# Thoughts on the Season 2 Premiere of Game of Thrones



## Nathan J. Lauffer (Apr 3, 2012)

Last Sunday was the premiere of the second season of Game of Thrones on HBO.  This season is based on the second book of George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire Series, called A Clash of Kings.  I'm approximately 220 pages into the book, and am trying to read along side watching the series.  I thought the first episode definitely did a great job of setting up the pieces of the chess board.  There was some additional content added, and some of the sequence was changed from the books.  My questions to the forum are the following:

1.  What do you think of the series so far?
2.  What did you think of the premiere?
3.  If you are reading the books, do you agree with the changes they are making compared to the source material?


----------



## Mike Rapino (Apr 3, 2012)

<This post may contain light spoilers from the second book, but nothing that would impact future viewing or future reading of the series>

Several things occurred to me as I watched the second episode. First, I was slightly annoyed that Maester Cressen's death scene occurred after the burning of the gods. I felt his death added little depth to what had already occurred. In my mind if the show would have opened with that scene as the prologue, providing us just a glimpse of Davos, Mel, and Stannis and then the Maester's death then the later scene of burning of the gods would have felt like a more ominous transition. Also Stannis was so completely understated in this first episode because of that, though I suspect this will be remedied in weeks to come.

My second gripe was the killing of the bastards. I have talked to a few people who watched the show but never read the books, and they all felt that it was Joffrey who ordered that killing. I am not certain what direction the show is taking, but in the books it is in fact Cersei who does this, not Joffrey.

All and all I was impressed with the stunning visuals and the flow of the show. The writers have a huge undertaking with this season. Where last season was in essence one giant prologue that ended with the deaths of Ned and Drogo, this season really is the beginning of the first act which will not culminate until the end of season 3 (making an assumption here) or for those book readers somewhere in the late middle of book 3.


----------



## Legendary Sidekick (Apr 3, 2012)

Mike Rapino said:


> My second gripe was the killing of the bastards. I have talked to a few people who watched the show but never read the books, and they all felt that it was Joffrey who ordered that killing. I am not certain what direction the show is taking, but in the books it is in fact Cersei who does this, not Joffrey.


I haven't read the books yet, but found it questionable as to who ordered the killings. I felt Joffrey was the "obvious" choice, but that the show hinted it's Cersei when the guard said his presence was ordered by someone who doesn't care what Littlefinger thinks. Of course, I heard her "demonstration of power" was not from the book at all, so I can see how you'd still have a gripe here. The other clue that it's her: she was insulted by the mention of the bastards so much that... she did something else not in the book.


----------



## Kit (Apr 3, 2012)

Does it matter whether it was Joff or Cercei who ordered it? They are a two-headed monster. Joff's side just has less brains, is all.


----------



## Legendary Sidekick (Apr 3, 2012)

Kit said:


> Joff's side just has less brains


And more slaps!

Even I wanna slap him when his face appears on-screen. My TV's old and I want it to hurry up and die, so it's kinda tempting to actually do that.


----------



## Mike Rapino (Apr 4, 2012)

Legendary Sidekick said:


> The other clue that it's her: she was insulted by the mention of the bastards so much that... she did something else not in the book.



That is exactly her reason. She is embarrassed by it and trying to erase the legacy of her husband.


----------



## Mike Rapino (Apr 4, 2012)

Kit said:


> Does it matter whether it was Joff or Cercei who ordered it? They are a two-headed monster. Joff's side just has less brains, is all.




It does in the context of Cersei's & Joffrey's character development, something I am not sure if the show will dive to deep into. Your right Joffrey is an evil bastard, but without saying to much Cersei is much more... complex.


----------

