Why are the seasons so weird in the show and why are the people so backward?

[Cold Fuzz]

As far as I know, the ratings are just fine here. Quite strong really. Now as for the ratings in Canada, I'm not sure.

[psl1]

OK got DVD of second seasno andwatching the 1st episode again with commentary from the directors and they state that "This is not Planet Earth".


So these are not humans....

I Still want to see Panzer Group Stark !

[Gen. Chris]

Yes they are humans.


I believe Martin once said that he likes to think of this place as Earth during a time of magic, kind of how Tolkien viewed...Arda? Yeah I think that's it.


Really, though. It is best not to think about it too much. There are much better things to be theorizing about.

[Gollumpus]

Why are the seasons so weird in the show
10 years for summer and seasons of undetermined length...wtf?

The time measurements are different, so 10 years in their time is 6 months in our time? ....that might make the 8000 years more like 400 years?

Different seasons length....they don't have an accurate calendar measuring system?

You think this is bad? Try these books: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helliconia


regards,
G.

[psl1]

I generally got out of reading most sci-fi before it exploded into a million authors for this fantasy type.

Straight Sci-fi or nothing.

[Brother Freyr]

I generally got out of reading most sci-fi before it exploded into a million authors for this fantasy type.

Straight Sci-fi or nothing.

In fairness to Game of Thrones, it has nothing to do with science fiction. It's straight-up fantasy. Or perhaps I misunderstand psl1's post.

[Who Knows]

Well the op asks why they are all so backward, so there is no sifi to it.

For me Got is escapism, much as Alice in Wonderland or Snow White & the Seven Dwarves was as a child.
I prefer to sit back & enjoy the moment rather then trying to analyze every scene & try to equate it to real life as I know it.

[psl1]

Some one claimed this was not "earth", but in the second season Tyrion Lannister tells Shea to "F$%k him like it was their last day on earth".

So this IS meant to be earth and these ARE meant to be humans , but they don't behave like any humans in history.

After watching the first and second seasons, the wife exclaimed that the show was a typical male fantasy & just like a soap opera with "violence for violence sake".

I must admit that after "The Red Wedding" I'm beginning to wonder what's the point of it all.
It does start to resemble a never ending adolescent hedonistic fantasy.

In Viking mythology, life in Valhalla was thought to start each day with a massive banquet- rich in salted pork and beer served by wenches who fur full their deepest sexual desires, followed by a massive fight to the death of every one in the hall. Next day the whole thing starts again. Sounds more like a nightmare episode from "The Twilight Zone" to ,me.

[Gen. Chris]

Some one claimed this was not "earth", but in the second season Tyrion Lannister tells Shea to "F$%k him like it was their last day on earth".

So this IS meant to be earth and these ARE meant to be humans , but they don't behave like any humans in history.

After watching the first and second seasons, the wife exclaimed that the show was a typical male fantasy & just like a soap opera with "violence for violence sake".

I must admit that after "The Red Wedding" I'm beginning to wonder what's the point of it all.
It does start to resemble a never ending adolescent hedonistic fantasy.

In Viking mythology, life in Valhalla was thought to start each day with a massive banquet- rich in salted pork and beer served by wenches who fur full their deepest sexual desires, followed by a massive fight to the death of every one in the hall. Next day the whole thing starts again. Sounds more like a nightmare episode from "The Twilight Zone" to ,me.

1. That is a phrase. You should not take it literally.

2. Of course they are human. Just like the humans in any other science fiction or fantasy.

3. At most, GRRM has stated that he always imagined this world being a part of Earth's history, sort of like how Tolkien imagined Arda. But that doesn't mean that everything from this world translates into the other.

4. It seems like you are just coming up with any reason to dislike this show, so why watch it?

[psl1]

1. That is a phrase. You should not take it literally.

2. Of course they are human. Just like the humans in any other science fiction or fantasy.

3. At most, GRRM has stated that he always imagined this world being a part of Earth's history, sort of like how Tolkien imagined Arda. But that doesn't mean that everything from this world translates into the other.

4. It seems like you are just coming up with any reason to dislike this show, so why watch it?

This show had potential to be sooooo much more. I`m Just disappointed, that's all.

But the wife is right, only a man could have made up such misogynistic, hedonistic crap.

[Ukko]

This show had potential to be sooooo much more. I`m Just disappointed, that's all.

But the wife is right, only a man could have made up such misogynistic, hedonistic crap.

And with that blatant sexism her argument falls flat on its face.

[Selina]

This show had potential to be sooooo much more. I`m Just disappointed, that's all.

I'm tempted to ask "How ?", but I guess I'll instead just give you the advice to look for a show that is more to your liking if this one is such a disappointment.

[Gen. Chris]

The SHOW is following THE BOOKS. Don't blame it for the faults that you see in the books.


People die...Violently at times. Whether in battle, through betrayal, or just outright murder, people die. In TV shows with violent premises, it is ridiculous when so many of the main characters can make it through without dying. The only other shows I can think of that make a habit of killing main or heavily recurring characters are Spartacus, the Walking Dead, and 24. Despite the obvious fictional (or somewhat fictional in the case of Spartacus) nature of the shows, I consider them to be far more realistic than most other shows, because it simply is not realistic for there to always be a happy ending for characters. And in all honesty, I'm glad there are shows out there that do this.

[Skydiver]

And how many times did the stargate writers have aliens using earth idioms and phrases?

I can recall in Enigma, Narim saying to sam 'our bedding does not have such accoutrements'.....so the Tollan speak french???

You can't take anything characters on a tv show say literally. Because it's often writers using common phrases and not taking the time to go 'yeah, an _______ wouldn't say that'

[psl1]

I actually think the show and actors are great, just the story/plot sucks.



Going over my basic understanding of medieval history, the people were terribly poor and spent 90% of their time and energies just trying to scrape by a living. Most of them died of disease and infection, not from war. As a direct result of all this, wars were few and far between because no one could afford them. In fact the main function between regions and kingdoms & people was trade not war.

This also was the primary vehicle for change bringing in new ideas and new combinations. Those that traveled either died or became richer. That changed the basic dynamic, since these rich merchants demanded a larger role in communities. Even groups of farms formed into ‘villages’ for bilateral-multilateral trade. Over three peaceful centuries [10-13th ] European population tripled because of this stable economy that saw little war. Only the Pope had enough wealth to wage wars of conquest and they were mostly in the Crusades.

The structure was based on the ``feudal system`` that created a circle of support. The masses [90%] worked for the local lord/manor that took taxes for the kingdom but also oversaw the “Law” and protected these people from threats and starvation through as system of castles. The lords relied on the Kingdom for empowerment/entitlement, while the lords supported the kingdom with masses of `Levees` to fight when called upon. If any one part of this system failed- the whole mess would collapse. With the climate change of the mini ice age, the medieval age came to an end. The combined stress of famine & peasant rebellions spread, so when the plague arrived, the already weakened population was destroyed. One out of every 3 Europeans died.

The first time after the Roman empire, you even see armies of thousands of soldiers doesn't happen until the 16 century. Further campaigning with armies of 10-15,000 troops, required the army march by its stomach. Any advance had to be timed and directed into the most fertile lands possible to fur-fill basic grazing needs of the horse ox/wagon and other transport needs, while the troops could only be fed by letting them loose on the local farms to rape and plunder [make sure they are not your own people]. This meant war campaigns could only happen in between farming seasons and only over particular routes and distances.

With these kinds of stresses and strains, medieval society would never have lasted more than 8 centuries; let alone 8 millennia.