a game of thrones: episode 1

[verbicide]

I've loved so many HBO shows, it's almost puzzling that I haven't sucked it up and ordered it before now. In a way, I'm sort of glad I hadn't. Because it allowed me to enjoy things like Rome, Deadwood, The Wire, etc --in uninterrupted gluttony. This whole watching week-by-fucking-week is going to be brutal!

I never read the series. I'd bought the first book and was going to read it when I read that GRRM mercilessly slaughtered primary characters left and right. As much as I can applaud that in theory (because why should only irrelevant characters die, right?) I hated the idea of getting close to a character and then poof--dead.

I had started on Leigh's re-read, since I hadn't planned on being able to watch AGoT for like a year or more when the dvds would come out. But now I think I will put a halt to that. No better way to ruin the cinematic adaptation than having the written characters too fresh in your mind.



However, I am really glad I read the first chapter of the book, because no way would I have seen freaking ZOMBIES in the series. My reading of epic fantasy is pretty limited to LotR and WoT, but still --ZOMBIES? I don't expect this type of supernatural in my fantasy series. So, that was unexpected and intriguing. And I was glad to be forewarned.

Also, I would very much like to have a Dire Wolf puppy, please. I'm sure they grow to be horrific or something (if Final Fantasy can be used as any measure), but how cute were they??

As for the first episode itself--hurray for anything that brings Sean Bean to my screen. Considering the plethora of characters and family lines and family dynamics, I thought the episode did a good job introducing everyone and their relationship. (And their hat color. Lannister = BLACK HAT. Except for maybe Tyrion. Peter Dinklage is awesome in everything he does, isn't he?)

Especially with the widespread warning about the body count of major characters in the story, I saw poor Bran's death coming from the minute he was warned about climbing. But it was still horrifying to see how easy Jaime sits with murdering children. Also--how many creepy brother-sister incest stories/overtones can one have in an episode? The Targaryen siblings were pretty disturbing, and I'm looking forward to seeing more on the back story of how they lost their kingdom to King Robert and killed his would-be-bride.

Anyhow. This waiting totally sucks, but I'm excited to have HBO. (Catching up now on True Blood S3 and hope to see season 1 of Boardwalk Empire soon!)

Comments

[pinkminx.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit torn on seeing the series, actually-- I know it'll be like crack anyway, so maybe it'd make more sense to wait until the first season is out on DVD. Then again, OH GOD MUST SEE!!! At least I don't have to avoid spoilers. (Although I understood they changed a few smaller things, the gist remains the same.)

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I hear you. When the episode ended and I realized I'd have to wait a week, my brain exploded. But something to look forward to weekly = how I'm trying to console myself.