Game of Silent Thrones
Admin Rock here. But you probably knew that. Wanted to weigh in on something I’ve been pondering for a few weeks now. While the geek community can be very flash in the pan about certain things, we do tend to obsess endlessly about most things we love. If you don’t believe me, consider that Star Wars opened in 1976, and we STILL endlessly debate its merits. (I’m still on Team “Bored with it now”.) So I have a question: What the hell happened to Game of Thrones?
Well before season 1 came out, fanboys were whipping themselves in to a frenzy. When the show started, there were endless posts on Fark, facebook, and all sites in between. Things were assessed, spoilers were avoided (and the show created an interesting facet of the spoiler rule: No spoiling the show even if you’ve read the books which have been out for years). I myself had not read the books, but watched season 1, and loved it. i picked up the first book, and read it, or more accurately, gritted my teeth and forced my way through it.
Because, and this is a sidebar, the books are immaculately imagined and plotted, but the writing style makes me want to gouge my own eyes out. Horrible. Just frickin horrible. Ser Whatsisname talks to Lord Ihavenoideawhothatis, then we don’t see them for 300 pages, and they’re back for 4 pages, gone for another 100, etc.
Season 1 came to a close, there was much ado and speculation about casting, and then… nothing. Season 2 kicked off, nothing. We’re almost at the end of 2, nothing. Nobody in the geek world is talking about the show. Nothing on facebook, no fark articles, nothing showing up in the Correctness aggregator of all things geek. Exactly like Benji. One day, all the rage, then not even mentioned for months.
Season 2 has it’s problems, of course. It has to take on even more characters, deal with a thousand scenes, and must struggle to overcome the acting of the guy who plays Xaro Xhoan Daxos (the big dude who “helps” Daenerys (the blonde dragon chick). See, I have to describe the characters because many of them are forgettable. Not that Xaro guy though, because every time he’s on the screen, I ask myself “How did this guy get cast? Did he blackmail someone?” he’s pretty terrible. (Sidebar: Worse still is Masi Oka (Hiro from Heroes). Wow. Cringeworthy. Note: I watch Hawaii 5-0 when it cold outside, as it makes me feel warm.)
But that aside, the show hasn’t been terrible this season. Dinklage is kicking ass and taking names, and in the most recent episode delivered a rousing emmy-worthy speech. My friend Amanda is almost certainly still trapped in a feedback loop of swooning from it. So why is everyone so quiet? Are we all tired of keeping track of characters? Waiting for season 3? tired of saying “bahs-terd” in that certain way?
