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    The Game of Thrones


    The Game of Thrones

     

    The Game of Thrones or How I Wasted 8 Years worth of Sunday evenings – and Enjoyed Every Minute.

     

    The television series “The Game of Thrones” (GOT) is ”all the buzz” at the moment, on the Internet and around office water coolers everywhere. I know as I constantly have to chase the staff back to their duties here at the Home Office. Just because I don’t pay them and they are not allowed outside...ever, should not give them the right to waste time. Ingrates! They should have read the small print.

     

    If you have not heard about the series, “The Game of Thrones” you are either hiding under a rock or have something actually important you would rather be doing then you might not understand much of this blog. When I think about it, how would that be different from most of my blogs? This series has had a longer run than the Seven Years War (easy math that even I can do) and has been compared with England’s War of the Roses. I really must read the full history of the War of the Roses as I’m not sure I can fully see the parallel but must let that go until I have a more informed knowledge of that conflict. I do have a question to all of the history buffs reading this and especially the British members of our forum. Wouldn’t the War of the Roses, in fact, be the first English Civil War?

     

    I won’t go into a condensed version of the GOT as that would be far too long even for one of my blogs. What you may not know is that somewhere around half a million viewers have signed an online petition (for all that’s worth) to have all of the current writers fired and the last season rewritten. I usually don’t make the type of comment I am about to make for fear of insulting a reader. This time, however, I must ask what sort of egotistical self-centered person with an over inflated sense of entitlement thinks GOT should be rewritten to suit whatever fantasy they may have. We must remember that the current writers have only 8 episodes to wrap up 7 years of plot lines and character building. One season to kill off the bad guys and finally see who will sit on the Iron Throne, that’s the one made out of partially melted swords. Man, would I like one of those for my collection room; it would go so well with what we call the “Death Chair”, a chair of which I am the 4th generation and 6th family member to own. But that’s another story, perhaps for Halloween. Speaking about subjects you might not want to know about. No! Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) why did you do that. I didn’t need to see that! It brought back the feelings I had when our daughter announced that that she was pregnant. Yes. I know how she got that way but I really didn’t want to shake the hand of my son-in-law and congratulate him for impregnating my little princess. Something much more sinister sprang to mind, “Have you ever sat in the Death Chair you little son-of-a-&*%$#?” Now back to the story.

     

    It could be that those unhappy with the eighth season simply don’t want to face the end of what has, in my opinion, been a great run. I can understand that emotion; however, it may be better to end it now rather than feel like is has been drawn out well past viewer interest tolerance. After all we are a fickle lot.  

     

    It’s a bit like reading about the history of the Napoleonic Wars and being upset that the Battle of Waterloo ended too quickly. Sorry, but I don’t think anyone is about to rewrite the Napoleonic Wars and then stretch out the Battle of Waterloo just to suit some fans of the era and its history.

     

    We have to look at The Game of Thrones in the same way we look at a history documentary, the ending has been written and that is that. The only advantage we have is in knowing, after watching this series for the past 8 years that it will all end this evening, Sunday the 19th day of May, 2019. A day which will forever be known as the “End of The Game of Thrones Day”, a day where we can gather around the Iron Thrones that will have been erected in every town square around the world, wearing our GOT t-shirts while we try to hum the theme music in unison and at the same time trying to forget that scene with Arya and Gendry (Joe Dempsie).

    (Shudder), I need a drink.

     

    Regards

    Brian

     

     

     

    4 Comments


    Recommended Comments

    Brian Wolfe

    Posted

    OK, I've had time to do some reading and I can see how the history of the War of the Roses could very well have had a bearing on the writing for The Game of Thrones. However, I would like to hear the opinions of others.

    Regards

    Brian

     

    bolewts58

    Posted (edited)

    I agree with your comment about the petition and think it's an insult to the cast and crew to have the audacity to ask for a redo. I went on the petition website and laid into the guy who started it and the people signing it, most of whom seem to be from that entitled, hyper-sensitive,self-centered generation, the millennials, a generation of privilege that has been over-parented and over-indulged. Anyway, enough of that. I thought all in all the show was amazing.

    I'm no expert on the War of the Roses, but the starting point for the inspiration is all the houses that either aligned with the Lancasters (Lannisters) or with the Yorks (Starks). That was supposedly George R.R. Martin's jumpining off point. Westeros is the UK and Essos is Europe and Asia as I understand it. The Wall is Hadrian's Wall and the land beyond the wall is Scotland and the wildlings are the Picts or the Vikings. The Dothraki are the Mongols and The Unsullied are the Janissaries.

    It would be interesting to try to draw lines between historical events and peoples and GOT.

    Edited by bolewts58
    mconrad

    Posted

    3 hours ago, bolewts58 said:

    I agree with your comment about the petition and think it's an insult to the cast and crew to have the audacity to ask for a redo. I went on the petition website and laid into the guy who started it and the people signing it, most of whom seem to be from that entitled, hyper-sensitive,self-centered generation, the millennials, a generation of privilege that has been over-parented and over-indulged. Anyway, enough of that. I thought all in all the show was amazing.

    I'm no expert on the War of the Roses, but the starting point for the inspiration is all the houses that either aligned with the Lancasters (Lannisters) or with the Yorks (Starks). That was supposedly George R.R. Martin's jumpining off point. Westeros is the UK and Essos is Europe and Asia as I understand it. The Wall is Hadrian's Wall and the land beyond the wall is Scotland and the wildlings are the Picts or the Vikings. The Dothraki are the Mongols and The Unsullied are the Janissaries.

    It would be interesting to try to draw lines between historical events and peoples and GOT.

    I would have to disagree with the first paragraph.  I've followed the on-line commentary of this season's episodes and it is often stated that the acting, cinematography, and music are great - the only thing being criticized is the horrible writing.  It's been specifically mentioned that calling for a redo honors the greatness of the actors and crew, who have been insulted just as much as the viewers by the collapse in quality of the script.

    You're right - the connections between GRR Martin's world and real history are legion. 

    Brian Wolfe

    Posted

    Hello bolewts58 and mconrad,

    Thank you very much for your comments.

    Not being a real writer (I'm more of a conversationalist) I must think that, like a sports game from the day before, if there are no comments or disagreements about the game then it surely must have been a dud. Some people liked the acting and others the writing, so all in all it was a great series. We own all seven seasons and when season eight is out for sale we intend to binge watch it until our eyes bleed. That's my plan, I doubt my wife would agree, she being the brains of the household. 

    Thanks again it is encouraging to see comments.

    Regards

    Brian

     

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