HBO's Next (I Hope) Great Drama
I didn't end up watching a tremendous amount of TV on vacation, owing to (1) staying in a beach house without a DVD player, (2) it being the last week of June / first week of July (no Top Chef Masters? What gives?), (3) only being able to take so many Michael Jackson thanatopses, and (4) um, being on vacation.
I did read, though, and of course it all ended up coming back to TV, because I started reading George R. R. Martin's fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire, which HBO is shooting a pilot for. And I am here to hope, and plead, that HBO picks up the show as a series, and gets it right.
Because I'm not close to done yet (four of seven planned volumes are finished, each one phone-book-sized--fortunately I'm reading on iPhone Kindle), I can't appraise the series overall. For that, see real book critic, fantasy novelist and Nerd World blogger Lev Grossman, who deemed author George R. R. Martin "the American Tolkien." But just judging from the first book, A Game of Thrones—which would make up the first season of a series, and gives the would-be series its title—it's clear that this saga would not only make a great fantasy series, but is a perfect fit for HBO.
For starters, the sprawling plot—about the rivalry among noble (and ignoble) houses for a mythical kingdom—offers a gripping, intrigue-filled basic story that's like Fantasy Rome (complete with abundant blood, sex and kinkiness). That's probably what attracted the network in the first place. [Update: Also—perhaps thanks to the fact that Martin has worked as a TV writer—the story is broken down, and the plots interwoven, very much like those of a cable drama. For first-time readers of this blog, I mean that as a compliment.]
But great HBO series are about more than plot and skin; they're about great themes, which Martin's story has aplenty. In the tradition of HBO's antiheroes and antiheroines—and unlike the protagonists of The Lord of the Rings—Martin's characters, even the best among them, are flawed, ambivalent and deeply fallible. He constantly forces you to question whether the "honorable" resolution to a conflict is the best in the long run. The saga is littered with fallen heroes and shattered myths, as well as apparent villains and rogues who make surprising turns.
And as in series like The Sopranos, Deadwood and The Wire, the story is filled with the mournful sense that the characters and their civilization have outlived their best days. A Game of Thrones is a fantasy, but most of the magic is in the past. We learn early on, for instance, that there were once dragons in Westeros (the continent where most of the action takes place), but they died off; there were magicians hundreds of years ago, but all that remains of them are some of the weapons they forged, and a vaguely described "Doom" that has thrown the world off-kilter. (Among the oddnesses in its fictional world: the seasons last for unpredictable spans of time, often years. As the series begins, the world is in its ninth year of summer.) Magic is not necessarily dead—there are rumors, for instance, of a ghastly threat stirring in the primeval woods beyond the borders of civilization—but it is mostly considered to be child's stories, or ancient history. It is a little like The Lord of the Rings, if you continued the story after the Elves and wizards left Middle Earth to the mundane and flawed rule of men.
It's also like nothing else, which is why I badly want HBO to make the series. (A pilot is being shot, with Peter Dinklage—reunited with Station Agent director Tom McCarthy—in the key role of Tyrion Lannister, a dwarf and nobleman of uncertain moral allegiance.)
If you've read the books, do you want to see them made into TV, or do you want them left alone? What do you think are the biggest casting and logistical challenges? (For instance, I could easily see the budget dwarfing Rome's $100 million price tag, depending how the series were made.)
One last request: discuss the books all you want in the comments, but your host has not finished reading them, so label your spoilers. (One problem with reading a series late nowadays, I'm learning, is resisting the temptation to read spoilers at the various fan sites and wikis. I'm glad the Web was not around when I read LOTR in junior high.) You do not want to wake the dragon.
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1
I'm really going to have to reread these books - I read the first three, and have the fourth one kicking around, but I was at an age where I had read Lord of the Rings and the books were suggested to my parents at the book store as the next logical step (which was a dangerous suggestion considering the dropping median age of LOTR readers considering ASoIaF's HBO-style content, but that's neither here nor there), and I don't quite think I was ready to really confront Martin's material. However, I got through three of the things, so I'd tend to think that there's something intriguing to go back to when I get the chance in the Fall, hopefully coinciding with HBO's decision to make the series - its potential as TV series is certainly something I remember.
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2
It's a great series, and would make for great TV.
There is the small problem of the delays the books have faced recently. It's been nearly four years since the disappointing A Feast For Crows, and we still haven't gotten the fifth book. GRRM apparently wants to be pretty involved in the TV series too, which could cause greater delays in the future books. Still, I hope the series is picked up.
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3
The biggest problem with this series is that the HBO run would probably end before Martin ever finishes the books. It was supposed to be 7 books originally (I think), but the fourth book got so long his publishers split it in two. Book 5, the second half of book 4, is going on two years overdue at this point... I think the first book was published over a decade ago at this point.
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I know nothing about how much these things cost, but since there isn't a whole lot of mysticism and magic and so-forth (though ***spoiler I guess*** it does come back into play somewhat), I can't see it costing more than a lot of CGI-heavy shows. I guess it depends on where and how they film it. -
4
Re: delays in the books series--it's a concern, but the flip side is that it will take HBO a while to put the existing books on the air (assuming the series stays mainly faithful to the books and does one per season). Assuming it does get picked up to series, season 1 couldn't get on the air until 2010 at least, and I'd guess 2011; and HBO will space seasons of dramas a year apart or more depending what it has in the can. (Remember the long layovers between series of The Sopranos, or even Curb Your Enthusiasm.) So I doubt that would be a dealbreaker.
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5
I'm very hopeful for the pilot production. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, the showrunners, have been solicitous of fan input at the A Song of Ice and Fire forum, and seem to be very sincere in their regard for GRRM's writing. It's also a great place to discuss the series and the various rumors and dribbles of news (a lot of people scanning Twitter religiously, as a number of actors have tweeted their attendance on casting sessions).
The largest challenge for casting, it seems to me, is the children. George has found them difficult to write, especially Bran I think. All the characters are being aged up a little bit (a couple of years in most cases), but this still leaves characters like Arya and Bran as needing good child actors to pull them off. That said, I think the first season very much hinges on Eddard Stark, and their casting is probably much more important. The actor for that role will be have their work cut out for them if the show gets a season order.
The rumors regarding potential budgets don't sound like they're planning a ROME-sized budget. That said, ROME incurred very high costs for its massive set and shooting on-location in Italy. HBO and the BBC -- who are partnered in this project -- have secured what looks to be like a sweetheart deal with the Northern Ireland government involving the use of their massive Paint Hall facilitiy and apparently some major tax concessions. So perhaps even with a lower budget than ROME, it'll still look just as spectacular.
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6
Let me preface this by saying that when I was reading the books, I was Seriously thinking about them - and you've dealt with me enough to realize the amount of detail that entails (I had suspected timelines written out for all the major characters through the end of the series). It's also been years since I've read them, and have forgotten quite a bit - especially which events took place in which book. So I shall try to be careful:
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The biggest challenge is costs. Now, I take it from the above that you have only read the first book. Outside of a couple location shots dealing with Daenerys, most of book one takes place in the same couple of castle locations. So a Tudors-ish budget.
Starting with book two, however, costs explode - there are a number of serious battle scenes in book two (one involving a massive naval engagement as well). The fantasy elements, while still not in the foreground, do make a more serious appearance as well. There's also significant "ruined countryside" that will either have to be prepared or whipped up with CGI. Various major characters suffer serious injuries that will need to be covered with either CGI or prosthetic makeup work for the duration of the series. All in all, Season One will have to be a massive success before HBO will be able to sign off on the CGI budget Season Two will require.
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The second biggest challenge is sexism (perceived or actual). If one listens to the layperson's (generally teenage/twenties males, given the genre) complaints about the first book, the biggest is that the female characters (Sansa, Catelyn) are largely ineffectual. Part of this is the setting - women only had power behind the scenes. And part of this is by long design: Martin tends to make his males instant badasses (Jon, Robb, the tomboyish Arya), but the womens' rise to power is all the more impressive because of their low beginnings: Catelyn is in quite a different position now, and Sansa is apparently on track to take out the biggest villain in the series and rule half the land, even if she took four books to get there.
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The third biggest challenge is getting Peter Dinklage to play Tyrion. Which, even if they screw up every other part of the adaptation, marks it as a success in my book. -
7
@Tom Shaw: I purposely skimmed through yr post to avoid spoilers, but you raise a good point about female characters. I have only read the first book, but Cersei is a sexually manipulative, cunning she-bitch out of central casting... then again, she is so in much the same way as Rome's Atia was, so I'm not sure HBO has a problem with that. And, of course, we can't assume that the books will be gospel; True Blood (I understand) goes far afield from the Sookie Stackhouse books.
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The question is how much of the gender differences is the honest characterization of women's roles and socialization in this society (as opposed to some reflection of an author's gender bias about women's nature). Take Deadwood--they didn't feel obligated to pretend that women had a wide variety of career options in the Old West outside the whorehouse, teachers, or exceptions like Calamity Jane, but within those parameters Milch created compelling female characters (aided by great casting, inc Kim Dickens).
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BTW, Daenerys is an interesting variation, in that (mild spoiler, I guess) she starts out as a victim and kind of a ninny, and becomes wily and fearsome (but, again, have only read book 1). -
8
@Tom Shaw: I thought Dinklage was already cast. I'm pretty sure it's official, and it's wonderful, because Tyrion is by far my favorite character.
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I love these books, even the last one that people kinda bagged on. I'm very worried though that GRRM is going to Robert Jordan on us, that is die after we've already read thousands of pages. I read somewhere that he goes out of his way to hide his notes so that no one can pick up his series if he dies. That's frightening. I have a brother that read the first book, loved it, and refused to read the rest until the series is finished because he's so afraid it will never end. -
9
I heard awhile ago that "A Song of Ice and Fire" was slated to be made into a film series. I was initally scared that it would be crap. Now that its going to be a TV series/miniseries. It has greater potential to be AWESOME than if it was on the big screen. But it is very true that the scope of the books would require a hollywood sized budget which makes me nervious. Either way, stay true to the best you can to the books and I might add HBO to my cable just for this. Was if Jordan or Martin that died recently before finishing the epic series? I think it was Jordan.
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"The Lord of the Rings—Martin's characters, even the best among them, are flawed, ambivalent and deeply fallible." And die regularly. New characters are introduced to the reader, cherished and pivotal characters and then Martin kills them. But it works and its not haphazard. -
10
Oh, one other consequence related to Tom Shaw's interests: we would have another TV serial involving a sinister, feared group called The Others.
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11
@Rorschach: My phrasing wasn't clear. Let me try again.
Before he was cast, the third biggest challenge was getting Dinklage; now that he has been cast, the project is an automatic success.
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@James: Dany is kind of an outlier. By and large, her actions over the next books are that of a king on the throne: she decides, but all the action is accomplished by her proxies.
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In regards to gender bias: It's a complicated assessment. Again, I feel that various female characters are initially drawn as weak, even in the context of their society, such that their later accomplishments are all the more striking. But at the same time, Martin will write some bits that seem expressly designed for titillation (three words: lesbian sex scenes). With half the books still unread, I am unable to pass judgment. -
12
I am so excited about the possibility that Game of Thrones might be made into an HBO series! I have already promised myself that if HBO does indeed pick this up, then I will immediately shell out for digital cable and HBO. You hear that, HBO?!?! Money in your pockets!
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Yes the scope of the books is intimidating and will probably necessarily have to be judiciously trimmed (raising howls of displeasure from many quarters, no doubt) but the central thrust of the narrative (Stark family gets caught up in political maneuverings, scattered to the winds, will they survive?!) is so compelling, and the characters so wonderfully flawed, that this just has to happen. I'm really ignorant when it comes to things like costs and budgets, and of course I would hate to see a cheap and fake-looking world on the screen, but I would rather that some liberties be taken with the plot/setting in the interest of saving money if the alternative is that the series becomes unsustainable due to outlandish costs. -
13
Catelyn Stark is, I think, one of the great female characters of the fantasy genre. Her role defined for her as a mother, she carries it out with conviction. She is somewhat controversial in this regard, but that just makes great drama.
I think she's certainly a character who should be very appealing. I hope the actress for her can pull it off.
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14
With any great adaptation it depends on the casting. They're already off to a great start with Peter Dinklage as Tyrion. For A Game of Thrones they really need to nail the right actor to play Eddard Stark and to a slighly lesser extent Robert Baratheon. They also have to find a great couple of actors to play the incestuous twins Jaime and Cersei. Ever since seeing Polly Walker in Rome I've always envisioned Catelyn looking like her -- not sure why, but it always stuck with me.
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I'm definitely hoping this pilot goes to series. It would be something wholly different than what is currently anywhere on television, and HBO for that matter. -
15
I cannot believe you did a post on A Game of Thrones this afternoon. I came to the blog this morning and was going to mention that I came across you twitter page via a post from Matt Roush concerning the series. I had written into Matt Roush's Ask Matt column a couple months ago back with Peter Dinklage was cast. In fact, I first heard of the series from that same column nearly two years ago. That really shows how careful HBO has been about this show's development.
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http://www.winter-is-coming.blogspot.com is a website that is following the development of the pilot. And they have a post about all of the critics supporting the book series and getting the word out.
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One last thing. The script for the pilot leaked onto the internet a few months back. I read it and I must say that it was very faithful to the series. -
16
[...] HBO’s Next (I Hope) Great Drama I didn’t end up watching a tremendous amount of TV on vacation, owing to (1) staying in a beach house without a [...] [...]
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17
What...no remote? Manually (no pun intended) go to the Logo channel. I'm pretty sure that's right up your alley (no pun intended...again)!
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18
I wish more book series like this would be made into TV shows rather than movies. It seems to me that modern serial dramas are so much better suited to the task of adapted a good, plot-heavy novel than a movie. Can you imagine a "True Blood" movie? Though I haven't read the books, I definitely hope the series gets picked up.
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19
@James Poniewozik: "The question is how much of the gender differences is the honest characterization of women's roles and socialization in this society (as opposed to some reflection of an author's gender bias about women's nature)."
.First off, you're great simply for the fact that you posted this article, even though it won't get any coverage today. Hope you keep up with the production, it needs people who's opinions "count."
.But, wow, I don't see how you can miss the fact that Martin's female characters are anything but perfect archetypes trying to wade their way through his universe. Cate is the dutiful wife and mother, later simply mother, who cares only about protecting her family.
.Cersei's everyone's favorite villain (don't worry, she's still alive to hate, so far anyway), but to me she's one of the most tragic characters: a) she can NEVER be with the one person she loves, publicly anyway, b) she's forced into situations she doesn't want (her marriage the centerpiece, so to speak), and therefore thrust into the game, c) she has children (SPOILER: not her husband's), d) having been corrupted by the game she seeks power, pleasure and her children's security. She's vindictive, sure, but can you really blame her? (Sort of SPOILER): Cate certainly gets vindictive later, and I wish her nothing but the blood she craves.
.Dany's just a kid. Abused by her brother/guardian, sold by the other guardian she trusted, and the man she was "given" to? A giant killer from a foreign, brutal society that can't even speak to her. Then, once she finally bonds with him and feels comfortable for the first time in her life, he gets killed.
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Also, she's the true heir of all Westeros, but can't have any more children.
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And...she's the mother of the only three dragons on the planet, which haven't existed for centuries. I wouldn't trust a 14 year old girl to watch my turtle for a few hours, but people expect Dany to make rational decisions? To rule the world? I'd cry if I could just stop laughing.
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As far as the series goes, it'll be a shadow of the books, undoubtedly, because you can't put Martin's writing on the screen, no matter what you do. Scope will be an issue as well, of course, trying to compete with my imagination, not to mention the other couple million fan's.
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That said, it is conceivably the greatest achievement in television history. (Apparently, television wouldn't be considered "motion picture history," even though television is nothing but projected moving pictures. If I buy Michael Jackson's theater at auction, and watch the show on a giant projected screen, what then?)
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The Wire is the greatest television show ever made, not because of its plot dynamics, direction, acting, comedy, or even its writing, all of which were golden, and couldn't be done without. The true greatness of the Wire is that it captured reality, of a scene, of a city. Game of Thrones has a chance to transcend that, to make an unreal world real. -
20
[...] With the pilot for George R. R. Martin’s A Game of Thrones currently entering production in Ireland, Time magazine entertainment writer, James Poniewozik, practically begs HBO to pick up the series. [...]
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21
[...] From Time: For starters, the sprawling plot—about the rivalry among noble (and ignoble) houses for a mythical kingdom—offers a gripping, intrigue-filled basic story that’s like Fantasy Rome (complete with abundant blood, sex and kinkiness). That’s probably what attracted the network in the first place. [Update: Also—perhaps thanks to the fact that Martin has worked as a TV writer—the story is broken down, and the plots interwoven, very much like those of a cable drama. For first-time readers of this blog, I mean that as a compliment.] [...]
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22
[...] From Time: For starters, the sprawling plot—about the rivalry among noble (and ignoble) houses for a mythical kingdom—offers a gripping, intrigue-filled basic story that’s like Fantasy Rome (complete with abundant blood, sex and kinkiness). That’s probably what attracted the network in the first place. [Update: Also—perhaps thanks to the fact that Martin has worked as a TV writer—the story is broken down, and the plots interwoven, very much like those of a cable drama. For first-time readers of this blog, I mean that as a compliment.] [...]
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23
[...] From Time: For starters, the sprawling plot—about the rivalry among noble (and ignoble) houses for a mythical kingdom—offers a gripping, intrigue-filled basic story that’s like Fantasy Rome (complete with abundant blood, sex and kinkiness). That’s probably what attracted the network in the first place. [Update: Also—perhaps thanks to the fact that Martin has worked as a TV writer—the story is broken down, and the plots interwoven, very much like those of a cable drama. For first-time readers of this blog, I mean that as a compliment.] [...]
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24
[...] From Time: For starters, the sprawling plot—about the rivalry among noble (and ignoble) houses for a mythical kingdom—offers a gripping, intrigue-filled basic story that’s like Fantasy Rome (complete with abundant blood, sex and kinkiness). That’s probably what attracted the network in the first place. [Update: Also—perhaps thanks to the fact that Martin has worked as a TV writer—the story is broken down, and the plots interwoven, very much like those of a cable drama. For first-time readers of this blog, I mean that as a compliment.] But great HBO series are about more than plot and skin; they’re about great themes, which Martin’s story has aplenty. In the tradition of HBO’s antiheroes and antiheroines—and unlike the protagonists of The Lord of the Rings—Martin’s characters, even the best among them, are flawed, ambivalent and deeply fallible. He constantly forces you to question whether the “honorable” resolution to a conflict is the best in the long run. The saga is littered with fallen heroes and shattered myths, as well as apparent villains and rogues who make surprising turns. [...]
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25
[...] of Time Magazine has just started reading the series and he’s rigid with expectation: From Time: For starters, the sprawling plot—about the rivalry among noble (and ignoble) houses for a [...]
- poniewozik Loved the season. Mrs Tuned In wd have put u on the main list RT @boredtodeath Thank u for incl us in Time's Top 10. We'll take hon mention. - 7 hours ago
- poniewozik @carr2n Virgin is the best, LAX-JFK - 8 hours ago
- poniewozik Did NPR interview abt multiscreen multitasking. After, automatically reached for iPhone in pocket. Like don draper wd have for cigarettes. - 9 hours ago
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