At least, that’s what the show should be called, because many scenes in the first episode of A Game of Thrones contained gratuitous titty shots. I felt like a drunken Homer Simpson on the spring break episode of The Simpsons: “Guess how many boobs I saw today, Marge? FIFTEEN!”
And yes, I call them gratuitous titty shots. I’ve read A Game of Thrones five times, and the amount of sex, violence, and sexual violence didn’t bother me. I thought George R.R. Martin was simply being authentic in depicting a savage time period. But the show took the nudity and sexuality to another level, and I found the filmmaking choices problematic. (Spoilers ahead).
– The first time we see Tyrion Lannister on the show, he is getting a loud, slurpy blowjob from a prostitute, and his brother Jaime sends three other naked prostitutes to his room for his pleasure. In the book, Tyrion’s first sex scene doesn’t occur until several hundred pages later, and his first scene in the book is his second scene on the show: his conversation with Jon Snow (siiiiigh) about bastards and dwarves. I’m not sure why the writers decided to show that “Tyrion likes whores!” in his very first scene when there’s plenty of time to develop that aspect of his character later. Oh wait – yes I do. They wanted to appeal to a male audience. (Besides, Tyrion in the book has monogamous relationships with prostitutes. Having four giggling, naked prostitutes rush in the room at the same time was…what’s the word? Oh, yes. Gratuitous, not to mention out of character.)
– Daenerys Targaryen’s naked body was on display several times. I understand why. In the first part of the book, she’s nothing more than a pawn in her brother’s plan to get the Iron Throne for himself. She’s a child bride sold into sexual slavery. Was it really necessary, though, to show such a big closeup of her breast that you couldn’t see anything else?
– Speaking of Daenerys, I don’t even know what to say about the depiction of her first sexual experience with Khal Drogo. On the show, it’s a rape scene, where Drogo makes her bend over and take it, using the only word in the Common Tongue he knows, “No,” as a taunt. That’s a far, far cry from their sex scene in the book, where he tenderly caresses her, massages her body, brings her to a climax, and then, most importantly, asks for her consent before going any farther.
Some viewers were glad that the first sex between them was changed into a rape, because it highlighted the fact that Daenerys was still a child bride, and they thought the original book scene was whitewashing the horrific situation she was in. I think that point of view has a lot of merit, but I still disagree. I prefer the book scene because, for the very first time in Dany’s life, she was treated as a person and not an object, and a female character was allowed to enjoy sex with a partner that valued her needs. Drogo being a loving husband doesn’t, for me, undermine the fact that she was sold to him and that her brother didn’t care if he treated her well or not.
Now, some reviewers have argued that the show’s nudity wasn’t gratuitous, just authentic. To that argument, I pose two questions:
1) Why, then, were Ned and Catelyn Stark fully clothed in the scene where she receives the letter from her sister, when in the book, they were both nude, having just made love?
2) Where was the male nudity?
I can’t think of any other answer to these questions besides, “The show is trying to appeal to a male audience, and we don’t think men want to see penises or naked women over thirty, especially naked mothers.”
I recently watched the first four seasons of The Wire, another HBO program that was described as “gritty” and “realistic,” but that was a show that earned those descriptions. So far, Jimmy McNulty, Rhonda Pearlman, Kima Greggs, Cedric Daniels, Clarence Royce, and Omar Little have been shown nude or in graphic sexual positions…but none of it felt gratuitous. We didn’t see all of them nude in the very first episode of the show. We’ve also seen penises in addition to naked breasts. There’s equal opportunity nudity in The Wire.
I’m not writing this to demand that A Game of Thrones give us more male nudity just for my pleasure (though I certainly wouldn’t complain about seeing a naked Jon Snow, because hot damn). I just want it to be less exploitative. It’s not necessary to have THAT much nudity in one episode of a television show. And you can’t claim authenticity if women are the only ones stripping themselves bare.
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I am horrified what would they do with Sansa, really, trully horrified.
As fas as I remember the books, it’s going to go really shitty.
In regards to Drogo, I read somewhere that Martin was actually sorry that he wrote Drogo gentle person and that it was his decision for the change that character was depicted.
In regards to Dany, it felt really, really real they way she plunged in the bath after the discussion with her brother, with the truly hot water.
I believe that she was quite close to self mutilation in the books.
I am glad we were spared the pshysicle abuse (especially the part where he pinches her, blah, I felt so horrible when I read it, I am glad I didn’t have to see it as well).
I agree with you.
I do not understand the huge ammount of nakedness and in detail, this type of nakedness.
It was not gritty it was titilating and I think titilating was not part of Martin’s intension, at least not in the book.
Overall… it’s still the first episode and the things could change for good from here.
Still, I have no idea, do they plan to proceed with the story from the other books? Is this going to be like a live-version of the books, while they keep publishing? Are we expecting a Feast of crows to appear on the screen as well? (how awesome will be that!)
P.S. The actor who plays Tyrion did a truly magnificent job. Maybe self-loathing wasn’t as much underlined but still… damn.
In regards to Drogo, I read somewhere that Martin was actually sorry that he wrote Drogo gentle person and that it was his decision for the change that character was depicted.
I didn’t know that. That’s a little disappointing. I understand why he made that change, but I think it robs some of the complexity from the character. I really liked that Drogo, a savage* raider and pirate could still be kind and gentle to his wife. I don’t think his being a good husband makes his war-mongering okay. It’s humanizing, not redeeming.
*savage because he kills people brutally, not because he’s dark-skinned. I would describe Sandor Clegane as savage, too.
Still, I have no idea, do they plan to proceed with the story from the other books?
I think it all depends on the show’s ratings this season. If it does well, they’ll probably order a second and follow the story of A Clash of Kings. I know the first season is supposed to cover the first book.
They had an article out on this.
Seems Momoa and The Lady playing Dany couldn’t make it work (no big surprise, does Momoa look like a Rabbit to you? tch. Also, you (generic) thought those Chinese zodiac signs weren’t about sex? 😉 )
They basically begged out of doing it as written in the book (also because it would be hard to take “caring Drogo” and turn him into “savage sex Drogo” when you only get twenty minutes of screentime)
I just wanted to point out that Dany is the last of the Targy’s…dragons blood etc…I personally believe these moments of scalding hot water were subtle hints by the author to point out her ‘dragonesque’ nature (fire breathing…perhaps immune to heat?) and reinforce this prior to her ‘rebirth’ later on in the series.
Rape should never be titillating and I agree that the Dany scene was grotesque. I actually went back to reread it. If you recall, while she is turned on by the foreplay, the actual sex is rough enough on her 13 year old body to make her fear it every time he comes for her after that. So, Martin had no reason to make it any more violent. Furthermore, can we talk about why the Dothraki looked like Zulu caricatures who’d raided David Bowie’s make-up case? Or why Robert Barathron, first of his name, far from being a “god” gone to fat, is being portrayed as Humpty Dumpty with a beard? With all the emasculation of men, it’s no wonder HBO had to resort to sexual oppression of women (even Cersei is on her knees on the floor, taking it from behind) to reassert that this is a story about “warriors.”
. Furthermore, can we talk about why the Dothraki looked like Zulu caricatures who’d raided David Bowie’s make-up case? Or why Robert Barathron, first of his name, far from being a “god” gone to fat, is being portrayed as Humpty Dumpty with a beard?
*spit take* LOL! I actually didn’t mind the casting of Robert Baratheon but this description still made me laugh.
It’s weird that Cersei was shown on her knees, taking it from behind, when she is clearly the dominant one in the relationship.
the eyeshadow is because it’s rather bright on the plains. helps with eyesight. (that’s from the costume designer)
Leave it to Hollyweird to take such license. I used to call the TV show “Baywatch” “Boobwatch”. My sons said I was over-reacting until I sat with them for 60 seconds and counted cleavage shots. They never argued the point after that.
Ha! Nice one!
OK, I really didn’t see the sex scene with Cersei like that.
I thaght that… you know, some people enjoy sex that way?
What I didn’t understand, even in the books, why those two risked being comropmised in the casle ot the Satark’s. I mean… if I have a lover with whom I am sneaking around, I would never do it on foreign ground. Too risky.
In regards to Dan, I would eat my hat if that acctress is supposed to represent a 13 year old girl.
In the books she is depicted as having breasts but as still growing such.
I mean… they intentionally skipped the really horrible parts makinng them titilating and skipped the awesome parts or made them titilating and scary as such.
On the other hand… I can’t wait to see the depiction of Arya. She was my favorite character.
As for Sansa… I always felt she was the most undeveloped character.
Yes, she loses her hopes and finds out that not everything that glitter is gold but she is not stupid, it’s more than hinted she is not stupid, just really naive, but the way she is portrayed, she acts dumb, not naive.
In regards to the king… Humpty Dumpty with the beards maybe, but I would love to see their naightmares of how they have destroyed the previous family and how the usupation took place.
From what I recall, the writers intentionally “aged up” the characters, so Daenerys is supposed to be more sixteen or seventeen. Notice how Bran was 10 on the show when he was seven in the books.
Sansa is probably the most underdeveloped character in the first book, but she’s grown to be one of my favorites. I think she gains a lot of wisdom through the next three books, that the poor girl had to learn the hard way.
… some people have said that doggie is more consensual not less.(came up in regards to grecoroman art, fwiw)
You’re breaking the rules! Women aren’t allowed to like fantasy! Fantasy is about booty, booties and swords! You aren’t supposed to be watching this, sssshhhhh! And you definitely aren’t supposed to be connecting “just a show” to the kyriarchy and/or real women!!
Lady T,
In regards to Sansa, I agree she is underdeveloped, but her logic is nicely shown and explained, which kind of saves her for me. 🙂
In regards to the creepines, I am kind of intrigued why all of the supposedly unatractive characters looked so damn good?
I wonder what they’l do with Brien.
But according to Gina Bellefante, all of this female booty shots and boobie shots were included to appeal to me, a straight woman, as a viewer! It was included for MY sake! I’M SO CONFUSED!
I wonder if it’s a factor that some men bond over female disgust (I think Hugo Schwyzer did a post on this awhile back)? I know I sure as hell was disgusted–not at the sex and nudity, but at the exploitation of it all. And it was.
I mean, if there’s one thing that does NOT need sexing up, it’s this book series. For real now. “OKAY I GET IT. BREASTS EXIST. CAN WE HAVE SOME DRAGONS NOW?”
OK, that wedding night scene with Dany and Drogo was one of the few sex scenes in the whole series that is actually romantic. Or starts off that way, anyhow. (I’m a sucker for romance. Not the traditional kind; I’m talking about real romance, where both partners are considerate and kind to one another–to me, that’s hella sexy. BUT, that’s just me personally.)
P.S. I am 110% on board with a naked Jon Snow. Just, you know, for the record. Also, Sansa Stark is my homegirl. All hail the Queen in the North!
P.S. I am 110% on board with a naked Jon Snow. Just, you know, for the record.
The only reason I don’t totally hate Ygritte is that she gets Jon Snow naked and gives us Jon Snow sex scenes. Other than that she totally gets on my nerves. If she was just a tough firecracker of a woman and didn’t say, “You know nothing, Jon Snow,” every other friggin line, I’d like her fine.
One thing I’ll say for Ygritte is that she’s certainly honest. Jon really doesn’t know anything. (Okay, he knows where to put it. But not much else, lol.)
But i’m hoping they cast a really fantastic actress for the role, and then give her a really awesome personality–something she was kinda lacking in the books. Just my 2 cents.
And she gets “Lord’s kisses” from Jon Snow, without having to return the favor. I’m so very terrified that HBO will change “Lord’s kisses” to mean blowjob instead of cunnilingus if and when they get to Storm of Swords. Anyone remember how they almost made Blue Valentine NC-17 ’cause Ryan Gosling goes down on Michelle Williams? Yeah. :/
And she gets “Lord’s kisses” from Jon Snow, without having to return the favor. I’m so very terrified that HBO will change “Lord’s kisses” to mean blowjob instead of cunnilingus if and when they get to Storm of Swords.
Oh dear. I hadn’t thought of that, but that seems entirely plausible.
I heard about the Blue Valentine rating controversy, and I really liked Ryan Gosling for making a stink about it and getting them to keep it at R.
Dude, they’ve already made one unnecessary change regarding Ygritte – they’re referring to her as “a wild beauty.” And I definitely don’t remember her being described as beautiful by GRRM. In fact, it took a while for Jon Snow to get used to her looks, and it was /after/ that he developed sexual feelings for her. Also, she’s supposed to be three years older than Jon, but the actress is a little bit younger than Kit Harrington. My boyfriend, WRT to switching the meaning of “lord’s kisses” to blowjobs rather than cunnilingus, says he /guarantees/ that HBO will pull that stunt.
Well yeah! Weren’t all these FEMINISTS claiming that they don’t SEE enough WOMEN in the media? That they wanted to see themselves and be represented in television and movies? What could let you SEE yourself (as a woman) in a show better than BOOBIES? lolsob.
I mean, as a bisexual woman, I do appreciate tits, but that wasn’t quite what I meant when I said I wanted equal screentime for women…
I know I felt EMPOWERED when we saw that huge closeup of Viserys stroking his sister’s naked breast!
rofl.
… and it’s only funny because I know you know you’re supposed to be creeped out by the scene.
1) Why, then, were Ned and Catelyn Stark fully clothed in the scene where she receives the letter from her sister, when in the book, they were both nude, having just made love?
Having now seen the episode, I get why this scene was shot with them dressed. (If not just because those actors may have been less keen on the idea.) Even though it would have been true to the book, to have them naked and chatting and staying that way when the servants come in would have thrown the nudity level up to COMPLETELY LUDICROUS. It was already pretty high, and Yet Another Naked Scene would have made the episode implode.
Yes…but the level of nudity wouldn’t have quite gone up to Ludicrous Speed as it is if they’d clothed the Dothraki women. In the books, Dothraki women don’t have their breasts exposed; they wear vests. But I suppose the director simply HAD to have more naked titty shots, as shorthand for “brown people are savage, see, they don’t even wear clothes?” For authenticity’s sake and all that.
I can understand that a nude scene in a book might translate strangely into a nude scene on the show. I was just disappointed because it was a scene that really made me love Catelyn. The maester and Ned are SHOCKED that she climbs out of bed naked to read the letter, and she points out that the maester bore all five of her children and there’s no use being falsely modest.
truly is an instance of Catelyn being completely laid-back practical.
I don’t mind “boobies waving” at a wedding so much as I mind the Seafolk from Robert Jordan. They go around half naked all the time, and are described as having ample breasts.
I have ample breasts. With running up and down rigging, without some sort of binding, it would be Major OWWIE.
Ive been watching the show since it came out-never read the books- but im pretty sure your wrong about the first sex scene with Daenerys Targaryen and Drogo. They were standing on a cliff and he took her cloths off. He bent her over and did his thing while she sobbed. The tender sex didnt come until after she was taught by the prostitute. I think its a good show. I feel they overcompensate with all of the sex. It doesnt hurt, but i do feel like they only added it in in case people didnt like it. idk….
I stated pretty clearly in my post that their first time was a tender sex scene in the BOOK, and it was turned into a rape scene for the SHOW.
I agree that the amount of sex is unnecessary.
Any worse than Eva? you know… the show where a girl has sex with her father (implied), main character impregnates other main character — offscreen, and implied non-consensually (while sleeping). and he winds up masturbating on her corpse?
Martin prettied up the middle ages. You got married at age 13 so that your daddy didn’t rape you. And, quite often, your daddy in law did.
Any worse than Eva? you know… the show where a girl has sex with her father (implied), main character impregnates other main character — offscreen, and implied non-consensually (while sleeping). and he winds up masturbating on her corpse?
No…I didn’t know. My apologies for not comparing Game of Thrones to a series I’ve never heard of before.
sorry. That’d be Neon Genesis Evangelion. Which, to be fair, was written by someone going through a major depressive episode.
Well, at least now you’ve seen Theon completely naked, along with his little sword. I’m sure more male nudity will be forthcoming. By the way, I think it’s perfectly fine to show breasts in a show if the men are also going topless (Khal Drogo). After all, a penis is a genital. Breasts are not. If the women show breasts, it’s only because the men are topless as well. I think this whole “Penis is not the equivalent” of breasts was mentioned in “The Beauty Myth”. I’d expect to see as many penises on HBO’s Game of Thrones as I see vulvas, that would be a better comparison as to whether GoT is pandering to the heterosexual men or not.
And the whole “Men don’t want to see women over thirty” naked thing? That’s REALLY reaching, considering that there are many female actors in Hollywood who still do nude scenes after the age of 30. And it also ignores the whole MILF phenomenon. Plenty of men out there see women over thirty naked everyday….and there would be more than happy to see other women over the age of thirty naked as well. I am sure I can’t be the only heterosexual male who finds the actor playing Catelyn Stark very attractive.
Oh honey, no.
Using the fact that there is the so-called “MILF” phenomenon as a proof that want to see women over thirty naked is so wrong.
Firstly, MILF is mainly in the porn industry.
Secondary, it’s just feitshising women in some role. It’s not “accepting” women in all ages, it’s just fetishism.
The idea that milf means “mother I would like to fuck” puts the whole thing in the eye of the fetishist. It’s not because the person (usually male) enjoys sex with women, regarding their age, it’s about them being MOTHERS and do you really need me to point out all social stereotypes in regards to “older women” or “mothers” in the western society?
Next, if you have EVER seen a movie with an older woman displayed as socially active in most western movies, she is usually really sexually aggressive. And it has been made fun of hundreds of times.
It’s not portraying good sexual health and behavior, it’s objectification, nothing more.
Last, if you check the age of which women play mothers in most movies, you will want to cry. Women as early as thirty play mothers of actors who are the same age as them, but portray young guys.
So… no, Holliwood doesn’t like women over 30 very much and rarely if never portrays them as real characters (to be honest, Holliwood rarely portray ANY character like real people, but still) and it’s a big issue.
Honey? REALLY? On a feminist blog? What next? Sugar? Sweet cheeks? Baby pie?
And you are confusing “Holliwood” with men.
Let me point you to this rather erroneous statement in the original post.
“we don’t think men want to see penises or naked women over thirty, especially naked mothers.”
– Angelina Jolie is over the age of 30
– Jessica Alba is already 30.
– Zooey Deschanel, over 30.
– Aishwarya Rai, a few more years to 40.
– Gwyneth Paltrow, mid 30s, by my count.
– Courteney Cox, over the age of 40.
– Stana Katic, 33.
– Kate Beckinsale, almost reaching 40
– Evangeline Lily, past 30.
– Heather Locklear, isn’t she almost 50?
– Lucy Lawless, still working the magic after 40.
– Kelly Hu, 40
– Kristin Davis, the “cute one” in SATC, also 40+
– Heather Graham, 40+
– Kate Winslet, 35 or so.
– Jennifer Aniston, still America’s sweetheart at 42 (as well as queen of romcoms)/
– Eva Mendes, 37 or so.
– Jennifer Lopez, 40+ and still dancing with semi-naked men onstage.
– Cameron Diaz, yet another one past 30, almost nearing 40.
– January Jones, a few years past 30, I believe.
I could go on and on. Among these list of actors, I am very, very, very doubtful that there exists an average heterosexual man who will object to seeing any one of these fine actresses in her birthday suit.
Does Hollywood have an issue with roles when it comes to older women? Sure. Definitely. Hollywood has always been the bastion of the white man.
However, the original sentence was “MEN don’t want to see women over thirty naked.” And I’ve not even yet included all the heterosexual men who are dating or married to women over thirty who think their partners look GREAT! Surely there MUST be some of these men who think their over-thirty partners look great naked.
The fact that Lady T “can’t think of any other answer to these questions besides…” followed by stereotypes about “men”….I could think of several reasons already, like some Hollywood actors and actresses have a clause in their contract that says “no nudity” because maybe, just maybe the actors in question don’t want to do it. And a whole bunch of other reasons.
I find stereotypes like “Men don’t want to see over-thirty women naked” similar to other stereotypes like “Women love shoes” or “Women love sugary alcoholic drinks” or “Women are emotional” annoying, what more to put the words into HBO’s mouth. Can we STAY away from stereotypes for once?
However, the original sentence was “MEN don’t want to see women over thirty naked.”
Actually, no. The original sentence was, “…we don’t think men want to see penises or naked women over thirty, especially naked mothers.”
My comment was not meant to criticize men en masse. It was meant to criticize Hollywood for a lack of imagination and for making assumptions about male viewers. It’s similar to my criticism of Hollywood (in general) for assuming that women only want to see romantic comedies about airheads who are attracted to jerks (and all of these women of course work in the publishing industry, for some reason).
I welcome constructive criticism and disagreement here, but I’d appreciate posters disagreeing with me over things I actually said, rather than what they think I said. I’d hate for you to waste time writing a lengthy response to something I didn’t say.
I also just wanted to point out that most likely you don’t see male nudity as it would be classed as pornographic; not get shown on tv or result in a limited viewing which would diminish profit for the series.
Furthermore, I’d happily see some over 30’s naked but I wouldn’t want to see penis flopping about, I’d be uncomfortable with that.
What Eneya said.
1. “Oh, honey, no” was a some-what joke towards Lady T and one very cute reaction of hers towards a troll, to which I laughed immensly.
I used it, because your argument was quite the same as ammount of logic. 🙂
Also, I find it quite hillarious.
I am not confusing Holliwood with ment. Mainly because men are not a hive mind. So I knwo that between “what Holliwood thinks men want to watch” and “what men would like to watch and like” there is as much difference as between “What Holliwood thinks women want to watch” and “what women really would like to watch and like”. Capish?
So no, I am not generelising about men but I am about Holliwood, because the fuckers are not that complicated to be analised, to be able to see the usual tropes, stereotypes and all the other issues in THE MAINSTREAM movies.
Let me point you to this rather erroneous statement in the original post.
“we don’t think men want to see penises or naked women over thirty, especially naked mothers.”
None of the women you mentioned look like 30 year old REAL woman.
You know… those, who does not receive hundreds and thousands of dollars to eat the best possible food, to have access to the best excersises, to have enough people to help them with their families, with cooking, cleaning, to be able to invest all of their time and energy on working on themselves.
They have enough sleep and enough time to enjoy life, to have access to the best medical help in the world, to have manualy tailored clothes, to have always perfectly applied make up, when being in public, to be extremely attractive in general.
Do you REALLY need me to continue?
Your logic is extremely flawed right here: They look liek they are in their 20es, many of them have had “beauty” surgerues already. So yes, I am still failing to see how exactly Holliwood is open towards women of all ages when THEY DO NOT look like 20 year olds with perfect figures.
I wonder… why none of the women you mentioned are not INSANELY SUPER HOT AND ATTRACTIVE? Surely there are some quite good acctresses who are over 30 and we have seen naked in movies, because their sexuality is celebrated and their body types, acknoledged as existing?
Oh… wait… I remember, we don’t see other than mainstram extremely attractive women on the big screen.
I wonder why this is?
You are right, no men would deny seeing them. After all… none of them look like any 30 year old woman at all.
Yes, Holliwood is the bastion of heterosexual white males, you got that right. And my sneek attack question here is… where are the women who are not perfect and over 30?
The original quote in the post is in regards to the stereotype that men in life doesn’t like women to look more than 20 (in their bodies) so this is what is shown to them by the before mentioned white dudes in Holliwood are showing. Doesn’t it look a bit weird that so many movies have insanely attractive woman looking extremely sexy and average looking main character? Why there are almost no movies in which it’s reverse? Insanely attractive main character scorec by average looking woman? And fuck no, Bridjit Jones is is not an example.
How about instead of accusing Lady T in stereotypes, kind of, I don’t know, think about what she was rtalking about?
She was making fun of that idea and was being critical by the narrow way men are treated by mainstream Holliwood. Her critisicm wasn’t again all men (OK, I think it wasn’t, at least this is how I read it and understood it, maybe she can clarify that for us?) but again STEREOTYPICAL men.
Have you seen Feminist Frequency?
It’s been made by one very good with explaining herself and her criticism lady and please check it.
I believe that it will clear quite a lot of Lady T’s comments or at least put them in perspective.
Also, my apologies for my extremely illiterate written comment, I was so angry, i didn’t checkl for typos.
It has been a while. The blood has been washed from the Great Sept of Baelor. The crows have flown from the battlefield of the Green Fork. All ten episodes of HBO’s A Game of Thrones have been completed, analyzed, hashed out on various blogs…I wonder how you feel about the “A Game of Tits” analysis now. I assume that you stand by your critique of the first episode. Do you feel that the series got better in its presentation of sex and nudity as things went along? Did it get worse? Did it stay about the same?
I thought the (s)exposition got even worse as the series progressed, given that we were subjected to plenty of nude scenes from Roz, a character not even in the book whose only purpose seemed to be getting naked and being snarky.
Seeing a naked Daenerys in the last episode was pretty powerful and a neat contrast to the first episode. In the first episode, her nudity symbolized her innocence and victimization. In the last episode, nudity symbolized power and strength. That was pretty cool. I think the message might’ve been stronger if there hadn’t been so many gratuitous naked shots of other characters.
Roz was really bad, for sure. She was hardly even a character, more like a sexus ex machina. I remember reading one critic’s comment (lost the URL, unfortunately) that he thought her scene with Little Finger was one of the best. I couldn’t believe it, because most of his other comments were pretty good. That scene would be my nominee for absolute worst of the entire ten episodes.
Sexus ex machina – ha! Nice.
I agree with you that the scene with Littlefinger and Roz was the worst of the ten episodes. Not even Aidan Gillen could save that mess from being completely ridiculous.
I heard that the justification for the scene was to depict how cold and calculating Littlefinger was; but, if that’s the case, why did the camera not focus on Littefinger’s face during the action? Ahh, the irony of a show with strong, complex female characters that objectifies attractive young women by focusing on their naked body parts and sexual acts?
Ahh, the irony of a show with strong, complex female characters that objectifies attractive young women by focusing on their naked body parts and sexual acts?
That’s one of the biggest contradictions in the show, I’ve found. Good point.
I understood that scene as a visua metaphore:
[i]How to convince a man that just paid you to pretend you like sex with him that you actually like it and that you are not saying it[/i]
Translates to:
[i]How I convinced Ned Stark, a man that has every reason to believe I am lying and will betray him because I hate him, that I’m actually being honest and doing the right thing because he has moved me[/i]
The trick is the same: you let him believe that you are fighting it, that he is defeating you against your better judgment and that you are liking it.
Of course, the metaphore loses a lot of its power when you make the sex so prevalent. But I don’t mind a little porn once in a while, altought they might have made Renly’s yaoi time a little more graphic for those who like that, just to be fair.
Your interpretation makes sense, and I agree that’s what the writers were going for. I just didn’t find that scene necessary at all, and rather out-of-character for Petyr Baelish, as he never reveals that much of himself to anyone. But you have a good point.
That scene nearly caused me to roll my eyes so hard they ended up facing backwards. The line “Play with her arse” made me LOL, I admit, but just because it was SO OVER THE TOP. I mean, it was just so unnecessary. It added nothing to the story (except some exposition on Littlefinger, which could’ve easily been put in somewhere else or left out entirely–we already know he has a yen for Catelyn and that’s really all we need.)
It was also just out of character for Littlefinger. He NEVER tells people what he’s up to. That’s the opposite of his M.O.
That too! Seriously, WTF? Unless they’re going the ‘whores as spies’ route, they should really knock this crap off and stop wasting the audience’s time.
Btw if your looking for male nudity.. i have one word to say.. “HODOR!!!”
Yes, dozens of images of young female breasts, several depictions of female full frontal nudity, and lesbian sex; but, one of the few depictions of a naked male is Hodor. Not that I’m advocating for gratuitous images of gorgeous naked young men: I’m not. It’s just that the soft pornification of GOT directed at the male heterosexual gaze under HBO’s tutelage begins to wear thin after a while. It cheapens the show. Mad Men or Breaking Bad never have to resort to sexually objectifying young women to be excellent shows. Why does HBO resort to this crap?
Mad Men or Breaking Bad never have to resort to sexually objectifying young women to be excellent shows. Why does HBO resort to this crap?
Maybe it’s just because they can. I still haven’t seen Breaking Bad (though I intend to…eventually…), but Mad Men I think is particularly good at showing that Joan is sexy without objectifying her. On the other hand, those shows are not on paid cable, so they couldn’t overdo it even if they wanted to. If GoT was on AMC, we’d probably see a lot fewer gratuitous hooker scenes.
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