From Iowa City to Westeros: University of Iowa alum behind ‘Game of Thrones’ series
D.B. Weiss, who graduated in 1998 with an M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, was a show runner for HBO’s successful series.
(L-R) David Benioff and D.B. Weiss attend HBO’s Game of Thrones eight and final season premiere at Radio City Music Hall in New York, NY, April 3, 2019. (Anthony Behar/Sipa USA/TNS)
May 19, 2019
As “Game of Thrones” fans bid farewell with the Sunday night finale of HBO’s hit series, the University of Iowa congratulated one of its own who happens to be instrumental to running the show.
D.B. Weiss, a 1998 alum who graduated with an M.F.A. from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, is a “Game of Thrones” co-creator, show runner, and writer.
Tonight we bid farewell to Westeros.
Congratulations to Hawkeye alumnus D.B. Weiss on the successful @GameOfThrones run. Weiss is a co-creator, show runner, and writer for the series. pic.twitter.com/qVzM5rGMIN
— University of Iowa (@uiowa) May 19, 2019
The series has drawn record viewership for HBO and received 47 Primetime Emmy Awards, among several other awards and nominations, throughout its eight-season run.
Many impassioned viewers of Sunday night’s finale took to Twitter to debate the merits of the show’s final season, with Weiss and co-creator David Benioff bearing the brunt of criticism.
We need to do this to DB Weiss and David Benioff after the finale. #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/2sJKCsvH7X
— Joey (@joeynemati) May 19, 2019
I may be ranting here, but in all seriousness, how disappointing these last two seasons have been is all David Benioff and DB Weiss’s fault. They botched the ending of one of the greatest shows ever, which I didn’t think was possible.
— Torgy (@j_torgerson_) May 19, 2019
Nearly 1 million fans have signed a petition on change.org calling for the final season to be rewritten.
More than 860,000 angry “Game of Thrones” fans and counting have signed an online petition demanding HBO remake the whole Season 8 “with competent writers.” https://t.co/eXq08HtXBx #GoT #GameOfThrones pic.twitter.com/qVh30koe5d
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) May 17, 2019
Some, however, sought to defend the show’s creators and remind fellow viewers of its overall success.
Man, the Game of Thrones fandom has a horrible mob mentality right now. DB Weiss and David Benioff create this culture bomb admired by millions, and now that the final season isn’t meeting the crowd’s high expectations, they’re “the worst writers ever” and thrown to the wolves…
— Sam Thornton (@_Insamity_) May 13, 2019
Others were simply happy to see the show indeed has Hawkeye ties.
Very cool, my son is attending the Iowa Young Writers Studio this summer for high school students and DB Weiss graduated with a M.A. from the Graduate Writers Studio at U of I. https://t.co/PMKNzblY7s
— Melissa Leonard (@missytwins02) May 19, 2019
After “Game of Thrones,” the writing duo will take on a galaxy far, far away. Weiss and Benioff will turn their attention to writing and directing a new series of Star Wars movies, The Washington Post reported, which is slated for a December 2022 release.