Posted in: Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: bctv daily dispatch, game of thrones, house of the dragon, preview, streaming, television

House of the Dragon: But I Thought Fans Quit GOT? BCTV Daily Dispatch

Before we deep-dive into the daily rundown of our television/streaming coverage that we call the BCTV Daily Dispatch, I need to ask you a question in light of the success of HBO's House of the Dragon. Where were you on May 20, 2019? If you were a Game of Thrones fan, you were probably raging about how writers/directors David Benioff & D. B. Weiss had committed some kind of sin against all of mankind (and George R.R. Martin) with the series finale, S08E06 "The Iron Throne." And for the next three years, all we heard from GOT fans was how they were done with the series, that they felt betrayed, and how Benioff & Weiss betrayed both the televised & literary franchises in one fell swoop. For months, the cast was asked to "justify" the ending, and Martin even seemed to make it a point of distancing himself from it in the press. To be blunt? As far as the fans were concerned, HBO allowed Benioff & Weiss to cluster-f**k a series they loved so much that there was no going back. A line had been crossed. And HBO would be left staring at a franchise in flames, wondering what could've been. But there's just one small but significant problem. None of that was true.

Well, most of that wasn't true. The part about the series finale? That's pretty subjective, and they're were definitely more than 2-3 people who had issues. But the rest? That was all a social media narrative that mainstream media jumped on & amplified. Because unfortunately, as we've learned time & time again, social media likes to think it reflects the public's view when… well… it just doesn't. Just look at the global streaming number for proof. While we're supposed to believe that GOT fans swore off their beloved series, clearly, someone was lying because the series is regularly on a ton of countries' Top 10 or 20 charts. And it's not like anyone was going broke off of merchandising sales. But those are just small examples. The ten-ton hint that maybe folks were barking a lot more than they were willing to bite came with the ratings for the second episode of HBO's GOT prequel series House of the Dragon. Now, I can understand a big number for the series premiere because there's always that "curiosity factor." But when the viewership increases 2% with the second episode (10.2M viewers domestically across HBO Max & linear broadcasts), a question begs to be asked. Is this any kind of way to run a "protest"? Oh, and the premiere? It's inching close to 25M viewers, giving it the top spot when it comes to the largest audience for an HBO original series (and don't get me started on how it's boosted the GOT back catalog).

So my point? First, we need to stop seeing social media as some kind of "societal sampling" or "a slice of life" because it's not. It's "The Wild West" where pretty everything still goes. A "Twitter outrage" does not translate into actual real numbers (otherwise, Bernie Sanders would be POTUS) more than it's a scare tactic to force some kind of action. Unfortunately, we all fall for it. And for the second point, an olive branch to the GOT fans out there because this was all done with a wink and a smile. We're fans. It's what we do. We swear off shows all of the time because of a character's death or a plot that was twisted a little too much. And then what do we do? We hit up the show's DMs at 3 in the morning to see what's up, acting like nothing ever happened and not really wanting to talk about it. But I also remember how the GOT cast got hit hard by fans for some time after "The Iron Throne" aired, so hopefully, shining a spotlight on a case of some serious fanboy/fangirl flip-flopping can embarrass folks into a better way of dealing with things the next time. So go enjoy House of the Dragon now that your conscience is clear (just make sure to leave a donation in the collection bowl on your way out).

Now here's a look at your BCTV Daily Dispatch for Wednesday, August 31, 2022:

Chicago P.D.: Tracy Spiridakos on Co-Star Jesse Lee Soffer's Departure

The Rookie: Nathan Fillion & J. August Richards' Buffy/Angel Reunion

NXT 2.0 Preview 8/30: A Six-Man Tag Match Before Worlds Collide

The Winchesters "Fate" Teaser: John & Mary's Bond Is Supernatural

Warrior Season 3: HBO Max Martial Arts Drama Adds 10 More to Cast

Stargirl Star Brec Bassinger: S03 Murder Mystery End "Will Shock You"

The Taylor Hawkins Tribute Concert: Paramount+ Shares Official Trailer

Rick and Morty "Wormageddon": New Winner, New Location & New Website?

Godzilla and the Titans: Legendary, Apple TV+ Series Teases Monarch

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners Releases Official NSFW Trailer, New Key Art

Wonder Man Sees Ben Kingsley Reprising Trevor Slattery Role: Report

The Girls on the Bus: Melissa Benoist Series Adds 8 to HBO Max Cast

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Terry Farrell Has Jadzia Dax Return Idea

Rick and Morty Shares New Season 6 Images Ahead of S06E01 "Solaricks!"

Walker Independence: The CW Prequel Series Shares New Preview Images

Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah Win Women's Tag Team Titles on WWE Raw

Neil Gaiman Shares Personal Insight Into Good Omens 2 Writing Process

The Conners' Michael Fishman: "I Was Told I Would Not Be Returning"

Rick and Morty "Wormageddon" L10 Clue: The President & Rick Go Mech

Chicago P.D. Fans Shocked by Jesse Lee Soffer Season 10 Departure News

Bluey Slow-Roasts Peppa Pig in So Many Wonderfully Unhinged Ways

Ghostwriter Season 3, Peanuts & More: Apple TV+ Kids Fall Lineup

Star Trek: Lower Decks Cast Discuss James Cromwell's Cochrane Return

Yellowstone, Star Trek Day & Megan Thee Stallion: BCTV Daily Dispatch

And now, here's your BCTV Daily Dispatch "Long-Distance Dedication: "Hey Man, Nice Shot" by Filter

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