One week to go and more reviews are starting to come in. The Wall Street Journal’s Nancy DeWolf Smith reviews season two and she is a lot more positive this season than she was last season.
For those among us who instinctively recoil at the sight of leather jerkins, cut throats and castle keeps, “Games” may take some getting used to. But the cinematography, like the cast of largely British and Irish actors, is magnificent. Each week the story unfolds like a tapestry, its intricate stitches slowly creating not just a scene but a whole world. It’s a world to get lost in, but not always easy to endure. Because the good die as often as the bad, and happy endings are only for fairy tales.
The Daily Beast’s Jace Lacob watched the first four episodes and tweeted his thoughts. While his full review will be out later this week, you can view his compiled tweets here.
Lastly, HBO Watch’s Jacob Klein was lucky enough to attend an advance screening of the first episode of season two and has some detailed thoughts about that episode. Here is a spoiler-free snippet:
The episode was a treat and the entire audience cried ‘awwwww’ when they saw the credits and realized they’d have to wait until next month to see more. I honestly think this is looking to be a great season, picking right up where season 1 left off and threatening to surpass it in terms of action, intrigue and… dare I say– romance?
Winter Is Coming: More positive impressions are great to hear. I know that a handful of our readers were able to attend advance screenings this weekend. What were your thoughts?
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128 Comments
First! I hope this season is the second of many!!!
Harry The HeirQuote Reply
ahh seeing these reviews just makes me jealous!! I wish I had the 4 episodes! Alas, I will just wait like mostly everyone else.. haha
Lady StoneheartQuote Reply
Psyched! Psyched! Psyched!
Oh to various people who called me on there not being a prologue for season 2: crow actually doesn’t taste too bad! I’ll finish my ample helping for my faulty prediction and save some for the Lena Headey bashers and the Dillane doubters.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
So how long do we have to wait till season 3 and 4 are announced? APril 3rd?
SuperdeluxeQuote Reply
Also I didnt see a grade
SuperdeluxeQuote Reply
LOL at Nancy DeWolf Smith. After writing what she did last season, this season she unleashes the praise.
Smells like pandering to the audience, since GoT became a critical and commercial hit.
MorlunQuote Reply
Just read the HBO Watch review, and I am smiling.
The context of the Cersei/Littlefinger scene that the youtube guy was talking about seems less out of character now than some had originally speculated/feared. Cersei knows she needs Littlefinger and Littlefinger knows it as well, but it still doesn’t stop Cersei from letting him know who holds the cards. Again it’s going to be awesome season for Lena methinks.
Also, Melisandre chanting most of the episode explains her sombre reading of the “Night is dark full of terrors” heard in the Stannis promo, especially if the followers are aping her words as they pray.
Some of my worries are definitely alleviated.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
How the HELL does someone who can’t tell the difference between “racked” and “wracked” get a job writing for the Wall Street Journal?
KGQuote Reply
Poor Robb. So afraid of Ser Jaime (even in chains) that he doesn’t dare go to chat without a monstrous direwolf by his side…
Tsk. Green boys.
Jaime LannisterQuote Reply
KG,
Money?
The ability to adjust one’s knees to uncomfortable surfaces?
If that last one sounded sexist it was not my intention. In this modern age we live in both genders can squeeze their way to a prime position either metaphorically or literally.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
The Other Starks – Bran and Hodor are shown pondering the meaning of the red comet that can be seen throughout the realm while Osha insists it means ‘dragons’. We also get a scene where Bran hears grievances from the people of Winterfell as “the one Stark in Winterfell”. He daydreams in and out of Summer to pass the time.
Wonder how they’ll portray bran’s wolf dreams. Would be a pleasant surprise
GRRMQuote Reply
We all need to vote Game of Thrones is losing to Sons of Anarchy on http://www.hulu.com/bestinshow !!!!!!!!!
Darren MasonQuote Reply
No prologue? Well, I’m already dissapointed.
funkQuote Reply
Morlun,
Agreed. She a lot of the things she is using to praise the show are things she used to damn it last year.
HBQuote Reply
I started reading the HBO Watch interview and I had to stop. I realized as I read about Tyrion’s journey that I don’t want to spoil the live viewing of GOT for myself. Is this where the spoiler landmines begin?? :)
I’m afraid to click on anyone’s spoiler tags! haha
MimsyQuote Reply
Oh Nancy. Giggles were had reading her last year’s reviews. Camelot got nothing but praises while Thrones was “contender in the adolescent-boy-action-show contest”. Camelot flopped magnificiently while Thrones became a success so now she’s singing completely different tune.
JulyanQuote Reply
As excited as I am to read reviews of the new season, I got that nails on a chalkboard feeling stumbling over all the spelling errors in that HBO Watch article.
SGQuote Reply
did i miss something? the way i understood him is that the prologue scene is there, it’s just the first scene rather than before the credits. so it is there, and why would the credits coming first be relevant to how good it is
spacepopeQuote Reply
DeWolf Smith isn’t much of a writer, but cut her some slack. You’re allowed to change your opinions about things. GoT won her over with its quality despite her not caring for the subject matter. It happens. That’s a good thing, right?
Sorry, but I can’t stand the fanboy attitude that critics are somehow being dishonest when their opinions don’t line up with their own. I probably would have rolled my eyes at DeWolf Smith’s review of season one two had I read it at the time, but she has the right to her opinion. And I don’t think she changed her tune because GoT is popular and critically acclaimed. Most critics, when they find their views diverging from the mainstream, are happy to tell you so. At length.
And that’s good, we always need dissenting opinions. Like 95% of critics love GoT, it would actually be kind of messed up if there weren’t any dissenters.
PranksterQuote Reply
Morlun,
That, or she hadn’t watched that much yet. Re-reading her on the first season, it makes me think she wasn’t watching closely or thoroughly (and certainly hadn’t gotten all the way to episode 9). If I was watching casually, with no knowledge of the backstory, and had just finished the episode with that horrible Littlefinger monologue… well, I can see how someone who wasn’t much of a fantasy fan would have trouble. I’m willing to give the benefit of the doubt, at least insofar as I’m willing the first season review was driven by disinterest and apathy more than the second season review was driven by pandering. Maybe.
darrylzeroQuote Reply
While I do kind of wish there was a “cold open” like last season, it’s not like we’re not going to see the business with Maester Cressen, so it’s not a huge deal, is it? The prologue in the pilot felt like something special, apart from everything else that was to come. It was the only glimpse of the supernatural we got for most of the season, and it foreshadowed the coming winter (I actually wished there’d been less snow and cold at the Wall in S1 for that reason). It was like a glimpse into the future of the show before rewinding things a bit. The Cressen sequence is hooky, but it’s really more of the same political business we’re already immerseed in, as are the prologues to come.
PranksterQuote Reply
Her review of season 1 was most likely based on episode one only, or at least those are the scenes she comment. This is something she should have made clearer, but it does excuse her underestimation of the series. Especially given the regular quality of fantasy series on tv. She saw what she expected to see.
MagnusQuote Reply
Hehe Rattleshirt looks like Skeletor
Oi!Quote Reply
I’m glad there isn’t a “cold open” for Season 2. As the EPs said, I also see Game of Thrones as a huge, epic story in (hopefully) 80 chapters or so. The first “cold open” serves as a prologue to the entire story. A new one would be somewhat distracting, in my opinion.
Oi!, where did you see Rattheshirt?
Hi-FiQuote Reply
Prankster,
Cressen IS in season two. Just not as a before credits prologue.
LarsQuote Reply
Hi-Fi,
Wic tumblr has a screen shot
Oi!Quote Reply
Lars,
That is what he said. Double negatives.
MagnusQuote Reply
Oi!,
Thanks!
Hi-FiQuote Reply
darrylzero,
The review was written before the 1st season aired when HBO sent out the first 6 episodes to critics. She most likely did not watch all six. I agree with other people saying there is nothing wrong with changing your opinion on a show, I’m sure a lot of critics will. The show did get a lot better and more exciting as it went on once you got past all the exposition and world building. I would check out message boards last season and a lot of viewers unfamiliar with this story were not that impressed with the show at first, it wasn’t really until the Golden Crown episode did I notice people who didn’t really care for the show at first start getting into it and by the end of the season everyone who watched seemed to love it.
JamesLQuote Reply
Just a funny video the great GRRM himself posted on his blog:
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/aefc0a521e/sunday-is-coming
HERP-DERPQuote Reply
HERP-DERP,
Thats pretty funny.
sjweningsQuote Reply
This is the Rattleshirt screenshot:
http://wicnet.tumblr.com/post/19899347101
Ours is the FuryQuote Reply
Oh btw… I know this might be completely off-topic but, have you seen last Spartacus episode? I thinks its 2×09, its a great episode! the battle scene at the end (10 min. or so) is really good and I got thinking that with much more budget and a better production like HBO’s , the so called: “16-minute-Battle Of the Blackwater”, its going to be AMAZING!! daaamn cant wait! 7 days..
Damián ErroQuote Reply
Ummm, I know its just a screenshot so maybe it will look better on TV but…
Kind of looks like that character “Skeletor” from the ‘He-Man’ movie…..
Looks pretty lame…
ArthurQuote Reply
Somehow I’m just not expecting “amazing” at all.
sjweningsQuote Reply
Arthur,
What did you expect a man clad in bones to look like?
VirtusQuote Reply
You may call me a cynic, and you’ll be right on the money. But (at least on this aspect) it’s not fanboyism, and you shouldn’t assume that everyone that criticizes a review is a fanboy.
In fact, I have nothing against her first season review (which is probably based on the first episode alone, maybe a couple more). She doesn’t like the genre. That’s okay.
Her condescension towards “the infantile” (for the “role-players”, with the “gore” and the “crudeness”, etc…) doesn’t shock me, for I use condescension as well towards some stuff I abhor (Twilight, for instance).
I, however, do find it incredibly unlikely that she gained some love for that “infantile” stuff. More than likely, the commercial attitude prevailed: it’s a hit, so the Wall Street Journal praises it.
But again, cynic here. :)
Well, the Littlefinger episode was late in the season, and wasn’t part of the advance pack for the reviews, so it probably wasn’t it.
MorlunQuote Reply
Is it just me, or does Nancy Dewolf Smith’s opinion about this show mean less than nothing? Season 1 was infantile, but Season 2 is a rich tapestry and a world to get lost in? Is her opinion really that empty?
Dolph LundgrenQuote Reply
I don’t mind that the WSJ critic changed her opinion, but she still doesn’t seem to have paid much attention, if she thinks “winter is coming” is the new theme of the second season.
mummerQuote Reply
Virtus,
Come on man… I seen better customs at Blizzcon conventions…
I mean the bone armor is cool. Even a bone helm would have been cool.
To have a bone skeleton facemask and not expect people to laugh and think of Skeletor from He-Man…
That is a huge mistake. Take away that silly facemask and it would have been fine.
Scenes with Rattleshirt looking like that will be good ammunition used by people who think GoTs fans are fantasy geeks.
Like I said, give him some cool bone armor and a cool bone helm is fine, covering his face “He-Man style”, is just a huge blunder.
People are going to make fun of it, for good reason. Looks really silly…
http://wicnet.tumblr.com/post/19899347101
How can you look at that picture and not laugh, thinking of Skeletor from He-Man???
ArthurQuote Reply
Arthur,
That’s not fair man. Most of the Sylvanas cosplayers (aka 95% of the entrants) are pretty hot.
Jaime LannisterQuote Reply
Jaime Lannister,
Look at this…
http://old.he-man.org/primary_sects/movie/html/cast/skeletor_langella.shtml
and
http://wicnet.tumblr.com/post/19899347101
That is just sad… They even hold the same staff…
ArthurQuote Reply
Arthur,
Who cares if people will make fun of it. It is not unrealistic that a wildling would wear such a thing. They haven’t watched He-man.
MagnusQuote Reply
@Arthur
I couldn´t care less if people think Got fans are fantasygeeks.
You know, this whole “bone armor” thing is kinda corny anyway. I don´t see how the skull can make it any worse… and, more importantly, i can buy that this outfit intimidates and scares people like the wildlings. I don´t think they watched the He-Man cartoons, so they won´t have that association. Which justifies the outfit, at least in my opinion.
And, what form besides a skull could a “bone helm” be, anyway?
CookieQuote Reply
I think rattleshirt looks pretty fucking badass there.
GRRMQuote Reply
Cookie,
A “Bone helm” can be like a helmet without that silly Skeletor facemask.
It looks really silly… Really bad, I can’t believe they did that and toally missed the “He-Man, Skeletor” correlation people will make. At least people like me that grew up watching He-Man cartoons and saw the movie when they were young…
He look I found more pictures of Rattleshirt…
http://chrisrrau.files.wordpress.com/2011/03/skeletor.jpg
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9_iMNcLAXpg/TJDqE1PImGI/AAAAAAAAAbM/Oi_4VxOYdF4/s1600/Skeletor+02.jpg
Joke… =)
ArthurQuote Reply
I have an idea. Before anyone gets too carried away about a single screenshot out of context, we wait to see how Rattleshirt looks and acts when he’s actually on-screen?
Just a thought.
RobertQuote Reply
We´ll just have to agree to disagreee here. I think you´re making mountains out of molehills, but what do i know? Oh, and i adored the He-Man cartoons when i was younger, btw.
CookieQuote Reply
I don’t think that Skeletor is that well known of a character for that to be a big problem. Skeletor is probably again modelled on the classical grim reaper.
Wearing bone armor is gimmicky in the first place. People don’t fear Rattleshirt because he wears bone armor. They fear him because he has gained notoriety in combat. Wearing bone armor only allowed him to be more easily recognized and thus build up his reputation faster.
MagnusQuote Reply
Magnus,
I totally agree. That is why I am so shocked that the producers let something so corny and “He-Man looking”, as that silly skeleton mask get to final cut…
It just looks really silly and makes me laugh. I am waiting for He-Man to come riding up on a huge green Sabre-tooth tiger and hold his sword up high and say “By the power of grey-skull”… Know what I mean?
They need to take off that silly skeleton mask. But it is to late huh. Pretty funny stuff. Everyone get ready for a good laugh when Rattleshirt makes an appearance. Hah!
ArthurQuote Reply
Arthur,
I don’t really think it looks that silly. This is about personal tastes though. My point was also that it doesn’t matter if it looks a little silliy because it is only a trick he uses to get recognized. I have never watched He-man, but from the pictures it looks like the only similarity is that they wear skeleton masks. This is not something that is unique to these characters.
MagnusQuote Reply
Yeah, you said CGI direwolf was a terrible mistake too…Rattleshirt looks fine, it will look even better in motion.
LordDavos12Quote Reply
I was at the same advance screening as Jacob Klein (I assume–we also had wine and pizza and costumes), and of course he breaks it down in a lot more detail than I could hope to. I will echo his sentiments that it is a fabulous start to the new series, and the scenes that really stood out for me are:
—EPISODE ONE SPOILERS– (I don’t want to block out the whole list, so just stop if you don’t want specific scenes. In fact I recommend not reading, it’ll be better to just watch it, I promise. I’ll still spoiler some of the changes from the books.)
-Dany in the desert. There are lines straight from the books, some are new, but it really captures the hopelessness of their situation. There is also a touching scene between Rakharro and Dany-what may be their final scene together, as I understand Elyes Gabel is moving on.
-Jon at Craster’s Keep was fine, but what really struck me was the shot of Iceland in all its glory. It’s going to be a beautiful season.
-The introduction of Stannis. I have high hopes for Dillane and the Dragonstone crowd. We didn’t see much of him or Melisandre, but it was enough to whet the appetite. The scene included was the prologue of the book, if memory serves.
-Tyrion! Yes, Tyrion is back and better than ever. I quite enjoyed his performance in season one, but to be honest I feel like he’s stepped it up a notch. His just works well with Cersei and Joffrey.
-I know I’m basically listing every scene in the series, and maybe that would be have been simpler. But they were all pretty good.
-Robb Stark was really great, Jaime was really great, they play off each other really well, blablahblah, who cares because DIREWOLF! Among my friends I am known for saying that the dogs were the worst thing about season one. Cute and cuddly, they were everything a direwolf shouldn’t be, even a pup. This new Grey Wind is large and wolf-like and MENACING. So excited. From what I understand they did a combination of CGI over real wolves filmed on greenscreen. Whatever the technique, it seems to work. To be sure, it’s not the greatest CGI I’ve seen in my life, but it’s far better than I expected.
-The final montage. In the books, the slaying of Robert’s bastards was not something we saw. We knew about it only because they came after Gendry and Eric Storm. In the show, we see Janos Slynt in all his vileness, commanding the men of the king’s guard to rip babies from their mother’s arms, drown children in the sea, and torture the blacksmith in King’s Landing to find out where Gendry went. It is unclear whether it was Joffrey or Cersei that gave the command, but my money’s on Cersei. And it really, really serves to accent the cruelty of the ruling family and dogs like Slynt.
My overall impressions: The episode doesn’t have a lot of coherence. In season one we had episodes like “Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things” that had a theme and an arc in a way that this episode did not. All is forgiven, though, because it was action packed, touching, and introduced and re-introduced a dozen major characters and stories. I would definitely give it an A, but I would say that it is unlikely that they will be able to return to every character in every episode, primarily because the screen time for each of these major characters is extremely limited. Arya only got a few seconds in this episode, and Renly got no time at all, and still we barely touched on those who were featured.
tl;dr I enjoyed pretty much the entire episode, despite a lack of coherence, and have high hopes for the season overall.
theamberkeyQuote Reply
Hey guys…
I found some Rattleshirt outtakes on youtube. Apparently they are really playing up his character as a really “not-so-nice” guy to be around…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9bRT3JrykM
ArthurQuote Reply
I think it looks awful :S
Is it painted or is it just me?? mmm that mask should go…
Pau SorianoQuote Reply
theamberkey,
Cool. Are you certain that was Iceland though? Craster’s keep was filmed in Ireland. If there were trees, it was probably on Ireland since there are hardly any trees on Iceland. Or did they have some establishing shots of them walking through some mountains or wastelands first?
MagnusQuote Reply
Arthur,
Will we once again see you posting 20 comments on an issue similar to the last one after seeing one screenshot (not even in motion this time), and then refusing to let go unless everyone agrees with you?
I’m sorry, I’m sure you’re a great fan, but please don’t start this again.
Johan SporreQuote Reply
Magnus,
It’s quite possible it was Ireland. My knowledge of European geography is limited. The mountains in the distance certainly looked like the shots I’ve seen of Iceland, though. It’s possible they had a wide shot of Iceland but the close shots were of Ireland. Someone more familiar with the geography should probably weigh in.
theamberkeyQuote Reply
theamberkey,
I think the keep itself was in a studio, but it is quite possible that they added in a backdrop from Iceland later.
MagnusQuote Reply
Okay okay my fellow GoTs fans…
This will be my last post and link about Rattleshirt being corny looking I promise!
Ok I found this, and it is sooo funny you got to watch it, it really does sum up Rattleshirt in all honesty…
This is an outtake from GoTs season 2.
Rattleshirt is holding Ghost and walking with Jon Snow and Ygritte…
As they are walking through the ice and snow beyond the wall. They are explaining to Rattleshirt about a holiday coming up and it really shows just how mean and fierce a life Rattleshirt has had…. Please click and watch. And laugh….. It is all in good fun. Don’t be mad at me! =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVppuv9Pcqk&feature=related
ArthurQuote Reply
Arthur,
Because this joke was so funny the first time.
theamberkeyQuote Reply
A lot of the things people wore in olden times look pretty silly; that’s something that actual period pieces are willing to embrace, and I wouldn’t mind if GoT did a bit more of it. I think of the Lord of Bones as being kind of a silly man dressing up in bone armor to be scary, and not really succeeding. The members of the Night’s Watch don’t call him Rattleshirt because he is terrifying.
JackSparrowQuote Reply
I was watching a promo of GOT on HBO and they announced that we´ll watch the episodes simultaneously with the US. Good to know! I guess they learned how to avoid some piracy.
andreaQuote Reply
Lol with the fanboyism!!
I’m pretty sure the producers of the show would prefer it if Rattleshirt looked terrifying as opposed to silly…please that argument just made me laugh :)
We still can’t say for sure, but if it ends up looking silly, it will be a mistake…can’t they make mistakes? do you think they are semi-gods, bond to perfection?? I mean, that screenshot does look pretty silly to me…it could be the screenshot though, ’cause it seems as if it’s painted in yellow and red, with some cat-like moustache. Reminds me of a tiger of sorts.
Let’s hope is just an optical effect and it ends up looking terrifying, ’cause I’mpretty sure is what D&D were aiming for…
Pau SorianoQuote Reply
It’s only a week away :D Anyone know if the opening titles for the first episode features some new places like Dragonstone for example ?
The KingslayerQuote Reply
Yes one of the tweets said it featured Dragonstone
Pau SorianoQuote Reply
The Kingslayer,
Yes! The entire theater cheered when Dragonstone appeared in the credits.
theamberkeyQuote Reply
Sweet thanks guys.
The KingslayerQuote Reply
Pau Soriano,
If defending the show is fanboyism then criticizing it is trolling. There is no point in calling each other names.
MagnusQuote Reply
Man, I wish I could have gone to a screening of Game of Thrones. I don’t really have anyone to watch it with and would love the experience of watching with a roomful of fans.
I cannot wait for next week. I’m a little sad that it’s not showing this week, but probably a good idea to not premier the same day as Mad Men season 5. Now I’m going to have to be really careful what I read so as not to spoil the experience of season 2.
DreamlifeQuote Reply
Re: Rattleshirt.
With Growlgate fresh in my memory, I am not going to judge from such a weak screen capture if Rattleshirt looks cheesy or not. If you have some crazy nutter covered in bones with either a lame skull mask or a cool skull mask acting like a creepy psychopath while gutting rangers I can’t help but lean towards intimidating. For me as long as the actor conveys the monstrous nature of the character than he could be dressed in a clown suit and be just as terrifying.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
theamberkey,
Are Kit and Emilia bumped to the top row of the main credits, following Dinklage? Or are they immediately after Fairley and Headey like before?
Is Charles Dance the “and” ? Or is it Stephen Dillane?
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
I don’t remotely think the producers are incapable of mistakes; there are a lot of things here and there in the S1 episodes I would’ve liked them to have done differently, but I also don’t think of myself as being too picky, and there are a wide range of creative decisions that I’ll be okay with on almost any single point. How the Lord of Bones’s armor looked was never going to be a sticking point with me, for several reasons. A guy wearing bone armor was never something I visualized as being very cool looking, and he’s not a character I feel very much weight hangs on. Whether or not he’s meant to look terrifying is a little hard to say: the LoB himself intends for it to look terrifying, but I think hardened warriors just think he’s dumb, and the general impression I get of the character is of a fairly petty man who holds himself up to be something intimidating, but who’s more of a sad old man. But my view on the screenshot is that it looks fine for what it is, and what other people might’ve wanted from it differs from what little expectations I had for it. But using a skull visor seems like a fairly reasonable way to go, since that’s basically how I thought it was described in the books. Without that, a skull helmet doesn’t really look like a skull. Anyway, whether or not the producers intended for it to be scary, I don’t know. Is a guy in bone armor scary? I’d be more scared of a guy in metal armor (I’m not saying his armor is just bone; my impression while reading the books was that it was standard armor but with bones on it for effect).
JackSparrowQuote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
I agree.
But from that one screenshot Rattleshirt looks like he can walk off the GoTs set and right into a He-Man set and play the role of Skeletor wonderfully.
My main concern is how the producers failed to foresee the correlation someone like me might make between Rattleshirt and Skeletor.
I posted some pictures to show the resemblance. No matter how hard I will try to push my inner child coming to surface while watching the show, I will smile and laugh and point and be like, “Look, Skeletor!”.
That being said, Rattleshirt is of no importance to me. I just find it hillarious that they failed to see the comedic appearance of Rattleshirt because of the correlation people will make between Rattleshirt and Skeletor.
ArthurQuote Reply
Pau Soriano,
It’s all a matter of taste so anyone stating that something looks silly as if it was a fact is doing something wrong. There are people that think it’s silly that The Hound wears the helmet shaped of a snarling hound and there are people that liked it. There are people that think Khal Drogo’s speech last season was silly and there are people that liked it. That pattern is repeated for a lot of things in the show, and in most other shows.
Then there are fans focusing their efforts on things they dislike and there are fans that focus their efforts on what they like. We’re free to do as we choose but I think it’s kind of silly to call the latter fanboys as being positive brings more happiness to other people than being negative.
Promises, promises…
Tywin’s BastardQuote Reply
I have no issue with any posters here and how they feel about anything.
What I post are my own thoughts and opinions.
I have always and will always respect other people’s views on a matter in which they may disagree with me on.
Anyway, 8:30pm tonight there is a 30min GoTs special on HBO.
Can’t wait!!!
ArthurQuote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
This is a good question.
I hope we get more of Charles Dance this season.
Michael HarperQuote Reply
Joshua Taylor,
You know, I honestly can’t recall. I remember feeling a lack of so many of the names from last season, but I don’t remember the specific order.
Arthur,
Sorry for the snark earlier. :p
theamberkeyQuote Reply
I thought I’d quote your posts so everyone definitely knows what you think of Rattleshirt, just in case anyone missed your point.
KnurkQuote Reply
I don’t think they have to. I think very few people will actually think of that resemblance. And even fewer will think that GoT is trying to emulate Skeletor. They don’t look that much alike.
If a couple of people find it comical, then so what?
MagnusQuote Reply
theamberkey,
Is Charles Dance in the first episode? :D
Michael HarperQuote Reply
Magnus,
That would be fine.
But I am sure more then a couple of people grew up watching He-Man cartoons, at least here in the states. And anyone who has watched He-Man knows who Skeletor is.
That fact alone makes it highly probable that a correlation will be made, and it will stirr up living room comment and laughter. That’s all I am trying to cummunicate here.
People will, and justifiably so, laugh at Rattleshirt…
ArthurQuote Reply
I presume it’s Dillane as I don’t think Dance is listed in the Opening Credits (as he’s not counted as a Series regular).
According to this article these are the only new names in the Credits and Dance is not among them.
MormegilQuote Reply
Michael Harper,
No. :(
theamberkeyQuote Reply
Arthur,
How’s that connection any stronger than, for example, remembering that Khal Drogo was played by a guy from Baywatch?
Tywin’s BastardQuote Reply
Tywin’s Bastard,
Well for starters, did that guy from Baywatch have the same skeleton mask as a face?
ArthurQuote Reply
Arthur,
Yea, but why do you care if they laugh? I also doubt that too many people make the connection even if they watched He-man and know about Skeletor. They only wear a mask that is similar in concept (but with many differing details. Rattleshirt’s does not have a lower jaw, and so you can see him speak with his actual mouth. The bone structure is also different), and as I said a skeleton face unique to that character. Their posture, build, and the rest of the costume is different. Their voices will probably be different (the voice is a big part of a character). Their personality will probably be different.
I have watched and read a lot of Discworld, and I did not immediately draw the connection to Death even though both have skeletal faces. Why? Their characters are way too different.
MagnusQuote Reply
Arthur,
No, he had the same actual face as Drogo.
Tywin’s BastardQuote Reply
Well that’s a damn shame. But oh well eh.
Michael HarperQuote Reply
Tywin’s Bastard,
So you are saying he had the same face and not a stand out object like a skeleton mask. So people could of made just an easy correlation?
You are telling me there is as fast a reference of memory that takes place between recognizing one actors face, out of several 100, then there is of bringing back to memory the last character you remember having a skeleton face?
I don’t understand your logic here. But it’s cool, I understand the point you are trying to make. Thanks for that, and not just calling me a troll or 12yrs old. =]
ArthurQuote Reply
Arthur,
It’s not by any means uncommon for people to see an actor and think of previous roles that actor has had. On the contrary I’d say that it’s very common and quite a few jokingly referred to Eddard as Boromir in the early parts of season 1.
As I always say though (and have said many times here in CGI-discussions), the viewer has his own share of the responsibility to make the viewing experience good. In this case it’s letting go of memories and references and just do your best to immerse yourself in the content and let it create a new reference of it’s own. Therefor I don’t see either of our examples as a problem.
Tywin’s BastardQuote Reply
Oh how I wish for an age limit for comments on this site… Yet another article comment section derailed.
LarsQuote Reply
By the way, Jaime’s appearance has been compared to Prince Charming from Shrek innumerable times, and it doesn’t really discredit his character.
MagnusQuote Reply
Arthur,
If Rattleshirt reminds people of anyone it will be The Kurgan.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurgan_(Highlander)
Which is where GRRM probably took the idea from anyway.
MormegilQuote Reply
It’s just toooo funny that Nancy Direwolf Smith changed her opinion so drastically. XD
LexQuote Reply
Mormegil,
Wow, you are right. However, that picture in that link of Kurgan wearing that bonehelm is totally bad$$. The one of Rattleshirt wearing that Skeletor wannabe bonehelm is totally laugha$$.
IMO, respectably…
ArthurQuote Reply
Lex,
Agreed. I’m pleasantly surprised that she turned out to be open-minded enough to actually give the show a chance, after completely disrespecting the genre and it’s fans (as her first review really didn’t contain anything about the actual show).
I gave a lot of criticism to the manner in which she decided to tackle her first review (I would have been fine with her disliking the show, if only she wrote about that) but I do respect people that aren’t afraid of showing that they were wrong and changed their minds.
Tywin’s BastardQuote Reply
In 30mins HBO is have a GoTs special!!!
ArthurQuote Reply
wow…someone saw the crown teaser? I missed it here or is a new one? I just saw it on tv.
andreaQuote Reply
Huh, good call. I’m surprised I didn’t think of that; I’ve seen that movie probably a dozen times. For some reason, I thought more of that guy with the skull helmet/mask from ‘Willow’, and I haven’t seen that movie since I saw it on HBO when I was, I dunno, ten or eleven.
http://cf.geekdo-images.com/images/pic613328_md.jpg
JackSparrowQuote Reply
andrea,
Don’t think there’s been a Crown Teaser. As far as I know. Was there anything new?
Michael HarperQuote Reply
Michael Harper,
I just saw it. It begins with close-ups (detail shot) of ice and fire and open the shot to show it´s really a crown
andreaQuote Reply
Lars,
Go figure, by the same person too.
LordDavos12Quote Reply
andrea,
Cool! Hope it hits the web soon :D
Michael HarperQuote Reply
Crown teaser
Game of Thrones Promo Exclusiva para HBO Latinoamerica
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ap7Zl7Ac3yM
eugenyiQuote Reply
I think the purpose of the skull mask is to show how unhinged Rattkeshirt is to others and the audience, at least I hope so, because only a sick demented mind would put on that mask.
I hope they put in the episode, Jon Snow smirking or rolling eyes at Ygritte concerning Rattleshirt, and how weird he appears.
That is the only way I can think of to sell that ridiculous mask to the audience.
tysnowQuote Reply
I do really like the body armor, so kudos to the costume designer for that.
tysnowQuote Reply
For anyone who missed it there was a new promo at the end of the preview/review special with a lot of new shots and our best look at Arya so far
House SnowQuote Reply
JackSparrow,
Exactly. In the books Rattleshirt isn’t taken all that seriously to begin with.
The GreatjonQuote Reply
OMG we get it dude… Sigh. Dang. You have issues.
EdQuote Reply
Arthur,
Already seen it bud. It was youtubed on Friday.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
Tywin’s Bastard,
I think she should have at least made a mention of her earlier judgement in the review, not for the sake of the show but for the attack on fantasy fans in general.
Joshua TaylorQuote Reply
I saw the Rattleshirt screenshot before coming here and reading these comments, and I have to admit that I giggled and said “Skeletor”! So Arthur may not be wrong, at least for a certain subset of the population.
But I don’t think that’s a bad thing, because my take on Rattleshirt from the books is that he looks more ridiculous than terrifying, and is kind of a windy blowhard, so I think the mask is quite apropros.
Now can we stop talking about Rattleshirt?
Cersei_IIQuote Reply
I’m sorry, but people are complaining that Rattleshirt looks like Skeletor?
COMPLAINING??
Last time I checked, Skeletor was AWESOME.
LexQuote Reply
This.
PepiQuote Reply
Arthur,
To be fair, in the books, I always read Rattleshirt as a Pesci kind of character: A silly looking and over-the-top brutal psychopath. I mean, he calls himself “The Lord o’ Bones” but everybody else refers to him as “Rattleshirt”
TheLepperKingQuote Reply
I don’t really think he looks like Skeletor (that wouldn’t be that bad), for me that mask reminds me of those animal masks eastern cultures use (painted, cat-like moustache)
There’s no need to make it look like The Kurgan, just with the body armour would have been enough (just the shirt for Rattleshirt)…some things just don’t work on TV/films (superheroes spandex for ex).
This is the only complain I had with the show since the start, so to call me a troll is a biiit over the top I’d say… trolling is criticizing with no reason, same as fanboyism is defending someone with outlandish arguments (like, for example, when something doesn’t look as it’s supposed to is because they did it on purpose…)
A little more objectivism people, we have enough of this “my people right or wrong” attitudes in politics or sports.
Pau SorianoQuote Reply
Yes, I agree with you on that. A change of mind isn’t as deserving of respect if you don’t acknowledge that you did change your mind, and that of course goes extra for the disrespect she dealt out last time.
Tywin’s BastardQuote Reply
I read Nancy DeWolf Smith’s review, and it seems like she just phoned it in, not even getting the seasons’s theme right. Maybe after the hoo-hah last year, she decided this year she did not want to rattle any cages, and she wrote a wordy description of the series, using a lot of formulaic speech (“gorgeous and hypnotic fantasy series” and “Exotic creatures” & tapestries’ & ‘metaphorical chills in the air”) and and tossed in a few names to make sure it sounded realistic. I would venture to say this isn’t really a review at all, just a long note mentioning a new upcoming show. It’s like she took other people’s reviews, whirled them up in a blender and shook out something that sort of sounded right, but isn’t, for someone who was actually watching the series and liking it. House OF Baratheon? There’s no “OFs” when you are talking Houses.
I mean, what better opportunity for a writer, then talking about a big change you’ve had in your opinion? If she actually did believe the things she was writing, why not take this time to make a really nice article, where you talk about how much you hated it at first, but how it changed and won you over as the season went on? I feel some metaphorical bullshit in the air, personally.
purplejillyQuote Reply
purplejilly,
she gave 90/100 on metacritics…that matters…..previous year’s most negative critic gave too much positive review…..and i don’t give a damn for her review as i know that this season is gonna blow the previous season in awesomeness.
Jenish KachhadiaQuote Reply
http://www.weeklystandard.com/articles/out-world_634413.html
Can anyone see this article? It is on The Weekly Standard site and membership is required. Looks a like a review of some Season 2 episodes; I would like to know what was said. Thanks!
TenesmusQuote Reply
For those who aren’t Mad Men fans, a quick comment about that part of her review. Her comments on the premiere were so off the mark – and I mean misinterpretations or missed points at a sentence-by-sentence level – the racked vs. wracked mistake is the least of her problems. It’s the 5th season of a critically acclaimed show about which 10000s of pages have been written; misreading character arcs so profoundly is remarkable, and it makes whatever she says about GoT irrelevant.
MikeQuote Reply
Arthur,
This is why He wears the skull on his head… he was written that way, with a giant’s skull on his head.
Don’t blame HBO, blame GRRM.
I’m pretty sure if they had changed it, you would just be complaining
“Where is the SKULL HELMET! Without it, he just looks like RUFIO!
How can they not plan around everyone’s sacred memory of Peter Pan’s not so trusty sidekick from that childhood classic, Hook. Everyone will laugh at this because my personal childhood memories=collective consciousness of the world!”
skipdutchQuote Reply
Game of Thrones also comes back for its second season after a wildly successful first season, and having already seen some of the second season Televisualist can confirm the following things: the show continues to avoid slavishness in its adaptation of the books, the new additions to the cast (such as Stephen Dillane as Stannis Baratheon and Patrick Malahide as Balon Greyjoy) are uniformly superb, and Peter Dinklage is approximately 20 times more badass than he was in the first season—and he was plenty badass then. In all honesty it was hard to write this part of the column without fist-pumps. (HBO Canada, 9 p.m. Sunday)
From: http://torontoist.com/2012/03/televisualist-throne-soup/
rufioQuote Reply
Lex,
My thoughts exactly. One look at the photo & I assumed it was a knowing reference.
Maxwell JamesQuote Reply
Prankster,
I got no problem critics changing their minds, but at least acknowledge that they might have been hasty to judge the show or took them repeated viewings to get into the show or something like that. At least when Maureen Ryan changed her mind about the show, she acknowledged that she grown to love the series after a lukewarm reaction to the 1st half of show, because the latter half of season one were much better.
DaveQuote Reply
Arthur,
Seriously, dying laughing here! I think it’s pretty funny. If you’re in your 30′s-40′s you grew up with He-Man and She-Ra so Skeletor is definitely recognizable.
That being said, the costume is better then I pictured it in the books. So, maybe that’s why he doesn’t look as silly to me. Compared to what I had imagined it is definitely way cooler.
m3shwerksQuote Reply
nice to know it´s being praised! can’t wait for this week to finish haha
Thiago SlashQuote Reply