![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
corrielleThere are things going on in my life that have nothing to do with this incredibly epic TV show, but... I'd rather spend my time compiling links so I can find them ever again than writing about the neighbors (still obnoxious) or my grading (still piled on the table).
Cast Interviews
This is a series of interviews that Sky (the British TV network) did with the actors about season 2. Can I just say that I really like the interviewer does these? She's quick and witty and asks good questions and has good rapport with the actors.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: Jaime Lannister You know why this one's first. I love Jaime. I love Nikolaj. I love Nikolaj talking about Jaime, and he says some really interesting and insightful things here when he's not making me laugh so hard I have to pause the video so I don't miss things.
Charles Dance: Tywin Lannister This one has a BIG spoiler in it, because he talks about how a fan came up to him and told him something he didn't already know about Tywin. I was already spoiled for it, but... it's big. Be careful. (And that poor fan... I wouldn't want to be the person who spoiled Tywin about himself. Sounds like he was pretty gracious about it, though... asked the fan for details and all...)
Alfie Allen: Theon Greyjoy In which Alfie defends Theon (he's going to need defenders...), talks about how many of the books he's read, and is generally adorable.
Michelle Fairley: Catelyn Stark Some really interesting stuff about Catelyn as a mother and her relationship with Robb here.
Emilia Clarke: Daenerys Targaryen She. Got. Maternal. Over. The. Dragon props. I love her.
Kit Harrington: Jon Snow I watched this one first, and so I remember it least.... but there's talk about CGI Ghost and being cold all the time. It's Kit... he's cute.
It's Thursday, which means I'm just beginning to be able to talk about part of this episode with any resembling analytical distance. I'm not used to shows that cause me this much pain on a regular basis while at the same time being this good. In the past, the pain was often accompanied by a *facepalm* and a, "Why, Writers? Why did you do that?" In GoT, the pain makes sense. I'm not sure if that makes it better, or worse.
And in 2x03, a lot of that pain was Theon's. This was a rough episode for him, made even more so by the addition the scene with the letter and the little changes to the scene where Balon lays out his plans. In the books, a lot of Theon's frustration in this scene seems to stem from being passed over in favor of Asha. In the show, they put Balon's refusal of Robb's terms in the same scene where his plans for attacking the North become clear, and so Theon's attempt to change Balon's mind about allying with Robb reads (to me at least) like he's trying to dissuade his father from attacking his friend's lands, not just as a whiny reaction to Balon not listening to him (or jealousy of Asha).
And then... the writer gave Theon some lines that kind of blew me out of the water. He basically throws the hypocrisy of Balon's "take what is ours, no one messes with us" attitude back in his father's face and reminds him that the reason that Theon isn't acting like a proper Ironborn is that the Greyjoys were defeated. And Balon gave him up. All of the things that Theon says are true. And he gets to say them to his father. And this is what makes Balon backhand him. And... Theon gets to keep talking. I was ready for the scene to be done right about then, but all of that confusion over who he is, all of that bitterness that we get to see him steeping in during his chapters in the books... it's all over those lines about being given away like a dog Balon didn't want. And it's so good.
And all of this sets the stage for the next time we see Theon in the scene with the letter. OMG THE SCENE WITH THE LETTER.... I nearly had heart failure when I saw Robb's name on that sheet of paper. You see... it never sat well with me that Theon went along with his father's plan so easily. Oh, you can see it weighing on him in the chapters approaching his taking Winterfell, but we get nothing about his choice to do what his father asks. It... always seemed like there was something missing, something we didn't get to see. And as I read spoilery lines about just how close Theon and Robb's friendship was... I was convinced it couldn't have been an easy choice, and I was sorry we didn't get to see him struggle with it.
So, it was like... the writer of the episode looked into my brain, saw what I thought was missing, and gave it to me in the most devastating way possible. That Theon actually sat down, and wrote that letter, with every intention of sending it, and then burned it... It was perfect. The thoughtful look on his face as it goes up in flames and he holds it over the candle... amazing. And the text of the letter itself was loaded, too. Especially that last line. "I'll write again when I can." What was he even planning? Staying with the Greyjoys when they landed on the mainland until he could slip back to Robb? What? The possibilities for AU fanfic are legion.
After watching the episode and crying buckets, I read an interview with the writer, Bryan Cogman, that was making the rounds in the fandom. He is now on my list of favorite people involved in this production. The way he talks about writing Theon and filling in that gap between Theon being presented with the choice between loyalty to Robb and loyalty to his family and already having made it... it's amazing. And that whole sequence with Theon's choice was supposed to be even more drawn out... I'm kind of glad it wasn't. (As much as I would have liked to see the scene where he almost sends a raven.)We're running low on Kleenex, and I think that the impact of just that one scene was pitch perfect.
Bryan Cogman's interview with westeros.org is here.
And here's a lengthy video interview he did. It's an hour. I haven't watched it yet, but I really want to.
Cast Interviews
This is a series of interviews that Sky (the British TV network) did with the actors about season 2. Can I just say that I really like the interviewer does these? She's quick and witty and asks good questions and has good rapport with the actors.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau: Jaime Lannister You know why this one's first. I love Jaime. I love Nikolaj. I love Nikolaj talking about Jaime, and he says some really interesting and insightful things here when he's not making me laugh so hard I have to pause the video so I don't miss things.
Charles Dance: Tywin Lannister This one has a BIG spoiler in it, because he talks about how a fan came up to him and told him something he didn't already know about Tywin. I was already spoiled for it, but... it's big. Be careful. (And that poor fan... I wouldn't want to be the person who spoiled Tywin about himself. Sounds like he was pretty gracious about it, though... asked the fan for details and all...)
Alfie Allen: Theon Greyjoy In which Alfie defends Theon (he's going to need defenders...), talks about how many of the books he's read, and is generally adorable.
Michelle Fairley: Catelyn Stark Some really interesting stuff about Catelyn as a mother and her relationship with Robb here.
Emilia Clarke: Daenerys Targaryen She. Got. Maternal. Over. The. Dragon props. I love her.
Kit Harrington: Jon Snow I watched this one first, and so I remember it least.... but there's talk about CGI Ghost and being cold all the time. It's Kit... he's cute.
It's Thursday, which means I'm just beginning to be able to talk about part of this episode with any resembling analytical distance. I'm not used to shows that cause me this much pain on a regular basis while at the same time being this good. In the past, the pain was often accompanied by a *facepalm* and a, "Why, Writers? Why did you do that?" In GoT, the pain makes sense. I'm not sure if that makes it better, or worse.
And in 2x03, a lot of that pain was Theon's. This was a rough episode for him, made even more so by the addition the scene with the letter and the little changes to the scene where Balon lays out his plans. In the books, a lot of Theon's frustration in this scene seems to stem from being passed over in favor of Asha. In the show, they put Balon's refusal of Robb's terms in the same scene where his plans for attacking the North become clear, and so Theon's attempt to change Balon's mind about allying with Robb reads (to me at least) like he's trying to dissuade his father from attacking his friend's lands, not just as a whiny reaction to Balon not listening to him (or jealousy of Asha).
And then... the writer gave Theon some lines that kind of blew me out of the water. He basically throws the hypocrisy of Balon's "take what is ours, no one messes with us" attitude back in his father's face and reminds him that the reason that Theon isn't acting like a proper Ironborn is that the Greyjoys were defeated. And Balon gave him up. All of the things that Theon says are true. And he gets to say them to his father. And this is what makes Balon backhand him. And... Theon gets to keep talking. I was ready for the scene to be done right about then, but all of that confusion over who he is, all of that bitterness that we get to see him steeping in during his chapters in the books... it's all over those lines about being given away like a dog Balon didn't want. And it's so good.
And all of this sets the stage for the next time we see Theon in the scene with the letter. OMG THE SCENE WITH THE LETTER.... I nearly had heart failure when I saw Robb's name on that sheet of paper. You see... it never sat well with me that Theon went along with his father's plan so easily. Oh, you can see it weighing on him in the chapters approaching his taking Winterfell, but we get nothing about his choice to do what his father asks. It... always seemed like there was something missing, something we didn't get to see. And as I read spoilery lines about just how close Theon and Robb's friendship was... I was convinced it couldn't have been an easy choice, and I was sorry we didn't get to see him struggle with it.
So, it was like... the writer of the episode looked into my brain, saw what I thought was missing, and gave it to me in the most devastating way possible. That Theon actually sat down, and wrote that letter, with every intention of sending it, and then burned it... It was perfect. The thoughtful look on his face as it goes up in flames and he holds it over the candle... amazing. And the text of the letter itself was loaded, too. Especially that last line. "I'll write again when I can." What was he even planning? Staying with the Greyjoys when they landed on the mainland until he could slip back to Robb? What? The possibilities for AU fanfic are legion.
After watching the episode and crying buckets, I read an interview with the writer, Bryan Cogman, that was making the rounds in the fandom. He is now on my list of favorite people involved in this production. The way he talks about writing Theon and filling in that gap between Theon being presented with the choice between loyalty to Robb and loyalty to his family and already having made it... it's amazing. And that whole sequence with Theon's choice was supposed to be even more drawn out... I'm kind of glad it wasn't. (As much as I would have liked to see the scene where he almost sends a raven.)We're running low on Kleenex, and I think that the impact of just that one scene was pitch perfect.
Bryan Cogman's interview with westeros.org is here.
And here's a lengthy video interview he did. It's an hour. I haven't watched it yet, but I really want to.