Game Of Thrones: 8 Reasons 'Battle Of The Bastards' Is The Show's Most Overrated Episode

1. It Gave Us Everything We Wanted (And Not In A Good Way)

Game of Thrones Jon Snow
HBO

As viewers, we crave certain moments when we watch a series like Game of Thrones, and the genius of the show - and the reason everybody is obsessed - stems from the fact that it never really delivers them. At least, not in the ways we expect.

It's a shame, then, that 'Battle of the Bastards' essentially gave us everything we "wanted." It broke the golden rule that has made Game of Thrones so compelling over the years - its ability to knock you for six - and delivered the George R.R. Martin equivalent of a happy ending (which still means a bunch of people get killed).

It turns out, though, that we only thought we wanted these moments to occur: we thought we wanted Ramsay dead, but now the show has lost its most delicious villain; we thought we wanted the Knights of the Vale to come and save the day, but it revealed itself to be a somewhat predictable development; we thought we wanted the Starks to take back Winterfell, but isn't that just a little bit boring?

Game of Thrones has thrived over the years because it forces audiences to pray for an outcome that it rarely offers up, opting for something unexpected in its place; 'Battle of the Bastards' was a fine episode of television, but it also marks the point where the show finally gave in and delivered "fan service."

What did you think of Battle of the Bastards? Overrated? Underrated? Just right? Let us know in the comments.

Contributor

Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.