The Game of Thrones season six finale was watched by nearly nine million people (that number skyrocketed to 25 million once repeat airings, DVR, HBO Go, HBO Now, and HBO on Demand were added). By comparison, the season premiere of HBO’s second highest rated current show, True Detective, was viewed by 3.17 million, which sunk to 2.73 million by the finale. HBO could really use two things: a new hit, and for Game of Thrones to last forever.
The bonkers-looking Westworld could be a solution to the former. As for the latter: showrunners D.B. Weiss and David Benioff will officially wrap up the series after two more seasons. “If I could get them to do more,” HBO programming president Casey Bloys said, “I would take 10 seasons, but we want to take their lead with what they could do and what the best version of the show is.” There’s one silver lining, though, outside of Game of Thrones not, creatively speaking, overstaying its welcome: a potential spinoff.
“We’ve talked about it,” [Bloys] said. “It’s not something I’m opposed to, but it has to make sense creatively. I’m not sure [Weiss and Benioff] can wrap their heads around it when they are about to start production. We’re open to it — the guys aren’t opposed to it, but there’s no concrete plans right now.” (Via)
Maybe The Winds of Winter will set up the spinoff, or Game of Thrones‘ series finale can be a backdoor pilot for Full House Lannister. (“Have [unpronounceable Valyrian word for ‘mercy’],” Uncle Tyrion says, to huge laughter.) HBO’s open to anything, as long as “t*ts and dragons” are involved.
(Via the Hollywood Reporter)
