‘Game of Thrones’ George R.R. Martin Has a Surprising Choice for Best TV Finale

If you want to know which television shows boast some of the best episodes of the last twenty-five years, it’s not a bad idea to ask the man responsible for writing a few of them himself. Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin, who authored the fantasy series of novels and its subsequent HBO series, took to his official blog, “Not a Blog,” to respond to an article released by Vanity Fair earlier this month listing the “past quarter century’s best TV episodes.” 

The list, which comes with surprising inclusions such as episodes from Grey’s Anatomy and Friends to not-so-surprising inclusions such as The Sopranos and Succession, nodded to some of Martin’s favorite TV moments, including Mad Men and Breaking Bad. Martin also shouted out Black Mirror, citing the fan-favorite “San Junipero” as “the episode I love to watch over and over.”

Game of Thrones makes the list as well with “Blackwater,” the penultimate episode of the second season, which Martin wrote himself. Praised for its balance of striking action with resonant character development, it stands almost in contrast to the more poorly-received writing of the later seasons of the iconic show, including the controversial finale of the series, which left fans disappointed with the show’s conclusion.

But when it came to his favorite on the list, the answer may be a little surprising:

“If I had to pick one episode that was even more perfect than all the others on the list, though, it would have to be the final episode of SIX FEET UNDER,” he said. “That last episode was far and away the best finale in the entire history of television, and I cannot imagine how anyone could possibly do better.”

Six Feet Under, created by Alan Ball, follows the trials and tribulations of the Fisher family, who run a Los Angeles-based funeral home. It premiered in 2005 and won a total of nine Emmy Awards over its five season run.

Martin took to his blog to express his gratitude for his inclusion on the Vanity Fair list: “I feel very pleased and flattered to be in such great company. No work of art is ever truly perfect, of course… but it is very gratifying to hear that maybe you achieved it, or at least came close…” he wrote.  

He also seemed to nod to Game of Thrones’ more criticized episodes in his sign-off as well, writing, “Regardless of how well (or poorly) one of my tales is received, I always want to do better the next time I sit down in front of the computer.”

Game of Thrones ran for eight wildly successful seasons on HBO, where it garnered 59 Emmy Awards. Game of Thrones is available to stream on Max.