George R.R. Martin is one of the best fantasy writers alive today. Though his work is heavily influenced by the godfather of modern fantasy – J.R.R. Tolkien – Martin stands out from the crowd due to his knack for writing nuanced characters who undertake fascinating evolutions.
In the earlier seasons of Game of Thrones, Martin’s characters were expertly brought to life. The casting for the show was spot on, and due to David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’s ability to adapt the source material, the scripts were impressive as well.
Unfortunately, the showrunners lost their way without the guidance of Martin’s books. This became increasingly apparent after Season 4, which is regarded by many as the peak of the show. And the longer Game of Thrones went on, the more the dialogue and the storylines started to lose their shine.
The receding quality of the show was particularly obvious in the final season. Many of the major characters were wrecked by poor decisions from the showrunners who seemed to prioritise subverting expectations over anything else. Even the outstanding performances from the cast weren’t enough to salvage the poor writing from Benioff and Weiss…
