Even after the series finale in May, HBO’s Game of Thrones continues to carry big waves in many conversations throughout the world. The eighth and final season was taken in controversy over lighting effects, rushed endings, and modern-age mistakes such as the Starbucks cup and water bottles. The fantasy drama didn’t live up to its very highly-set expectations and Game of Thrones director, Neil Marshall, agrees. Although he shared nothing but praise for writers and creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, Marshall is on fans’ side with this one.
“It’s very difficult to second guess those guys because they are geniuses and they have done such an amazing job,” Marshall said. “Inevitably, I would’ve taken a different approach to directing. One of the greatest experiences I had with working on both those episodes was that they were so open to bringing my ideas, particularly about battle scenes and how battles worked.”
He added, “I would’ve definitely added my strategy and knowledge to that.”
Marshall directed “Blackwater” in season two and “The Watchers on the Wall” in season four. Those two episodes were considered some of the show’s best work in regards to action and storytelling. Game of Thrones has a great way of drawing in an emotional response from fans because of its characters and impactful events. The final season didn’t quite do that.
“I kind of agree with a lot of the criticism that it was really rushed,” Marshall pointed out. “Everyone ended up where they were meant to end up but they got there in a little bit of a rush in the end.”
In spite of all of the controversy, Game of Thrones still stands out as one of HBO’s biggest accomplishments and one of TV’s most-watched series. Topping this show is a challenge for others, but not impossible.