You’d probably be forgiven for thinkingGame of Thrones’ problems developed quickly. Certainly, that’s how it seemed during the show’s final season. While there were grumblings about “The Long Night” being too dark and the White Walkers being defeated too quickly, the first three episodes ofGame of Thronesseason 8were pretty well-received. And then it was like a switch was flipped, the floodgates opened, and the backlash took over in the second half.
From “The Last of the Starks” to “The Iron Throne,” via Jaime Lannister leaving Brienne,Daenerys Targaryen burning King’s Landing, and a coffee cup, the apparent problems developed then snowballed, and all of a suddenGame of Thrones’ endinghad “ruined” the show. I actually like a lot of season 8, including the series finale, which admittedly puts me in the online minority. But while I understand the many complaints, this was absolutelynotan issue that existed in isolation, but the result of a shift in its storytelling (alongside overtaking the books) that was, at least in hindsight, clear much earlier.
“Beyond The Wall” Clearly Signaled Game Of Thrones Season 8’s Problems
On the surface,Game of Thronesseason 7, episode 6, “Beyond the Wall,” is a great episode. Describe what happened in basic terms, and it honestly sounds kind of amazing:
Thatsounds, to me at least, so much cool s**t. And that’s precisely the problem.“Beyond the Wall” plays to the lowest common denominator; it focuses on scale, spectacle, and shock over storytelling, and in those frozen lands, logic gets left out in the cold.
“Beyond the Wall” is rated 9/10 on IMDb. The highest-rated episode of season 8 is “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” with 7.9/10.
How much time passed? How fast did Gendry run back to the Wall? At what speed do ravens and dragons fly? Why the f**k were they trying to capture a wight in the first place? Those questions combined for plot holes so deep Wun-Wun couldn’t climb out of them, and while individually that’s not necessarily a glaring problem, especially if what’s around it is good, together they highlight the shift in the show’s approach.
Game Of Thrones Season 7 Is Worse Than Season 8
It Avoided The Same Level Of Criticism
Game of Thronesseason 7 faced some criticism, but on the whole it was well-received, speaking very generally. It has 93% with critics onRotten Tomatoes, which is around par for the series, and 81% with audiences; a dip but still very respectable. That’s compared to scores of 55% and 30%, respectively, for season 8. Is season 7 really that much better? I’d argue the opposite.
1
90%
96%
2
97%
3
4
5
93%
91%
6
94%
7
81%
8
55%
30%
89%
85%
There’s a lot of great stuff in season 7 still, but looking back, the problems are bigger here, and it’s in the logic and detail. The pacing is expedited, where journeys that once would’ve covered multiple episodes - and a lot of character development - happen instantly. Where people act in ways to service the plot, but not in ways that are true to their character. Where there’s clearly a plan for point A and point Z, but the other 24 parts between them are jumbled up.
Just as bad, and one of my least favorite plots in the entire show, is the entire Arya/Sansa/Littlefinger scheming and audience fakeout at Winterfell.
There were plenty of bad storylines before season 7 - Dorne is a prime example - but it was often because of flaws in execution. “Beyond the Wall” is flawed in idea. Just as bad, and one of my least favorite plots in the entire show, is the entire Arya/Sansa/Littlefinger scheming and audience fakeout at Winterfell. It’s cheap, in a way the show wasn’t previously.
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I actually think season 8 does a better job with these problems, because it finds a greater balance between the epic scale and having emotional heft and thematic weight, certainly in something like “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” but I find it more throughout those final episodes too. Neither season is perfect, nor are they terrible - I still really enjoy re-watching both of them even now - but when looking at whereGame of Thronesseason 8 went wrong and why it sparked such a widespread backlash, the signs were right there in season 7.
Game Of Thrones
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Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
