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HBO’s new fantasy series “Game of Thrones” premieres this Sunday, April 17th. It is based on a series of books that are very awesome, and very nerdy.
I won’t mince words — Jeremy is a huge fanboy, and extremely excited to watch this. He wants to tell you why you should also be excited. So for our “looking to the weekend” show this week, we’re going to take you to the world of George RR Martin’s “Song of Ice and Fire” and lay some fantasy awesomeness all up in your faces.
Show Feeds:
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Show Notes:
Based on a popular series of fantasy novels by George RR Martin
– The fifth and final (???) book in the series, “Dance With Dragons” will be released July 12.
14 minute “Prologue” to whet your appetite
– The reason this prologue is so neat, is because it IS the prologue from the first book.
– It helps to show how closely they are staying to the source material.
The plot:
The 7 kingdoms of Westeros were once united by a vicious line of tyrants called the Targaryens. In ages past, the Targaryens controlled dragons, but the great beasts have all died out. The last of their line was dethroned recently during a rebellion led by Robert Baratheon, who is now king.
The story primarily follows the members of House Stark – formerly the Kings of the northern kingdom of Winterfell, who now swear fealty to whoever sits on the Iron Throne. The current Lord Stark (played by Sean Bean) is a long-time friend and loyal follower of King Baratheon, and helped him win his throne.
The first book revolves around one primary plot, with many others drifting in and out of importance: The King’s most trusted advisor has been murdered, and Baratheon appoints Lord Stark as the new one. His first mission is to uncover the truth behind the murder of his predecessor.
Quicker summary: (PIC)
It’s like Sopranos, only there’s 7 families, and they use swords instead of guns.
Why this show will be worth watching:
– An incredible cast of actors (Full Cast & Crew IMDB)
* Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings Trilogy – Boromir) IMDB
* Lena Headey (Sarah Connor Chronicles, 300) IMDB
* Peter Dinklage (Chronicles of Narnia, Nip/Tuck) IMDB
* Jason Momoa (SG: Atlantis) IMDB
– A breathtaking visual style
* Pictures of sets here
* Video of Throne Room (start at 0:51)
* Video of Concept Art concepts (start at 0:52)
– A steadfast devotion to the source material
* George RR Martin (Author) is on set frequently, offering his input on everything from scripts to costumes to food to set decoration.
* Example: Actress playing “Arya” (Stark’s youngest daughter) is right-handed, but the character is left-handed. She learned to sword fight left-handed, just to fit the books.
– HBO has a proven track record of extremely high quality production values (Rome, Sopranos, Carnivale, Band of Brothers). The books this series are based on are also very adult themed, including lots of sex and violence. Only HBO could do it justice.
“By The Numbers” article breaks down production values in monetary figures
* 3 beheadings before the opening credits
* 5 topless women in the pilot episode
– The story is already written! As long as they stick close to the plots of the books, then they never have to fall into writing traps that they have to find ways out of, or leave loose ends or anything else like that.
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Why it could stink:
-Accents. Inconsistent, or just bad. Cast is from all over the world, and they’re trying to make Westeros have a “real” feel by giving everyone similar accents.
-Too many characters. 7 houses, each with about a dozen players, plus the exiled princess and her crew.
Extreme Press Blitz:
HBO has done a few really strange and awesome press events to promote this series:
– “The Maester’s Path”
– A web game that ran ongoing events, allowing people to learn more about the world of Westeros, and gain neat prizes. Final prizes included personalized letters from GRRM, and awesome swag.
– Food Truck
– Every few days for the past month or so, there’s been a catering truck driving around NYC serving “authentic Westeros cuisine” and advertising the show. George RR Martin has stopped by at least one of these events, as have other members of the production crew.
– The Iron Throne @ WonderCon
– Not only could regular shmoes get their picture taken on the throne, but celebrities of all shapes and sizes also did so, and then tweeted out images of themselves doing it.
– Pedi-Cab Fleet in NYC
– A fleet of bicycle taxis, made up to look like the Iron Throne. Sweet.
– A 30-foot tall projection billboard in Hollywood
Playing a 3minute looped advertisement, not available elsewhere.
Join the fan club!
Official Newsletter: https://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/inside/extras/newsletter.html
Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/GameofThrones
“Making Of” Website: https://www.makinggameofthrones.com/
Follow @GameOfThrones on Twitter: https://twitter.com/GameOfThrones
GRRM uses LiveJournal: https://grrm.livejournal.com/
Bonus Link: If you liked tonight’s show, you’re gonna LOVE this:
Peter Jackson Video Blog, from the set of the Hobbit.