While most fans have been won over by season seven’s grand battle scenes and streamlined episode count, not everyone has been won over.
Forbes contributor Paul Tassi makes the case for the latest season’s “biggest sin,” in a new piece. He critiques season seven for rushing the show’s character development and plot in order to squeeze the new season into six episodes.
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“After years of taking its time with most storylines, here in this final chapter, things are starting to move at a blistering, disorienting pace, sometimes in ways that defy logic, or so that it destroys character arcs through hurried development,” Tassi writes. “While there certainly have been some great moments this season, so, so much has seemed rushed, both in terms of travel logistics, but also character development.”
The loss of travel time has been pointed out by many fans on social media, and Tassi argues it damages the way characters grow and decreases the build-up to big confrontations.
“Given how important many of these journeys have been (Ned on the road to King’s Landing, Arya and the Hound, Brienne and Jaime, etc), it feels like we’re losing something to no longer have any sequences like that,” he writes.
He also criticizes the possibly romantic connection between Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen because their relationship seemed hurried.
“While I think they have chemistry (others don’t) the timetable of this compared to other relationships on the show just feels off and like it’s happening just because it needs to happen, not because it’s been cultivated and earned,” he writes.
It turns out Tassi is just one of many who have been underwhelmed by the season. Many fans have taken to Twitter to shared similar thoughts.
The end is near,I’m not ready. Does anyone feel like this season was extremely rushed? I wish we could’ve had at least 9 ep #GameOfThrones
— Honey badger Dani ♡ (@HoneybadgerDani) August 27, 2017
This condensed #GameOfThrones season has felt way too rushed with too much fan service and silliness. Still sad tn is finale @GameOfThrones
— Drakearis (@DrakeLansman) August 27, 2017
Is it just me or is the writing this season lazy af with the dialogue?! There’s no more depth in the story, it’s too rushed #GameOfThrones
— citlally contreras (@cittlez) August 21, 2017