I used to love this show, and I still consider the first season to be one of the best pieces of TV history.
In the past, characters served their own purposes, had believable motivations, were self-consistent and their actions were logically tied to that. The results of those actions had consequences, characters lost what they loved, they died after unwise decisions.
This season, despite a good start, quickly became a mess with characters getting personality transplants, inexplicably switching their goals, contradicting themselves, becoming exposition bots or comic relief, or simply coming back to life to please the fanbase. The characters now act to fulfill their roles in the overarching plot, instead of the other way around. The decisions feel forced. Key plot points are happening off-screen.
In short, this has become the mirror of Game of Thrones season 7. A rushed attempt to tell a story with great potential, impressive cast and production crew, but terrible writing and pacing issues.
In the past, characters served their own purposes, had believable motivations, were self-consistent and their actions were logically tied to that. The results of those actions had consequences, characters lost what they loved, they died after unwise decisions.
This season, despite a good start, quickly became a mess with characters getting personality transplants, inexplicably switching their goals, contradicting themselves, becoming exposition bots or comic relief, or simply coming back to life to please the fanbase. The characters now act to fulfill their roles in the overarching plot, instead of the other way around. The decisions feel forced. Key plot points are happening off-screen.
In short, this has become the mirror of Game of Thrones season 7. A rushed attempt to tell a story with great potential, impressive cast and production crew, but terrible writing and pacing issues.