“Blood of My Blood” sets the table for events that can payoff in future episodes, but doesn’t really garner much excitement in the episode itself. 

“The Door” delivers a gut-wrenching origin/death scene and offers plenty of satisfying moments elsewhere in an excellent episode. 

“Book of the Stranger” proves transition episodes can be just as good as climactic episodes as Dany becomes the Khaleesi of the entire Dothraki in one fell swoop, and Jon and Sansa vow to take Winterfell back from Ramsay.

“Oathbreaker” doesn’t sacrifice quality for quantity, as it checks in on a plethora of story lines and moves them all forward as well. 

“Home” is a busy but well-paced episode that gets season six heading in the right direction, highlighted by the resurrection of Jon Snow. 

“The Red Woman” is weighed down by providing aftermath for season five and setting the table for season six, but does well for itself considering the challenges it faces.

“Mother’s Mercy” ends the darkest season of Game of Thrones to date with the season’s darkest episode, featuring Cersei and Stannis hitting rock bottom, and a mutiny that ends Jon’s life.

“The Dance of Dragons” proves to be a rather grim episode of Game of Thrones, featuring a terrorist attack, and a ruthless sacrifice that we won’t soon forget. 

In the best episode of Game of Thrones to date, “Hardhome” delivers a meeting in Meereen that’s been years in the making, along with the perfectly executed massacre at Hardhome.

“The Gift” delivers the momentum that season five has been lacking as Tyrion makes it to Daenerys, Cersei is imprisoned, and Jon heads north for a difficult alliance proposal.