Game of Thrones begins....

[Sophie Scholl]

Actually, I thought Tyrion is a Richard-III-esque character when he becomes the Hand of Joffrey. A misshaped cripple vilified for his evil (even though it is not true).

Haven't gotten that far yet.  I'm only just finishing the first book.

The is a fully spoilered zone, sorry.

I'm fine with spoilers, just commenting that I can't weigh in one way or the other as I haven't gotten that far in the reading yet.

[Berkut]

Of course, while it is easy to bad on Catelyn, Jaime was just as bad, with his idiotic confronting of Ned in the streets of Kings Landing. That was not part of anyone's plan either, so far as I can tell.

[Valmy]

Of course, while it is easy to bad on Catelyn, Jaime was just as bad, with his idiotic confronting of Ned in the streets of Kings Landing. That was not part of anyone's plan either, so far as I can tell.

Or tossing little boys out of windows.

[Josquius]

So far with the series I'm not seeing so much of where the budget was spent. How are they spending $15million an episode for just talking? Not many flashy graphics to be seen and the cities seem rather sparse so far. Just not getting where the money went. The joust looked rather low budget and amateurish even.

[crazy canuck]

Not sure that is accurate.  Ned fought and succeeded in the civil war which itself had shifting loyalties. 

Not sure that is accurate.  Except for the Lannister strike for the throne at the end, the war seemed pretty straightforward.

The war was only "straightforward" in the sense that the rebels wanted to end the rule of the King.  But who was for them or against them at any given time was anything but straightforward.  There were split of loyalty within houses and well of shifts of loyalty other than the Lannisters.  It took over a year and multiple battles to finally decide the issue.

It is said the War of Roses was used as an inspiration and the Book does a good job of capturing the uncertainty of who is loyal to whom both during and after the rebellion.

[Habbaku]

So far with the series I'm not seeing so much of where the budget was spent. How are they spending $15million an episode for just talking? Not many flashy graphics to be seen and the cities seem rather sparse so far. Just not getting where the money went. The joust looked rather low budget and amateurish even.

Where are you getting numbers of that level?  All estimates of the budget I've read say roughly 5 million an episode.

[Grey Fox]

Some people need to start dieing, quickly. Other then random recently knighted Irish.

[Solmyr]

Anyway, this episode had not enough Arya and too much Jon. I realize that they need to advance Jon's storyline, but he's just so boring.

Gendry looked a bit older than I imagined him.

I hope they continue the tournament in the next episode. Loras winning it and the Hound saving his ass from Gregor was somewhat of a plot point.

[Josquius]

Anyway, this episode had not enough Arya and too much Jon. I realize that they need to advance Jon's storyline, but he's just so boring.

Gendry looked a bit older than I imagined him.

I hope they continue the tournament in the next episode. Loras winning it and the Hound saving his ass from Gregor was somewhat of a plot point.

Probally will, need some bloody action.
And of course Loras/Renly hasn't happened yet.

So far with the series I'm not seeing so much of where the budget was spent. How are they spending $15million an episode for just talking? Not many flashy graphics to be seen and the cities seem rather sparse so far. Just not getting where the money went. The joust looked rather low budget and amateurish even.

Where are you getting numbers of that level?  All estimates of the budget I've read say roughly 5 million an episode.

ehh...true, misremembered.
Still dear.

[Scipio]

Why is no one smart enough to see through Littlefinger?  He's a colossal douchenozzle whose intentions are frankly obvious.

He's like Warwick, without the arrogance.  Surely arrogance is not the only reason that Warwick got bitchslapped by fortune.

[jimmy olsen]

They're certainly portrayed as noble and honourable country bumpkins who can't adapt to the conniving ways of city folk. The blonde farm girl from Idaho recently come to New York City.

Ned has seen the world and has successfully overthrown a dynasty that had ruled for generations.  No mean feat.  His wife is no country Bumpkin.  That is what we first learn about them in the Book.  But then, I agree, they turn into country Bumpkins somewhere along the way.

From my recollections of the books I don't think that Ned behaved any different in that war. He and Robert want to war over honor and won in open battle, not much conniving, except on the part of the Lannisters who switched sides after it became clear who would win.

[jimmy olsen]

Catelyn actually seemed kind of badass in that last scene.   

Concur. I thought it was a great scene.

I can't stop rewatching it. What is the allure of feudal loyalty? 

[Slargos]

Catelyn actually seemed kind of badass in that last scene.   

Concur. I thought it was a great scene.

I can't stop rewatching it. What is the allure of feudal loyalty? 

It's a lost virtue.

Of course, it was never a virtue to begin with given that it was just another tool for the oppression of men, and today the masses are controlled with other types of opiates, but nevertheless..

It's an attractive type of servitude because it builds on pathos and a strict sense of honour and dignity. We all want to believe there is purpose, and we all want to believe ourselves part of it, and so we cling to whatever meaningless cause we can in order to feel important. The truth is, they live in dirt hovels so that Catelyn can feast on roast boar every night and that so called code of honour is just a way to keep them from realizing the truth of it.

Edit: But yes, I thought it was kick ass for exactly the same reason as you did. 

[Martinus]

Catelyn actually seemed kind of badass in that last scene.   

Concur. I thought it was a great scene.

I can't stop rewatching it. What is the allure of feudal loyalty? 

In a word, it's personal.

[Martinus]

Catelyn actually seemed kind of badass in that last scene.   

Concur. I thought it was a great scene.

I can't stop rewatching it. What is the allure of feudal loyalty? 

It's a lost virtue.

Of course, it was never a virtue to begin with given that it was just another tool for the oppression of men, and today the masses are controlled with other types of opiates, but nevertheless..

It's an attractive type of servitude because it builds on pathos and a strict sense of honour and dignity. We all want to believe there is purpose, and we all want to believe ourselves part of it, and so we cling to whatever meaningless cause we can in order to feel important. The truth is, they live in dirt hovels so that Catelyn can feast on roast boar every night and that so called code of honour is just a way to keep them from realizing the truth of it.

Edit: But yes, I thought it was kick ass for exactly the same reason as you did. 

While this is a very modern analysis, I think it misses the key feature of it, i.e. this being based on personal ties. This is a small word. Notice that all arguments used by Catelyn to inspire their loyalties are deeply personal: "I remember you from childhood", "We went to your wedding", etc. Even in today's world, which is deeply atomized, people still recall being charmed when they e.g. meet Obama or Bush or Carter in person, and their opinion of the said leader can improve a lot as a result of such meeting.  This is a much different type of loyalty when your leader is just speaking to you from a tv.