HBO Game of Thrones

[Hedwig]

That is so surprising. Isn't it the stereotype that men need sex and naked women to enjoy a movie? When came the weird stereotype that women want that?

rant for people who write anything against my beloved ASOIAF series: *Reviews are often just annoying. Reviewers seem to think that they are so much more sophisticated then the rest of the mob if they criticise something. Typical for someone not having read the books to write something like that and feel all above the mob.*

[Satellitegirl]

Have you heard of that NYTimes controversy surrounding HBO's GoT? The reviewer implied that they added sex scenes so that female demographic would watch it ( relying on the fact that most urban fantasy and paranormal romance series nowadays are slated towards women and are highly sexual), and that otherwise GoT is male geek literature . It produced a storm of indignant e-mails, and NYT had to turn off the comments... I heard about it later, went and read the article and was rather offended myself. First of all, all the sex shown on HBO so far is written in the books; so the reviewer had not read them. Second, as a woman I don't need sex to enjoy fantasy and sci-fi; I like a well-written fantasy whether it is sexual or not. Third, women have eclectic tastes these days; I certainly do; reading "high literature", travel literature, historical novels, fantasy, non-fiction, history, biography, you name it. I think it's much more typical than reading just one kind of book. The stereotype that elaborate fantasy is for computer programmers is way outdated.
Anyway, that was a sucky bigoted review, and I resent that my beloved New York Times printed it.

I think Lord of the Rings is a good example of fantasy that doesn't involve sex. That reviewer, as Hedwig's quote says, was trying to seem above the mob. And I'm with you as far as eclectic tastes. I read a variety. Also, I wouldn't say the stereotype that elaborate fantasy is for computer nerds is true. More that most people I know who read fantasy, have fun with embracing(although not seriously) some geekiness. It's nothing negative, and it isn't exclusive. Although I never associated it with computer programmers...I more associated it with my brother who was a big D & D player and read tons of fantasy...and so did his friends that he played D & D with. Certainly not the only types who read it, but it makes up a large demographic...and there's nothing wrong with that. Some of my friends in the online Lord of the Rings game I play are LARPers(Live Action Role Players). I think people get offended when someone says nerds like fantasy, only when they take being a nerd as negative.

Anyhow, love this show, and I'm loving the books so far.

[danceronice]

That is so surprising. Isn't it the stereotype that men need sex and naked women to enjoy a movie? When came the weird stereotype that women want that?

I wondered that myself--if, to attract women, we have to have hunky men and romance, and to attract men we need "boobies!"....who are the complex plots and fantasy violence for?

Seriously I think the idea behind "they added the shirtless men to get the women viewers" is that women only like shows about "relationships". To keep us sensitive females tuning in, we must have romance, conversation about romance, women done wrong by men, and nice pretty costumes. (Or, if you're aiming for a certain demographic, you can throw in some Ho Yay relationships, too.) Because women, per the people who write stuff like this, want to see other women and they want to see emotional relationships--drama based on politics (unless it's politics "women like", ie women are better leaders than men, feed the doe-eyed urchins stuff, which in fairness often works for real politicians) just isn't appealing, and heaven forbid women like a good swordfight or gun battle! Women are just too civilized to like that sort of thing. Women like shows with lots of talking. (And shoes.)

At least in the minds of female reviewers and women who write for glossy magazines or the NYT, who tend to automatically assume that all women everywhere think exactly like they do.

Personally? Screw that, I'm gonna go hang with the steampunks and build a death ray. Why? I like the corsets and if you CAN build a death ray, why wouldn't you? Especially if it runs on steam.

[Satellitegirl]

I love steampunk, danceronice. It's one reason I loved the opening sequence for Game of Thrones...all the gadgets and wheels as the castles assemble, etc. Very cool!

[Buzz]

So this series is basically an x-rated version of LOTR? I watched it yesterday and found the sex scenes not as graphic as I had feared; certainly not to the Spartacus level. The most disturbing of course that last scene with the kid being pushed. Poor thing!

[danceronice]

So this series is basically an x-rated version of LOTR? I watched it yesterday and found the sex scenes not as graphic as I had feared; certainly not to the Spartacus level. The most disturbing of course that last scene with the kid being pushed. Poor thing!

Nah. LOTR had elves and magic and stuff. This...sorta does. But it's not the point. (And no pwetty pwetty pwincess elves at all.) There is some...supernatural stuff to come, but it's not easily slotted into D&D alignments.

Also, unlike most fantasy, even Tolkien, no one has plot armor. Anyone, even if you think they're a hero, can die a horrible violent bloody death at any time. So basically don't get attached to any characters because the odds are about 2-1 they're going to take an axe to the head at some point.

(Although, as the Pythons put it in the Upper-Class Twit of the Year sketch, "He's dead, but he's not necessarily out of it!")

[Twilight1]

I read about the series on Wikipedia and am thankful my favourite character makes it through all the books. Between this and The Borgia's I am set for the summer.

The woman they got playing Cercei is perfect. I am happy that the series was renewed for another season. Though not looking forward to seeing other charcters I like dropping like flies...

[rfisher]

HBO has a history of keeping actors whose characters are supposed to die. Lafayette anyone?

[emason]

I read about the series on Wikipedia and am thankful my favourite character makes it through all the books. Between this and The Borgia's I am set for the summer.

Make that all the books that are published so far; there are 3 more to come to complete the series. NO ONE is safe.

[Buzz]

Well as of book four my favourite character is still alive so I am good for a while anyway. LOL (yeah I checked wikipedia too )

[Satellitegirl]

I read about the series on Wikipedia and am thankful my favourite character makes it through all the books. Between this and The Borgia's I am set for the summer.

I really wanted to see that, but don't have Showtime. I'll have to download it/rent it/buy it when it comes out.

[dbell1]

Books are ordered.

[Hedwig]

Books are ordered.

Enjoy


I just read that GRRM was on the new york time list of the 100 most influential people for 2011:


http://fantasyhotlist.blogspot.com/2...00-people.html

TIME magazine has honored bestselling fantasy author George R.R. Martin by including him on its Top 100 most influential people list for this year. The write-up was done by John Hodgman:

I had two missions last summer. One was to watch The Wire because I was tired of admitting I hadn't seen it. The other was to read George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones.

The experiences turned out to be surprisingly similar. Both kidnapped me to intimately drawn worlds with stories of a grim conflict and characters so achingly human that you end up rooting, tragically, for both sides. And neither one has dragons in it — at least, not at first. Martin, 62, is as fine a researcher as he is a storyteller, and he packs in enough miserable fact about the meanness of medieval life that it occasionally echoes Baltimore in its harshness.

With HBO's adaptation and Martin's long-awaited fifth book in the A Song of Ice and Fire series about to be published, my endorsement isn't necessary. But I'll still feel compelled, like all those fans of The Wire, to pull you aside and tell you that Tyrion Lannister is the best character in fiction since Stringer Bell and that if you have not read these books, you should be ashamed of yourself.

[Buzz]

HBO has released a couple of clips for tomorrow's episode.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPrW3Swrp4E
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_30wzerP0M

[dinakt]

Can't wait for tonight.

[rfisher]

I've caught up through last weeks episode in the books. With the genealogies in the back of the book, I at least know who the players are.

[Buzz]

That's it! I am hooked and cannot wait for the series to slowly unravel so I am going to get myself the books even if I have to buy them all new!

[Satellitegirl]

Good episode last night. I was so mad at the queen. Poor wolf and poor butcher's son. The Lannisters are real pieces of work.

[Allen]

Good episode last night. I was so mad at the queen. Poor wolf and poor butcher's son. The Lannisters are real pieces of work.

Yeah, the wolf and butcher's son really got to me. I just keep having to remind myself of the brutality of the book and try not to get caught up in it. I'm excited about seeing Dany's story play out.

[dbell1]

Poor dire puppies. Totally lost it when Ned killed Lady, but that line about the wolf being from the north made me think that battle lines are clearly being drawn. Loved the end of the episode when Bran opened his eyes. His mum sure was a nasty cow to John - no matter how she feels about her hubby cheating on her, it's obvious that John and Bran (and the other children) are very close.

Ayra is my favorite. Disarming that pompous little prat of a prince and tossing his sword was but her sister is a twit. "I don't remember?" Really?

Hedwig - books have been shipped - due here by Thursday, so I predict a lot of reading this weekend.