I believe he was expecting a better trasnsition to television.
Strange. I've not read GoT but the 5 episodes have been brilliant so far. In fact each episode has surpassed the last and that's a sign of a great TV show.
Ep 5 was fantastic. I think it's shaping up to be one of HBO's best, which is no easy task given their past and present levels of consistancy.
So if the TV show doesn't do the books justice, then I must be in for one hell of a treat.
Perhaps shows like 24, where there's lots of action and violence would be best suited for your friend. And I mean that in the nicest possible way. HBO series isnt' for everyone. I think you'd cringe at watching something like Deadwood. Which is, in my opinion, too good for the modern audience.