Watch What Crappens – Episode: Listen Now: The Big Flop Release Date: May 27, 2025

In this engaging episode of Watch What Crappens, hosts Ben Mandelker and Ronnie Karam delve into the disastrous conclusion of Game of Thrones Season Eight. Drawing insights from their appearance on Misha Brown's podcast, The Big Flop, Ben and Ronnie dissect the myriad reasons behind the final season's widespread criticism, offering listeners a comprehensive analysis filled with sharp wit and candid opinions.

1. Introduction to The Big Flop

The episode kicks off with Ben and Ronnie recounting their participation in The Big Flop, a podcast dedicated to critiquing major pop culture missteps. They specifically target the final season of Game of Thrones, setting the stage for a detailed examination of its failings.

• Ben: "We had the absolute pleasure of joining Misha Brown on his podcast the Big Flop to bring shame upon the disaster that was season eight of Game of Thrones." [00:00]

2. Production Blunders and Prop Missteps

Ben and Ronnie highlight several glaring production errors that marred the final season, starting with the infamous Starbucks cup spotted in Winterfell.

• Ronnie: "I was so mad that I missed it myself. Like, I was so mad that I woke up the next day and it was all over the Internet and I was like, I missed a Starbucks. I feel like I have a Starbucks star and I could spot it anywhere. But I failed. I failed entirely." [01:10]

• Ben: "That's nice that they're more worried about being seen as not supporting the local economy of Toome. Get the fuck out of here with that. What do you carry around a Starbucks cup to pour it in? Get out of here." [01:34]

Despite Internet memes claiming the cup was a Starbucks prop, the production crew insisted it hailed from a local Irish café, a point Ben dismissively critiques.

Additionally, the hosts point out another oversight: a visible plastic bottle beneath a chair during a pivotal scene.

• Ronnie: "There is a plastic bottle underneath one of the chairs, just visible by an actor's feet." [02:01]

3. Narrative and Character Arcs Critique

The discussion shifts to the storytelling aspects, where Ben and Ronnie express their frustration with the narrative choices that dismantled previously beloved characters and plotlines.

• Ben: "The sitting around all night episode was when it was done for me because I love the battles. The Battle of the Bastards is one of my all-time faves. So I loved all the battling. And then they just stop." [02:34]

• Ronnie: "Cersei was like a non-entity. Like, how is it that we have our final victory lap for the show and Cersei is doing absolutely nothing?" [03:20]

The hosts criticize the sidelining of key characters such as Jon Snow and Cersei Lannister, arguing that their diminished roles were a disservice to the overarching narrative.

4. Daenerys Targaryen’s Abrupt Transformation

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to Daenerys's sudden turn to villainy, which Ben and Ronnie found jarring and inconsistent with her established character.

• Ronnie: "For example, like Daenerys, she was always the most, shall we say, progressive candidate for the throne thus far. But then she makes that full heel turn and she turns cartoonishly evil over that one episode." [04:24]

• Ben: "She was always burning everybody alive. Like they made it seem like, oh, this is so crazy. Everybody was like, I can't believe Dany did that. Dany literally did that every time she had a problem." [04:40]

5. Jaime Lannister’s Confusing Arc

The hosts also dissect Jaime Lannister's character development, which they felt lacked coherence and purpose in the final season.

• Ronnie: "What do you think about Jaime Lannister? Because he started off as the most hated character on the show who spends seven seasons becoming the good guy and dumping his evil, sexy sister and then possibly falling in love with an awkward warrior lady just to return to his codependent twin to die needlessly. Yeah, what a weird arc." [05:00]

• Ben: "She cut off Missandei's head. But, you know, that's like going to Starbucks for her. You know, she's like, oh, it's Tuesday. Okay, behead someone. And then I'll have a latte after that." [05:25]

6. Fan and Cast Reactions

Ben and Ronnie touch upon the backlash not only from fans but also from the show's own cast members, underscoring the pervasive dissatisfaction.

• Ben: "Isaac Hempstead, who played Bran, he thought the final script was a joke. First read it because it said that he'd be the king. He literally thought everyone got a script, oh, as a joke saying that they were going to end up on the throne." [05:28]

• Ronnie: "Conleth Hill, who plays Varys, can be seen throwing down his script in frustration in the behind the scenes footage." [06:24]

7. The Final Verdict: A Cumulative Mess

Concluding their analysis, Ben and Ronnie assert that the cumulative errors in production, storytelling, and character development culminated in one of the most criticized finales in television history.

• Ben: "It was as a joke, but we were like, they're probably going to have Bran as the king because that's how politics works." [05:55]

• Ronnie: "Benioff and Weiss saying, quote, the critics can go fuck themselves." [06:24]

They emphasize that the finale failed to deliver a satisfying conclusion, leaving audiences and even the cast disillusioned.

8. Closing Thoughts

Wrapping up, the hosts reflect on the broader implications of the final season's shortcomings and express their disappointment in how one of television's most beloved series concluded.

• Ben: "Jon Snow gets screwed over by someone who would rather have power than him and, you know, then spends the rest of his life crying. I really liked that was one of my favorite moves of the writers, actually." [06:24]

• Ronnie: "People didn't like that Arya kind of flew at the guy. They were like, that is so unrealistic that Arya did that." [07:32]

The episode serves as a critical examination of Game of Thrones Season Eight, offering listeners a thorough breakdown of what went wrong and why the finale has left a lasting negative impression on its audience.

Join Ben and Ronnie as they continue to dissect and discuss the latest in pop culture, celebrating their love for Bravo and beyond. For exclusive content and more, support them at www.patreon.com/watchwhatcrappens.