Winter is Coming (Song of Ice and Fire TV)

[Rob Van Der Sloot]

I just started reading book 2, a Clash of Kings, where "Melisandre" is introduced right in the first chapter. I guess that means we'll be seeing Carice van Houten in the very first episode of the 2nd season.




"Stannis will be played by British actor Stephen Dillane, best known to U.S. audiences by playing Thomas Jefferson in HBO’s John Adams.

Stannis Baratheon is the late King Robert’s younger brother who makes a claim for the Iron Throne based on the assertion that Joffrey is not Robert’s son. Melisandre is a mysterious priestess and sorceress from the distant lands of Asshai who aids Stannis in his push for the throne."

Spoiler

(Spoilered for gigantic wallpaper picture of Melisandre.)

Right at the start of the 2nd book, Melisandre is established as a menacing but beautiful woman, with mysterious powers. Carice van Houten seems like a perfect match. I heard there was initially talk of her perhaps playing the part of Cersei as well.

[Ringsgold]

Blonde doesn't really suit her imo, also I posted an interview with her on page 2 of this thread (or a few pages back if using 10 posts per page)

can't wait for april xD

[Gorani]

Right at the start of the 2nd book, Melisandre is established as a menacing but beautiful woman, with mysterious powers. Carice van Houten seems like a perfect match. I heard there was initially talk of her perhaps playing the part of Cersei as well.

Is that giant picture a photo from filming the 2nd season? I imagine her with really fiery red hair and the dress looks too plain & simple for Melisandre.

I do not want to spoil things for people who have nor read the books, but I wonder how the chemistry of Natalie Dormer / Margaery will be with the other "people" in the upcoming events of all the books I have read so far (although I think she fits the TV series' Renly fine).

PS: The biggest casting task I think will be Brienne, because I can't imagine an actress for her right now. Glee's Dot Marie Jones would be a good choice, but Brienne as got to be a lot younger than her. Have they really taken Gwendoline Christie for that part? She looks far from being the Brienne in the books...but there are make up artists to change that perhaps.

[Rob Van Der Sloot]

Is that giant picture a photo from filming the 2nd season? I imagine her with really fiery red hair and the dress looks too plain & simple for Melisandre.

I'm assuming so. The book quite literally describes her as being "red, terrible, and red". And this doesn't look like red hair to me. But she does look sufficiently menacing, so I'd say she has been casted perfectly for the role. I have no idea if thats an actual screen from the second season or just a simple promo picture. Maybe she will have red hair once season 2 actually kicks off (I'm hoping she does).

As we are waiting for the second season, I'm quickly trying to read ahead in book 2 as fast as I can. There's a whole host of new characters, among which the smuggler Davos, whom I am very curiously about who will play the part. I also find myself enjoying Tyrion even more. It is truly going to be a delight seeing Peter Dinklage's scenes where he meets up with Joffrey and Cersei, after Tyrion's father send him to King's Landing at the end of season 1. Without spoiling too much, more slapping!

[Drec Sutal]

I'm assuming so. The book quite literally describes her as being "red, terrible, and red". And this doesn't look like red hair to me.

Getting rid of the red entirely seems like going a bit too far, but a lot of visual things were toned down to make them not look so ridiculous in a visual medium. For example, the kingsguard uniforms just have a little white enamel on them, instead of being solid white armor. And Jamie's armor doesn't look like it's been plated with gold leaf. And you can bet that the rainbow guard won't literally have bright rainbow cloaks. And Jaquen Hagar almost certainly isn't going to have solid red and solid white hair - more likely natural red going grey, if they bother with a specific hair color at all.

[Rob Van Der Sloot]

Jaime does seem to be wearing a gold plated armor in various episodes, which does match the book.



When King Robert visits Winterfell in the very first episode, I did notice that the Hound was wearing a dog's head helmet, as desribed in the book. And Jon Snow's outfit, as well as that of the Knight of Flowers during the tournament, seem to accurately resemble what the book describes in detail.

They also got tons of other details right, such as the sigils of all the houses, the look of the royal carriage, the look of the elevator to the top of the Wall, the look of the Iron Throne, and Lyssa's chair at the Eyrie. It all matches up quite well.

[Gorani]

I think they have been very accurate with descriptions & looks of characters in the TV series so far. Of course many of the young characters are older in the series than the books and a lot of people are less ugly than in the books (e.g. Jorah).

There have been very few liberties to the plot which the screenplay writers added and most of them made sense (e.g. Tywin disemboweling the stag, Ross's sexy talk exposition times and the Loras/Renly homoerotic scene ... which is the one that does not make sense for me)

@Rob: Tyrion is just awesome in book two and the introduction of new characters is just beginning...

[Rob Van Der Sloot]

One interesting difference was that in the series, Joffrey is there to witness the sentence he passes on a local bard, which is then done on the spot. In the book the bard has several days to ponder wether he'd like to lose his hands or tongue. I can see why they made that change, because actually showing the sentence right away, along with Joffrey's disinterest, is all the more effective.

When Tyrion rides to war in the first book, the book describes him riding a steed. It isn't till the second book, that they mention him being knocked out by one of his own wildsmen, which is what we see in the series. Also, when Tyrion and Catelyn are attacked on their way to the Eyrie, the book describes him picking up a helmet. In the series he picks up a shield I think. Especially some of the battle scenes are handled a bit differently, which is understandable. However, the anecdotal way in which they avoid actually showing the battle is quite simular to the book as well. They don't tell you at all what happens in detail, only the after math.

The tournament is one of the parts where various contestants had been left out in the series. None of it was really important for the story anyway. Although it did introduce some characters that would play an important part later on.

Many of the dialogues are almost completely lifted from the book and put to the screen exactly as written. Occasionally they seem to leave out references to the gods a bit more in the series. Several dialogues were clearly added, like some of the dialogues between Cersei and Jaime early on in the first season, but none of that felt out of place.

One thing I found confusing is the giant door that is used at the Eyrie to "make people fly". As it was described in the book, it really seemed like a wall mounted door in a seperate room. But when we see it in the series, it is a horizontal door in the same hall as Lyssa's seat. It is possible that I read it wrong.

While reading the first book, it was striking to me how well it all had been adapted. The first episode of the first season ends exactly as one of the early chapters of the first book. Jaime literally says in the book "the things I do for love", and then pushes Bran off the tower. This cliffhanger is exactly as in the book.

[Gorani]

One thing I found confusing is the giant door that is used at the Eyrie to "make people fly". As it was described in the book, it really seemed like a wall mounted door in a seperate room. But when we see it in the series, it is a horizontal door in the same hall as Lyssa's seat. It is possible that I read it wrong.

No, you are right. In the book it is a vertical door and it is not in the center of the High Hall.

PS: In the little season 2 sneak peak that was released last week Carice van Houten can be seen with very dark red hair, so the big picture you posted of her is most likely not the "in show" color.

[Rob Van Der Sloot]

Looks like Melisandre does have red hair in the actual show! Yay!