The best Game of Thrones episodes
Game of Thrones is one of the few series where it is extremely hard to pick the best five episodes from the full 8 seasons. This is because they have left us with many memorable moments, epic battles, etc.
The Battle of the Bastards
However, the clear best episode is the penultimate one from season six, “The Battle of the Bastards”. The Battle of the Bastards is a battle late in the War of the Five Kings in which Jon Snow and Sansa Stark retake Winterfell from Lord Ramsay Bolton, the Warden of the North, and restore House Stark as the ruling house of the North.
Episode lenght: 59 min
Main characters: Tyrion Lannister Jon Snow Daenerys Targaryen Davos Seaworth Sansa Stark
Production: The budget for this episode was around ten million. It needed 25 days of shooting, 500 extras, 70 horses, 4 camera crews. The cavarly charging at John snow is not CGI and the way the battle was set up was inspired by real medieval battles.
On second place comes the eight episode from the fifth season “Hardhome”
On this episode Tyrion advises Daenerys. Sansa forces Theon to tell her a secret. Cersei remains stubborn. Arya meets her first target. Jon and Tormund meet with the wildling elders.
Episode lenght: 60 min
Main characters: Tyrion Lannister Ser Jorah Mormont Daenerys Targaryen Missandei Septa Unella.
Facts about this episode: This episode required a heavy budget for CGI, and it got to the point where the visual effects crew had to ask HBO for more money. It took 16 days to film this whole episode, apart from the fifty stunt performers and 220 extras working. The director used refernces from the movie Jaws, as he wanted the episode to have a horror movie vibe rather than an action sequence.
“The winds of winter” comes in third place
Cersei and Loras Tyrell stand trial by the gods. Daenerys prepares to set sail for Westeros. Davos confronts Melisandre. Sam and Gilly arrive in the Citadel. Bran discovers a long-kept secret. Lord Frey has an uninvited guest.
Episode lenght: 68 min
Main characters: Tyrion Lannister Jaime Lannister Cersei Lannister Jon Snow Daenerys Targaryen Margaery Tyrell Sansa Stark
Facts about the episode: This episode was nominated to Writers Guild of America Award for Best Episodic Drama. 23 of 27 starring cast members appear in this episode. This episode is the final appearance of Margaery Tyrell High Sparrow Tommen Baratheon
The Rains of Castamere
On fourth place goes “The Rains of Castamere” Here Robb and Catelyn arrive at the Twins for the wedding. Jon is put to the test to see where his loyalties truly lie. Bran’s group decides to split up. Daenerys plans an invasion of Yunkai.
Episode lenght: 50 min
Main characters: Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, Robb Stark, Jorah Mormont and Catelyn Stark.
Facts about this episode: This is the only episode where the end credits play in total silence. For the first time, there aren´t any Lannisters in this episode. The events in the episode lead right into Game of Thrones: A Telltale Games Series . The game is considered canon, which means that this is the last episode to take place before the events of the Telltale Game.
The Spoils of War
Lastly, on fifth place comes “The Spoils of War”. Daenerys takes matters into her own hands. Arya reaches her destination. Jaime and Bronn collect the spoils from the war with the Tyrells.
Episode lenght: 50 min
Main characters: Tyrion Lannister, Jaime Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow and Petyr Baelish.
Facts about this episode: According to the cinematographer, this was the most expensive episode made in television history. David Benioff and stunt coordinator Rowley Irlam both claimed this episode set two new records for setting the most stuntmen on fire in a production, it being 20 people at one time. This episode is also the shortest one in the whole series. This is also the first time Jaime and Daenerys share a scene.
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