Adelaide
November 2-3, 2024
Adelaide Showground
The year 2019 marks the end of a wide range of long-running pop culture franchises, and from the Thanos snap to the Battle of Winterfell, fans everywhere are faced with a difficult question: ‘what next?’
It can be tough, when you’ve followed a TV series through so many years, to watch the final season without feeling at least a little bittersweet. With the final episode of Game of Thrones looming, it seemed the perfect time to address this issue – because no matter how much we’d prefer it not be true, at some point we’ve got to accept the inevitable.
So here are some tips on how to get through your post-show grief.
ACCEPT THE INEVITABLE
Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister (Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO)
All good things come to an end, and this is especially true when it comes to TV. What usually sets the best apart from the mediocre and just plain bad is when a series has a solid grounding, and satisfying resolution; because that’s what a good story is supposed to do!
If you can begin to appreciate the fact that, at the end of the episode next week, you’ll have a clear conclusion for the arcs of your favourite characters (even if that happens to involve death), it’ll probably make you realise how much you’d prefer this over the alternative; a show that becomes repetitive, boring, and outlandish in order to keep audiences engaged.
FIND SOMEONE TO TALK ABOUT IT WITH
This could be as simple as roping one of your friends or family into watching it; a strategy that is beneficial in ways more than one, as it means that you can essentially re-live the moments through the reactions and conversations you have with said person. Being able to share your opinions, favourite moments, and talk about the characters you each love and hate is a great way to keep the spirit of the show alive while the show closes out.
TRY DIFFERENT MEDIUMS
Lena Headey as Cersei Lannister (Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO)
TV shows are rarely created in a vacuum, meaning that there’s a high chance that there are other creative projects, albeit in a different medium, that bring inspiration from, or directly expand the canon of the universe you’re leaving behind.
For Game of Thrones, you’ve got an obvious start; if you haven’t had the chance to read the novels yet, this could be the perfect opportunity. And if reading isn’t really your thing, there’s always audiobooks! You’ll be able to see the difference between the show and the books and might even learn something new about the universe or one of the characters.
Failing that, there’s always cast interviews, production diaries, artbooks, bloopers and the works, especially if you have an interest in the behind the scenes aspect of TV production. HBO is even airing a two-hour documentary after the finale.
Seeing the cast out of character, and all the green screens and cameras may even help you disconnect from the rich fantasy world you see on screen. There is truly nothing more sobering than watching Kit Harrington talk about the bucking bull contraption he has to ride in order to be seen atop a dragon on-screen.
Maisie Williams as Arya Stark (Photo: Helen Sloan/HBO)
GET EXCITED FOR THE SPIN-OFFS THAT ARE IN THE WORKS
This tip is specifically for the Game of Thrones fans, but can definitely be applicable to certain other shows, depending on their popularity and future development.
George R.R. Martin has recently teased that at least three ‘successor shows’ are moving forward steadily at HBO. With one scheduled to begin shooting later this year, and two more in the scriptwriting stages, fans can rest assured that the world of Game of Thrones is not dead yet.
There’s no confirmation on when and where the new series will be set, or if there will be a return of any fan-favourites; the only clue that has been extended from the author himself is to encourage fans to read his recent title, Fire and Blood, and ‘come up with your own theories’.
This has led fans to believe that the new series will happen 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, when dragons still ruled the Seven Kingdoms. And while spinoff shows can be a risky measure, they’re still worth looking forward to, whether you love or hate them.
REWATCH, REWATCH, REWATCH
Failing everything else, there truly is no harm in just rewatching the show you’re leaving behind. Whether you start from the beginning and make your way through the whole series again, or have a select few favourite episodes, sometimes the only way to say goodbye is to only say goodbye partially. And besides, you’ll always notice new things the second, third and twentieth time you watch.
However next week goes, at least you’ll always have the things that made you love the show to return back to.
