The term mulligan originated in golf, although the exact moment and place is up to debate. You take a mulligan after hitting a shot so badly the ball either takes off on one of those seemingly impossible angles to the right, or like, Amelia Earhart, disappears into a vast expanse of water. Although completely against the strict rules of golf, the accepted way to hit a mulligan is to place a new ball at the exact spot you fucked up a few seconds before and hit again without counting the extra stroke.
This is, metaphorically, what nearly a million people want HBO to do when it comes to the mega hit series, "Game of Thrones." After seven years of murderous plots, counter plots, assassinations, sorcery, mass crucifixions, graphic sexual assaults, and bloody battles a significant number of the show's fans are signing an online petition which calls for the cable network to re-write and re-shoot its entire season eight.
Why? Well, they don't like the way things have gone so far this year. Screw what must be monumental costs--the show is shot in multiple countries with an extensive, if always expendable cast and features big screen production values and CGI special effects. None of that matters to the outraged signers, most likely because none of them will have to pay for a six episode re-shoot. They want new directors who won't film a massive night battle at night. They also want writers, and this is at the core of the GoT rebellion, who won't turn the character, Daenerys Targaryen into a middle earth female version of Adolf Hitler with dragons.
Game of Thrones is based on a series of fantasy novels written by George R.R. Martin collectively called A Song of Ice and Fire. The tale is about a war in the mythical land of Westeros. The prize everyone is scrambling for is possession of the Iron Throne. At its heart Game of Thrones is a fictional mish mash loosely inspired by ancient history. It is part War of the Roses, part the sacking of Carthage, with dashes of Spartacus, and the rape of the Sabine women thrown in--along with sorcery, prophesies, zombies, and the aforementioned dragons.
The series of novels has a large cult following. The TV adaptations, filled with drama, intrigue, and compelling, if oft times, vile characters attracted hordes of others who had never heard of Martin, or A Song of Ice and Fire. It was a hit from the beginning and has grown into an obsession for millions.
So much so, YouTube features a disturbing number of videos which show nothing but various groups of people reacting to episodes with emotions ranging from absolute horror to triumphant joy, depending on what is happening any particular night.
However there was a problem from the very start which no one, for a number of years, wanted to confront. When filming started Martin hadn't finished the series. He still hasn't. In other words there is no literary ending to GoT. Season eight has come not from the author, but the screenwriters.
There was some low key grumbling about the episodes which had gone beyond the books, however the first real wave of complaints came after episode three this year. The Long Night was, almost in its entirety, an apocalyptic battle between just about everyone ever seen on the show and the supernatural forces of The Night King. It happened, as you can guess, during the middle of the night. Despite an ending which prompted fans in bars and at home to react as if WWII had just ended complaints began to flood the internet.
The scenes were lit too dimly and, at times, you couldn't clearly see enough details of what was happening they said. One response from a show exec was simple. If people had darkened their living rooms, or dens instead of keeping all the lights on they would have seen everything fine. Of course if they had it would have screwed up all those videos which, within a day, showed up on YouTube. Hey, if we turn out the lights the entire world won't be able see my girl friend and I scream and gape like ten year olds.
All that was nothing though compared to what happened after episode five, The Bells.
The character of Daenerys, the mother of dragons, played by Emilia Clarke has had a tough seven years. Among other things she was driven into exile, raped, taken forcibly into marriage, then lost both her husband and child. All the while she remained relatively humane--she rarely executed anyone who didn't deserve it--and in doing so gathered about her an army of devotees, both in the show and the viewing audience.
Last Sunday she, her army and remaining dragon arrived at the gates of King's Landing, home of the Iron Throne. Immediately after the city surrendered, in an amazing few seconds of acting by Clarke, you could see all those years of fear, abuse, bitterness, and repressed rage boil to the surface.
To the stunned horror of all the, "Dani," fans she drove her dragon and army into committing a wholesale massacre. It was a fiery nightmare during which no quarter was given to soldiers and civilians alike. The words graphic and gruesome do not begin to describe it.
The petition at Change.org was out there almost immediately. At last look it had over 800,000 signatures of people who were presumably betting on the mother of dragons to assume the throne with benevolence to all.
Stephen King, who has been known to write a book, or two responded to the outrage by saying it was probably more about the series coming to an end this week rather than, Dani's," permanent, or who knows, temporary insanity.
Possibly.
Martin, who still has two books to go, hasn't commented publicly about the turn of events and probably won't until after the finale day after tomorrow.
Whatever he does, or doesn't say however is moot. His work and ideas are no longer in control of the TV plot. Once he signed the contract and cashed the checks all that was given over to the screenwriters.
Ladies and gentlemen, I hate to tell you this, but the writer, or writers don't always think like you. It is their world, their story, while you the reader, or viewer are just a visitor. Indeed, it is your right not to like what is written, but you can't demand a mulligan just because the ending isn't what you think it should be. You might not believe it is fair after watching for eight years, but that's the way it works in the world of fiction. If you can't handle it, then I suggest you write your own fucking story.
sic vita est
5-17-19
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