HBO's Game of Thrones Season 1

[lighty]

I'd like to ride in that.  Especially if Sean was sitting next to me!

That would definitely be putting yourself on the 'sharpe' end of things . . .

[patch]

In our final Artisans video before the series premiere, Jim Stanes, the graphic artist behind the heraldry of Westeros, describes the process of reviewing hundreds of lions to perfect the Lannisters' sigil.

http://www.makinggameofthrones.com/production-diary/2011/4/15/the-artisans-jim-stanes.html


Game Of Thrones: The Sopranos with swords or Dynasty in chainmail?
HBO's epic new Sean Bean-starring series marks one of those rare points when fantasy grows up

If there's a central character to Game Of Thrones, it's Eddard Stark, lord of the northern realm of Winterfell and best mate of the king. He's played by LOTRs' Boromir himself, Sean Bean.

"He's got the world on his shoulders," says Bean of his character, "But he's no squeaky clean hero. He's a very loyal man, very honorable and truthful, but he's been around. He's had at least one affair, and his wife gets a bit prickly when the subject of his bastard son comes up, which it does quite a lot."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/tv-and-radio/2011/apr/15/game-of-thrones-hbo-sean-bean





All Roads Lead to Westeros

http://www.makinggameofthrones.com/production-diary/2011/4/14/all-roads-lead-to-westeros.html


Everything you need to know about 'Game of Thrones' but were afraid to ask

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2011/04/game-of-thrones-finally-premieres-on-hbo-this-sunday-after-months-of-posters-and-previews-and.html

[patch]

HBO launches Thrones viewers guide

http://winter-is-coming.net/2011/04/hbo-launches-thrones-viewers-guide/

http://viewers-guide.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/



A Lexicon of Ice and Fire

http://www.westeros.org/GoT/Features/Entry/5037/

[Sable899]

For those who have not read the book and don't know if they really want to, here's a chance to check out the first 80 pages which are covered by the premiere episode:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/52871822/GAME-OF-THRONES-Exclusive-First-Episode-E-Book



And here's a report on the sneak preview with Q&A session on Friday evening in London:
http://205.186.160.185/blogs/shout-goes-a-bafta-screening-of-game-of-thrones

And pics of the panel:
http://twitpic.com/4l9tbp/full
http://twitpic.com/4l9sh8/full

[patch]

Thanks sable!


I wish Sean had done this!

Mark Addy who's starred in numerous of TV shows and movies today was at the bafta building in Picadilly Circus for a talk to do with his new show with Sean Bean called Game of Thrones! Here he is signing autographs and posing for photographs.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxy2q626J8o

[patch]

‘The Things I Do For Love!!’ Hercules Says HBO’s GAME OF THRONES Rules All Television!!

Edgy, violent, moving, agreeably complex, darkly funny, fast-paced, nudity-embracing and possessed of an army of compelling characters, HBO’s “Game of Thrones” is an A+ entertainment and the season’s best new series. I wager it may even end “Mad Men’s” long reign as Emmy’s best drama.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/49310

[Jess]

And here's a report on the sneak preview with Q&A session on Friday evening in London:
http://205.186.160.185/blogs/shout-goes-a-bafta-screening-of-game-of-thrones

And pics of the panel:
http://twitpic.com/4l9tbp/full
http://twitpic.com/4l9sh8/full

I'm still gutted I didn't know about this - I could have gone!!!  You just had to email for free tickets I think?

OK, I wouldn't have gone if I hadn't known Sean would be there - and I don't think they announced that in the beginning when people were applying - and I've been incredibly snowed under the past couple of weeks which is why I didn't know about it (and I do need to get my priorities right) - but STILL!  

[lasue]

If you have DIRECTV you can watch the frist episode for FREE!!!!!! TODAY!!!

[Jess]

Well, I'm GLAD it's not starting in the UK until tomorrow night, as I have a job interview in the morning for a new contract and I'm currently trying to remember loads of stuff about a specific technology I last used 18 months ago 

What are common problems for releasing software to large websites?  Eeek!

If it was on tonight, I would be hideously distracted - but now, I can use it as a treat tomorrow evening for when the whole study thing is all over.

[moonflower]

Yay!  Finally the night that I got to see the premiere, after seeing and hearing so much about GoT.  I wish that Sean had been in more scenes, but I sure liked all that I saw of him, and the story looks promising.  I hope that everyone who didn't get to see it tonight, will be able to see it soon.

[lasue]

Just saw THE GAME!!!! It's was excellent, awsome, intense and great!!!!!! Sean and Mark were terrific!!!!It's a pleasure seeing
them work off each other!!! I would have liked to see more Sean, but we still have 9 weeks to go!!!

[Sable899]

I think I watched it at least 5 times tonight.  HBO kept repeating it on their various channels.  Its like any other Sean thing.  When it comes on, you have to watch it again no matter how many times you've already seen it.  You always catch some little nuance, some tiny flicker of an expression that you missed all the other times.

[patch]

I've just seen it too and loved it!!


Game of Thrones Home Page with a preview of episode 2

http://www.hbo.com/game-of-thrones


Game of Thrones - Title    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y5mw3vSXB1I

[moonflower]

I watched it more than once too, when I saw that HBO was showing it multiple times. 

I got a nice surprise yesterday when I opened my newspaper and found Sean's picture (as Ned) on the cover of the local Tv Spotlight. 

I hope that this series will be well received.  Sean should be very pleased with his work.

[patch]

Game of Thrones Review + BAFTA Q&A with Sean Bean, Mark Addy and Harry Lloyd




http://www.heyuguys.co.uk/2011/04/18/game-of-thrones-review-bafta-qa-with-sean-bean-mark-addy-and-harry-lloyd/

[Jess]

Finally saw it.  I LOVED Sean - I thought he was fantastic, and I thought the production was so good, it does feel like a film.  I'm really happy it's being so well received and he's getting a great response for this.  Sean and Mark were great together, and I could go back and watch all of Sean's acting over and over.

For the rest of it, I'm not totally convinced yet.  I do love fantasy as a genre, but I'm not sure if this one is going to be to my personal taste.  It may just end up being like most other things I watch for Sean - I can take or leave the bits he's not in.  I'll see.

Sometimes I find when I watch TV shows where major characters get suddenly killed all over the place, I respond by not engaging with them as much as I would otherwise, if that makes any sense!

[patch]

Sky Atlantic Thronecast first episode (spoilers)

http://skyatlantic.sky.com/game-of-thrones/thronecast

http://skyatlantic.sky.com/game-of-thrones



HBO first episode synopsis (spoilers)+clips and photos

http://www.hbo.com/#/game-of-thrones/episodes/1/01-winter-is-coming/synopsis.html


Game of Thrones Scores Record Ratings For Sky Atlantic
http://channelhopping.onthebox.com/2011/04/19/game-of-thrones-scores-record-ratings-for-sky-atlantic/

[Jess]

Game of Thrones Viewing Figures in the UK from The Guardian:

'Game of Thrones: Sky Atlantic, 9pm – Fantasy epic Game of Thrones took the crown as Sky Atlantic's most popular show to date for its launch episode on Monday 18 April.

The big-budget HBO spectacular starring Sean Bean averaged 743,000 viewers between 9pm and 10.10pm, with a peak of 823,000.

It beat the Sky channel's previous highest overnight audience, believed to be the first episode of Martin Scorsese's Boardwalk Empire, which averaged 438,000 on its opening night.

Game of Thrones' audience is likely to be around 50% higher when viewing on timeshifted viewing on Sky+ is taken into account.

The Sky Atlantic show was the fifth most popular digital programme of the night, behind E4's Glee with 1.314 million and a trio of BBC3 shows, including an EastEnders repeat (1.088 million) and a double helping of Family Guy repeats.

Game of Thrones was the most popular subscription digital channel show of the night, however, beating Sky Sports 1's Live Championship Football into second place with 444,000 viewers kicking off at 7.30pm, and Sky 1's The Simpsons repeat in third with 426,000 viewers between 7.30pm and 8pm.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/apr/19/game-of-thrones-sky-atlantic-ratings

[Jess]

And in the US, interestingly, it's the other way around - Boardwalk Empire did better than GoT:

'The heavily hyped debut of Game of Thrones couldn’t come close to the premiere of HBO’s last big drama series, Boardwalk Empire, yet it still turned in a solid number Sunday night.
The first episode delivered a decent 2.2 million viewers for its premiere airing, then a rather strong 1.2 million for its first encore (the NBA playoff game between the Celtics and Knicks might have pushed some viewership to the second airing), and another 800,000 for the third telecast for an overall healthy total of 4.2 million. HBO then aired Thrones six times across all its channels Monday night, and those numbers will be added to this post later today.
Thrones first telecast was down 54 percent from the premiere of 2010′s Boardwalk (4.8 million) which received an immediate second season renewal. Yet HBO always takes into account what Sunday show was used to ramp up viewers to the new program’s premiere, and Thrones had a weak platform — Mildred Pierce, which averaged around 1 million viewers, a number Thrones more than doubled.
What’s perhaps the closest ratings comparison to a fantasy series like Thrones is HBO’s other genre drama, True Blood. A prestigious crime drama Boardwalk is much more in the traditional HBO viewership wheelhouse. Compared to the vampire show, Thrones did really well. Blood only opened with 1.4 million viewers, and similarly had no real platform to launch from, but then went on to grow week after week into a major hit for the network.
So what does all this mean for Thrones? The premiere number is good, not great. HBO would have loved for the first airing of Thrones to have been in the 3 million range, but will definitely take anything in the 2s. The next question: How many viewers will stick around next week?'

http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/04/19/game-of-thrones-premiere-ratings/

[tinytim]

Those who are unfortunately not able to watch Got on TV can send me a pm to get a link for downloading episode one.