Breaking Bad's Historic IMDb Reign Ends After 13 Years
For over a decade, Breaking Bad held an unprecedented position in television history. The show's critically acclaimed episode Ozymandias from season five had maintained a perfect 10.0 rating on IMDb since its 2013 release, standing as the only television episode to achieve this distinction among millions of TV episodes rated on the platform.
The Fall from Perfection
In a dramatic turn of events that has shocked the entertainment world, Ozymandias has now fallen from its perfect score to a 9.5 rating. This significant drop has moved the episode from its top position to the 767th highest-rated episode on IMDb at the time of reporting. The episode's decline represents the end of a remarkable 13-year reign at the pinnacle of television ratings.
While Ozymandias has lost its perfect status, another Breaking Bad episode, Face Off from season four, continues to maintain a strong position at number six with a 9.9 rating, providing some consolation to fans of the series.
The Fandom Conflict Behind the Rating Drop
The catalyst for this historic rating change appears to be a coordinated review-bombing campaign originating from the Game of Thrones fandom. This digital conflict emerged following the release of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the Game of Thrones prequel series, which recently aired its penultimate episode titled In the Name of the Mother.
According to reports from Reddit threads and IMDb review sections, a review-bombing battle erupted between fans of the two series. This conflict has been compared to the epic Battle of the Bastards from Game of Thrones lore, with both fandoms engaging in retaliatory one-star reviews that ultimately damaged the ratings of both shows.
Evidence of the Digital Warfare
The review sections for both episodes reveal the extent of this fandom conflict:
- On the In the Name of the Mother episode page, numerous one-star reviews reference Breaking Bad, with comments like "in the name of Ozymandias" and "revenge for breaking bad"
- The Ozymandias episode page contains similar retaliatory reviews from Game of Thrones fans, including one titled "The Lannisters send their regards"
- One reviewer explicitly stated they lowered their rating "cause of Breaking Bad fans," illustrating the retaliatory nature of the conflict
Even official social media accounts have become involved in the feud, with the HBO Max Nordic Instagram account sharing content that appeared to reference the conflict between the two fan communities.
Fan Reactions and Industry Impact
Many observers have criticized the review-bombing campaign as petty and counterproductive. Reddit users have described the situation as "extremely petty and ridiculous," "pathetic review bombing drama," and evidence of "sad little lives." These comments reflect a broader sentiment that such coordinated rating manipulation undermines the credibility of user review systems.
Despite the rating controversy, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has received significant critical acclaim, with many fans declaring it the "best series of the year" following its recent finale. The final episode, titled The Morrow, has earned an 8.7 rating on IMDb, though its review section also contains evidence of the ongoing fandom conflict.
The Broader Implications
This incident highlights several important trends in contemporary entertainment culture:
- The power of organized fan communities to influence digital metrics and ratings
- The vulnerability of user review systems to coordinated manipulation campaigns
- The intense loyalty and sometimes competitive nature of modern television fandoms
- The challenge of maintaining accurate quality assessments in an era of digital activism
The episode serves as a case study in how digital platforms can become battlegrounds for cultural conflicts, with real consequences for how content is perceived and valued by audiences. As streaming services continue to dominate entertainment consumption, such incidents may become more frequent, raising questions about how platforms should respond to organized rating manipulation.
Both series remain available for streaming, with Breaking Bad accessible on Netflix and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms available on Sky and Now in the UK. Despite the rating controversy, both shows continue to command dedicated fan bases and critical respect within the television industry.
