S08.00: The Last Watch

[raven]

Even though our watch has ended, we will stick to Unsullied rules for this retrospective.  Be advised, I do not know if during the episode anything book-related will be discussed.

This Forum is for Unsullied Members to post in: those who have vowed to not only not read the books, but also to not watch previews, read information on the Viewer's Guide, or seek any information outside of what has been IN THE EPISODES ONLY.

For the purposes of The Habitat there are 4 categories of visitor:

Unsullied = Only watch the show from HBO static to closing credits. Nothing else, nada, zilch, zip. = Welcome to post in here.

Unspoiled = Haven't read the books. Watch the show plus ‘next time on’ previews and/or interviews/reviews and/or own GoT DVD boxsets and/or access HBO GoT content. = Please post in the main GoT forum, where the No Book Talk thread caters to you.

Partially-spoiled Bookwalker = Have read some of the books but none beyond where the show has broadcast. = Please post in the main GoT forum, where the No Book Talk thread caters to you.

Fully-spoiled Bookwalker = Have read either all of the books or past where the show has broadcast. = Please post in the main GoT forum, where the Book Talk thread caters to you.

Unless you fall into the Unsullied category above you should be in READ-ONLY mode in this thread (and sub-forum).

Thank you for your cooperation. 

HBO blurb:

An up-close and personal report from the trenches of production that reveals the tears and triumphs of the cast and crew involved in the challenge of bringing the fantasy world of Westeros to life.

Airdate 2019.05.26

[gingerella]

I thought this was so well done, and it made me feel how deeply the cast and crew have put their all into A Show all these years. There’s seems to be some folks out there who are insenced that many are uphappy with S8, and they take it as a rebuke on the cast and crew, which I think isn’t what anyone is unhappy about. For me, and I think for the Unsullied here, and likely for many Bookwalkers and Spoilered, it’s solely about the writing and the shortened last two seasons. I see what these people went through for us, and I am in awe. And I think a disservice was done to them, by just leaving so many key threads hanging in the air with a show that they poured so much of their lives into. Damn....

Oh, and seeing Kit cry at the table read when he found out he kills Dany? That made me cry...that and his last scene shot...it really makes me wonder how D&D could ever have thought short shrifting A Show was going to be a great idea.

[Anothermi]

I liked it, too. It's one thing to know how many people had to have been involved to create this show, but it's another entirely to get to know some of them.

I found it both interesting and smart that they chose only one director to follow and tied the whole thing together via that one enthusiastic extra from Belfast (Team STARK), weaving his experience around all the other stories.

I also loved learning that they chose the Stunt-coordinator/trainer to be the Night King. He was so funny getting his taste of being famous in Spain (and then deciding he preferred being the anonymous expert he'd been before that). But he got the whole excited crowd to do the raise-the-dead move. 

I caught a few fun bits but now I can only remember one - a picture on the wall of the scheduler's room that showed a huge foot (labeled "script") trying to get into a much smaller glass slipper (labeled "schedule")  What a thankless job! (but such good humour)

I also felt so sorry for the guy in charge of the fake snow. Especially the part where his team had to shovel up fake snow they couldn't use and put it back in bags to use somewhere else.

The behind the scenes people were living "behind the looking glass" and running as fast as they could just to be at the next step on time; while the actors were living the hurry-up-and-wait existence.

I'm wondering if having to make each battle bigger than the last may have been the reason we were shorted some episodes. The big battle between the living and the dead would have been the biggest budget eater. And the destruction of King's Landing would have been the other. I can't remember if we've had two huge battles in one season before. Last season? I guess the battle where Viserion was lost would have been the second one.  Can't decide whether I think it was worth it. (the battle with Jaime & Bronn et al vs Dany and Drogon was worth it, but that's just one battle. )

[Melina22]

I really enjoyed this documentary. It conveyed so well not only how exciting it was for everyone to be part of one of the most popular TV shows of all time, but how wrenching it was for literally everyone, from the stars to the extras and the "head of snow" to finish the last day, and then walk away from their family, and from the biggest adventure of their lives. 

[walnutqueen]

After watching this, I was amazed that they were able to do this show for 8 grueling seasons, what with the logistics and deadlines involved.  It was truly a Herculean effort in so many ways.

[Anothermi]

I just remembered another random fun thing (in the background).

Bernie Caulfield - the woman who kept the schedules, and a whole lotta other things, working - (I'm pretty sure it was her) had a snow globe with a weirwood tree inside it. 

I loved those little things.

[Melina22]

43 minutes ago, Anothermi said:

Bernie Caulfield - the woman who kept the schedules, and a whole lotta other things, working - (I'm pretty sure it was her) had a snow globe with a weirwood tree inside it. 

I noticed that all of them were surrounded by GOT posters, memorabilia, were wearing GOT clothes, etc. It was such an important and gigantic part of their lives. For sure they'll miss it so much.