This week’s Game of Thrones episode, “The Long Night,” was very dark. And not just in the way a few characters met their fate. Numerous viewers complained that it was hard to see what was happening. Several fans tried to manually adjust the lighting on their device. However, despite the complaints, the show’s cinematographer voiced his two cents on the matter.
While speaking with TMZ, Fabian Wagner offered his explanation about the lighting during the Battle of Winterfell. He noted that HBO’s compression of the episode made it hard to see what was happening on mobile devices. Combined with weak Internet connections and watching in lit-up areas, that turned out to be a problem. He suggested watching it again, this time in a home environment. He also noted fans should turn off the lights and compared the experience to sitting in a dark theater.
Wagner also wasn’t the only one that wanted to take a dark approach. The director and showrunners had similar feelings, particularly with the episode’s intense battle scenes.
“We tried to give the viewers and fans a cool episode to watch,” explained Wagner. “I know it wasn’t too dark because I shot it.”
Related: Maisie Williams Opens Up About Arya’s Role In The Battle of Winterfell
Feedback for the episode has been largely positive, despite the complaints. This may have been Game of Thrones’ biggest episode to date. Even with some heartbreaking deaths, it came with several fantastic moments.
Now, there are only three remaining episodes in its final season. Fortunately, it should be a little easier to see what happens next.
Game of Thrones season 8 continues this Sunday on HBO. What do you think about the lighting during the Battle of Winterfell? Let us know in the comment section below!
