I saw a few of the season one episodes at a friend's house (I didn't have HBO back then) and just haven't felt compelled to pick it up now that I do have it.

Meanwhile, Winter is Coming is posting positive spec about the greenlighting of Game of Thrones:

A commenter that goes by Belfaster (from Belfast, natch) has stated that HBO is moving forward on set construction and the like and that it appears they have given the green light to Game of Thrones.

> I can confirm without reveling sources, that the pilot has been given the green light, due to HBO activities in Belfast, booking items and services for the next several years.

Services that tie in with the set construction(s), they have been asked for a quote for the next year, invoice has been sent, payment has been made. It is happening folks, and it is killing me that I cannot tell you how I know this and what I have seen. I promise, as soon as they announce, I’ll spill. But they are taking their time doing it, I know they have already approved the pilot, and are already getting things in motion for a first season shoot !

HBO, for their part, has not made anything official yet. A little earlier today they tweeted this in response to a fan asking about the status on Thrones.

> No news yet on Game of Thrones. As soon as there’s official word it will be announced here and on Facebook. Promise.

Winter Is Coming: The rumors continue to swirl. Where there is smoke there is fire though, right? Also notice the phrasing used by HBO in their tweet, “as soon as there’s official word” not “if there’s official word.” Certainly sounds like a decision has already been made and we’re just waiting for the official announcement. Of course, I may just be reading too much into a Twitter post from someone who has nothing to do with green lighting anything. In any event, with March only one day away, we shouldn’t have to wait too much longer for confirmation.

Big Love is way wacky this season, but I'm enjoying it thoroughly. I really liked Bill getting backed into saying that a man having to share his wife was just wrong. The whole casino-lobbyist storyline I could do without, though it's nice to see Barb developing a relationship with the guy she works with and being competent. Nicki continues to just be fascinating. The whole bird smuggling things I could have done without, also, though I like the surviving twin who I guess is married to Bill's father now? I can't figure out what's going on with the people from Kansas and Nicki's mother, I'm hoping that'll be good. It's at least interesting, so far.

Running for office is pretty crazy. I feel like if Bill wins and goes public, they'll be too alternate universe to just be a drama...

Game of Thrones ordered to series.

Shooting starts in June - 10 episodes.

Still from the opening scene of the pilot.

Woo! I can't imagine how they will fit a substantial portion of the story into 10 episodes, but woo!

I can't see the still image. Never mind, I got to it.

The still is also on Mo's blog.

From the Wall Street Journal:

Meanwhile, Starz has acquired the U.S. rights to “The Pillars of the Earth,” a $40 million, eight-hour epic set in 12th century England and based on the 1989 novel by Ken Follett (and 2007 Oprah Book Club pick). The series stars Ian McShane (of “Deadwood” fame), as well as Rufus Sewell, Matthew Macfadyen, Sarah Parish, Alison Pill and Donald Sutherland. The epic, which was co-produced by directors’ Ridley and Tony Scott’s Scott Free Films, will begin airing this July.

(But is The Pillars of the Earth fantasy? Isn't it historical fiction?)

I believe so, not that I read it all. It bored me and the rape survivor's enthusiastic orgasm with her True Love!1 pissed me off.

The storyline I have really liked from this season of Big Love is Albie and the auditor. Well, liked is not really right, but it made me feel so sorry for the auditor and made Albie's weirdness a little more understandable. Also, Nicki losing her faith has been interesting.

All of the external stuff - the casino in general, the protests and lobbyist specifically (though Sissy Spacek is great, the storyline is just not necessary), pretty mich everything having to do with the campaign (though it does seem like an in character thing for Bill to do, he is grand gesture all-or-nothing guy), they keep piling on stuff happening to these people when what is really interesting is just the relationships they have without the outside stressors. Anna telling Barb that the baby was conceived before she married Bill, Bill telling Anna that sharing a wife with another man would be unnatural, Nicki saying she loves Bill as if that's a shocking revelation - those are all fascinating moments. Looking at a bigger picture, or whatever they are trying to do with the other stories seems like a mistake to me.

I'm waiting for Big Love to end so I can watch it all at once. Tim Goodman (SF Chronicle) said something about it coming unglued this year also. I can't wait to see it! and am skipping & skimming your posts to stay relatively unspoiled.

oh, please report back. This season is bananas.