Watching Game of Thrones for the 1st time

[Shark]

So since I got HBO Max, I decided it was time to finally have a go at Game of Thrones. I've legitimately never watched a second of this show before this. I didn't have HBO for much of its run and it was honestly not something that appealed to me. Naturally some things had been spoiled for me, but none of the specifics were things I knew so I did still react with shock at certain things. I'm nearing the end of season 5 now and I can't stop watching. I see why people loved this show so much. Now, of course, I've heard very negative things about the final season and how everything ends, but I'm wondering if I'm going to feel the same way. I wouldn't have given 9 years of my life waiting in anticipation to see the conclusion. When I finally get there, it may have only been a week of my life. So I could hate it, I could like it, I could be somewhere in between.

Some quick thoughts:

-Peter Dinklage is incredible. Looking into it, I was thrilled to see he won so many Emmys for the role. His speech at the end of "Laws of Gods and Men" got me so pumped I just started applauding right there.

-Any time Sansa is on screen, I cringe because I just know some damn terrible thing is going to happen to her.

-Theon is a much more interesting character than I was expecting. I figured his story would be very simple, but it's much deeper and I appreciate that. I've gone from liking him to hating him to loathing him, to feeling pity for him and it's made me appreciate Alfie Allen as an actor more for it.

-The Jon Snow story is interesting and uninteresting at the same time. I think if they just got to the point with the damn White Walker stuff I'd be more invested.

-The Red Wedding was f***ing horrific. I knew the name of course, you couldn't have been on social media without knowing about it, but I didn't know who was involved in it. It shook me and shook me hard.

-Joffrey was a little shit and I've never wanted to see a child character die as much as I wanted to see him die. I had such a smile on my face when he started choking.

[chrom]

Save your time and stop after S6.

[YAKMAN is ICHIBAN]

I think it is worth finishing but do set your expectations low for the later seasons. It’s like a different, much dumber show.

[Ryback on a Pole!]

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the.first big battle of Season 8

[Wilfred]

Go into the latter seasons with no expectations or predictions. Just go along for the ride. I personally loved the entire series, and have rewatched it several times. All the characters stories reach a logical and fulfilling end in my opinion. Try not to let the negativity of the internet hate bring it down for you.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

The last two seasons are def not the first few but those first few *chefs kiss*

You are going to enjoy it. I didn't get until the show myself until the Red Wedding and sat through a whole weekend binging it cause everyone was talking about it

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

It took me a long time to get into it. I don't think I made a concerted effort to until after it had ended, though I still watched the occasional episode here and there while it was still in progress. Part of it was down to almost every character coming across as extremely unlikeable, but that's definitely tempered by watching everything and having proper context.

[Shark]

Jan 2, 2021 23:10:51 GMT -5 Mighty Attack Tribble said:

It took me a long time to get into it. I don't think I made a concerted effort to until after it had ended, though I still watched the occasional episode here and there while it was still in progress. Part of it was down to almost every character coming across as extremely unlikeable, but that's definitely tempered by watching everything and having proper context.

I felt that way with the characters too, especially to start, but they all go through such insane rollercoasters that you can't help but feel every emotion for all of them at one point or another. Probably why I like Tyrion so much. Peter Dinlage was the only actor who looked like he was having any fun and everyone else looked so dour, but then you get into everything and you get it.

[Deleted]

Season 6 is the real ending...forget the weird non canon alternate universe shit of the final 2 seasons.

[The_Don_Mecha]

The highpoint of the series imo is "Battle of the Bastards". It's perfect for the series yet is absolutely fantastic as a standalone episode.

[Cela]

Season 6 ends with a lot of fan payoff. It's a high point. But the fall is very sharp after that.

But enjoy coming up with fan theories and guesses. It's part of the fun.

[Shark]

Jan 3, 2021 2:27:15 GMT -5 Cela said:

Season 6 ends with a lot of fan payoff. It's a high point. But the fall is very sharp after that.

But enjoy coming up with fan theories and guesses. It's part of the fun.

I'm just starting that season now. I know I should stop and just start the season tomorrow, but I can't help myself now. 

The end of season 5 really pulled no punches when it came to doing messed up stuff to kids though. 1 gets poisoned, 3 get beaten with sticks, and one gets burned at the stake. Stannis' daughter being killed really messed me up. I legit had to pause and collect myself before continuing.

[adamclark52]

One thing the show did wrong in the earlier seasons was kill
Geoffrey off way after it mattered

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

The only thing I can say about the show is it's superior to the books by virtue of the fact that it has an ending, unsatisfying as it was. I have little faith GRRM has the motivation to finish them, and as I found myself less invested in them the deeper I got into the story, to the point where I'm not even sure if whatever he may or may not come up with will be any better.

[Shark]

Jan 3, 2021 3:03:04 GMT -5 Mighty Attack Tribble said:

The only thing I can say about the show is it's superior to the books by virtue of the fact that it has an ending, unsatisfying as it was. I have little faith GRRM has the motivation to finish them, and as I found myself less invested in them the deeper I got into the story, to the point where I'm not even sure if whatever he may or may not come up with will be any better.

I was thinking of buying the series the other day, but just couldn't. It was $50 and knowing there wasn't an ending did make me resist more. I do find GRRM to be strange though. Any time rumors came up that he was finished or near finished with the final book, he didn't just deny the rumors, he was aggressive about it. Like he'd say something along the lines of, "No you idiots, of course I'm not nearly finished with it! It'll be done when I say it's done! Stupid!" Maybe not exactly that, but the sentiment was the same. 

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

Jan 3, 2021 3:15:59 GMT -5 Shark said:

I was thinking of buying the series the other day, but just couldn't. It was $50 and knowing there wasn't an ending did make me resist more. I do find GRRM to be strange though. Any time rumors came up that he was finished or near finished with the final book, he didn't just deny the rumors, he was aggressive about it. Like he'd say something along the lines of, "No you idiots, of course I'm not nearly finished with it! It'll be done when I say it's done! Stupid!" Maybe not exactly that, but the sentiment was the same. 

I do get his frustration. The popularity of the show means he can't go two minutes without being asked when he's going to finish the books. But this is the guy who said that if he dies before they're finished he's had it written into his will that they'll stay unfinished and unpublished. I do get the sense that the main story has become a burden to him, which is why he's spent time puttering around with prequels.

[Cela]

Jan 3, 2021 2:45:00 GMT -5 Shark said:

Jan 3, 2021 2:27:15 GMT -5 Cela said:

Season 6 ends with a lot of fan payoff. It's a high point. But the fall is very sharp after that.

But enjoy coming up with fan theories and guesses. It's part of the fun.

I'm just starting that season now. I know I should stop and just start the season tomorrow, but I can't help myself now. 

The end of season 5 really pulled no punches when it came to doing messed up stuff to kids though. 1 gets poisoned, 3 get beaten with sticks, and one gets burned at the stake. Stannis' daughter being killed really messed me up. I legit had to pause and collect myself before continuing.

Kids don't have it great in Thrones, I wish I could say that was the end of it. But nothing ever quite reaches Shireen levels again.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

Peter Dinklage’s run on GoT is up there with Bryan Cranston as Walter White and James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano as my favourite television performances ever. Dinklage is f***ing brilliant, even when the writing starts to go south

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

Jan 3, 2021 4:00:39 GMT -5 Cela said:

Jan 3, 2021 2:45:00 GMT -5 Shark said:

I'm just starting that season now. I know I should stop and just start the season tomorrow, but I can't help myself now. 

The end of season 5 really pulled no punches when it came to doing messed up stuff to kids though. 1 gets poisoned, 3 get beaten with sticks, and one gets burned at the stake. Stannis' daughter being killed really messed me up. I legit had to pause and collect myself before continuing.

Kids don't have it great in Thrones, I wish I could say that was the end of it. But nothing ever quite reaches Shireen levels again.

I’ve still never watched the Shireen scene. Watched every other second of the show, but I knew what was about to happen with Shireen and said “Nope, I am not in a headspace to watch this right now” and skipped past it. The only other scene that bothered me as much was Ramsey and Sansa. Watched it once, skip it on any subsequent viewings

[Shark]

Jan 3, 2021 4:00:39 GMT -5 Cela said:

Jan 3, 2021 2:45:00 GMT -5 Shark said:

I'm just starting that season now. I know I should stop and just start the season tomorrow, but I can't help myself now. 

The end of season 5 really pulled no punches when it came to doing messed up stuff to kids though. 1 gets poisoned, 3 get beaten with sticks, and one gets burned at the stake. Stannis' daughter being killed really messed me up. I legit had to pause and collect myself before continuing.

Kids don't have it great in Thrones, I wish I could say that was the end of it. But nothing ever quite reaches Shireen levels again.

It didn't break my heart like Shireen, but Ramsey feeding his step mother and minutes old baby brother to the goddamn dogs has just gotten as emotional a reaction out of me. Instead of making me cry, it's just really pissed me off.