The HBO cultural phenomenon, Game of Thrones, pulled one last ace from its sleeve before shutting the door.
With 32 nominations at the Emmys, it broke the record previously set by NYPD Blue, most nominations to one tv series.
It also now holds the record of overall Emmy nominations for a drama, totalling at 161.
The fantasy drama brought home 12 wins overall, nominations including “Outstanding Supporting Actor” for Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister, and “Outstanding Drama Series” for the show as a whole.
The only question is whether or not the last season deserved the title of outstanding.
The eighth season of Game of Thrones was the shortest and most controversial effort the show has produced since its beginnings in 2011.
From lighting issues, the pacing, characters acting very out of character, potential for feeling less rushed had there been more episodes, the list of complaints goes on and on.
In a show like this, with so many characters and so many possible outcomes, to please everyone is impossible.
Especially considering that the author has yet to finish writing the final two books.
There will always be fans shouting about how their favorite show could have been executed better at the end.
For many Game of Thrones fans, their vision of the show has been tainted by its final moments.
The criticisms such as Daenerys hasty falling into madness and the unmotivated crowning of Bran as king, presented are legitimate.
But, one lackluster season shouldn’t ruin an entire show when everything that came before it was highly applauded by critics and fans alike.
Game of Thrones has as much of a compelling plot as it did at the beginning of its run.
Even with its failure to clear its own high bar, the show remains superior when compared to shows of other type in characters and plot.
Anyone who watched the last season of Thrones undoubtedly watched all the way to the bitter end, even if they were furious at the story’s progression.
They without a doubt laughed, screamed, cried, and wrote an impassioned, extremely-detailed, social media and blog posts about the disaster their once-favorite show had become.
This level of dedication from fans is enough to show viewer investment even in the dark times.
There is still enough of an intriguing show to inspire discussion.
The drama has leaked out of the show and into the fandom surrounding it, and any show that inspires such, intentionally or not, will get recognition.
There are many areas where Game of Thrones will always shine bright.
Compelling drama is certainly included in that array, and the “Outstanding Drama Award” win is just a reaffirmation of something good in a series that may have wandered a bit too far from the path it laid out for itself.
“In a show like this, with so many characters and possible outcomes, to please everyone is impossible.”
Game of Thrones: 4/5 stars