There are two types of Game of Thrones fans.
You either religiously watched each episode every week as it aired live on television, or you waited until everybody raved about how good it was and binged it one go, enjoying the luxury of being able to fast-forward through the ad breaks.
As a member of the latter, it feels peculiar reading some of the negativity towards season 6 of the HBO series adapted from George R. R. Martin’s novel series.
A critic from the Guardian described the season as ‘patchy’ at times and claimed that ‘the dialogue has certainly lacked the subtlety of earlier years’.
Perhaps when you’re not forced to wait an entire week for a new episode to air, the viewing experience becomes slightly different.
But following the season six finale ‘The Winds of Winter’, the same critic described it as ‘heart-stopping and spine-tingling’. Today, 9 years after it originally aired, I think both sets of Game of Thrones fans can agree on one thing – that it is one of the single greatest episodes of television ever.
Set amidst the backdrop of the High Sparrow’s growing religious movement in King’s Landing, Cersei stands trial at the Great Sept of Baelor for incest, adultery, and the murder of King Robert.
However, in a breathtaking opening sequence, we see Cersei destroy the Sept with wildfire, killing all of her enemies – including Margaery Tyrell, the High Sparrow and her uncle Kevan Lannister.
Witnessing such destruction, Tommen Baratheon decides he cannot take it anymore and commits suicide.
In the North, Jon Snow is declared King. Meanwhile, Bran Stark finally learns the true meaning of his visions and that Jon’s true parents are Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.
Daenerys also manages to set sail for Westeros with Tyrion Lannister and her forces.
And, if that wasn’t enough to satisfy us, Arya Stark completes one of the most stunning revenge arcs in TV history as she kills the Frey family, who were responsible for the infamous Red Wedding.
As Entertainment Weekly wrote at the time of its release – ‘Boom. On every level, boom.’ Boom indeed.
Written by series co-creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Miguel Sapochnik, @RoarReximus described it as ‘one of the best episodes in the history of television!’ on X, while @inevitablejae said: ‘This was drama at its peak.’
Writing on imdB at the time of its release – where the show still to this day has a rating of 9.9 out of 10 – jwcalifo described it as the ‘best episode of anything ever’, writing: ‘As long as you’ve been keeping track of this show since season 4 or 5, you will agree this is the best episode ever.’
Hh-22896 also wrote: ‘The best episode I have seen in my entire life
Perfect writing, perfect direction, perfect acting. What an episode!!!!’
Depressingly good television
Our TV reporter Milo Pope shares his thoughts on what fans have described as the ‘best episode of anything ever’…
‘The Winds of Winter’ has stuck in my mind for that incredible opening 25 minutes that sees the explosion of the Sept and Tommen Baratheon jump from a window of the Red Keep.
Within a series that is packed with so many breathtaking moments, it’s a compliment in itself that an opening to an episode can hold such weight in your mind.
But after re-watching what can only be described as a TV masterclass, I had completely forgotten what happens in the following 45 minutes or so.
To think that this was the same episode as when Arya finally reenacted revenge on the Freys or that Jon was made King (it still hurts to think about how badly his storyline ended, so for the sake of our sanity, let’s pretend it never happened).
But it’s also the smaller details, like how a piano was used as the primary instrument for the show’s score – which was unusual in comparison to the rest of the series – to create this sense of unease and impending doom.
It’s not just brilliant and life-affirming but also inspiring at the same time. It’s also, sadly, a little depressing too.
This is an episode of television from 2016 that we’re still reminiscing about, and I can’t think of the top of my head what series has made me feel close to this way since.
Perhaps we, as an audience and the wider TV landscape as a whole, have become less willing and patient with shows to build a story arc in the first few seasons that can then, in turn, deliver such dramatic finales like this.
Whatever era we’re in, days like today, where we can celebrate a piece of TV history like this, feel like they’re not going to come around as often in the future.
Ethanvdub added: ‘My favorite scene in all of television. The first 25 minutes of this episode was some of the best directed and written television I have ever scene. Absolutely chilling.’
Thejokerdodig commented: ‘The greatest season finale that has ever been on TV.’
Jerianne-13906 also claimed: ‘This was the best episode, if I dare say, of the entire show. From the piano/cello duet that is throughout, to every persons part of the story. So so good.’
Earlier this month, it was the ten-year anniversary of another Game of Thrones’ season finale, which critics claimed ‘crossed a line’.
But if you’re still craving some Game of Thrones action, perhaps Amazon Prime’s new dark comedy starring Maisie Williams, best known for playing Arya Stark in Game of Thrones, could be up your alley.
In the six-part series, she plays ‘strange young misfit’ Kim, who was just a small child when her father died in mysterious circumstances.
Soon after her mum, Kim – played by Fleabag’s Sian Clifford – whisked her away to a remote rural life of seclusion and bizarre survival techniques.
When the show was released, critics praised it as ‘one of the best shows of the year’ despite it largely going under the radar.
‘One of 2020’s best new shows, Two Weeks to Live leans into the witty humour of classic British comedies like Hot Fuzz and Brassic,’ NME wrote in its review.
Fans also said it was ‘gripping’, ‘action packed with splashes of comedy’, and an ‘absolute gem of a show’.
Game of Thrones is available to watch on Sky Atlantic.
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