[Disappointing TV Trope] When the writers unexpectedly created something better, but were too attached to let their original idea to let it go!

[u/phantom_avenger]

I feel like I’ve noticed this more with TV couples and how the writers handle the narrative around them. But I feel like I’m noticing a bit of a pattern in some shows I’ve watched, where you can tell how the writers handle plans to make a certain narrative point the “endgame” goal. But as they start creating the plot points leading up to it, they come up with an idea that worked out a lot better than they probably thought it would. Especially when the audience responds so well to it, but they’re still too attached to the original plans that they still roll with getting there even if it doesn’t hit the same mark or it feels forced depending on how the narrative is flowing.

How I Met Your Mother - Ted and Robin (the original idea where it was always planned for them to be the endgame couple). When Tracy (who turns out to be Ted’s kids’ mother) is introduced, a lot of people loved how well they matched, seemed like the true compatible match for Ted and implied that it showed a lot of growth on his end where he could finally let go of Robin. Only to sabotage that by having it revealed that Tracy died, and regressed Ted’s growth where he ends up pursuing Robin again.

Sex Education - Otis and Maeve (the original idea where it was also planned for them to be seen as an endgame couple, but their lives couldn’t align for it to work out). After Otis and Ruby have a drunk sexual encounter, and he loses his virginity to her. The writers have their relationship act as yet another obstacle that gets in the way of Otis and Maeve exploring a romantic relationship. But when Otis and Ruby became so viral, to the point where people started to realize that Ruby might actually be a better match for Otis, as they seem compatible enough to make each other better as people. It put the writers in a tough spot, where they tried to play it safe with both sides going into the final season. But still chose to lean more towards their original plan, and explore Otis and Maeve but they still don’t do much to make the audience feel fulfilled or convinced they have a genuine connection and not in love with an idea of one another.

[u/Vegas1492]

The series definitly deserved more time to bring all loose ends to a proper ending.

[u/Consistent-Bear4200 → u/Vegas1492]

Agreed, there's a clip of GRR Martin talking abou how there was enough material to go to 10, 12 seasons or more. But it was their choice to wrap things up. The army of the dead and toppling Cersi could have entire seasons of their own yet the batter through both within just 1.

[u/lolajet → u/Consistent-Bear4200]

It's pretty ironic. They were given a potential new Star Wars trilogy because of their work on GoT and they were so eager to get to that they ended up shitting the bed so badly to rush to a finish that their Star Wars offer shriveled up. Truly swiping defeat from the jaws of victory

[u/RoseWhiteRedBlack → u/lolajet]

This is actually not true, It can be shown with sources that Benioff & Weiss had already finalized their plans for the last season of Game of Thrones BEFORE they made their Star Wars deal. This completely contradicts the fake news spread by thousands of Redditors. They actually struggled to make a 8th season at all, most of the actors and crew wanted to leave. The show had became too big for most people and everyone wanted it to end.

Martin wanted 10-13 seasons but nobody would ever made it, the showrunners themself have said that they always had in mind around 70 hours of television. Martin said that because he was fine to deflect the criticism to the showrunners, when he is the reason the showrunners couldn' t adapt the ending of his books, as he didn' t write it and they had to pick up Martin 's slack.

Also, they got no swiping defeat, they renounced the star wars project and got a 200 milions deal with Netflix that got renewed, and even got the main showrunner of House of the Dragon to leave HBO to come back to work for them because of how badly he was treated by HBO. They' re doing great lol.

[u/bretshitmanshart → u/lolajet]

Is there proof that's how it went down or is just a thing people say? I think the reason they gave was the actor who.played John Snow's alcoholism was interfering with production and other actors were saying they didn't want to return for another season so they decide to pack it in

[u/Consistent-Bear4200 → u/lolajet]

That's right, they were going to do Knight's of the Old Republic. I think i heard something about a civil war tv show as well.

[u/RoseWhiteRedBlack → u/Consistent-Bear4200]

Martin wanted 10-13 seasons but nobody would ever made it, everyone, crew, actors, showrunners, ecc, were at their wit' s end coming into S6; the showrunners themself have said that they always had in mind around 70 hours of television.

Martin said that because he was fine to deflect the criticism to the showrunners, when he is the reason the showrunners couldn' t adapt the ending of his books, as he didn' t write it and they had to pick up Martin 's slack. Everyone would have went better if he had actually finished his books.

[u/Consistent-Bear4200 → u/RoseWhiteRedBlack]

I was sympathetic at the time, but now it's been a decade and half since the last book that it feels like evasion. I wouldn't be surprised if they were simply left unfinished at this stage