TV #9 of 2018:
Game of Thrones, season 6
Thrones is well past its prime at this point, but it’s still a powerhouse, and there are moments this season (especially that elegiac finale) that are absolutely breathtaking. Unfortunately, the narrative shortcuts are getting more obvious, and although we can partly blame the source material for not having covered this far, it’s a definite letdown after the early greatness that launches the show. At least it’s not as goofy as the season that follows, where the plot armor, insta-travel, and bad character logic really run amok.
My original review from 2016:
This series has definitely entered its endgame, and it is an absolute thrill to watch all these far-flung characters and plots finally converge, even if the story logic isn’t always as sound as it appeared before. I think the writers have also been somewhat receptive to complaints about gratuitous nudity and sexual violence, as this season features more female empowerment than any previous one. But the biggest change is that they finally had no choice but to barrel forward into material that George R. R. Martin has not yet published — for both better and worse. The writing of the past few seasons has featured some feet-dragging to avoid overtaking the books, and the story is now officially free of all that. The result doesn’t always land like Martin’s own work, but the increased momentum is certainly fun.
★★★☆☆
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