Game of Thrones, episode three:
May. 5th, 2011 09:18 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marinessWhoops! Just realized that I hadn't gotten around to posting my various random thoughts on episode three of Game of Thrones, not to mention my random thoughts on Fringe, although I think I'll be saving the Fringe thoughts until the season actually ends. So, anyway, in no particular order, the various random thoughts on episode. To be clear even to those reading this on tiny iPhone screens, I may very well mention plot points from the first book:
1. My three favorite scenes, in no particular order: Jaime and Ned's conversation before the Iron Throne; Old Nan telling the story of the White Walkers (that was chilling); Arya and Syrio learning the water dance. I think Old Nan's story is particularly effective since we, as viewers/readers, know that yes, she's pretty much telling the complete truth here, even as Robb casually dismisses the entire tale.
Also, awesome little insertion of the tale of Ser Duncan the Tall. (If you haven't read the books, this doesn't matter; it was thrown into the scene as a nod to the George RR Martin obsessed and is pretty irrelevant to the rest of the plot.)
Incidentally, Arya continues to be everyone's favorite character; I mention this because she's not one of my favorites from the books at all, but this actress is so adorable she's winning me over for this season at least. Spectacular find on the part of HBO – that's a role that easily, easily could have gone very very wrong, and instead it's going well.
2. Ok, HBO, we got it. The little dragon eggs are Very Important (although I'm still not happy about what they look like. Why couldn't you have made them all shimmery?). I also get that you wanted to make sure this didn't come out of nowhere, but, if I may make a slight criticism, this is what we, in the business, call overselling, since everyone who hasn't read the books is now expecting little baby dragons by the very next episode and is already expressing dissatisfaction that the baby dragons haven't hatched yet. Specifically everybody wants little baby dragons to eat Viserys, and soon.
3. Speaking of Viserys, our unified favorite line of the night: "You. Walk." YAY! Two of us even clapped.
4. Also, HBO, people don't want to sound overly critical but they were shocked to get through an entire episode without a Dany nipple episode. This isn't like you. I mean, sure, it's like the book, but it isn't like you. Restore the nipples! You have a reputation to maintain, and random topless women in other scenes just isn't going to do it for us.
5. Very happy with the casting of the rest of the small council. It took SP approximately five seconds to realize that Littlefinger was, how shall we say this, perhaps NOT the most trustworthy sort. Varys genuinely looked and sounded pretty much exactly as I pictured him, although I am somewhat wondering how a few later scenes will work with this particular actor.
6. Enjoying Peter Dinklage's performance as far as mannerisms and timing, but really, really finding the accent distracting. Maybe it's because he's up against a bunch of genuine Brits, but all I keep hearing is, "Hi! I'm an American putting on a fake British accent here!" I realize that when it comes to faking British accents I am in no position to criticize, but still, every time I hear him, I think, American.
I'm also mildly amused that none of the Starks seem to have the same British accent, but that's less distracting.
7. I'm also less than certain about the scene where we got so see Cersei instructing Joffrey on the power of propaganda. Well acted, certainly, but this sudden awareness of his flaws, including how easily he could be disarmed by an eleven year old girl, seems most un-Joffreylike.
1. My three favorite scenes, in no particular order: Jaime and Ned's conversation before the Iron Throne; Old Nan telling the story of the White Walkers (that was chilling); Arya and Syrio learning the water dance. I think Old Nan's story is particularly effective since we, as viewers/readers, know that yes, she's pretty much telling the complete truth here, even as Robb casually dismisses the entire tale.
Also, awesome little insertion of the tale of Ser Duncan the Tall. (If you haven't read the books, this doesn't matter; it was thrown into the scene as a nod to the George RR Martin obsessed and is pretty irrelevant to the rest of the plot.)
Incidentally, Arya continues to be everyone's favorite character; I mention this because she's not one of my favorites from the books at all, but this actress is so adorable she's winning me over for this season at least. Spectacular find on the part of HBO – that's a role that easily, easily could have gone very very wrong, and instead it's going well.
2. Ok, HBO, we got it. The little dragon eggs are Very Important (although I'm still not happy about what they look like. Why couldn't you have made them all shimmery?). I also get that you wanted to make sure this didn't come out of nowhere, but, if I may make a slight criticism, this is what we, in the business, call overselling, since everyone who hasn't read the books is now expecting little baby dragons by the very next episode and is already expressing dissatisfaction that the baby dragons haven't hatched yet. Specifically everybody wants little baby dragons to eat Viserys, and soon.
3. Speaking of Viserys, our unified favorite line of the night: "You. Walk." YAY! Two of us even clapped.
4. Also, HBO, people don't want to sound overly critical but they were shocked to get through an entire episode without a Dany nipple episode. This isn't like you. I mean, sure, it's like the book, but it isn't like you. Restore the nipples! You have a reputation to maintain, and random topless women in other scenes just isn't going to do it for us.
5. Very happy with the casting of the rest of the small council. It took SP approximately five seconds to realize that Littlefinger was, how shall we say this, perhaps NOT the most trustworthy sort. Varys genuinely looked and sounded pretty much exactly as I pictured him, although I am somewhat wondering how a few later scenes will work with this particular actor.
6. Enjoying Peter Dinklage's performance as far as mannerisms and timing, but really, really finding the accent distracting. Maybe it's because he's up against a bunch of genuine Brits, but all I keep hearing is, "Hi! I'm an American putting on a fake British accent here!" I realize that when it comes to faking British accents I am in no position to criticize, but still, every time I hear him, I think, American.
I'm also mildly amused that none of the Starks seem to have the same British accent, but that's less distracting.
7. I'm also less than certain about the scene where we got so see Cersei instructing Joffrey on the power of propaganda. Well acted, certainly, but this sudden awareness of his flaws, including how easily he could be disarmed by an eleven year old girl, seems most un-Joffreylike.