The final episode of the first season of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” stirred controversy online even before its official airing. Titled “The Morrow”, the episode premiered on HBO Max and garnered over 20,000 ratings on IMDb by Sunday, February 22, with a significant number of 1/10 scores.
The unique aspect of this situation was that the episode had not been released yet. Many of the low ratings seemed to be part of an organized effort by fans of “Breaking Bad” as a form of retaliation. Allegedly, fans of the fantasy spinoff had previously downvoted “Ozymandias”, a highly acclaimed episode from “Breaking Bad”, in a similar review-bombing campaign.
Numerous 1/10 reviews specifically mentioned “Ozymandias” and its main character, Walter White, also known as Heisenberg. One reviewer highlighted the back-and-forth rating manipulation between fans of the two series, emphasizing the ongoing feud.
In response to the negative ratings, supporters of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” began posting 10/10 ratings as a countermeasure. Some urged for unity and fair evaluation of both series, calling for an end to the fan-driven conflict.
As of the latest update, “The Morrow” held an IMDb rating of 8.0 with around 4,000 1/10 reviews, while “Ozymandias” had dropped from a perfect 10 to 9.7.
The feud seemed to escalate following the release of the fifth episode of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”, “In the Name of the Mother”. Accusations flew between fans of the two series regarding orchestrated rating manipulation, leading to a tit-for-tat cycle of rating drops.
While clashes over online ratings are not uncommon, the intensity and rapidity of this particular conflict underscore the power of digital fan communities. The resolution of this digital rivalry remains uncertain, leaving two iconic TV episodes caught in a battle of ratings rather than on-screen drama.