That’s the risk when you start a show based on one of the most carefully crafted and detailed worlds since Tolkien was alive, and then move that show out beyond the world that has been written by the original author. George R.R. Martin is a master at his craft, and has had the luxury of taking his (very, very) sweet time in building his world. HBO writers didn’t have that luxury and, no matter how committed to the end of the series they were or weren’t, it’s a rare talent that can craft stories with as much detail and continuity as Martin. GoT had a very high bar to meet to end the series, and it was almost guaranteed to miss it. Consider it Seinfeld for the 2010’s.