▁had ▁previously ▁directed ▁two ▁episodes ▁each ▁in ▁the ▁second , ▁third ▁and ▁fifth ▁season . ▁The ▁out door ▁Winter f ell ▁scenes ▁were ▁fil med ▁at ▁sets ▁in ▁M one yg lass ▁and ▁Mag her am or ne ▁in ▁Northern ▁Ireland , ▁with ▁ind oor ▁scenes ▁fil med ▁at ▁P aint ▁Hall ▁stud ios ▁in ▁B elf ast . ▁ ▁Re ception ▁ ▁Rat ings ▁ ▁" W inter f ell " ▁was ▁viewed ▁by ▁ 1 1 . 7 6 ▁million ▁view ers ▁on ▁its ▁initial ▁live ▁broadcast ▁on ▁H BO , ▁and ▁an ▁additional ▁ 5 . 6 ▁million ▁view ers ▁on ▁streaming ▁platforms , ▁for ▁a ▁total ▁ 1 7 . 4 ▁million ▁view ers . ▁ ▁Crit ical ▁response ▁ ▁The ▁episode ▁received ▁largely ▁positive ▁reviews ▁from ▁critics , ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁best ▁review ed ▁episode ▁of ▁the ▁season . ▁It ▁has ▁a ▁ 9 2 % ▁appro val ▁rating ▁on ▁the ▁review ▁aggreg ator ▁website ▁Rotten ▁Tomatoes , ▁based ▁on ▁ 1 0 9 ▁reviews ▁with ▁an ▁average ▁score ▁of ▁ 7 . 7 2 ▁out ▁of ▁ 1 0 . ▁The ▁site ' s ▁cons ensus ▁reads , ▁" Th ough ▁surprising ly ▁blood less , ▁hard - f ought ▁reun ions , ▁b one - ch illing ▁surpr ises , ▁and ▁a ▁welcome ▁do se ▁of ▁humor ▁help ▁" W inter f ell " ▁set ▁the ▁stage ▁for ▁what ▁should ▁be ▁an ▁ep ic ▁final ▁season ." ▁ ▁Sarah ▁Hugh es ▁of ▁The ▁Guardian ▁wrote ,