This is a show where spoilers are a pretty big explosion of disappointment. So if you don't want that, don't read this. I was pretty up and down this season. There would be a great episode, followed by a blah episode, followed by an amazing episode. I'm going to start with the bad and end with the good, just like the season.
Probably my biggest problem with this season is Arya's storyline. Don't get me wrong, the direction that her story goes is great, but the execution was pretty bad. It felt really slow and drawn out early on, and then suddenly speeds through the exciting parts. The pacing was just poorly done. Next was Bran's storyline. Basically he had the same set of issues. We front loaded him with stuff, but suddenly the tree guy we just met who is supposed to teach dies quickly. Again, pacing just felt really off.
There were a handful of other issues here and there, but let's move on to the good. The Door was an amazing episode. Flat out amazing. It ends so rough and so emotional. It wasn't a "shock" ending that just gets you surprised, it is just perfectly executed emotional climax. I'm so glad we got that halfway through, because it got me back into excitement for the rest of the season. Then we get The Hound back in action in a great scenario. Ian McShane is so great in that damn episode. He made me really sad to see him go after getting such little time, but a great way to move The Hound into action again.
Finally we got to the end of the season. Episode 9 is always an epic episode, and this season delivered very well. It wasn't a fight I was surprised by at all (I guess a little because I expected more main characters to die), but it was done with some great direction. One of the best shot episodes of the series.
And then last night happened. Honestly, yesterday I was thinking that I'd be at a 3.5 or a 4 for this season. But then this episode aired. I did not see a lot of this happening, and the sequence was done so well. You the viewer start to figure it out at the same rate that the characters do. Wonderful. But oh, that massive explosion was not the whole episode. The fall of the king (I didn't make that joke, but have to say it now), Arya slits a throat after baking some pies, the election of Jon to King of the North, ships get sailing, and the south show up again after 9 episodes; all good stuff. Particularly in love with Diana Rigg. She owns every scene she's in. EVERY. SCENE. She does what I think every viewer thought in that first episode when those Dorne sisters are annoying. So yea, the finale was so amazing that I will probably think of this season as a beautiful burst of green flames.
Seriously though, I think Diana Rigg is my favorite actress of all time. She married James Bond guys. She is the best.
It wasn't as good as season 1-4, but overall better than season 5. I feel like, in terms of character development and dialogue, nothing really changed between this season and last season, they were still both a downgrade from the first four, but what really stands out this season is that all the set-up from season five and before in the high sparrow plot, the sons of the harpy plot, and the three-eyed raven plot, all came together. One thing that really stood out was the cinematography. I just found every shot breath-taking and the lighting and colour grading was consistently beautiful. The best episodes were of course the last two. The Battle of the Bastards was incredible, if at times illogical, and the the finale was even better in my opinion. One really big problem I had with this season was the Riverrun plot. It was possibly the most unnecessary subplot in anything I've ever seen. It literally added nothing to the plot. We just learned the extent to which Jaime would go for Cersei, which we already knew, and we got to see the Blackfish for 5 minutes before he died offscreen. OFFSCREEN. Overall, still really good television.
Review by DeletedBlockedParent2017-09-24T14:58:50Z
"King of the North!"
Wow, what a season this has been, but then again you can say that with the past seasons. Besides it's flaws (mostly from writing and character decisions). This season has been great and really pushes of what it can manage to pull off, while you watch it at home for free.
This isn't anything new, but hey they great every year. Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Lena Headey, and Iwan Rheon. The rest of the cast are all great and really add something to their characters. But the real stand out this season (for me) was Kit Harington. Ever since the first season and now, both Harington and the character has come along way. You can see a difference when you think back. Becoming more stronger and legendary, deserving the title "King of the North".
Season 6 contains possibly one of the best episodes that has ever shown on TV. It terms of scale and visuals, it's pretty cinematic and nothing quite like it. Those episodes are "Battle of the Bastards" and "The Winds of Winter". Where can I even begin, it's everything that makes great TV, just put on a grader scale. The acting, cinematography, directing, sound, etc. All of these are too good to fully express with words.
My problems with the season is mostly to do with writing and certain character decisions that doesn't make sense for the characters to make. The scene where Arya gets stabbed repeatably around the stomach area by an assassin, which in the universe of the show (or reality itself) that would mean death. But somehow after a couple of bandages and some soup, shes fine. Like what? And why is she out in the open strolling around when she knows very well someone is out to kill you who can take different appearances. It was pretty stupid and out of character.
While Jon Snows death in the last season was shocking and unexpected, but now it kinda feels like a cheap gag at the viewers. After months of waiting and leaked photos of behind the scenes service on the web, it became very obvious he wasn't dead. While not as insulting as the cliff hanger from The Walking Dead, although it doesn't feel like something they would pull off. I guess it's for viewers and ratings, but you don't need to do that since it's one of the most popular TV shows on right now. I didn't read the books and I'm not sure if it was in the book or not. If it was then I take back my criticism. And that's really it for problems.
Overall rating: Bring on season 7.