Skip to main content

Game of Thrones’ final season wasn’t as hated as you think, and we have proof

According to the online chatter, Game of Thrones‘ eighth season was a huge disappointment. Critics slammed Thrones‘ final batch of episodes for their rushed pace and sloppy storytelling, while fans were so outraged that over 1.7 million of them signed a petition asking HBO to film the entire season over.

However, an exclusive poll conducted by public opinion and data company YouGov shows that the naysayers may actually be the minority.

According to YouGov’s survey, 52% of the people who watched Game of Thrones‘ final season were either “satisfied” or “very satisfied” with it, and 72% of them think that the show deserves the Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. Only 41% of people surveyed said they were dissatisfied with season 8, with the rest having a neutral opinion.

YouGov polled 2,475 adults online about Game of Thrones and other Emmy nominees between August 21, 2019 and August 23, 2019, with a 3% margin of error. Of the respondents, 18% said they’d watched every episode of Game of Thrones. The same number said that HBO’s fantasy drama deserves the Emmy Awards’ Outstanding Drama Series trophy.

Those aren’t just good numbers for a show that took a drubbing from fans. They’re the best numbers of any show in the two lead Emmy races. Only 10% of the people YouGov surveyed said they’d watched every episode of Better Call Saul and This Is Us, which are competing against Game of Thrones for Outstanding Drama Series, while a whopping 70% of them have never even heard of poor Outstanding Comedy Series contender Fleabag.

If YouGov’s numbers hold true among Emmy voters, Game of Thrones should end up with at least one prize at the Primetime Emmy Awards next week. 

Still, all of that Thrones love didn’t translate into a loyal fanbase for Thrones showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. YouGov’s survey says that only 29% of respondents are interested in watching what the two filmmakers make next (31% said they “don’t know”).

That’s got to be concerning for Lucasfilm, which is banking on Benioff and Weiss to restart the big-screen Star Wars franchise after its post-Episode IX-hiatus, and Netflix, which just locked the duo into a nine-figure development deal.

You can find the full results of the YouGov Emmy poll below. The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards ceremony, where Game of Thrones is the odds-on favorite to take home plenty of gold, will air live on Fox on September 22, 2019, at 5:00 Pacific Time.

YouGov Digital Trends Emmy Poll by Mathew Katz on Scribd

Editors' Recommendations

Chris Gates
Contributor
Christopher Gates lives in Los Angeles, CA and writes about movies, TV, video games, and other pop culture curiosities. In…
Game of Thrones season 8 was promised to be massive. Now we have the numbers
game of thrones season 8 news cast rumors 01

The final season of Game of Thrones is expected to be epic, but it won't be six-feature-length-films epic, according to information released by HBO regarding the running time of the season 8's episodes.

Long rumored to be a season of full-length features that would close out the blockbuster series' run, season 8 of Game of Thrones will actually clock in at an average episode length of 72 minutes. Although that's longer than the show's typical episode running time of under 60 minutes, it still falls short of the feature-length 90-120 minutes some reports indicated for the final six episodes of the series.

Read more
Everything coming to PBS in October
Darla Contois and Lisa Edelstein in Little Bird.

Netflix may have the best documentaries that you can stream, but PBS brings several world-class documentaries to your TV for free every month. In addition to the new seasons of This Old House and Ask This Old House, everything coming to PBS in October is very exciting. Throughout the month, there are new episodes of classic series including Antiques Roadshow, POV, Nova, Frontline, and American Experience. Some of the documentary topics that will be explored are Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, the Houston Astros cheating scandal, the American Buffalo, and more.

Additionally, the Italian drama, Hotel Portofino, returns for its second season, while the Canadian drama, Little Bird, is making its PBS premiere this month. Keep reading for the complete guide for everything coming to PBS in October.
Antiques Roadshow -- New Episodes Premiere: 8 p.m. ET Monday, October 2
Antiques Roadshow kicks off the month with the start of all-new fan-favorite Vintage episodes. Roadshow looks back at memorable objects from previous shows to discover what they are worth today and how the market and their value have changed. As a Halloween treat, Roadshow airs Thrills & Chills on October 30, which spotlights appraisals of treasures that gave our guests goosebumps, items with an unsettling past, and some that are just a little odd.
POV 'Murders That Matter' -- Premieres: 10 p.m. ET, Monday, October 2
How would you handle the trauma of losing a loved one? Set in Philadelphia, Murders That Matter documents an African American, Muslim mother Movita Johnson-Harrell over five years as she transforms from a victim of violent trauma into a fierce advocate against gun violence in Black communities. Her relentless activism exposes the emotional and psychological toll the killings take on those left behind.
Frontline 'The Astros Edge: Triumph and Scandal in Major League Baseball' -- Premieres: 10 p.m. ET, Tuesday, October 3
The Houston Astros cheating scandal and what it says about baseball today. With reporter Ben Reiter, the making of one of the best teams and worst scandals in modern MLB history, the limited accountability, and how it changed the sport.
Nova 'Ancient Earth' -- Premieres: 9 p.m. ET, Wednesday, October 4
Dive into the most dramatic events in Earth’s 4.5-billion-year history, from its birth to the emergence of humanity. How did a hellscape of molten lava transform into a lush, green, watery planet filled with life? With dazzlingly realistic animation based on the latest research, each of these five episodes brings to life long-lost worlds that ultimately led to the one we know today.
American Masters 'Max Roach: The Drum Also Waltzes' -- Premieres: 9 p.m. ET, Friday, October 6
Experience the groundbreaking sounds of bebop pioneer and virtuoso composer Max Roach, whose far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him.
Independent Lens (co-presented with Voces) 'El Equipo' -- Premieres: 10 p.m. ET, Monday, October 9
A U.S. anthropologist sets out to train Latin American students in the use of forensic anthropology. Their goal was to investigate disappearances in Argentina during the “dirty war.”
Frontline 'Elon Musk's Twitter Takeover' -- Premieres: 9 p.m. ET, Tuesday, October 10
The story of Elon Musk’s long and often troubled relationship with Twitter. The award-winning team of James Jacoby and Anya Bourg (Amazon Empire, and The Facebook Dilemma) chart Musk’s journey from one of the site’s most provocative users to its sole proprietor, exploring what motivated the acquisition, the changes he has implemented since taking over, the raging debate about free speech and online safety, and questions about the company’s uncertain future.
Secrets of the Dead 'The Sunken Basilica' -- Premieres: 10 p.m. ET, Wednesday, October 11
In 2014, a survey flight over Lake Iznik in Turkey unexpectedly revealed the sunken remains of a 4th-century basilica. The discovery prompts scientists to probe the elusive history and geology behind the demise of the church that was built in ancient Nicaea–now known as Iznik. When was the basilica destroyed? How did the basilica get swallowed up by Lake Iznik? And what happened to its community? Journey across the globe for an in-depth investigation with a world-renowned team in this underwater excavation. With exclusive access to the site, including critical aerial and underwater cinematography and spectacular CGI, travel through the centuries, back to the Roman and Byzantine times and at the foundation of Christianity itself.

Read more
The best free movies on YouTube right now (October 2023)
Charlie Hunnam in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.

Streaming services aren't quite the bargain they used to be. Fortunately, YouTube is home to a large library of ad-supported free movies and TV shows for everyone to enjoy -- and we keep track of all the best free movies on YouTube so you don't have to.

Somewhat unsurprisingly, it's not an outstanding collection, but there are always some good options each month. With quick movies always coming and going, it's tough to know what's available that's worth your time. That's why we keep this list regularly up to date.
Looking for more stuff you can watch for free? Check out our guides to the best free shows on YouTube and the best sites for watching free movies online.

Read more