After finishing its seventh season, I’ve reached the point where I’d name “Game of Thrones” as the best fantasy I’ve ever read or seen.  It’s also among the best television I’ve ever seen, period.  I’d cheerfully rate this penultimate season a perfect 10.

I do understand some of  the criticisms I’ve read from other fans.  Yes, this shorter, more eventful, seven-episode arc could seem a little rushed when compared with prior seasons.  And certain plot points in the last several episodes here are easy to nitpick.

But I can’t give less than a perfect rating to a show that I enjoyed this much.  Season 7 added great action and special effects, lots of momentum, frightening horror, and some long-awaited conclusions to story arcs that began back in Season 1.  And the show still has the best dialogue of any current television show that I’m aware of, usually supported by terrific acting.

I won’t say more for fear of spoilers.  But I obviously loved this season.