A few days ago, I was thinking about the controversy over the current series season of Game of Thrones, and how disappointed so many of the fans are. I admit, after the very first episode this season I said, “It’s okay, but it feels like they took twice as long to do everything as was necessary.”

Pacing is king, gang.

The final season of GOT? It’s just not very good.

And that made me think…

Shows should just get canceled.

Now, I don’t like it when a show I watch gets canceled. Think about it. You’re enjoying the show and then all of a sudden they come and say, “You can’t have any more of this. We’re going away, and we’re not saying where.” And you’re like, no! No, no, no, no. I want my show! And then you love the show and you watch it in reruns…

Versus…

When the show decides to leave on its own terms.

The last episode of The Sopranos sucked. The last episode of Seinfeld sucked. (I don’t know about the last episode of Friends but I think that one was pretty good.) And I had a great feeling that this whole last season of Game of Thrones was going to suck (it has) so that the last episode might suck a little less and people will think it was good. Because otherwise it was probably really going to suck bad. Really bad. Horribly bad. Write letters to TV stations bad.

Which they’re already doing…

It’s probably like getting dumped versus dumping somebody. Something like that.

In the end, if your show gets canceled, you remain a fan and want to see more and that’s what you carry forward.

When it ends and it sucks, you’re disgruntled – and that’s what you carry forward.

Which is better?

Yeah.

Cancelled, you get to imagine its ending – the one that’s best for you. We all do.

Remember the rule of show biz: “Always leave them wanting more.”

There was too much at stake to not end the series on its own terms, and I’d say they did the best they could with the finale. I was okay with it. But the season as a whole was the worst.

Bad season, good ending.

Still a great series. I’d watch the whole thing again (except for the last season). Like the Harry Potter books and movies, I was happiest with the first ones. I didn’t care to see what happened after. The joy was gone.

Same here.

I’ll watch the shows again and stop somewhere in the third or fourth season, while I’m still enjoying it – still wanting more.

Wonder if there’s a lesson in there for us book writers?

Anyway, what was YOUR show that ended or got cancelled – and how did you like its demise?