My obsession with TV shows has followed me throughout all stages of my life. I love how I can escape reality with one click of a button and transport myself to any place and time I feel like visiting. Because of this, I classify myself as a chronic TV show re-watcher. I have rewatched shows like The Office, Gossip Girl, Band of Brothers, and Sex and the City more times than I would like to admit. But there is one show that stands out more than the rest.
All throughout high school, I had friends and teachers begging me to watch Game of Thrones, and finally, during the August before my senior year, I decided it was time. Game of Thrones consists of eight seasons, averaging 10 hour-long episodes, and by the first few minutes of the first episode, I was hooked. I somehow managed to watch the whole series in one week.
From then on, it became a recurring obsession. Now, three years later, I have found myself rewatching the show every few months, and not once have I ever gotten bored with it. This past fall semester, I took a class at BU with Professor Phillip Haberkern called “Game of Thrones: Power and Politics in Pre-Modern Europe.” In this class, the topic of what is considered the best episode in the series became a recurring discussion. This got me wondering: What would I consider the best Game of Thrones episodes to be?
After rewatching the show these past two weeks, here are my top five favorite episodes.
- “Battle of the Bastards” (Season 6, Episode 9)
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This episode delivers one of the most visually stunning and realistic battle sequences ever put on television. I have yet to find a show or episode that matched the quality, cinematography, or satisfactory feeling you get after watching. The plot is so well-written, and every actor delivered some of their best performances throughout the whole series. This is the only episode I have ever watched where I was left with absolutely no notes or critiques.
- “The Rains of Castamere” (Season 3, Episode 9)
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I have never felt more emotional distress from watching a TV show than I did at the end of this episode. The plot twist at the end of the wedding had me sobbing for hours and distraught for days. The sudden murder of key characters completely changes the direction of the story and reinforces the show’s theme that no one is safe. From this episode on, I was in constant fear for my favorite characters and what the future holds for them.
- “Blackwater” (Season 2, Episode 9)
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This episode focuses mainly on the Battle of Blackwater Bay and highlights Tyrion Lannister’s character development perfectly. Before this episode, I was very fond of Tyrion, but I wouldn’t say he was my favorite character. However, after watching the episode, he easily became my favorite character and someone I rooted for until the very end. His leadership skills are perfectly captured, showing fans that he’s not a character we should pity but, in fact, deserves recognition for his strength and intelligence.
Karly Jones via Unsplash - “The Queen’s Justice” (Season 7, Episode 3)
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This might be more of a controversial take, but the speech Elena Tyrell gave Jamie Lannister when admitting to killing one of the main characters in the early season was one of the best monologues of the entire show. It further solidified one of the main themes of the show, which is that no one can be trusted, demonstrating the lengths families will go through to ensure the safety of their family members.
The best part about the monologue is that Jamie was trying to show Elena mercy by giving her poison instead of a public execution, which you can see him start to regret as Elena goes on telling him what she did.
- “Hardhome” (Season 5, Episode 8)
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After spending the past five seasons hearing about the White Walkers and watching the fear unfold as they come into power, we finally see why many in the Night’s Watch are terrified by them. The ending scene, when the Night King raises the dead, is chilling and sets the path for the terrors to come.
We also see the rekindling of Theon Greyjoy and Sansa Stark as he breaks down the guilt he has been facing for betraying the Stark family. Sansa’s courage and calculated determination also highlight a key turning point in her character development as we see her turn from an innocent, broken little girl to a strong and willful one who will do what it takes to survive.
happy binge-watching!
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