all going to do the expedient and then probably die. 

[Galway Eagle]

Who do you guys support for their claim to the throne? And what happened to the two stark boys? That story kinda disappeared.

[Pakuni]

Who do you guys support for their claim to the throne? And what happened to the two stark boys? That story kinda disappeared.

Bran and Rickon will return in season 6.

Nobody is really worthy of the throne, except perhaps Tyrion and Jon, neither of whom are claiming it.

[tower912]

Who do you guys support for their claim to the throne? And what happened to the two stark boys? That story kinda disappeared.

I certainly got the vibe that the threat of the White walkers are going to be a unifying force for the disparate groups.   

[Galway Eagle]

Bran and Rickon will return in season 6.

Nobody is really worthy of the throne, except perhaps Tyrion and Jon, neither of whom are claiming it.

I agree about who's worthy but neither of them have a legit claim to it.  Daenarys and stannis have the most legit claims, I guess if robert's bastard is still alive he has one to. I'd like to see Jon on the throne but doubt that happens. 

I think the Dragons clash with the white walkers the whole fire vs ice thing as a war. Somehow I think Jon and Daenarys end up together. It just seems like something that'd happen while fighting the walkers.

[Pakuni]

I agree about who's worthy but neither of them have a legit claim to it.  Daenarys and stannis have the most legit claims, I guess if robert's bastard is still alive he has one to. I'd like to see Jon on the throne but doubt that happens. 

I think the Dragons clash with the white walkers the whole fire vs ice thing as a war. Somehow I think Jon and Daenarys end up together. It just seems like something that'd happen while fighting the walkers.

There's a pretty good, credible theory out there for why Jon has a very legitimate claim to it.

[Galway Eagle]

There's a pretty good, credible theory out there for why Jon has a very legitimate claim to it.

Yeah I think a buddy mentioned it to me once but it was after a few rounds so I can't recall it. It's based off the idea that his mother was robert's sister right?

[Pakuni]

Yeah I think a buddy mentioned it to me once but it was after a few rounds so I can't recall it. It's based off the idea that his mother was robert's sister right?

No.
It's based on who might be his real father (not Ned) and mother.
I'd rather not detail any more, in case anyone doesn't (or doesn't want to) know, but you can find it out there in the interwebs pretty easily.

[Galway Eagle]

No.
It's based on who might be his real father (not Ned) and mother.
I'd rather not detail any more, in case anyone doesn't (or doesn't want to) know, but you can find it out there in the interwebs pretty easily.

Gotcha. Thanks I'll search for it.

[chapman]

Who do you guys support for their claim to the throne?

Him, because of:




But he will never sit the throne, which I am also fine with.

[muwarrior69]

There seems to be a lot more "tut-tut"ing about the show that has popped up this year. Shireen is just the latest example, but there was the Sansa rape episode before that.

It's like people forget that the very first episode had several beheadings, brother-sister incest, and the defenestration of a child.

"Game of Thrones" = Awful things happen to pretty much everyone

Wow Henry...good word.

[chapman]

I'm lukewarm on this season. There are a lot of things I don't like. Last night's sacrifice of Shireen was certainly up there. I also didn't like the twist with Ramsey tormenting Sansa. Totally unnecessary twist. I mean...we know from the whole Reek thing that Ramsey is an awful human being. We also know that Sansa was tormented by Joffrey. Having her endure that again while reinforcing that Ramsey is awful is just unnecessary.

Sure, there have been some good moments this season, but there have also been some spectacular low points and not in a good way. This is why I didn't like it when they started deviating from the books in Season 2. I get it, a lot of people read the books and you want to spice it up for them, but GRRM is bloody enough with his main characters. You don't need to further kill/abuse/torture characters, especially ones like Shireen (one of the few innocents and already tormented by Greyscale) and Sansa (already been through this ringer before), just for the sake of "keeping it interesting."

I hate to be one of "those people" because I get creative license, but they are quite literally abusing it this season.

I feel like it is becoming too reliant on special effects, CGI and eye candy....less on the story and character development.  Just my two cents.

Think this article does a pretty good job of echoing your feelings:

http://www.vox.com/2015/6/8/8748255/game-of-thrones-shocking-moments

[Warrior Code]

Bran and Rickon will return in season 6.

Nobody is really worthy of the throne, except perhaps Tyrion and Jon, neither of whom are claiming it.

Bran is going to get inside the mind of one of the dragons, and things are going to go DOWN. You'll forget he was missing for a whole season. Not a spoiler, just a hunch.

[MU82]

They went out of their way to let us know that Valyrian steel swords can take down white walkers. Curious to see how that develops. Is there enough Valyrian steel out there to equip a small army?

[muwarrior69]

Well I think I finally have an hunch how this Game of Thrones will end on HBO. In the final scene of the last episode there will be total silence with the Dark King sitting on the Iron Throne to rule all the dead.

[Vander Blue Man Group]

This is pretty brilliant in case anyone hasn't seen it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BabsgCQhpu4