Hmmm... I think my problem (which nobody asked me about buy hey) is that the overall quality of the series is getting worse, and I cannot pinpoint exactly why I think that is. I mean, the budgets are insane, the acting is insane, the sets are gorgeous. But I fear that it is being consumed, like so many things I like, by the rule of awesome, basically the creators go 'somethingsomethingDRAGONS!MURDURR!ARYA!TYRION!BIG BATTLE!' and expect everyone to dismiss perfectly legitimate criticism on the show's shortcomings. And it has worked so far.

Fewer expesive CGI shots of dragons and whitewalkers would have done the job just as well. The money thus saved could be directed towards casting actually important characters in the past (Lady SH, the Manderlys) and coming season (I'm very miffed about Arianne, somewhat less so about Victarion and Euron but still miffed). We all know that the dragons exist, we don't need to see them playing or Dany stroking them in every episode, and a big part of the white walker appeal was their mystery (they kinda botched that too, with the 4 season finale, but I'm nitpicking).

ASOIAF, and consequently GoT, didn't build their popularity on generic awesomeness and coolness and spectacle, and I don't think (many would disagree with me on this one) it did that on sex and violence either. It feels so much like the creators are biting the hand that feeds, but I can understand their position to some degree. It takes a lot of compromise to keep a TV series popular. I am much worried about the fact that Martin himself seems to care less and less about his own brainchild, and while one cannot criticize him for that, it's still sad for a fan of the series to slowly begin realizing it.

Atropos wrote:

There is a difference between stories that show how people can be cruel and manipulative, and a story that suggests cruel and manipulative is how people should be.

To me, the only response to discovering that the world is cold and arbitrary is not to be cold and arbitrary in turn.

But umm, that's the point the series is trying to make as well. A lot of attention is given to the fact that doom awaits a world that is too busy looking after their own individual asses to notice. Characters that are aware of the big picture are underappreciated in universe, but we, the reader or watcher, are aware that they are in the right.

A vast spectrum of characters with differing moral codes is one of the series's selling points, along with the fact that aristocrats here are not magical and charismatic beings with divine blessings and an inborn gift and right to rule like in so many fantasy settings, but can be selfish, inbred assholes, entitled brats, socially and emotionally inept, and have a wide range of generally bad traits.
The Great Houses are great only in name, and the fact that even darling Starks fall under that is a demonstration of good storytelling abilities, in my opinion.

And the fact that genuinely nice people like Davos, and those that are rethinking their own moral compass and strive to become better like Jaime, are not only adored by the fans, but also competent and likely to actually make a change, is showing that the series is not entirely cynical about human nature. More so than we'd like sometimes, but much less than people accuse it of being.

Edit: I wrote less instead of fewer and now Stannis is chasing me around with an axe and chopping block.

Last edited by Snow (03-27-2015 07:27:47 AM)

Maybe it's more ''Be admirable and people will probably give you shit for it so you're forced to see the big picture''. I didn't say the series supports having a strong moral code, it deals with shades of gray. And anyhow, you see a character like Ramsay and while he's a sick fuck and gets away with it, neither the series nor the books (especially not the books) present that in a flattering or appealing light. The general populace probably won't start acting like Ramsey because it gives you women and money and could make your psychopath daddy love you.

The message seems to be: Good people die because of their ideals. Good people sometimes die for no reason at all. Bad people sometimes win. Bad people also die sometimes. But be smart, and you have a chance in making a change.

I admit that while there is a lot of fantasy that deals with morals and good vs bad, ASOIAF is not like that. Some people watch The Avengers to see shit blow up and heroes kick ass, probably not sparing a single thought about the mooks' families and all the people whose homes get blown up.

In Mistborn, the main female character survives long enough to appear in the book by stealing, probably from people who are already poor and treated horribly, because acting otherwise in her particular circumstances would ensure her a fate worse than death. ''Hard'' fantasy often suffers from this, so the problem you state could apply to the genre as a whole.

I do agree with you, don't get me wrong. I just think people shouldn't really base their rl codes and decisions based on everything they read/watch.

Last edited by Snow (03-27-2015 01:59:36 PM)

That's a perfectly valid and understandable objection to have, I guess most of mine are rather whiny and entitled lately, so I'm not the one to speak.
I'm sorry if I came off sounding bitchy.

Watching Parks and Rec.  Enjoying the show, but I can't say I understand the fandom's love for April and Andy.  I find them both to be various shades of douche.

Last edited by OnlyInThisLight (04-17-2015 02:59:27 PM)

I finished watching Free! I pretty much can only describe it as K-On with boys. I don't know if I can watch another high school anime, the endings always make me so freaking depressed with the group breaking up and people graduating and moving on and all. I don't know if it was intentional on the part of the creators, but I definitely got an autistic/ Asperger's vibe from Haru which made his personality and character doubly interesting for me. Something about his inability to connect with others and communicate clearly, plus his compulsive tendencies - it's often played up for laughs but I do know someone rather like that. The characters are just so loveable. I ship Haru x Makoto alllllll the way. Rei was my absolute favorite character though, his voice is just gold.

I am nearly finished with Toward the Terra. With regards to Soldier Blue, he was my favorite character from his first appearance [and it really sucked watching all this time just knowing he's going to die, he is obviously a character that will die. And it's such a shame he gets so little screen time! He is really freaking cool. ]

Oh my god, Gio and I LOVE Hannibal. I think the last time we mentioned it was when it was last airing, though. We just got the Making of Hannibal artbook, and it's so beautiful.

Hannibal is definitely my favorite character, but oh my god Chilton is the funniest. He can't be dead. Bryan Fuller tweeted about the cheek shot in Serpico in reference to Chilton, and that guy isn't dead!

Please don't be dead, Chilton. I'm having too much fun imagining you losing a limb or another bodily organ to a serial killer every season

Been watching Downton Abbey and am finishing up season 4.

Yasha wrote:

Oh my god, I just checked that out out of curiosity-- $200 from Edmonton to Krakow??? That's insane! You poor thing, I wish I could help

I got 50bux on the cheapest shipping available, which is still fucking retarded. But if you ever want our help hooking you up, we can do.

My most heartfelt wish is that they release a Hannibal cookbook. I would probably buy 6 or 7 of them.

There's apparently going to be a FOX television series using the character of Lucifer Morningstar from Gaiman's Sandman and Carey's Lucifer spinoff.   It's going to be a police procedural where Lucifer, bored with hell, has decided to help solve crimes in LA.

The character of Akio Ohtori in Revolutionary Girl Utena will be used for another series on FOX. It will be a procedural where he will assist the vigilante organization Perverted Justice in the capture of online child sex offenders.

Hannibal continues to be a delight, particularly with the cinematography. (thanks to Gio & Yasha for "gently persuading" me to start on that one)

Penny Dreadful delivers exactly what its title promises - lurid gothic melodrama. It helps that the cast all commit to their roles 100%, despite the frequently ludicrous subject matter.

iZombie is a surprise hit, saved by witty writing and a good balance of comedy and drama. Just when you think the zombie phenomenon has been wrung dry of entertainment value, some jerk has to prove you wrong.

Giovanna wrote:

Enea, I can see what you mean about the show being that way. It would hit me the wrong way too except it's a consistent thing with Dorian's character to test boundaries and explore. And the whole show is over the top and manipulative so it doesn't bother me that it is about sex. But that's my opinion.

But in fact I still kinda like this show, Gio. I think that I will watch it again, especially after my friend told me it got only better. I can get over this single issue, for the atmosphere, characters and Eva Green's gorgeous dresses. ;)

The Game of Thrones season finale.
[The entire internet is all about Jon Snow's supposed death scene at the end of the episode. I think we all know he's not dead, but he's not going to come back the way the books are leading us to believe. They haven't bothered with mentioning the entire warging concept outside of Bran's story, so I'm assuming that's not Jon's out. HOWEVER, Melisandre did just show up as the Red Witch ex Machina, so there's that.]
Very dying.
[I do hope Stannis really is dead, and that Brienne didn't randomly decide to spare him for whatever reason. He was totally growing on me, despite being responsible for Renly's death semi-directly, until he decided to set his daughter on fire. Also, that's why I wanted Brienne to do it, so the whole story can come full-circle.
On the other hand, I feel like Selyse's death was a footnote. I mean, she was a minor character, but I think the fact that it took watching her daughter be burned at the stake to act like she actually loved Shireen was the only real development she got. Her suicide was really just housekeeping from a writing stance, because from the minute you hear the sellswords bailed, the writing was on the wall. Selyse's death barely furthered her own cause, and it certainly didn't bring anything to Stannis' story except a sense of having nothing left to lose.
Also, that pretty much wipes out House Baratheon. Robert, Renly, and Stannis are dead. Shireen was Stannis' only child, and she died last week. Most of Robert's bastards were killed a season or two ago, Gendry being the lone exception. So...he's it.
]
Many death.
[So, let's talk about Cersei and how it sucks to be her right now. That was the Walk of Shame to end all Walks of Shame. That was easily the best non-violent cinematography in the entire series. I dunno what she's going to do with herself when Jaime comes home and tells her that their daughter is dead.
Speaking of Myrcella, I think anyone who complained about Sansa being a bratty teenage girl during the first season or two, can take a damn seat after sitting through this storyline. All of Myrcella's dialogue basically sounded like this to me: "No, Uncle Daddy, I love him!" "Ugh, Uncle Daddy, you're embarrassing me!" I feel sorry for the actress, though. She gets one season as a SORASed recast, and she dies.
I have to hand it to Ellaria Sand, though. People think she poisoned the necklace, but I think she poisoned her own lips before she kissed Myrcella goodbye, which is how they both got sick.
]
Wow.