Game of Thrones

[Christophe]

[LongTimeLurker]

If there has been a problem with GoT actors it's more that HBO had to cut back the number of episodes per season to keep costs under control because of the fees per episode that the major cast members had been able to negotiate for themselves along the way. Everything is a bit too rushed now. As for there being some relatively weak acting performances it goes with the territory with a series like this and never did The Sopranos any harm. When many of the key casting decisions were being made the roles were nothing like as sought after as they became a few seasons in.

[Rodhull]

4 minutes ago, Estragon is a fud said:

??? 

 

The Sopranos had some of the best television acting of all time. Gandolfini, Falco and Imperioli shit all over anything in Game of Thrones

It also had Steven van Zandt and the boy who played Tony jr.

[irvine_buddie]

I think most of the actors stand up pretty well considering how long ago they were cast. Don't get the criticism of the guy playing Bran.. he is meant to be almost no longer human and omniscient so he would be creepy.

First episode was ok, they had a lot of setting up to do and I'm glad they got all the reunions out of the way in the first episode as well as wrapping up the Greyjoy stuff. It should be all go from now hopefully.

I'm trying to avoid watching the trailer for episode 2, but I reckon Bran won't give a shit about Jamie pushing him out the window anymore and is only waiting for him because he knows that Jamie has an important part to play.

I'm looking forward to Dani finding out she is no longer the rightful heir to the iron throne, she is power mad now and won't want to give that up for the greater good like Jon did when he bent the knee to her giving up his title as King in the North.

 

[Ira Gaines]

I'm also unsure of whatelse the person playing Bran can actually do in that role. He's basically the creepy wee f**k that the horrendous role needs. It's a shite character. Not a shite performance.

Emilia Clarke was ALWAYS shite. There's no excuse for that. Most of the performances have been fine though and I don't really get where that criticism comes from.

[Rodhull]

Bran as a character now definitely seems like it would be something much easier to pull off and describe in a book than to have to go out and act it convincingly. The boy playing him doesn’t have much to go off of either as they haven’t even got to that point in the books yet.

[Bairnardo]

Theres not a lot wrong with Bran for me. As a character, he unsettles people. They dont know what to make of him and they dont understand what he is doing. As a viewer, his performance is shifty and unnerving. Its fine.

[untitled00]

35 minutes ago, Principal Flutie said:

I'm also unsure of whatelse the person playing Bran can actually do in that role. He's basically the creepy wee f**k that the horrendous role needs. It's a shite character. Not a shite performance.

Emilia Clarke was ALWAYS shite. There's no excuse for that. Most of the performances have been fine though and I don't really get where that criticism comes from.

Agreed, although I would say that both Jon & Dany are very one-dimensional in terms of range (there really isnt any...). And with them being effectively the 2 main characters in the show it does cause issue's. I can understand them not having any actual chemistry between them but it seems like acting if they have chemistry is just a step too far for them.

Sansa came in for a lot of stick over the course of this but her character development has arguably been one of the best in the entire show - in that its easy to see why she would become much colder and calculating  (like a more level headed Cersei).  Bran, well what exactly do you expect from someone who cant walk and effectively has no emotion since becoming the 3-eyed-raven? Seems like nit-picking in the absolute extreme.

I do think that some folk over exaggerate the decline in writing (as the books have so much absolute filler) but it did stand out to me during this episode more than it has done  previously. 

 

 

 

[Stellaboz]

The only thing I look back on now with any question is the lack of reaction when Bran tells everyone that the Night King turned a dragon. That ought to be frightening as f**k.

[Elixir]

Never understood the criticism of Emilia Clarke. Think it's just folk trying too hard, tbh.

In the books, Daenerys has a bland personality. Considering Emilia Clarke seems to have an extremely bubbly personality in real-life, it's quite a contrast.

Her performance during the Sack of Astapor is tremendous.

[Stellaboz]

Her performance getting into that steam bath, or burning down the Khals is top notch.

[quickoverayard]

Watched thronecast and osha is a 100% wid!!!!

[Inanimate Carbon Rod]

Her performance getting into that steam bath, or burning down the Khals is top notch.

Her performance in the sexy scene with the other lassie is my fave.

[quickoverayard]

I don't get the criticism of her either rightly or wrongly she has made the character her own.

[Savage Henry]

Never understood the criticism of Emilia Clarke. Think it's just folk trying too hard, tbh.
In the books, Daenerys has a bland personality. Considering Emilia Clarke seems to have an extremely bubbly personality in real-life, it's quite a contrast.
Her performance during the Sack of Astapor is tremendous.

She’s a dreadful actress though. Even in the Star Wars thing she was as wooden as a plank.

[dorlomin]

11 hours ago, LongTimeLurker said:

If there has been a problem with GoT actors it's more that HBO had to cut back the number of episodes per season to keep costs under control

Its pretty much the biggest money spinner in HBO history. They streched the final planned series into two series, added several extra length episodes etc. 

The show writing suffers from a common problem with speculative fiction "world building". People start all these story lines then have a hard time closing them off. They have a huge amount more running time than the show originally intended and I am pretty sure they would have loved to squeeze another series out of it. Its not like this is a money loser for them they are trying to cut short. 

[invergowrie arab]

Have the people who highlight the quality of the writing in the books 1. Read the books and 2. Read any other books? They are utterly dreadful.

Edited April 18, 2019 by invergowrie arab

[D'Jaffo]

The cast ranges from absolutely brilliant with Lena Heady and Peter Dinklage (although he’s not been the same since they took him out of Kings Landing) to more bland actors like Emilia Clarke and even Kit Harrington. Before their in show deaths Mark Addy, Charles Dance, Aiden Gillan and Iwan Rheon were very good.

I’ve been a critic of the writing in the last couple of seasons but I think it’s gone way over the top. I don’t think they’re bad writers but they’ve been told to wrap up all these storylines in 2 seasons without the original source material. The standard was always going to drop. That doesn’t make Martin a brilliant author though as although his books are a great read there is a huge amount of absolute guff in them.

[Ira Gaines]

Charles Dance was probably my favourite of the lot. Jack Gleeson deserves credit for absolutely nailing the Joffrey role as well as the ones you mentioned. I don't have much problem with Kit Harrington. Aye he's bland, but I think he's decent as well.

Thought Pedro Pascal was outstanding in his brief foray into GoT as well.

[Shotgun]

In order.

Worst:
All 3 of the sand snakes. Poor casting, poorer acting.
Jon Snow.  Knows nuthin. Including how to change expression.
Daenerys. Talk about being unable to change expression. Adorable to look at but naw. Plus she has hideous taste in men. (If you're reading this Dany, call me.)
Theon / Reek. Recites his lines like he's in a school play. All the good actors who've been bumped off and I have a feeling he's going to be there 'till the end.

Best:
Tywin. Head and shoulders above the rest.
Cersei. A brief tightening of the eyes and Lena Headey conveyed more emotion than Kit Carrington and Emilia Clarke have done in any episode they've been in.
Olenna. When she was verbally sparring with Tywin, magic happened.
Joffrey. Kids can act as Jack Gleeson showed.

Honourable Mentions:
Tyrion. I can't imagine there are too many dwarf actors to choose from but they picked the right one.  Although as noted by D'Jaffo, he's had less to work with in the later episodes.
Arya. Hampered by her storyline which, while seemingly very promising, never realised its potential.
Daario Noharis. A good move to replace the first actor. Given that the second one wasn't much better, an equally good move to quietly ship the character off out of sight altogether. Hopefully we don't see him again.
Varys. Not an action hero like some of the others, but always watchable.

 

Edited April 18, 2019 by Shotgun