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Korppi on 12 June 2013
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Jay520 said:

I can't understand the notion that the TV show is bad or ruins the books, simply because the plot differs from the plot of the books. I understand the want for the TV show to be an exact replica of the books, but these are two different mediums. The differences are inevitable.

And even if the show saw some changes which weren't necessary, that's still no reason to grow upset. The show can still be enjoyable even with a different plot. It also doesn't mean the books are somehow ruined. The books still exist in their original form available for anyone to read (which is the way the story was meant to be told). So I'm not sure how the TV show can have any negative implications on the quality of the books.

In relation to the books, I think of the TV show as a slightly different, yet enjoyable, experience. Sure the TV show differs, but who cares if it's one of the greatest shows ever made? Even Martin himself said he expects some huge differences, but he's okay with them so long as the show is good and still has the "spirit" of his books.

I agree. I watch the show primarily in order to get a sense of scale that cannot always be accomplished via the written word, and whenever something comes up that I'm not so crazy about, I have no problem simply labeling it as not a part of my personal canon. In turn, when the show does something nice and original (like the conversation between Tywin and Jaime, or Tyrion's speech in Blackwater), I can just as easily consider that a part of my canon.

As to the bolded. Well, Martin still has two books left to write, so I suppose some fans fear that the show might have a (possibly detracting) effect on the books that Martin has yet to write. Of course, there hasn't been anything that drastic yet (except arguably the Talisa/Jeyne Westerling-thing, especially now that Talisa is dead), nothing will change in book 6 just because TV version of Podrick is suddenly a master in the sack, but when asked about the changes made to the TV show in season 3, George himself said in an interview that seemingly small changes in season 1 will obviously result in more and greater changes as the show goes on, so I don't think it's completely unreasonable to fear that A) the book series and the TV show drift very far apart from each other, or B) one of them will have to conform to the other, most likely in a way that doesn't quite feel consistent with the direction that the series has been going in up to that point.

Of course, that is but some pessimistic guesswork, and not something I entirely agree with. All I'm saying is that I think I understand where some of the complaints are coming from.