Show Review: Game of Thrones Season Finale
May 22, 2019
Ever since season seven of Game Of Thrones ended on a massive cliffhanger, viewers eagerly anticipated the next season. However, when word began to spread that season eight would be its last season, with a reduced episode count than past seasons, I was sad and a bit cautious at that point. Unfortunately, my worries were proven right. The final season did a lot right, but it did more wrong.
The final season of Game Of Thrones opened on a northern country preparing for war. The army of the dead, lead by the sinister and mysterious Night King, are marching south to wipe out the warriors of Westeros. The hype for this battle has been built up since the first episode of season one when the first White Walker attacked a group of Rangers traveling beyond the wall. Sadly this battle wasn’t as great as promised.
The Long Night had come for Winterfell, and boy, they made sure it was at night, because you could barely see a thing. The episode was shrouded in a heavy layer of shadow that made it hard to tell what was going on at points; I felt like a blind man that was blindfolded and lost in a cave. The battle between the living and the dead was rushed and disappointing when you realize this was built up for almost ten years. Sorrowfully, this also wasn’t their biggest fault, as it felt like so many character arcs had been thrown away and some things were done just for that ‘wow’ factor. The rushed projects often make fans feel better about the end product. My final problem with the final season, was that it was the final season…
This was possibly the dumbest move that HBO and the executives could’ve made. With so much to wrap up and so many character arcs to finish, why would you make this the final season and only give it a mere six episodes— SIX. With the the Great War approaching and the fight for the Iron Throne still the main goal for our protagonist, a grave mistake was made in this final decision. Looking back again, there was so much that was never explained because they simply did not have the time to do so. After a two year hiatus you would think they would have perfected it. The show needed at least two more seasons to flesh out the rest that Westeros had to offer, but for some reason it wasn’t granted. Instead, we got a literal half baked season with a coffee cup in one shot and a water bottle in the next.
Onto some of the wonderful things to come out of this season; just because some of the character arcs were thrown down the moondoor doesn’t mean they all were. Some of the characters came full circle, getting the happy ending and the goal they’ve been reaching for since their first appearance. More pros of this season was the score by Ramin Djawadi and the way these episodes were shot. The cinematography was fantastic and the music made them almost perfect. The scale and spectacle from some of these scenes should be known as some of the best in the industry, even though the writing won’t be.
Even though the episodes jam-packed with action may not have lived up to their potential narratively, the large scale battles that unfolded on the screen were fantastic. Watching the Great War and the Last War play out was entertaining and would keep you on the edge of your seat, even if it was harder to see.The finale was bittersweet to say the least; I was sad to see these characters go and to watch this story end. Now it might not have been the ending everyone was hoping for but it’s what we got, and some people can’t handle that fact. The petitions are growing to outrageous numbers for remakes of the final season and it’s quite disrespectful, even if the quality wasn’t there for the finale season.
Although season eight of Game Of Thrones wasn’t everything that I wanted and lacked narratively, it was something special and surely won’t be forgotten by fans. The past eight seasons gave viewers some of the best moments in pop culture and visual media, from the Battle of the Black Water to the Battle of the Bastards, the show always delivered on its build up. Well, most of its build up. I hope the future brings viewers a worthy heir to the legacy of Game Of Thrones, possibly one of the, if not the, best shows to ever grace our television screens with its sheer ambition and determination. Like the Watchers on the Wall used to say, “And now our watch has ended.”
