Game of Thrones Season 8

[Larry Schuler]

Ouch, wasn't a fan at all of that finale. I guess the one bright spot for me would be the last image of Jon leading the free folk past the wall, as I feel that is the only place he could be happy at this point. But, almost everything else was cringe worthy. The committee of the houses scene where they picked the new king was simply terrible. I felt like even the actors in the scene knew how crappy it was and their performances showed it. The entire show was building to that scene. That garbage scene is how the game of thrones is decided? Honestly, it felt like a parody it was so bad.

I also find it impossible to believe that Grey Worm and the Unsullied would imprison Jon and not off him the minute they found out he killed Dany.

I didn't object to Dany turning mad. But, I object to the way they did it. Very poor execution for the turn. It was like a light switch instead an arc that built and made sense with how her character had developed over years.

There was a drunk guy sitting across from us at a bar a few nights ago who works in TV production who somehow nailed the issue with Dany's turn.

He said they DID set it up but the show's producers found out that setting it up wasn't enough. We still didn't buy into it.

For better or worse, we liked her too much and the clues and hints and setup may have, on an intellectual level, added up to 'enough' but we still needed more to get behind it. I really think I agree that it's a case of learning a lesson about the quirks of how TV audiences work and feel after the fact.

[TheBigLebowski]

Ouch, wasn't a fan at all of that finale. I guess the one bright spot for me would be the last image of Jon leading the free folk past the wall, as I feel that is the only place he could be happy at this point. But, almost everything else was cringe worthy. The committee of the houses scene where they picked the new king was simply terrible. I felt like even the actors in the scene knew how crappy it was and their performances showed it. The entire show was building to that scene. That garbage scene is how the game of thrones is decided? Honestly, it felt like a parody it was so bad.

I also find it impossible to believe that Grey Worm and the Unsullied would imprison Jon and not off him the minute they found out he killed Dany.

I didn't object to Dany turning mad. But, I object to the way they did it. Very poor execution for the turn. It was like a light switch instead an arc that built and made sense with how her character had developed over years.

I'm interested to know how they found out. Drogon took off with her corpse. Jon could have played it off, but he didn't.

It's almost humorous to imagine how it took place. Um, Grey Worm, we need to talk.

[M2]

The fundamental problem with creating something people love is they're going to hate the way you end it. And GOT has so much sprawl there's almost no way out of the story, or at least the level of detail you have to achieve on your way to the ending makes it almost impossible to reach an actual end. Compounding all of this is the show was forced with a choice - work off Martin's outline or embellish it to such a degree it ceases to be anything like the story he may yet tell. Ultimately the story ate up GRRM and he left them without the source materials to draw from. The show went for the lower footprint, more visual option, which is probably the most respectful way to do it.

So I don't have any issues with where the characters ended up. Sansa as Queen of the North, Jon beyond the wall, Brienne and Pod in the Kingsguard, Arya sailing west were particularly nice touches. Don't have a problem with Bran as king either, though I do think they should have given more to say the past two seasons if this is where they were headed.

There's a thousand more things I would have liked to have seen. The sheer volume of what I wanted is at least two more seasons. The only thing I wish they had done in the final episode is let Tyrion devour the scenery. He chewed it, and chewed it well, but I feel like there's another gear they should have hit with him. The Jon scene played out well, but I'd have liked slightly more defiance toward Dany and full Pacino "And Justice for All" in the king making scene. He should have told Grey Worm to get stuffed and noted that Tyrion and Jon were only alive because the were chips to help the Unsullied get off the continent alive. Tyrion should have been in full give-no-damns mode. That would have underscored the theme of the power of words and stories.

But that's a quibble on my part. They still gave us Tyrion having the chutzpah to make a king and remake their political system while in manacles. It's just that I think Dinklage could have done something completely over the top.

[M2]

There was a drunk guy sitting across from us at a bar a few nights ago who works in TV production who somehow nailed the issue with Dany's turn.

He said they DID set it up but the show's producers found out that setting it up wasn't enough. We still didn't buy into it.

For better or worse, we liked her too much and the clues and hints and setup may have, on an intellectual level, added up to 'enough' but we still needed more to get behind it. I really think I agree that it's a case of learning a lesson about the quirks of how TV audiences work and feel after the fact.

My argument is that's how they wanted it to work. They played off perhaps the most classic of all fantasy tropes - outsider discovers dragons, turns out to be the true ruler, vanquishes the bad guys, everyone lives happily ever after. No matter how much evidence we got that this wasn't that kind of story and Dany wasn't that character, people defaulted to the archetype. Was taking about the show with the woman taking my lunch order today and it never dawned on her that dragons might be bad news even though they're voracious beasts that annihilate with fire.

This was the story of how noble intentions and genre tropes get ripped to shreds when fantasy starts getting real. Plus, we were supposed to like, even love, the mad authoritarian. The seduction of the masses (aka us) is critical in the rise to power.

[Tony Cloninger]

It would have helped if Greyworm had just blurted out. The only reason Snow is alive is because we know he is part Dragon King. Shocking those who did not know but emphasizing again that Jon does not want it.

Having Tyron get burned but survive the dragons fire then ask for someone to get him some clothes would have been comic relief. Then he explains that his mother was probably with the Mad King. Another half bastard. Tyron of course says again I’m a dwarf. I cannot be king. You be queen and we will be your hand and leader of the armies. Ok great I will relax now and stop burning things. I will give the north their independence but everyone else is mine. And no more slavery.

[757690]

Those defending it can only defended some of the decisions, but even they admit that the execution was poor. And in terms of storytelling, that’s what’s most important. What actually happens is always less interesting than how it happens. Anyone can come up with a plot. Telling it in a compelling way is what makes someone a storyteller.

This was an epic fail, no matter how you try to spin it. The producers of the show masterfully crafted a new world full of rich, complex characters and stories for seven seasons. Then mailed it for the eighth season. I don’t know how anyone can be satisfied with this season especially the last two episodes.

[RiverRat13]

I'm interested to know how they found out. Drogon took off with her corpse. Jon could have played it off, but he didn't.

It's almost humorous to imagine how it took place. Um, Grey Worm, we need to talk.

"Yeah, so guys, here's what happened... Dany totally said the first place to start to break the wheel was to melt the Iron Throne. So that was the loud dragon noises you heard. After that, she said she and Drogon had scores to settle back in Essos but she'll toooootally be back and in the meantime you guys should just take ships to Naath and she'll meet up with you there. The blood on the floor? That's an old stain."

[Rojo Rijo]

Ouch, wasn't a fan at all of that finale. I guess the one bright spot for me would be the last image of Jon leading the free folk past the wall, as I feel that is the only place he could be happy at this point. But, almost everything else was cringe worthy. The committee of the houses scene where they picked the new king was simply terrible. I felt like even the actors in the scene knew how crappy it was and their performances showed it. The entire show was building to that scene. That garbage scene is how the game of thrones is decided? Honestly, it felt like a parody it was so bad.

I also find it impossible to believe that Grey Worm and the Unsullied would imprison Jon and not off him the minute they found out he killed Dany.

I didn't object to Dany turning mad. But, I object to the way they did it. Very poor execution for the turn. It was like a light switch instead an arc that built and made sense with how her character had developed over years.

What if her emotions prior to burning Kings Landing were of anger because Cersei left her no choice but to burn the city? Everyone thinks she just went mad but the entire series she spoke of ruling by love or by fear if necessary. She realized this season that love was not an option for her, she was viewed as an outsider which was made clear more than once, especially watching how Jon was loved by the north. Dany was going to rule Westeroes by being loved or feared and once love was off the table it was pretty obvious what she had to do. I believe that is what happened in the moment the bells rang, she made that decision. It wasn't madness, it was something that had been a possibility for a long time. People complain about her arc and how she freed so many people and how burning the people of KL doesn't make sense but she eliminated everyone who wasn't with her before then so why is it different now?

She didn't snap or go mad. This was always going to happen, either by love or by fear.

[NeilHamburger]

I don't see how anyone could defend the committee selecting the king scene. And that is what 8 seasons were building to. It was just absurdly bad. Some of the other stuff is more of a matter of taste.

[NeilHamburger]

I also don't buy she showed anymore signs of being "mad" in previous seasons than virtually anyone else. Hell, the show started with Ned Stark beheading someone, and he was viewed as the most honest/good man ever. Jon executed a 10-year-old, and that could be argued was worse than anything Dany did.

Sure, Dany did harsh things before, but that was the Game of Thrones world. Harsh measures were more acceptable in terms of punishment. But, she showed nothing that would lead her character to massacre innocent children. I still contend the turn was poorly done.

[TheBigLebowski]

I don't see how anyone could defend the committee selecting the king scene. And that is what 8 seasons were building to. It was just absurdly bad. Some of the other stuff is more of a matter of taste.

Yeah. In all seriousness, when it cut to that scene, I thought the show somehow was already over and we were looking at weird outtakes. Once I realized it was, in fact, part of the episode and possibly the most important scene of the entire series, I laughed internally.

[M2]

I don't see how anyone could defend the committee selecting the king scene. And that is what 8 seasons were building to. It was just absurdly bad. Some of the other stuff is more of a matter of taste.

They're what's left of the ruling class of a feudal society. Who else did you expect to be choosing the king? Essentially, they're a Witan (what the Anglo-Saxons called their gathering of VIPs). A week to process killing Dany and then a full episode to get the kingdom sorted out would have been nice. Would have let them paint the picture of just how screwed Grey Worm is (no boats on a continent baying for his blood) and would have been cool to see Tyrion go from caged to unmuzzled.

I also don't buy she showed anymore signs of being "mad" in previous seasons than virtually anyone else. Hell, the show started with Ned Stark beheading someone, and he was viewed as the most honest/good man ever. Jon executed a 10-year-old, and that could be argued was worse than anything Dany did.

Sure, Dany did harsh things before, but that was the Game of Thrones world. Harsh measures were more acceptable in terms of punishment. But, she showed nothing that would lead her character to massacre innocent children. I still contend the turn was poorly done.

Like when she didn't blink at watching her brother get killed in front of her? Or when she walked into a burning funeral pyre? Or all of seasons five and six?

[Redsfaithful]

In the last decade, I've actually started to get used to shows ending well, or at least not embarrassingly.

Breaking Bad, Mad Men, The Sopranos, The Leftovers, The Wire, The Office, Six Feed Under, Friday Night Lights, Justified

Some of those were controversial, but all were interesting at worst, very good at best.

This was pretty bad. I'm trying to imagine how it would play when binging the show in the future, for newcomers. Maybe not so badly, but I think people watching it that way are going to feel the whiplash even worse of how quickly it was wrapped up and how poor the character development became.

[Kilgore_Trout]

The show had been on a steady decline for several seasons. I noticed it tapering off in season 6, and it really kicked into gear last season. The final six episodes proved to be just a sad culmination of an unfortunate trend. These writers had simply lost interest, became too rigid, or just weren't talented enough. Our characters suffered as a result.

[Larry Schuler]

I saw a good tweet that said congrats to Sir Davos for surviving the entire show without doing something completely out of character. Lol.