HBO's "Game of Thrones" - George R.R. Martin Interview with Walt Mossberg

[@nicholasp6502]

23:00 George told them the ending back in 2013??? I was under the impression they found out about Dany going mad just a couple years ago which sort of explains the lack of development for Dany's madness. But they knew since around seasons 3 & 4?

[@Schmidteren]

I really love how the producers are super humble, and you can feel how humbled they are about the work George has down, and also him as a writer and a person. You can tell, they are big fans of the novles and of him. It is great to see.

[@Slechy_Lesh]

How do you feel now?

[@dcworld4349]

@@Slechy_Lesh I'm not saying they didn't drop the ball in a major way, but this statement was correct at the time that it was made, the problem was the man sitting in the middle, as he himself has admitted started saying yes to doing everything else under the sun that he was asked to do, which was not smart when he admits that he is a slow writer already. What became clear is that they were exhausted from having worked on the show for 11 years straight if you count pre production and the unaired pilot. But I do think if book six had been done at the same pace as book 4 or 5, and if he'd be on good track to almost be finished if not finished by the time the final season came around. They would have done the correct choice and felt forced to either do the 10-13 seasons it should have gone, or handed the showrunning duties down to people who would have been more than qualified having worked on the show. It's not like HBO didn't offer them a real writers room so they could have been fixing scripts and revised them like most showrunners do rather than writing 95% of them on top of doing all the other things on the production side that is required. You go back and look at the first 4 seasons there are a ton of scenes that are not in the books that are some of the best scenes of the entire show. But they also had guardrails to work within and they were scenes that you could easily imagine happened but because of the POV structure we just never got to see them. Neither of them had done any of the jobs that they were doing on the show, the closest thing was having the 25th hour turned into a movie, and still the first 4 seasons are on the level of the best HBO has to offer. But what became clear is that they were great at adaptation, the problems started once they had to make completely new material, even then. While it was noticeable that there wasn't the exact same quality writing, I felt they could still pull it off until we got halfway through season 7. It was strange to have a shorter season when you had so much story to tell, and the frozen lake episode just broke every game of throne convention in a bad way. People spent entire seasons getting from A to B travelling beyond the wall, somehow managed to do it in 20 minutes. The whites can't swim, but also where able to find giant chains out of thin air, go down to the bottom of the lake, put them around a dragons neck so the night king could bring it back. When we have seen the them raise the dead by just raising their hands. That is when I had a sinking feeling that they were rushing, season 8 being even shorter didn't quench that feeling but I held out hope. If anything both season 7 and season 8 should have had 16 episodes each because I do believe that if you take the actual story beats, what happened is something I could see happen. Besides the frozen lake episode that is the worst episode of game of thrones ever, it makes no sense in any way shape or form there had to be a better way to give them a dragon. The problem was the way they went about those things, not enough time to give them real character development that made what happened feel earned. And the plot armor got insane, I should not have been able to predict exactly which characters were going to die at the battle of winterfell.

[@guileniam]

Fire whoever did the piss poor sound recording here

[@jhamptonjr]

Dizzy Blu Yeah, kinda like, hey guys, did we do a mic check? Final adjustment seemed okay after the first 15 minutes or so. Couldn't even hear Benioff's first answer.

[@guileniam]

jhamptonjr I think he just went "fuck it", maybe they werent paying him/her enough or he was getting laid.

[@checotey]

exactly!! I instantly checked the channel, I thought I stranded on a poor channel with a bad copy....but NO...they messed it up with their own tech.

[@crisppxls]

Love it! It's great this time of year when the press round interviews start coming in.

[@Winged115]

So Awesome that George's only question was "who is JS's mother?" he truly cares about his legacy, that's why this television series has such quality.

[@N3RDWARD]

George is so right about HBO not caring as much about ratings. I only wish they didn't cancel Deadwood.

[@gibberconfirm166]

"Deadwood" was one of the worst of the "nothing ever happens!" dramas, though. In GoT almost too much happens. Until you get to "Feast for Crows" when ASIAF basically contracts the same disease...

[@clonedllama]

gibberconfirm Hardly. _A Feast for Crows_ has tons of important setup. The biggest problem with AFFC is it's only half of the story. You really need _A Dance with Dragons_ for the developments in that book to really make sense.

[@N3RDWARD]

gibberconfirm You've never actually seen Deadwood have you? Go watch it. You'll love it.

[@jackholander721]

11:15 "For example... my wall-" Interviewer: "is 700 feet" Hahaha, I love the how Martin just looks at him and goes back to talking.

[@dogperson432]

He has explained in detail what happens in the rest of the story to the show writers.

[@6matkaipolovina]

If George desided to test them with that question, than who Jon's mother is must be important. He wouldn't have asked if she was some random whore or Ashara Dayne as other theories say. And Ned Stark was probably the most honourbound guy in the series, he wouldn't have cheated on Catelyn even tough he barely knew her then. So my guess is that Jon really is Lyanna and Rhaegar's son.

[@jonathanjameson5050]

I heard one theory that Jon is actually Ned and Lyanna 's kid but I don't really believe it.

[@jonathanjameson5050]

Lots of people believe that theory.

[@TomOkkaTom]

I love looking back on these comments... Haven´t watched the show yet beyond the books but I guess this twist I couldn´t avoid learning about

[@MrTelboy]

this is the first thing they have ever made/produce and its Game of Thrones well done sirs and thank you.

[@ThePriyo9]

Fire the sound engineer.

[@zetnex]

I love George so much! If I ever meet him, I will hug the shit out of him

[@FreakieFan]

20:35 - That is a great point, well-argued, and one of the reasons why GRRM's is one of the best storytellers ever, and the show one of the best that's ever been made.

[@Marblez3]

My left ear is lonely.

[@St33lDrag00n]

I have to agree with you, I started reading A Game of Thrones and the effects it has on my mind and my ability to intake knowledge has grown.

[@EDENTROPIC]

Awesome. Very good interview!

[@alast0112]

Make a movie about Robert's rebellion!

[@megamovieman101]

Make a *TV SERIES* about Robert's rebellion.

[@randomisraelite]

Andrew Lastrollo long live Robert Baratheon!

[@anigreen6939]

We now know so much about the rebellion, so I don't know ... But spin off Tv series about Doom of Valerya might be pretty interesting.

[@sultanalqhtani6526]

Andrew Lastrollo i just noticed that dan and David are shopping together they have the same shirt and jacket

[@ElOchentero]

If I have learn something about Hollywood is that when something is succesful they will keep squeezing it until makes no more. So I'm pretty sure we will see a lot more, wether prequels, sequels, mini series, made for TV movies and maybe big budget movies in the future.

[@AnIdiotsLantern]

I love that they seated GRRM right smack in the center, with everyone else circling him. Long live the king.

[@Rishav532]

David's reply at around 5:25 proves the theories floating around!!!

[@FreakySunshinex]

I beg to differ. I've been fond of reading since I was a little girl and it has always given me an advantage over non-readers when it comes to spelling and building sentences. It helped me develop my own writing style and contributed towards a more extensive vocabulary, allowing me to express myself more clearly (and eloquently). Now that I'm a little older I also read english and french novels, which turns out to be a great way to train my language skills without a need for boring exercises.

[@timevampire83]

George. Never stop writing!! Take your daily Centrum Silver!! I want to read about other Khals, other King-beyond-the-walls, about the Cranogmen and the way they fight, Skagos Cannibals, the Thenns, Ironborn!! not to mention about Robert's Rebellion! How did that happen?

[@cemerencakmakci]

One of those geeky fans from Turkey.Just keep up the good work. as a hardcore RPG and historical fantasy genre fan i salute you with all my heart. good Escaping...

[@SixStringHarmonies]

I've decided to re-read the books keeping the Lyanna idea in mind. It makes sense. The only question is, whom is still among the living who knows the truth? Varys? Howland Reed? Will Jon ever learn his true parentage? Considering the ending of 'Dance', although they got at least 4 shots in, I find it hard to believe Jon won't survive into Bk6. I have a feeling Ghost took care of the problem. Maybe Bran? Should be interesting........

[@LonleyBoy1105]

I can listen to George all day...

[@RunRaeRun]

Is the audio screwy for anyone else?

[@DezzyDylan]

Someone give this guy a Knighthood or something, He's by far my favorite person in the whole world

[@MrWhooy]

Another brilliantly well-cocieved argument.

[@hulyepicsa]

Why doesn't Georger RR Martin have a Twitter account? Because he killed all 140 characters.

[@nikolatesla7356]

I learned something interesting about HBO. I love programs that have balls.

[@zeusbark]

G.R.R. Martin is such a great and nice guy

[@tazlex15]

George R.R. Martin is like a ball of genius!

[@dusts2107]

i enjoyed the interview a lot

[@TallJai]

Intro hits my soul every time

[@Rishav532]

I am actually looking forward to it...... I wanna see how they execute it....and also everyone's reaction.

[@stianthijsen4784]

6:56 "...and if you don't dumb it down..." 2019 here, the final season just ended... D&D are now called dumb & dumber!

[@GamersSwagger]

I will buy the full series when it is completed, like I've did with his books.

[@RedceLL1978]

back in 97, i remember pouring through the shelves looking for something new. i'd already read alot of piers anthony, terry goodkind, etc when i saw game of thrones. it said "fantasy novel of the year" on the edition i bought. and i was ENTRANCED by Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series, still my favorite, but no fantasy author i'd since read crafted such a calculated maturity in character and plot as Martin has. his writing is in an entirely different stratosphere. completely incomparable.

[@TomGallagherSuperboyBeyond]

i am one of the weird ones who wants to keep watching the show without reading the books, but then i want to read the books to get all the extra awesomeness. i in no way insult the readers, i want to be one of you, but i just LOVE the not knowing what is coming too much to spoil it for myself.

[@NurseryCryminal]

Two hour delay in Australia this season! Although, it'll be behind a pay wall too so I doubt the downloadings will drop that much.

[@31MAF]

That's what I'll do! I was asking out of excitement!! Thanks :)

[@jugulator0]

5:17 ...D&D are facing intense criticism. Their lack of experience was possibly an asset to begin with however now George isn't involved it has become glaringly obvious ...As producers they compromised on 8 seasons...This is at least 2 seasons too few...The final season(6 episodes) cannot satisfactorily conclude this epic saga...What a shame.

[@FreakieFan]

It will be 6 episodes of feature film length... (90 minutes or more) so in total it will be the same or more hours than the normal 10 episode, 10 hour format.

[@pedroneves5864]

@@FreakieFan fake

[@FreakieFan]

@@pedroneves5864 Yep. I was clearly wrong. Season 8 has been awful

[@IanRichards88]

We're the mics turned on for this interview?

[@hishamtldr]

Well said George at the end

[@AyoJerz]

Who dropped the ball on the audio and did they get fired?

[@vaporized1000]

David Benioff and DB Weiss made a incredible TV show, mad props. Their writing is the only writing I truly find riveting

[@thecrowseye5384]

vaporized1000 Only it's not their writing. It's George's story they are taking from.

[@kikusha66]

Daniel Hooper his story but THEIR writing. U say we should give george credit for his work and we should but then u proceed to discredit all they ve done. I m gona guess u r book reader. Thats the kind of hypocrisy we alway get from them

[@Mini-Toast_]

Nope. They ruined the show. I have watched almost interview and every after episode talk. All they focus on is their actors talent. About getting a good performance out of them. They rewrite very important things to give their actors something more juicy to bite on. Most writers make it a point to avoid that, and these idiots embraced it?! They don't give Tyrion the funny material from the books, but write in unfunny things to say. They assassinated Stannis. They burned Dorne. They took a dump on Martin's work. And all to win their actors Emmys. Thank God the Emmy voting pool is made up of people who can differentiate between acting and empty emmy-baiting emoting.

[@Mini-Toast_]

Kristína Szabó Right because the book reafers are just a bunch of elitists who don't like when anything is even slightly deviated from the books. I am going to guess you are a more casual fan who watches the show for tits and dragons. That your favorite character is Dany and you assume the throne is rightfully hers. No? Right, because it wouldn't be intelligent to make assumptions. And an intelligent fan you are not.

[@miklas1911]

Yes... I've read most of the sixth book as well - I'm part of G.R.R.M.'s focus group that he uses to scan upcoming chapters to see how they'll be received and understood by the public. I hadn't when I wrote the comment, though - so that's just my speculations.

[@kingcake777]

nice interview

[@AhmedNSane]

9:51 👏😍

[@GaudyGabriev]

In fact, as of right now, having heard them say that, I'm convinced that R + L = J has to be true. Or at the very least that Lyanna is the mother. With the information at hand, it just is the most likely possibility, so the fact that THAT is the "test question" seems to me it makes pretty much inevitable.

[@SixStringHarmonies]

Without paging back through "Feast" for an exact name......his mother is the Lady of Evenfall if I recall correctly. It is not Lyanna Stark. What are these people talking about?

[@MichaelGondry]

Really boring questions. "Do you like social media?"

[@parabalani]

There's always people bitching about bad interviewers.

[@Schmidteren]

I could listen to Gearge talk, for days!

[@MrWhooy]

I don't see how any of this would've changed in a negative way if you'd read nonfiction instead of fiction. You'd get all of the things you listed, plus you'd actually learn something concrete from the books you've read.

[@zeriyx]

the author of the books wrote the episode that included the battle of blackwater. the books which you so deeply love still exist regardless of how badly you think the show fucks up the adaptation. there simply isn't enough time in ten hours per season to fully explore every single character and storyline from the novels. i've read the books, and it's a great show. if you hate it so much, then stop watching it. it really isn't that serious.

[@BlaccEagle]

Yeah, I've read the first two books, and they are amazing indeed. I'm sort of bummed out that I didn't read the books first, because the the thing about reading is that your imagination starts creating these amazing and magical worlds just by reading.

[@TopherBlairMusic]

Good job turning the mics down on the producers you're interviewing. Some grade A soundboard work going on there.

[@AntonShumin]

Hiding behind rainbows and predictable outcome because you are scared of emotion is not healthy. The fact that even the main character is vulnerable, brings a lot of depth to the story. It's not just a collection of steps to the happy ending, but a tense and exciting journey into the fantasy. And believe me, the remaining starks have plenty of highs and lows in the coming seasons.

[@declanosullivan8770]

I have recently started watching game of thrones an therefore started reading the books they are both brilliant, if wasn't for the tv show i would have never read the books probably as it wouldn't have the recognition.

[@aaasubs]

Love George's vest.

[@VTownGregory]

Why are the producers wearing the identical shirt and jacket?

[@gilgamesch1234]

at min 11:07 he refers to david irving.

[@TheOrangeType]

"Can you please eliminate 11 of these characters?" That stuck with him in writing the books.

[@hakimrabhi9665]

1st of August 2019 and the 6th book still not out

[@erfanmolaee1616]

Yeah Still not out

[@quarknugget]

I'm not sure about that. Maybe I wasn't reading as carefully as you but I didn't think of R+L=J until I read about it in fan forums, and I think it's now only "obvious" to people because it's been discussed so much by those sites. Many people who read the books casually I think would be shocked if this was true because they didn't pick up on all the forshadowing.

[@phaines9]

I want to see this but the audio is terrible

[@14Lynn14]

I think you guys are forgetting the fact that Robert was in love with Lyanna. If he found out she and Rhaegar, whom Robert believed raped Lyanna, had a son together, do you think he would've let him live? Never mind the fact that he was in rebellion against the Targaryens, Robert would consider Jon an outcome of Rhaegars terrible actions and bashed Jons skull in with his hammer. So I think Ned did a good thing not telling the truth about Jon, though I do feel bad for Cat.

[@pedrodibella3861]

We still do not know if Jon is R+L...

[@saulodoamordivino]

Probably that's because Ned claimed to be his father?

[@pedrodibella3861]

I think Howland Reed is still alive isn't he? Howland Reed surely knows JS's parentage...

[@aksteb41]

***** nop, dem neck people lord knows, who was with eddard there and together they killed dem white cloaked dudes with a sword of the morning and shit. so he knows and his kids might even know, though they be too north now. we shall see my friend. either him or the lord of 3 sisters be right about the boat woman(doubt it, just rumor and shit). plus some pipsquik told the the little she-wolf da jonnys wet nurse was somewhere ned would be to return morning sword back home, and if baby newborn then, timeline fits. in any case grrm is one magnifisent fat bastard.

[@0404chrisjz]

***** no he was there you cannot look at the a sing of ice and fire wiki or 're read the chapters cause there's more the one occasion were that event is talked about..he is the only living person who knows

[@The_Real_DCT]

as someone already said the Lannisters get theirs soon and not to mention a certain Lady develops a stone heart and comes back for revenge.. plus even if the Lannisters didn't get it from other sources there's the white walkers and a army of the undead coming from the north and Daenerys and her army plus three Dragons coming from the south and if you know your history of the world the show took place in her ancestor Aegon and his two sisters defeated all 7 kingdoms with just them and 3 dragons..

[@BlaccEagle]

Game of Thrones will become the greatest tv show of all time after its done, no doubt. It will top The Sopranos, The Wire, Star Trek, Breaking Bad and all other shows people believe is the greatest.

[@Recomification]

the right guys hair is amazing!

[@coolcop17409]

Was the sound recorded with a potato?

[@shebotnov]

ahhh that music makes me want to watch the show, too bad I watched all season 2 times already :(

[@wchurchill419]

well Im in the 10 percent who doesnt know. So can you let me know whos JS's mother is? is it someone I would know from watching the first couple seasons of GOT?

[@polygondon]

I love GRRM. He's super rich now, and still comes on stage wearing that same hat and a wrinkly collared shirt.

[@d3rkaderk4]

George Martin said he wants us to really feel the deaths. It worked, well played sir ;__;

[@Zephyr16]

Someone already answered for me, but you wouldn't have been able to figure it out by watching the show since they have glosses over Lyanna quite a bit. If you read the the books and pay attention to the subtle hints, you can figure it out.

[@REmaster96]

GRRM has outline notes with a close friend that tell the general idea of how the series is going to end, the answers to many long awaited questions, etc. in case he does die. Of course, the books still wouldn't be as good without him actually writing them.

[@SineOccasu]

I don't know. If they split up book three into two seasons, they could easily do that for 4 and 5 adding 4 seasons/years. In fact, the show has not done the scope of the books justice by trying to cram so much into 10 shows a season IMO.

[@bluecentauro1]

The volume it's really low :(

[@NoOne00]

Yeah but come on in season 1 they mentioned her a lot, I mean Robert and Ned talked about her, Cersei and Robert too, and she was mentioned by Cersei to Ned, which is a lot of talk about a dead character in a show

[@Spiresbeyond]

You know, I normally hate giving spoilers..but I'm really tempted to tell you absolutely everything that happens...

[@bobsbigboy_]

During what season was this?

[@cher7007]

turn up the volume.

[@TehZeelah]

I see your point,but there's no doubt that fiction,especially fiction such as A Song Of Ice And Fire,is very good for expanding you imagination and changing from linear thinking to trying for different outlooks on everything

[@xdir]

Damn you for making me second guess myself!!! I had to watch again @05:25, it is mother not parents.

[@Kyle120212XD]

3:50 *3 years later*

[@FreakieFan]

5 years later...

[@jcarrwrestling]

6 years later...

[@abdin42]

when does he talk about the winds of winter??

[@ElfenLied5891]

Ned never outright lied about John. He tells Catelyn that he is of his blood (look it up in the first book), which is another hint that his isn't actually his son. And it has nothing to do with trust, he promised he wouldn't tell to his dying sister and he honored that promise despite the price he knew he had to pay.

[@MrWhooy]

Well that is so well-argued, I don't even know what to say.

[@cher7007]

who is john snow's mother? I still can't be completely sure.

[@Inediblehulk]

I wonder if someone from the heyday of Hadrian's Wall would be more impressed by a 700-foot version made of ice, or by moving pictures of that version on a smaller-than-average computer screen.

[@theestgeorge]

"What is wet, may never dry"

[@Dreadnaught1985]

I am worried you may not get this... but I'm gonna try. Making a movie or a show has constraints. Technology, actors, budgets and time. But books, have no such constraints, the only constraint is the readers imagination. When you read a scene from a book and you're really involved you develop your own environment in your head which is intensely personalized. You see, hear and experience the scenes without restriction of films/shows have. Find a book, experience it, don't just skim the words.

[@MilosJanic52]

This ultrawide stereo effect is making my head hurt.

[@Rishav532]

But the point where he says.. "we looked at each other and we ventured an answer".... Ned says that his mother was someone called Wylla but that wouldn't have been something to fuss about ..

[@GDProduktions]

In a way, yes. I'm a huge fan of the book, major fanboy, and it saddens me to see people lauding this show as being so great. The books are amazingly fantastic, and are far better than this show could ever be. I suppose i'm angry that I can't have things my way and have a perfect rendition of the books as a show. That being said, I just want people to read the books, and recognize their greatness.

[@FreakySunshinex]

Furthermore, reading a fictional story requires a level of empathy that you won't ever need in 'useful' works like science. Some people may find this a useless asset to train but I believe it is vital in understanding (and getting along with) the world around you. Lastly, it is not because something is not based upon real facts that it cannot put a mind to work. A story may get its reader to ponder about different 'What if?'-situations

[@sillykitty1818]

Why do people keep using the fact that Jon doesn't look like a Targarayen to mean that theory can't be true? Lyanna, who would be his mother, was a STARK, she had brown hair and grey eyes, like Ned and Jon. He simply inherited his mothers traits rather than his fathers. The Targarayens are known for having silver hair and purple eyes (not green) because they married brother to sister, so eventually one trait became common. Rhaegars daughter had dark hair b/c his Wife Elia Martell had dark hair

[@baronroaster404]

Pretty sure it's Lyanna Stark, Ned's sister. And the real father is Rhaegar Targaryen. They got together in the Tower Of Joy. Ned doesn't seem the type to break his wedding vowels.

[@ElfenLied5891]

If George wanted to truly test them he should have asked them who is John's shortest uncle.

[@akenyantune4498]

Dracarys to the sound engineer