Game of Thrones was an absolute sensation when it was airing, and although there has been a drop in interest since the final season ended, many people still go back to watch the show's best episodes. Even after nearly six years without new episodes, there are still many active YouTube channels exploring fan theories, what ifs, and how the show can be dissected for lessons in quality writing.
There are definitely elements of the show that didn't work. Episodes that were hated by the fans, moments that aged horribly, and storylines that were so different from the books that they were hard to tolerate. But it isn't fair to author George R.R. Martin, the actors, and the crew to completely reject the show when it was at its best.
With that in mind, we're looking at the good times. This article explores the best episode of each season, whether that was the peak of a near-perfect season or the one redeeming moment of a disastrous one. And although the prequel series House of the Dragon is only halfway through its run, we pay tribute to its season-high moments as well.
Season 1: Episode 9, "Baelor"
While House of the Dragon fans are still waiting for war to truly come to Westeros, Game of Thrones made sure to lay the groundwork and provide some satisfying consequences in just the first season. This is best seen in "Baelor," where the Stark-Lannister conflict came to a head with the capture of Jaime Lannister and the execution of Ned. Meanwhile, Daenerys' time with the Dothraki culminated in her urging Mirri Maz Duur to save her husband Khal Drogo.
On first watch, this episode was shocking, with many fans unwilling to believe that Ned could have actually been killed. In later viewings, it's possible to see all of the pieces fitting into place. The first season was incredibly well-structured, and that becomes apparent when each character has to make an impossible choice. This episode serves the plot and the character arcs, and it is probably the biggest reason that Game of Thrones had enough popularity to become a phenomenon.
Season 2: Episode 9, "Blackwater"
Just like in the first season, the penultimate episode was the best installment of the second. This episode focused on Stannis Baratheon's assault on King's Landing, with pivotal character moments examining how people react when all hope seems lost. Both Tyrion and Tywin Lannister demonstrate their intelligence, while Sansa Stark proves herself to be more hopeful and resilient than Cersei.
This was one of the show's first huge battle episodes, and it proved that such a major conflict could be done well on television. The fight scenes were epic, and each conflict felt true to the characters. In addition, audiences got to see different sides of key characters. Joffrey and Cersei were ultimately cowards, while Tyrion and Sansa were more solid. The episode highlights each player's skills and adds in twists right up to the end.
Season 3: Episode 9, "The Rains of Castamere"
In addition to following the trend of compelling episode 9s, "The Rains of Castamere" is tied for the highest-rated episode of the entire series on IMDb, where 128 thousand people submitted their ratings of the episode to give it a 9.9/10. This is in large part because of the Red Wedding, which was done so effectively that it cut viewers to their core.
One of the most tragic things about this episode is how close it came to reuniting large portions of the Stark family. Bran saved Jon's life, and he and Rickon could have theoretically joined him. Arya made it to the Twins, but she was too late to see (or save) her mother and Robb. The final massacre was impactful due to a brilliant synergy of directing, production, writing, and performance, and each scene before it helped to misdirect first-time watchers and twist the knife for those who knew how it would end.
Season 4: Episode 6, "The Laws of Gods and Men"
It's hard to say which episode from season 4 is the best, because many were exceptional for vastly different reasons, with their ultimate value depending on each individual's preferences. However, I have chosen "The Laws of Gods and Men" because it does the best job introducing complexity for the largest number of characters. From Tyrion's trial to Daenerys' early reign in Meereen, from Stannis' new mission to the devastating reunion of House Greyjoy, there are more layers of the story present in this episode than any other this season.
Peter Dinklage's performance during the trial is incredibly powerful because it hits so many emotional high points. We see Tyrion's doubt and his frustration, but also his reaction to betrayal, his anger, and ultimately the vulnerabilities he has developed after a lifetime of mistreatment. Similarly powerful is the scene between Yara and Theon. After fighting to rescue her estranged brother, Yara was still unable to save him from himself. Season 4 spends a lot of time on new characters, but this episode highlighted the depth of the ones that fans knew and loved from the previous three-and-a-half seasons.
Season 5: Episode 8, "Hardhome"
Season 5 was difficult for some fans to enjoy, as its pacing was off and the changes from the source material were growing. However, "Hardhome" broke through those complaints by delivering epic battles, long-awaited meetings, and an overall feeling that this was the start of the show's endgame. Other threats might exist, but Game of Thrones was always leading up to Daenerys' return home and the Night King's assault, both of which were set up well here.
The meeting between Tyrion and Daenerys is excellent because, while they both have incredibly messy families and painful histories, they also had something the other needed. Their chemistry was excellent. The best parts of this episode, however, involve Jon Snow's efforts to save wildlings beyond the wall. While he earned several small victories, the final scene made it clear to the characters and audience just how impossible it is to win a war against a foe that can raise each of your losses from the dead and turn them against you.
Season 6: Episode 9, "Battle of the Bastards"
Although many of the cracks in the story were beginning to show by season 6, it was still a largely enjoyable season, including two episodes that tied with "The Rains of Castamere" for ratings of 9.9 on IMDb. Of those, the better episode is "Battle of the Bastards," which brings back the trend of strong Episode 9s. This episode featured Daenerys finally dealing with the slavers and getting what she needed to bring her army to Westeros, but it is better known for the titular, long-awaited battle between Ramsay Bolton and Jon Snow.
There were many parallels drawn in this episode between Jon and and his late brother Robb, but the difference is that Jon had Sansa by his side. Though she was made into a victim for much of the show, she was the one who knew Ramsay best, and despite Jon ignoring her warnings, she was the one who got reinforcements there at just the right time. The battle itself was perfectly choreographed and directed, punishing the Starks one more brutal time before allowing them to reclaim their home of Winterfell and seek revenge—which was just as satisfying to the audience as it was to the characters.
Season 7: Episode 4, "The Spoils of War"
It's rare to see an episode so early in the season stand out this much, but "The Spoils of War" did just that because it paid off plotlines that had been building for seven seasons. Although the show had been insistent that noble heroes can't win the game of thrones, it was heartening to see so many members of House Stark reconnect. In addition, fans finally got to see Daenerys' plans for Westeros, both in how she reacted to Jon and how she handled the Lannister-Tarly forces.
The political discussions were strong and the battle scenes sufficiently gruesome, but the best part of this episode is how it focused on family. The Stark family was back together at Winterfell. Meanwhile, Jaime Lannister fought for his sister against his brother. It's a strong episode that moved the plot forward without neglecting the more intimate character arcs, and the action scene where Daenerys rides Drogon into battle against the Lannister forces is one of the best in the series.
Season 8: Episode 2, "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms"
It's no secret that many fans didn't enjoy the final season of the show, but there were good parts and it feels wrong to discount them. The best episode of the final season is "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms." Although this is arguably a filler episode where the plot is concerned, since it largely just features allies talking at Winterfell before fighting the dead, it provides satisfying closure for many arcs and gives fans a chance to hang out with these beloved characters, something that became rarer as the show rocketed towards its end.
The most obvious of these is the episode's handling of Jaime Lannister, who had strong scenes with Daenerys, Tyrion, Bran, and Brienne, leading up to him knighting Brienne. Besides his arc, the episode featured major reunions, acknowledgements of past sins, and some hope for the future. It's only right that there would be such a character-heavy episode before the final battles, and it's perhaps the last episode that most fans can agree was unambiguously satisfying.
From its debut in April 2011 to its conclusion on May 19, 2019, Game of Thrones was a cultural force. It was the first epic fantasy series to have this much impact since The Lord of the Rings, and it was virtually impossible to navigate American pop culture without knowing at least a little bit about it.
This success was not arbitrary. It was because of the well-planned plots and character arcs set out by author George R.R. Martin and adapted by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss. It was because of the exquisitely written debates, iconic lines, and well-filmed battle scenes. No matter how it ended, these eight episodes show the very best that Game of Thrones had to offer—and just how much House of the Dragon and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms have to live up to.
Speaking of House of the Dragon, it's aired two seasons so far, and it's produced some excellent episodes of its own:
House of the Dragon Season 1: Episode 8: "The Lord of the Tides"
The first season of this Game of Thrones prequel series has a lot of what people liked about the original show: a big cast, lots of currents of conflict, and more dragons than ever. It added some wrinkles, too, like an intergenerational story that skipped way forward in time at several points. The show is about a rift in the Targaryen family that forms when King Viserys Targaryen names his daughter Rhaenyra as his heir, much to the chagrin of his Hand Otto Hightower, and eventually to Otto's daughter and the king's new wife, Alicent. Things come to a head in "The Lord of the Tides," when Rhaenyra's claim is on the edge of being set aside when an ailing Viserys Targaryen rises from his deathbed to take the Iron Throne one last time and defend his daughter.
This is followed by a beautiful family dinner scene where we get one last hint of hope that the two sides of the family might be able to set aside their differences, a moment made all the more bittersweet as the realm plunges into chaos not long thereafter. Two seasons in, "The Lord of the Tides" remains the most emotionally powerful episode of the show.
House of the Dragon Season 2: Episode 4, "The Red Dragon and the Gold"
Easily the most exciting episode of House of the Dragon's second season is the fourth, when the two rival factions of the Targaryen dynasty meet in battle at the castle of Rook's Rest. The main event here is the dragon-on-dragon fight, something we never saw (at least not clearly) on Game of Thrones. Rhaenys Targaryen, flying on her dragon Meraxes, goes up against her cousins Aegon and Aemond Targaryen, flying on their dragons Sunfyre and Vhagar. Not only is this the best dragon-on-dragon fight in the franchise, it might be the best dragon-vs-dragon battle ever committed to the screen, big or small. The fight is that exciting.
There are great emotional moments in the episode, too, like Alicent putting her son Aegon down to the point where he rushes headlong and foolishly into battle, or Rhaenyra bonding with her son Jaehaerys about a prophecy she believes makes it necessary that she sit the Iron Throne. If the upcoming third season of House of the Dragon has more episodes like "The Lord of the Tides" and "The Red Dragon and the Gold," the legacy of Game of Thrones will be alive and well.
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