The Game of Thrones finale is back in the cultural discussion as it managed to take the top spot of a poll ranking the worst TV finales ever.
Game of Throneswas once seen as one of the greatest television shows ever, as it allowed audiences to immerse themselves in the drama, bloodshed, and royal succession found in theSeven Kingdoms.
However, Season 8 gained a reputation for allowing the show to go downhill, with the finale being the breaking point for a lot of fans.
It seems like the wound of the series finale has not healed for many people. Rankeraskedpeople to vote on which TV finale was the worst of the worst and, in a poll of nearly 200,000 votes, Game of Thrones took the crown.
The final episode of Game of Thrones, ‘The Iron Throne,’ is the lowest-rated episode of the series, with ascoreof 47% on Rotten Tomatoes.
While there’s no one reason why the finale didn’t sit well with audiences, some key factors have emerged since it debuted five years ago.
Some point to the mishandling of certain characters like Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, and Tyrion Lannister as they went from fan favorites to shells of their former selves.
Others blame showrunners David Benioff and D. B. Weiss for rushing the final season as it only contained six episodes, the lowest amount in the entire series.
George R.R. Martin, the author of Game of Thrones, famously disagreed with Benioff and Weiss’ decision to cut the show short and went so far as tobegfor the show’s continuation to then-CEO of HBO Richard Plepler.
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However, despite audiences not liking the overall content of the final episode, Game of Thrones’ series finale did manage to break its ownviewing stats, as over 19.3 million viewers tuned in to watch it live.
The franchise as a whole has been given a chance at redemption as its spin-off,House of the Dragon, continues to enthrall audiences to the point where people can’t wait for its upcomingSeason 2.
For more Game of Thrones, take a walk down memory lane with theepisode Jon Snow dies in, read about how anew Game of Thrones spin-off can solve one of the series’ biggest mysteries, and check out our guide to thebest dragons in Game of Thrones.
Kayla Harrington was a TV & Movies Writer on Dexerto’s US team, specializing in The Boys, The Walking Dead, House of the Dragon, Marvel and Star Wars. She also has bylines at Mashable, BuzzFeed, and The Mary Sue.
