My GOT Final Review

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Hi there, I started listening to your podcast Season 8 – I wish I had known about it earlier but alas my obsession hadn’t taken true hold until recently. I thought I’d share my post on FB with you following the series finale…though I realize you both won’t agree but hopefully it will at least give you some chuckles. Thanks for your diligent and heartfelt work on the podcast(s)! Let me know if you decide to read any of it on air 🙂

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“Behold my 2nd and last GOT post. Its long, but I feel necessary. Spoiler alerts ahead. I have not yet read any articles written on this subject so forgive me if you’ve heard this elsewhere already. As someone who touted this show as the greatest cinematic experience of my lifetime, I find it hard to express my grave and deep disappointment in the last 2 episodes of this, the last season. My initial words are: I. FELT. NOTHING. Which, in my humble opinion, is the worst comment and critique a tv show or film can get.

The writers dropped the proverbial sword in so many ways I cannot even count. It is not that I am opposed to the final plot points but rather how they executed them, or not executed as the case may be.

This is a series that has been full of and famous for its “MOMENTS”. These “Moments” have caused me to cry tears of shock & grief (Ned Stark’s beheading; the Red Wedding); scream silently (when Jaime pushed Bran out the window – talk about starting with a bang); gasp in shock (when Khal Drogo pours molten gold over Viserys ‘ head; when Jamie’s hand got severed; when Stannis burns his own daughter); turn away in disgust (most of poor Theon’s plight, any scene with Ramsey); cry tears of poignancy (Jaime saving Brienne from the bear – still one of my all-time favorite eps; Brienne getting knighted); be traumatized for days (when the Mountain squeezed the charismatic prince Oberyn’s brains out); scream and ugly cry & I’m sure waking the neighbors (HODOR!!); scream and cheer at the top of my lungs (Arya killing the Night King) just to name a few ? All of this was a result of the superbly crafted “Moments”.

These “Moments” have sometimes caused me to take a break from the show due to the sheer brutality of some scenes, but I always came back because I had grown to love this world and these characters. Where were the “moments” I had not only come to expect, but look forward to with sometimes heart palpitating anxiousness? The writers got what I consider to be either lazy or overwhelmed, or both. Eps 2 & 3 of this season I consider to be masterpieces, but what occurred on the screen since in Eps 5 & 6 were what I would conservatively call a disaster and disappointment of heroic proportions. In thinking about this profound missed opportunity I cannot help but imagine what could’ve been. Here are a few “moments” they could have inserted that could’ve made some difference:

The Hound: I loved this character and was overjoyed when he returned to the canvas. Why did I feel NOTHING when he catapulted to his death? And why oh why was Arya wandering around amidst the rubble from one death defying corner to the next, clearly leaving the audience with the thought that SOMETHING BIG is gonna happen with her in the finale. Fraid notski. Here’s what I think would have made a difference: The Hound was fighting a losing battle with his monster of a brother The Mountain. Arya had not left as she said she would (which lets face it would’ve been much more in character ). She saw he was losing and started to approach to help him – The Hound saw her out of the corner of his eye and knew the Mountain would be the end of her so hurled himself at him catapulting them both off the tower into the fiery depths to SAVE ARYA! I would’ve definitely felt something and it would’ve rang true for their characters. Arya could’ve then resumed her wandering thru the rubble…

Jaime & Cersei: After 8 freaking seasons waiting for her to get her comeuppance and THIS is what we get? We don’t even get to see her die? Naaaah. She should have been forced to watch the love of her life Jaime die from the wounds inflicted in his ridiculous fight with Euron (which was absurd that he was the only one who survived and just happened to swim to the exact place where Jaime was – again ridic). Jaime should’ve died in front of her, THEN gasping with grief she looks up as her eyes widen in horror as the building starts to collapse. On her. THIS is what I wanted to see. They still would’ve died in each other’s arms but it would’ve been more satisfying (at least for me) and somehow felt complete…

Tyrion: Lets face it Jaime’s hand would never have stayed on his arm after that rubble fall, Tyrion should’ve found the hand by itself first. Then perhaps after some digging finally finding them (and really from a show that doesn’t shy away from disgusting violence why did they look so beautiful after being trampled by stone?) He should’ve kept the hand. I would have if it had been one of my siblings. The Hand keeping the Hand. Or rather the Former Hand keeping the…former hand. It would’ve been a nice touch. [cid:5D2A9AE8-E444-4FB7-A430-7EFA0828D4B2@attlocal.net] 🙂

Jon Snow or as I now call him “Dum-Dum”: I saw him stabbing her a mile away. I would’ve directed Amelia to have a much more surprised look on her face and whisper “Jonnnnnnn…” as she dies or SOMETHING. Drogon comes up, sees this, burns the throne, then turns to Jon and blows fire on him. Jon, being a Targeryn, is not even singed. This somehow affects Drogon and he nuzzles up to him. He then takes Daenerys and flies away.

Throneroom scene: Bran saying he’ll go look for the dragon was absurd. Who cares? That scene around the throne room was like something out of a bad sitcom. It fell flat. And why is Jon being punished for killing Daenerys when it was Tryion who talked him into it??? As we know Jon is now not intelligent enough to come to that decision on his own. ALSO, since Jon is the rightful heir wouldn’t he only be eliminating the usurper?

WHY OH WHY did they all of a sudden turn Jon Snow into a character that could only say one line “You are my queen”. Can you say overkill (no pun intended). He had no depth toward the end which again is contrary to his character in its earlier incarnation.

And where was the goodbye with Sam? Sam should’ve offered to go with Jon – give them a moment for chrissakes! Of course John would not let him go to the north, but he should’ve offered or there should’ve been one final scene between these self proclaimed best friends.

In the last scene when Jon goes through the wall (and how the frick did that wall get back up there so nicely – they should’ve at least shown the part that got destroyed so we didn’t think they are higher than high) he sees Drogon flying overhead. The dragon remains with Jon, ever a reminder of the love(s) he lost.

There you have it. In a nutshell, I feel:
We. Deserved. More.”

Betsy

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