The Weekend Of

The Big Bang Theory just finished its run. You'd think that would be the big finale of the week, or even the year, but as big a hit as that show has been, and it was one of the biggest, its ending hasn't gotten anywhere near the attention or excitement of this Sunday's Game Of Thrones finale.

There are a number of questions going into this sixth and last episode, yet most of the big stuff has been answered.  For instance, episode three dispatched the Night King and episode five took care of Cersei.  There may be more deaths to come, but considering the toll we've seen, there can't be that many.

In fact, let me reprint my prediction from earlier this year:

As the season commences, they've still got Cersei, Jaime, Tyrion, Daenerys, Jon Snow, Davos, Sansa, Arya, Brienne, Samwell, Jorah, Theon, Melisandre, Varys, Bronn, Gilly, Missandei, Grey Worm, The Hound, the Night King and two living dragons.  By the time it ends, at least eight will be dead (or in the case of the Night King, destroyed).  The invaders from beyond the Wall will have been repelled, but the Throne won't be what it was.

I listed 22 characters.  Of those, Cersei, Jaime, Jorah, Theon, Melisandre, Varys, Missandei, The Hound, the Night King and a dragon have died, so my prediction has been proved correct. (Pretty safe bet, to be sure.)

All that's left to deal with is how the handle the triumphant but vengeful Daenerys.  She's got the dragon, she's got the power, but she seems to have turned Tyrion and the Stark clan against her.  Will she end up on the Iron Throne or will she be toppled?  Or is the Iron Throne melted and there's no point in sitting on it any more?

Anyway, I'll be watching, along with millions.  But, sad to say, I don't think even a stellar ending can make up for the weak season. (And many fans agree.) The creators of the show would have been given as many episodes as they wanted, and they chose six for the final season.  Normally, you want the action to move swiftly, but not faster than makes sense for the character arcs.  So we've got incoherent action and incoherent motives.

The ratings will no doubt be stellar, and the series will long be remembered, but I wonder how much of its luster has been lost.