Game of Thrones: Season 8 Review with Superlatives

You know that feeling of deep satisfaction you get after watching the highly-anticipated final season of a show you've been invested in for a large portion of your life? Because I sure as hell don't. I've delayed the inevitable for long enough, but finally, a review of THE FINAL SEASON OF GAME OF THRONES. In hindsight, I should have at least considered the possibility that I'd be catastrophically disillusioned after watching what ended up being a cluster**** shit show. But honestly, the prospect of THE FINAL SEASON OF GAME OF THRONES being shoddy hadn't even crossed my mind, and I'm kind of disappointed in myself for not seeing this coming. I've been let down numerous times, but not at this scale. I'm an optimistic viewer and that needs to change. Or rather it has, after having seen THE FINAL SEASON OF GAME OF THRONES. 

During the last couple of months, I've been in a stupor of confusion and denial. Confused that the show that couldn't possibly be had the title of Game of Thrones attached to it and denial because I refuse to believe that this was actually it, and having a difficult time accepting that it was, in fact, it.

🚨 SPOILERS AHEAD: PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK 🚨

Now, admittedly, the last season of the show wrapped May of last year and I have forgotten the majority of the specifics of said season and so, decidedly, will not be nit-picking. Though, I have fortunately-or unfortunately- not forgotten the unyielding censure I had for this show and its creators (Dan and Dave, I'm still coming for you). That is all to say: I will be critiquing specific areas and outlining my issue(s) with each. Now, without further ado, let us begin!

Loose-ends and abandoned storylines: This was one of the more unfortunate flaws, and it seems I am not alone in thinking so: I have since watched various videos of fans listing a host of plot lines that weren't revisited, despite the unspoken promise to do so. A number of these include, the fate of Dorne, the role of Daario Naharis, and Stannis Baratheon and Melissandre's shadow spawn. To address the first, after Euron Greyjoy delivered Ellaria Sand and the remaining sand snake to Cersei to be poisoned shortly after, Dorne was left leaderless and was not presumably not usurped by the Westerosian self-declared monarch (the Dornishmen would not have stood for a foreign reign, at all). I get that Westeros was the region of focus this season, but I would have liked to see what became of Dorne seeing as it allied itself with Dany and Jon's effort, however brief that alliance was. Second was Daario Naharis's prolonged absence from the big fight. Again, I understand that Dany left him in charge in Mereen, but, at the time, it seemed like a short-term appointment. Wasn't he sent to request assistance from the Golden Company? There was a lot of speculation as to whether he was in this promotional shot of the season. Finally, what became of Stannis and Melissandre's offspring? Was it a one-mission-and-then-disappear situation? It (the shadow) could have been a great help in taking out a few of its own whights.



Uncharacteristic behavior: There were a number of unfounded occurrences directly related to specific characters that were meant to be passed off as justified or normal for the individual, when they were, in fact, out of character. For instance, Dany's brash decision to burn King's Landing down to a crisp was not in-line with what she had been preaching for seven seasons. She was driven out from her home because of what her father, King Aerys II, had put his people through. Everything she had hated about him and the world around her, she had become, in the end. It's unfortunate that the writers decided to take that route rather than one in which Dany proves wrong those who doubted her. My next grievance is with our ever-reliant Jonathan Snow and his surprising readiness to subject himself and his people to another monarch (let alone a foreign one). "But Islam", I hear you asking, "doesn't he do this to appease Dany and have their alliance secured because he knew the bigger battle was with white walkers?". No, my dear reader, he had already convinced Daenerys of the white-walker threat before he had sworn his allegiance to her. And I don't think he would have done so merely because he loved her. His history with Ygritte is evidence enough. Lastly, is Jamie's tragic  and ultimately ineffective character development. His decision to die alongside Cersei undercut all he had experienced. The loss of his hand, his imprisonment, coming to care for Brienne were all blueprints for a great redemption story. Alas, the writers decided to have him revert to his former self.  I suppose old habits die hard.

Illogical decision-making: Both on the account of the creators and the characters. The creators of the show were heavily reliant on the content supplied by G.R.R Martin and barely managed to eke out a mildly coherent final season. At the very least, they could have listened to the fans who know the books cover to cover, understand the lore, scrutinize every detail of the show, and then theorize like it's nobody's business (any number of said theories could have worked: they tend to make more sense then what we actually got).

The-not-so-long night: Another big disappointment. I could have very easily just listed this under illogical decision-making, but decided that I needed to emphasize my discontent. This is literally what the entire show- eight years of build-up- revolved around! Figuratively- and literally!



The entire "night" lasted for as long as I was engrossed in this season: that is to say, not at all.  One of the very first (and likely the most repeated) lines in this show is, "winter is coming". And I can't help but imagine that Ned Stark was rolling in his grave (if he had been given one) when "winter" came along. The Battles of the Bastards and of Blackwater lasted for longer than "winter". Yes, I will forever be bitter and petty about this. Also, there were a lot less casualties than I had expected going into this season, but I guess plot-armor is a cheap commodity nowadays.

BOMB soundtrack: One of the very few points of confidence I had for season 8 was the soundtrack. I had absolutely no reservations that Ramin Djawadi would come through for us, and he did. There were a good deal of callbacks to great musical moments in GoT history and they were incredible. Djawadi never ceases to amaze in the way he manages to match the weight of the scene. Moments of impending doom are marked by quiet (but by not means subtle) notes and nostalgic sounds are long and dragged-out (usually reserved for Stark/Winterfell-related scenes).

And now, for the assigned superlatives.