Not only TV series compete for ratings on IMDb, but also individual episodes. For many years, the top spot among all episodes of all TV series worldwide belonged to the 'Ozymandias' episode from Breaking Bad. It’s season 5, episode 14, in case anyone wants to refresh their memory of this masterpiece.
But recently, the long-standing leader was dethroned by another episode from a different show. It’s from Game of Thrones, which makes sense, but which episode? Attention! It’s not the battle with the Night King, and not even the final battle in King’s Landing. It’s the stunning, masterpiece episode 'The Battle of the Bastards', from season 6, episode 9.
Here’s why it’s so good and deserves to be called the greatest episode in television history.
'The Battle of the Bastards' in Game of Thrones
The storyline in which Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton clash in the battle for Winterfell became the visual and emotional climax of the series. It’s not just an episode with a fight. It’s a cinematic event in a TV series: grandiose shots, scenes filmed with a single moving camera, mud, fear, blood, and the tactile claustrophobia of battle. The moment when Snow grips his sword and looks at the oncoming cavalry has already become an iconic image.
Director Miguel Sapochnik turned this episode into a benchmark for TV action. Critics compared it to the best scenes from war films, and viewers simply stood up and applauded (or rather, sat in complete awe).
The finale of the episode — when the Stark banners rise over Winterfell once again — was not only Jon's victory but also a triumph for the entire series, restoring hope for justice to the viewers.
Now, 'The Battle of the Bastards' is not just a significant moment in Game of Thrones but one of the most pivotal moments in television history.
