HBO’s Game of Thrones saw huge success in its first season. In creative and critical communities alike, reviews were consistent: the American medieval fantasy television series deftly adapts George R. R. Martin’s first book of A Song of Ice and Fire, titled A Game of Thrones, into a compelling story with meaningful action, and intriguing characters skillfully executed by fine actors. Season 2 reveals, however, that Martin’s epic tale may be too big for the one-hour cable format.
Season 2 of Game of Thrones, based largely on A Clash of Kings, book 2 in A Song of Ice and Fire, seemed to struggle from the start. Important characters fully developed in season 1 were given little screen time, their stories clipped and altered to introduce new and lesser characters. This treatment makes events seem less realistic in an already fanciful world of dragons and black magic.
Viewers are introduced to yet more characters, such as Tyrion’s wench Shae, his sellaword Bronn, and Brienne the warrior maiden who is tasked with spiriting Jaime to Kings’ Landing, interesting characters in the novels, but hardly worthy of screentime at the expense of bigger characters and their stories, such as that of Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly‘s evolution from boys to men, Daenerys Targaryen adventures to Qarth and beyond and Jaime Lannister‘s spiritual evolution. These stories were shortened or ignored altogether to build up to the Blackwater battle, which was also shortened in a way that demands a reading of the books for clarification and thematic fulfillment.
Viewers barely glimpse the magnitude of the struggle Daenerys undergoes in Quarth. Her leadership is regularly tested, in part because she is a woman, whom the men see as naive. But she quickly learns to lead her people, learns to trust no one, not even Jorah, who actually betrays her in the books, and who is merely accused of such in the series. More important, Daenerys is not the emotionally weak, easily duped character seen in Season 2 of the series, a reversal from both the books and Season 1, which strikes a sour note for viewers most interested in her tale.
Viewers also miss Sam and Jon’s development into respected men of the Night’s Watch. Their discovery and usage of the dragon glass are integral to the story of the upcoming battle with the Others. Alas, only Sam finds the glass, and he has yet to use it. Moreover, while the Nights Watch suffers two gnarly encounters with the Others in the book, there is only one battle in the TV series and that is revealed as a cliff hanger at the very end.
Equally egregious is the scant treatment Bran gets in Season 2. He develops a sense of his powers in the book with the aid of the Reed siblings, who play a major role in Bran’s journey to the Wall and beyond. This story is ignored completely in the series.
The series manages to do justice to Sansa and Arya’s tragic stories, revealing how treacherous court life and life on the war-front can be. Likewise, Tyrion’s story is well done, with the exception of Shae’s turn into dutiful concubine. The book’s version of their relationship is far more compelling. And speaking of Lannisters, the incest storyline was completely dropped, neutering what little edge remained in the series after Season 1.
There is much more to A Clash of Kings than epic battles. There are deep histories that remain untold and religious mysteries unexplored. One will likely see the high fantasy, magic and mysticism as cheap plot devises if the characters are not fully developed onscreen. But will viewers tune in to a third season to see how the stories of Seven Kingdoms further unfold? Perhaps. Fans who have not yet read the books appear content with HBO’s potrayal. And the finale reached a series high in viewership, with 4.2 million tuning in. Of course, many do not yet understand what riches in storytelling they are missing!