Game of Thrones is all about rewarding the patient viewer. The show has proven that they already have a very passionate core fanbase that is steadily growing and as with many television shows, this viewership is absolutely essential in justifying the production of a program.
The numbers so far are huge for HBO and hopefully they stay that way because showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss plan for an eight season-long story arc. In a recent interview with Mother Jones, the pair had this to say about the possibility of reaching an eighth season:
“…if we live that long and HBO keeps wanting to make the show. We have the opportunity here to tell a coherent story that lasts for 80 hours. And while a canvas of that size presents all sorts of storytelling problems, it also allows us to spend more time with these characters we love than we’ll ever get again. Every once in a while we get five minutes to think about thinking about novels. But mostly we’re just happy when we get to read one now and again.”
So there you have it! For those who are unsure as to what longevity goal Game of Thrones is shooting for, season number eight is the finale sweet spot if the showrunners are to have their way. As the premiere for season three at the end of the month is reaching a fever pitch, it’s not difficult to imagine the show doing just that. Just think of all the Emmys and other accolades the show has already racked up, the aforementioned blockbuster audience numbers (in relation to other HBO shows), and that guy from work who won’t stop saying, “What? You haven’t seen Game of Thrones yet?” Hell, maybe that guy is you.
So the passion is undeniably there but what about the content to draw from? Well, there are still four books to draw upon from the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin. Since season three and four are already planned out, the hypothetical remaining four seasons would cover A Feast For Crows, A Dance With Dragons, and two more upcoming books not yet published. So for those who just can’t possibly imagine having to wait years for a proper wrap-up of the show, there’s undoubtedly an abundant amount of time to catch up on the books before the ideal finale rolls along.
What do you think of all this? Do you want to see eight seasons of Game of Thrones?
