8 Shocking Game Of Thrones Scenes That Could Change TV Forever

5. The Battle of Hardhome

Hardhome | Season 5 | Episode 8 Carrying on the theme of transcending what a TV show is capable of in terms of scale and budget, we arrive at Hardhome, which does everything The Battle of Castle Black started, but with better execution, and arguably more ambition. While Castle Black was a case of reaching for the sort of action cinema is capable of and achieving it relatively convincingly, this is more about perfection - this epic scene really wouldn't look out of place in a Lord of the Rings film. This is revolutionary television because it once again broadens the capabilities of the medium, proving television is not just the place for soaps and costume drama, but for live action on an epic scale. Kit Harrington recently revealed the show had received a substantial boost to its already hefty (by TV standards) budget. While television dramas still have to be more thrifty with their spending, episodes like this prove its possible to expand what is possible if done with care.