Game of Thrones - worth a watch?

[rosesandpetals103]

I’ve never seen it and I feel like I am the only person who hasn’t!

Is it worth a watch? I’ve heard good reviews and my parents have just come back from Dubrovnik where they filmed some of it. Apparently it has increased tourism there by 20% so it must have an appeal!

Is it relatively easy to follow?

There are so many characters to love! The Hound, Bryn, Tyrion, Tormont Giantsbane, tiny Lady Mormont, Queen Of Thorns… and all the various double acts that occur over the series.

And so, so many to hate! Absolutely monsters that turn your stomach.

Pros
Amazing dialogue
Fully developed characters with interesting arcs and motivations
Political intrigue and power struggles
Great sets
'big' plot
Lots of eye candy
Jaw-drop moments

Cons
Some gratuitous nudity early on
Didn't like the 'happy hooker' trope throughout, it's never been like that in real life so why in fantasy? Yes, sex workers are generally going to paste on a smile, but it would have been good to show their real feelings now and then. Shame as it otherwise does a reasonable job of showing the powerless in a realistic way.
Ending does suck.

So I started episode 1… 10 minutes in and I am already pretty confused?

Does anyone care to share a simple explanation of what is going on?

You’d be better off to rewatch those 10 minutes, perhaps. Or watch the whole episode then go back and rewatch. Because you’ve got a long way to go …

It’s extraordinary TV.

I wwas just about to post 'Yes BUT you may need help to keep track of all the characters at the start until they settle in your mind' when I spotted your last post.

I tried GoT about 3 times before it stuck - and that's because on first watching I was confused about wtf was going on! I was pretty sure Jon, Rob, and Theon were the same person and was very confused

I found it took a bit of a side read of who was who and a written recap of the first couple of epsodes before it sunk in. Then I was away. Onwards, it sometimes helps to look up family trees but in the first few series, this can reveal too many spoilers.

It is 100% worth the effort because the vast expanse of characters, an the way they interweve, is the whole point.

Something like this can help... https://www.comingsoon.net/tv/features/1019595-game-of-thrones-season-1-episode-1-recap

I read the books so I've only watched up to where I've read to as the book series is not finished yet and I don't want to ruin the books. The books are far superior to the show.

My goodness, you're an optimist. Do you really think George R. R. Martin will ever finish the series? I've given up hope.

Ned Stark is lord of the north. He is married to Cat and has 5 true born children. Robb, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Rickon. Jon Snow is his bastard son who he fathered with another woman so he does not enjoy the same privileges that his true born children do. Ned is good friends with the King, Robert. Robert is married to Cersei but his true love was Ned's sister who died.

Daenerys Targaryen and her brother Viserys are descendents of king Aerys, they believe they are the true heirs of the throne, as Robert and the Lannisters defeated King Aerys and took the throne for himself. Viserys wants to reclaim the throne so he wants to marry off Dany to Khal Drogo who is a fierce warrior with an army.

That probably sums up the first 10 minutes!

No. The man will probably pass away before he finishes it! But I'm hoping his wife might finish them in that case 😂

One addition, Danaerys and Visaerys (the ones with white hair as opposed to Cersei and her twin brother Jamie, who are blonde) are in a different land to the rest of the cast. Ned, Robert, Cersei etc are all on Westeros, which is basically UK shaped but bigger.

Dany and Visaerys were spirited away when their father was killed, and are currently on a Mediterranean style island half way between Westeros and the much hotter continent of Essos which is where her proposed husband comes from.