If you haven’t seen this week’s Game of Thrones yet or haven’t read the book and don’t want to know what happens, stop reading now. Huge SPOILERS ahead!
Fans of HBO’s Game of Thrones who haven’t read the books were stunned by this week’s installment in which Ned Stark, played by Sean Bean, was executed by King Joffrey.
Some of those fans have begun to protest the move and HBO’s marketing the show with Bean as the star, saying they feel duped and angered by Bean’s departure from the show.
Responding to complaints from fans, who said that they felt duped and angered by Bean’s departure, HBO programming president Sue Neagle insisted that she “loved” the dramatic twist.
“The book series was filled with unexpected twists and turns. I loved this idea we’d bring together the group of characters, then once you started to believe all the tropes of heroes, you pull the rug out from under them. It’s the opposite of feeling manipulated,” she told Entertainment Weekly.
“Sean brings a giant following, but Thrones is not just about the promise you’re going to see one of your favorite actors week in and week out. The star is the story.”
She also defended the heavy use of Bean in promotion for the show, commenting: “Marketing is designed to bring people into something.”
AND… it is OK to use him in marketing, since he appeared in 9 out of 10 episodes… if he died in episode 2, I think they might have grounds for complaint. Quit your whining and grow up.
No matter what happens I’m watching this show. It’s fantasy done right. I might just stop Torrenting it and actually get HBO to support it. I know that sounds crazy, but that’s how much I love it. True Blood comes back in a few weeks anyway.
Why are folks complaining about the demise of Ned Stark? If he hadn’t been killed off then folks would be double complaining how HBO strayed from the canon in Martin’s books. As much as I enjoy watching Bean act, his character had to go to stay true to the original story. I can always watch him in LOTR, Ronin and rewatch Thrones, Red Riding and so many more great appearances to get my Bean-fix.
Agreed Sam,
If the books were a success then stay with the book. Everyone complains when they drift from the source material. Great Show!!!!!
I read the books, but was still gut punched when Ned lost his head. That being said, it’s one of the things that makes Martin;s story so uniquely original, gripping, and utterly epic. People need to realize Ned isn’t the stories hero or main character. He’s merely the catalyst that starts the shit hitting the fan! The best is yet to come!
Problem is there isn’t a hero anywhere.. rob and lady stark both get cut down later on. Stannis fails as well. Winterfell gets taken over. It’s just depressing, well written but completely depressing. You need a strong hero to balance such horror. You need something to believe in, and so far there’s nothing…
Since the news story is about the TV show, and not the books please avoid spoilers. I am only halfway through “A Clash of Kings”. Thanks, jerk…..
He IS the star of Season 1. If the show fails because of the viewing public’s ‘give us something we already know’ mentality then ‘story first’ television will have been dealt a terrible blow. If a show is an ensemble cast in a violent world then characters should be allowed to be in real peril. I’m one of many people who subscribed to HBO solely for this show so maybe it will all balance out.
Well said. Now when people see the series or read the books, they know that all the characters are in real danger. They could be killed. And Martin does that in spades in the other books. Not like a TV series where the characters have contracts and you know they will escape with their lives. Injury, maybe and only for an episode or two. But definitely survive. But in this series, everyone can be eliminated. Congrats to HBO for staying with the book and thanks to Martin for a wonder book. I got my A Dance with Dragon on pre-order. I can’t wait to start reading that one.
Right up till the last minute I was hoping for a reprieve but the events of the books require a dead Ned. I’ll miss Sean Bean but the show will go on (hopefully). There is so much to look forward to.
Anyway, Sean has been keeping busy. 52 year old Sean got into a bar fight in Canada defending the honour of his 22 year old model girlfriend recently. Reportedly he was belted in the face and stabbed in the arm with a broken glass. He just went to the bar and asked for a first aid kit. He IS Ned Stark.
And like a real bloke, he also asked for a pint. 😉
He was in a series of tele movies back in the 90s I really liked. The first one was Sharpe’s Rifles followed by 5 or so more all called Sharpe’s…… It is kind of like Hornblower on land based during the Napoleonic wars. Good stuff.
More recently the Red Riding Trilogy was effin’ brilliant.
If it serves the story, then the death of a major character is appropriate. Much like how they killed Stringer Bell in ‘The Wire’, it was a great death and a great progression of an epic series.
I’m looking forward to the same with this series.
Oh no… you reminded me. Stringeeeeerrrrrrr.
Idris Elba is starring in an interesting psychological cop drama in the UK called Luther. Apparently his best work since Stringer.
By far one of the best new series produced by the BBC. It’s like a dark (no pun intended) Sherlock Holmes series. I’m a huge fan of ‘Luther’ and it really shows Idris Elba’s range as an actor. Something that can’t be truly appreciated in the US yet.
Speak for yourself! Sam Roberts and I were gushing over Luther on BBC America last year, and we’re kind bummed that season 2 is airing now, but we won’t get it on BBCA until fall.
There are some nice promos for Luther S2 over at http://www.spoilertv.com, if you’re interested
I “acquired” season one of Luther a while ago. Time now, I think, to watch it.
The Wire was an amazing show. It is very cool to see alumni popping up everywhere. Most recently Bubbles on Fringe and Dominic West is in From Time to Time – a ghost/time travel story. Apparently he is the John Carter (of Mars) movie too. Poor ol’ Snoop is in the news for all the wrong reasons though. I think she thinks she is her character.
And I completely forgot Lance Reddick (Broyles/Cedric Daniels) and of course Aiden Gillen (Mayor Carcetti/Baelish) in Game of Thrones.
The Wire was for me the best most perfect piece of television ever. No wonder so many of the actors have gone on to success elsewhere.
I am on the fourth book, “Feast of Crows”. and if you thought Ned being executed was something, well all I can say is you ain’t seen nothing yet!!
I stopped watching after around episode three or four. Never read the books.
May I dare say that it is your loss?
Surely what happened to Ned isn’t as bad as how quickly….
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Jamie Bamber gets topped in the first episode