6 brutally negative reviews critics gave 'Game of Thrones' when it first came out

HBO

"Game of Thrones" is a juggernaut that seems to have conquered every corner of the internet and pop culture.

While the show's season seven finale set a series record with 16.5 million viewers, "Game of Thrones" has always done well in ratings. But that doesn't mean all critics were sold when the show first came out. In fact, there were a few high-profile outlets that panned the show's first season, including The New York Times.

The criticisms ranged from totally valid concerns about pacing, to some pretty low blows like comparing it to the Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark." Ouch!

Here are the best bad reviews that "Game of Thrones" season one got, which we found via Rotten Tomatoes: