The CCD Podcast - Episode #54: The Game of Thrones Season Wrap-Up or "Burn/Stab/Behead... The End Of Westeros As We Have Known It!"

'Game of Thrones' has been one of the CCD staff's favorite shows since its inception several years ago. Very rarely has a ensemble drama made so many characters expendable and actually gone through with their killing and tough situations for EVERYONE involved. Literally, no one is safe in the books of George R.R. Martin... and we are coming to find out that they are even less safe within the realm of the HBO TV adaption. Up until this point, the show has, pretty much, stayed in line with the first few books this season,however, took some wild turns that even that hardest hardcore readers of 'The Song of Ice & Fire' books didn't anticipate. HBO has probably come to grips with the fact that Martin may not EVER finish his epic series (we have been waiting on Book 6 in the series since BEFORE the show started, and Season 5 just ended!) If he does, it will be long passed the time in which it will be necessary  info for show adaption purposes. So, it seems HBO will be taking it their own way. But honestly, who can say they saw coming the return of Dothraki...the walk of shame Cersei had to take...the unfortunate situation for Mycella...or even the Night's Watch getting all Julius Caesar with  Jon Snow? Nobody.... and that is what makes this show so great! So jump into Episode #54 of the CCD Podcast with Jedi Rob & the lovely Alicia Gomes and hear their thoughts on the situations stemming from last night's powerful Season 5 finally. Get in there....

The CCD Podcast: Episode #7 - The Game of Thrones Season 4 Finale & TV Round-Up or You Can't Spell Draper Without RAPE, Even In Westeros!!!

Episode #7 of the CCD Podcast is here, and we are wrapping up some of the biggest shows on TV by discussing their season finales. Jedi Rob, Jeff 'JB' Bond are back in the Nerd Cave... and this time they are bringing our rockin' buddy Joe Milazzo along for the ride!!! It's his first time on the CCD podcast, so make sure you welcome him with open arms! Game of Thrones, Mad Men, Hannibal, Penny Dreadful, and a bunch of other shows make the discussion table this episode. The gang also discusses Khal Drogo's casting as Aquaman in the Superfriends... er, I mean Batman V Superman movie... Robert Englund getting back into his Freddy make up one more time at a convention to raise money to save a drive in movie theater, and even a little bit of nerdy horror related vacation tales courtesy of Jedi Rob & his awesome fiance Alicia! It is one hell of an episode, so make sure you get on board for the ride!

Enjoy the podcast and some additional bits after the jump...

'Peter Dinklage' Are The Only Words One Needs For The Best Game of Thrones Theme Song Ever...

Peter Dinklage has made his mark as Tyrion Lannister on Game of Thrones. He has quickly risen up the ranks as one of the greatest characters in the history of television. His short stature only makes his powerful work that much cooler. This cat commands the screen whenever he is on, and the character is so well written and executed that you can't help but love him even when it may call for you to loathe him. Be as it may, I never thought that loving Tyrion so much would lead me to like... no not like, love... a version of the Game of Thrones theme song composed of just utterances of his name. Yup, this is about as awesome as it sounds. Enjoy this on your Game of Thrones Monday....

A Game of Groans: A Rant by Joe Esq

I tend not to consider myself the typical geek. I AM a geek, no question about it... I can quote Star Wars verbatim, I have an encylclopedic knowledge of 80's toys, TV, movies and music, and I love comic books and wrestling. But I tend to downplay that aspect of my personality to all but those who really know me. I try to stay well rounded and not let my geekiness dominate my personality. And lets face it, when I say I'm not typical, I mean I'm also in great shape, have an active, healthy social life, and girls absolutely ADORE me (no really, they DO). If you were casting the role of a geeky character in a movie, he certainly wouldn't look or act like me, that's for sue. And I admit, I do tend to keep my geeky tendencies a bit closeted sometimes on purpose, because other geeks freak me out a little. I'm also a lawyer, and sometimes, just for fun, I like to take a less popular stance just for the joy of arguing it (and also because being a nudge and pushing people's buttons amuses the hell outta me). So its with a great level of discomfort that I'm forced to say unequivocally that I HATE this season of Game of Thrones. And I hate that I do. I want to love this show. I want to keep giving it the benefit of the doubt because its presenting a genre I love in a medium where more people will see and appreciate it and most of all, I don't want to be the typical geek ranting abouthow STUPID HBO IS WRECKING EVERYTHING HOW DARE THEY CHANGE MY BELOVED NERD NOVELS ROOAAAARRHULKSMASH!! But the fact remains, the writers are just changing too much stuff from the source material and over the course of this season its had an absolutely jarring effect, tearing me right out watching the show and taking a wrecking ball to my ability to enjoy it.

Be forewarned, there are heavy spoilers ahead. Well, for the novels anyway. Lord knows what the producers of the show have planned, but its starting to become obvious to me that TV series is slowly becoming "based on the novels by George R R. Martin" the same way Ghostbusters was based on the 70's TV series with the gorilla.

Click after the jump for more...

And I Said To Myself... What A Wonderful World!!!!

People get attached to the settings in every type of entertainment they consume,whether it is movies, books, video games, comics or anything else. The setting is so key to the background story that it often overshadows a majority of characters in the work, save for the most important characters. I mean, think how much more you remember about Hogwarts as opposed to the literally 100s of non main characters in the 7 books by J.K Rowling. Or how about the fact that after 20 years I can still remember how to navigate Hyrule when I downloaded Zelda on my Wii, yet forgot ALL of the 8 final bosses names in the game except for level 9 baddie Ganon? The setting can often make the story what it is and be the driving force in a work of fiction. With that being said, this is the most complete map of fantasy lands that I have ever seen. I have not been able to locate the creator of this map (I hate not creating brilliance) but all the links I am finding around the web seem to go back to the I WASTE SO MUCH TIME blog. So check them out cause their blog is cool and seems to be pretty chill. Tell em CCD sent ya! Check out a larger version of the map after the jump and see if you can figure out oall of the locations and what properties they come from... enjoy your trip!!!

Hey World... Meet Woola!!!

I absolutely loved John Carter (check my review a few posts up from this), but the thing that impressed me
the most had to be the portrayal of Woola, John Carter's Calot (lizard dog for all of you guys who didn't read the books). Woola was always one of my favorite parts of the Carter books, probably because of how faithful he is to Carter and how viscous he can be when it's time to attack. Woola also seems to have been the inspiration for the Direwolves in George R.R. Martin's 'A Song Of Ice & Fire', just another in a long line of Carter inspired ideas that dummies will think are ripped off in this movie despite the fact that the Carter books are over 100 YEARS OLD!!! Disney is starting to realize that people like the lightning fast pup, so they are doing some post release marketing to help win some people over. Click after the jump for a cool info graphic and a short clip highlighting the Martian Hound ...

50 Pop Culture Valentines To Share With That Special Someone In Your Life...

So today is Valentines Day, or as some people like to describe it, The Hallmark Holiday. It's just a mad up day in order to sell loads of candy, flowers and greeting cards in order for people to conform and fit the mold they have been told to fit. Well here at CCD we say fuck the norm. Instead of going to your local card shoppe and spending 5 bucks on a card filled with bullshit words and typical heart drawings, we have found 50 great pop culture themed Valentines Day Cards from around the web to share with the person you love and put a smile on their face. Hope these do the trick. So instead of buying a store bought card, print one of these puppies out and you will score some major points with the Pop Culture junkie in your life...

Tyrion Lannister, I Pledge My Allegiance To You FOREVER!!!!

This is why Tyrion Lannister is the coolest character on Game of Thrones. He did what everyone in America and Westeros wanted to do... slapped the shit outta the smug boy king Joffrey. Totally amazing. Now here is 10 MINUTES OF IT!!!!

I can watch that all day. Tyrion Lannister FTW!!!!!

Essential Reading: George R.R. Martin's 'A Game of Thrones'

Article by Kate Jones

Okay, so I just started reading a fantasy series by George R.R. Martin called A Song of Ice and Fire. For this, I would like to thank CCD reader, Owen Masiello, to whom I now owe my first born child, though I was thinking we could just make some sort of marriage pact between our kids someday in AGOT fashion. Anyway, totally and completely amazing! The first book, “A Game of Thrones,” was so completely awesome that I started reading “A Clash of Kings” immediately after finishing book 1. They are pretty long, and because of stupid work and blogging (you can’t see my pouty face, people, but I promise you, it is there) its taking me a little longer to get through them then my usual speed reading session. Regardless, I think all of you should pick these up. If the sheer awesomeness of these tomes isn’t reason enough, Mike D. informed me that A Game of Thrones is being made into an HBO series that will air in 2011! Also, it looks like production will cost LOTS of money, a la Rome, meaning it should be visually stunning. I imagine Braveheart like scenery and lots and lots of castles!

Still not convinced? How about one of the stars being Sean Bean, or Boromir from The Fellowship of the Ring and numerous other Sci-Fi/ Fantasy movies. He will be playing Lord Eddard Stark. Another star, Peter Dinklage, played the “angry little elf” in Will Ferrell’s Elf and will now be playing, The Imp, Tyrion Lannister.