If the fans had written the last season? It may have been worse - or better - but it definitely would have been longer.

The game was closer than the final score. Blazers kept even for most of the first half, but were sunk by a pair of timely 3s as the second quarter drew to a close, resulting in the 9 point deficit.

The writers are trying to establish so many things, and have so little time to do it. In this episode, we see a lot of pieces moved off the board. Sam and Gilly, Tormund - the White Walker threat is gone, and now so are they. Brienne? I have an odd feeling this may be her last episode too.

Random thoughts -

Acting and execution wasn’t credible enough? It was meant to fool us, the audience. They wanted to lead us towards one destination, then hit a swerve to another.

Such a no-brainer. Forgo a large Jamba Juice - price paid. Heck, that’s less than a drink and a snack at the concessions at the theater.

McBride’s dark humor is an acquired taste - but I love his work on HBO. “Eastbound and Down” dragged me down the dark rabbit hole, and I ate up “Vice Principals”. Both series are limned by a touching sentimentality that you cannot appreciate unless you travel with these characters.

About 30 years ago a bunch of rappers (Ice-T, MC Hammer, Digital Underground, et al) made a song and video decrying gang street violence.

I predict an overall decline.

That’s a weird thing about having stand-alones and team-ups - how much peril does a superhero have to be in before his friends help out?

How about simply a series of one-year deals?

If you make something good, people will watch. But now “good” is so subjective.

We need to start evaluating everyone’s choices a la The Good Place.

Meanwhile the Warriors (as of Thursday morning) have the best record in the West, and the third-best record in the NBA. They also have one of the top records since early December. So if this is reason to doubt the Warriors - not sure what to say.

My daughter- also 6 - mentions this movie every other day. We’ll see it opening weekend.

It’s the Hollywood “group-think”. Once Marvel did well with their Extended Universe, then everyone had to have one. DC...Universal. Even inconsistent directors Shymalan jumped into the fray. And I think studios were so afraid of box office fatigue - or being seen as a follower - that they rushed out JL.

I used to live in the Chicago area decades ago. One thing I still remember, however, is the wind chill. The temperature would be 3 degrees, and then they would adjust it for the wind chill, and it would be arctic-like.

Not the worst move in the world. He’s playing to his constituency. The rest of him may pooh pooh him, but it’s a safe bet that he’ll get re-elected.

Surprisingly, a lot of celebrated actors are mired in financial straits.

So let’s extend this - what happens when LeBron’s contract is up? He makes teams better because he’s an outstanding player who can carry a team, and draws so much attention that secondary shooters can get their shot. But what happens when he’s gone? Or worse - when he cannot deliver like he has in the past?