I think a lot of the disappointment is caused by the fact that while the TV show was behind the books, we all knew the back stories of the characters, we could read their thoughts, get insights of their motives through back story, something you can’t readily do with just the filmed version.
For instance: Many folk are claiming that Ayra’s kill of the Night King is a Deus Ex machina, but what we can’t know is the effect that the relationship of Bran and Ayra, one an all seeing demi-god and warg, and the other a master swordswoman…and also warg has when they combine to distract and kill.