Criticism is an interesting profession. I like critics, I think they are among the best writers in public life. But after watching last night's episode of Game of Thrones, which was an 82-minute tour-de-force that was sui generis in the annals of television, I was surprised to read The Ringer recap shitting on it as a lengthy piece of fan servicing that had a preordained ending that the writers wrapped the rest of the episode around.
No one has ever attempted (much less pulled off) what was essentially a full-length movie that was one extended battle scene. It was a feat of cinematography unparalleled in the medium and yet, Alison Herman (and, I suspect others, I just haven't read them) argued that since not enough main characters died in the episode, it was a cheat. I do not buy it. I was shaking watching things unfold, ready to jump out of my skin with anticipation and fear. How do you not credit a TV show that can do that simply because the body count was not to your liking?
I am not sure I can even watch The Long Night again. It was exhausting and stressful in a way that made me toss and turn when I tried going to bed - too much adrenaline was still pumping through my body and even the following morning, I am still processing the episode. It is in a critic's DNA to find fault (it is part of what I love about their writing) but criticizing this episode was missing the forest for the trees.
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