Parijat Ghosh 
In the latest chapter of “people arguing on the internet about fictional characters,” fans of Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad have entered a full-scale IMDb rating war. What started as bragging rights over the “greatest TV episode ever” quickly spiraled into review bombing, score manipulation, and a surprisingly petty battle for numerical supremacy. Yes, television history is being fought with one-star ratings.
How the IMDb War Reignited
The conflict reignited when A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 5 “In the Name of the Mother” spiked to 9.9 on IMDb score, threatening the long held dominance of Breaking Bad’s Season 5 episode “Ozymandias.” For years, “Ozymandias” sat at the top with a rare perfect rating, often cited as the greatest TV episode ever made.
For years many Game of Thrones episodes, especially “The Rains of Castamere” (S3E9), “The Battle of Bastards” (S6E9) and “The Winds of Winter” (S6E10), nearly reached a perfect rating but got stuck at 9.9 score. So when a new Knight of the Seven Kingdoms episode surged in ratings, Breaking Bad fans allegedly responded by downvoting it to protect their crown and boasting how BB is still on top. The retaliation was swift: Game of Thrones supporters began flooding “Ozymandias” with one-star reviews. Internet peace was never an option.
The Episodes at the Center of the Chaos
Breaking Bad S05 E13 “Ozymandias” – Directed by Rian Johnson, the episode depicts the collapse of Walter White’s empire and family. It features career-defining performances by Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, and Anna Gunn, and marks the beginning of the story’s tragic end. Once holding a perfect score, the episode recently dropped to around 9.5 from 10 (at the time of writing) due to review bombing.
AKOTSK S01E05 “In the Name of the Mother” – Directed by Owen Harris, and Sarah Adina Smith, this episode was the climax of the 4 episode buildup of the first season of the latest Game of Thrones spin-off. With a high stakes realistic battle full of raw intensity and emotions, this episode struck all the right chords and took fans back to the peak era of ASOIAF TV dominance. Unfortunately, this episode shared the same fate as Ozymandias. While it was on its way to 9.9 IMDB score, it quickly fell to 9.5 as well due to review bombing.
Why Are Fans Beefing Now?
The competition between these fandoms goes back years. Even creators joked about rating manipulation when “Battle of the Bastards” briefly challenged Breaking Bad’s perfect score. In other words, this feud has been brewing longer than winter.
IMDb ratings function as a cultural scoreboard. A 9.9 average signals not just quality but legacy status. Fans view these numbers as validation that their favorite show represents peak television storytelling. So when a new contender threatens the throne, the reaction is… medieval.
Review bombing, the act of mass posting low ratings to manipulate scores, has become a recurring tactic across fandoms. Critics argue this behavior undermines rating systems meant to reflect genuine viewer opinion.
Who Is “Winning” Right Now?
At the moment, it is all stalemate. “Ozymandias” has fell from the Throne however, Breaking Bad S4E13 “Face Off”, and S05E16 “Felina” both hold a 9.9 rating with spin-off Better Call Saul S05E07 “Plan and Execution” also holding a 9.9. Similarly, Game of Thrones episodes “The Rains of Castamere” (S03E09), “The Battle of Bastards” (S6E9) and “The Winds of Winter” (S06E10), also hold a 9.9 rating each.
Aside from these two shows, episodes from Six Feet Under, BoJack Horseman, Vinland Saga, Avatar: the Last Airbender, Heated Rivarly, Mr Robot, Star Wars: Clone Wars, and Regular Show also hold a 9.9 IMDB Rating. So the only real loser here? The concept of using IMDb ratings as a peaceful metric. The only winner? Global unemployment crisis.
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