SPOILER ALERT! So am I the only one excited about a new round of GoT?

[Hammers]

Not sure I agree about the Dragon, he was clearly already wounded following the battle and a strong theme of GoT is everyone can die really easily. The point made by Sansa was rammed home as he took the plunge...

Not sure they were easy to kill either - the Night King was pretty tough with his javelins (though he had a big weakness and the standard bad guy weakness of arrogance leading to stupidity etc) and the second do go was severely weaken.

And I loved the shock value of it.

Something tells me neither Ayra or The Hound Will survive, pity I'd have loved a spin off film or series about those two....

You are right, but they could have stressed some more the bad condition the Rhaegar was in. He just came across as as big and fearsome as ever.

[Antonio J Carrasco]

To be honest, I am underwhelmed. I stop watching GoT in season 4. Then, with everybody singing its praises I made the effort to watch the next three seasons. While it wasn't that exciting, it wasn't painful either, so was relatively well disposed for this season. Thing is that it looks rushed. It's like the writers need to wrap everything up in just six hours and don't know what to do and how to do it; what needs to be told and what can be left out of the story. And the deaths by the sake of shock value leave me cold. (Hey! Look! We kill TWO dragons! Aren't we bold?)Even if the story arc until then made of Dragons and White Walkers the stuff of nightmares, the show dispatch them with a slight of hand (See? It was just a bad dream. Go back to sleep).

So far 8th season is being painful to watch. Even fan service deaths -like that of Lyanna Mormont- look stupid and meh.

[Sangennaru]

I can accept magic and dragons and big icewalls if it is established as part of the word the writer is building. What I cannot stand is stupidity for the shake of drama, inconsistent rules of how the world works, characters acting in ways which are out of character just to further the plot or to fit the current narrative theme.

Exactly this, which is the basis of good science fiction too.
At this point, they could well have 5 hidden dragons nobody mentioned before, a whole new continent right below westeros made of marshmellows, and clearly Cersei being the nineteenth Doctor.

[Silent Invader]

Something I’ve pondered (even though I’m trying not to engage brain while watching):

The lands/tales of “ice and fire” I’d imagined referred to the narrative driving awesomeness of the white walkers and the dragons. But it now transpires that both were/are ‘relatively’ easily eliminated from the story arc. So maybe “ice and fire” actually refers to the distinct personalities involved, such as Cersei and Dany (and perhaps in the final showdown they  will cancel each other out leaving space for a more temperate conclusion).

[Plynkes]

I wonder if the show runners are still following the outline given them by Mr. Martin, or if they have said "fuck that shit," chucked it in the bin and gone entirely off-piste? Would be interesting to know.

The internet has gone crazy, declaring GoT ruined, lumping it in with Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who as the latest in a line of destroyed franchises. I'm not really there yet, but I can see where they are coming from in some ways. It's definitely not as good as it used to be. I watched some old clips with Charles Dance earlier, and found myself thinking "I miss those days."

[AKULA]

The internet has gone crazy, declaring GoT ruined, lumping it in with Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who as the latest in a line of destroyed franchises.

For me, it’s a TV Series with great battles and betrayals, and some thumping tunes - I’ve got it on endless loop in my games room while I churn out yet more figures for my Westeros project.

 

In those rare moments I think “they haven’t done it right” I remind myself that at least they’ve actually made eight seasons. GRRM wasn’t confident that the story would get picked up for an established run on TV....if you want the “pure” GoT experience the books are the best place to start, but difficult to read while painting
 
 

[Plynkes]

Yeah, I can get with that. I'm still enjoying it, but that doesn't mean I am blind to its faults. To be honest both the extreme viewpoints: "It's ruined, I'm never watching it again" and "It's fantasy! Nothing matters!" seem pretty silly to me.

It is rather distressing that the discussion is becoming politicized, like everything else these days. At least both the left and the right are finding their own things to get upset about this time, though. That's nice for them.

[ARKOUDAKI]

I wonder if the show runners are still following the outline given them by Mr. Martin, or if they have said "fuck that shit," chucked it in the bin and gone entirely off-piste? Would be interesting to know.

From what I have heard in the times of the 'Me too' movement Mr Martin has problems with writing a lot of sex scenes and wanting to be on set for them all....doesn't sound too good. I have also heard some of the actors - like Dany's - have said enough all with that perv stuff.

As for the outline, I wanted the last season to be good and bring things together but I do feel the directors are rushing things to just wrap it up. The battle of Winterfell was a classic, with a lot of the battle scenes just plain lame. For example, horses will not charge into a mass like that, and the Dolthraki weren't that stupid! That said, the image of their flaming swords going out as they were devoured by the dead was pretty good.

The Unsullied were massed in formations with massive gaps between men, when they should have closed ranks like Greek Hoplites did to cover one another and provide a good shield wall. Plus, did anyone notice the big gaff that almost all the Unsullied were essentially wiped out (run over) but yet in Episode 4 Grey Worm says they only lost half of the force? Please!

That leads me to the biggest gaff, as at the end of the battle of Winterfell when the Night King is defeated (I won't go there, as that bit about Arya sneaking past all the dead and white walkers was way too much!), Dany's army was pretty much wiped out as were the North's forces (heck, the North's forces were wiped out at the Twins during the Red Wedding!). So what the heck are they doing saying only 1/2 are dead and they have plenty left to defeat Cersei's forces? Get serious!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And yes, the Battle of Winterfell was filmed far too dark...more like a very old episode of the X-Files, but darker!

The internet has gone crazy, declaring GoT ruined, lumping it in with Star Wars, Star Trek and Doctor Who as the latest in a line of destroyed franchises. I'm not really there yet, but I can see where they are coming from in some ways. It's definitely not as good as it used to be. I watched some old clips with Charles Dance earlier, and found myself thinking "I miss those days."

Okay, Star Wars was ruined by the latest installment but if you look back at the older movies there were a lot of issues in it already...so par for the course. Personally I think the 'Clone Wars' cartoons and 'Rogue One' were the best of them so far...at least my 7 yr old thinks so!

As for Star Trek, I still hold hope for the movies...but as much as I have tried, 'Star Trek Discovery' just plain blows! And 'Doctor Who' I gave up like 10 doctors ago! 

Two more episodes and you can see a lot more cast members getting killed off. Personally I don't know why Cersei just didn't fire all those ballistas she had on the City Walls at Dany & Co and get it over with! Also, has anyone considered that if King's Landing is put to the torch then all that 'Wild Fire' stored underground will go up like one big bomb! End of story!

As for me, well, after the 'Red Wedding' I pretty much gave up on the show as being a great story line. Yet I have continued to watch as there isn't much else good on TV these days (waiting for the new season of 'Gomorrah' to start  ) and one does need to keep up with the times!

That's my 2 pence coin in!

[Captain Blood]

It’s becoming politicised? Dragons and zombies? Hilarious.

I did see something in one paper yesterday claiming that the series was discriminatory in some way because none of the characters ‘of colour’ lasted (following the demise of Missandei). But seeing as this was substantiated by claiming Oberyn Martell (played by a hispanic American actor), as a person of colour, and seeing as pretty much every significant character has died - or will do shortly - irrespective of ethnic origin, I took this with a pinch of salt.

Bonkers that people will seek to find some sort of political import or advantage in something as entertaining yet essentially silly as an escapist sword and sorcery yarn.

[ARKOUDAKI]

It’s becoming politicised? Dragons and zombies? Hilarious.

Of course Richard, the zombies are the liberals and the dragons are the people...

Seriously, everything these days is seen through a political lens, and distorted accordingly. We can't have swastikas on models as it might offend someone; despite the fact that the symbol has been used throughout time. We can't do this, do that, etc....everything has become so politically correct yet uncorrect at the same time.

For example, I find your wonderfully painted WW2 French forces offensive, as they portray the Natives as subservient to their French Colonial Oppressors! 

The world has gone mad as history isn't history anymore. And FYI, I am not supporting the swastika used by Nazi Germany, as that is indeed offensive to some...but it is history so understand that and stop re-writing history! Rant over...all Richard's fault!

[Plynkes]

It is bonkers but it is happening, in an all-too familiar way. For example:

The anti-PC crowd are saying the "strong female characters" thing is out of hand again; that all the males have been turned into useless failures, and the women are succeeding at everything.

On the left they are saying that the massacre of the Dothraki is a metaphor about immigration, and that it is "problematic" that these outsiders of colour all got wiped out, and that makes the show somehow pro-Trump or something.

Note I do not espouse these viewpoints, I'm simply commenting on the madness. I think we're at a point now where both sides have dug their trenches so deep they can no longer get out of them.

[ARKOUDAKI]

On the left they are saying that the massacre of the Dothraki is a metaphor about immigration, and that it is "problematic" that these outsiders of colour all got wiped out, and that makes the show somehow pro-Trump or something.

Well it is proof that 'Walls' work! 

That said, on the walls of Winterfell they had put dragon glass on wood hanging in front of the walls and on the top...but it seems to have done nothing....but yet when the dead ran into the barricades they died instantly....who was the technical director on the show, as they clearly have no common sense! Perhaps they were too busy having a Starbucks coffee that they left on the table for the next episode! 

[Hammers]

I wonder if the show runners are still following the outline given them by Mr. Martin, or if they have said "fuck that shit," chucked it in the bin and gone entirely off-piste? Would be interesting to know.

I read a comment by GRRM indicating something like that.

[beefcake]

I wonder if he cares, that means people will still be able to buy his books for a completely different ending... possibly. (Well of course he will care)

[thebinmann]

Everything that is good ends badly... Lost, Deadwood, Luther, Bunny and Fizz in Eldorado...