Time To Move On With Our Lives

Gay of Thrones, S8E6 (final)

So, the final episode of Game of Thrones was, in my Highly Scientific and Maesterly opinion, O.K.  Just fine.  Just enough.

It's been seven years people.  The idea that we could get the "perfect" G.R.R. Martin ending if only we went another ten episodes / two years is just preposterous.  The HBO writers did a reasonable job with spotty material from an author who is excellent at character and world building, but water-tight plot development and resolution not so much.

The end.

(Would have liked to see Gendry at least take a seat on his own throne at Storm's End.  Or a surprise Nymeria appearance.  But here's me not bitching about it on the internet.)

Since Nobody Asked Me (Game of Thrones Spoilers!)

I was fine with the penultimate episode of Game of Thrones going full 9/11-Auschwitz-The Day After via Targaryen meltdown.  It was clunky though, and it feels like the show-runners have basically gotten lazier as they approach the end.  (My free advice to Daenarys -- attack the damn city at night when you can't be targeted.)

A lot of internet criticism runs along the lines of "While the direction / spectacle is excellently done, the writing falls flat."  And I'd pretty much agree.  I find myself just kind of wanting this thing to end, unfulfilled prophecies be damned.

This is hardly the stuff of high-praise, but suffice it to say this was a series that matched Martin's strengths -- amazing characters and world building, with an audacious willingness to sacrifice heroes when called for.

Consistently solid story-telling with consequences that matter, beyond the random death of major characters?  Not so much!