Are there any books or documentaries about how the end of Game of Thrones made the TV series disappear from pop culture?

[turtle553]

Again, what's notable is not that people have moved on. They move on from everything.

It's the amount of thought investment into the show vs. other shows. It's staggering how much fans invested into this show vs. other shows. Like take The Sopranos. Imagine a huge Sopranos fan who watched it from the first episode. There's no way they put as much discussion into that show's ins and outs as a dedicated Game of Thrones fans.

That in itself will always be worth discussing even if the product itself doesn't merit it.

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A show like the Sopranos was something to just experience and it was huge at it's time, but lore shows like GOT or Lost get people discussing theories about what will happen. Once the mystery of the story is over, it loses some appeal no matter how satisfying the ending was.

The Sopranos had few mysteries to discuss, other than maybe the Russian in the woods or if Tony was killed in the last episode. But none of those things were ever addressed in the show itself to make it a topic of discussion week to week like who were Jon's parents or what are The White Walkers up to?

 

[Cantaim]

It was never that big outside of casual nerd circles. A lot of the stuff you guys think is big isn't that irl.

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The thing was as main stream as Harry Potter lol.

 

[StrangeRoboMemory]

It was never that big outside of casual nerd circles. A lot of the stuff you guys think is big isn't that irl.

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Era might overestimate the appeal of a lot of nerd shit, but you're completely 100% wrong about Game of Thrones. Barack Obama called up the show's directors to ask if Jon Snow was really dead. The South Korean presidential election was called on national television by depicting the candidates fighting for the Iron Throne. Game of Thrones was a once in a generation pop culture phenomenon.

 

[Era of not Yakuza]

A show like the Sopranos was something to just experience and it was huge at it's time, but lore shows like GOT or Lost get people discussing theories about what will happen. Once the mystery of the story is over, it loses some appeal no matter how satisfying the ending was.

The Sopranos had few mysteries to discuss, other than maybe the Russian in the woods or if Tony was killed in the last episode. But none of those things were ever addressed in the show itself to make it a topic of discussion week to week like who were Jon's parents or what are The White Walkers up to?

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Nice of you to say that.
I wholeheartedly believe that no explanation offered is able to surpass the imagination of the fans. It is very enjoyable to wonder and the answers given, whether in series, books, comics, no matter how good they are do more harm than good.

 

[bangai-o]

So, what is next on the list of "How come we never talk about _____ anymore?"

 

[NinjaScooter]

So, what is next on the list of "How come we never talk about _____ anymore?"

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The Snyderverse

 

[Javier23]

I have no clue what you people are on about, the show is still being discussed as much as any other big TV phenomenom that came and went. Which is nowhere near as much as it used to be while it was still running. But you know, it will remain relevant for years to come. References to GoT while discussing current affairs are commonplace all over the world. And so are these discussions over how shit the ending was. The words GoT have become synonymous with any kind of political maneouvering, backstabbing or kerfuffle in the real world. aSoIaF don't get nowhere close to the same recognition.

The whole "the terrible final season killed its status in pop culture" is the kind of narrative people love because it just makes too much sense. Except it never was the case. And if all you mean to say is "GoT was well regarded and then its last season killed its reputation", that's also simply not true and you think too little of people. We remember how GoT was generally well received for most of its run and then didn't stick the landing. I was never a big fan of the adaptation, but ask any of the millions of folks who were and they definitely still remember how much they used to enjoy it.

And unlike Lost, it wasn't all fabricated drama for most of its run nor were people left waiting til the end for things to make any kind of sense.

 

[Rosebud]

It was never that big outside of casual nerd circles. A lot of the stuff you guys think is big isn't that irl.

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It was, my mom isn't a nerd lol

 

[Speevy]

Tell that to this guy.

Anyway I'm with the others who don't really understanding what you're asking for. Pop culture phenomena come and go, that's not news. Documentaries only tend to be made about the ones that stand the test of time.

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I'm not asking for anything, nor are the others wondering what I'm asking for. I simply stated how Game of Thrones fandom seems different than other shows.

 

[The Unsent]

A show like the Sopranos was something to just experience and it was huge at it's time, but lore shows like GOT or Lost get people discussing theories about what will happen. Once the mystery of the story is over, it loses some appeal no matter how satisfying the ending was.

The Sopranos had few mysteries to discuss, other than maybe the Russian in the woods or if Tony was killed in the last episode. But none of those things were ever addressed in the show itself to make it a topic of discussion week to week like who were Jon's parents or what are The White Walkers up to?

Click to shrink...

Most of the mysteries in Game of Thrones were pretty simply explained, where is the Night King from? Explained in series 6, the children of the Forest created the first white walker and he took Craster's children to create new white walkers. Who orcherstrated the war of the 5 Kings, Litlefinger sowing chaos, and he just explains it. The prince is promised is never explained but I guess that was a metaphor for Jon being forced to kill his love and rekindle the spark of fallen kindom, or something interpretative.
I think Game of Thrones' mysteries were mosty straight forward and it was more about the battles for the iron throne, the political intrigue, or spending time with the characters.

 

[Rosebud]

Btw, much smaller scale but it kinda happened with Attack on Titan too.

 

[Seesaw15]

Yeah, but people weren't writing 10 page essays on how Wandavision might unfold.

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I feel like MCU stuff is a bad comparison to late period GoT's imo. Marvel has decades of material to adapt from so everyone more or less knows how the story will go. The appeal is how they'll adapt a story line/character.

 

[Zombine]

Meanwhile, those of us that enjoy it are currently talking about the various shows in production.

 

[Rockets]

I'm sorry but the irony is too much

 

[Glasgow Mega-Snake]

The fact that we have this thread once a month shows it didn't go away

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This

I mean, the ending did have a negative impact for sure. GoT could have been a show people recommend on best of TV lists for decades, like Breaking Bad or Sopranos. Instead it's talked about like Lost, with the whole "It starts great, but only watch it if you can stomach a shitty ending" caveat

But in the end, aside from the biggest pop culture milestones like LOTR or Star Wars, most shows or book/movie series just aren't talked about that much when they're over. People move on
Take say Mr Robot, I really, really loved that show, but I rarely think about it now, and it's only been a few years. Same with most things I read or watch

 

[Deleted member 13798]

This happens to every show no matter how big. Breaking Bad, phenomenal show, highly celebrated especially once streaming really kicked in and people could actually catch up to it and it's fourth season to the end. Celebrated ending episode too. It's still not really discussed frequently anymore, but that doesn't mean it's not immensely popular or being newly discovered regularly. It's just not in the pop-culture zeitgeist because it had its day in the sun like everything.

I don't think the ending really made people stop caring altogether about the property, but we won't really know that for sure until the spin off stuff hits. But it definitely seems to have soured many who are watching it from the beginning. I'd be curious to see what a newcomer to the series would think of the ending compared to someone who watched it from its premier or early on in the series to the conclusion.

 

[Deleted member 13798]

It was never that big outside of casual nerd circles. A lot of the stuff you guys think is big isn't that irl.

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This is absolutely not true. Merchandising alone would show that. You can make that argument about something like Mr. Robot, more of a cult show that's immensely popular on forums that far fewer people have seen on average, but Game of Thrones was a bona fide pop-culture phenomenon. My significant other who absolutely doesn't give a shit about television at all has seen it.

 

[xxracerxx]

It was never that big outside of casual nerd circles. A lot of the stuff you guys think is big isn't that irl.

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What a ridiculous statement. Jesus.

 

[Budi]

This

I mean, the ending did have a negative impact for sure. GoT could have been a show people recommend on best of TV lists for decades, like Breaking Bad or Sopranos. Instead it's talked about like Lost, with the whole "It starts great, but only watch it if you can stomach a shitty ending" caveat

But in the end, aside from the biggest pop culture milestones like LOTR or Star Wars, most shows or book/movie series just aren't talked about that much when they're over. People move on
Take say Mr Robot, I really, really loved that show, but I rarely think about it now, and it's only been a few years. Same with most things I read or watch

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It is on the best shows of the decade lists.

Number one on Independent

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

Fifth on Usa today

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

Fifteen on Rolling Stone

50 Best TV Shows of the 2010s

From obscure, oddball masterpieces (‘Baskets’) to epic, blockbuster-grade spectacles (‘Game of Thrones’), this decade gave us almost too much great television to handle. Her…

www.rollingstone.com

Fourth on Wired

The best TV shows of the decade, ranked for you to argue about

From prime-time stalwarts to streaming favourites, here's our pick of the best television series of the decade

www.wired.co.uk

Third on Metro

From Game Of Thrones to Fleabag: The 50 best TV shows of the decade ranked

It's been quite the decade of television.

metro.co.uk

People just need to accept it, others don´t share your hatred towards the show. People still remember the show fondly. But I truly wish some of yall could forget the show like you claim everyone has done.


Edit; It's even considered among the best HBO shows of all time. Fifth after Wire, Leftovers, Sopranos and Sex In the City.

The 50 Best HBO Series of All Time, Ranked

The only network that has somehow figured out how to make TV good no matter what’s on screen.

www.esquire.com

 

[enzo_gt]

Tell me you've never had a watercooler conversation in the last decade without telling me you've never had a watercooler conversation in the last decade:

It was never that big outside of casual nerd circles. A lot of the stuff you guys think is big isn't that irl.

Click to shrink...

 

[Neece]

You don't people saying "gee, I wish there was more Game of Thrones" / "I am a fan of Game of Thrones (TV)" or "subscribe to HBO, you need to watch this series."

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How do you account for the analytics that show that GoT is still one of the most watched and engaged with shows in the world, 2 years after the finale?

 

[Kurita]

So, what is next on the list of "How come we never talk about _____ anymore?"

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"We need to talk about the lack of M*A*S*H discussion. It's one of the biggest shows ever, why aren't people still discussing it?"

 

[SageShinigami]

It was never that big outside of casual nerd circles. A lot of the stuff you guys think is big isn't that irl.

Click to shrink...

This is the equivalent of when someone said Spider-Man was a niche property on Gaming Side. I can't believe you even typed this.

 

[tokkun]

Yeah, but people weren't writing 10 page essays on how Wandavision might unfold.

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The fan theory community for the A Song of Ice and Fire books existed long before the TV show aired.

This happens to every show no matter how big. Breaking Bad, phenomenal show, highly celebrated especially once streaming really kicked in and people could actually catch up to it and it's fourth season to the end. Celebrated ending episode too. It's still not really discussed frequently anymore, but that doesn't mean it's not immensely popular or being newly discovered regularly. It's just not in the pop-culture zeitgeist because it had its day in the sun like everything.

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Not only that, when they released a movie, the general reaction was "well that didn't need to exist".

 

[SageShinigami]

It is on the best shows of the decade lists.

Number one on Independent

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

Fifth on Usa today

Redirect Notice

www.google.com

Fifteen on Rolling Stone

50 Best TV Shows of the 2010s

From obscure, oddball masterpieces (‘Baskets’) to epic, blockbuster-grade spectacles (‘Game of Thrones’), this decade gave us almost too much great television to handle. Her…

www.rollingstone.com

Fourth on Wired

The best TV shows of the decade, ranked for you to argue about

From prime-time stalwarts to streaming favourites, here's our pick of the best television series of the decade

www.wired.co.uk

Third on Metro

From Game Of Thrones to Fleabag: The 50 best TV shows of the decade ranked

It's been quite the decade of television.

metro.co.uk

People just need to accept it, others don´t share your hatred towards the show. People still remember the show fondly. But I truly wish some of yall could forget the show like you claim everyone has done.

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This is like....the third time I've seen people talk about Game of Thrones in the last three weeks. Each time the prevailing theory was "Man they really fucked this show" and also "It destroyed the cultural relevance the show had". And I'd imagine if I clicked on any of those they'd all lead off with "Okay, so you have to put the last season aside", which should tell you something.

 

[Nikus]

It was never that big outside of casual nerd circles. A lot of the stuff you guys think is big isn't that irl.

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How dumb can you be

 

[Blader]

It would be great if people actually didn't talk about GoT anymore, so I wouldn't keep seeing this same thread made every month.

 

[Croc Man]

People are right to say most shows fade over time but GoT was one of the few that could have been like Star Wars and Harry Potter and lived on for decades if they stuck the landing (instead of burning it?).

Crappy movies and authors don't stop people wearing say their house emblem HP merch, when did you last see a GoT house merch being worn?

I am curious how it'll be judged over time. It was such a huge part of pop culture, for instance how many charachters will make best ever type lists? Some arcs were ruined but the likes of Joffrey should always be listed amongst most hateable villians.

 

[NinjaGarden]

It's ok to make a thread just to bitch about GoT instead of making threads about how no one talks about it

 

[Deleted member 8750]

Game of Thrones had a huge effect on popular culture so I still see it being talked about even if it's only to refer to how the ending soured the whole experience. I think the bad ending definitely dampened it's influence overall though.

James Cameron's Avatar is a better example of a thing that was huge at the time but not having a major influence on pop culture.

 

[Deleted member 29293]

No, because it's not a real phenomenon. The show ended, people stopped talking about it in the mainstream. But analytics still show it as an 'exceptionally' in-demand show. Which means it's still doing totally solid numbers on HBO Max as a catalogue title.

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This. Nobody talks about Breaking Bad anymore. Nobody talks about any show that is no longer airing. Has nothing to do with the last season, if anything it means people are talking more about it (see this thread).

 

[Good4Squat]

This is the equivalent of when someone said Spider-Man was a niche property on Gaming Side. I can't believe you even typed this.

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And recently when someone said football is an "aquired taste".
People sure say some wacky shit sometimes.

 

[grand]

Game of Thrones is still quoted all the time. And every time GRRM sneezes, there's a thousand articles & YouTube videos generated on either Winds of Winter or House of Dragons. Probably a good sign that the series is still very very popular.

Just because you personally don't talk about it doesn't mean there isn't a lasting interest among others.

 

[Special Puppy]

We can't really gauge how dead the franchise is until House of the Dragon debuts. If it gets cancelled because of low ratings, then yeah, GoT really has disappeared from pop culture. But numbers point out that the show has found a new life on streaming, and the reason why it isn't being discussed as much as it was is because it's over and there's an avalanche of content coming out every week.

 

[Ryuelli]

It was never that big outside of casual nerd circles. A lot of the stuff you guys think is big isn't that irl.

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I'm a teacher, I pretty much exclusively work with middle aged women or soccer moms; people who love stuff that the internet likes to hate (like How I Met Your Mother or Big Bang Theory). Game of Thrones was definitely a big thing for the last season, even outside of nerd circles. It was similar to Breaking Bad in that it was kind of niche for a bit but exploded into the general public's field of view for the last season or two.

 

[Soundscream]

For love of God get over it.

 

[gutshot]

House of the Dragon is going to end up being the most watched thing on HBO Max by a country mile and it is going to make a lot of posters on here look really dumb.

 

[Deleted member 13798]

Not only that, when they released a movie, the general reaction was "well that didn't need to exist".

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True, but Better Call Saul was said to be irrelevant before it released too, and is incredible and well received critically on the same level of BB, so it'll be interesting to see how the GoT spin-offs are received, or if it's similar to the "we didn't need this" vibe. I'm thinking they'll be huge.

 

[Ryuelli]

Not only that, when they released a movie, the general reaction was "well that didn't need to exist".

Click to shrink...

That's half of it, but the other half that I saw was "I'm glad it does". The general consensus that I came across regarding it was that it wasn't necessary, but it was a nice supplementary material. Definitely not as good as Breaking Bad or Better Call Saul though.

Speaking of BCS, I'm really hoping that gets the attention it deserves at some point. It definitely hasn't taken off in the public eye as much as BB did.

 

[Deleted member 13798]

Speaking of BCS, I'm really hoping that gets the attention it deserves at some point. It definitely hasn't taken off in the public eye as much as BB did.

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Not really a controversial option since I've seen this sentiment more often than I thought, but I actually think BCS may be the stronger show of the two.

It's got far less "oh shit" moments and quotable stuff, so I can see why it wouldn't be as pop culture popular, but it's a strong ass character show with a lot of strong development.

 

[Deleted member 4614]

No, because it's not a real phenomenon. The show ended, people stopped talking about it in the mainstream. But analytics still show it as an 'exceptionally' in-demand show. Which means it's still doing totally solid numbers on HBO Max as a catalogue title.

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This is an excellent first reply but we can acknowledge that the show is probably less celebrated and recommended than it could have been with a good ending

 

[subpar spatula]

Yeah, no one talks about a show that isn't being marketed anymore.

 

[I am a Bird]

So, what is next on the list of "How come we never talk about _____ anymore?"

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Raimi Spiderman comparisons.

 

[Tohsaka]

Isn't HBO working on like 4-5 spinoffs or something?

 

[DemonCarnotaur]

there's no question they botched the final season(s), and it certainly had an effect, but I think the true test will be seeing if the new series can win that beloved status back

 

[AHA-Lambda]

No, because it's not a real phenomenon. The show ended, people stopped talking about it in the mainstream. But analytics still show it as an 'exceptionally' in-demand show. Which means it's still doing totally solid numbers on HBO Max as a catalogue title.

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This, I see no real evidence this isn't just internet angst as usual. As soon as the next book and spin off tv series come out it'll be more openly talked about all over again

 

[Deleted member 18400]

Didn't HBO say that Game of Thrones is still one of their most streamed shows on a monthly basis for content that isn't new? Or am I hallucinating.

 

[Nola]

Even shows with strong endings fall off. Mad Men had 7 string seasons and all the big think pieces on Don Draper and men's ties dried up, Sopranos disappeared from the discourse, and the only time The Wire shows up is when people rank and recommend TV shows.

Even something as massage be as LotR or Star Wars has dry spells when there's no new release in the horizon. It's the nature of pop culture.

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I think you just inadvertently made the counterpoint you wanted to.

Those shows are still talked about, quite a lot actually. Pretty much everything in long form TV gets compared to The Sopranos, The Wire, and Breaking Bad. Memes are still all over the place and the shows are quoted incessantly decades later.

Mad Men was always a bit lower key but it's still mentioned plenty.

Walking Dead is an example of this cultural fade in real time. As the show has just become a ghost in the cultural zeitgeist as it slowly fades away as its last seasons close and they try and cling on with a spin off with the most audience tested characters. But the journey ended up being mostly shit and even if they gave people all the audience tested fan service they wanted, it didn't make for compelling TV and it's star has faded because it just wasn't a good journey through to the end.

Game of Thrones, like Lost, suffered a similar faith.

 

[Nola]

Game of Thrones is still quoted all the time. And every time GRRM sneezes, there's a thousand articles & YouTube videos generated on either Winds of Winter or House of Dragons. Probably a good sign that the series is still very very popular.

Just because you personally don't talk about it doesn't mean there isn't a lasting interest among others.

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Is this thread about the brand of GRRM or the series A Game of Thrones?

Because both things can be true: People still love the mythos and world of ASOIAF, but the show shit the bed and has faded pretty hard from the cultural zeitgeist.

The latter being true doesn't prevent future stories in that universe from being successful or hyped, anymore than the bad Star Wars prequels(and now sequels), doesn't prevent hype about future stories in that universe.

It can both be true that the backlash for something(like the prequels or Rise of Skywalker) is real, but hype for future projects in that universe is real too. And the success of those doesn't mean people secretly loved the prequels or Rise of Skywalker, anymore than a successful future HBO ASOIAF series means Game of Thrones was secretly loved and remains at the same place culturally it did in season 7 as it did at the end of series.

 

[Menx64]

The OP was Hurt by the ending... the ending was bad, but I have seen worst.