Game of Thrones (Song of Ice and Fire) The Fantasy Thread

[LoathsomePete]

After three episodes I definitely like where this season is heading. The first episode seemed a little rushed, but I don't mean in a production sense but in that the producers seemed to be cramming as much as they could into that episode. I can see why they did it, it set in motion a number of stories such as Catheryn's journey to the south and Theon's journey to Pyke. By doing that so early in the season they allow so character building to take place once both characters actually reach their destination, which was something the book seemed to shy away from.

Spoiler for spoilers, you've been warned:

I like how the show's writers have gone into a bit more depth with Renly Baratheon and Theon Greyjoy. I'm really happy that they've decided to showcase Renly's homosexuality (which was only vaguely hinted at in the novels) and make it a struggle for him to balance his sexual preference and his kingship. I also like how they actually show that Margeary Tyrell's marriage with Renly is just for political gain and that there is absolutely no love between the two except that of Renly and Ser Loras. It makes it a hell of a lot more believable that they would so easily switch sides and start supporting the Lannisters again after Renly is slain and Stannis loses the Battle for King's Landing.

On the other side of Westeros I was really happy the writers decided to include some actual internal conflict with Theon Greyjoy and his betrayal of Robb Stark. In the novel he pretty much just shows back up to Pyke, gets chewed out by his father for his greenland ways, gets told that they're going to conquer the north now that all the armies are down in the south, then the next thing you know he's on a longship raiding the Stony Shore. In the show, after his father explains his plans, Theon actually has a letter written for Robb Stark and is stuck in this horrible position of betraying one family for the other, both of whom he's known for about equal time. In the end he burns the letter, but at least the writers actually decided to show some internal turmoil rather than just expect the audience to assume he feels it.

Besides those two major changes, I'm pretty happy with all the little ones the writers have made, most of them have to do with consolidating events. Rather than show the Night's Watch go through abandoned wildling villages, they show have Commander Mormont say they've been through them. Same with how the last episode ended, rather than have Gendry, Hot Pie, Lommy, and Arya wander after their encounter with Ser Amory Lorch and his men only to get captured by Ser Gregor Clegane and his men, they just have them yield after the first skirmish.