[TV] Game of Thrones - Season 3 is here.

[Caine]

a Game of F--ks

[TiLT]

That didn't take long. Game of Thrones is renewed for a 4th season.

[CeeKay]

That didn't take long. Game of Thrones is renewed for a 4th season.

this part made me LOL:

There was some less paperwork this year, so we did not have to wait a couple of weeks for the news.

[hepcat]

HBO seems to understand that you have to sink some cash into a show if it's doing well.  Now, if the execs over at AMC would just get this through their heads and stop penny pinching The Walking Dead....

[Isgrimnur]

HBO does the same thing at times.  Maybe we can just *hear* the Battle on The Fist...  Special effects cost money. 

[hepcat]

The giant alone in the season premiere was extremely well done in my opinion, and must have cost a pretty penny.  But I don't think they're having even close to the same battles over cash that TWD was having between seasons 1 and 2 that were reported all over the place.  That seemed pretty acrimonious....and odd for a show that was bringing them in a whole hell of a lot of cash.

[Isgrimnur]

Agreed.  AMC appears to be much more penny-pinching than HBO, but that doesn't mean that GoT has a blank check.  Especially when, if HBO has a hit, they don't get to jack advertising rates up.  They have to rely on merch sales or renegotiated subscriber rates.

[TiLT]

There was a respectable budget increase for GoT in season 2 compared to season 1, almost exclusively in order to do the Battle of the Blackwater justice. The third season supposedly has roughly the same budget as season 2, but spread over all 10 episodes instead of focused on one of them. The show's creators say they're looking for a budget increase for season 4 since they want to do a battle there that is bigger than the one in season 2. Those of you who've read the books will know what I'm talking about.

[Jumangi]

Agreed.  AMC appears to be much more penny-pinching than HBO, but that doesn't mean that GoT has a blank check.  Especially when, if HBO has a hit, they don't get to jack advertising rates up.  They have to rely on merch sales or renegotiated subscriber rates.

The penny pinching hasn't hurt Walking Dead's success. Its the most watched cable show on now.

HBO's subscriber fees are serious money, and the first 2 seasons disc sales of the series are the best HBO's ever had. Funny considering its also the most pirated show too.

[hepcat]

No one's saying Walking Dead is a bad show.  Quite the contrary.  But that's just a sign of how well written and acted it can be.  However, the budget struggles have been well documented in the past.  It's also cited as one of the reasons Darabont, arguably the mastermind of the show, left.  I can't help but wonder how much better the last two seasons would've been had Darabont stayed on board.  Again, I'm not saying it's been horrible...but unless you unrealistically believe in perfection, there's always room for improvement.

[CeeKay]

finally got to watch 3.1 last night and damn, time flew by while watching it.  it seemed like it had only just begun when the end credits started rolling.

[hepcat]

I've never read the books (I've started them a few times though...I just don't like any books without pictures or a "find the hidden..." component to them) but I will say that Dinklage is still the man...and if I don't see him wreak holy hell on daddy and the crew this season, I'm going to be sorely disappointed.

[Roguetad]

It's remarkable to me how true the show writers try and stay to the books.  They have made some changes, but they seem to be for the sake of pacing and entertainment, which is good.  I think we will be in for a wild ride this season if even half of the events from book 3 are covered.  I can't wait to see them portrayed on the show.        

Edited to add:  Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lanister) and Charles Dance (Tywin Lanister) are awesome in their roles.  The scene in the Office of the Hand during the Season 3 premiere was really good.  Every scene those actors are in is better because of their performances and presence on screen.  They're both perfectly realized characters, exactly how I imagined them from the books.   

  

[TiLT]

They're both perfectly realized characters, exactly how I imagined them from the books.

You can't have been reading very thoroughly then. Particularly Peter Dinklage is very different physically from Tyrion Lannister as described in the books. The book version is ugly, misshaped, and cramps up whenever he has to do anything physical (like walk down a set of stairs). Dinklage on the other hand is a rather attractive, normal man, only different because of his height. He owns the role from an acting point of view though.

[Roguetad]

They're both perfectly realized characters, exactly how I imagined them from the books.

You can't have been reading very thoroughly then. Particularly Peter Dinklage is very different physically from Tyrion Lannister as described in the books. The book version is ugly, misshaped, and cramps up whenever he has to do anything physical (like walk down a set of stairs). Dinklage on the other hand is a rather attractive, normal man, only different because of his height. He owns the role from an acting point of view though.

Yes   But I'm not getting hung up on the superficial differences.  Their characters are about as true as they can be in the adaptation to TV.  Tyrion wouldn't even have a nose after the battle of the blackwater, and as you said, his already ugly visage became even worse with the mauling he received.  I can live with that difference.  It's the personalities that are captured so well. 

[leo8877]

GREAT episode last night.  I swear they're like 5 minutes long!!!

[Mystic95Z]

Just watched S3 E4 and all I gotta say is gogo Daenerys...

[Jumangi]

This episode is what makes Games of Thrones a must watch. Simply nothing like it elsewhere in TV.

[CeeKay]

I was debating holding off until the end of the season to watch the rest of the episodes, but I just saw a brief description of tonight's episode that leads me to believe I'll be watching the last 3 episodes this afternoon to get ready.

here are brief descriptions of the next 4 episodes.  as I say they are brief, but if you read the books they may be very spoilerific.  I'm, not kidding, I was kind of surprised.  It's been over a decade since I read Storm of Swords so I'm definitely misremembering some stuff but from these descriptions it seems like they are moving much quicker than I expected they would if season 3 was only supposed to be half of the book.

Spoiler for Hiden:

Tonight:
Episode #25: “Kissed by Fire”
The Hound (Rory McCann) is judged by the gods; Jaime is judged by men. Jon proves himself; Robb (Richard Madden) is betrayed. Tyrion learns the cost of weddings. Written for television by Bryan Cogman; directed by Alex Graves.

Next Sunday:
Episode #26: “The Climb”
Tywin (Charles Dance) plans strategic unions for the Lannisters. Melisandre (Carice van Houten) visits the Riverlands. Robb (Richard Madden) weighs a compromise to repair his alliance with House Frey. Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton) decides what to do with Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). Jon (Kit Harington), Ygritte (Rose Leslie) and the Wildlings face a daunting climb. Written for television by David Benioff & D. B. Weiss; directed by Alik Sakharov.

May 12:
Episode #27: “The Bear and the Maiden Fair”
Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) exchanges gifts with a slave lord outside Yunkai. As Sansa (Sophie Turner) frets about her prospects, Shae (Sibel Kekilli) chafes at Tyrion’s (Peter Dinklage) new situation. Tywin counsels the king, and Melisandre reveals a secret to Gendry (Joe Dempsie). Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) faces a formidable foe in Harrenhal. Written for television by George R. R. Martin; directed by Michelle MacLaren.

May 19:
Episode #28: “Second Sons”
King’s Landing hosts a wedding, and Tyrion and Sansa spend the night together. Daenerys meets the Titan’s Bastard. Davos (Liam Cunningham) demands proof from Melisandre. Sam (John Bradley) and Gilly (Hannah Murray) meet an older gentleman. Written for television by David Benioff & D. B. Weiss; directed by Michelle MacLaren.

[Turtle]

He's definitely adding plot elements, letting certain actors and plots be used more, which is a good thing.

EDIT: Well, this episode was both a lot of great political action and character moments, and really setting up some nasty stuff later. It's actually nice to see things playing out both the same, and different enough from the books to keep it interesting.

[leo8877]

This season is excellent and makes up for the lame that was S2

[Knightshade Dragon]

Pulled the trigger and bought all of the books at once.  This show is fantastic!   I do have to agree - the episodes feel like they fly by so fast. 

[MonkeyFinger]

Pulled the trigger and bought all of the books at once.  This show is fantastic!   I do have to agree - the episodes feel like they fly by so fast. 

ps. It's not all of the books. Hopefully someday such a thing will exist. 

[pr0ner]

This season is excellent and makes up for the lame that was S2

Say what?   

[Moliere]

A quick recap of the first two episodes this season.

[Turtle]

So yeah.

Jaime is quickly turning from one of the most hated characters into someone you root for.

[CeeKay]

One of the producers talks about the series ending.