#4. Game of Thrones
(Season 5)
I found it truly baffling that ‘Game of Thrones’ made it on to, quite literally, no Top 10 lists this year. No, it was not perfect, nor was it as good as the show’s classic fourth season; however, this is a show that is, at all times, operating on a level so far past everything else on television. A weal season of ‘GOT’ is already better than 95% of everything else on. Most of the critical slack came from the fact that the show has done nothing to subdue its nasty streak of sexual violence. While that may be true - I hated watching that infamous Sansa scene as much as anyone -, I do imagine the time period for which this show is based on was just as, if not more, grisly and unpleasant. With that said, season five progressed the story in a ton of gasp-worthy, heart-wrenching, thrilling, and surprising ways ( even for book readers, who are now as lost as everyone else). Some critics may not want to believe a show an be this consistently rich, but if there was any episode of TV more awe-inspiring than “Hardhome,” then I must have missed it. Not only that, but what other show caused more widespread panic, chatroom convos, or fan boy theorizing than the death(?) of one of the show’s most beloved heroes? That’s right, there weren’t any.
(Season 5)
I found it truly baffling that ‘Game of Thrones’ made it on to, quite literally, no Top 10 lists this year. No, it was not perfect, nor was it as good as the show’s classic fourth season; however, this is a show that is, at all times, operating on a level so far past everything else on television. A weal season of ‘GOT’ is already better than 95% of everything else on. Most of the critical slack came from the fact that the show has done nothing to subdue its nasty streak of sexual violence. While that may be true - I hated watching that infamous Sansa scene as much as anyone -, I do imagine the time period for which this show is based on was just as, if not more, grisly and unpleasant. With that said, season five progressed the story in a ton of gasp-worthy, heart-wrenching, thrilling, and surprising ways ( even for book readers, who are now as lost as everyone else). Some critics may not want to believe a show an be this consistently rich, but if there was any episode of TV more awe-inspiring than “Hardhome,” then I must have missed it. Not only that, but what other show caused more widespread panic, chatroom convos, or fan boy theorizing than the death(?) of one of the show’s most beloved heroes? That’s right, there weren’t any.