I love Game of Thrones for its realism and randomness, that
very well mimics the harsh realities of the world and the games of power
struggles. With each passing episode, the TV adaptation is finding it more and
more difficult to depict Geroge R. R. Martin’s complex Song of Ice and Fire
saga. Up until season 4 it was still alright, but season 5 has seen some big
time misses that are a big-big let-down. Is budget an excuse? Seriously?
Millions of people watch this series. Logically, with such a big established fan-base,
funds should be the last concern. I guess it boils down to desire to make a
certain amount of profit at all costs, probably due to a badly negotiated
contract with HBO. Or maybe it was plain stupidity, hubris, or laziness by the
producers. Whatever it was, the quality of season 5 has been the worse till
date. As a fan, I am not happy.
My key gripe is losing the sense of realism and ignoring
character build-up, which was not the case earlier. For example, when the sword
fell on Ned’s neck, it was the end of story. Similarly the Red Wedding was
unapologetically brutal. There were a few reality bloopers, but overall the
story held. In the current season, however, I think that the following elements
were done pretty badly:
Dorne:
Of course. The cartoonish sand snakes with absolutely no
idea about intrigue was the worst possible addition to the show. The last scene
when they poisoned Myrcella knowing that Trystane is going to be with Jaimie shows
that they are so blinded by the desire for revenge that they are willing to put
Trystane in harm’s way. Not very smart, are they? The overall character build
up through the season was horrible, and Dorne was easily the worst part of the
show.
Unsullied and the Fighting Pit:
Aren’t unsullied supposed to be elite fighters, known for
their discipline and fighting in formidable formations? In this season they
came across as normal soldiers, even sitting ducks. A little effort to show their
class during their ambush in the alley and in the fighting pit would have helped.
And while we are talking about fighting pits, what the hell were the Son’s of
Harpy thinking? They threw so many spears at Drogon and none at the Mother of
Dragons? They even let her key advisors escape once she flew away. Pretty lame
and unrealistic.
Sansa:
Until the last moment Sansa had no clue where Littlefinger
is taking her. Even then, she enters the situation without a concrete plan,
trusting Baelish. And how does it turn out to be? Some people feel she is
growing a spine and doing something. To me, it appears that she got
short-changed by Littlefinger, and has no clue how to deal with the situation.
Ultimately she has been forced to flee by jumping over the wall. Vale story
line is lost for sure, and this compromise shows Sansa as a victim rather than
a protégé. If that was the intention, then it has worked fine.
Stannis:
Stannis is known as one of the best military commanders in
Westros. Therefore the last scene of him blindly walking into an ambush was
unreal to say the least. And then, despite being at the front of the army, he
ends up in a random jungle away from Ramsay and near Brienne. Seriously? It
appears that the show runners were too tired and drained by this time to keep
it real.
Other gaffes:
- Tyrion bought by the slaver for a pittance. What happened to the fortune for a dwarf’s cock?
- In the fight between the White Walker and Jon Snow, Snow is dealt many non-lethal attacks even though no such consideration is given to the Thenn. A blip in an otherwise well made battle
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