(This article contains spoilers for season 6 of Game of Thrones)

For the first time in the history of the series, the writers of Game of Thrones really got to forge their own path this year. With only a few lingering plotlines held over from the books, we moved into uncharted territory, without the guidance and proven ability of original author George RR Martin. From the writers’ standpoint, this had to have been as intimidating as it was exciting; all of the season’s successes are attributable to them, but any of its failings are too. Had this year been weak it would have been an argument against them taking the reigns for themselves.

Fortunately, that was not the case. Season 6 of Game of Thrones has been one of the most well-received of the series, with stunning set-pieces, major reveals, huge power-shifts, and characterization and dialogue that felt consistent with what came before. It wasn’t a perfect year, but showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss led with their strengths, making a show that was more propulsive than in years past.

First, let’s talk about some of the elements that didn’t work quite as well. The biggest complaint this season was likely that the show was unable to surprise us like it did in the past. I wrote a piece that went far more in-depth on this issue, but frankly, such an issue is something of an inevitability in focused, serialized storytelling like this. Now that the framework of the story is so visible, it’s going to become harder and harder for the writers to upset expectations without tearing down the storyline. And given how many story elements were predicted well in advance (Jon Snow’s resurrection, the great victory at Winterfell, the reveal of Jon Snow’s true parentage), this is an element that was admittedly weaker this year than before.

But what the season lacked in surprises it made up for in timing and execution. This was an impeccably well-made season of television, with episodes like The Battle of the Bastards demonstrating just how much the medium has grown in recent years. HBO spared no expense on battle sequences and effects work this year, fully realizing concepts like full-scale military combat, massive communities of horselords, and siege-by-dragon in ways they could never have done in the past.

But even when it had relatively little spectacle to fall back on, Game of Thrones was beautifully directed this year. Take, for instance, the extended opening to the season finale, in which Cersei puts her nefarious plan into motion. The cross-cutting here is excellent, building up tension and slowly revealing the full scale of the plot before literally blowing up the entire status-quo of the series. The same episode managed to wow us on a smaller scale with effective and satisfying character moments. Tyrion’s confession that he actually believed in Daenerys was suitably sweet, the north rallying behind Jon was both cathartic and worrying (given its similarities to when the north cheered for “King of the North” Robb Stark), and of course, Arya’s revenge against Walder Frey was spectacular. Just about every moment of the finale was scratching an itch several years in the making, justifying our investment in the show.

This last part has actually been criticized by some, as well. Many considered the barrage of big, cathartic moments to be too close to “fan-service,” giving people what they want rather than what the story needs or what makes organic sense. In some cases, the show is a tad guilty here. Characters seemingly teleported around the globe (mostly to and from Dorne, as demonstrated by the Varys in the finale and the Sand Snakes in the premiere) to keep things moving, and certain moments, like the final battle in Meereen against the Masters, feel like they popped up out of nowhere to get the ball moving. Perhaps the largest offender is north of the wall, where Bran and company are forced out of their hideout because of a made-up rule about the Night’s King touching Bran in a vision.

But despite these shortcuts, Game of Thrones has earned some slack when it comes to wrapping things up. We’ve had six years of story now, and things need to come to an end. With fewer surprises left, the show has earned its indulgences, and they are a big part of what made season six such a joy to watch. The next two years may have even fewer big surprises left in store, but if they are even remotely as entertaining as this year, I won’t be complaining.