George R.R. Martin is the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire book series that HBO's Game of Thrones was based on, but he also penned a few episodes of the TV show during its early seasons, and he has a favorite.
Martin may be currently busy writing The Winds of Winter (book six of his A Song of Ice and Fire series), and assuming the role of executive producer on AMC's Dark Winds show. However, the author still makes time to let his fans know his thoughts on hot topics within the realm of entertainment.
For example, when the MCU's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness was released in theaters, Martin said he "loved it." On another occasion, he also admitted that he was "excited," but "a little apprehensive" about being less involved in the production process of House of the Dragon, the Game of Thrones spin-off show.
George R.R. Martin's Favorite Game of Thrones Episode
In a recent post from George R.R. Martin on his official Not a Blog blog, the A Song of Ice and Fire author commented on the fact that a Game of Thrones episode that he wrote made it into a list of TV episodes that are considered perfect.
The episode in question is titled "Blackwater," the ninth (and penultimate) episode of Season 2.
Martin jokingly mentioned that he was flattered to be thought of as "perfect," but then stated that he knew the list was talking about the "Blackwater" episode instead.
The author then went on to reveal that out of the four episodes he wrote for the Game of Thrones TV series at HBO, "Blackwater" is "[his] favorite." He also gave a slight nod to his Season 4 episode, "The Lion and the Rose," as well:"
"Of course, they are not actually saying I am perfect. They are talking about 'Blackwater,' one of the episodes I wrote for 'Game Of Thrones.' (I scripted four. And yes, 'Blackwater' is my own favorite of those, although I thought 'The Lion and the Rose' turned out very well too, and I have a soft spot for that one)."
For reference, the four episodes of Game of Thrones that Martin penned were "The Pointy End" (Season 1, Episode 8), "Blackwater" (Season 2, Episode 9), "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" (Season 3, Episode 7), and "The Lion and the Rose" (Season 4, Episode 2).
Why Is Blackwater Such a Beloved Game of Thrones Episode?
Even though Martin called "Blackwater" his favorite episode of Game of Thrones that he wrote, and it was listed as a perfect episode of television, fans also agree that it was among the HBO series' best of the best.
With a 9.7 star rating on IMDb with over 52,000 reviews, "Blackwater" had a little bit of everything that made Game of Thrones the success that it was.
For starters, most fans will remember the blood-pumping speech that Tyrion made as he prepared to lead the defense against Stannis at King's Landing, as well as the jaw-dropping moment when the show made viewers think that Tyrion was killed only a few minutes later.
It also included the classic Game of Thrones-style witty dialogue between Sansa Stark and Cersei Lannister as they seemingly awaited their deaths.
At the same time that this was all going on, many can recall the moment that the Wildfire exploded in the bay, sending up an inferno of green flames in a VFX spectacle.
When looking back at "Blackwater," it can really be considered one of the early episodes that set the tone for the entire series. As Game of Thrones often did, this chapter of the story really raised the stakes for multiple characters and kept its viewers' eyes glued to the TV screen for its entire runtime.
