{"id":84148,"date":"2024-09-04T19:36:14","date_gmt":"2024-09-04T19:36:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/04\/george-r-r-martin-calls-out-toxic-changes-in-key-house-of-the-dragon-storylines\/"},"modified":"2024-09-04T19:36:14","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T19:36:14","slug":"george-r-r-martin-calls-out-toxic-changes-in-key-house-of-the-dragon-storylines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neclink.com\/index.php\/2024\/09\/04\/george-r-r-martin-calls-out-toxic-changes-in-key-house-of-the-dragon-storylines\/","title":{"rendered":"George R.R. Martin Calls Out ‘Toxic’ Changes In Key House of the Dragon Storylines"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n

Were you a smidge disappointed by House of the Dragon Season 2<\/a>?<\/p>\n

Well, you\u2019re certainly not flying those skies alone.<\/p>\n

In fact, the hirsute, chronically suspendered genius\/procrastinator who created the world of Westeros is calling the show out for making \u201cmisguided\u201d changes to storylines originally found in his 2018 book Fire & Blood.<\/p>\n

\"George\"George
(Photo by Kevin Winter\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In a new blog post, author and House of the Dragon<\/a> executive producer George R.R. Martin revealed that he was not pleased with some of the changes in the show\u2019s second season.<\/p>\n

Specifically, like many other viewers, he took issue with the execution (no pun intended) of the infamous \u201cBlood and Cheese\u201d<\/a> sequence.<\/p>\n

Martin says he discussed the changes with co-EP Ryan Condal and now wishes that he\u2019d insisted on sticking with his original vision.<\/p>\n

Condal chose to eliminate a young character, Prince Maelor, who would barely have seen any screen time before being coldly dispatched by two hired goons.<\/p>\n

Still, Martin believes that Maelor\u2019s absence has diminished the story\u2019s emotional impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Ryan Condal first told me what he meant to do, ages ago (back in 2022, might be) I argued against it, for all these reasons,\u201d Martin wrote. <\/p>\n

\"The\"The
(Theo Whiteman\/HBO)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI did not argue long, or with much heat, however. The change weakened the sequence, I felt, but only a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n

Having collaborated with showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff throughout all eight seasons of Game of Thrones<\/a>, Martin is obviously familiar with the demands of TV budgets and production schedules.<\/p>\n

And while he acknowledges that certain changes must be made, he seems to believe that Condal diverged too far the story\u2019s original path.<\/p>\n

\u201cRyan had what seemed to be practical reasons for it; they did not want to deal with casting another child, especially a two-year old toddler,\u201d Martin recalled in his blog post.<\/p>\n

\u201cKids that young will inevitably slow down production, and there would be budget implications. Budget was already an issue on HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, it made sense to save money wherever we could.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaelor by himself means little. He is a small child, does not have a line of dialogue, does nothing of consequence but die\u2026 but where and when and how, that does matter. <\/p>\n

\"Aegon\"Aegon
(Ollie Upton\/HBO)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cLosing Maelor weakened the end of the Blood and Cheese sequence, but it also cost us the Bitterbridge scene with all its horror and heroism,\u201d the author continued.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt undercut the motivation for Helaena\u2019s suicide, and that in turn sent thousands into the streets and alleys, screaming for justice for their \u2018murdered\u2019 queen. <\/p>\n

\u201cNone of that is essential, I suppose\u2026 but all of it does serve a purpose. It all helps to tie the story lines together, so one thing follows another in a logical and convincing manner.\u201d<\/p>\n

Martin concluded his message with a portent of doom worthy of a Westerosi soothsayer, writing:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd there are larger and more toxic butterflies to come, if HOUSE OF THE DRAGON goes ahead with some of the changes being contemplated for seasons 3 and 4.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Matt\"Matt
( Photograph by Theo Whitman\/HBO )<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It\u2019s uncommon for one EP to second-guess another so publicly.<\/p>\n

And Martin never shaded Weiss and Benioff in such a manner during GoT\u2019s historic run.<\/p>\n

Condal seemed to anticipate this criticism when he admitted during a recent podcast interview<\/a> that he was forced to \u201cmake some compromises in rendering the story.\u201d<\/p>\n

Even so, he was probably caught off guard by the bluntness of Martin\u2019s latest musings.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, GoT fans just wish the bearded steamboat-captain\u2019s-hat enthusiast would focus some of this energy on completing his long-(long-, long-)awaited Winds of Winter novel!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n


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