Yeah, I was thinking I could watch for free there, like most network websites. I had to go through all of that jazz in order to do so.

There's gotta be somewhere though.

I don't have HBO. I would watch it, but don't want to add a whole channel for it.

Guess I'll wait for the season DVD or something. And ask around whther its worth it.

Hodor?

Did the Others show in the first episode? what do they look like?

Episode 4 was easily the best yet, in my view as a grumpy/critical read-the-series-many-times viewer. Peter Dinklage as Tyrion is extremely impressive!

I just wish they'd stick to the source material [even more] closely, because the scenes which do are fantastic. It's only when they put in [far too long] newly-invented scenes that the series really suffers; although I gather the purpose of them is to return some sense of the larger background and history that'd otherwise be missing.

But the closing scene of episode 4 was especially excellent, so it looks like I'm hooked now...

The entire thing has been a bit of a disappointment for me - it is far too faithful to the book and I feel it is restricting the screenplay. You have scenes on the Wall, Winterfell, King's landing, the Horseman, the investigation over the fall of Bran, the suspicious death of John Arryn, the Treasurey and what seems to be an impending invasion by some boatless horseman for Ned Stark to deal with - far too many threads for a screen play.

Read all the books, love the show. Tyrion is such a bamf. Get it boy.

What could possibly be cut out? Lose any of that and the story falls apart, spread it out and you'll need 3 seasons per book. I think they are doing a decent job considering the complexity of the books.

Its a good adaptation, the source material is strong and the characters are fun - its just that they don't gel well on screen. They possibly couldn't get more right but sometimes, I think, its better that some novels are best left unconverted, unfettered and untouched by grubby television producers.

To be fair, most of the episodes have been written by GRRM.

I think the series has been great so far, Episode 4 was a high point for me. They're doing the serious plot stuff really well in my opinion.

They haven't.

Look - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Game_of_Thrones_episodes

He wrote the notes that they based the screenplay off, it's on his blog. The writers just fill in the fluff.

Get thee to a nunnery.

GRRM hasn't written the episodes. He has, however, been closely involved with the production. He was executive producer for the first episode.

They are doing a damn good job adapting IMO.

I believe there was also an agreement that he would write 1 episode per season.

^This.

I've worked in the past at a production company that adapted novels and short stories into films and TV shows.

It is not easy. David Benioff is doing a kickass job.

Perhaps due to GRRM's background working as a showrunner, this series of novels is written in such a way that perfectly jibes with episodic format. This epic tale of interwoven conflict among the Houses of Westeros is already structured like a TV series in the sense that each chapter focuses on a different character.

So a few of the storylines from the second book appear during the first season. Who cares?






jeezus, everyone's a critic. Too faithful to the book. Not faithful enough.

I suppose you can't please everyone

I hate fantasy genres anyway so there's no pleasing me.

It's a low fantasy with no elves dwarves nothing like LotR. It's more like your real medivel age with different names for countries and minimal involvement of magic. Have you read that book or watched the first episode?

I have. We've already had this discussion, remember?

http://l-userpic.livejournal.com/110301214/11488936

Hey haven't seen the show, but I thought I saw a midget in the preview?

Is it just humans with a midget or what?

Yeah and one chick has dragon eggs.

Next to Jon Snow, he's the best character in the show.

fixed