From the get-go, this show had unbelievable hype to live up to, and it seems like to many it didn't. It continued to lose popularity and hype as it went on, which is a shame because I think the show got undeniably stronger after the solid, but unspectacular, first season. At the same time though, I could never fully emotionally connect with it, and I think this is what kept me from ever loving it the way I did other crime dramas of its kind. But it was always incredibly consistent and intriguing, and contrary to how many feel, I enjoyed the last season for what it was. It was always going to be a leg short in terms of fulfillment, but I think it mostly managed it well and the series finale really brought everything I cared about full-circle. Even when I couldn't fully love the series, though, the technical aspects cannot be denied. One of the most gorgeously-shot, most beautifully-constructed, most elegantly directed series I have ever seen. I don't think it ever really hit glaring missteps as far as direction goes, and as far as consistency in these technical aspects, I think from recent series only Mad Men really rivals it.
Overall, I really can't wait to rewatch this from beginning to end. Not always easy to love (hey, neither was The Wire and Deadwood on my first viewings either, and both are now two of my favorite shows ever) but always a show that I respected, certainly for its patience and the trust it had in its audience. And I may prefer Game of Thrones because of its story lines, but I don't think it comes close to achieving the overall technical perfection this show did, certainly not in terms of directing.
Overall, I really can't wait to rewatch this from beginning to end. Not always easy to love (hey, neither was The Wire and Deadwood on my first viewings either, and both are now two of my favorite shows ever) but always a show that I respected, certainly for its patience and the trust it had in its audience. And I may prefer Game of Thrones because of its story lines, but I don't think it comes close to achieving the overall technical perfection this show did, certainly not in terms of directing.