• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • FMTV on YouTube
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Bluesky
    • Linktree
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • The Baby in the Basket
  • Death Among the Pines

Game of Thrones sets ratings high and Rotten Tomatoes low with ‘The Bells’

May 15, 2019 by Gary Collinson

As we’ve already seen on several occasions this eighth and final season, HBO’s Game of Thrones continues to set ratings highs for the network, although Sunday’s episode ‘The Bells’ also managed a series low in terms of audience score.

The controversial episode, which saw Emilia Clarke’s Dany unleashing a fiery hell upon King’s Landing, was watched by a total of 18.4 million viewers across its first two airings, including streaming on HBO Now and HBO Go.

Meanwhile, HBO has also announced that season 8 is averaging a whopping 43 million viewers each episode once DVR, streaming and repeats are taken into account – an increase of over 10 million from season 7.

Despite the phenomenal ratings success, the season seemingly isn’t proving too popular amongst fans and critics, with Rotten Tomatoes revealing that ‘The Bells’ has a 47% rotten rating. That’s the lowest for any episode of the series, while the season currently sits on 73% overall and is guaranteed to end up as the lowest-scoring of all eight seasons, even if the finale ends up at 100% fresh.

SEE ALSO: Game of Thrones showrunners discuss Daenerys’ dark turn

SEE ALSO: Game of Thrones Season 8: How Is It Going to End?

What did you make of ‘The Bells’? Was it the worst episode of the show? And how are you finding the final season of Game of Thrones overall? Let us know in the comments below or tweet us @FlickeringMyth…

Originally published May 15, 2019. Updated May 16, 2019.

Filed Under: Gary Collinson, News, Television Tagged With: Game of Thrones

About Gary Collinson

Gary Collinson is a film, TV and digital content producer and writer who is the Editor-in-Chief of the pop culture website Flickering Myth and producer of the gothic horror feature 'The Baby in the Basket' and suspense thriller 'Death Among the Pines'.

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

The Best Retro 2000 AD Video Games

10 Essential Movies from 1976

Ranking Bad E.T. Rip-Offs From Worst to Watchable

A New Golden Age for John le Carré

The Best Eiza González Movies

2025 in Film: What Did We Learn?

6 Great Australian Crime Movies of the 1980s

8 Great Recent Films You Really Need To See

7 Movies About Influencers for Your Watchlist

10 Essential Action Movies from 2005

Top Stories:

Taxi Driver at 50: The Story Behind Martin Scorsese’s Classic Psychological Drama

7 Bizarre 1980s Horror Movies You Might Have Missed

Retro Games That Put Their Heroes Through Hell For Love

Movie Review – If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025)

Deadpool at 10: The Story Behind the Irreverent Superhero Blockbuster

7 John Hughes Movies You Might Have Missed

Movie Review – Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die (2026)

4K Ultra HD Review – Stolen Face (1952)

Movie Review – Cold Storage (2026)

Movie Review – Wuthering Heights (2026)

FLICKERING MYTH FILMS

 

FEATURED POSTS:

Seven Superhero Comedies to Add to Your Watchlist

The Essential Man vs Machine Sci-Fi B-Movies

The Essential Indiana Jones Knock-Offs of the 1980s

10 Great Horror Movies That Avoid the Director Sophomore Slump

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • FMTV on YouTube
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Bluesky
    • Linktree
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles and Opinions
  • The Baby in the Basket
  • Death Among the Pines
  • About Flickering Myth
  • Write for Flickering Myth