Game Of Thrones: How Many Episodes Are There In Total?

Winter is coming, but it's a journey that will take some time for those looking to start "Game of Thrones." The epic series based on George R.R. Martin's books covers the romances, battles, and vengeful plots that mainly happen within the houses of Stark, Baratheon, Targaryen, and Lannister. This is as some of the characters fight for control of the Iron Throne, which offers the occupant total power over the seven kingdoms of Westeros. The ensemble cast is huge, and the storylines are many. Each event is essentially a setup for an even bigger piece of the puzzle, meaning plenty of material can be stretched across several episodes.

For those looking for a long show to binge, "Game of Thrones" may just be the ticket, with the series coming in at 73 episodes over eight seasons. Seasons 1-6 are 10 episodes in length. However, the last two seasons do not follow the same formula. Season 7 contains only seven episodes, while Season 8 has just six. It is important to note that while the episode count may be shorter toward the series' end, the length of some of the episodes increases, with Season 8, Episode 6 — "The Iron Throne" lasting 1 hour, 20 minutes –a little longer than earlier episodes, which usually end around the one-hour mark.

While eight seasons is a good run for any show, Martin admitted that he had other plans in mind.

For many fans, the ending of "Game of Thrones" is not a shining gem in the series' crown, with many signing a petition demanding that Season 8 be remade. There was widespread disappointment with the resolution of the overarching storyline they followed for years. George R.R. Martin told The New York Times, "By Season 5 and 6, and certainly 7 and 8, I was pretty much out of the loop." And only making eight seasons of the fantasy saga was not a part of his initial plans, telling The Wall Street Journal that the producers pushed for that number. "I was saying it needs to be 10 seasons at least and maybe 12, 13. I lost that one," he said.

In the book "Tinderbox: HBO's Ruthless Pursuit of New Frontiers" by journalist James Andrew Miller (via Insider), Martin's agent, Paul Haas, explained that the writer went to great lengths in his attempt to secure at least 10 seasons of the show. "George would fly to New York to have lunch with [HBO's former CEO Richard Plepler], to beg him to do 10 seasons of 10 episodes because there was enough material for it and to tell him it would be a more satisfying and more entertaining experience," he said. The book series had not been completed by this point, making the series' finale a big deal. Those disappointed with the show's conclusion will not see the same chain of events in the pages of Martin's upcoming books. In August 2022, he told The New York Times, "My ending will be very different."