First off, Game of Thrones was undoubtedly one of the best series on television this decade. However, there are reasons that it got worse over time. The polarizing ending and final season aside, there were things that viewers didn't like about how the show progressed.
Some had to do with storylines, others with specific characters, and some simply with trends in how things were presented. So, while the show remained amazing until the bitter end, it did get worse in some ways. Here's how.
So Much Gore
Game of Thrones didn't shy away from blood, gore, and brutal deaths right from the beginning. Ned Stark's head was put on display on a stick, after all, like a morbid lollipop! But as the show went on, the gore and death scenes got even more gruesome.
From eyes being poked out to faces literally being ripped apart, people being set on fire, and one man's privates being cut off, nothing was off-limits.
Dany's Descent
Viewers had so much hope for Daenerys at the beginning of the series. She was a broken woman who literally rose from the ashes to become a woman of great confidence and power. She seemed to be on the right track to trying to build an army of supporters and take the Iron Throne she felt was rightfully hers. And actually do some good with it.
But the power and control consumed her and she started to seemingly go crazy. It wasn't a direction anyone wanted to see, and many felt it cheapened the character.
Killing Off Favorite Characters
After the brutal beheading of Ned Stark, Game of Thrones fans knew they had to prepare for the worst and the loss of favorite characters in the most unexpected ways and at the least expected moments.
But some of the deaths were too much, like Jorah Mormont, who deserved so much more. After a while, it just seemed like the show was killing people off for the sake of shock and awe.
The Night King Story
It seems there was so much build-up surrounding the story of the Night King and his sinister plan to kill everyone and expand his White Walker army. Everything built up to one massive fight in a particularly dark (literally) episode.
And while seeing Arya take down the ultimate enemy was amazing, it was a real "that's it?" moment. So much time was spent on trying to take down the Night King and it seemed he went down far too easily.
Bran's Journey
Bran got weirder and weirder and his journey was an interesting one as he traveled with those looking out for him and began to realize that he had special abilities.
But when he "became" the Three-Eyed Raven, it was like he had been brainwashed by a cult and was someone else. That was the point, of course. Nonetheless, the story surrounding him got worse as he became really awkward.
Jon Snow's Lack Of Leadership
Just like with Daenerys, there was so much build-up around Jon Snow and his true identity, yet at every turn, he would shy away from leadership. It was clear he was the leader everyone wanted and needed. Yet he refused time and time again.
It became frustrating over time, especially since Jon could have technically claimed the Throne and end everything immediately. But then his ending was the unsatisfying icing on the cake of his story that seemed to have gone nowhere for a character that never tried to live up to his true potential.
Cersei Spiralling
Cersei was always mean, cruel, cunning, and selfish. But her descent into desiring power so much that she was willing to do literally anything to keep it showed no redemption for the character who so desperately needed it.
The show focused so much on portraying Cersei as the villain and never provided any type of resolution or character growth for her.
Too Many Intertwining Storylines
The first few seasons of the show were pretty confusing as it is, especially for those who hadn't read the books. But as the show progressed, more and more storylines were being introduced that made it even more difficult to follow along with everything.
Westeros is a big place and there was a lot going on. But some storylines took far too long to wrap up while others ended too quickly.
Arya Losing Her Way
Arya's character arc was arguably one of the most compelling of the series, from the precocious little girl who wanted to learn to fight with swords instead of sewing, to the fierce fighter who took down the Night King.
But her story took some odd turns, such as her time with the Faceless Man, training with him and at one point losing her way until she snapped back to reality and moved on.
Silly Filming Mistakes
Remember the coffee cup? It looked like people on the show were getting lazy as, in one scene in a later episode, you can clearly see a Starbucks cup in the background. Talk about a way to ruin the atmosphere!
In another episode, a plastic water bottle was visible on the ground behind someone. These things happen in any show but given how intense GoT fans are, and how they pick apart every detail, they noticed and called the show out for the filming oversights.