That's basically where they're going with this, also, they have become less about a gag, and even less about the damn couch.

You mean as mechanical as its own opening?

I can't tell how it got so popular. It's like a Dragonlance author really wanted to recreate the political intrigue of Dune but didn't have anywhere close to the talent or wit to pull it off, so he just threw in a bunch of phoney gravitas dialog and sex scenes.

This clip certainly is a reference.

That's my feeling also. I think it's better than a lot of other HBO series but that's still not enough for me to want to watch it.

have you ever seen any of the deathstalker movies? Not since the glorious days of the cocaine-budget barbarian cinema 80's has there been something so lurid and ridiculous as this show. Imagine how awesome it must be to be an extra on GOT and have the camera start rolling while you're wearing your leather tabard and outrageous plastic sleestak helmet probably half a handle deep in old mr. boston while terrible actors recite poorly written lines. Out-fuckin-standing

the books are worth it just for the sleaze factor, and the amazing fact that GRRM can keep spinning his wheels and just generate a near infinite amount of cash


also the simpsons is hot garbage now

I don't care about any of this. All I know is that I don't want to cross a man whose initials spell GRRM.

"some people are just born with a history for violence" (close in on the big imposing dude in the dark armor holding a dinky little yellow and blue shield)

Are you saying "booo" or "Boo-urns"?

I was saying boo-urns.

The opening of the show is a 3-dimensional map with a bunch of cities rising up via mechanical gears. It's like a really cool automated pop-up book.

The actual show doesn't have any steampunky elements. Actually, now that I think about it, the map is probably beyond the show's level of technology.

I saw the first episode, the little clockwork map intro was the best thing about it.

http://youtu.be/s7L2PVdrb_8

I think it's supposed to be more metaphorical than literal, but a friend who's read the book and watches the series informs me the ladder thing going up the ice wall is a big elevator, so maybe the technology level varies by culture?

Also, I may be reading too much into it, but I get the sense the world of the story had more advanced technology before the story began and that there was some kind of societal collapse?

if every main character gets spectacularly killed by an army of T-1000's at the end i'll personally elevate this series from well-written pulp trash to the greatest story ever told

I'm pretty sure the Sean Bean character will die..because he's played by Sean Bean.

Being the character played by Sean Bean is like being the guy in the red shirt on "Star Trek".