The crew of Game of Thrones got some support from someone who is all too familiar with controversial finales. Actor Jason Alexander starred on the highly-acclaimed sitcom Seinfeld as George Constanza. The series ran for nine years, but, sadly, for fans of Seinfeld, part of its enduring legacy is its poorly received series ender.
Interestingly, Game of Thrones’ series finale aired almost 21 years to the day that Seinfeld had its last episode. The sitcom’s series finale aired on May 14, 1998, while the Game of Thrones finale was, of course, on May 19, 2019. And, there has been one significant change in that time gap: the advent of social media and fans’ ability to react publicly to their favorite shows immediately.
Eventually, in the late 1990s, everyone knew that viewers did not like Seinfeld’s ending. However, social media did not exist back then, so you can only imagine what the backlash would be like if Seinfeld had its finale in today’s world. Backlash can be brutal, as Jason Alexander knows all too well. He is still standing by how Seinfeld went out, though. Here's what he had to say after the Game of Thrones finale:
So, what was all of that controversy about? In case you have no idea, Seinfeld finished its run with the main characters being sentenced to prison terms. Not the happiest of endings for the characters. The fan verdict was swift, and for years, it has been widely considered one of television’s worst finales.
Jason Alexander cleared the air about his personal perspective on the end of the NBC sitcom while acknowledging the overall feeling of many fans. After all of these years, they still share their dismay regarding the finale with him. Part of creating something that people feel strongly about is that that passion can sometimes turn to negativity. As for Game of Thrones, time will tell how people end up feeling about it.
Twenty-one years later, Jason Alexander offered his support to the Game of Thrones crew while they are currently enduring the response from fans regarding the show's own controversial ending. It has only been a few days, so it will take time to sort out its legacy in the long-term, but Alexander sent a supportive tweet anyway, which you can read below:
This is a lovely message, and I think its sentiment is true. If you felt anything watching Game of Thrones, it clearly did something right. What a fantastic way to say “thank you” for the journey, though. Alexander clearly enjoyed the ride, and what a ride it was.
There is clearly a lot to unpack regarding the Game of Thrones finale. Even before the finale, some fans were expressing outrage over the events of the penultimate episode. In the week leading up to the series finale, Game of Thrones was already embroiled in a backlash. A petition that existed before the penultimate episode took off with intense fervor afterward.
The petition calls for the entire eighth season to be redone. Signatures for it have soared past 1 million and it has gained so much publicity the cast has responded. Game of Thrones’ Jacob Anderson, who played Grey Worm, weighed in with a response to it and the events that led to the upset.
It will be interesting to see where fans stand on Game of Thrones’ finale in 10 years. Here is me hoping with all of my might that we will have a reunion to look forward to on HBO around then.
