Game of Thrones: more reflections

Recently someone asked what I would rate GoT out of 10. I said 6... 6.5. Maybe that's misleading -- not only are ratings subjective, rating scales are subjective. Someone who binged GoT less aggressively than I, who was less invested than I, countered it deserved a much higher rating.

Occasionally House of the Dragon causes me to miss GoT. Then I remember GoT. I know people who couldn't care less about certain GoT subplots: Bran north of the wall, "Reek", even Dany in the East. The thing is that was most of GoT for me, especially the acclaimed middle seasons.

For me, GoT could be called "The Stark Arc", or "Winter is Coming." Actually I don't mind "Game of Thrones" or "A Song of Ice and Fire", though those don't hint at the copious subplots. The three things I care about most: the Starks, the winter, and the throne politics. All three took back seats quite often.

I miss GoT, and feel some urge to rewatch portions, until I recall words like "Mereen", "Shae", "Tormund", "many-faced", "Tarth"... actually most people and places and subplots. Lord of the Rings is subplotty, but sticks better to its central quest, and hosts a smaller ensemble. That comparison is unfair since I've dived deeper into LotR than GoT, so the subplots mean more to me. I bet if I read ASOIAF, or rewatched GoT, I'd feel a little different. But I still don't think I'd care enough about the manifold.

Chernobyl

2/4

Chernobyl was: kind of interesting, kind of exciting, kind of well-made. Chernobyl wasn't: really satisfying, really artistic, really authentic.

Banes:

• cheesy dialogue
• actors playing scientists who look like actors trying to play scientists
• choice of which events to depict

Boons:

• sober tone
• historical interest
• scientific exposition

I had to skip sections of silence in the final two episodes. I couldn't justify the time I was pouring into a show that barely egged me. I thought, considering the critical acclaim, something would ignite, literally or figuratively, near the end. The trial was good but the show never got anywhere near excellence. Save phony dialogue, I would have admired the execution.

Chernobyl: E1&2

I heard this was one of the best-rated shows of all time. There must be some mistake, or the finale leap-frogs several levels of quality, or the rating aggregation is meaningless. I'm intrigued by Chernobyl, it's just nothing special. Heroes are absurdly heroic, villains absurdly villainous. Scientists don't speak like scientists -- that's nothing new, see Christopher Nolan among others, but it's such a stupid trend. If Chernobyl isn't dumb itself, it's targeting dumbness. I'm not saying I want movies targeting physicists; rather I want movies with some respect for their audiences, not to assume audiences will put up with such phony dialogue, and with some respect for themselves, not to stoop so low. Why make Chernobyl if you aren't going to make it feel real? The showbiz aura kills the purpose.