Game of Thrones ‘The Bells’ review – the downfall of the show

In last week’s review, I wrote that this episode was the final chance to redeem a season which has so far been thoroughly underwhelming. Unfortunately, this episode not only failed to improve upon last week, it somehow managed to be even worse.

As with the other four episodes, the blame rests solely upon poor writing and characterisation. The visuals and CGI, as usual, are stunning. In one shot, Daenerys is talking to someone outside at night, and then the head of her Dragon looms out of the darkness in a moment that is both tense and terrifying.

Ramin Djawadi, the composer of this season’s score, will probably develop back problems in his later life from carrying so much of the show. The music is both tense and sorrowful, and serves to improve even the worst scenes in this episode. Similarly, the cast make the best out of what is a thoroughly underwhelming script. Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey and Maisie Williams all put in incredible performances which match some of the most emotional moments of the entire show. Even Marc Rissmann plays the un-named smarmy Golden Company Commander with flair. The show has some good moments, most notably the farewell between Tyrion and Jaime, and every scene with Arya and the Hound in.

This episode not only failed to improve upon last week, it somehow managed to be even worse

Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of composer, cast and crew, the episode is let down by its incredibly poor writing. Euron Greyjoy, despite the best efforts of Pilou Asbæk, continues his slide into weird quirky uncle, rather than the almost demonic pirate king that he is in the books. Varys, who for the first time in about five seasons is actually shown using his intelligence network, also seems to have hit his head between the North and Kings Landing, making a number of incredibly stupid decisions. Without revealing a major spoiler, one of the main characters also makes a choice which, while not unforeseeable, had not been adequately foreshadowed enough to be a surprise.

Perhaps the worst victim of the poor writing is Jaime Lannister, whose eight-season redemption arc and positive character development is wiped out in one scene which would have left me shouting at the screen were it not 3:30am. Even Cleganebowl, the rematch between the brothers Sandor and Gregor Clegane, which has been awaited by fans for almost the entire length of the show, was good, but not excellent, and a somewhat inadequate swan song for two characters who have been present for the entire run of the show. There have been far better fights in the show, both narratively and in terms of choreography.

The music is both tense and sorrowful, and serves to improve even the worst scenes in this episode

Ultimately, it feels like the showrunners have been given an ending, but lack the skill to bring the characters there in a believable manner. The entire season has felt rushed and inconsistent. Characters making poor decisions is something that is not new to the show, but the characters in the past few episodes are simply not believable in their incompetence. Instead of a series of brilliant tactical decisions on the part of either Queen, the odds have been evened through a series of contrived plot devices which make no narrative sense. Characters’ decision making is poorly explained and justified, if at all, and fan favourites do not deserve the endings that they have been given. Episode Six might just be able to redeem the final season, but it would take something special. The way things are going, it looks like Game of Thrones might go out with a whimper, rather than a bang.

Previous Review: ‘The Last of the Starks’