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So Game of Thrones is over. Didn’t watch, of course (no HBO here at the Wolf Den), but I read enough of a spoiler recap to figure out who won so I could have points of reference to the real show, i.e. those post-episode reactions I mentioned last week.
Of course this time it’s not just post-episode but post-series. That’s it for this multi-year romp of death, drama and destruction that whatever else, got a pretty big slice of mainstream America watching and being invested in sorcerers and dragons. Zombies already being water cooler talk courtesy of The Walking Dead. Seriously though, listening to co-workers at my day job who wouldn’t be caught dead at a D&D table discuss the foibles of sorcerers and dragons was a magic all its own.
Game of Thrones made people care, which at the end of the day is arguably kind of the whole point you’re hoping for in telling a story. And it did so–both in the books and (most of?) the series–despite being utterly ruthless in its progression, just about daring you to get attached to anyone and anything when they could be snatched away at a moment’s bloody notice. GoT did not give a shit what you wanted and never did. Don’t like it? Stop reading/watching. For better or worse, it was a story that was never captive to its audience.
Lots of “armchair quarterbacking” is nonetheless happening this week, up to and including an actual change.org petition to demand HBO redo the ending.
Actually that’s inaccurate. It’s a petition for HBO to redo the entirety of Season 8. Over 1 million people have signed.
And while that’s an impressive number, it’s a lot less than it would cost to actually do that. It’s not going to happen and I’m pretty sure most of the people who clicked over to put their names on the list know it’s not going to happen. But it was something to do, aside from or in addition to venting on social media (or around the water cooler).
Was it a satisfying ending? A satisfying last season? For a lot of folks, it would seem not. And yet, possible future fan edits aside, it’s done. Or maybe GRRM will finish the Winds of Winter and make sense of everything but I’m largely of the opinion that at this point that’s even less likely than HBO reshooting a whole season of the show.
Personally, I read the Monday morning score sheet, so to speak, and am just sort of, “Well, that’s a choice.” Won’t talk more detail since maybe some of you still haven’t seen.
And my reaction is perhaps unfair considering I admitted last week that I’d allowed myself to grow some distance from the proceedings. But on the other hand, I learned a harsh lesson about TV shows many, many years ago: don’t expect them to stick the landing. Definitely don’t hinge your entire enjoyment of the series on them doing so. I’m just going to say “Season 5 of Babylon 5” and leave it at that. Remember the good times, and yeah, write your own ending if it helps, just don’t expect the show to care. It was never your friend, and certainly never your lackey to be ordered about as you chose. For every Avengers: Endgame* there will be a Dexter. And there will even be people who hated Endgame and loved the Dexter finale.
Just don’t get me started about Mass Effect 3.
*Technically Avengers: Endgame is not a TV show but I contend (backed up by Feige himself) there is a good case for considering the MCU movies as one long, episodic serial. So close enough.