A great HBO landmark ended. It ended after a rough couple last seasons when the original creative influence left after five seasons. That show, however, redeemed itself with a great finale, one that was everything great about the original show, if a little broader than it was at its peak.
I'm talking about Veep - a pantheon level comedy - every bit Game of Throne's equal. That show ended last night, something that should have gotten a huge HBO marketing push, and fanfare that the show so readily deserved. Instead, it got swallowed up by Game of Thrones, which is becoming increasingly unlikely to pull of the good finish that Veep did.
At this point, I think I've largely come to terms with Game of Thrones' disappointing end. Not that it will make me feel better, but I largely believe the events we saw play out in yesterday's episode, with Dany taking King's Landing but veering into 'Mad Queen' territory is largely what would ahve happened in the books. The problem is George would tell that story across thousands of pages. Benioff & Weiss decided to tell it in less episodes.
I will never forgive them, really, for shortening the show. I won't forget HBO for allowing it (they were reportedly pushing for 10 seasons of 10 episodes, and then at least 10 episodes through). I will, most of all, never forgive Benioff & Weiss for getting their wish and reducing the episodes, and then clearly not giving a shit, introducing so many plot contrivances, deus ex machina's, and scenes that so nakedly sacrificed character for spectacle.
Even if the final outcome is the same, there was no nuance in what they put on TV, there was no story. Sure, at a high level you can buy Dany going mad after losing advisor after advisor, friend after friend and dragon after dragon, but not so quick, and not sacrificing all character for nothing. Seeing her fry Cersei and the red keep? That would be somewaht 'mad' but also great. Seeing her mercilessly torch the city? That was too much.
What I hate the most is the most effort Benioff & Weiss put into to telling us about Dany's mental failings was people like Tyrion and Varys predicting it, though at that point she really hadn't done anything all together that bad for this world. Certainly nothing even approaching Cersei blowing up the Sept and killing so many major figures in effort to win the throne - an effort that worked of course.
In the end, Game of Thrones was a spectacular, groundbreaking show for six seasons. The sixth season finale, with that same sept blowing up, Dany finally crossing the narrow sea with three dragons, unsullied, dothraki and the armies of Dorne and Highgarden, and Jon being named King of the North. That was how the show should have ended.
Instead we got a rushed, two season character piece that took all the worst aspects of a Breaking Bad and shoved it stupidly down or throat. And for that, it is truly unforgiveable.
I'm talking about Veep - a pantheon level comedy - every bit Game of Throne's equal. That show ended last night, something that should have gotten a huge HBO marketing push, and fanfare that the show so readily deserved. Instead, it got swallowed up by Game of Thrones, which is becoming increasingly unlikely to pull of the good finish that Veep did.
At this point, I think I've largely come to terms with Game of Thrones' disappointing end. Not that it will make me feel better, but I largely believe the events we saw play out in yesterday's episode, with Dany taking King's Landing but veering into 'Mad Queen' territory is largely what would ahve happened in the books. The problem is George would tell that story across thousands of pages. Benioff & Weiss decided to tell it in less episodes.
I will never forgive them, really, for shortening the show. I won't forget HBO for allowing it (they were reportedly pushing for 10 seasons of 10 episodes, and then at least 10 episodes through). I will, most of all, never forgive Benioff & Weiss for getting their wish and reducing the episodes, and then clearly not giving a shit, introducing so many plot contrivances, deus ex machina's, and scenes that so nakedly sacrificed character for spectacle.
Even if the final outcome is the same, there was no nuance in what they put on TV, there was no story. Sure, at a high level you can buy Dany going mad after losing advisor after advisor, friend after friend and dragon after dragon, but not so quick, and not sacrificing all character for nothing. Seeing her fry Cersei and the red keep? That would be somewaht 'mad' but also great. Seeing her mercilessly torch the city? That was too much.
What I hate the most is the most effort Benioff & Weiss put into to telling us about Dany's mental failings was people like Tyrion and Varys predicting it, though at that point she really hadn't done anything all together that bad for this world. Certainly nothing even approaching Cersei blowing up the Sept and killing so many major figures in effort to win the throne - an effort that worked of course.
In the end, Game of Thrones was a spectacular, groundbreaking show for six seasons. The sixth season finale, with that same sept blowing up, Dany finally crossing the narrow sea with three dragons, unsullied, dothraki and the armies of Dorne and Highgarden, and Jon being named King of the North. That was how the show should have ended.
Instead we got a rushed, two season character piece that took all the worst aspects of a Breaking Bad and shoved it stupidly down or throat. And for that, it is truly unforgiveable.
