8 Greatest TV Battles That Ever Hit The Screen

From Azeroth to Westeros and beyond...

Wight children Game of Thrones
HBO

Over the years the line between television and cinema has blurred further and further. Though great writing has and always will be great writing, up until recently it felt like even the most popular television shows were limited by budget.

While that's still somewhat true, more money than ever before is being spent on making popular shows stand out, realising the incredible vision of their creators. Ten years ago an episode like Game Of Thrones' The Battle Of The Bastards (which received immense acclaim for its cinematic conflict) could never have existed. Nor is it uncommon for shows to have props, costumes, special effects and cinematography to rival what's seen on the big screen.

Yet not all TV battles require scope and spectacle to be brilliant. In fact, many of the greatest are made memorable for a slew of other reasons, including context, build-up and unabashed brutality. For everything from stunning visuals to emotional resonance, these are the greatest TV battles that ever hit the screen.

8. South Park – Make Love, Not Warcraft

Wight children Game of Thrones
Comedy Central

When compiling a list of the greatest ever TV battles, it would be remiss to neglect the animated genre, especially when South Park has proved time and time again to be one of the funniest, most versatile, and socially aware shows on air.

To this day the eighth episode of season ten, Make Love, Not Warcraft, remains an iconic episode of the series, featuring Cartman, Kyle, Stan and Kenny enjoying the popular MMORPG World Of Warcraft. The central conflict is that a mysterious high level character goes around killing other players for no reason, interrupting their enjoyment of the game. So it's up to the gang to band together in a desperate attempt to stop him.

Though it might seem absurd, South Park is fantastic at tackling absurdity sincerely, making the dramatic stakes seem much higher than they actually are and forcing viewers to feel just as incensed as the characters. Though the whole episode is technically a battle, it's the climax near the end that's brilliant. After a huge amount of in-game grinding, Randy saves the day and sacrifices his life by giving Stan the Sword of a Thousand Truths. That something so tongue-in-cheek can be so immensely satisfying (and hilarious) is a testament to the brilliance of the episode.

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Commonly found reading, sitting firmly in a seat at the cinema (bottle of water and a Freddo bar, please) or listening to the Mountain Goats.