Game of Thrones... Is it worth it?

[Captroop]

I recently got HBO Max, and I started re-watching from the beginning. When I last had HBO was the end of Season 5, and I've managed to avoid spoilers about how the series ended thus far. But I understand that Season 8, and the way the show ended got a pretty poor reception from the fans. So I'd like to ask this of the freefolk who have watched all the way to the end:

• Is it as bad as they say it is? Was this a "The Last Jedi" kind of thing, where it was loved by some, hated by others, but a very toxic and vocal minority makes it seem like it's a flaming shitwreck. Or is it actually a full-on dumpster fire?
• Is it worth watching all the way to the end? I'm so enjoying re-watching the early seasons. Damn I forgot how good that show was! So is it worth getting re-invested again, and getting my hopes up, only to be disappointed? Will it ruin the entire show for me if I see the end? Or is it worth soldiering through just so I get closure by seeing the series finale?
• If it IS that bad and watching to the end WILL ruin the show for me forever, where should I stop?

Thanks!

[Floppin]

I enjoyed the show all the way until the end. I feel like some people just overreacted when their expectations weren't met with the last season and I'll agree that it probably could have used another season in order to give all the story lines their due rather than feeling a bit rushed. However, I don't really have any major issues with how they resolved any particular story item and it's definitely worth finishing.

Edited February 4, 2021 by Floppin

[Harbingers]

Season 1 is epic. Everything else. Nah. 

[Panther'sBigD]

It's a great show. I say it's worth it. You have the benefit of already knowing that the final season is extremely underwhelming compared to previous seasons. You're not going to be as pissed/shocked when you finally get there, and that will allow you to enjoy the really good parts of the final season. 

I don't think there was a way they could end the series that everyone would like. Like ol' Bryan Flanagan says in the 80's classic Cocktail, "Everything ends badly, otherwise it wouldn't end."

[CRA]

20 hours ago, Captroop said:

I recently got HBO Max, and I started re-watching from the beginning. When I last had HBO was the end of Season 5, and I've managed to avoid spoilers about how the series ended thus far. But I understand that Season 8, and the way the show ended got a pretty poor reception from the fans. So I'd like to ask this of the freefolk who have watched all the way to the end:

• Is it as bad as they say it is? Was this a "The Last Jedi" kind of thing, where it was loved by some, hated by others, but a very toxic and vocal minority makes it seem like it's a flaming shitwreck. Or is it actually a full-on dumpster fire?
• Is it worth watching all the way to the end? I'm so enjoying re-watching the early seasons. Damn I forgot how good that show was! So is it worth getting re-invested again, and getting my hopes up, only to be disappointed? Will it ruin the entire show for me if I see the end? Or is it worth soldiering through just so I get closure by seeing the series finale?
• If it IS that bad and watching to the end WILL ruin the show for me forever, where should I stop?

Thanks!

Game of Thrones was my favorite show of ALL TIME.  And it wasn't even close.  The last season did change that.   Largely the final episode.  While the last season wasn't on par w/ the standard I held them to.... a decent final episode would have kept it as my favorite all time. Probably still in my top 10 because the ride was really really good and I guess a bad ending shouldn't erase that. 

If you quit on season 5? Yeah, keep watching.  You didn't even get to some of the really good stuff. 

 

[Captroop]

1 hour ago, CRA said:

Game of Thrones was my favorite show of ALL TIME.  And it wasn't even close.  The last season did change that.   Largely the final episode.  While the last season wasn't on par w/ the standard I held them to.... a decent final episode would have kept it as my favorite all time. Probably still in my top 10 because the ride was really really good and I guess a bad ending shouldn't erase that. 

If you quit on season 5? Yeah, keep watching.  You didn't even get to some of the really good stuff. 

 

Didn't exactly quit after season 5. Just couldn't justify the HBO expense at the time. But last year was a pretty good year sales-wise. So I got HBO money

[CRA]

Just now, Captroop said:

Didn't exactly quit after season 5. Just couldn't justify the HBO expense at the time. But last year was a pretty good year sales-wise. So I got HBO money

HBO comes and goes at our house.    We got it currently because my wife really wanted to see that WW movie and I want to see some upcoming stuff like the Matrix (which I feel will disappoint but I got to)....

[Captroop]

Just now, CRA said:

HBO comes and goes at our house.    We got it currently because my wife really wanted to see that WW movie and I want to see some upcoming stuff like the Matrix (which I feel will disappoint but I got to)....

Dune. I got it for Dune. I literally subscribed the day they made the announcement they would be carrying WB's first run movies. Hope enough other people did likewise so that offer studios follow in WB's footsteps.

 

[Zaximus]

Yes, it's fantastic TV.   The ending wasn't perfect, the show needed another season for motivations to be clear, but it wasn't as bad as everyone says.   The ending made sense they just needed more time to get there.     I think a lot of the hate was people also just "sad" it was ending.    It was a massive show and event (kind of like Lost back in the day).  

[d-dave]

I loved nearly every minute of GoT.  The problems, like @Zaximus said, was that they hurried things too much to get to the ending.  There is some filler over the 8 seasons, but the vast majority is great.

Characters that are dynamic, interesting and fallible.  I wish the final arc had been given a little more time to stew.  The negative feedback is warranted in some regards, but for some of us, it made sense.  Not everything has to be fan service.

[Wanderlai]

It was and still is one of the best series ever done. There are twists and turns, well done characters, ass and boobs, and mf’ing dragons. The ending was rushed but they didn’t have any true source material to draw from. 

Edited February 8, 2021 by Wanderlai

[CRA]

3 hours ago, d-dave said:

I loved nearly every minute of GoT.  The problems, like @Zaximus said, was that they hurried things too much to get to the ending.  There is some filler over the 8 seasons, but the vast majority is great.

Characters that are dynamic, interesting and fallible.  I wish the final arc had been given a little more time to stew.  The negative feedback is warranted in some regards, but for some of us, it made sense.  Not everything has to be fan service.

Rushing the last 2 seasons hurt the storytelling.   Which a lot of criticism is tied to that.  And GOT always made it clear that storybook endings weren't what the show was about. 

That said, I still think they botched the ending.  At least the one character/plot line that gets the most criticism.   

I don't think Martin finishes the book....but if he does, it will be interesting to see if he does the same thing the TV show did. 

 

[Shocker]

The show as a whole is fuggin awesome.  Didnt love the very end but wasn’t  terrible.  It is without question worth your time.

[Davidson Deac II]

The story telling thru the first 6 or 7 seasons was fantastic.  I am with the ones who say the ending wasn't as bad as some are saying.  The primary problem with season 8 was that the focused more on big action scenes, without the story telling.  And it was a little predictable.