Rywill
1801
Maise Williams (Arya) got extensive sword training, and also learned to fight left-handed (she’s right-handed) at her own insistence, according to the producers. The other male characters also got sword training, except for Theon (who I guess just did archery). There’s a “making of” video featuring the main fight trainer, who says most of the actors didn’t need much training because they were athletic to begin with. How true that is, who knows.
What’s really amazing about Maisie Williams is that she’s naturally right-handed, but because Arya fights with her left, she forced herself to learn left-handed swordsmanship.
Blips
1803
Ha that’s brilliant. Nice to see such dedication to the character.
“War was easier than daughters.”
I pretty much agree with everyone who thinks Arya and Tyrion steals just about every scene they are in so far. I’m a bit disappointed that there isn’t as much focus on the direwolves and how they relate to each Stark like it is in the books, but considering they only get 10 episodes for the first two seasons, I guess it is to be expected that not everything can be fleshed out.
I’m not really feeling the two actresses playing Cersei and Dany, as they aren’t really how I pictured them to be based on the books.
Overall though, I’m really enjoying the series and hope that its popular enough that we get the whole series instead of what happened with Deadwood and Rome.
The problem is if you re-watch the scene she’s clearly using her right hand a lot (when Syrio stops her, for instance). So either the film stock is reversed or she’s just not using her left that much. It’s a small thing really, but…
— Alan
Hugin
1807
Actually she only goes right handed for one segment of the exchanges. All the others she either goes left handed or uses the sword in both hands.
Hugin
1808
Whining? I thought she had pretty legit complaints.
You can whine for legitimate reasons. Whining is a description of how someone complains, not the merit of the complaints. And I wasn’t complaining that she whined rather, that it just felt over acted.
Edit: The act (or acting of her whining) didn’t ring true, not the general complaint themselves. I see how there could be some confusion with what I wrote. Sorry about that.
Sadly I think this was my least favorite episode yet, with the entire thing carried on the strength of the character introductions. I purposely avoided casting spoilers, so that I would be stoked to see whom was playing whom. You can imagine my reaction when Littlefinger came on screen. Fuck. Yes.
As the episode that deviated the most from the source material so far, I found the additional dialog/scenes entirely lacking in anything remotely resembling subtlety. Everything felt rushed and two-dimensional, with almost no movement or interaction going on. What was with that zoom-in on Ned’s face? What year is this?
I like how Drogo did his heel/face turn with just a little smile. Apparently all he needed was a little cowgirl action to turn him from a rape machine into a loving husband. And Dany learned to speak Dothraki in what, five minutes? That may sound a little bit nitpicky, but holy shit does this show screw up the passage of time. They need to do something about that, as most of the non-readers that I know who are watching it think that so far the show has encapsulated a small number of weeks.
I’m still really down for where this is going, but I’m hoping that this episode was just a little dip in the overall quality and that we get back on form soon. I’m still excited, because BARRISTAN FUCKING SELMY THATS WHY.
I think they are aiming for ambiguity in whom viewers relate to much earlier than the books, and sacrificing subtlety in the layers of plotting in favor of that and just general simplicity. Most of the Dany/Drogo stuff is pretty ludicrous in the book, so I’m glad they are focusing on the highlights although I would have preferred that Mormont’s treason be revealed through the council meeting as it was in the book. So far, that and changing Catelyn’s motivations wrt to Eddard becoming Hand at the beginning (and her scene with Jon at Bran’s bedside) are the only places where I feel they went too far with the cutting and synthesizing. I’m hoping Catelyn becomes more of her real self as she heads off to her sister’s place, but I’m mildly concerned that once again it will be all Tyrion + new characters (since I imagine they are going to have to give some time to the Blackfish, to the sister and brat, and Bronn).
Also, really liked Littlefinger and am cautiously optimistic about Varys, although it’s hard to hear him without the book narrator’s voice which is absolutely perfect.
I loved the music during the sword training. It was unremarkable at first and then grew to the point where I noticed it and thought “That’s cool.” Then it kept building and building and then finished with the fade to black. Awesome.
HRose
1814
I really HATE Littlefinger in the book, and I still hate him in the series.
Probably one of my most hated character in a book ever. And it was so from the first page (which means I wasn’t fooled even for a nanosecond).
If you want to feel old, Grand Maester Pycelle? Julian Glover, aka, General Veers, aka, Walter Donavan.
He’s reasonably well written and very well acted. Of course you hate him.
And then they repeated it in the credits!
If you want to feel old, Grand Maester Pycelle? Julian Glover, aka, General Veers, aka, Walter Donavan.
Oh man. Really?
— Alan
Tony_M
1818
I’ve always felt the wolves were a tired fantasy cliche in a series that normally avoids cliche. I wish they’d cut them altogether and spent the extra money on an 11th episode (ok that might be dodgy math but you get the point).
Might have been hard to rewrite the Bran story without wolves though. I guess they could have substituted one regular hound for Brans pet.
Tony.
My wife has never read the books. When Ned killed Lady and then Bran woke up she asked me if they were going to make Bran a werewolf!
It’s been very freewheeling with how much time happens from episode to episode, but they’re always very careful to have someone point out how long it has been.
Ah, you guy, you. Post after post, does the fun ever start?
