The final season of Game of Thrones remains one of the most divisive and controversial in TV history. The epic fantasy show came to an end with season 8, despite both HBO and George R.R. Martin wanting it to run for longer. The decision to end Game of Thrones was a risky one. The showrunners felt pressure because the A Song of Ice and Fire books were (and remain) unfinished, and they had to deliver a story within a short time. On top of that, bringing such an epic story to a close seemed like an impossible task due to the show’s popularity.
In the book, Fire Cannot Kill a Dragon written by Entertainment Weekly editor James Hibberd, showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss explain why they had to end the run early. Benioff said,
“We didn’t want to become a show that outstayed its welcome. Part of what we love about these books, and the show, is this sense of momentum and building toward something. If we tried to turn it into a ten-season show, we’d strangle the golden goose.”
He continued, “We wanted to stop when the people working on it and watching it wish we had [kept going] a little bit longer. There’s the old adage of ‘Always leave them wanting more,’ but also when you stop wanting to be there – that’s when things fall apart.”
Weiss said, “When we gave them the final outline, that helped. They were able to see why taking this and stretching it into another ten episodes would ruin this and make something that’s ideally powerful and affecting feel drawn out.”
There was even a petition to remake the final season. Would you have signed it? Tell us in the comments below!
