GAME OF THRONES

[Jay 37,353]

Glad I didn't ruin anything for you Alice!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Facebook is probably the worst place to get spoilered.

[Jay 37,353]

Yup. I'll be watching each Season 4 ep the day after it airs

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Me too. And anyone that puts a spoiler in my FB, will get a taste of my shouting at them, and then unfriended.

[Jay 37,353]

I just won't read Facebook on from 9pm EST Sunday until I've seen the episode Monday evening for those 10 weeks.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Smart!

[SF1_freeze 131]

That reminds me of one of the things I didn't understand about Jon Snow. In season 2 he easily kills the night watch leader guy in order to get the wildlings to take him in and introduce him to their leader. Yet in season 3 he is unable to kill an old horse-farmer in order to keep his cover. Why?

He already got all the informations he needed long before the farmer encounter and was just torn about when or how to leave the wildlings to warn the nightswatch

and what to do regarding Ygritte. There even was a scene filmed where Jon wanted to leave the group/ ygritte at night but didn't in the end because he was torn between his duty and love (hopefully on bluray as deleted scene).

So the farmer encounter seems to have been the tipping point where he decided to finally leave for Castle Black and against Ygritte (and also against killing an innocent farmer just for no real gain other than staying with Ygritte)

In season 2 Quorin basically ordered him to kill him to go undercover.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That reminds me of one of the things I didn't understand about Jon Snow. In season 2 he easily kills the night watch leader guy in order to get the wildlings to take him in and introduce him to their leader. Yet in season 3 he is unable to kill an old horse-farmer in order to keep his cover. Why?

He already got all the informations he needed long before the farmer encounter and was just torn about when or how to leave the wildlings to warn the nightswatch

I didnt get that at all.

[SF1_freeze 131]

That reminds me of one of the things I didn't understand about Jon Snow. In season 2 he easily kills the night watch leader guy in order to get the wildlings to take him in and introduce him to their leader. Yet in season 3 he is unable to kill an old horse-farmer in order to keep his cover. Why?

He already got all the informations he needed long before the farmer encounter and was just torn about when or how to leave the wildlings to warn the nightswatch

I didnt get that at all.

He needed to find out what the Wildlings are up to and got all the interesting informations in the encounters with Mance Raider where he learns about the Wildling tribes uniting to march south to escape the White Walkers.

Then he only needs to get back to the Wall and Castle Black but it's pretty impossible to survive alone so he obviously stays with Ygritte and the group travelling south. Then they fall in love and he is torn between duty and Ygritte...

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Well, even though he is injured he managed to do his duty. The only thing no one in Castle Black knew he was sent to go undercover, and if they catch Ygritte....

[SF1_freeze 131]

Well, Jon and Quorin Halfhands group had the task to find out what the Wildlings were up to. In the end all apart from Jon died but he fulfilled his job. So it doesn't really matter if he was undercover or not. Although some on the nightswatch would very well be suspicious of his true allegiance if they knew (Alliser Thorne for example / the fighting teacher and nemesis of Snow)

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

That's what I mean. And if Ygritte is captured or something and starts to point the finger at Jon, and reveal that he broke his oath of celibacy.....

[Incanus 5,714]

In season 2 Quorin basically ordered him to kill him to go undercover.

Jon Snow's storyline has been done in bit of a hurry in my opinion and many things, including killing Quorin came on too suddenly with very little build-up or preparation. Same goes for his relationship with Ygritte. I hope that now that he has gotten back to Casle Black things will pace up better. His story in the 1st season was very strong but transformed into a bit aimless in the 2nd. 3 showed some improvement.

Really a shame that my two favourites, Varys (Conleth Hill) and Littleifinger (Aidan Gillen) have been put to sidelines a bit but that's how they are in the novels, working behind the scenes. Their performances are always a joy to watch though. You can't get much more oily, suave and conniving than those two.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,353]

So who is Mark Gatiss playing then?

[Incanus 5,714]

So who is Mark Gatiss playing then?

A good question. Time to hit the books and search through the family genealogies and name lists!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

You can discard any of the Northern families I think...

[Jay 37,353]

And what is the point of announcing who all the other new cast members are playing, but not announcing who Mark Gatiss is playing? Is there some kinda of "secret" character coming up along the lines of "Boy"/Ramsay Snow?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Any chance Gattis might play a character they had to recast?

[Jay 37,353]

And what is the point of announcing who all the other new cast members are playing, but not announcing who Mark Gatiss is playing? Is there some kinda of "secret" character coming up along the lines of "Boy"/Ramsay Snow?

When they announced the actor for Ramsay Snow, they revealed he was going to play Ramsay Snow. It was no secret.

Are you sure? In the end credits of all the episodes he appeared in up until the final one, he was just credited as "Boy"

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,353]

Any chance Gattis might play a character they had to recast?

Oooh, good call.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,714]

But apparently Gatiss has already filmed his part so it can't be a major role.

[Jay 37,353]

Whatever his role is it must have been small, as he's already filmed his parts!

http://watch.accesshollywood.com/video/comic-con-2013:-mark-gatiss-joins-game-of-thrones-season-4/2553804625001

For those who can't watch

He refused to name what character he is playing, but hinted he would need a Northern Irish accent for it and “a bit of hair.” A wig, obviously! He also said that his audition called for him learning a large number of names. My guess? If I have to take a stab, I think he’s playing the amalgamation of two Greyjoys, possibly Euron and Victarion. (Vicuron?) My second guess would be someone at Castle Black reading off a scroll of names. Hopefully we’ll know more tomorrow! ~FaB~

http://winteriscoming.net/2013/07/sherlock-actor-mark-gatiss-cast-in-season-4/

[Quintus 5,399]

Any chance Gattis might play a character they had to recast?

Oooh, good call.

Which roles have changed actors?

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Quintus 5,399]

Oh well I know about that one yes. I just got the impression they'd done it again.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Well there was that one time where Peter Dinklage suffered from a bad stomach flu and was replaced by Warwick Davis for a single episode.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Jay 37,353]

Gatiss is good as Mycroft on Sherlock. Never seen him in anything else.

[Quintus 5,399]

Anyway for me the weakest link casting wise is the bloke who plays Stannis. There isn't enough about him, he lacks presence. I'm unconvinced by his claim to the throne.

[Jay 37,353]

I thought early in season 2 that the actors playing Stannis and Davos should have been swapped.

But possibly they were cast based on where their characters eventually go rather than where they start. I like Davos now and think Stannis has potential (depends on what happens up at the wall) but for a while I felt like even Renly had more kingly stature than Stannis.

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

He was incredibly dull in season two, but much better in season 3.

And Alvar is right. The character is described as being a good soldier, but a man without charisma.

[Quintus 5,399]

A dull character needs a charismatic actor to make him engaging.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Even Liam Neeson could not make Qui-Gon interesting

[Quintus 5,399]

Actually, I like him. Neeson did his best while the puppeteer dangled him wherever he was required.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

He did what he could, but the script didn't give him much.

[Incanus 5,714]

I think Stephen Dillane does good work as Stannis but the truth is that he is a dull character. He is all about duty and rigid following of law and codes of conduct. He is unyielding and hard and rigid and that is what Dillane is portraying very well. The character's main occupation in the novels is grinding his jaw in frustration, making empty demands and pouting and moping when things do not go his way.

Like Jason I also felt a bit same about swapping the actors of Stannis and Davos around as they would have in appearance fitted for the opposite roles but actually I think Davos' actor Liam Cunningham is wonderfully sympathetic and portrays the quiet decency so well that I just accepted them in their roles after the first few scenes. His scenes with Shireen were some of the most heart warming in season 3.

[Jay 37,353]

yea, I eventually grew to like the actors in their respective roles but at first I was confused why the King was so boring and his 1st in Command was the exciting and charismatic one. But it all worked out now.

[Incanus 5,714]

yea, I eventually grew to like the actors in their respective roles but at first I was confused why the King was so boring and his 1st in Command was the exciting and charismatic one. But it all worked out now.

Stannis' whole point is that he is not lovable nor charismatic but rather just and law abiding and expects the same unyielding creed from everyone else. But he shows that a king without humane qualities and who just rigidly follows the law is as bad as a ruler who is ruled by his emotions and is corrupted by his unlimited power (like Joffrey).

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yep...

Its gonna have to be the Imp!

[Quintus 5,399]

yea, I eventually grew to like the actors in their respective roles but at first I was confused why the King was so boring and his 1st in Command was the exciting and charismatic one. But it all worked out now.

Stannis' whole point is that he is not lovable nor charismatic but rather just and law abiding and expects the same unyielding creed from everyone else. But he shows that a king without humane qualities and who just rigidly follows the law is as bad as a ruler who is ruled by his emotions and is corrupted by his unlimited power (like Joffrey).

Martin is at fault for making an uninteresting character then. He should have trimmed the fat a bit more and come up with something better.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Fuck Martin then!

[Quintus 5,399]

He should behead himself!

[BloodBoal 7,538]

[Incanus 5,714]

I have to admit that the later novels (4 and 5) do suffer a bit from bloat and meandering. I am sure there must be a point to all the seemingly unimportant stuff but I sure wish he would come to it sooner.

[BloodBoal 7,538]