10 episodes of TV with IMDb ratings as high as Game of Thrones (and 1 higher)
By Anwesha Nag
7. "Face Off", Breaking Bad (9.9)
Gus Fring's death is not realistic by any stretch, but the flair for the dramatic is also what makes this episode one of the most memorable of the series. The Season 4 finale (Episode 13) sees Walter White (or Heisenberg, if you'd like) execute a perfect plan that ends with Gus, the season's primary antagonist, dying in the most iconic manner.
Walt teams up with an old rival, Hector Salamanca, pulling the 'enemy of my enemy is my friend' card. Walt gets Hector to attach a bomb to himself, and then lure Gus in for a close-quarters conversation. Gus, played excellently by Giancarlo Esposito, walks out of the room with half his face blown off à la Harvey Dent, but doesn't forget to fix his tie before dropping dead.
After the intense and gruesome death scene, fans are treated to yet another plot twist: the poisoning of Brock Cantillo, the son of Jesse's girlfriend Andrea. The episode ends with a shot of a lily of the valley plant, which bears the berry that was used to poison Brock, in Walt's backyard, revealing that Walt had poisoned Brock to keep Jesse on his side while he orchestrated Gus' death.
6. "Plan and Execution", Better Call Saul (9.9)
While it is hard to top Breaking Bad, the prequel series about ex-con artist-turned-criminal lawyer Saul Goodman, is just as critically acclaimed. Season 6 Episode 7, titled "Plan and Execution", is the show's best episode, according to fan ratings on IMDb. It features Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) and Kim Wexler (Rhea Seehorn) executing their plan to take down Howard Hamlin (Patrick Fabian), while Lalo Salamanca (Tony Dalton) tries to expose Gus Fring's secret meth lab.
The mid-season finale brings together the legal drama of the show with the cartel storyline with the Sandpiper settlement hearing. Saul's long con with paid actors and hallucinogenic drugs pays off as Howard is forced to accept the settlement.
However, Saul and Kim's joy over victory does not last long, as Lalo arrives at Kim's apartment while Howard is still there and shoots him in the head. The episode ends on an insane cliffhanger, with Saul and Kim's lives in Lalo's hands. Fans had to wait over a month to see what happened next.
