Few modern TV series have had such a powerful impact on audiences as Game of Thrones. This fantasy drama show was created by David Benioff and D.B Weiss based on George R. R. Martin's novel series A Song of Ice and Fire. It premiered on HBO in April 2011 and was on the air until May 2019, when it wrapped up its eighth and final season. Featuring one of the largest ensemble casts on television, Game of Thrones is set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, and follows, among several story arcs, the battle between several noble families for the Iron Throne.
Over its seasons, this HBO series not only garnered a huge fan base that eagerly awaited each episode's premiere, but also widespread acclaim. At the moment, Game of Thrones holds a record for total Emmy Award wins for a scripted television series with 59 statuettes, and during the course of the series, it has garnered 272 awards out of its nearly 800 nominations. As with any high-profile series, expectations were very high for the show's finale. For that reason, and many others, its eighth season was widely condemned. Still, Game of Thrones remains an audience favorite, and its universe keeps expanding: this year saw the premiere of House of the Dragon, a prequel series based on Martin's novel Fire & Blood, set 200 years before the events of the original show. Here is a review of each season of Game of Thrones, ranked by Rotten Tomatoes score.
8 Season 8 — 55%
Game of Thrones' eighth season premiered in 2019, and in comparison to the previous ones, it was very poorly received by critics and audiences alike for a number of reasons. Bearing in mind that it was supposed to wrap up all the story arcs that had been opened throughout the series, the audience felt that making only six episodes was not the best choice, and that the story was rushed to its conclusion. Furthermore, the show's material was no longer taken from A Song of Ice and Fire, but rather original content, and that also failed to convince the public. The eighth season of the show scored 55% on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 30% rating given by the audience, which is the lowest score of the series.
7 Season 1 — 90%
While not one of the show's best seasons, the first one paves the way for what would become an impressive show. Premiering in April 2011, this season featured ten episodes that introduced the main stories of Game of Thrones, as well as the initial cast: Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley, Lena Headey, Iain Glen, Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, and Maisie Williams, among others. A lesser known fact about the show is that its pilot was shot twice, since the first version of it failed to meet the expectations of the production company and the creators (via EW).
6 Season 7 — 93%
The seventh season of the show premiered in July 2017, and slowly began to pave the way for the final season, focusing mostly on the storylines of the already familiar main characters. Unlike the previous Game of Thrones seasons, which featured ten episodes each, this one only released seven, showcasing mostly original content that is not found in Martin's novels. As in all seasons, the actors' performances were highly acclaimed, and in this case, Peter Dinklage was awarded with an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
5 Season 5 — 93%
The show's fifth season, debuting in June 2015, is set in both Westeros and Essos, and it featured some of the most iconic scenes of the whole series, such as Jon Snow's death and Cersei Lannister's walk of shame, to name just a few. This season, which scored 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, comprises material from the fourth, fifth and sixth novels of A Song of Ice and Fire, but it also introduces original material. Furthermore, it set a Guinness World Record by winning 12 Emmy Awards out of its 24 nominations, the most Emmy Awards granted to a series in a single season and year (via Winter is Coming).
4 Season 6 — 94%
The series' sixth season features one of the most epic fights in all Game of Thrones: the Battle of the Bastards, in which Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton clashed over gaining control of Winterfell, and which resulted in the latter being killed by his own dogs. This season premiered in April 2016 and, once again, consecrated the series as the most nominated show at the Emmy Awards, with 23 nominations and 12 wins.
3 Season 2 — 96%
Game of Thrones' first season was the one that paved the way, so that in the second season, the show was able to establish itself as the phenomenon that it was and still is. April 2012 saw the premiere of this acclaimed season, based mostly on the second novel in Martin's series. It follows the aftermath of Ned Stark's unexpected death, both within his House and all the others, and features the beginning of The War of the Five Kings. This season was rated 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and was widely acclaimed at the time, garnering a plethora of nominations and awards.
2 Season 3 — 96%
This season keeps delving into The War of the Five Kings, although it also gives a growing place to Daenerys Targaryen, Jon Snow, and the Stark children's storylines. It boasts one of the most memorable episodes of the show: "The Rains of Castamere", known for featuring The Red Wedding. It also marked the appearance of some major characters, performed by Nathalie Emmanuel, Diana Rigg, Ciarán Hinds and Iwan Rheon. It premiered in March 2013 and, as was the case in almost every season, ratings soared significantly in comparison with the previous one.
1 Season 4 — 97%
Wrapping up the list with a 97% on both Rotten Tomatoes Score and Audience Score is the fourth season of Game of Thrones, which premiered in April 2014. This season's material was mostly adapted from the novels A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons. It follows the aftermath of The Red Wedding, and features the dramatic murder of King Joffrey on the very day of his wedding. All ten episodes were widely acclaimed by critics and garnered nearly 100 award nominations, with 28 wins.