Escapist Podcast: Bonus: Game of Thronescast, Season 4 Is Coming

[The Escapist Staff]

Bonus: Game of Thronescast, Season 4 Is Coming

The Escapist Staff gets ready for Season 4.

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[Fiz_The_Toaster]

I really liked the first episode and I felt that it was a good start to where the season will go, for me anyways.

I knew what the whole deal with the sword was, but I didn't understand the significance of the wolf fur. That I didn't know, so that really makes a lot of sense of why that would be a big deal.

In this episode I was hoping for something more with Arya and the coin, and the man who gave it to her, I'm blanking on the name at the moment. They hinted to it at the end of last season after everything that just happened, especially after the look on her face when she was looking at it. Maybe something will happen later in the season. I've never read the books, but at some point I plan to.

I don't know how I feel about the actor that's playing Jon Snow. I mean, I get what they're trying to do with him, but I don't know if it's the acting or the script that's just not doing him any service. Maybe time will tell in this season, but thus far I'm still on the fence with this guy.

Also, hooray for more Game of Thronescast!

 

[bdcjacko]

Just FYI, I think they went back to the original Gregor. The guy that cut off the horse's head in he first season was different than the guy in Harrenhall. They are using the horse killer.*

Also the actor Alex is thinking of is Nathan Jones. He is a former pro-wrestler.

*I am mistaken, they went with a 3rd actor for the part. Some Icelandic muscle man.

 

[Matthewmagic]

I have always found John Snow to be boring as shit. In the books and in the show he is such a mary sue. The only times he does anything "Wrong" it is him breaking his vows in a way that makes him just human. Sleeping with Egrette(sp?) or killing the half hand are wonderful examples. He keeps doing wrong but not really doing wrong. I find myself rooting for in order Denares, Arya, and Tyrrion. All three of which are just more interesting and sometimes loose sight of what is most important. They make mistakes, big mistakes whether it be bringing that whore to kings landing, trusting the blood witch against wiser console, or mistaking her little band as family. I roll my eyes out of my head with John Snow stories. Bran has done nothing interesting for five books until the point where I am in a dance with dragons, which has less to do with him and more to do with his company (where the fuck is cold hands?). Jamie has gotten good, and davos has been an interesting character that isn't given much too do unfortunately (no wonder they focus more on stanis and the red woman in the show).

Spoiler

Brein has ruined the fourth book for me. "Tales of 'have you seen a maid of three and ten' seriously she could have been cut after kings landing and we would have lost nothing.

 

[DarkhoIlow]

I've been looking forward to this Game of Thrones podcast and the upcoming ones in the near future.

I knew it was Ned's sword and the steel that it is made out of, even though I haven't read the books (internet wikis for the win ^^).

I already saw the premiere and I found it quite good so far..setting things up for the future episodes.

 

[bdcjacko]

Just saying, I don't think changing the characterization of the Thenn matters. So far the wildings (hill tribes or free folk north of the wall) have all just looked rag tag and uncivilized. Finally the tv Thenns show a different culture.

 

[ExtraDebit]

I'm convinced I'm a sociopath, the cannibal scene didn't shock me at all, I wasn't shock or disgust by it, I was just indifferent. So they're roasting an arm and they gonna eat it, big deal, was what I felt. People that eat other people are people too.

Maybe I just watch too much hannibal the series.

 

[ExtraDebit]

I have always found John Snow to be boring as shit. In the books and in the show he is such a mary sue. The only times he does anything "Wrong" it is him breaking his vows in a way that makes him just human. Sleeping with Egrette(sp?) or killing the half hand are wonderful examples. He keeps doing wrong but not really doing wrong. I find myself rooting for in order Denares, Arya, and Tyrrion. All three of which are just more interesting and sometimes loose sight of what is most important. They make mistakes, big mistakes whether it be bringing that whore to kings landing, trusting the blood witch against wiser console, or mistaking her little band as family. I roll my eyes out of my head with John Snow stories. Bran has done nothing interesting for five books until the point where I am in a dance with dragons, which has less to do with him and more to do with his company (where the fuck is cold hands?). Jamie has gotten good, and davos has been an interesting character that isn't given much too do unfortunately (no wonder they focus more on stanis and the red woman in the show).

Spoiler

Brein has ruined the fourth book for me. "Tales of 'have you seen a maid of three and ten' seriously she could have been cut after kings landing and we would have lost nothing.

I completely agree with you, I felt the same way about Jon Snow too, maybe I'm more a villain than a hero at heart and hate the one dimensional do gooder. I much more prefer anti heroes that does whatever it takes to serve themselves but at the same time doing good while at it like superior spiderman.

Spoiler

I'm glad they killed him off in the book, hopefully now we can focus on more interesting characters like tyrion

 

[Carrots_macduff]

Just saying, I don't think changing the characterization of the Thenn matters. So far the wildings (hill tribes or free folk north of the wall) have all just looked rag tag and uncivilized. Finally the tv Thenns show a different culture.

the thenns already had their own culture, in the books they are the only wildling tribe that have laws and lords. making them cannibals is pretty much the opposite.

i see how it might be more time consuming to show that they are more like the people of the seven kingdoms than the other tribes, but the fact that they decided to differentiate them by just showing them roasting an arm struck me as profoundly lazy.

 

[bdcjacko]

Just saying, I don't think changing the characterization of the Thenn matters. So far the wildings (hill tribes or free folk north of the wall) have all just looked rag tag and uncivilized. Finally the tv Thenns show a different culture.

the thenns already had their own culture, in the books they are the only wildling tribe that have laws and lords. making them cannibals is pretty much the opposite.

i see how it might be more time consuming to show that they are more like the people of the seven kingdoms than the other tribes, but the fact that they decided to differentiate them by just showing them roasting an arm struck me as profoundly lazy.

Alright, you have 2 minutes to explain how the Thenns are different than the other wildling groups. Also I the time they have to be interacting with other "established characters," while delievering exposition about how they showed up. Also you have to be exciting in a show that has tits and blood on a regular basis. Once you can do that, then you can call the writers of the Game of a Thrones tv series lazy.

 

[Carrots_macduff]

Alright, you have 2 minutes to explain how the Thenns are different than the other wildling groups. Also I the time they have to be interacting with other "established characters," while delievering exposition about how they showed up. Also you have to be exciting in a show that has tits and blood on a regular basis. Once you can do that, then you can call the writers of the Game of a Thrones tv series lazy.

will one sentence do?

"The Thenns have lords and laws ... They mine tin and copper for bronze, forge their own arms and armor instead of stealing it. A proud folk, and brave."
- Jon Snow

of course it doesnt address those other things you said about interaction and exposition and excitement, but im just an unemployed fanboy of 23 years, not a script writer so maybe cut me some slack.

i didnt mean to call the writers lazy, just maybe suggested that they might have made a mistake in making such a drastic change without significant exposition to back it up, but as you so scathingly implied, who am i to judge?

 

[Archon]

Just FYI, I think they went back to the original Gregor. The guy that cut off the horse's head in he first season was different than the guy in Harrenhall. They are using the horse killer.

Also the actor Alex is thinking of is Nathan Jones. He is a former pro-wrestler.

Yes, that's him. 6'11", 350lbs, former World's Strongest Man. THAT is the Mountain That Rides.
http://cdn.unleashthefanboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2499611-nathan+jones.jpg

 

[bdcjacko]

Just FYI, I think they went back to the original Gregor. The guy that cut off the horse's head in he first season was different than the guy in Harrenhall. They are using the horse killer.

Also the actor Alex is thinking of is Nathan Jones. He is a former pro-wrestler.

Yes, that's him. 6'11", 350lbs, former World's Strongest Man. THAT is the Mountain That Rides.
http://cdn.unleashthefanboy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/2499611-nathan+jones.jpg

No sir, Mark Henry is the world's strong man and se the record before Nathan Jones was lifting weights. Anyhow if we are casting pro-wrestlers as the Mountain. I would go with Robert Maillet, you would need to use some effect to make him the right size, but the man is huge and has the look.

I am a wrestling nerd, just happen to know this stuff of the top of my head.

 

[bdcjacko]

Alright, you have 2 minutes to explain how the Thenns are different than the other wildling groups. Also I the time they have to be interacting with other "established characters," while delievering exposition about how they showed up. Also you have to be exciting in a show that has tits and blood on a regular basis. Once you can do that, then you can call the writers of the Game of a Thrones tv series lazy.

will one sentence do?

"The Thenns have lords and laws ... They mine tin and copper for bronze, forge their own arms and armor instead of stealing it. A proud folk, and brave."
- Jon Snow

of course it doesnt address those other things you said about interaction and exposition and excitement, but im just an unemployed fanboy of 23 years, not a script writer so maybe cut me some slack.

i didnt mean to call the writers lazy, just maybe suggested that they might have made a mistake in making such a drastic change without significant exposition to back it up, but as you so scathingly implied, who am i to judge?

I can hear Kit Harrington delievering that line and I am bored to death by it. No offense to you.

I am going to break this down for you. Unless book 6 or 7 uses the Thenns, the group is rather unimportant. The show producers need a random bunch of tribes men to join up with the other wildlings and choose the Thenns over the Hornfeet to be that tribe for whatever reason. Limited budget, time, and locations made them go the cannibal route. Granted I am 32 year old accountant, not a script writer. Seeing the constraints they are working with, scared up cannibal tribe seems like the most effiecnt way to get this group remembered. Also if the present the Thenns as orderly barbarians, how would they look any different than Bolton's men?

 

[maxben]

Alright, you have 2 minutes to explain how the Thenns are different than the other wildling groups. Also I the time they have to be interacting with other "established characters," while delievering exposition about how they showed up. Also you have to be exciting in a show that has tits and blood on a regular basis. Once you can do that, then you can call the writers of the Game of a Thrones tv series lazy.

will one sentence do?

"The Thenns have lords and laws ... They mine tin and copper for bronze, forge their own arms and armor instead of stealing it. A proud folk, and brave."
- Jon Snow

of course it doesnt address those other things you said about interaction and exposition and excitement, but im just an unemployed fanboy of 23 years, not a script writer so maybe cut me some slack.

i didnt mean to call the writers lazy, just maybe suggested that they might have made a mistake in making such a drastic change without significant exposition to back it up, but as you so scathingly implied, who am i to judge?

I can hear Kit Harrington delievering that line and I am bored to death by it. No offense to you.

I am going to break this down for you. Unless book 6 or 7 uses the Thenns, the group is rather unimportant. The show producers need a random bunch of tribes men to join up with the other wildlings and choose the Thenns over the Hornfeet to be that tribe for whatever reason. Limited budget, time, and locations made them go the cannibal route. Granted I am 32 year old accountant, not a script writer. Seeing the constraints they are working with, scared up cannibal tribe seems like the most effiecnt way to get this group remembered. Also if the present the Thenns as orderly barbarians, how would they look any different than Bolton's men?

The only problem is how they are used in the books, though I imagine that can be fixed with good casting and writing for Styr's son, or the show will just go another route and it won't matter.

 

[bdcjacko]

The only problem is how they are used in the books, though I imagine that can be fixed with good casting and writing for Styr's son, or the show will just go another route and it won't matter.

Hey, remember how they treated all the hill tribes that followed Tyrion? They got like a little story about how a moon brother killed a burnt man over a piece of bacon or whatever. Making the Thenns the cannibals is more than the moon brothers got. That and at this point, the names of the tribes are fairly inter-changeable for tv purposes. I guess to me it feels like nitpicking.

 

[Archon]

No sir, Mark Henry is the world's strong man and se the record before Nathan Jones was lifting weights. Anyhow if we are casting pro-wrestlers as the Mountain. I would go with Robert Maillet, you would need to use some effect to make him the right size, but the man is huge and has the look.

I am a wrestling nerd, just happen to know this stuff of the top of my head.

Having looked up Robert Maillet, I concur that he looks even more like the Mountain. He's 6'10" so they'd only need to add a foot to his height (hah).

 

[bdcjacko]

No sir, Mark Henry is the world's strong man and se the record before Nathan Jones was lifting weights. Anyhow if we are casting pro-wrestlers as the Mountain. I would go with Robert Maillet, you would need to use some effect to make him the right size, but the man is huge and has the look.

I am a wrestling nerd, just happen to know this stuff of the top of my head.

Having looked up Robert Maillet, I concur that he looks even more like the Mountain. He's 6'10" so they'd only need to add a foot to his height (hah).

One problem with Robert Maillet is he speaks French. But his voice sounds like a rock crusher at the bottom of a well, so he sounds like a talking mountain.

Also, if you ever need someone to write articles recasting tv show and movies with pro wrestlers, let me know.

 

[Remus]

The guy from Spartacus, Conan Stevens, actually was Gregor for the first season, but he left that show for Spartacus, in which his character had his face sheered off by the main character. Bad gamble IMO. Conan was 7'1. Then there was Ian Whyte, also 7'1 but that skinny, gangly kinda tall, not massive like Conan was. The current actor, Hafthor Julius Bjornsson, is 6'9. Shorter than the other 2 but he has the mass, being a World's Strongest Man competitor and for looks, he actually matches Conan's original portrayal rather well.

 

[danimal1384]

I haven't read the books, and I just watched it today. I recognized it at Ice from the start, and I always assumed it was like Mythril, and the material itself was special.