6. Game Of Thrones Season 5
Now wait just a minute before you burn me at the state like I'm Stannis's beloved (or not so beloved) daughter, let me explain. Game Of Thrones season five was on the whole still wildly entertaining television, and contained some truly brilliant moments, but...it's the first real instance where the show has shown significant cracks. It's no secret that at this point, HBO's television adaptation of A Song Of Ice And Fire has all but caught up with (and in some instances surpassed) George R. R. Martin's source material. What this ultimately led to was a season that struggled to find its identity. Not a huge amount happened during the first few episodes, and there were much fewer notable moments when compared to previous seasons. And who can forget the hilariously terrible Sand Snakes debacle? Not only that, but the season attracted controversy from fans and critics during some of its more questionable moments, like the graphic depiction of Sansa Stark's rape and the burning alive of Stannis's daughter. The show was accused of creating shock for shock's sake. With all that said, the season picked up towards the end (even if Stannis's downfall felt incredibly swift and anticlimactic) but by the time it gained steam, the season had ended. It might have been good sometimes even great but it didn't stop many fans from ultimately feeling disappointed.
Brian Wilson
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Commonly found reading, sitting firmly in a seat at the cinema (bottle of water and a Freddo bar, please) or listening to the Mountain Goats.
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