Game of Thrones begins....

[crazy canuck]

I don't really care what happens south of the Wall beyond a vain hope that the aristocratic class will be wiped out. I would, however, watch a series focusing exclusively on the Night's Watch, perhaps called 'Ice Wall Trekkers' or something.

Yeah, the exploits at the wall became my favourite part of the books.  Probably because it was the one location where the story lines didnt become hopelessly lost.

[jimmy olsen]

GoT is #1!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andygreenberg/2012/05/09/hbos-game-of-thrones-on-track-to-be-crowned-most-pirated-show-of-2012/

[MadImmortalMan]

HBO really needs to restructure their revenue model...

[viper37]

when I started watching this show, I went to my cable provider's web site to watch it on-line.  The quality was awful.  480p at most.
So I ended up downloading the torrents for the first 4 episodes.  In HD format that was decent to look at.

[jimmy olsen]

HBO really needs to restructure their revenue model...

This explains the situation pretty well

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/05/09/hbo-has-only-itself-to-blame-for-record-game-of-thrones-piracy/

[Martinus]

The question is, does mass piracy really affect their bottom-line? In the overwhelming majority of cases, people pirate TV shows because they cannot get them legally, or because they cannot afford them anyway, or because they want to try it out before they commit to buying it and realize they don't really like it. Provided that the show is good and the producer's business model is not to dupe people into buying shit (HBO's isn't - that's more of a m.o. of failed "blockbusters") each of these groups is likely to become a paying customer down the line, and the earlier piracy simply creates viewer loyalty to the series.

I wonder when media companies will finally realize that the world has moved on and they need to change their business model.

[Josephus]

The question is, does mass piracy really affect their bottom-line? In the overwhelming majority of cases, people pirate TV shows because they cannot get them legally, or because they cannot afford them anyway, or because they want to try it out before they commit to buying it and realize they don't really like it. Provided that the show is good and the producer's business model is not to dupe people into buying shit (HBO's isn't - that's more of a m.o. of failed "blockbusters") each of these groups is likely to become a paying customer down the line, and the earlier piracy simply creates viewer loyalty to the series.

I wonder when media companies will finally realize that the world has moved on and they need to change their business model.

Do you have anything to back that up, cause I don't think that's the case at all.

[Grey Fox]

The question is, does mass piracy really affect their bottom-line? In the overwhelming majority of cases, people pirate TV shows because they cannot get them legally, or because they cannot afford them anyway, or because they want to try it out before they commit to buying it and realize they don't really like it. Provided that the show is good and the producer's business model is not to dupe people into buying shit (HBO's isn't - that's more of a m.o. of failed "blockbusters") each of these groups is likely to become a paying customer down the line, and the earlier piracy simply creates viewer loyalty to the series.

I wonder when media companies will finally realize that the world has moved on and they need to change their business model.

Do you have anything to back that up, cause I don't think that's the case at all.

Most comments on reddits Game of Thrones threads reflect has much. None subscribe to HBO but most buy the Blurays.

[Tamas]

Do you have anything to back that up, cause I don't think that's the case at all.

he used to pirate it, then saw an HBO Go ad in The Advocate.

[grumbler]

The question is, does mass piracy really affect their bottom-line? In the overwhelming majority of cases, people pirate TV shows because they cannot get them legally, or because they cannot afford them anyway, or because they want to try it out before they commit to buying it and realize they don't really like it. Provided that the show is good and the producer's business model is not to dupe people into buying shit (HBO's isn't - that's more of a m.o. of failed "blockbusters") each of these groups is likely to become a paying customer down the line, and the earlier piracy simply creates viewer loyalty to the series.

I wonder when media companies will finally realize that the world has moved on and they need to change their business model.

Do you have anything to back that up, cause I don't think that's the case at all.

Which group do you think won't produce any paying customers?

[Viking]

I did not like the last episode, it was a boring mess except for the parts in Kings Landing.

Ygritte looks way too clean and Jon Snow is that much of an idiot?

I'm shouting "You know nothing Jon Snow!!!!!!" every time Ygritt opens he mouth.

[HVC]

So i've been reading the series. The 4th book just meanders a lot. Is the 5th one even worth getting?

[The Brain]

So i've been reading the series. The 4th book just meanders a lot. Is the 5th one even worth getting?

It gets better in the 5th book. 4th = LOLWTF

[Valmy]

So i've been reading the series. The 4th book just meanders a lot. Is the 5th one even worth getting?

The 5th is better than the 4th but yeah they probably could have been combined into one book with decent editing.

[Martinus]

I'm surprised some people don't like the last episode - I thought it was one of the best if not the best of the series. Most reviewers agree with me.