Feb 4, 2009
Episode 20: A Shocking Lack of Knowledge
Episode 20 for the week of February 1st, in which we bring back more shit-talk and politically incorrect topics into your lives after an unplanned hiatus. This week, we cover chapters 36-40 of A Game of Thrones, respond to recent criticism, and coax Ashley 2 into complaining about the ASOIAF Calendar disaster. No cats were sexually harmed in the recording of this episode.
59 Comments, Comment or Ping
ben
YAY! I was worried, even with your reassurances.
Feb 4th, 2009
Ashley 2
Cruel… you are so cruel to me.
Feb 4th, 2009
Brianna
I know what Ashly 2 means. I got the limited calander too along with the Jon Snow print and they came late too.
You all have grown as a podcast and…well you know that I love you all.
A Phantom or the Opera cross over with asoiaf would be cool! Sandor would have someone to relate with.
Mimi has a point that things should not be taken out of the books. For example the relationship between Jaime and his sister is eww in the real world but when people are reading the book it is alot less eww.
Why don’t you do a shipping episode for valentine’s day? Talk about what you all think about diffrent pairings, Girls night out x2 would be great too.
can’t wait for next episode.
Feb 5th, 2009
DocBean
Here is some constructive criticism. Don’t spend the first 15 minutes of your episode talking about how people don’t like your podcast, and how that makes you feel.
Take all of that with a grain of salt and move on, complaining about hate mail is just a waste of time, and doesn’t do much for the people that actually do like the podcast.
Self-deprivation isn’t the best way to win over your critics either. So please stop saying that you don’t have good knowledge of the series; and please stop bringing up your successes and failures of past episodes – no one cares about any episode but the one they’re listening to.
Just prepare something for each episode, record each episode, get them out on a semi-regular basis, and people will respond well.
Feb 5th, 2009
A Podcast of Ice and Fire
we actually do get really great responses and an awesome listener base. we just thought it would be funny to highlight the only negative feedback we’ve gotten. if we took the criticism seriously, i think we would do a lot more to strengthen our podcast than sit around and talk shit for 15 minutes. i hope you do realize we were mostly giggling our way through it.
but i hear you- that segment was supposed to get cut but my audacity kept crashing. we normally remove any talk we have about feedback that doesn’t directly correlate or contribute. and most likely will continue to do so in future episodes.
also i think you meant self-degradation. here at the podcast of ice and fire, we don’t deprive ourselves of anything! except dignity.
Feb 5th, 2009
DocBean
yeah, degradation sorry, I should have read it before posting. I’m used to editing after I’ve posted and read them. So, I just type and post, type and post, tipe and post………..
Feb 6th, 2009
Daniel
Or maybe it’s self-deprecating.
As for the show, I really like the irreverent, off-the-wall humor. It would be nice to get episodes more often, but what are you going to do. It’s a passion project by the podcasters, so I can’t begrudge them for the wait.
Feb 19th, 2009
Egon
Chase got shot? Mimi turned tricks?
Feb 5th, 2009
DocBean
gotta say, the Chipmunks at the end……… classic.
nice touch.
Feb 5th, 2009
Brianna
I agree
Feb 5th, 2009
Daniel W
omg calendars!
Feb 9th, 2009
Tifffany
There is so much going on in the series. So many plot lines, settings, schemes and double crosses on top of the history and the different POV’s of the characters, that at times it can be easy to cross things up. You don’t have to a perfect memory of a book to discuss your impressions of it or how much you enjoy it.
What I love about this podcast is that it is just a bunch of regular people who really enjoy the series but can sit around and chat about it the way you have a normal conversation with friends. I really enjoy when you go off topic, I mean really how long can you sit with people and only discuss one relevant subject? I still laugh my ass off whenever I think about the hobbit porn pictures!
I used to work in a used book store and the weirdest crossover I ever saw was a Star Trek the Next Generation meets the X-men book. WTF? But thinking along those lines I bet a SOIAF meets Terminator fiction would be the best way to finish the series up. How much you wanna bet Sarah Connor is Jon Snow’s mom?
Feb 5th, 2009
Johan
That’s an awsome idea, John Connor and Jon Snow being half brothers. Skynet/Others do really have some similariyies as well. Besides that would strengthen my argument that Thomas Dekker is perfect Jon Snow.
Feb 5th, 2009
Tiffany
You’re so right! Thomas Dekker would make a fantastic Jon Snow!
Feb 6th, 2009
Derek
Yes! I love the introduction…..and btw, I do like your podcast, I just thought it would be funny as hell to Littlefinger you.
Great job, and thanks again for talking about me for about 10 minutes 🙂
Feb 5th, 2009
Derek
Oh and at that time, I had listened to 1 and 19, to see how u changed over time
Feb 5th, 2009
Johan
To be honest, I don’t find you to have improved at all during this time, quite the reverse <.<, but that doesn’t change the fact I love your guts and that this podcast is awsome, and I’m really glad and relived you came back from the dead.
Oh and random thing that does not really have anytjing with to do with Asoiaf but since Mimi brought it up I can’t help myself, 6 weeks of maternity leave sucks, shows how strange America is sometimes. Here in Sweden parents get a whole year of from work when they mate.
Oh and I want one of those Manwoody T-shirts
Feb 5th, 2009
Daniel W
This calls for celebration! Hoozah!
Feb 5th, 2009
DocBean
I have a question, Could you guys jump off track every few episodes, and make a Topic Episode rather then just going thru the reread?
Sometimes the reread gets boring, and I feel like a lot of times some of you only read the summaries and don’t really reread the chapters. Which let’s face it, after reading this series a few times, most of those chapters in the first book don’t mean much anymore, so I don’t blame you.
I’d love to suggest some alternatives, but can’t think of any right now.
Maybe an episode devoted to individual characters, or theories, or 7 Kingdom history, or Dunk and Egg, or who killed Asmodean, or who or what is Coldhands, or maybe an entire episode devoted to crappy cover art……. ah hell, nevermind.
Feb 6th, 2009
PestilencE
I agree with this. If I had to suggest a topic, it would be a discussion of some other popular fantasy pieces, and how they compare to asoiaf.
Feb 6th, 2009
DocBean
Oh, march is coming up, How about a March Madness episode.
Match up some SOIaF Warriors and vote for a winner. It’s been done on the forums, but not on the podcast. You’d have to mix up the combatants a bit to get a new outcome, but it could be fun. It’s all about the matchups, Sandor could beat Gregor, but Robert in his prime could beat Sandor, and Gregor could beat Robert.
Mostly I’d like to hear the catfight when the Khal and Sandor match up.
Feb 6th, 2009
Anonymous
How about ASoIaF meets Monty Python and the Holy Grail? The Black Knight at the bridge vs. Ser Gregor. Loras and Renly saving the prince who didn’t want to get married? Nedd Stark facing the perilous perils? The French guys in the castle harshly taunting Stannis? Beric Dondarion as the old man who isn’t dead yet?
Feb 6th, 2009
Slurpee_E
Welcome back.
Was Amin on another date? Somebody has got to tell him to give the women of Canada a rest and focus on podcasting.
Feb 6th, 2009
Chase
That would be selfish of us. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
Feb 6th, 2009
Aaron
Not that I tend to contribute a lot besides dick and fart jokes, but if anyone was wondering, I left this episode early when my girlfriend didn’t realize when I said “we’re gonna be recording tonight” that I meant “we’re gonna be recording tonight”.
I’m gone next episode too. Too busy being depressed about not being able to get a job to get my shit together.
Feb 6th, 2009
Brianna
aww your fun to listen to. I’ll miss you next episode.
Feb 6th, 2009
John
For those of you who don’t mind being spoiled, the full pilot script has been leaked on a blog called “TV Calling”!! Check out the Winter is Coming Blog for the link to the pdf of the script.
Feb 7th, 2009
A Podcast of Ice and Fire
look forward to a podcast episode dedicated to it.
Feb 7th, 2009
Slurpee_E
I think a ’20s radio style dramatic reading complete with live sound effects would be awesome. I have a creaking door I could open at appropriate times.
Feb 8th, 2009
Harlan Stone
I’ve read some pages. Interesting stuff, also because I’ve never seen a script before. But I found the opening scenes with Waymar, Will and Gared severely lacking.
Feb 8th, 2009
oxmix
“No, with a cross bow,” is a funnier line than anything is SOIAF.
Feb 9th, 2009
John
Good call oxmix. I must confess, it took me a while to recover from that line.
Feb 12th, 2009
Justin
Good podcast guys! Don’t worry too much about the naysayers, they’re just jealous ’cause they don’t have any friends to podcast with.
I think you all have made progress in the past almost year, and with the addition of Chase and Nancy and the others, it has gotten better over time. People are still listening and commenting, so you’re doing something right!
I would like to suggest a little bit more structure and preparation as far as the chapter reviews go, just to keep the flow and the pacing to go smoother. I don’t mind when you guys go off-topic and bring in the latter books in the discussion, and I like when you all are able to tie in the story as a whole to things that are happening in the current re-read chapter. But there are times when you all get off the topic of the off topic and the discussion tends to drag at that point. And it’s not like the off topic conversation isn’t interesting in it’s own right, I just think that it slows the podcast down.
Anyways, that’s my little suggestion (that I make out of love of your podcast) and it’s not like I’m going to stop listening to you guys as I enjoy the series and this podcast. Keep it up!
Feb 9th, 2009
John
Hey guys,
Not sure if you’re still keen on the idea of addressing a crackpot theory every episode, but if you are, an interesting one has been posted over at the Westeros forums:
http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?showtopic=34362
Basically, the theory holds that the Faceless Men are in league with the Others, they are trying to use the dragons to destroy the Wall (and hence let the Others through) and that Varys is a Faceless Man who has now stolen Qyburn’s identity!!
It takes a while to read, but it’s well worth it because it ties lots of plot lines together quite nicely.
Feb 12th, 2009
Anonymous
Just a general ASOS question….When Brienne and Jaime are attacked by the archers whilst on their way to King’s Landing, Briennne is pierced with an arrow in her back and then one in her leg. After that she and Jaime start fighting in the stream and the bloody mummers catch them. What happened to the arrows? I cannot recall anymore comments about them or the wounds.
Feb 13th, 2009
Christian
If I’m not mistake Qyburn happened. 🙂
Feb 19th, 2009
Christian
That sounds like a great catch phrase. Eh, Qyburn happens. 😉
Feb 19th, 2009
Anonymous
Qyburn is quite creepy!
Feb 19th, 2009
John
Well, GRRM has finally given us an ADWD update (although the update was posted on Not a Blog rather than the ASOIAF updates section of his website). Here it is:
I am trying to finish the book by June [2009]. I think I can do that. If I do, A DANCE WITH DRAGONS will likely be published in September or October.
BTW, George is not happy with the criticism that has come his way lately. Especially, it seems, from blogs like “Finish the Book, George”. I don’t blame him really.
Feb 19th, 2009
Chase
We have a rule against trash talking George. That is the only reason I’ll withhold my comments on that. 🙂
Feb 20th, 2009
Chase
They. They have a rule. I’d like to break that rule.
Feb 20th, 2009
mimi
i’ve seen what you’ve had to say in the somethingawful book barn.
and i would just like to state that i think i might die laughing.
Feb 22nd, 2009
John
More news on the HBO front. Dave Benioff has been quoted (in an interview with Swedish media!!) as saying that filming for the Game of Thrones pilot will commence in Ireland in October of this year. No news on casting yet.
Mar 3rd, 2009
Chase
So that’s still at least a year or more away. And to think waiting for A Dance With Dragons was hard enough.
Mar 3rd, 2009
jude
After listening to this for the second time since its release, I finally remember everything I wanted to say. First off, thanks for the first episode of 2009. I thought it was kind of great of you to trash talk the jerks that left those hilarious insults (if they can even be called that).
Other than Tyrion the Catcher, this really was one of my favorite episodes. Ashley’s calendar rant at the end was especially awesome. I look forward to this every month, but (constructive criticism following) I wouldn’t say that the podcast has improved. It’s not the shocking lack of knowledge, or you guys at all, but really, the episodes have been severely lacking in substance ever since you started the chapter re-reads. The first eight or so episodes about specific topics were great, as you guys were free to delve deeper into issues that you (and we) found interesting. The tangents didn’t matter, because they didn’t take away from the overall quality of the discussions. Chapter re-reads really make that kind of impossible, since there isn’t enough going on in a single chapter to make that big of an impact on one character’s storyline, or any given subject worth talking about.
Also, you guys actually seem pretty bored of going over every chapter, if I’m not wrong to say so. Sometimes you only go over the summary of a slower chapter, without discussing it (because there isn’t much to say) which then leads to tangents. I would seriously consider just forgetting about re-reading the chapters chronologically, and devote each episode to following a single character’s plotline throughout the book you’re on. That way you can flesh out everything that you want to say about that character without being restricted to one chapter, and no one will get pissed that you’re jumping ahead in the plot.
Anyway, there were some great things brought up in this episode. Chase totally voiced my opinion about the Others being more than just embodiments of evil. Not that I see them opening up any soup kitchens, but I’ve always thought of them as undead creatures of sorts, forever doomed to walk the cold, dead earth. Maybe they have to kill humans in order to make survival a little less painful, because wouldn’t it be interesting if once they turned into Others, they couldn’t die? I think it all has to do with Hell freezing over, or something. I think it’s important that they don’t ever go south, because they have to stay cold – and don’t they only kill those who come into their territory?
As for the “teams”, lol, I really don’t think it matters who the hell rules the Seven Kingdoms. I mean, with the Others coming and Melisandre (that bitch is scary) and dragons and whatnot, who really cares about a chair made out of swords? Anyone who cares is stupid, because I’m on team Jon/Tyrion. That’s right, the two of them are gonna meet up and save the world. Or destroy it. Together. If I *had* to choose someone to sit on the Throne, I’d be ok with any of the Greyjoys. Hell, even Stannis might actually do a good job.
Also, please let us know if your next episode is going to be covering the leaked pilot script. As much as I’d love to hear you guys rant and laugh, I don’t want to be spoiled.
Mar 4th, 2009
Amy
Mimi spoke a lot of sense this episode – mostly about Theon and Jaime. A little part of me hates him all over again when I read that KL bit.
And while I’m against domestic violence (obviously), Robert hitting Cersei is both encouraged and condoned.
Good podcast, though. Funny. Long. It’s all it takes to please me.. Although I don’t know how Chase can casually mention getting shot and not elaborate. That’s just crazy.
Mar 4th, 2009
Chase
It happened a long time ago… and I thought that would be edited out!
Mar 10th, 2009
Anonymous
Guys? We miss you! Come back soon….
Mar 10th, 2009
Chase
We’re working some things out behind the scenes. We’ll be back in the studio on the 19th. Sorry for the delay, but I don’t like it any more than you all do!
Mar 10th, 2009
Anonymous
Thanks for the update, Chase. We know you all have lives too. We are just selfish and enjoy listening to you. I just don’t have anyone to discuss the series with around where I live so I enjoy hearing ya’ll
Mar 11th, 2009
Brian
Love the show. Just finished listening to all of them, having recently discovered your podcast. Thought for a future topic…. How do you see/wish the series turns out….
Possible crackpot theroy… Could you talk about the theroy out there about Serio and Jaqen H’ghar being the same person
Mar 11th, 2009
Phil
Firstly, apologies for not having providing more feedback. I’ve listened to all the podcasts from the very beginning and have only made one previous comment.
I really enjoy the way you guys discus the series on the podcast. The podcast is improved by the ‘going off-topic’, the tenuous links relating to pop culture and other idle banter and arguments that you all have together. I think if you stopped the above the subject would be too dry.
If I want detailed and accurately catalogued information about the series, then Tower of the Hand is probably the place I’d go.
My only criticisms are the irregularity of the and speed of downloads for the podcasts. I’ve been really busy at work lately and was looking forward to downloading and listening to 3 or 4 new podcasts but there’s only one.
Anyway, keep up the good work, go off topic and argue more
thanks Phil
Mar 11th, 2009
Daniel
I like jude’s idea above about changing the format to covering a particular POV for the whole book instead of the chapter-by-chapter read-thru. It would allow deeper discussion of the storyline and give each podcast episode a stronger sense of continuity. I think it’s something the podcast crew should consider when they get to ACOK.
Mar 13th, 2009
John
A boarder over at the Westeros forums posted this link, so I thought I would post it over here as well, for any of you who are starved of ASOIAF artwork (BTW Ashley 1, there is some wallpaper here which should be right up your alley….)
N.B. The comics are really average, but the actual portraits are very good (better than Amok’s IMO). The manga-style artwork is not bad either.
http://www.winterfell.altervista.org/img.htm
Mar 13th, 2009
Jordan
There needs to be ASOIAF and LOST mash up, the main characters all get stranded on Quiet Isle and madness insues
Mar 18th, 2009
koinosuke
Pretty awesome episode, but it’s been over a month, guys! Waiting for GRRM is hard enough without going so long without hearing your shining, bickering voices! 😉 Let’s get a new episode, for serious yo.
Mar 18th, 2009
Chase
Keep an eye on this page in the coming days…
Mar 19th, 2009
anon
no offense chase, but my eye is getting tired…
Mar 24th, 2009
rpawson
I’m new to the books and podcast. I’ve finished AFFC and am currently waiting for my paperback of ADWD to arrive.
Man, Mimi went full retard this episode. Was the feedback about the “base delivery and banter” really that upsetting? Or is this just how the OT chatting goes in all the episodes and it gets edited out?
Jul 19th, 2012
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