'Game of Thrones' is getting an after-show on HBO and critics are not happy

To beef up interest and possibly to retain more viewers caught up in the "Game of Thrones" ("GOT") season 6 premiere, HBO and Bill Simmons have entered a deal to create an after-show program titled "After the Thrones."

Set to debut on April 25, or a day after the April 24 season premiere, the talk-show series is to be hosted by Chris Ryan and Andy Greenwald, writes Rolling Stone. Both are from Simmons' new website The Ringer.

The sportscaster and columnist signed a production agreement with HBO in July 2015, some two months after leaving ESPN, for a weekly sports-related talk show to launch in 2016. Ringer was launched in February. Both Greenwald and Ryan, who will also executive produce "After the Thrones," were part of Grantland, Simmons' former site, and hosted the successful "Watch the Thrones" podcast for the same.

The new "Game of Thrones" after-show program will be aired on HBO Go, HBO Now and HBO On Demand. As of this writing, it is still unclear whether it would be made available for linear telecasts.

While this may be good news for the hardcore "Game of Thrones" fans, some critics have expressed disappointment over HBO's decision to come up with a recap show instead of producing more quality programs. In an article on Salon, writer Sonia Saraiya noted the TV trend toward after-show specials, like "Talking Dead" of AMC's "The Walking Dead." She says that while there is a following for such formats, it is doubtful whether HBO can actually be truly critical of its own programs and do so immediately after it airs.

The writer also points out that the TV series is already a rather thinned-out version of the highly elaborate book, and the hearty discussion that could follow after every episode among viewers could be further "flattened" by an after-show. This is in addition to the fact that George R. R. Martin himself has not yet finished "Winds of Winter," which could be problematic for HBO in the long run.

Do you think 'After the Thrones' is a good idea? Let us know in the comments below.