'Game of Thrones' Dialogue Data Reveals How Little Characters Spoke in Later Seasons
Game of Thrones data reveals that the show's use of dialogue declined in recent years. Fans reacted to the chart on Twitter.

- Last weekend, after eight seasons and almost a decade on the air, Game of Thrones aired its final episode. Not all fans were pleased with the way the show's long-running battle for the Iron Throne was resolved—or with the fates of their favorite characters.
- According to data from opensubtitles.org, over the years, the number of words spoken in each episode of Game of Thrones declined sharply, especially in the final seasons of the show.
- Fans took to Twitter to react to the data, which served as proof that the changes in the show weren't just in their imagination after all.
Game of Thrones came to an end last week and many fans were, well, less than thrilled with the show's ending. Whatever you happened to think of the ending, the widely-held perception that the show had changed in some real way in the last few years isn't wrong.
According to data from opensubtitles.org, the show's dialogue underwent some major changes over the years. Namely, the number of words spoken per episode plummeted.
Github user mrquart took the data and plotted it into a chart (the code for the chart is available here) and many fans shared the graphic on Twitter. Here's the graph:
The brooding silence in Season 8 wasn’t just in your head.
Some fans on Twitter had jokes:
There it is. pic.twitter.com/mTl6iJI9sUMay 24, 2019
Meanwhile, Cersei.... pic.twitter.com/ZrzPyrpLsnMay 25, 2019
Confirmed that neither Aaron Sorkin nor Amy Sherman Palladino ghostwrote an episode.May 25, 2019
There it is. pic.twitter.com/mTl6iJI9sUMay 24, 2019
pic.twitter.com/NyGcLOmwThMay 25, 2019
Does this include dragon roars?May 26, 2019
While others defended the declining dialogue stats:
I’m interested to hear your conclusions. To me, this makes a lot of sense - you have to explain the story and characters at the beginning and if you’ve done the job right, by the end all you need is Tyrions facial expressions lol.May 24, 2019
There it is. pic.twitter.com/mTl6iJI9sUMay 24, 2019
And then there were those who defended the lack of dialogue, but still planted themselves firmly on Team Game of Thrones Took a Nosedive:
I mean, on the one hand, I think the nice thing about film and television is that you can tell a whole lot without dialogue, but just by how you frame the shot, the actor, the music, etc.On the other hand, Season 8 sucked.May 26, 2019
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Clear Your Calendars Because 'Love Island USA' Returns for Season 7 Next Month
We can't wait to head back to the villa.
-
The Zara Edit I'm Predicting Everyone Will Be Wearing Next Month
25 finds under $100 with the It girl look.
-
Gigi Hadid Taps Gez Z's Favorite DIY Denim Trend
The picture of casual-cool style.
-
'Love Island USA' Season 7: Everything We Know
We can't wait to head back to the villa.
-
13 Books That’ll Make You Want to Call Your Mom
These must-reads come from literary mothers like Maya Angelou and Amy Tan, as well as our contemporary faves.
-
"Crime Junkie" Host and Mystery Author Ashley Flowers Shares Her Must-Read Crime Books
'The Missing Half' author/podcaster knows a good whodunit.
-
Natural Women
In an excerpt from Amanda Hess's debut memoir, 'Second Life,' she writes about a movement that predates MAHA moms.
-
Ana Huang Is Ready to Rule Over Romance
With the release of 'King of Envy,' the author, who started as a self-published BookTok favorite, is quickly becoming the queen of the genre.
-
The Best Lisa Jewell Books, Ranked—From 'Then She Was Gone' to 'None of This Is True'
Few do page-turners quite like her.
-
Climate Fiction So Earth-Shattering You’ll Never Forget to Recycle Again
These dystopian books imagine a future where the worst has already happened.
-
The Stars of 'Love Island USA' Season 6 Will Return to Our Screens This Summer
We're already clearing our summer schedules for 'Love Island: Beyond the Villa.'