Game of Thrones [SPOILER ALERT]

[SL_Fan]

I thought finale was amazing! People are going to complain regardless. I am glad it didn't get a predictable/boring ending. Power and greed of Thrones was making existing rulers evil, so if they were to go with democratically elected King, then the wise among the rest does makes sense. The ruler doesn't get to sit on the cursed/melted Thrones (and he physically can't lol).

Overall season 8 wasn't the best of them, as it seemed rushed and there were some silly bongies, but episode 3 with Night King war and finale how Tyrion (most intriguing and cherished GOT character) getting the most deserving screen time were completely worth it. He made Jon Snow kill Dany to stop the legacy and curse of evil throne and convinced the panel to select Bran the Broken as a compromise for for eternal peace and someone who knew it all. It also kind of shows that Bran knew it all and yet didn't take the evil route to sit on the iron throne.

It was actually Bran who manipulated things in order to make Dany go mad knowing full well that it would lead to KL being burnt down and scores of innocent civilians wounded and killed. So much for not taking the evil route.

 

[Kriketer]

It was actually Bran who manipulated things in order to make Dany go mad knowing full well that it would lead to KL being burnt down and scores of innocent civilians wounded and killed. So much for not taking the evil route.

From what I recall Bran personally didn't make anyone cut the throat, neither tried to change the course of a plot. I am not sure how much of future he was aware of as we just got a few glimpses of what he knew were to come, Jamie showing up or drawing of Night King by the heart tree. He was more so of an observer and letting things fall on their place. It was reasonable to show Dany following her father's footsteps and turning into a mad Queen. She did afterall conquer the lands by slitting throats and burning down kingdoms.

There was never a rightful King to the Throne. Who ever had the might desired it and ruled it, and it was this power hunger which was making them evil, so conclusion of this show was quite satisfying.

 

[Stewie]

its a damn tv show.. move the eff on now!

 

[Mamoon]

While I agree with most of this, I disagree with the bold part. These 2 seasons will forever be a stain on this shows legacy. Just like other epics like Lost (although this is a much better show overall). I feel like this post is made in emotion since the show just ended.

Unfortunately, Game of Thrones will not go down as a classic like The Wire. This is coming from someone who had heavy emotional and time investment in it.

The biggest tragedy in television history

The Wire might be regarded as a better show by critics and cinephiles, but in terms of global appeal and impact, it is not even close to GOT.

GOT is the new Friends. While critics and connoisseurs can argue that Friends is not even among the top 3 sitcoms of all time, it has touched the lives of people and influenced teen culture more than any other show.

GOT is similar in quite a few aspects. The Wire might be more regarded from a technical point of view, but you won’t see people naming their children after its characters.

 

[James]

I prefer Ozymandias and Pine Barrens although Winds is definitely in my top 5.

In terms of Breaking Bad, I actually prefer Felina to Ozymandias, but they’re both classics.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The Wire might be regarded as a better show by critics and cinephiles, but in terms of global appeal and impact, it is not even close to GOT.

GOT is the new Friends. While critics and connoisseurs can argue that Friends is not even among the top 3 sitcoms of all time, it has touched the lives of people and influenced teen culture more than any other show.

GOT is similar in quite a few aspects. The Wire might be more regarded from a technical point of view, but you won’t see people naming their children after its characters.

This is true, one of the reasons why I don't argue too much about opinions, they are all very subjective. But mass appeal doesn't necessarily mean quality, otherwise superhero movies would be the yardstick for cinema rather than respected critics, and McDonalds would be considered better food than Micehlin starred restaurants.

Both have their place, and it's the same with The Wire and Game of Thrones. They are fantastic shows for different reasons. I would never argue that GOT won't deserve it's place among the elite shows, but that doesn't mask that it fell from it's own standards in the last couple of seasons, so on that I will agree with aliasad1998. I think the viewer ratings reflect that as well and that should tell you something.

 

[Mamoon]

This is true, one of the reasons why I don't argue too much about opinions, they are all very subjective. But mass appeal doesn't necessarily mean quality, otherwise superhero movies would be the yardstick for cinema rather than respected critics, and McDonalds would be considered better food than Micehlin starred restaurants.

Both have their place, and it's the same with The Wire and Game of Thrones. They are fantastic shows for different reasons. I would never argue that GOT won't deserve it's place among the elite shows, but that doesn't mask that it fell from it's own standards in the last couple of seasons, so on that I will agree with aliasad1998. I think the viewer ratings reflect that as well and that should tell you something.

I suppose it largely depends on how you view things. If I am a producer, I would be happy to create a show that has mega influence on the people and the culture of its time, even if it doesn’t get a perfect 10/10 from critics.

For me, that 8 or 9/10 (which is still fantastic) would be more valuable than a 10/10 show that only appeals to a niche segment and doesn’t impact people’s lives.

Obviously, there is no point in creating a 5/10 show for the sake of popularity, and GOT certainly doesn’t fall in that category.

There is no doubt that season 7 and 8 were not at the same level as the first 6 seasons, but they are not going to define its legacy. Once people get over the disappointment, they will remember it for its best moments and its peak.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I suppose it largely depends on how you view things. If I am a producer, I would be happy to create a show that has mega influence on the people and the culture of its time, even if it doesn’t get a perfect 10/10 from critics.

For me, that 8 or 9/10 (which is still fantastic) would be more valuable than a 10/10 show that only appeals to a niche segment and doesn’t impact people’s lives.

Obviously, there is no point in creating a 5/10 show for the sake of popularity, and GOT certainly doesn’t fall in that category.

There is no doubt that season 7 and 8 were not at the same level as the first 6 seasons, but they are not going to define its legacy. Once people get over the disappointment, they will remember it for its best moments and its peak.

I'm curious, how do you think GOT has impacted people's lives, and the culture of our time?

 

[Robert]

In terms of Breaking Bad, I actually prefer Felina to Ozymandias, but they’re both classics.

Yep they were both tops. Felina was completely satisfying - maybe just a little too neat but it feel churlish to criticise such superb writing.

Ozymandias was more gut-wrenching - losing Hank in the first reel, then Walt's family finally disintegrating under the weight of lies and violence. My favourite hour of television.

Favourite season of telly is season 1 of True Detective.

Favourite five minutes of television would probably be the end of 6FU as Claire drove across the US.

Closer to home, Line of Duty is consistently excellent, up there in the HBO league.

 

[Mamoon]

I'm curious, how do you think GOT has impacted people's lives, and the culture of our time?

Apart from people naming their children after GOT characters, the show has increased tourism in Northern Ireland and Croatia, influenced the curriculum of Harvard who have introduced a medieval history course called “The Real Game of Thrones”.

People are also buying huskies because they look like dire wolves.

 

[USaqaf]

All in all I think it was a satisfying series, I thoroughly enjoyed the last season, primarily for spectacle as opposed to story.
I suspect when the ending was discussed way back when with GRRM and DB and DBW he just had an outline and hadn't thought it out completely.

Now that he has seen the end product I am almost 100% sure he will change the ending to something more satisfactory.(he has alluded to it in recent interviews)

There are too many open questions, which unfortunately will be answered in the books and might not even be questions to begin with.
That said, the battle scenes were spectacular and the acting of Emilia and Dinklage was A+.
The ending was a copout in my opinion with questions like, why was ruling Winterfell not good enough for Bran when he's the 3 eyed raven yet King of 6 Kingdoms ok?

I have had quite enough of this type of series so will pass on any prequel.

 

[USaqaf]

Ending wont be the same in the books
https://www.polygon.com/game-of-thrones/2019/5/21/18633993/george-r-r-martin-game-of-thrones-a-song-of-ice-and-fire-books-ending

 

[James]

Just watched the finale again. Dinklage is superb throughout. His acting is one element of GOT that has never compromised on its gold-plated standards. Also felt that Emilia Clarke had her very best episodes as Dany this year.

 

[Sirris]

Ending wont be the same in the books
https://www.polygon.com/game-of-thrones/2019/5/21/18633993/george-r-r-martin-game-of-thrones-a-song-of-ice-and-fire-books-ending

Dude should just finish the books already or there wont be any ending.

 

[waqar goraya]

The season 8 and particularly finale is bad not necessarily because where characters finish but how they finish there. It looks rushed, illogical and a bad attempt at subverting expectations.
The overall mood of the show is very confusing, you don't know whether writers are trying a leave a bitter, sweet or bittersweet feeling. There come couple of poor jokes in between two misery scenes. "Why did i come all the way "!
Sorry, the season only wanted to tell where characters and the story end, but the related character development and quality of dialogues were very poor. I don't want to repeat the already discussed issues here.
The only quality stuff was visuals and CGI, the only good episode was episode 2. The Long Night was very decent for its action although a little light would have made it spectacular!

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Apart from people naming their children after GOT characters, the show has increased tourism in Northern Ireland and Croatia, influenced the curriculum of Harvard who have introduced a medieval history course called “The Real Game of Thrones”.

People are also buying huskies because they look like dire wolves.

Ah ok I see what you mean. Although I would describe that as more fashion than culture, but yes GOT has certainly had an impact on this generation, maybe in the same way an iconic pop group like the Spice Girls would have had a decade ago.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The season 8 and particularly finale is bad not necessarily because where characters finish but how they finish there. It looks rushed, illogical and a bad attempt at subverting expectations.
The overall mood of the show is very confusing, you don't know whether writers are trying a leave a bitter, sweet or bittersweet feeling. There come couple of poor jokes in between two misery scenes. "Why did i come all the way "!
Sorry, the season only wanted to tell where characters and the story end, but the related character development and quality of dialogues were very poor. I don't want to repeat the already discussed issues here.
The only quality stuff was visuals and CGI, the only good episode was episode 2. The Long Night was very decent for its action although a little light would have made it spectacular!

While I didn't particularly like the last episode, there were some very moving parts which lifted it to standards of previous seasons. Tyrion's uncovering of Jaimie and Cersei's bodies from the rubble was a fitting end to their journey. Brienne's writing of the Jaimie's pages in the book, probably was my favourite part. And finally that moment when Snow pushed that dagger into Daenarys' heart was horrible and beautiful at the same time. That look of utter surprise and confusion on Emilia's face as she was dying was haunting. Personally I would have found it quite satisfying at that point if Drogon had clamped Jon between his jaws and bit him in half, the traitor. Msybe I'll write to G.R.R. Martin and suggest it as an alternative ending if he's stuck for ideas.

 

[USaqaf]

The reason I think it was a very reasonable ending is because, how often does someone come to power, any sort of power with high expectations and then fail terribly.
Pakpassion is replete with tons of examples of captaincy or PCB chairman hopes, only to be dashed.
In politics, in sports etc , we have such high hopes only for them to be dashed inevitably.

 

[SL_Fan]

From what I recall Bran personally didn't make anyone cut the throat, neither tried to change the course of a plot. I am not sure how much of future he was aware of as we just got a few glimpses of what he knew were to come, Jamie showing up or drawing of Night King by the heart tree. He was more so of an observer and letting things fall on their place. It was reasonable to show Dany following her father's footsteps and turning into a mad Queen. She did afterall conquer the lands by slitting throats and burning down kingdoms.

There was never a rightful King to the Throne. Who ever had the might desired it and ruled it, and it was this power hunger which was making them evil, so conclusion of this show was quite satisfying.

Well fair to say that we are led to believe he was the one pulling the strings for the most part. He was ofc the one responsible for confirming and revealing Jon’s true lineage which was only going to lead Dany to lose the plot. He’s also the one who gave Arya the Valyrian steel dagger last season which she used to kill the NK in the exact spot under the weirwood no less. Also him saying that he didn’t come all the way to KL for nothing and that Jon was where he was supposed to be implies that he knew what was going to go down in KL (ie for both Dany and Jon to be out of the picture).

Summing up to take the throne he manipulated things in order to first get rid of the NK, then Cersei, then Dany (knowing that she was going to burn down KL and innocent civilians), then Jon and looking back he also fooled Tyrion with that I’m the Three-Eyed Raven now so not interested in becoming anything else speech. So as far as the desire and pursuit of power is concerned what makes him different to Cersei, Dany 2.0 or the NK?

At least if there was some kind of Bran-NK twist in the end or something to suggest that he was the actual villain after all things would have added up. Instead it seems that it was all just a means to an end rather than anything meaningful. What made GoT different to other shows for mine is that it made you think. Last couple of seasons and in particular this season however took all that was thoughtful, creative, original and symbolic and flushed it down the toilet.

 

[IMMY69]

Well fair to say that we are led to believe he was the one pulling the strings for the most part. He was ofc the one responsible for confirming and revealing Jon’s true lineage which was only going to lead Dany to lose the plot. He’s also the one who gave Arya the Valyrian steel dagger last season which she used to kill the NK in the exact spot under the weirwood no less. Also him saying that he didn’t come all the way to KL for nothing and that Jon was where he was supposed to be implies that he knew what was going to go down in KL (ie for both Dany and Jon to be out of the picture).

Summing up to take the throne he manipulated things in order to first get rid of the NK, then Cersei, then Dany (knowing that she was going to burn down KL and innocent civilians), then Jon and looking back he also fooled Tyrion with that I’m the Three-Eyed Raven now so not interested in becoming anything else speech. So as far as the desire and pursuit of power is concerned what makes him different to Cersei, Dany 2.0 or the NK?

At least if there was some kind of Bran-NK twist in the end or something to suggest that he was the actual villain after all things would have added up. Instead it seems that it was all just a means to an end rather than anything meaningful. What made GoT different to other shows for mine is that it made you think. Last couple of seasons and in particular this season however took all that was thoughtful, creative, original and symbolic and flushed it down the toilet.

Or Bran just played the Game of Thrones and came out the winner..

and his appointment can be justified if it means breaking the wheel and setting up a future democracy..

 

[SL_Fan]

Or Bran just played the Game of Thrones and came out the winner..

and his appointment can be justified if it means breaking the wheel and setting up a future democracy..

Indeed but in that case if he is that callous in getting there what makes you think that he would be any different and break the wheel as such? He’ll just continue to manipulate anything and everything as he sees fit to get his way ie back to square one. If the whole premise is nothing changes and that power corrupts all great no qualms with that but then Bran taking the throne should have been portrayed as such. Not some breaking the wheel happy ending ** which quite simply just doesn’t add up. Can’t have your cake and eat it too right.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Indeed but in that case if he is that callous in getting there what makes you think that he would be any different and break the wheel as such? He’ll just continue to manipulate anything and everything as he sees fit to get his way ie back to square one. If the whole premise is nothing changes and that power corrupts all great no qualms with that but then Bran taking the throne should have been portrayed as such. Not some breaking the wheel happy ending ** which quite simply just doesn’t add up. Can’t have your cake and eat it too right.

Plus if Bran could be callous enough to manoeuvre the destruction of Kings Landing, to break the wheel, that means Dany had the right idea all along, as that was her plan! Yet she was cast as the mad queen despite being far too beautiful impulsive and less sly than Bran the Broken!

 

[SL_Fan]

Plus if Bran could be callous enough to manoeuvre the destruction of Kings Landing, to break the wheel, that means Dany had the right idea all along, as that was her plan! Yet she was cast as the mad queen despite being far too beautiful impulsive and less sly than Bran the Broken!

The only logical way they could have sold the whole breaking the wheel story is if Jon ended up king I think. The way things panned out don’t see any other way? So yeah could have easily just ended with Dany on the throne and that would have not only been more logical and achieved the same premise (ie power corrupts all) but also freed up screen time to make things more organic and believable as well. Also it would have left GRRM space to write whatever ending to the books thereafter.

Bran "breaking the wheel"

 

[IMMY69]

Plus if Bran could be callous enough to manoeuvre the destruction of Kings Landing, to break the wheel, that means Dany had the right idea all along, as that was her plan! Yet she was cast as the mad queen despite being far too beautiful impulsive and less sly than Bran the Broken!

or it was Bran's plan all along...

 

[James]

If one reframes the entire show from a fantasy into a sci-fi, and specially as a mass influencing / ingenious mind control job by the villainous Bran from the first episode onwards, it actually makes quite a lot of sense! lol

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

or it was Bran's plan all along...

Yet he is seen as some all wise Sage King, whereas Daenerys was depicted as a Mad Queen for inflicting the slaughter when it wasn't even at her own instigation. The poor girl was merely being strung along by the crafty puppetmaster Bran.

I sense some INCEL input from the writer/s here, and a healthy waft of sexism.

 

[Chrish]

It’s much more difficult to make the show like Wire than GOT.

GOT for the past couple of seasons was heavily based on special effects stuff with lousy dialogue and mediocre acting.

First four seasons of Wire were so technically perfect that you have to see it to believe. It almost felt like watching a documentary on street crime scene and politics. Richly crafted characters, social commentary and near-perfect storytelling. “Magical realism” as they call it. Even at its lowest in fifth season, Wire manages to be better than 90% of the stuff they put on small screen.

GOT on the other hand, last two seasons were just bad..

 

[GenericBrand]

So....is Bran immortal?

If so, these guys had no idea what they signed up for lol

 

[marlonbrowndo]

It’s much more difficult to make the show like Wire than GOT.

GOT for the past couple of seasons was heavily based on special effects stuff with lousy dialogue and mediocre acting.

First four seasons of Wire were so technically perfect that you have to see it to believe. It almost felt like watching a documentary on street crime scene and politics. Richly crafted characters, social commentary and near-perfect storytelling. “Magical realism” as they call it. Even at its lowest in fifth season, Wire manages to be better than 90% of the stuff they put on small screen.

GOT on the other hand, last two seasons were just bad..

I’m rewatching the wire right now after years and it’s actually unreal

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I’m rewatching the wire right now after years and it’s actually unreal

I just watched it again recently and it is insanely good. Must be about 12 years old now as well, the real quality shows always hold up over time. Still can't believe someone actually managed to think up a character like Snoop.

 

[Chrish]

The reason why Wire isn’t mainstream show is because it’s a slow burn. It’s not something you get hooked from episode 1. It takes its time to build up its world and characters. You will understand why it has such status after watching 7-8 episodes.

Lot of people give up after first 2-3 episodes finding it boring but you will be handsomely rewarded if you persist.

Forget about other shows, The Deuce which is also from the creator of Wire, is far inferior. It was once in an lifetime phenomenon.

 

[KingKhanWC]

This.

 

[*sallu*]

I've started watching Season 1 again and the difference in quality of writing and dialogue is day and night.

What GoT has gained in visual brilliance over the seasons it has lost in writing and dialogue.

 

[from_da_lost_dim3nsion]

View attachment 91673

This.

100

 

[marlonbrowndo]

I've started watching Season 1 again and the difference in quality of writing and dialogue is day and night.

What GoT has gained in visual brilliance over the seasons it has lost in writing and dialogue.

I think people are actually blind. The difference between the first few seasons and now is just massive. A few people are saying that the rushed story is the only problem with the last 2 seasons but thats not true at all. They’re inferior in so many ways

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I've started watching Season 1 again and the difference in quality of writing and dialogue is day and night.

What GoT has gained in visual brilliance over the seasons it has lost in writing and dialogue.

That was inevitable because the writing and dialogue from the first few seasons came directly from the author. Obviously when the show moved ahead of the books, something was going to be lost. Those who are diehard fans won't hear anything against the show, but those who appreciate GOT for what really made it great will notice the difference.

 

[Robert]

It’s much more difficult to make the show like Wire than GOT.

GOT for the past couple of seasons was heavily based on special effects stuff with lousy dialogue and mediocre acting.

First four seasons of Wire were so technically perfect that you have to see it to believe. It almost felt like watching a documentary on street crime scene and politics. Richly crafted characters, social commentary and near-perfect storytelling. “Magical realism” as they call it. Even at its lowest in fifth season, Wire manages to be better than 90% of the stuff they put on small screen.

GOT on the other hand, last two seasons were just bad..

Magic realism is more like GOT - fantastical stuff like dragons and wights happening amid the politics and realistic portrayal of complex characters.

If you want something like The Wire - at least from the cop and mob sides, not so much the politicians - I suggest the BBC’s Line of Duty. It has run for five seasons so far. Each season is about a compromised police officer being invested by anti corruption officers. Each season builds on the last to create a complex world in an unnamed city in the Midlands where shadowy business interests corrupt officers to turn a blind eye or sometimes enable their deeds. It has a generational aspect too.

 

[Robert]

I just watched it again recently and it is insanely good. Must be about 12 years old now as well, the real quality shows always hold up over time. Still can't believe someone actually managed to think up a character like Snoop.

She was based on a real person I think, as with most of them. McNulty was based on one of the writers.

 

[Mamoon]

That was inevitable because the writing and dialogue from the first few seasons came directly from the author. Obviously when the show moved ahead of the books, something was going to be lost. Those who are diehard fans won't hear anything against the show, but those who appreciate GOT for what really made it great will notice the difference.

There is no doubt that the dialogue has suffered and it has a lot to do with the pacing rather than the incompetence of script writers.

We have still had some quality writing, but the frequency is not the same anymore because it has become an action-oriented show in the last two seasons.

It is possible that the last two books will suffer a bit due to this reason as well. Martin is clearly struggling to complete the series because his world has become much bigger than he anticipated, and he will inevitably have to shut down a few storylines abruptly.

Unless the last two books are going to be the longest in the series, there is a possibility that they will feel more rushed compared to the previous books, which is why the dialogue might suffer to an extent.

 

[James]

That was inevitable because the writing and dialogue from the first few seasons came directly from the author. Obviously when the show moved ahead of the books, something was going to be lost. Those who are diehard fans won't hear anything against the show, but those who appreciate GOT for what really made it great will notice the difference.

On the contrary, from what I’ve seen it’s the diehard fans who have now converted into big-time bashers of the show. My wife too was more of a diehard fan and she has been more disapproving of the end run than I have.

As more of a casual fan, I am mostly satisfied with the middling set of compromises which concluded the show, and found it to be more realistic than a “heroes & villains” bloodbath ending.

 

[IMMY69]

On the contrary, from what I’ve seen it’s the diehard fans who have now converted into big-time bashers of the show. My wife too was more of a diehard fan and she has been more disapproving of the end run than I have.

As more of a casual fan, I am mostly satisfied with the middling set of compromises which concluded the show, and found it to be more realistic than a “heroes & villains” bloodbath ending.

Agreed.
I haven't read any of the books, nor did I invest 10 years in to GOT. Watched the first six seasons in one go just prior to the start of the seventh season so all in all around 2.5 years of my life and I must say I enjoyed every single minute of it.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

On the contrary, from what I’ve seen it’s the diehard fans who have now converted into big-time bashers of the show. My wife too was more of a diehard fan and she has been more disapproving of the end run than I have.

As more of a casual fan, I am mostly satisfied with the middling set of compromises which concluded the show, and found it to be more realistic than a “heroes & villains” bloodbath ending.

Well, having read three of the books before the show was even made, I don't think any well versed fans would be expecting a clean ending comprising heroes and villains. If anything the one thing the show gained a reputation for was killing off the heroes at regular intervals. Although the Stark family were obviously the hero standard bearers from start to finish and they did finish up ultimately vindicated.

GOT was all about the dialogue which came from the books. Once you lose that script, you are obviously going to be missing something, even with Martin advising in the background. That said, the writers did a great job improvising, but I think the show suffered from cramming too much into the last couple of series. That was my main complaint, it felt rushed. Maybe it was inevitable with the show coming to a conclusion, but I didn't feel it was that well executed compared to earlier seasons.

 

[Chrish]

Magic realism is more like GOT - fantastical stuff like dragons and wights happening amid the politics and realistic portrayal of complex characters.

If you want something like The Wire - at least from the cop and mob sides, not so much the politicians - I suggest the BBC’s Line of Duty. It has run for five seasons so far. Each season is about a compromised police officer being invested by anti corruption officers. Each season builds on the last to create a complex world in an unnamed city in the Midlands where shadowy business interests corrupt officers to turn a blind eye or sometimes enable their deeds. It has a generational aspect too.

Cool will check it out. Has good reviews too!

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

On the contrary, from what I’ve seen it’s the diehard fans who have now converted into big-time bashers of the show. My wife too was more of a diehard fan and she has been more disapproving of the end run than I have.

As more of a casual fan, I am mostly satisfied with the middling set of compromises which concluded the show, and found it to be more realistic than a “heroes & villains” bloodbath ending.

Completely agree, as a diehard fan i was devastated with the rushed ending of season 8, and felt that they ruined the show. I even told a coworker of mine who had not watched the show and was thinking about starting to not bother.

However now that its been a week i have cooled off a bit, and feel while they could have made season 8 much better, its still a great show

 

[James]

Watching Breaking Bad again now, lol.

Season 2 in general is just great, and the finale most of all. Watching this again, I was struck how the various catastrophic consequences of Walter’s lies and dishonesty crash into one another all at once, after being on a slowly escalating collision course for too long..... like the two passenger planes, which eject the burnt pink one-eyed teddy bear. Beautifully metaphorical imagery and such deep writing.

 

[Robert]

Watching Breaking Bad again now, lol.

Season 2 in general is just great, and the finale most of all. Watching this again, I was struck how the various catastrophic consequences of Walter’s lies and dishonesty crash into one another all at once, after being on a slowly escalating collision course for too long..... like the two passenger planes, which eject the burnt pink one-eyed teddy bear. Beautifully metaphorical imagery and such deep writing.

Yes, poor John DeLancy!

And how the teddy foreshadows the date of Gus too.

I like the scene where Walt tries to rationalise his actions by telling the school that the Tenerife air crash was worse.

 

[Saj]

Rushed, drab ending

Such a shame to end it in the poor way it did.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

There is no doubt that the dialogue has suffered and it has a lot to do with the pacing rather than the incompetence of script writers.

We have still had some quality writing, but the frequency is not the same anymore because it has become an action-oriented show in the last two seasons.

It is possible that the last two books will suffer a bit due to this reason as well. Martin is clearly struggling to complete the series because his world has become much bigger than he anticipated, and he will inevitably have to shut down a few storylines abruptly.

Unless the last two books are going to be the longest in the series, there is a possibility that they will feel more rushed compared to the previous books, which is why the dialogue might suffer to an extent.

Martin has said the last 2 books will be 1500 pages each.

For comparison, the first book was around 800 pages.

 

[Arham_PakFan]

I cannot believe the show ended this way. It should have finished as the greatest of all time. Now it's just a very good show with disappointing ending.

 

[waqar goraya]

Frankly, I found the second season boring too. Around 2nd and 3rd season, I thought about leaving the show.My interest for the show actually developed after 3rd season. In the first couple of seasons it was just too many characters , with very little time for each and very little plot progress. There was also a lot of unnecessary nudity. After Ned Stark's demise, the plot really moved forward after the Red Wedding. Then after season 4 my interest in the show and characters like Tyrion and Jon Snow really developed.

On the other hand Breaking Bad meant purpose from the first episode. Every scene had its purpose, no profanity and the pace is just very smooth. The plot did not stuck at one point or rushed at another time.

The Wire also did not have any boring moments. McNulty was a very interesting character. His smile was enough to get me hooked on.

On the other hand GOT had huge characters killed off, the ones who were performed by greater actors. Sean Bean , Richard Madden , Charles (Tywin) had the class of their own. We were left with poor leading actors in the final seasons, Kit is very lucky to be a millionaire and Emilia only prospered in last couple of seasons.

 

[sweep_shot]

Cable channel HBO has given the go-ahead for a prequel series to the hit fantasy TV show Game of Thrones.

House of the Dragon will be set about 300 years before events in the original series, which ended its eight-season run earlier this year.

The announcement came hours after another planned prequel, due to star Naomi Watts, was reportedly cancelled.

Game of Thrones was HBO's most popular series. It won multiple Emmy awards and drew tens of millions of viewers.

"It's my pleasure to announce today that we are ordering House of the Dragon straight to series for HBO," said Casey Bloys, president of HBO programming, at a launch event in Los Angeles for the HBO Max streaming platform.

"It tells the story of House Targaryen and the early days of Westeros."

In a tweet, Games of Thrones said House of the Dragon would be co-produced by Game of Thrones author George RR Martin, Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik.

Skip Twitter post by @GameOfThronesEnd of Twitter post by @GameOfThrones
A pilot episode for an unnamed prequel starring Oscar nominee Naomi Watts was filmed over the summer.

Earlier on Tuesday, sources quoted by The Hollywood Reporter said executive producer Jane Goldman had emailed the cast telling them that HBO had cancelled the show.

The reasons behind the decision were not immediately clear and HBO did not comment.

However, entertainment website Deadline reported that the pilot had not been well received by HBO.

That prequel, also co-created by George RR Martin, was reported to have been set about 5,000 years before events in the original series.

On Monday, Game of Thrones writers David Benioff and DB Weiss announced that they had left the next Star Wars trilogy, due to launch in 2022. The news came after the pair signed an exclusive deal with Netflix.

Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-50229837.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

That’s where the show ends for me. As good as the first 1-4, and even 1-6 seasons are, the show simply cannot go down as a classic with 2 awful final seasons

So fast forward about a year and it almost feels like the show is forgotten now. While people still talk about classics like Breaking Bad, The Sopranos and The Wire years later, no one cares about GOT after just about a year.

It’s such a shame too because the first 4 seasons are truly amazing quality. But there’s no way a show with 2 decent (seasons 5 and 6) and 2 awful (seasons 7 and 8) seasons can ever go down as a classic. Whenever I rewatch it I’m stopping at season 4 or maybe even 6.

 

[JaDed]

So fast forward about a year and it almost feels like the show is forgotten now. While people still talk about classics like Breaking Bad, The Sopranos and The Wire years later, no one cares about GOT after just about a year.

It’s such a shame too because the first 4 seasons are truly amazing quality. But there’s no way a show with 2 decent (seasons 5 and 6) and 2 awful (seasons 7 and 8) seasons can ever go down as a classic. Whenever I rewatch it I’m stopping at season 4 or maybe even 6.

I always advice first time-GOT viewers to stop at 3.. Red wedding is perfect ending for me.

 

[KingKhanWC]

So fast forward about a year and it almost feels like the show is forgotten now. While people still talk about classics like Breaking Bad, The Sopranos and The Wire years later, no one cares about GOT after just about a year.

It’s such a shame too because the first 4 seasons are truly amazing quality. But there’s no way a show with 2 decent (seasons 5 and 6) and 2 awful (seasons 7 and 8) seasons can ever go down as a classic. Whenever I rewatch it I’m stopping at season 4 or maybe even 6.

Feel the same.

Ive watched Breaking Bad over again but even knowing GOT is superb in the first 4 seasons, will never start this again. The ending is so bad better to forget about this show.

Im not even sure I will bother to watch any spin offs unless it's the life of Cersei, superb character, the best of the show imo.

 

[James]

Great shows should build slowly and steadily, gradually getting better and better, and ultimately reaching the summit with an explosive final season, like a long game of chess leading to an eventual dramatic checkmate.

The final season and especially the final episode are so overwhelmingly important to a show’s legacy.

This is precisely why GOT has rather dropped off a cliff — it was one of the great works of western art just a few years ago, but its reputation is very much the lesser now. It peaked too early.

 

[MenInG]

Game of Thrones actor Hafthor Bjornsson has set a world deadlifting record by lifting 501kg (1,104lb).

Bjornsson, a powerlifter who portrayed Ser Gregor "The Mountain" Clegane in the HBO series, broke the record at his gym in his native Iceland.

He lifted the barbell for two seconds, before dropping the weights and roaring in delight.

The event was streamed by sports broadcaster ESPN and filmed for Bjornsson's YouTube channel.

Bjornsson, who is 2.05m tall (6ft 9in), previously won the World's Strongest Man competition in 2018.

Speaking in a "behind-the-scenes" video posted on YouTube, Bjornsson said: "I'm extremely proud, you know. I'm extremely happy.

"It's great - there's nothing better than proving people wrong. So many people didn't believe in me, so many people that said, '501kg is never going to go up'... But I also had a lot of support."

He added: "I feel healthy, I feel god. I'm just absolutely speechless, even though I'm talking a lot now. But I'm excited, super excited - this is huge for me."

The record was previously held by Eddie Hall, a British man who in 2016 became the first man to lift 500 kg.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52512211

 

[sweep_shot]

British actress Diana Rigg, who came to fame in the cult 1960s TV show The Avengers and enjoyed a distinguished and varied career on stage and screen from James Bond to Game of Thrones, died on Thursday aged 82.

Spoiler

Rigg won numerous Emmy, Tony and Bafta awards during her long and prestigious career, equally at home in classical theatre roles as those in popular TV shows.

“My Beloved Ma died peacefully in her sleep early this morning, at home, surrounded by family,” her actress daughter Rachael Stirling said in a statement.

“She died of cancer diagnosed in March, and spent her last months joyfully reflecting on her extraordinary life, full of love, laughter and a deep pride in her profession. I will miss her beyond words.”

Rigg, born in Doncaster in northern England, moved with her family to India before going to school in England. She studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art before making her debut at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1959.

It was her role as the karate-kicking, leather-clad secret agent Emma Peel in The Avengers, alongside Patrick McNee’s bowler-hatted John Steed, that brought her to wide attention.

She went on to star in the James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service in which her character marries the British spy.

A return to the theatre resulted in a string of hits in the 1970s and 80s, and she was acclaimed for her role as Medea in the early 1990s for which she won a Tony.

Recently, she is best known for playing Olenna Tyrell in Game of Thrones.

“For half her life Diana was the most beautiful woman in the room, but she was what used to be called a Trouper. She went to work with her sleeves rolled up and a smile for everyone. Her talent was luminous,” British playwright Tom Stoppard said in a statement.

Source: https://images.dawn.com/news/1185768/game-of-thrones-star-diana-rigg-dies-at-82.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Rest in peace. She was really dominant in GOT in her character.

 

[JaDed]

House of Dragons announced

https://www.indiewire.com/2020/12/h...ame-of-thrones-spinoff-first-look-1234602204/

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

I just finished binge watching GOT in about 10 days.

I just have one question for the guys who followed GOT while it was happening - how the hell did you guys bear the tension and the heightened sense of anticipation - to wait for the next season to begin - it would have driven me crazy. Some seasons ended on absolute cliff hangers.


Thank God for streaming services - once I started watching it I really could not stop.

 

[Saurav]

I just finished binge watching GOT in about 10 days.

I just have one question for the guys who followed GOT while it was happening - how the hell did you guys bear the tension and the heightened sense of anticipation - to wait for the next season to begin - it would have driven me crazy. Some seasons ended on absolute cliff hangers.


Thank God for streaming services - once I started watching it I really could not stop.

I'm surprised you finished the 8th season

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

I'm surprised you finished the 8th season

To me it unfortunately was the weakest season. I think the writers did not receive their pay checks.

Having watched all seasons back to back - it is so glaring as to how illogically Danerys' character arc plunges in one maddening moment. It was hard to comprehend.

Overall I am so glad I lived under a rock - as I was completely oblivious to GOT all these years. Which meant zero spoilers and I had a terrific time enjoying the slow denouement.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The really great shows I have watched three times now. Breaking Bad, The Wire and TWD seasons 1-3 I just watched because I loved them so much. GOT was more because I was watching again with family who hadn't seen it before, but still great. I think that is what separates the best from the rest, you can watch it again knowing what's coming just because it's so well done it's fantastic entertainment anyway. A bit like the great movies down the years like the Godfather or Jurassic Park.

 

[Saurav]

To me it unfortunately was the weakest season. I think the writers did not receive their pay checks.

Having watched all seasons back to back - it is so glaring as to how illogically Danerys' character arc plunges in one maddening moment. It was hard to comprehend.

Overall I am so glad I lived under a rock - as I was completely oblivious to GOT all these years. Which meant zero spoilers and I had a terrific time enjoying the slow denouement.

Which was your favourite character?Jamie for me.Sad that he had such a farcical end

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

The really great shows I have watched three times now. Breaking Bad, The Wire and TWD seasons 1-3 I just watched because I loved them so much. GOT was more because I was watching again with family who hadn't seen it before, but still great. I think that is what separates the best from the rest, you can watch it again knowing what's coming just because it's so well done it's fantastic entertainment anyway. A bit like the great movies down the years like the Godfather or Jurassic Park.

I could not resist replying once I saw Jurassic Park. My all time favorite movie. Watched it countless times - if not the whole movie - a few of my favorite scenes.

I've only watched 2 series so far in my whole life. Breaking Bad and GOT. Both of them were great in their own way.


Do you have any other recommendations?

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Unfortunately while the first 4 seasons are some of the best TV ever, and it was probably my favourite show of all time back when season 4 had just started, it is impossible for me to consider a show a classic if it has 4 classic seasons, 2 decent seasons and 2 garbage seasons. Not in my top 10 shows of all time although if you just consider the first 4 seasons then it is in my top 5 shows.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

Never have I seen such an acclaimed and popular phenomena be forgotten in such quick time. This was the biggest thing ever back when season 6 and 7 were airing. Less than 2 years later and it is not even mentioned along the greatest shows of all time and for good reason. I correctly predicted on this thread 2 years ago that the awful final 2 seasons will have a permanent impact on the shows legacy, back when people were saying it will get better with time.

It is unfortunate because I think back to 2012 and how damn invested I was in this and I would have never believed at the time that the show would go off the rails as badly as it did.

However, I feel that some people went overboard with their hate and criticism and made hating the final season an integral part of their lives. These people are idiots and should realize that it is just art and there is no need to go crazy if it disappoints you, no matter how invested you are in it.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Really miss the show and hope the spin-off show ' Fire and Blood' will be as interesting borrowing a lot from Martin's world of GOT.

The spin-off 'Fire and Blood' will all be about Targaeryens and focused on the throne of Westeros after Aegon's conquest of the many kingdoms.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Which was your favourite character?Jamie for me.Sad that he had such a farcical end

Most of the characters were well etched - Tyrion Lannister is my all time favorite though. He just stole every scene he was in I felt.

I thoroughly enjoyed the dialogue, the back and forth, the one-upmanship between Varys, Littlefinger and Tyrion - three of the most intelligent, sharp tongued characters in the series.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

I could not resist replying once I saw Jurassic Park. My all time favorite movie. Watched it countless times - if not the whole movie - a few of my favorite scenes.

I've only watched 2 series so far in my whole life. Breaking Bad and GOT. Both of them were great in their own way.


Do you have any other recommendations?

Off the top of my head The Sopranos is another one of the ATGs, pretty sure you'll love that one. One of my personal favourities is Mad Men, also highly acclaimed, but that's not for everyone. Very different type of show altogether, but brilliantly conceived.

 

[Greenstorm]

I just finished binge watching GOT in about 10 days.

I just have one question for the guys who followed GOT while it was happening - how the hell did you guys bear the tension and the heightened sense of anticipation - to wait for the next season to begin - it would have driven me crazy. Some seasons ended on absolute cliff hangers.


Thank God for streaming services - once I started watching it I really could not stop.

I watched it last year (completed in 2 month) and was thinking the same. Waiting for almost a year in between seasons must have been frustrating for most viewers.

 

[James]

Lest we forget that Game of Thrones was a great show in its prime. The first four seasons were (and are) epic throughout — as are the best episodes of the fifth and sixth seasons. But parts of season seven and particularly season eight are where the show really faltered in its writing, narrative and character development unfortunately. (The casting and acting were, to be fair, always excellent.) Ultimately it was good that it ended when it did!

Breaking Bad meanwhile is beyond immense, arguably qualifies as a modern Shakespearean tragedy, and is just a work of art. Each “season” flows seamlessly into the next: it’s one huge, layered, coherent and continuous story. Unlike Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad seems to get better and better and better throughout its five-season run, to the point where it is actually devastating to see it end because (despite the entirely perfect finale episode) you just want it to keep on running! I could watch this truly magnificent television show, start to finish, over and over again. Think I’ve seen it three or four times now, and it still doesn’t feel anywhere near enough!

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Lest we forget that Game of Thrones was a great show in its prime. The first four seasons were (and are) epic throughout — as are the best episodes of the fifth and sixth seasons. But parts of season seven and particularly season eight are where the show really faltered in its writing, narrative and character development unfortunately. (The casting and acting were, to be fair, always excellent.) Ultimately it was good that it ended when it did!

Breaking Bad meanwhile is beyond immense, arguably qualifies as a modern Shakespearean tragedy, and is just a work of art. Each “season” flows seamlessly into the next: it’s one huge, layered, coherent and continuous story. Unlike Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad seems to get better and better and better throughout its five-season run, to the point where it is actually devastating to see it end because (despite the entirely perfect finale episode) you just want it to keep on running! I could watch this truly magnificent television show, start to finish, over and over again. Think I’ve seen it three or four times now, and it still doesn’t feel anywhere near enough!

That surely has to be the big difference between GOT and Breaking Bad. Breaking Bad went from strength to strength every season and I was worried how it was going to end in the final season - and it exceeded my expectations.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

I watched it last year (completed in 2 month) and was thinking the same. Waiting for almost a year in between seasons must have been frustrating for most viewers.

Waiting for one whole year - kill me. That wait would have been unbearable.

 

[leonidas_alexandar]

Off the top of my head The Sopranos is another one of the ATGs, pretty sure you'll love that one. One of my personal favourities is Mad Men, also highly acclaimed, but that's not for everyone. Very different type of show altogether, but brilliantly conceived.

I've heard of The Sopranos. Need to check it out. Thanks for the recommendations.

 

[marlonbrowndo]

I've heard of The Sopranos. Need to check it out. Thanks for the recommendations.

The Wire, The Sopranos and Breaking Bad are the only shows which I would give a straight up 10/10

 

[JaDed]

Really miss the show and hope the spin-off show ' Fire and Blood' will be as interesting borrowing a lot from Martin's world of GOT.

The spin-off 'Fire and Blood' will all be about Targaeryens and focused on the throne of Westeros after Aegon's conquest of the many kingdoms.

Show name i think is House of Dragons

 

[JaDed]

I dunno how do you guys watch serious shows all over again, I can never.
Comedy though I always can-

Psych, Office, Its always sunny,

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

Lest we forget that Game of Thrones was a great show in its prime. The first four seasons were (and are) epic throughout — as are the best episodes of the fifth and sixth seasons. But parts of season seven and particularly season eight are where the show really faltered in its writing, narrative and character development unfortunately. (The casting and acting were, to be fair, always excellent.) Ultimately it was good that it ended when it did!

Breaking Bad meanwhile is beyond immense, arguably qualifies as a modern Shakespearean tragedy, and is just a work of art. Each “season” flows seamlessly into the next: it’s one huge, layered, coherent and continuous story. Unlike Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad seems to get better and better and better throughout its five-season run, to the point where it is actually devastating to see it end because (despite the entirely perfect finale episode) you just want it to keep on running! I could watch this truly magnificent television show, start to finish, over and over again. Think I’ve seen it three or four times now, and it still doesn’t feel anywhere near enough!

Breaking Bad is without doubt my favourite ever tv show. I don't think I've ever got so invested in a set of tv characters as in that show in all their diversity. And yes, the pace was unrelenting over the five seasons, but still managed to retain depth of story line which is I guess where tv shows have the advantage over movies.

These shows are so good that I am tempted to start watching them again rather than start a new one. I suppose it just shows how rare the really great shows are.

 

[Cpt. Rishwat]

The Wire, The Sopranos and Breaking Bad are the only shows which I would give a straight up 10/10

Same. I think there are others which are great shows, but had some flaws or maybe went on too long. The Walking Dead being a prime example. I still think the first three seasons were among the finest tv series of all time, but they have become a joke now.