Game of Thrones to end in 14 episodes, HBO confirms; spin-off could be discussed

The breakneck pace of season six of Game of Thrones, after comparatively meandering through its earlier five ones, has now been explained. HBO confirmed that the hit TV show will come to an end in just two more seasons. Season eight will be the last we’ll see of Westeros and its power-hungry (or heroic) inhabitants. [caption id=“attachment_2927646” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in a scene from the final episode of season six of ‘Game of Thrones’[/caption] With a previous announcement that season seven and eight will be truncated — only seven episodes each, instead of the earlier 10 — what fans are looking at is a total of 14 episodes of GoT before the remaining members of the cast take their curtain call. Casey Bloys, HBO’s new programming chief, was speaking at the Television Critics Association press tour in Los Angeles, when he confirmed the news about the show’s end date. He also seemed to indicate that the decision to end the show in another two seasons was not the network’s but the showrunners’ (DB Weiss and David Benioff). Fans who’re already beginning to get withdrawal symptoms may take heart from the fact that a spin-off has been discussed — although the idea is very tentative at present. GRR Martin’s The World of Ice and Fire: The Official History of Westeros might be a good source material for ideas about the spin-off, considering that is packed with back-stories about how Westeros came to be, as well as the Targaryen’s conquest of it. Martin has previously spoken about writing an extensive volume on the Targaryens alone. With fan theories rife about the Targaryen origins of two of the series’ much-loved characters — Jon Snow and Tyrion Lannister — in addition to Danaerys, it seems there will be quite enough to explore, both in the books and the TV show. Meanwhile, reports have said that the delayed start date for season seven of GoT means it will not be eligible for the 2017 Emmys — an awards show it has dominated for the past three years. Game of Thrones usually airs during spring, but with the storyline on the show now depicting winter, DB Weiss and David Benioff wanted to wait a while for the weather to change, before they began filming. The delay in beginning production, however, has meant, that season seven will only air in summer of 2017. May is the deadline for a show’s premiere date for it to be considered for an Emmy nomination. _Read on Firstpost: 'Game of Thrones' review — The symbolism and symmetry was strong with season six_