Game of Thrones (2011-2019)

WELL-WRITTEN EPIC TO A POINT OF NO RETURN

The major insight of an epic fantasy TV-series like Game of Thrones is that it feeds shock and despair. To engrave and make headlines. It has worked well to a certain point, then there is no returning back.

I’ve embraced this show a third part of my life. Even in its rushed and anticlimactic state, it has moments that defined my youth and it’s very weird to be part of a show, so popular and so good comes to an end with a result like this. This, from its own core of storytelling, has managed what very few series have managed to do it usually always has build-up and a maintain them each season.

Even in season 1, we got to know an honorable family, who would late get through trauma for each of the characters. Ned, who was first introduced as the lead got beheaded in the first season, episode nine. The second part of the season did really foreshadow the true nature of each character on how they wound up in the final episode.

The second season is stable and showcased the identity to some new character that has a big role to play in the wars to come. Most of these characters die brutally, one by one. It’s not the best season but overall, it still has the essence that Game of Thrones has achieved along the years. It has also some notable moments that put a spin to the season after.

The real turning point happened in the third one. A lot of major things that affected the rest of the series, underlined everything after. It was the major scenes that caused the outcome, even in the two final seasons. With the big climax on the Red Wedding, this provided a big turning point. Thus far, Jaime lost his hand, the Starks children lost their father Ned Stark – dramatically played by Sean Bean. The newcomers from season two – the Baratheon furnished the upcoming seasons, with Margaery and her grandma Olenna rise to the top.  They were all so ever clever until they got killed in season six and seven respective.

Tyrion has a clear scar across his face, Daenerys dragon is bigger by now. This is the ultimate season, for the turning points even though it feels rather low-key. Especially with everything surround the Starks and beyond the Wall. As Robb Stark and Catelyn Stark gets brutally killed as a guest on the Red Wedding, this gives a different perspective on this series. This is the first season where the budget itself has increased along with all the audiences. It’s about to get mainstream and global. Everything that happens, every episode. The whole world is watching and gives feedback.

Then along came season four, five and six. Number four is very one-tracked. The complexity of all the characters is almost kept to a minimum. The major part of this season is the outcome of the Purple Wedding, the Wall with Jon Snow and Bran Starks journey. And of course, all other stories like Arya’s journey with the Hound.

The fifth season, they try to make something new and rich with a flashback that is going to foreshadow certain events ahead. It’s the prophecy of Cersei Lannister’s children. One is already dead here – Joffrey Baratheon. Myrcella dies in this season and Tommen in the sixth. The fifth season felt rather unbalanced as it has uneven storylines that don’t engage me as a viewer. It just plots points that I really don’t care about. The Sand Snakes is one of those. But it keeps up by the final third episodes with tight storytelling and extensive events to show the true talent of the series cast and crew. The tenth and final episode of the fifth season is rushed and yet it keeps the audience waiting. Wanting so much more… As it points out – Jon Snow is dead.

For me, the sixth season is where the real Game of Thrones ended. All season wasn’t good, but it was entertaining as hell. Shocking and amusing on how addicted this kind of series can be. A lot of what happens in this season is like an ending. Major characters die in a brutally way. Major battles are unfolding and so many secrets are revealed as well. This is the true ending. Cause the writer and showrunner of the show, D.B Weiss and David Benioff, has not more to give after this season. This is the final season, where it has ten hours – season. Ten episodes. One hour each. A lot of things happen in this season, I still considering it one of my own personal favorites. The What the Fuck- episodes don’t happen in the end as the previous ones. It happens almost from the beginning. Many truths are revealed, and the tempo is higher. It’s like a climactic season, just what it was needed, right. Wrong!

Apparently, they have to more stories to tell, maybe it’s because of the complex storylines. The seventh and the season eight. Thirteen episodes to conclude it all. One released 2017 and the final in 2019.  For a month ago. The seventh season had a good moment, but it wasn’t nearly close how they told these stories before. It’s empty. Hollowed and rushed storytelling. Is it symptoms of hubris? Maybe. They can’t tell it properly anymore. They have millions of people of the audiences and they do this… They show you that they do it care about this anymore… A season and is it worth it?

Eight season and final one releases. Dark images, modern cup in scenes, failed dialogue, empty performance and arrogance in character development. This is just facts. Two years and this is what they have showcased in six lazy written episodes. One worse after the other. It just didn’t awake a conflict from the audience. The fans. But it also shows the showrunner, the ones that made this series possible back in 2011, they can’t write their own content whatsoever. Adapting a story is a responsibility that they did not complete.

The thing is also, I’ve followed this show for a long time. I was one of the first that kept waiting every week for episodes. And as I been with these characters for so long and rewatch every season multiple time, it’s a disgrace what this show has turned out to be. Waiting two years was maybe not their problems but the storytelling was. They didn’t need it. They didn’t need to wait two years. And as it took a break from the show, something happened, since the writing decreased major in quality. By the end, it was deemed to be a failure. Killing characters, fan-favorite characters in a mocking way, is just wrong and an error manner.

The visual along the series has been good, the practical effects have given this middle-age series a touch of realism. It relied very much on the characters and the actors to make it right. To make it fit. Then they don’t. They don’t really appreciate the characters by the end thus the visual to make it give the feeling. The right feeling that was needed.

I used to love this show; I still do but just less. The best part of this series was just the soundtrack by Ramin Djawadi the intrigue, the rich and dynamic characters and worlds, the shocking events that occurred during its best run intertwined with a complex story structure. I appreciate although this journey, the interaction from fans and the ambition from the makers of the show. The hubris got overhand. Nonchalance and laziness in writing and production.

I’ll still rewatch it but it will just never be the same again.