Monday, June 15, 2015

Snow Job

Spoiler:
If you haven't watched last night's Game Of Thrones, major spoiler below!



Over the last few episodes, Game Of Thrones has taken a heavy hand with writing and depicting violence on the show. Some viewers were outraged, especially about the violence against women, with the recent rape of Sanasa Stark and with last weeks burning at the stake of the sickly child Shireen Baratheon. Many have been asking, 'have they gone too far?' I jumped to the shows defence after the scene with Sansa in an article last month, (Reek) but after last night's season finale, I am rethinking my stance.


Although last night episode would have clearly been written and filmed long before recent audience reaction but it still felt like a huge F U from the writers and producers to those who watch. Cersei's naked walk of shame was brutal to watch, one of the most horrific scenes yet. I have been looking forward to Cersei getting what was coming to her since season 1, but there was no enjoyment or satisfaction on what they put her through in the finale. The show's final death, well that was certainly a jolt to fans of the show. Kit Harington has become of the shows biggest draws as far as the actors are concerned and although his character's storylines have been slow at times, he was to me, become the heart and soul of GOT. You have to question a series that would kill off arguably one of it's biggest draws...


Television has come a long way in the last 20 years, but for all the creative brilliance on TV, some shows seem forget... they are still, a TV show. Wether on cable or network, viewers tune into to a TV for different reasons than when they watch a movie. Most viewers may like the ocassional jolt, but they watch TV for the familiarity and predictability it brings to what have become increasingly out of control real lives. Writers for some shows think they're clever to ignore or challenge this, but more often than not, it backfires. Look at any show that loses the core themes and characters that brought viewers in to begin with and you see a show on a downward spiral. Every show has an endgame, whether spoken or not. With GOT, to me, it was the eventual coming together of the remaining Starks (as well as Jon and even Theon). One by one the family has been killed off making this reunion less and less something to look forward to. Sansa, and especially Arya had weak stories this past season, with Jon, having one of his strongest. I would not be surprised if the actor returned as either another character, but as of last night, he was cold stone dead. I have long learned never to say something as dramatic as 'I'll never watch again!'. I would never stick with it. But I can tell you, when last season's finale ended, I was already salivating for more. After last night, meh....

1 comment:

JiEL said...

I totally agree with you and I was more «frustrated» because I was recording the last episode 3 times and 3 times the recording ended juste when Jon Snow is stabbed and the little boy comes to him.. SHIT to my TV cable provider...

Now I'll have to wait the next time they'll air it back...

As you, I was hoping from episode to episode that some Stark family would be reunited in some way...
There is although other stories like Kalissi dragon queen that is quite interesting.. For Cersey naked walk fo shame was to me just what she deserved after being such a «bitch» from the beginning of GOT...

Must now admit that with the end of Jon Snow, my interest will be less there for the next season.

I noticed that many TV series end in bad manner.
I was looking to Ascension and it ended before giving any clues... Maybe I missed some episodes (??)
Like the gay serie «Looking» which left us without any explanations except that it seems they will do a «ending movie» to this nice serie...
I loved more «Queer as Folks» but Looking was a modern version and was fairly close to some gay realities...

TV show makers and producers seem to forget that we, viewers, like to see stories that come to some kind of ENDINGS...

Very discoraging when series like «Lost» or «Heroes» or «Firefly» or any like those ends without offering a sort of «end of the stories»...

Hope that next Game of Thrones will be more filled with some kind of hope for some characters: otherwise, we could loose interest in it..
Killing those characters we «love» is somewhat discouraging and in a way brutal and almost sadic...

Cheers to you and I love and visit you site often.