‘Game of Thrones’: Original Pilot Was ‘Complete Piece Of S**t’ Say Producers


Game of Thrones is such a well-loved show, one of the most popular on TV, but Vanity Fair reports that the showrunners have fessed up about the original pilot and how horrible it was. While David Benioff and Dan Weiss have spoken in the past about how bad the original pilot was, they have now opened up in an interview with Craig Mazin and John August and revealed why it was so bad. Apparently, Mazin saw the original pilot and Weiss said it was painful to watch Weiss and others watch the pilot.

“Watching them watch that original pilot was one of the most painful experiences of my life. As soon as it finished, Craig [Mazin] said, ‘You guys have a massive problem.’ “

Time reports that Benioff revealed one of the biggest problems was no one realized Jamie and Cersei were brother and sister.

“None of (our friends) realized that Jaime and Cersei were brother and sister.”

According to Vanity Fair, Mazin told Weiss to “Change everything.” And that was no small feat. Tom McCarthy, director of the original pilot, spoke about the changes.

“I turned in an early cut, and they had to recast, and I think they rethought… You know, they’re taking on this huge book, and they rethought how to get into it and how to set it up. They had to change some locations, and they did quite a bit of work on it since I left. I’d like to think I had some impact on it, but I don’t think much of that is mine anymore.”

Indeed, the pilot that aired and the second episode were directed by Timothy Van Patten. As for Mazin’s opinion on the changes made to the pilot, he thinks they worked a miracle.

“I will never forget being invited to the premiere of the first season. I went in just thinking (skeptically), ‘Well, I guess we’ll just see how this goes.’ I sat there and this show unfolds and I am stunned. Stunned. And I very specifically remember walking out and I said to [Weiss and Benioff], ‘That is the biggest rescue in Hollywood history.’ Because it wasn’t just that they had saved something bad and turned it really good. You had saved a complete piece of s**t and turned it into something brilliant. That never happens!”

The working dynamic between Weiss and Benioff is one of long friendship and many projects together.

Benioff puts it bluntly, but with humor.

“I think in the 20-something years that I have known Dan, I think he’s threatened to kill me while drunk at least three times. And not in a joke-y way, but like, ‘I will beat your skull in.’ And the next day I always tell him, ‘Dude, you threatened to kill me last night,’ and he never remembers.”

Of course, now Game of Thrones in about to air Season 6 and it is a very exciting time for cast, crew, and fans. E! News caught up with Emilia Clarke (who plays Daenerys Targaryen) at the Screen Actors Guild Awards and she said that Season 6 nearly killed them.

“Legitimately, this season almost killed us. Like, it is epic. Like, it’s huge. It’s insane. It’s silly.”

Kit Harrington (who plays Jon Snow) was also at the SAG Awards, but didn’t speak with reporters. However, Sophie Turner took some time to speak with E! News, and she revealed it will be a big year for her character, Sansa Stark.

“It’s a big year for her.”

It’s a big year for everyone, including fans who are waiting for the Season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones on April 24.

[Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images]

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