Friday, May 27, 2011

Game of Thrones, Divergent and Friday Night Lights

I'm writing this post as my first burst of caffeine for the day trickles through my system, so excuse the typos and shaky hands.

I am loving Game of Thrones right now and for so many reasons, but right at the top of the list is my favourite character in the show, the one they first introduced as the imp, Tyrion Lancaster. He is the most fully rounded, interesting character on the show, and played by a remarkable actor. He was first introduced as a whore loving, one note, character, and since then has been revealed as the most intelligent, self-aware character on the show. He's not noble, but he keeps his word. He is not brave, but he can fight if he has to, but usually he chooses not to. He is not usually kind, but when he is, it is towards the disabled, or people on the fringe. He doesn't seem to have friends, but he has struck up a sort of friendship with Stark's bastard son, that is fascinating and has been far more helpful to the son than to Tyrion.

As a character he constantly surprises me, but not in a way that seems out of character.

And I just finished an amazing YA, Divergent. I loved this book, it's fast paced with an engaging heroine and a really interesting world. The heroine isn't prettier, or stronger than anyone else, but she is intelligent and perserveres and the author did an amazing job of showing us why this character really is the heroine of the book. I loved the dystopic world, and even how she resolved the story, while still leaving the story open for the sequel.

And finally, I'm fully caught up on Friday Night Lights. I hate sports, but the football games in this show make my heart stop. And I'm deeply afraid the show is going to break my heart through eighter Luke or Vince. Has anyone seen the entire season? Is it all going to end ok? Are both Vince and Luke going to college?

9 comments:

Molly O'Keefe said...

I totally agree with you about The Dwarf - what I love most about it is yes, there are total moments of kindness but I don't get the sense that they're without manipulation. This is a guy with his eyes on every angle. And the actor - Peter ???? awesome. Totally awesome. I feel like this show is totally elevated on all sides - great actors in key parts, fantastic production value and the writing while usually very serviciable every once in a while hits some serious high notes.

Friday night Lights is hurting my heart. Is coach Riggins giving Luke steroids? Will Vince get sucked in by his Dad and lose all that sweetness that we love so much? So much potential for heartbreak - damn you Friday Night Lights.

Stephanie Doyle said...

Also love the "Imp". And I still can't decide if he's good or bad - which of course makes for an excellent character!

But my other favorite is Danyerous(sp?) the blond chick. A) she gets to sleep with savage beast guy and now it looks like those two crazy kids have worked it out and B) she came across as someone weak who is becoming someone strong. Love that.

She ate that horse heart... I was like you GO girl.

Eileen said...

I'm a little behind on watching Game of Thrones. I think we've only watched two or maybe three episodes, but I have read the first two books. Tyrion is a fantastic character. Much more poignant than you'd imagine. Actually, in the books, all of the characters are very multi-dimensional. Good characters do and think bad things and vice versa. It's part of what keeps you so caught up. Love that actor, too. Did you see The Station Agent? He was amazing in that one.

Maureen McGowan said...

He was not a dragon. Fire doesn't kill dragons. I think she's become my favorite character on that show. Gone from a helpless pawn to such a key figure in such a short time. I love how they've made us deeply care about people on both sides of this "game".

I like the dwarf character, too. I do think Peter Dinklage's accent comes and goes, or drifts between a few different English accents, but you're so right about his character.

Also loving the Lord who's advising Lord Stark. (or is he...) He played the city councilman who ran for Mayor on The Wire. Awesome.

I haven't watched this week's FNL yet. Can't wait. But I did look up the actor who plays Vince's father. He was on one season of Prison Break, but I can't remember who he played... He also plays Bailey's ex husband on Grey's Anatomy. That's where I recognized him from, I'm sure.

Maureen McGowan said...

Steph! Great minds think alike! You posted while I was typing. :)

Maureen McGowan said...

Eileen, do all the characters get POVs in the books?

I loved The Station Agent, too. I saw another movie by that same director recently...

Win, Win. You would love that one, too. He wrote and directed both and is also an actor. The dude (Tom McCarthy, just looked him up) also wrote the story for Up! Seriously talented.

Also another "small" film called The Visitor which I really enjoyed, but not quite as much as The Station Agent or Win Win. But it's great, too. I think the lead actor (same guy who played the dead father in Six Feet Under) won or was nominated for a bunch of awards for it.

Triva time over. :)

Eileen said...

Almost all the characters get their own POV a chapter at a time. It's quite the intricate dance, especially since you're dealing with a lot of different timelines. Daenyrys' (or however you spell it) is fascinating to watch as she evolves and as her relationship evolves with Khal Drogo. Oh, he never got POV chapter that I can recall, though. But you get Tyrion and Eddard and Jon Snow and the two daughters and the little boy and the Queen and and and. It's pretty amazing.

I'll check out Win Win. I kept meaning to watch The Visitor, but it looked like it might be too sad.

Simone St. James said...

I love watching so many people discover Game of Thrones! :) Some of my favorite books ever written.

Tyrion is IMO the best character in the books, and that is saying something. His interactions with his family are so double-sided and painful and interesting. Everything about him is complicated.

Interesting that the show introduced him as a whore-loving one note, which is not the way Martin introduced him at all.

Danaerys...I won't say anything. Keep watching, lol.

GRRM sometimes switches up the POV's from book to book... so you're suddenly in the head of a character you've been watching from the outside for a few thousand pages. It changes what you thought you knew. It's one of his many writerly tricks.

Anonymous said...

Danaerys is my second favourite character on the show, and the Queen, because of the actress who plays her.
Her conversation with the King, was so multilayered, it was heartbreaking. I'm not supposed to like a person who would throw a boy out a window.

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