Yeah, seriously. I’ve seen this sentiment expressed elsewhere, as well. The casting director’s done a fantastic job.
I thought the whole thing was fantastic, one of the best things I’ve seen on t.v. (or in theaters) for a long time. I bought the books (on #2) and am appreciating how hard it was for people who read them to not accidentally spoil something. I think, in part, it’s because the casting is so good. You THINK you’ve SEEN the characters do these things you’ve only read about.
Did anyone else feel that Mirri, the witch doctor who “healed” Drogo, seriously underplayed her part? When I read the reveal of her treachery in the book, I could feel hate, venom, contempt in every word. The actress basically just announced it like she was reading a list of Perfect Attendance winners. “Yeah, I got raped a bunch and my church burned, so meh.” Seriously, give it some tone!
Yeah, I was not impressed by her performance.
Otherwise, it was all triffic. Miffic, even.
The screaming as she was being consumed in the fire was pretty good, IMHO.
What i thought was underplayed was Jamies line “Men like me? there are no men like me, there is only me”, it should have dripped arrogance but he said it with a hint of sadness.
Sort of seemed to me like the witch doctor was in shock or suffering from what we would call PTSD; she also knew she was very likely to die soon, and not pleasantly, so she was resigned to her fate and unlikely to be shouting.
Jaime played his scene just right, I thought - he’s been beaten, chained in the cold and then bashed in the head with a rock. As I see it, he knows he’s the most badass knight around, but deep, deep down he’s also filled with self-loathing for his incestuous affair and for being the Kingslayer. He also knows that executing Ned Stark was a huge mistake and can’t be particularly mad at Cat for hating him and his family for it. He’s still arrogant but a bit muted in that scene, and understandably so.
I thought so too. I wonder if the fact English isn’t the actor’s first language caused problems.
I suppose the greatest disappointment with the series overall was the decision to save money on battle scenes. The book describes the battles in great detail, especially the one in which Tyrian fights (and he does fight), which along with Jamie being captured is one reason his father was a bit more impressed with him.
Joffrey is not as pretty as he is in the book (where he’s interchangable with Draco Malfoy) but they did a great job of casting somebody believable as spoiled and inbred. I thought the actress who played Sansa did a great job with the “how long do you want me to look [at my father’s severed head]” scene.
How about her 1000 yd. stare and ominous delivery in the scene with Robb. They’re hugging, he’s sobbing, she says: First we have to get the girls back. Then we will kill them all.
Damn. Who’s choppin’ onions?
I got the impression he was sad because he feels like he doesn’t have an equal in the whole world. Like when he clocked his man at arms that ruined his duel with Ned. He just wants to have someone he deems worthy as an enemy.
This is from my take of the series, haven’t read the books.
I thought her world-weary tone was perfect. It was a nice counterpoint to Dany, who (I thought) overdid most of her lines. I suppose it’s difficult to be commanding without sounding like you’re making pronouncements, especially for a woman. Cersei can do it but Dany and Catelyn can’t.
I was going to resist re-reading the books until the second season, but I couldn’t resist. Started book two last night. Now the hard part will be finishing them before starting Dragons in July.
Ditto. Vile glee and cackling would have done the character a disservice, IMHO. It would have let you see Mirri as totally evil and deserving of what she gets. But by playing her as a beaten down fatalist, she reminds you that Drogo was not a good guy, cool as he was, and “mounting the world” is not a good thing to wish for your baby. MMD has seen some serious shit, both from the Dothraki raiders, and through the blood magic. The dothraki call her a witch, but she’s not the Wicked Witch of the West. “Weary” is perfect for her, I thought.
It gives us more of the moral complexity and ambiguity of the story. So much of of what is or is not moral depends on perspective. From one perspective, Drogo and Dany were a badass power-couple, from another perspective, they’re monsters.
I think that the story in general also shows the inherent instability, inequality and often brutality of monarchal systems in general.
What was interesting to me was that at the end Dany established the most equitable society (at least among the few who were left with her). She freed everyone who didn’t leave with the Dothraki and then, after a few more left, the rest were more or less there voluntarily to serve her. (Although her reveal of her powers and the dragons would tell them that they’re aligning with a powerful woman.)
Before the episode aired, I wondered how she would survive. I assumed that the Dothraki would kill her for her sacrilege.
Exactly. So many people were rooting for Drogo to fulfill his promise after Danys assassination attempt when that would make him more horrible than even Joffrey.
I thought it was quite good. The one dragon crawling up Dany’s leg was a bit odd but that wasn’t so much bad CGI as a poor design choice. I cant see a dragon doing that without digging it’s claws into her and causing her to try and kick it off as one would a cat that did that. But the one she was holding and the one roaring on her shoulder were excellent.
I only hope they can afford to keep it up throughout the second season. I’d hate for them to have to cheap out and keep the dragons off screen like they’ve done with the direwolves.
The direwolves were kept off screen because it was hard to make them do what was needed, no such problem with CGI. Now it is just a monetary concern.
I hope Arya makes it to The Wall and is able to reunite with Jon at least. Though once they clear the south, why wouldn’t the Night’s Watch recruiter drop her off with Robb and her mother? Either way, you just know her direwolf is going to find her sometime soon.
It was a good touch to show King Robert’s bastard with his awesome bull helm in hand. I can’t wait to see him kick some ass like his father did in his prime.
Anyone else remember the actor playing Tywin Lannister as the bad guy from both Last Action Hero and The Golden Child? I see from his IMDB page that he’s done loads more, but I always see him as a villain.
Ice zombies from the north and dragons from the south, this looks promising.
Charles Dance. I’ve only seen him in Bleak House. He was awesome there too.
I liked how Tyrion was so affected by Tywin saying “You’re my son”, and then in the next scene he’s flouting Tywin’s orders about Shae.
I also liked Jamie not telling Catelyn why he pushed Bran out the window. He might be ashamed of the incest, but he’s also protecting Cersei.
To me, Charles Dance will always be Sgt. Guy Perron, a very, very good guy in The Jewel in the Crown.