The Guardian’s John Crace has reviewed Episode 1 of Series 2 of Game of Thrones. I don’t think he liked it. Said he couldn’t follow it. It might have helped if he had watched Series 1 first.
I can’t do better than quote a superb put-down of his review by ‘Little waster’ on the Bad Scence forum:
Synopsis: Didn’t bother to watch the first season, didn’t bother to check out the back story, watched the first episode of the second season, didn’t understand what was going on therefore it must be rubbish. PS I thought this was fantasy why wasn’t there hobbits casting magic spells at wargs? PPS my daughter also didn’t watch the first season as she also didn’t understand it therefore that proves this is rubbish!!!!! Oh look at the lovely page hits.
Little waster’s review of that article: John Crace has a dreadful writing style, turgid metaphor follows turgid metaphor as his prose drops to the ground like leaden shot, incapable of original thought he just churns out the same old stereotypes masquerading as intelligent insight. Haven’t bothered to read anything else he has wrote but imagine it’s all much the same. Avoid. 0/5.
This critic lark is a piece of piss.
I would just add that Crace is showing a typical chattering class contempt for what he calls “sci fi fantasy”. He just assumed that as it was fantasy it must involve dwarves, wizards casting fireballs and a simplistic plot. It could not possibly have a many stranded multi-layered plot driven by the desires and actions of well-realised characters. That would be proper drama, not skiffy fantasy!
I would also take issue with his contention that you have to read the books to understand it. I watched Series 1 without having read any of the books (though I am now remedying that omission). Furthermore, if a novel sells 100,000 copies it is on the best seller list. Get 100,000 people watching an episode of a tv series and the writers will be lucky if a second episode is broadcast, let alone a second series. Plainly, many people have watched and enjoyed Game of Thrones without having read the books. They just watched from the beginning and didn’t bring any assumptions or arrogance.
Tags: Game of Thrones, misconceptions about fantasy, reviewers, Songs of Ice and Fire
Alternaties Corporation 
April 4, 2012 at 5:26 pm |
An American writer just watched the first episode of the Second Season — got hooked and watched the rest.
So maybe it’s just poor John.
June 12, 2013 at 2:12 am |
Some were as confused as I when I read War and Peace, but I didn’t start on chapter six. My oh my how sacriligous…GOT will convert him soon, compellingly unstoppable good storytelling, like trying not to breathe.