Excellent battle scenes are a key part of the war genre, and many TV shows are better than any war movie for their spectacle and the time we have to get to know the characters. That said, battle scenes are not unique to the war genre, with many of the best TV show battle scenes of all time occurring in fantasy and sci-fi shows.
It is not always easy to decide what makes a fantastic TV battle scene, but battles on an epic scale are often a triumph for both special and practical effects, and scenes that capture the emotional stakes of the situation are virtually essential. The most successful of these battle sequences often become intense TV show scenes we will never forget.
The Battle Of Alexandria
The Walking Dead
Rick Grimes preparing to fight with walkers behind him in The Walking Dead
The Battle of Alexandria took place in TWD’s season 6 episode “No Way Out,” and it was an emotional pummeling from the moment the walkers breached Alexandria. The battle scene showed how one person can be a catalyst, bringing a community together and snatching victory from an enemy that seemed all-powerful. When Rick joined the fight, the others found strength one by one.
While Daryl’s RPG launch is one of the greatest moments in the episode, the montage in which every character is shown fighting is a moment that defined The Walking Dead, and one of its most underrated scenes. An honorable mention must go to Denise, who acted as a field medic, calmly operating on Carl as the battle raged outside.
Battle At Rook’s Rest
House Of The Dragon
Rhaenys Targaryen riding a dragon in the Rook’s Rest battle
This was the first major battle of the Game of Thrones’ Targaryen-centered spin-off, House of the Dragon. One of the most significant things that both series needed to get right was the use of the dragons after teasing their presence and power for so long. The Battle at Rook’s Rest made up for one of the original show’s failures here.
The scene involved air strikes with dragons fighting each other in the sky as the fight continued on the ground below them, with extra details like dragon calls, which expanded the lore of the series. The epic scale of the dragon battle meant that House of the Dragon destroyed Game of Thrones here, despite the original show’s impressive legacy.
Battle Against The British Royal Navy
Black Sails
Calico Jack, Charles Vane, and Anne Bonny walk on the dock in Black Sails.
Black Sails has sometimes been thought of as better than the Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise for its attention to historical detail. The underrated pirate-themed TV show follows several characters who were based on real people, and features some impressive naval battles. A pirate historian rated one Black Sails battle, saying the scene had “a lot of historical accuracy.”
The season 3 finale, in which the pirate crews faced the British Royal Navy, had some of the best naval battle sequences of any show, while also bringing together the main pirates’ character arcs. Black Sails gives Anne Bonny a fantastic and fairly historically accurate moment as she charges through the British soldiers, fighting as brutally as the real Bonny did, according to witness testimony.
Battle Of New Caprica
Battlestar Galactica
An explosion in space in Battlestar Galactica Exodus Part 2 Battle of New Caprica
Battlestar Galactica has several epic battle scenes, but the Battle of New Caprica steals the show, even years later. The Colonial and Cylon forces enter combat on New Caprica, which is where most of the action takes place. However, while the large-scale action involved in battle often takes center stage, the Battle of New Caprica is famous for showcasing a jaw-dropping move.
Battlestar Galactica’s Adama maneuver is one of sci-fi’s best scenes, as it shows how far one person is willing to go to save his people. Adama sends his ship into freefall, launching Viper ships to help on the ground, before leaping back into space. The battle highlights virtually every aspect of war, with huge machines, clashing troops, and one person’s great risk.
War Of The Damned
Spartacus
Spartacus stands in front of an army with shields, holding a sword in each hand, with his arms outstretched
Spartacus is not the most historically accurate TV show, and is generally seen as a reimagining of history rather than a recounting. This has attracted negative comments from critics and occasionally divided its audience. However, battles do not have to be historically accurate to depict sacrifice, bravery, and intense moments, and these are all things that each season of Spartacus does extremely well.
In the finale, Spartacus leads a slave uprising against the Romans, with the characters fighting what seemed like hopeless odds. The battle saw several characters escaping, but claimed the lives of many others, including Spartacus himself. That said, this battle is one of TV’s best, as it emphasizes the fact that freedom is a cause worth dying for in any historical age.
Battle Of Nasiriyah
Generation Kill
Chatacters kneel in Generation Kill, season 1, episode 4, The Cradle of Civilization
The Battle of Nasiriyah is one of the most accurate battle scenes on TV, and one major advantage that the team behind Generation Kill had was the ability to ask people who were actually there. Generation Kill’s depiction was shown just five years after the real Battle of Nasiriyah, which was a potentially traumatizing decision, but the scenes were praised by Marines who were involved.
The tension is unrelenting, keeping the audience on edge as US Marines are ambushed while pushing toward Baghdad. They used vegetation for cover when possible and contended with unreliable technology, as confirmed by the real Marines. The battle scene continues, depicting the reality of civilian casualties in the war to the horror of the people who had previously been so eager to see combat.
Nemesis Games
The Expanse
The Rociante crew in The Expanse episode Nemesis Games
People who have not seen true war often compare it to a game, and some of the best battle scenes in TV history show the reality and the horrors of war, no matter the show’s genre. The Expanse has some of the best TV sci-fi show performances during the episode “Nemesis Games,” which contains one of the most emotional battle scenes of all time.
The stakes are high on both a personal and intergalactic level for the characters. The most harrowing moments are Naomi’s as she is trapped on a ship rigged to explode, yet manages to warn the crew of The Rocinante, nearly dying in the process. The scenes set up The Expanse’s final act while exquisitely capturing the human cost of war.
The Siege Of Paris
Vikings
Characters in Vikings approaching a stronghold in the siege of Paris episodes
Ragnar’s best moment in Vikings happens during the Siege of Paris. He shows his cunning as he pretends to be dying, entering Paris to be baptized in a coffin that functioned as a Trojan Horse. While this actually happened in real life, it was not Ragnar’s plan. Still, this change does not stop the Siege of Paris from being one of TV’s best live-action battle sequences.
The battle lasts for three episodes of Vikings and shows several attempts, both successful and unsuccessful, to take Paris. Even the best battle scenes can feel overlong when the focus is purely on violence. However, the three Vikings episodes highlight strategy and planning from both sides, making the Siege of Paris episodes a fantastic achievement for the show, and for TV as a whole.
Battle of the Bastards
Game of Thrones
Kit Harington as Jon Snow facing a stampede in the Battle of the Bastards in Game of Thrones
Game of Thrones contains some stunning battle scenes, but Battle of the Bastards has gone down in TV history as one of the best battle scenes in a fantasy TV show. Jon Snow is set up against the sadistic Ramsay Bolton and his enormous army. The battle lasts for the entire episode and involves hand-to-hand combat, hundreds of extras, special effects, and virtually impossible odds.
Part of what makes the Battle of the Bastards so compelling is Ramsay’s emotional manipulation, and the episode is a classic hero and villain fight on a huge and epic scale. While Rickon’s death was the heartbreaking trigger for the battle, Ramsay’s final, brutal, and justified demise was a great payoff for one of the show’s most hated characters.
The Battle Of Carentan
Band of Brothers
Lt Winters Band of Brothers Carentan Episode holding hand up to soldiers to wait
Band of Brothers is widely regarded as one of the best TV shows that accurately captures the horrors of war. This is due to the phenomenal acting performances of the ensemble cast, as well as the attention to detail, making the show look and feel as realistic as possible. The show has several battle scenes, but the Battle of Carentan stands out as the best.
Rotten Tomatoes gives Band of Brothers a 94% critics’ rating and a 97% audience rating.
As Easy Company fights to capture the French town from the Germans, the scenes show the unrelenting fear and exhaustion suffered by the soldiers as they go from one battle to another. “Carentan” focuses on Private Blithe, who freezes in combat and suffers PTSD. The spectacle and harrowing emotional scenes make this Band of Brothers episode the best TV battle scene of all time.