“Game of Thrones” returns Sunday for its highly-anticipated Season 7, which will consist of just seven episodes. That may still be more than enough to totally wipe out the HBO epic’s current Top 5-rated TV episodes.
Scroll through our gallery to see which of the 60 “Game of Thrones” episodes to-date have pulled in the most total viewers, per Nielsen’s Live + Same Day metric.
(Overall) Rank: 5
Air Date: May 22, 2016
Season: 6
(Overall) Episode Number: 55
Episode Title: “The Door”
Total Viewers: 7.890 million
Synopsis via IMDb: “Sansa and Jon make plans. Arya is given another chance to prove herself. Jorah confesses a secret to Daenerys. Tyrion meets with a red priestess. Yara finds her rule tested. Bran discovers the origin of the White Walkers.”
(Overall) Rank: 4
Air Date: April 24, 2016
Season: 6
(Overall) Episode Number: 51 (Season 6 premiere)
Episode Title: “The Red Woman”
Total Viewers: 7.944 million
Synopsis via IMDB: “The fate of Jon Snow is revealed. Daenerys is brought before Khal Moro. Tyrion gets used to living in Meereen. Ramsay sends his dogs after Theon and Sansa. Ellaria and the Sand Snakes make their move. Cersei mourns for Myrcella.”
(Overall) Rank: 3
Air Date: April 12, 2015
Season: 5
(Overall) Episode Number: 41 (Season 5 premiere)
Episode Title: “The Wars to Come”
Total Viewers: 7.997 million
Synopsis via IMDB: “Cersei and Jaime adjust to a world without Tywin. Tyrion and Varys arrive at Pentos. In Meereen, a new enemy emerges. Jon is caught between two kings.”
(Overall) Rank: 2
Air Date: June 14, 2015
Season: 5
(Overall) Episode Number: 50 (Season 5 finale)
Episode Title: “Mother’s Mercy”
Total Viewers: 8.112 million
Synopsis via IMDB: “Stannis arrives at Winterfell. Tyrion runs Meereen as Daario and Jorah go after Daenerys. Jaime and Myrcella leave Dorne. Jon sends Sam and Gilly to Oldtown. Arya challenges the Many-Faced God. Cersei confesses her sins.”
(Overall) Rank: 1
Air Date: June 26, 2016
Season: 6
(Overall) Episode Number: 60 (Season 6 finale)
Episode Title: “The Winds of Winter”
Total Viewers: 8.889 million
Synopsis via IMDB: “Cersei and Loras Tyrell stand trial by the gods. Daenerys prepares to set sail for Westeros. Davos confronts Melisandre. Sam and Gilly arrive in the Citadel. Bran discovers a long-kept secret. Lord Frey has an uninvited guest.”
Will any of these stand after the curtain closes on this summer’s (shortened) run? We’ll found out in about two months. For now, let the battle for the Iron Throne (re-)commence!
