Episode 33: The Crooked Wang Theory
Episode 33 for the week of December 20th, in which we end the podcasting hiatus with a triumphant return to verbally abusing Chase! In this episode, we discuss the casting and developments of the HBO series, dissect the behind-the-scenes trailer, and laugh at this picture of Hot Pie for a while. Kyle guest hosts this week. Stay tuned at the end for some after show discussions behind the creaking door.
Shout out to the following listeners: Raymond, Brian + Jared, Sarah, Apocalypse Dan, Christina, Jane, Matthew, Sebastian, Tim, Travis, and Dr. Perlmutter. Thanks for the fantastic audio introductions, we’d be thrilled to have each and every one of you on the show as a guest host, or possibly permanent recurring member (depending on your schedule). We’ll be getting in touch with you soon to collect your Skype username and availability (or if you want, leave a comment on this post).
27 Comments, Comment or Ping
Chase
Mimi, did I ever tell you you’re the reason I drink?
Dec 21st, 2010
Kyle
Wow that was fast.
Dec 21st, 2010
About Yea High
Y’all are on point with regard to Ned “Boromir Lives” Stark. I think the look is too close. I’m bracing myself for some laughter.
And Chase is right: the Baratheon hair is pretty fucking important. It’s not Jon looking slightly meshugenah–it’s a plot point. Why nobody else gets that I have no idea.
But you bitches are way, way off regarding Michelle Fairley as Catelyn. Catelyn spends all of ONE episode not out-of-her-mind with some sort of worry, which is the first episode. The rest of the time–the entire series through her demise in book three–she’s supposed to look like halfway haggard shit. Tired, worrisome, all that. (But with good Tully posture.) Fairley is EXACTLY that.
And Littlefinger is not lusting after her. He USED to lust after her. That dude’s seen the light and he’s after her freaking daughter now.
FaBio
Dec 22nd, 2010
mimi
FaBio,
i think it really depends on how benioff and weiss interpret the crux of the matter. of course, in martin genetics, the black hair is the dominant allele; the gold yielding before the coal, or whatever. which is why he points out that robert’s bastards’ mothers all had hair of various colors. i think their disregard of black hair in the show, however, indicates a shift in focus to the lannister gene for blonde hair. perhaps, “if it’s blonde it’s lannister” is a more simplistic message to convey than “if it’s not black then it’s not baratheon.” this made sense in my head while i was typing it. it does surprise me though, when reading the making of blog about the level of detail in producing the series. they note that they spent hours deciding what text to include in a book that would only be onscreen for mere seconds. however, they completely disregarded major themes of physical characteristics by eschewing the baratheon black hair and the targaryen violet eyes. i’m hoping there’s a good reason behind it.
Dec 22nd, 2010
ranjitb
I’m going to have to go with Martin genetics on this one – it wasn’t just Robert’s bastards after all. Jon Arryn had a whole book (I forget if it has a name or not) in which he was tracing back the history of the noble families, and ALL the Baratheon children ever and ever, even those born in families where the B’s wed Lannisters or Tullys or whoever, had black hair.
I understand where Mimi is coming from, but given the lack of DNA testing in Westeros, they have to build up a pretty strong circumstantial case going back generations to have the three royal heirs declared illegitimate, which is what Arryn and Stannis were working on.
On an off tangent, they had better not go with the crooked wang theory, since what of poor Mya Stone then ?
Dec 24th, 2010
mimi
maybe she’s got one too.
Dec 24th, 2010
ranjitb
Or maybe she causes them in people she sleeps with…
Dec 24th, 2010
A Podcast of Ice and Fire
probably while mychel redfort married someone else. nothing says dealbreaker like a crushed wang.
Dec 24th, 2010
missmollygrue
What’s important about the dark-haired Baratheons isn’t the shade of hair, but that they never produce light-headed children. No blondes, no redheads. I don’t think Brown v. Black matters at all in that context.
What I think is more significant is Jon’s hair, believe it or not. Specifically…I can’t wait to get a flashback scene with Lyanna. The darkness of his hair might be a deliberate red herring to his heritage (on the Targaryen side, if he is Targaryen) and if it is they really don’t want him confused for Robert’s son…which would be inevitable if the Baratheon children all had coal-black hair and so does Jon Snow.
We’re running into a classic novel v. visual medium problem – there are a lot more ways to describe a person’s hair in color, weight, texture than can be distinguishable on screen. And it can be left out of description entirely for minor characters, but do you really want a TV audience that’s stuck thinking that every black-haired stableboy and whore MUST be Robert’s progeny? I think by widening it out to dark v. light they’re avoiding that problem as well.
Dec 22nd, 2010
mimi
FULLY AGREED.
Dec 22nd, 2010
Chase
Harumph!
Dec 22nd, 2010
koinosuke
Great to hear you guys back in action! Just finished my first reread of the series in years, and I’ve actually been listening through the old podcasts to help weather the waiting for DwW/HBOGOT blues. Really is enjoyable stuff. Pretty great hearing you guys talk about whether the show would get picked up and bemoan the lack of the new book… nearly three years ago. Oh god I may have just depressed myself.
Keep it up! Hope to hear you guys again soon.
Dec 22nd, 2010
Sam
This was a great episode. Oh, how I’ve missed you guys
Dec 22nd, 2010
Chris B
Fantastic to have you guys back in the saddle.
I listened to this episode at work and enjoyed it a lot (the show, not work).
Dec 22nd, 2010
Katie
Did a spaz clap when I saw a new episode was up.
Jon looks like he stepped out of a Conquistador movie. He’s my least favorite character in the books though, so the fact that they’re trying something new with him doesn’t bother me.
Keep it up, guys. Bring Kyle back again sometime. 🙂
Dec 23rd, 2010
Kyle
Thanks Katie.
I swear I didn’t pose as Katie and right that.
Dec 25th, 2010
Kyle
write*
Dec 29th, 2010
Jane
YAY FOR A NEW EPISODE!!! Glad to hear you guys are back in action, and still funny.
I sent you guys an audition a few months back and if you are ever in a pinch, I’m glad to fill an empty spot.
Dec 24th, 2010
Amin
Did you get my email about your audition?
Dec 24th, 2010
Jane
No I didn’t. The original e-mail account I sent that audition has been hacked. The e-mail address I used for this post is my most current one.
Jan 4th, 2011
A Podcast of Ice and Fire
I don’t see an email address attached to this post. Drop us a line at iceandfirepodcast@gmail and we can get this straightened out!I’m a big stupid idiot head. There’s your email address, never mind!
Jan 4th, 2011
keith
Glad to see you guys back, thanks for the podcast.
Dec 29th, 2010
A Podcast of Ice and Fire
We’re glad to be back! Thanks for listening!
Dec 29th, 2010
Samantha
I would like the point out how much Mimi loves the actor playing Bran, just as Nancy predicted in the episode Lesbians and Dongs.
Jan 2nd, 2011
new listener
Just some advice for future episodes: Please add a DISCLAIMER at the START of the show that there will be SPOILERS for those that are new to the book series. And if you’re going to do a chapter by chapter review of each book then be organized enough to STAY ON TOPIC and NOT JUMP AHEAD to future events or chapters.
Jan 15th, 2011
Chase
By this point we’ve assumed that all of our listeners have read the books and are well beyond the need for spoiler warnings.
It should also be noted that the sidebar of our website, which appears at the top of every page, explicitly states “Warning: Episodes contain spoilers for all published ASOIAF books, explicit content on par with the series content, and constant references to creaking doors.”
I’ll go ahead and bold that text to add a bit more emphasis. However, it would probably be a good idea to add an additional spoiler warning to the upcoming episodes as there could be a more listeners coming in with the hype of the HBO show.
That said, we are terribly sorry if we’ve spoiled anything for you. We all understand how spoilers can really ruin a person’s enjoyment of something. Unlike my recent first time Harry Potter read (which was heavily spoiled for me), A Song of Ice and Fire spoilers can be pretty brutal and really ruin major plot elements. 🙁
As for staying on topic and not jumping ahead, … that’s not exactly our style, although we are trying to make a more concerted effort to structure our coming episodes.
Jan 16th, 2011
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