Game Of Thrones: Every Episode Ranked From Worst To Best
24. Two Swords (S4E1)
Written By: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss Directed By: D.B. Weiss
Only the second episode to be directed by the showrunners, Two Swords is one of the best season premieres Thrones has produced - maybe it's no surprise that it launched its best season.
We begin with a cold open, showing Tywin melting down Ice, Ned's greatsword, to make swords for Jaime and Joffrey, which makes for a haunting start. After that, we have some of the usual setup, which features the introduction of Oberyn Martell (!), and Dany arriving in Meereen.
Mostly, however, this is remembered for the great scene with the Hound and Arya, where they kill Lannister heavies and he eats all the f**king chicken. This is where the pair moved from unlikely duo to fan-favourite partnership.
23. The Long Night (S8E3)
Written By: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss Directed By: Miguel Sapochnik
Eight years and 69 episodes had all seemingly been building to this. From the very first scene of the show, the threat of the White Walkers had been building, and now the dead came to Winterfell's door. And no one bothered to turn out a light.
While the darkness is an issue at times, the bigger problem here is that The Long Night, well, isn't all that long, with the Night King killed at the end of the episode, and the entire Army of the Dead going with him. It makes some sense given it's a six-episode season, but it's disappointing nonetheless to have the big threat dealt with so suddenly.
Thankfully, though, what we do get is largely pretty great. Sapochnik finds room for character within the action, with the scary movie sequence with Arya in the library a particular highlight, along with the last stands of Theon and Jorah. This is the biggest episode of the show ever made, and it shows on screen: from the flaming arakhs to the duelling dragons, the sea of wights, bodies piling up, and fires raging, all backed by Ramin Djawidi's stunning score, The Long Night delivers enough heart-racing thrills even before that shocking moment when Arya comes flying down towards the Night King, Valyrian steel dagger in hand.