I'm a reader, I usually like books better than shows/movies. So take that for what it's worth.

But, while watching the show without having read the books would be awesome, I'm glad I read first. I could see it going the other way, though, depending on the person.

I am reading the book after the show, but only up to the where the show ends each week. You do get more details in the book obv, which makes characters and places easier to remember when they get a few pages devoted to them instead of a few lines.

Anyone against this approach?

That's interesting. I'm curious how you know exactly which chapter the show ends on without reading a little ahead. Also the show may wind up doing things out of order at some point.

Yeah, I don't know - but so far - about 60 pages - they are tracking pretty well with the book giving more background. So many things get cleared up/reinforced that a minor spoiler from a read ahead is prolly worth it.

I don't think it will be too difficult to figure out when to stop. This week's episode made it really easy.

stop after incestual sex scene... that's gotta be tough though.

told the gf i thought it was damon

also anyone else notice every sex scene was doggystyle? is that what they always did back in the day?

Not true.

not every, but most were.

I gave in and this is exactly what I am doing

Also, when does the next episode air exactly?

Tonight at 9:00

someone should paste the three pictures shown on the ring in the game of thrones opening.

the first one is at 0:02, the second one is at 0:46, the third at 1:26.

its a quick history lesson for the new people

The books were so ridiculously compellingly tense and good that I go the other way on this question. These are among the very few books that I read at a deliberately slow pace to savor every sentence. Martin's details are often foreshadows and his dialog is not only always in character, but is often either clever or perceptive. I think much of the tension of the books would be wiped out if I watched the series before reading them.

Series is sweet so far, IMO.

Still not exactly sure what's going on but I ****ing love it. A lot of stuff in this thread helped me clarify some stuff, thanks guys. The King's kid is a prick and the little girl who plays Arya is very, very good. Not sure what was super important as far as content goes this episode, but can't wait for next week and will definitely be ordering the books soon.

According to one of the more respected reviews of the series, [from the first 6 episodes], this was the "low point" of the series, with each episode getting far better. Episode 5 was the highlight of the first 6.

ya Arya is awesome

Yeah, seems more like a bridging ep between the first and the third with nothing major happening. However it is developing the characters and geography nicely.

So i assume the wall is entirely man made?

Also whoever mentioned the rings around the sun in the credits, i kept an eye out and they were a nice touch on the history.

Good episode, but I felt like it went by super fast.

I loved the scene where the kids wolf tore that guys throat out.

Which brings me to my first point

That ****ing kid went into a coma? I hate that coma ****. I was kind of hoping he would just die. But at least he's already awake, I was thinking they might put him in a coma for several episodes, which would have been unbearable. Comas are so lame man.

I think this was mentioned before, but the prince is clearly not the kings son. Just the fact that the prince and the queen are so amazingly evil, whereas the king is a super cool guy, makes it undeniable. Plus the blond hair thing.

I have a theory that may be stupid. In the first episode, they talked about how the dire wolves shouldn't be that far south, and they are normally north of the wall. Now, they tried to bring 2 of those wolves with them south to King's Landing, and one is dead and the other got chased off already. Wolves can't go south or something? Am I reading too much into a coincidence?

And I have a question. Why did the dwarf go north to the wall? I know he's not joining the night's watch. Seems like he's just going up there for fun? He said he wants to piss off the top of the wall. That doesn't seem like a good reason to travel so far.

He's already realy close to the wall. And I guess its a cool thing to see.

Ah alright, I guess I overestimated the distance. Also, where is Jon Snow's wolf? The tiny albino one?

I didn't see it in this episode, but I'm sure he didn't leave it behind.

Jon's wolf was there briefly in a wide shot when they were camped talking about why Tyrion reads.

based on how they ended the episode(wolfs death/boy awakens, im not optimistic about the redhead's long term future

in the scene where joffrey is confronting the butcher's boy, was there bad editing there? he was taking his sword out and talking, then it cut to a different shot of him not moving his lips while his voiceover was still going.

i thought the episdoe wasn't that great to be honest, but you could tell it was building up to something. hope it didn't turn many off.

one thing that bothers me it looks like movie sets to me. like the dothraki tent/camp area and the place where sansa/joffrey were talking and met the king's executioner. i dunno if it was just me though. like the dothraki tribe is 40k people and they show 30 people tops at once. sorry for nitpicking, i can't help it

btw agreed with going by super fast. 56 min feels like 15 min, seriously.


also

Really? When they showed that Dothraki procession in the start of the episode I was thinking the exact oposite. There were a lot of freaking Dothraki. I didn't notice that the sets looked bad. They looked good to me but I wasn't really thinking about it I was too busy staring at all the hot lesbo action that was going down.

I loved this episode. Thought it was much better than the first. The assassination attempt was awesome, the riverside confrontation was awesome, the king's ruling scene was awesome and I loved the ending. I agree Chocula that coma's are kind of lame and I too thought he would be dead, but in this case I love that he just woke up with the goods on the Lannisters. Although he'll probably have amnesia or something which would be really annoying.

Also, the scene where the Dothraki king comes into the tent with no pants on was hilarious. That dude just rolls around with a mean mug and his dong out?! I was dying. I love that character. He's kind of over the top but I love him.