All of us at Watchers on the Wall had a blast at this year’s Con of Thrones. Maybe we had too much fun. When we arrived to our Watchers podcast on the third and final day of the convention, during the first morning hours, it was after a night of partying with other attendees and guests. Hangovers and lack of sleep didn’t deter us, however, and our Watchers on the Wall live podcast moved ahead on the main stage, where we revealed our list of the ten greatest Game of Thrones episodes, as judged by ourselves. Enjoy!
I’m sure there will be plenty of thoughts in the comments about our chosen top ten. Don’t worry, I assure you there was much debate even just amongst ourselves; none of us were entirely happy with the final list, which probably means it’s a good list. That judgement is not up to us, however, but up to you guys. What do you think of our list and our thoughts on these episodes? What is your personal list of favorite episodes?
If you enjoyed this, I have good news for you (if you didn’t, uh, well… don’t read ahead.) This live experience was only a taste of what’s to come: soon enough, we will debut our regular Watchers on the Wall podcast, hosted by the best in our staff. I’ve been reading some of their ideas and I can tease this much: there are good reasons to get excited!
A.S.N.A.W.P.
Interesting order. (still listening but I sullied myself and looked ahead). 😛 As you mention, everybody is going to have different rankings, but it’s tough to really say that any are wrong. Personally I still have “The Winds of Winter” as number one like you guys did, but after that I’d be mostly different in order and with some episodes.
Thanks! 🙂
If I may, a polite suggestion? In future podcasts, can you amplify the volume somehow? I cranked up my volume to 11 but still couldn’t hear your voices.
Ten Bears,
Same. I’m listening hard… but might need to use my headphones at home to hear everything rather than earbuds at work. 😛
Ten Bears,
I had the same issue, but I was the only one; the others I checked it with could hear it just fine. I’ll try to sort it out if others find it difficult to hear us as well.
Clob,
What are the popular top 3??
I cant listen I am at work. but I want to comment. haha
Also, does each one have their own top ten, or is it a collective of the group
From skimming through the video’s images, I compiled what I think was your list of the Top Ten episodes. I’ll spoiler code it for anyone who wants to watch the video of the podcast to find out your decisions…
#2 3×8 Rains of Castamere
#3 5×8 Hardhome
#4 2×9 Blackwater
#5 7×4 The Spoils of War
#6 6×5 The Door
#7? 4×2 The Lion and the Rose
#8 6×9 Battle of the Bastards
#9 1×9 Baelor
#10 4×10 The Children
Of course, my #1 (4×7, Mockingbird) didn’t break the Top Ten – but we all have different perspectives, right?
A collective list made up from our individual ones. Then each of us chose one episode from the collective list and explained why it’s in the list.
Luka Nieto,
oh awesome 🙂
“The Winds of Winter” will be very hard for the series to ever top IMO.
Lets see.
Every scene in that episode was seasons in the making.
Ten Bears,
the one time I click on a spoiler code!
thanks for this
HelloThere,
I agree!!!!!!!
Something I find interesting about the list is that
If I put up my top ten I believe I’d have half or more as well.
Clob,
For sure.
I don’t think it’s a coincidence, either. Despite what a vocal minority of mostly book purists may say, Game of Thrones has only improved in terms of quality as a television show, if not as a faithful or literal adaptation. Judging season by season may change things, but in terms of individual episodes, with the exception of special focused episodes like Blackwater, the show didn’t really learn to create wholly coherent, interconnected 1-hour stories until the later seasons. The liberty of adapting freely may have helped with that.
A few personal favorite episodes that most likely would not make the top 10 on most lists:
A Golden Crown
And Now His Watch is Ended
Valar Morghulis
Kissed By Fire
Two Swords
As others have previously stated in other forums, it can be hard to rate favorite episodes because there are times a particular episode has a great scene, but the overall episode is not that great. For me, I would point to episode 6 in season 4. It has Tyrion’s trial, which is fantastic, but I find much of the rest of that episode is somewhat underwhelming.
I’m glad to see Dame Pasty is still around – haven’t seen her posting for a long time (unless she’s posted on a thread I haven’t read). I am trying to avoid spoilers so (mostly) haven’t looked at anything that might be “spoilerific” though I have a tinfoil idea who might end up on the Iron Throne (or the throne if the Iron Throne lasts past the end of the series).
Luka Nieto,
Do you think the fact that some “show only” episodes featured high on the list might have anything to do with the fact that people who came to ardently dislike the show after the story diverged somewhat from the book cannon may have ceased watching the show? I know there are some people who “hate watch” though I see scant point in that – still it’s not for me to tell them what to do with their time.
As far as earlier seasons vs later seasons go, IMO, the production values of the show have improved tremendously over time and we are starting to see more payoff in the later episodes from plot points that were featured in earlier seasons. However, I do think the writing has taken a bit of a step back in the past couple of seasons. I certainly don’t think the writing has gotten to be of poor quality by any means, but I do think it’s not as good as it once was. I think they favor more mic-dropping moments now. It’s a trade-off that some people are ok with and others aren’t. I fall somewhere in the middle. Just my opinion, of course.
Mr Derp,
The only writing I’ve truly been disappointed with is for Arya’s S7…
(I noticed this post had gone entirely too long without it being turned into an Arya topic.) joking. 😛
Clob,
Mm-hmm, yes me too, but I was also disappointed in how season 6 handled the Sansa/Jon/Littlefinger/Knights of the Vale situation. I won’t get into that debate again. I’ll just say that it soured much of the reclaiming Winterfell plot for me. Though, I loved BOTB.
I was also getting tired of the Dany mic drop moments in season 6. I think I would consider season 6 as either my favorite or second favorite season if it weren’t for those nitpicks.
interesting points about the later seasons.
Anyway, I don’t think I see how the writing has really taken a hit. I don’t see it. maybe its because im not as averse in good writing? I dunno. Or maybe im easy to please.
I guess I would need a specific examples and then a recommendation on how it could have been done better.
For me what I see is more writing out the results of seasons of built up which I think they have done amazingly.
HelloThere,
I don’t know. Winds of Winter was exciting from beginning to end, and despite devoting the first twenty minutes or so to Cersei’s revenge, still managed to include rousing scenes involving most of the other story lines.
And yet… Maybe because of its abundance of “high thread count”™ scenes, S4e7 “Mockingbird” tops my personal list. I tried to extract the iconic scenes but found myself typing out large swaths of dialogue verbatim. So instead, here are some highlights of those scenes (with individual “scores” for those scenes, on a scale of A+ (amazing) to F (sucked):
S4e7 Highlights
• Sandor & Arya come upon dying farmer
Sandor: “That’s where the heart is.”
A
• Arya spears Rorge through the heart with Needle; Sandor: “You’re learning.”
B+
• Bronn visits Tyrion in his cell, refuses to fight the Mountain for him:
Tyrion: “I suppose I’ll have to kill the Mountain myself. Won’t that make for a great song?”
Bronn: “I hope to hear them sing it one day.”
A-
• Sandor tells Arya how Gregor burned him
Sandor: “The pain was bad. The smell was worse. But the worst thing was that it was my brother who did it. My father, who protected him, told everyone my bedding caught fire.
You think you’re on your own?”
A+
• Brienne and Pod encounter Hot Pie
HP: “You cannot give up on the gravy!”
Later, Hot Pie tells them Arya is alive, dressed as a boy “Arry.”
A-
• Oberyn visits Tyrion in his cell.
Oberyn: “I will be your champion.”
A+
• Sansa, Lysa, LF… and Moon Door
Lysa: “Liar! Whore! He is mine! My father, my husband, my sister, they all stood between us and now they’re all dead. That’s what happens to people who stand between Petyr and me. Look down! Look down!”
LF: “Bye Felicia”
B+
– The End
™ Thronetender, 2017
You always do seem pretty easy going. 😀
I’m with you on the writing for most part though. I wonder if a lot of the grumbling is on pace of plot and direction of storylines that might be more of an issue that people struggle with.
This is my list
Yes, I know there is 11
LOL
1. The winds of winter
2. BOTB
3. The dragon and the wolf
4. Spoils of war
5. The Door
6. Beyond the wall
7. Rains of castemere
8. The lion and the rose
9. The children
10. Fire and blood
11. And Now His Watch Is Ended
Clob,
Well that’s a personal preference I guess.
I think after Season 4 begun a new chapter for ALL the characters. Season 5 and 6 was the unfolding of those new chapters, which thankfully did not go another 4 years (in terms of dragging, I can take 100 years of new GOT epis haha)
And then season 7 was yet another new chapter, which again… goes straight to the point. no need to drag.
Anyway, haha thanks, I do agree I am cool 😉
LOL JK
Dee Stark,
OMGGGG
I forgot Hardhome.
Wait
1. The winds of winter
2. Hardhome
3. BOTB
4. The dragon and the wolf
5. Spoils of war
6. The Door
7. Beyond the wall
8. Rains of castemere
9. The lion and the rose
10. Fire and blood
11. The children
12. And Now His Watch Is Ended
One of my favorite episodes and one I really find underrated is “High Sparrow”. I liked every scene, every moment there.
Ten Bears,
I have absolutely no idea how Mockingbird is not Top 10. Aside from Arya/Houndie, “I will be your champion” Oberyn is one of the best damn moments on the show.
Vote for Pedro.
Pretty soon you’re going to have 67 episodes in your top 10! 😛
Also, can we take a moment to talk about Vanessa’s dress????? AWESOME!!!!! 😀
Hey, thanks for this! It’ll be perfect to pass the time in the wee hours tonight when I’m manning a lonely roadblock.
I never even try to rank episodes because some episodes might contain one of my very favourite scenes and then some more ‘meh’ ones. Plus I can’t remember in which episodes certain scenes were, lol!
Yes! I was thinking the same!
It’s a dress of faces! How cool is that!
I know, right? After Oberyn gives that long, wonderful speech about being disappointed upon meeting Tyrion when he was a baby (he wasn’t a monster; “that’s just a baby”)….
When he announces “I will be your champion”, it still gets to me every time. Sigh.
Same thing with Sandor’s soliloquy. He starts out lashing out at Arya (“Shut up about it! Shut up about everything!” …. “Wish I’d never laid eyes on you!”) to empathizing with her (“You think you’re on your own?”) and letting her wash and stitch his wound….letting another human being touch him. Sigh #2
High Sparrow is a 5 star episode and season 5 is very under rated. I am surprised no one has mentioned Season 4 Episode 1 Two Swords… The opening scene with Jamie and Tywin will have more importance after season 8 is finished… and the final scene shows Arya telling the Hound that she wants her own horse and by the end of the scence Arya has her own horse the Hound has his chicken and Arya gets needle back in one the best Game of Thrones scenes every filmed.
Mr Derp,
Well, “Two Sword’s” did contain the best scene out of all 67 episodes: the last eight minutes starting with Sandor & Arya (“Little lady wants a pony?”; “Little lady wants away from your stench”), and ending with… Sandor wolfing down chicken followed by Arya riding on her own pony. And of course, everything in between was pure gold.
Clob,
in all honestly, my list would be 67 episodes 🙂
firstone,
Jinx! We both just said the same thing at the same time. (About the ending of “Two Swords”)
mau,
firstone,
Podrick’s conversation with Brienne is great in that episode. The Jon/Slynt scene is awesome too. Personally, I could’ve done without the Braavos stuff.
I did 🙂 I mentioned it with a few episodes that I think are highly underrated and usually don’t make most people’s top 10 lists. To me, it’s the best season premiere they’ve had so far and I don’t think it’s even close.
One of my favorite scenes ever is when Tyrion says goodbye to Podrick. I believe it’s in season 4, episode 3. It rarely ever gets mentioned, but I think that scene is on par with the “I will be your champion” scene a few episodes later.
…and apparently I killed the thread.
My list:
1. The Winds of Winter
2. Hardhome
3. The Spoils of War
4. The Watchers on the Wall
5. The Battle of the Bastards
6. Baelor
7. Blackwater
8. And Now His Watch Has Ended
9. The Children
10. The Rains of Castamere
I’m not surprised The Rains of Castamere was voted 2, but for me, the Yunkai storyline brought it down a bit. It’s still top 10, though.
Clob,
I thought the first half of Arya’s storyline was very strong in season 7, but her arc did suffer in the second half.
Young Dragon,
That’s the part I was referring to; from about when the three of the Starks exited the godswood until the trial. Essentially everything that was her insertion into the Sansa-Littlefinger story arc resolution that effectively ‘paused’ or delineated from her own arc.
I tend to roll my eyes at anyone that says the writing has gotten “dramatically” weaker. And yes, I’m aware everyone is entitled to their opinions, but many of them don’t get it across in a respectful way. It so easily turns into D&D bashing which I’m never here for.
The writing shifted from being an adaptation of books to being more “episodic” and television like. To me, that signifies DIFFERENT writing, not necessarily weaker writing. And that’s fundamentally changed the way the series builds up conflicts and explores certain arcs. Some are okay with that, while others aren’t. It’s a natural rift that was bound to happen but I don’t let it tamper my enjoyment for the writing. As a writer, I try my damndest to find a huge discrepancy in the writing of the more current seasons and I just can’t. Not saying my opinion truly means anything in the grand scope of things, but it’s a two cents I love to deliver when the chance arises. If anything, the shortened episode count per season is another factor to contribute to the amount of flesh and content a certain arc is able to have. But that’s another large point.
Many of my pics for top 10 also reside from seasons 5-7. But we can’t forget some of the gems the earlier seasons have brought us. “And now his watch has ended” will always be an amazing piece of television to me.
I agree that there cannot be a top ten without Two Swords. Just for the cold opening alone! Plus the brilliance of the Arya/Hound partnership.
Also Fire and Blood. The funeral pyre and the birth of the dragons. Iconic!!!
My top 10 as it currently stands, though it’s always subject to change based on mood:
Hardhome
Winds of Winter
The Lion and the Rose
A Golden Crown
And Now His Watch is Ended
Blackwater
The Children
Two Swords
Watchers on the Wall
Rains of Castamere
It is so difficult to choose a Top Ten… but I might as well try.
1. The Winds of Winter, 6×10
2. The Battle of the Bastards, 6×9
3. The Children, 4×10
4. The Spoils of War, 7×4
5. Hardhome, 5×8
6. The Watchers on the Wall, 4×9
7. The Dragon and the Wolf, 7×7
8. The Door, 6×5
9. The Queen’s Justice, 7×3
10. Mother’s Mercy, 5×10
Like I said, this is nearly impossible and my top 10 seems to always be changing. It seems that I have picked mostly newer episodes… maybe just because I feel they are more “complete” all the way through, and maybe also has a bit to do with the production value of the newer seasons. The first couple of seasons are awesome, and I tend to think of those as character arcs and scenes that I like most instead of certain episodes, so maybe that’s part of it.
Anyway, honorable mentions that are more deep-cut than popular picks, of course:
-Two Swords for *the scene* that everybody just loves. And this is the best scene the show has ever created, to be sure. Unless S8 brings us some even better Sandor-Arya badass-ery!
-Dark Wings, Dark Words. So many great characters coming together. Arya’s squad and the Brotherhood, Bran’s squad and the Reeds. Some awesome scenes all around.
-Kissed by Fire. The bathtub scene with Jamie and his true love, and some good ol’ cave sex for young Jon. Great episode.
I was going to add more, but this post is getting long and soon enough I’ll have wrote in half the episodes 🙂
Jaehaerys,
“Two Swords for *the scene* that everybody just loves. And this is the best scene the show has ever created, to be sure. Unless S8 brings us some even better Sandor-Arya badass-ery!”
________
You’re not alone. I’m sure talvikorppi can’t wait to see Arya Super Ninja Assassin Warrior Princess Fantasy™ scenes in S8. 👸🏻
Patrick! You have made me want to watch the Lion and the Rose! I didn’t realize the line about the curse was said while focusing on Olenna! I too like the unusual pairings and yes, the Dorne Heist storyline was a flop by many standards but I did enjoy Jamie and Bronn on my screen tremendously. And to complete my ep commentary: the book nerd in me totally appreciated the theatrical version of Joffrey’s war of the five kings on pigs.
I’m sure I never realized how many liked The Winds of Winter. I wasn’t so taken in with that ep myself and while I did appreciate the Rlj reveal, I personally preferred the actual ToJ scene from Ned’s dream to it from earlier in the season. To me the real highlight of that ep was The Light of The Seven whole scene to be honest because it really was a hair raising experience. Like the lady said: music was essential and in my opinion almost a character.
Anyway, I had a blast listening to all of the contributors and staff of WotW. Thank you.
I was about to type something very similar on that topic. Considering the groundwork they put in for all storylines and the fact they finally got the financial means to let it rip so to speak in terms of production costs and value, that is the only reason in my opinion why you have more eps from later seasons while everything else suffers. Can you imagine the Battle of the Bastards or Hardhome with a meager budget now? Cinematography, extras, camera, costumes, CGI is vital for something like that. And you get a resolution to something you have built up to in seasons where you didn’t have that kind of money to spend anyway. Good story is finally followed by excellent means. Win- Win.
Pigeon,
talvikorppi,
Thank you! I had it printed at RebBubble using my Game of Thrones portrait art 🙂
Ten Bears,
Yes! Also, can you find a real time captioner (check with any of the schools for the deaf in the area). to caption your conversation. E ven with the sound up I had trouble hearing esp with so many accents. Pls?
I am a book reader (not purist) and I approve this message
1. Two Swords – 4×1
2. The Children – 4×10
3. The Dragon and the Wolf – 7×7
4. Blackwater – 2×9
5. High Sparrow – 5×3
6. The Queen’s Justice – 7×3
7. You Win or You Die – 1×7
8. And Now his Watch has Ended – 3×4
9. The Mountain and Viper – 4×8
10. Fire and Blood – 1×10
11. A Golden Crown – 1×6
I like epic story scenes more than epic action?/battle scenes.
Clob,
Looks like Clob needs to be added to the list of Arya-derailers, along with Ten Bears and myself. 🙂
___________
I am intrigued. Do you halt passing cars and demand to know:“Who would pass the Bloody Gate?”
It was so much fun to re-listen. It’s amazing how much you miss when you’re actually in an audience. The panel’s 10 episodes pretty much coincided with my 10 but in different order.
1. Winds of Winter–best overall
2. The Children–best writing
3. The Rains of Castamere
4. Hardhome
5. Spoils of War
6. Baelor–made television history
7. The Lion and the Rose
8. Mothers Mercy
9. Two Swords
10. Blackwater
Honorable Mention: Battle of the Bastards
I don’t know if I can list a top 10 in order. It’s just too hard to rank all the episodes for me, but here are a list of standout episodes at least.
– The Winds of Winter
Amazing opening, music, and truly spectacular moments!
– The Children
My favourite season finale until WoW. The whole ending sequence with Tyrion killing Tywin, and Arya sailing for Braavos (and again with amazing music) gave me epic chills when I first saw it. Also, Arya kneeling beside Sandor after his fight with Brienne was the moment it really hit home for me how traumatized and scarred she is. The acting by Maisie and Rory in that scene is amazing!
– Valar Morghulis
The whole bit where Dany unleashes “dracarys” on Pyatt Pree and then struts out of there with Drogon on her shoulder gave me goosebumps the first time I saw it!
– Kissed by Fire
For the amazing Jamie and Brienne scene in the bathtub. “By what right does the wolf judge the lion?” Such a great line! And “I can be your family,” breaks my heart every time.
– The Spoils of War
Stark reunion! Arya vs Brienne! Jamie vs Dany! What’s not to love in this episode?
– And Now His Watch is Ended
More Dany unleashing fire! I’ve watched that scene on repeat so many times. It’s so badass. And Varys revealing his past with the sorcerer who is bound up in the crate he shows Tyrion.
– The Door
Hodor.
– Two Swords
This might still be my favourite season premiere for the chilling opening, to the ending scene with Arya and Sandor in the tavern.
– The Kingsroad
While Bran being pushed out the window in the previous episode was shocking, it was the death of Lady that really set the tone for what kind of show/story this was going to be for me. It was the first truly tragic thing that happened. And it was the episode that cemented Arya as my favourite character. 🙂
– The Dragon and the Wolf
Jamie finally leaves Cersei! Seeing him ride out on his own with light snow falling still gives me chills. It’s also the end of Littlefinger, and the scene of Arya and Sansa on top of the Winterfell battlements is one of my favourites in the season. And of course there is the epicness (and dread) of The Wall coming down.
talvikorppi,
This is me, esp the latter! I do have favorite scenes and had fun ranking them last year. My memory is not as good as you I guess! Thats ok I still enjoy reading what e very one else is saying!
I love all these episodes but have to admit to a very special fondness for “Kissed by Fire.” Don’t know what I’d move to insert it though. Maybe BotB.
My top ten changes as the series continued; I can’t pick just 1 episode from season 4 for example, I like the whole season, after S4, in no particular order; it’s 1-9, 3-9, going against norm 5-6. 6-10 and 6-9, 7-4, but my favorite scene is the silent scene of Bran, Arya and Sansa entering Winterfell courtyard with people and Pod, Brienne looking on. 6-5 The door, 7-7 and 7-3.
Pigeon,
Seconded (thirded?)!
Mr Derp,
Agreed!!!
Ahhh, all you lovely people on the Internet are encouraging me to start another binge before I’ve even begun absorbing “The Handmaid’s Tale” or catching up on “Westworld”…
firstone,
OT: I must confess that sometimes I see your name as “First One,” and other times I see it as “Fir Stone.” 😂
Stark Raven’ Rad,
Weren’t we sitting next to each other? 🙂
You still owe me an email. Or your fellow volunteers will be receiving confusing phone calls from California.
In all seriousness, though: I can’t imagine how challenging it was to narrow the list down to 10. Just reading this thread has been a joyous, heartbreaking, thought-provoking, bitt… stop that right now, Wolfish …reminder of how lucky we are to have GoT.
I mean, I’m old enough to remember when Beastmaster was exciting. Kids today have NO idea how spoiled they are!
Lovely to see you all in the photo! 🙂
It’s too fun! 😊👗
When the blooper reel came out and showed the torch falling off the wall onto him, I admired his ability to not laugh in every take after that! 😁
Hard to make a list of the ten best. I would definitely have Winter is Coming, Two Swords, The Children, The Rains of Castemere, Valar Morghulis, Kissed by Fire, Mother’s Mercy, The Broken Man, Baelor, The Mountain and the Viper.
Notice there are no big battle episodes and only 1 episode from S6 and S7. Meh, thinking about this list makes me nostalgic about the earlier seasons which I have now pushed back far into my mind after my utter devastation from S6 and S7 :`( I think I’ll have to do a rewatch of all the episodes before all is said and done though.
You know what? I just removed The Broken Man and replaced it with And Now His Watch Is Ended. So now I have no episodes from S6 and S7. Hrmph.
Ok so here’s my list – though it’s hard to pick and choose!
Hardhome S5 ep8
Beyond the Wall S7ep6
Battle Of Bastards S6ep9
Winds of Winter S6ep10
The Dragon and the Wolf S7ep7
Home s6ep2
Oathbreaker S6ep3
The Watchers on the Wall S4ep9
Mother’s Mercy S5ep10
The Door S6ep5
I would put the first 5 on the list at the very top sharing the first place, because I liked them equally, for different reasons 🙂 Mother’s mercy was one of the most memorable episodes, worrying about Jon’s fate and of course The Door – Hodor was very emotional!
Honorable mention: The rains of Castamere – heartbreaking left me speechless and shocked (not a book reader so I didn’t see that coming), Spoils of War – awesome battle, The Queen’s justice S7ep3 – Jon meets Dany,he’s King in the North! 😀
I think the show became very very very popular and they need the show to remain that popular or even more in order to get money from HBO to tell the story in the way it’s necessary. Dragons, WW, direwolves and the rest are not there just for the spectacle, they are important parts of the story. Without them, it would be something completely different.
Now every episode needs to be an event, you need people all over the world excited after every episode. GA is not known for having patience.
So, GoT now needs to compete with both Star Wars and The Handmaid’s Tale. They need to be massive epic blockbuster and high quality TV drama all at once. It’s reallly hard, but I think D&D pulled it off.
It’s much stronger then average blockbuster, and much more popular than average TV drama.
SiriuslyStark,
Are you a Jon fan by any chance?😍👑🔥🐈
Stark Raven’ Rad,
I cannot rewatch “Baelor.” That anguished look on Arya’s face as she’s pressed to Yoren’s chest is unbearable for me. How sad. 🙁
I would’ve paid good money to see her kill Joffrey with a chicken bone.
Ah, a kindred soul, dear Carole! 😉 Siriusly huge Jon fan!!! 😍
Another one of my favorite scenes in the show:
“Chaos is a laddah”
The magic of a montage at it’s finest.
I think season 3 is unique in that the middle of the season is where the best episodes are. Episodes 4, 5, and 6 are sublime.
Enharmony1625,
(About the Kingsroad): “And it was the episode that cemented Arya as my favourite character. 🙂”
____________________
Me too! I was flabbergasted that a child actress could be so good. That one scene between Arya & Jon (& Nymeria & Needle) still resonates six years later.
I remember Jon telling Arya that the sword he was giving her “won’t hack a man’s head off, but it can poke him full of holes if you’re quick enough”, and her reply: “l can be quick.”
I can’t wait until he sees the whirlwind sword and dagger moves of Arya Super Ninja Assassin Warrior Princess.™
™ talvikorppi 2018
Season 3 is my favorite Game of Thrones season… Jon Snow and Ygritte relationship – Barristan Selmy meets Daenerys Targaryen – Daenerys proves she is a strong leader and gets her army – Jamie and Brienne of Tarth go through hell – The Hound and Arya have adventures – Jon becomes a leader at the Nights Watch… so much character growth and relationships start in season 3… Tyrion Sansa and Shae… Season 3 is amazing
firstone,
I enjoy season 3 too, but I would personally put it somewhere in the middle of the pack as far as favorite seasons go. I’d probably enjoy it more if the Theon/Reek scenes weren’t quite so abundant.
At some point, WoW might want to select the 10 best scenes, regardless of the overall rating for the episode(s).
For example, 4×1 “Two Swords” didn’t make many Top Ten episode lists, but the last nine-minute segment is many fans’ all-time favorite scene. Including mine.
Ten Bears,
Didn’t we do that already?
Pigeon,
There’s a blooper reel? Oh I must see it.
Ten Bears,
It would be so difficult to choose only one favorite scene, but if I had to choose my absolute favorite then I think it would have to be the Sept explosion in “The Winds of Winter”. That whole sequence is like a GoTgasm to the extreme.
ash,
I think there’s more out there too. Enjoy 🙂
Season 2 is so underrated. It might not have any really flashy episodes (except for Blackwater), but every episode is dense with character moments. A lot of great storylines, Dany in Quarth, Arya and Jaqen, Tyrion as The Hand, Joffrey and Sansa, Jon and Ygritte, Stannis, Mel and Davos, the Tyrells and Brienne introduced, Theon screwing up, etc. Arguably gives S3 a run for its money for the best season from top to bottom imo.
ash,
I think WotW did a 100 favorite scenes list after season 6 but before season 7 so a 10 favorite scenes list would be something new. I wonder what season 7 scenes would be on the list of 10 favorites scenes.
firstone,
For me, it would be the lootin tootin train battle in “The Spoils of War”. Hands down.
Runner ups would be the scene with Qyburn and Cersei demonstrating the scorpion, Dany landing on Dragonstone, Sandor burying the farmer’s daughter, Olenna’s confession, and the Brienne/Arya sparring session.
Oh, and poop and soup bringing up the rear!
Thank you for this podcast, it was very enjoyable, and now I want to go and rewatch all 67 episodes!
I still can’t rank episodes, I tend to think in terms of scenes and I forget in which episodes they were in. Plus I can’t remember all the episode names! People like me need season and episode numbers or shorthand like “the one in which Ned’s head is chopped off”. 😀
firstone,
I have a soft spot for season 3 as well, for sentimental reasons. It was my introduction to the wonderful world of GOT and ASOIAF.
I’d heard vague noises about this “medieaval fantasy show” and decided to binge watch it when it was available for free on the public broadcaster channel in my country 2-3 months before season 4. I knew almost nothing about it, and it was a bit confusing at first, lol! But I was immediately hooked.
Then binge watched S1-S3, read all the books, watched S4 onwards real time. Rewatch, reread, engage in online communities. First time in my life I’m really in a “fandom”, and it’s wonderful. All thanks to season 3! 😀
Lol…one of my favs as well. Loot Train scene was excellent but Thoros saving the Hound’s sorry ass from a burning, undead bear, as well as his two conversations after, had me by the soul strings.
“I just got bit by a dead bear…!”
“Funny old life…”
Mr Derp,
You can’t forget about Cersei sending off Ellaria and Tyene! That was definitely one of my favorites; in my opinion, that scene was handled even better than Ollena’s send off. But both were fantastic. A big part of the reason The Queen’s Justice is so damn good.
Jaehaerys,
True, that’s a good one as well. I left it off because it’s just so haunting that I hate re-watching that scene! I agree, it deserves to be there among the other highlights of season 7. Also Dany and Jon meeting for the first time….so many good moments it’s hard to keep track.
Haha, I wish!
There’s a big 4-day rock festival (Ozzy Osborne, Judas Priest, Marilyn Manson, Megadeth etc. etc.) going on in my town, in the airfield about 3 km (2 miles) from town centre and some streets and roads are blocked off, only people who live or work there can get through by showing their permits. The roadblocks are mostly manned by volunteers from local sports clubs, the money going to the junior teams for equipment, tournament fees etc.
Anyway, I’ve been on the Night’s Watch on a small backroad with only a few houses along it, so only a couple of cars going through between midnight and 6am, so it’s been pretty boring. Fortunately the guy who shared my watch last night was a casual GOT watcher so we could talk about it.
Hmm, my comment about how much I’m looking forward to future WotW podcasts seems to have disappeared in cyberspace.
So, I’m really excited about the news of future WotW podcasts and really looking forward to them!
Jaehaerys,
Oh gods, old and new, that Cersei and Ellaria & Tyene scene was horrific and sublime!
Everybody keeps bringing up all these great scenes, there’s such a wealth of them!
My all time favourite has to be Jaime’s and Brienne’s bath in Harrenhal. Jaime (and Brienne) fan that I am. Also Jaime’s and Edmure’s scene in S6. The acting by both NCW and Tobias Menzies was suberb, the way it was filmed, lighted (Jaime’s face half in light, half in darkness…)
Overall, I think “Winds of Winter”, S6 finale is my #1 episode. The start, the music… Still haunts me. Everything in that episode was so well done. It was like a movie. Plus Dany finally began to haul her arse over to Westeros. Hallelujah! 😀
I also have to mention one of my all time favourite scenes: Arya tending to the Hound’s wound. It’s the first time we see him without armour, and right enough, he opens up to Arya. I’m tearing up right now, just thinking about it. It was such an important, emotional scene, and beautifully acted by Rory and Maisie.
ETA: Oh, and Arya wasn’t being ASNAWP in that scene, she let her humanity to shine through. I want more of that side of her.
At that point I think she was only like maybe A-WP. She had to train more to get the SNA stuff. 🙂
Clob,
Fair enough 🙂 but my point still stands. I want her to be more than just ASNAWP. The show and some fans place too much emphasis on her badassery and I think that’s a disservice to her character. Makes her seem too one-dimensional. She’s far more nuanced.
Clob,
How dense of me. I just realized “ASNAWP” is an acronym for “Arya Super Ninja Assassin Warrior Princess.”™ I guess talvikorppi has the trademark on the acronym too. 👸🏻🙂
™ talvikorppi 2018
Ten Bears,
It’s what I started the commenting in this thread with. 🙂
SiriuslyStark,
Any scene with Jon and Ygritte would be my favourite watch, their chemistry is wonderful , her taking the micky out of his lack of humour always makes me laugh , so series 3 and 4 for me. And of course we wouldn’t have had the immortal words ‘you know nothing Jon Snow ‘ But to be honest I love it all. 🐈🏹
Clob,
I know. 😝. That’s why I realized I was so dense. It took me a day and a half and 97 comments before my brain finally made the connection. 👨🏻🎓
talvikorppi,
It gives me chills every time I see it! Cersei is probably the last person I would ever mess with in Westeros.
I also love that Jamie and Edmure scene, and I think it is very underrated. So perfectly acted, and it is the first time we see Edmure since the RW! He was great in it. I just read that book scene last night actually (I’m still on my second read through), and they did a very good job adapting it to the screen. Perfectly captured Edmure’s resentment for the Kingslayer, and how Jamie can be both sympathetic and hardened to get what he wants. In the books when he’s threatening Edmure he thinks something to the effect of, “See, I am Tywin’s son,” and it’s just great.
As others have commented, a pity the audio is so low? Even with the volume sliders up full, some of the panel (more so with the ladies) are difficult to hear.
As for choosing the best 10 episodes, all the ones with action and battle scenes were EPIC. Very difficult to chose, but Hardhome, BoTB (also with the Battle of Meereen) and the Loot Train attack rank highly. As does ‘The Winds of Winter’ when Cersei brought down the Sept of Baelor. That was great 🙂
I don’t have Ten Bears ‘encyclopedic memory’ when it comes knowing the lines (I’ll take a guess at some of those) or from what episodes they came from, but 10 scenes memorable for me were:
1. Yoren’s chat with Arya of how he killed Willem for murdering his brother. -“I buried an axe so deep in Willem’s skull they had to bury him with with it!”
2. Theon’s conversation with Maester Luwin (with the horn sounding) and afterwards to his men – “and whoever kills that f*cking horn blower will stand in bronze on the shores of Pyke forever! – What is dead may never die!” – That whole sequence was brilliant and creased me up laughing 😀
3. All the scenes and banter between Arya and The Hound. Especially “I will have to eat every f*cking chicken in this room” and then shit hits fan and with Arya finally killing Polliver with Needle the same way he killed her friend Lommie (and of course) – Before they they go into the Inn – “What the f*ck’s a Lommie?” says Sandor 🙂
4. Tyrion’s trial when he loses his rag and tells his father and the court that he’s been on trial all his life for being a dwarf.
5. Oberyn’s fight with The Mountain. “Elia Martell – You murdered my sister, you raped her children, etc, etc”
6. Tyrion and Varas enter a brothel in Volantis. The door keeper says: “Its good luck to rub a dwarfs head – Tyrion says – “Its even better luck to suck a dwarf’s cock!” lol 😀
7. Tyrion and Ser Jorah sailing through Valyria (great CGI) . Tyrion sees Drogon flying over and then they recite ‘The Doom’ before getting attacked by the Stonemen.
8. The ‘Cock Merchant’ scene with the pirates. Tyrion: “How will they know the cock came from a dwarf?” – Pirate: “It will be a dwarf sized cock” – Tyrion – Guess again!” lol 😀
9. Tyrion meets Dany – “I will need more wine than this!” Later – Dany: “I want you to advise me”. She takes his goblet away saying while you can still speak a full sentence 🙂
10. Olenna tells Jaime the truth after she drinks the poison. – “What was the name of that sword you gave him?” Jaime: “Widow’s Wail” Olenna: “He really was a c*nt wasn’t he!” – and then – “Tell Cersei it was me!”
There’s plenty more, but that’s my pick of the bunch…
Guys, they picked a prequel!
http://ew.com/tv/2018/06/08/game-thrones-prequel-jane-goldman/
Dee Stark,
Sounds AMAZING! And the last thing we all expected!!
Apollo,
WOW! I know!!
Dee Stark,
No problem that HBO selected Jane Goldman’s prequel out of the five, but I can see that her husband (that smug dickhead Jonathan Ross) will be even more unbearable knowing his wife got the contract 🙁
Oh very much so – their interaction and scenes were pure gold! Not to mention how this helped Jon grow as a personality – and he learned a thing or two as well 😉😉 I was already hooked but 3 and 4 made me a dedicated fan of the series!
Jon’s arc has been very satisfying to see. I hope they will respect his arc in the last season too and give it a satisfying conclusion.
That said I’m looking forward to his meeting with Arya with which he shared that special bond and of course with Bran. Story and implications aside he last saw them as little children and now they are all grown up and both with special knowledge and gifts; all the remaining Starks finally at home – a very emotional moment (tears are coming! )
Thinking back into the seasons I believe they all were perfect for their time and story context, gradually building up characters and story arcs !😎
I fixed the audio and reuploaded- it should be much better now!
Sue the Fury,
Thx!
I don’t think anything could ever top Watchers on the Wall for me. Especially after seeing it and The Children in theaters.
Black Raven,
Hey Black Raven I feel your pain 👍
SiriuslyStark,
Absolutely agree. Ok there have been dodgy bits but overall no other series has caught my imagination like this one has and I expect never will and I have watched a lot of telly. I now hope and pray that the meeting between Jon and Arya is as wonderful as I am expecting; the tissues will be coming out😢 oh and not forgetting GHOST 🐈
We should start preparing our tissue stock!!! While I’m so excited and can’t wait for final season, one part of me realizes that it will be the last we get to see of our fav characters even if they survive! So – Ten Bears sorry for that but…– there’s that bittersweet feeling already!
Carole H,
Hi Carole, I thought you might have seen my comment 🙂
I’ve no problem with Jane Goldman and sure she will do a great job with the prequel, but just imagine what future “Throne Casts” will be like with Jonathan Ross appearing on them what with his wife now being the show runner! His ‘smugness and arrogance’ will soar to a new all time high 🙁
As you know, it makes me cringe when he gets invited onto ‘Throne Cast” on previous shows and he’ll sure to be on those for Season 8. However, the prequel will be ‘something else’ as he will probably know all the plots being married to the writer 😛
A great job Sue. No problem hearing it now. A most enjoyable Podcast 🙂
Sue the Fury,
Thanks again! The audio is now perfect and crystal clear.
I’m about 1/3 of the way through listening to it…and now I’d like to know each panelist’s Top Ten list. (Greedy, aren’t I?)
I’ll give you my top 9, since my #10 wavers from moment to moment… as do some of the others, to be honest. The top 3 are pretty fixed, though.
01) The Winds of Winter
02) The Dragon and the Wolf
03) Hardhome
04) The Spoils of War
05) Battle of the Bastards
06) The Door
07) Two Swords
08) The Laws of Gods and Men
09) Blackwater
My #10 at the moment I had to choose it for the list was “No One”, but it could well be “Kissed by Fire”, “The Climb”, “Mockingbird”, “The Mountain and the Wiper”, “The Children”, “High Sparrow”, or many others I’m probably forgetting. It’s easy for me to choose a top 5, but after that I need a top 20 or so 😀
Luka Nieto,
thx. Always interesting how others perceive the episodes.
Dame of Mercia,
Hi there! I’m here, just lurking occasionally. I think the original photo for this article had me in the picture and then they changed the photo so I’m no longer shown.
I’m thinking about reviving my video recaps for the coming season because I had a couple of people approach me at the Con about it. But we’ll see. I never know what life will throw at me these days. Although I may not do the videos, I will definitely be here, lurking and helping out Sue and the WotW gang with IT stuff.
Cheers!
Finally got round to listening to this one here is my personal top 10:
1) Winds of Winter
2) Hardholme
3) Rains of Castermere
4) Watchers on the Wall
5) The Door
6) Battle of the Bastards
7) Home
8) blackwater
9) Mountain and the Viper
10) The spoils of War
Honourable shouts to Baelor and Tyrion’s trial episode.
I agree on a recent rewatch I now rate it above season one. My favourites though are seasons 6 and 4 with 3 closely tucked in behind.