All 73 episodes of Game of Thrones, ranked worst to best
43. “The Kingsroad,” Season 1, Episode 2
Okay, so we won’t penalize this episode too much for not having a lot going on. It is, after all, only the second episode of the series. The show stays fairly close to the source material throughout the first season, but as with the conversation between Cersei and Robert in episode five, the original scenes created for TV absolutely kill.
So let’s start there. The King, the Lannisters, and all the rest are still hanging out in Winterfell, preparing to ride south despite Bran being in a coma. Cersei visits Catelyn in Bran’s chambers, and despite the fact that we saw Jaime push Bran out the window just the episode before, Cersei and Catelyn share a great scene. Cersei is the picture of comfort and consolation, sharing a story about the death of her first son, and the King’s rage, with a stunned Catelyn.
Like many scenes in Game of Thrones, this becomes an even better scene as the series progresses because we come to realize that Cersei probably murdered her first born son, as it was Robert’s child and not Jamie’s. Here Cersei stands, comforting the mother of the son Jamie and Cersei did their best to kill, by telling Catelyn about the time Cersei killed her own child. Cold blooded. Maybe Cersei should lead the White Walkers.
This is also a strong episode for Tyrion, who gets to smack around Joffrey before doling out logic to Jon Snow on his way to visit the Wall. High five, little Lannister!
After a scuffle on the way south involving Joffrey, Sansa, Arya and her direwolf, Ned learns just how much his friend Robert has changed. Cersei orders the death of Sansa’s direwolf in place of Arya’s, and we are off to the races with the Lannister vs. Stark feud. Ned does the deed himself, which somehow magically awakens Bran, hundreds of miles away. What are you playing at, Game of Thrones?
42. “The Red Woman,” Season 6, Episode 1
A strong season opener, “Red Woman” ditched the “let’s catch up with everyone from last season” format and picked up mere moments after the Season 5 finale ended. We should have known from the slow, painful, powerful opening tracking shot of Jon Snow’s dead body that Season 6 would be something special. For anyone not on the “Jon is coming back!” train at the time, Ser Davos protecting Jon’s body from Alliser Thorne and his cronies should have been your first clue that Jon wouldn’t be staying dead long.
Surprises came fast and frequently in this episode, again a rarity for a season opener, and one of the biggest was the literal and figurative murder of the entire Dornish plotline. Critics of Season 5, myself among them, counted the Dornish story line as the weakest part of the season narrative, and it appeared as if the Thrones producers listened, as Prince Doran and his son Trystane were murdered by the Sand Snakes in a matter of moments. It was especially shocking for book readers, as the Dornish plot is still going strong there. Not that we’re complaining.
And in perhaps one of the best scenes of Season 6, Brienne of Tarth wrecks shop on a crew of Bolton soldiers chasing Sansa, and is then taken into Sansa’s service. The look of relief on Brienne’s face at finally fulfilling her oath was one of the highlight’s of the season, and Gwendoline Christie knocks it out of the park.
Also, Melisandre takes off her clothes and reveals herself to be hundreds of years old. And I can’t ever unsee it. Ever.
41. “A Man Without Honor,” Season 2, Episode 7
It a bad episode to be a Stark, starting with Sansa, who awakens from a nightmare to discover she has had her first period. This means she is old enough to bear Joffrey’s children, a horrific prospect. Shae attempts to threaten Sansa’s other handmaiden into silence, but has no such luck with the Hound. Shae’s concern for Sansa is endearing, and an example of how the producers improved on the book version of the character, at least for this stretch of the story.
Back at Harrenhal, Tywin decides that the death of Amory Lorch was actually an attempt on his life. After verbally berating the Mountain, Tywin and Arya sit and have another fantastic discussion. These interactions are completely fabricated for the show, but are a more than welcome addition to the series.
I guess by now we should learn that a great character moment is likely to be followed by something brutal. Case in point: Jaime Lannister’s conversation with his cousin, Alton Lannister. Alton describes just how flat out awesome it was to be Jaime’s squire for a day, giving the audience a taste of what it would be like to be Jaime himself. Of course, Jaime follows up their remembrance by beating Alton to death in an escape attempt. Torrhen Karstark, Jaime’s guard, also dies, which will have some consequences down the road.
Up at Winterfell, Theon completes his turn to the darkside after he reveals the charred remains of two little boys, which we are told is Bran and Rickon. A bad day for the Starks indeed, but some crackling good drama.
40. “Mhysa,” Season 3, Episode 10
The aftermath of the Red Wedding is wide-reaching and painful. Just when Tyrion is starting to make some headway with Sansa, his new wife, the news of Robb and Catelyn’s death reaches King’s Landing. So much for that.
In a Small Council meeting about the tidings, Joffrey insults Tywin, who does not blink an eye before ordering the king sent to bed early with no supper. Cersei’s reaction to Joffrey’s outburst is particularly priceless, somewhere between absolute horror and embarrassment. No one messes with Tywin, not even the king.
For once, however, Tywin gets something wrong. He misjudges the reaction Robb’s murder will have in the North, which we may see more of this coming season. Although Roose Bolton is installed as Warden of the North, we will find out later in the series that his hand in the Red Wedding will be remembered by his subjects.
Jon and Ygritte break up in this episode, as Ygritte shoots Jon full of arrows. As breakups go, it’s pretty intense.
But things are looking up for Daenerys, as she is received with open arms in Yunkai by the recently freed slaves of the city. Viewers, however, may be inwardly groaning by this point, as we’re all well ready for Dany to move on to Westeros and the Iron Throne. Mhysa needs to get that ball rolling already.
Next: A Golden Crown
