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With the impending release of Game of Thrones are excited to see the backstory of one of the legendary houses in the series.
The original epic series has a lot of exceptional storylines the prequel will have to live up to. However, not all seasons in the original were as impressive as others. Though certain events and deaths bump seasons up towards the top of the list on Ranker, other events drop them in popularity. Based on this Ranker list, fans offered their opinion of the best season of Game of Thrones.
Note: Ranker votes are fan-voted, live, and continued to accrue votes, so some ranking may have changed after this publishing.
Season 8
Out of all the seasons, it's no surprise that season 8 didn't accrue that many votes on Ranker. Fans were especially disappointed with this six-episode finale, finding the endings of several characters to be either unjust or unsatisfying.
Daenerys' assault on King's Landing unnerved audiences and many fans thought her sudden death was an injustice to her epic storyline. Though there are some satisfying moments within the finale, the major components failed to impress the audience. "The Bells" and "The Iron Throne" are also two of the lowest-rated episodes by critics, and fans were just as unsatisfied with these turn of events.
Season 5
It appears that many Ranker fans were not impressed with season 5 either. Although there were a few shocking events, the season was anti-climatic in comparison to others.
Some fans found the plot in which Sansa marries Ramsay Bolton to be particularly disturbing and unnecessary and even though fans were devastated to see Jon murdered, it didn't seem like a dire change in events considering he gets revived in the following season. This season also has one of the lowest-rated episodes ever in Game of Thrones with "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken."
Season 7
This season is not highly rated because it acted as a transitional point when the powers in the North and South are uncertain and the Night King's threat becomes more impending. However, there are some events in this season that influence the outcome of the final season.
The most important death is Viserion in this season. Daenerys' dragons had lived on until this point, proving to be powerful and formidable beasts. However, this death not only reveals her dragons are not indestructible and therefore don't guarantee her the throne, but it also means serious danger when the Night King resurrects the dragon as a wight beast for his army. Reviews of all 73 episodes prove critics are big fans of Daenerys' dragons and were therefore not happy to see them die. Likewise, fans certainly weren't thrilled about the death of Viserion, either.
Season 2
Some fans consider season 2 the worst season and have even demanded it get rewritten. However, there are some important aspects to this part of the series that make it necessary for the storyline and growth of the characters.
Though not the most important aspect of his storyline, Tyrion's unexpected victory at the Battle of Blackwater sets him up as an intelligent, strategical war advisor. Similarly, this is the season in which Jon proves himself to some of the Wildlings and Daenerys defeats all those who seek to abuse her in the city of Quarth. However, despite these critical shifts, season 2 had much to live up to compared to the first season and disappointed some fans with how it delivered.
Season 6
Season 6 may not be a fan favorite, but it's understandable why it would be farther up the list of preferred seasons. This is also a turning point in the series, setting the main characters up in the roles that will carry them through much of the rest of their storyline.
There are a few reasons why this season is ranked higher than others. As "Battle of the Bastards" is the best battle in this whole series, it's likely one of the major reasons fans favor this season. "The Door," in which Hodor meets his heroic end, is one of the highest ranking episodes ever, finally revealing the concept behind the man's name. However, many of the other episodes fell below expectations and is likely the reason fans don't rate this season higher.
Season 1
Season 1 in the series set up the expectations and storylines to come and is often considered the highest-rated season by critics. The episodes following Robert Baratheon's death sets Joffrey up as the main villain. There are several events in this beginning season that set up the course of events for the rest of the series.
Several events, such as Jon Snow ing the Night's Watch and the death of Daenerys' brother Viserys, set up major plot points in the series. This season also features one of the few episodes George R. R. Martin wrote, "The Pointy End," which received an astonishing 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Some well-crafted writing and major beginnings are likely why fans consider this season one of the top three, though they disagree with critics about it being the best overall.
Season 3
Season 3 offers several important plot shifts as well, though it didn't have as many shifts as the next season. The most notable episode in this season is "The Rains of Castamere" in which the Boltons and the Freys betray Robb Stark, killing him, his wife, and his mother.
There are also several shocking scenes in this season, such as Jaime Lannister losing his hand. Similar to season 4, The Red Wedding is likely one of the dominant reasons fans rank this season so high, especially considering the shock factor the episode offered. In addition, the few episodes Alex Graves directed are some of the highest-rated episodes in the series, especially "And Now His Watch Has Ended" in season 3.
Season 4
One thing that kept getting better about Game of Thrones is its ability to subvert expectations. One reason season 4 is considered the fan-favorite is that Joffrey Baratheon is finally killed off. He was the big villain for the first few seasons and had the potential to continue to cause conflict.
Not only did this long-awaited death excite fans, but the season was very much a transitional point in the overall plot. While the best season of Game of Thrones is controversial among fans, all of the seasons with weddings received astonishingly positive reviews, especially The Purple Wedding in which Joffrey meets his end. This long-awaited death is likely why fans rated this season at the top of the list.