As the last season of “Game of Thrones” approaches, fans of the fantasy drama can barely contain their excitement. But beneath that excitement is also a current of dread — dread not only of fans wondering what to do with their free time now that the show will soon be over with the books still painfully out of sight, but dread of whether the show can end on the same high note as reached by some of the best seasons of the show.

The seventh season of “Game of Thrones” was, at best, uneven. Many viewers, including myself, felt key relationships and plot points were rushed. This was surely partially due to the seventh season only having seven episodes compared to the usual 10. With the final season only clocking in at six episodes, although partially offset some with longer run times, many fans fear Season 8 may suffer a similar fate.