The 6 best (and 5 worst) episodes of Game of Thrones

Game of Thrones “The Long Night” (Season 8, episode 3)

Sorry to be that person, but the Game of Thrones episode “The Long Night” is way too dark! I just don’t understand how they thought this was a good idea. Written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and directed by Miguel Sapochnik, this episode received a ton of flack when it came out because viewers could not see a thing during the most important battle of the season.

The Night King’s army reaches Winterfell in this episode for one of the most highly-anticipated battles in the show, but unfortunately, it ends up feeling underwhelming. Beyond not being able to see anything, the tension and suspense aren’t well-executed like previous battles. The characters make questionable and illogical decisions and the murder of the Night King is incredibly corny. Though it’s awesome that Arya’s the one who gets to kill him, the scene itself holds no emotional weight.

And now that the Night King storyline is over, viewers are still left unsatisfied. It’s so disappointing.

Verdict: WORST

Game of Thrones “The Children” (season 4, episode 10)

Though the penultimate episodes of Game of Thrones seasons are widely regarded as the best, we had to throw in a season finale on the list that’s particularly awesome. “The Children” was written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss and directed by Alex Graves, and features a handful of important plot points.

In mourning of Ygritte’s death, Jon meets with Mance Rayder, wanting peace, but they’re interrupted by Stannis’ army. Cersei tells Twyin the truth about her in Jaime in a powerful scene that really showcases their acting skills, and Arya leaves the Hound for dead after he’s wounded. Bran finally meets the Three-Eyed Raven, but sadly, Jojen dies during an attack from the wights.

Of course, the most memorable part of the season 4 finale is Jaime’s decision to free Tyrion from imprisonment, which leads to Tyrion killing both Shae and Tywin. Peter Dinklage gives such a compelling performance as Tyrion throughout the show, but especially in this episode. He has so many emotions surrounding his decision to kill, and the scenes are handled very carefully.

Not only are there shocking moments in “The Children,” but there’s also a lot of character development that moves the main players forward.

Verdict: BEST