HBO's Game of Thrones

[Surfah]

The best show on HBO will always be the most pirated show, simply because it costs a ridiculous amount to get HBO. In addition to the installation fee and monthly basic fees, a lot of cable companies make you pay for a high tier before adding movie channels is even an option. So for some it might cost $100+ a month. I'm not justifying the piracy, but compared to other shows that can be streamed or purchased shortly after they air, HBO's shows are really hard to legally watch. I'm sure HBO makes more money doing it this way, at least historically, but I bet the time is nigh when it becomes more profitable to allow a la carte access.

HBO actually has been talking about a subscription to HBO Go for non cable subscribers. HBO Go is awesome. Basically has all their current content and movie offerings available as well as all of their past and present original programming. We're going through Game of Thrones now to catch up for this 3rd season. And then we'll be starting The Wire.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

HBO actually has been talking about a subscription to HBO Go for non cable subscribers. HBO Go is awesome. Basically has all their current content and movie offerings available as well as all of their past and present original programming. We're going through Game of Thrones now to catch up for this 3rd season. And then we'll be starting The Wire.

I would be shocked if HBO willingly gives subscriptions to non cable subscribers. What I mean by that is HBO will eventually go this route but they'll be dragged kicking and screaming to that conclusion. HBO is owned by Time Warner which is a cable giant -- not only in offering cable to subscribers but on the programming side too -- CNN, TNT, TBS, etc. They have every incentive to keep the current cable-satellite subscription regime in place.

What eventually happens is the younger companies that have different incentives usurp the old regime -- and right now that's Netflix entering into the arena with House of Cards and new episodes of Arrested Development.

HBO, by itself, does have the revenue model to do what Netflix does, but its parent company does not want to see it happen.

Ironically, the old broadcast networks can continue on because people will always be willing to watch them because they're free and ad-supported. It's the marginal stations that will suffer like G4 and Bravo -- stations no one cares about that glean a little bit of money from all the subscribers that hardly know it even exists.

[Maximus]

would it really hurt HBO if they made episodes available for purchase at all before DVD?

[MarkGrace]

I have a bad feeling Daenerys is never going to be naked in this show again.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

I have a bad feeling Daenerys is never going to be naked in this show again.

But we still have Margery Tyrell, Melisandra, and the prostitute Ros.

I think we're going to see that red-headed wilding disrobe in the near future too.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Lots of walking around in last night's episode. Bran and Rickon -- walking around. Jon Snow -- walking around. Jaime and the Amazon -- walking around. Arya was also walking around.

The best part of this show right now is what's going on in Kings Landing. These shows always have to take gambles when they're casting child actors. Sometimes it works out horribly (a prime example is the kid that played Tony Soprano's son, one of the worst actors I've ever seen) and sometimes it works out well (Emma Watson and I also think the girl that plays Don Draper's daughter has done a good job). The kid that plays Joffrey is great. He was probably only 17 when he was cast, but that kid sure knows how to play that Caligula role well.

I'm not sure how many people noticed this, but that was Diane Rigg playing the Tyrell family matriarch. I can't wait to see her machinations proceed.

[SoCalCoug]

Lots of walking around in last night's episode. Bran and Rickon -- walking around. Jon Snow -- walking around. Jaime and the Amazon -- walking around. Arya was also walking around.

The best part of this show right now is what's going on in Kings Landing. These shows always have to take gambles when they're casting child actors. Sometimes it works out horribly (a prime example is the kid that played Tony Soprano's son, one of the worst actors I've ever seen) and sometimes it works out well (Emma Watson and I also think the girl that plays Don Draper's daughter has done a good job). The kid that plays Joffrey is great. He was probably only 17 when he was cast, but that kid sure knows how to play that Caligula role well.

I'm not sure how many people noticed this, but that was Diane Rigg playing the Tyrell family matriarch. I can't wait to see her machinations proceed.

Yeah, a bit slow. But Episode 9 will make up for it.

Jack Gleeson (Joffrey) is great. So is Maisie Williams (Arya). Those are the real standouts among the children. You get a sense of how good an actor Gleeson is when you see interviews of him - he's really a nice kid. He really seems to become a completely different (and believeable) person when he's playing Joffrey.

Spoiler for Don't read if you haven't read through A Storm of Swords (Book 3):

It really is a shame that Joffrey's days are numbered. Looks like he's toast midway through next season.

[SoCalCoug]

Here's a great audition video - Rory McCann, who plays Sandor Clegane (The Hound). I think he scared the casting director into giving him the role. Seriously - I jump every time I watch it.

I think he's one of the underrated actors in the show - I don't think we've gotten to his best scenes yet.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

So WTF happened at the end last night? All of a sudden at the end before the credits, they started playing the credits music abruptly before the final scene was finished. I'll have to watch it again to see if they also cut off the dialog or if it was just drowned out by the music. Did anyone else get that or did I have some kind of strange feed?

[Commando]

Same thing. I thought something had gone wrong, but then the credits kept going. Not sure why they would drown out that last bit of dialogue, other than for added effect of what happens, but...

[Flystripper]

So WTF happened at the end last night? All of a sudden at the end before the credits, they started playing the credits music abruptly before the final scene was finished. I'll have to watch it again to see if they also cut off the dialog or if it was just drowned out by the music. Did anyone else get that or did I have some kind of strange feed?

I can't do spoiler tags on my phone. Something drastic happened to Jamie.

[Flystripper]

Huge departure from the books regarding Theon last night.

[Commando]

I can't do spoiler tags on my phone. Something drastic happened to Jamie.

CMBF knows what happened in the show. We're both wondering why the music was so effed up. It stormed in and drowned out the last few seconds of dialogue and action and continued through the credits. It was weird.

[Flystripper]

CMBF knows what happened in the show. We're both wondering why the music was so effed up. It stormed in and drowned out the last few seconds of dialogue and action and continued through the credits. It was weird.

I watched it on HBO Go and did not notice any music until after what happened to Jamie happened.

[Color Me Badd Fan]

Personally I thought the music was a bit much. I mean is it really that big of a reveal to Jamie that he is Joffrey's father? Good grief.