Future Game of Thrones seasons could be seven episodes or less

By Mike Flacy Published April 14, 2016

kit harington jon snow reveal game of thrones 1 — HBO

Bringing an end to HBO’s epic fantasy series, show-runners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss are considering reducing the total number of episodes for the final two seasons of Game of Thrones. Rather than the traditional ten episode run in each previous season, the seventh season of the show would have a total of seven episodes and the final eighth season would only run for six episodes.

Detailed by The Hollywood Reporter, nothing is set in stone at this time. Speaking about the possibility of shorter seasons, an HBO spokesperson said “Any conversations about the end of Game of Thrones and the number of episodes of future seasons is purely speculative. As is customary, HBO will sit with Dan and David to discuss the details once a decision has been made to go forward with season seven.”

Recommended Videos

Of course, two shorter seasons could mean viewers won’t have to wait as long to see the final season. Traditionally, Game of Thrones fans have had to wait a full year for each season to be start on HBO. However, this could also be a ploy to retain HBO subscribers for a longer period of time rather than simply broadcasting an extra long 13-episode season. AMC has used this tactic on mulitple occasions, splitting up seasons of major shows like Breaking Bad, Mad Men and The Walking Dead.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The sixth season of Game of Thrones begins on April 24, 2016. This is the first season that will debut before the next book in George R.R. Martin’s fantasy series is actually released. Called The Winds of Winter, it’s likely that HBO subscribers will get to see events of the book happen on screen before fans of the book series get to read about it. At this time, there’s no set release date for The Winds of Winter.

Topics

Contributing Editor

By day, I'm the content and social media manager for High-Def Digest, Steve's Digicams and The CheckOut on Ben's Bargains…

Entertainment

The best Game of Thrones seasons, ranked

Daenerys Targaryen with Drogon behind her in Game of Thrones.

HBO has multiple incredible shows. After all, as the cable network's slogan goes, it's not television, it's HBO. However, few of the network's originals can compare to the juggernaut that was Game of Thrones. Developed by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and based on George R. R. Martin's literary saga A Song of Ice and Fire, the show followed multiple feuding noble families struggling to sit on the Iron Throne and rule over the war-torn continent of Westeros.

At its peak, Game of Thrones was the biggest show on Earth, dominating award shows and scoring HBO the biggest ratings in its history. Across eight seasons and 73 episodes, the show shocked, scandalized, and thrilled audiences worldwide, cementing its place among television's greatest achievements. However, even its most devoted fans can't say it remained consistent throughout. Indeed, while some seasons were positively masterful, others were outright embarrassing, proving that when you play the game of thrones, there truly is no middle ground.
8. Season 8 (2019)

Entertainment

7 most underrated Game of Thrones episodes ever

A woman stands across from a man in Game of Thrones.

Can you believe it's been four years since Game of Thrones concluded its legendary run? While we won't speak about the final season, Game of Thrones remains one of television's most successful shows, with a record 59 Primetime Emmy Awards. Game of Thrones was a "can't-miss" television show, meaning the audience had to tune into the live airing of an episode or risk seeing spoilers on the internet. In the social media age of television, it's rare for a show to have as much power and influence on pop culture as it did.

A select group is unequivocally regarded as the best episodes of Game of Thrones, including Blackwater, Hardhome, The Rains of Castamere (more commonly known as The Red Wedding episode), and The Winds of Winter. For this list, however, we selected the seven most underrated Game of Thrones episodes ever.
Lord Snow

Entertainment

The Red Wedding at 10: How the groundbreaking episode changed Game of Thrones forever

Robb Stark's body with his direwolf's head in Game of Thrones.

The so-called Golden Age of Television reached its undeniable zenith during the 2010s. Shows like Mad Men, Veep, Breaking Bad, and Stranger Things took TV to new and exciting levels of visual and narrative quality. However, no show had more influence or acclaim throughout the 2010s than Game of Thrones. The HBO juggernaut became synonymous with prestige television, delivering a perfect mix of political intrigue, high fantasy, and sex that became irresistible for critics and audiences.

Game of Thrones wasn't an instant success; it was only in season 3 that the show became the must-see show on television. Two events helped the show achieve this elusive reputation. The first was Daenerys' sacking of Astapor in the fourth episode, And Now His Watch Has Ended. The second is, of course, the Red Wedding. The episode it was featured in, The Rains of Castamere, changed the series' course, altering the fate of multiple characters and radically shifting the power balance between the noble houses of Westeros. The groundbreaking episode showcased Game of Thrones operating at full strength, and, as a result, allowed audiences to truly understand what kind of show they were watching.
Game of Thrones sends its regards