HBO's Game of Thrones was one of the most popular fantasy shows on television, breaking world records and garnering a massive fanbase. But since the show ended in 2019, mixed feelings linger about Season 8 -- and the show as a whole -- and fans aren't the only ones who feel this way. Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes have mixed reviews on Game of Thrones, so here's a ranking of the seasons according to both of them combined.
Game of Throne's final season has the lowest score from both critics -- Metacritic gave it a 75 and Rotten Tomatoes only 54. Daenerys Targaryen starts the season off in Winterfell where the Stark children are finally reunited after seven long seasons. From that point on, it's a race to the end of the story that Rotten Tomatoes claimed, "Shortchanges the women of Westeros, sacrificing satisfying character arcs for spectacular set-pieces." Metacritic was a bit more gracious with their rating, considering the final episode was so poorly rated, it was marked in red. The final season is also only comprised of six episodes, which means each episode's rating holds more weight on the overall critique. Though Season 8 starts off strong, the ending is rushed, and a lot of good set-up is left unfulfilled.
Even though Season 6 ranks low, it still averages out at 83.5. Dan Fienberg from The Hollywood Reporter made a good point when he said, "That even with less and less of Martin's published material to rely on, Weiss and Benioff know how to move it forward," which is a bold claim for an adapted work that no longer has the original content to rely on. Rotten Tomatoes said the season was "bloody and captivating as always, Game of Thrones plunges back into the midst of a world touched by grief, dread, and precarious sexuality."
Season 6 covers Bran Stark's training with the Three-Eyed Raven as Ramsay Bolton struggles for his heir status in Winterfell. Daenerys Targaryen is captured, and Jon Snow faces his own fate as well. It's an action-packed season that received a fairly good reception, so even though it's low on the list, it's still a good entry overall.
Season 7 is only marginally better than Season 6, according to the combined average of Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes. While Metacritic only gave it a 77, Rotten Tomatoes delivered a whopping 93. Season 7 is the penultimate season, setting up the final season and all the questions the ending should answer. Rotten Tomatoes' overall response wass Season 7 has "powerful storytelling and a focused interest in its central characters -- particularly the female ones." Robert Rorke from the New York Post has a review on Metacritic that puts it perfectly, stating, "The show thrills when concentrating on its formidable female characters." While other aspects of Season 7 may have lacked, critics were appeased by the strong female stories that balanced it out.
There's a stark difference between Metacritic's score of 80 and Rotten Tomatoes' score of 90. The first season is a strong start to the series, setting up the different storylines and raising the stakes from Episode 1. Rotten Tomatoes' impression was that the "intricate storytelling and dark themes may overwhelm some viewers." Metacritic was harsher, with one critic, Phillip Maciak from Slant Magazine, claiming, "The narrative structure of the series is not at all as ambitious as its price tag may suggest." Season 1 also sets the precedent of killing off main characters, like Ned Stark. While the beginning of Game of Thrones may have had a slow and sometimes typical start, by the end of the season critics were willing to reconsider.
Season 5 of Game of Thrones is the first season to diverge from George R. R. Martin's source material, and it was well-received by critics across the board. Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 93, claiming that the show "enjoys a new-found liberation from the world of the source material, resulting in more unexpected thrills." Metacritic had lots of positive reviews from critics as well. Ken Tucker from Yahoo TV said, " ...it feels like Game of Thrones played at a new, more intense level."
Season 5 follows each previously set-up storyline well. Arya continues her quest for revenge, while Jon Snow witnesses big changes at the Wall. In Essos, Daenerys Targaryen continues to grow her power, which draws attention from major players in Westeros. Altogether this season received critical acclaim and continued the legacy that Game of Thrones started.
The second season of Game of Thrones was extremely well-received by both Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes. Metacritic gave it 90 and Rotten Tomatoes a 96. Rotten Tomatoes said, "Game of Thrones follows up a strong debut with an even better second season, combining elegant storytelling and vivid characters to create a rich fantasy world." It's not uncommon to find shows that debut strong but follow up with a rough second season, so the fact that Game of Thrones exceeded expectations was a great sign for the series. One of the critics that submitted to Metacritic, Curt Wagner from RedEye, even said, "With all its harsh realism and attention to detail it feels more authentic than a lot of the actual historical dramas on TV." Season 2 focuses on Joffrey and how his relationship with Sansa starts to play out. Meanwhile, Daenerys leads her Dothraki people through the Red Waste, hoping for some kind of destination.
The infamous Red Wedding takes place in Season 3, killing off multiple main characters, including Robb and Catelyn Stark. Even though there are heavy losses in this season, Tim Goodman from The Hollywood Reporter still heralded it as " a dense, layered, enterprising and fascinating journey." Metacritic delivered a ranking of 91, while Rotten Tomatoes praised higher with 96. Rotten Tomatoes said that Season 3 "continues to deliver top quality drama for adults, raising the stakes even higher and leaving viewers hungry for more." Season 3 continues to balance the many storylines, such as Jon Snow's undercover expedition beyond the wall and Daenerys' slow rise to power in Essos. It's a critically-acclaimed installment that covers a lot of interweaving content with skill and tact.
It may come as a surprise, but according to both Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes, Season 4 of Game of Thrones is the best season. The combined critic score gave it a ranking of 95.5, two whole percentage points higher than Season 3. Rotten Tomatoes maintained Game of Thrones "continues to be one of the best shows on TV, combining meticulously-plotted character arcs with the spectacular design of the Seven Kingdoms." Tim Molloy from The Wrap claimed, "The acting is delightful, the visuals are sumptuous, the stories couldn't be more surprising."
Season 4 kills off more major characters, like King Joffrey, and follows Arya as she travels across Westeros with the Hound, a surprising pair-up that many fans and critics loved. It makes sense that the series' midpoint is its most critically acclaimed, considering the stakes are at an all-time high. Season 4 epitomizes the best of the show in terms of content and form, providing consistently complex storylines with increasingly improving visuals and cinematography.
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