--- title: 'Game of Thrones' Tops Most Pirated Shows of 2016 description: Despite earlier reports "The Grand Tour" was the most pirated show of 2016, new data suggests it's still all about HBO's "Game of Thrones." canonical: https://time.com/4618954/game-of-thrones-pirated-2016/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-12-28T17:28:39.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-08-04T07:47:36.734Z og:title: 'Game of Thrones' Tops Most Pirated Shows of 2016 og:description: Guess everyone wanted to know what was happening with Jon Snow og:url: https://time.com/4618954/game-of-thrones-pirated-2016/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt41fcdefae044c9ad/6988915dcd1bbafda9700810/jon-snow-kit-harrington-hbo.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1920 og:image:height: 1080 og:image:alt: jon-snow-kit-harington-hbo og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 'Game of Thrones' Tops Most Pirated Shows of 2016 twitter:description: Guess everyone wanted to know what was happening with Jon Snow twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt41fcdefae044c9ad/6988915dcd1bbafda9700810/jon-snow-kit-harrington-hbo.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # _Game of Thrones_ Tops the Most Illegally Downloaded Shows of 2016 > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME The Brief: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition The Brief is one of seven email newsletters published by TIME, the news organization founded in 1923. The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors. The Brief brings TIME's perspective to the day's most important stories, helping readers understand not just what is happening, but why it matters. It combines original reporting and analysis with the best of TIME, spanning politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. 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It curates the day's top headlines with TIME's reporting and analysis across politics, world affairs, business, health and culture. It is free to join at time.com/newsletters. #### How do I sign up for The Brief? The Brief is available free at time.com/newsletters, where readers can select it along with any of TIME's other six newsletters. There is no subscription required to receive it. #### Is The Brief free? Yes. The Brief is a free daily email newsletter from TIME. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes The Brief? The Brief is led by editor Richard Hall and draws on reporting from TIME's newsroom. Every edition is assembled by TIME editors rather than generated automatically. ## Video: Game of Thrones Season 6 Deleted Scene [Watch (HLS stream): Game of Thrones Season 6 Deleted Scene](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/jGhGXrb5.m3u8) (1:15)  _Published 2016-11-11. Game of Thrones Season 6 Deleted Scene_ by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Dec 28, 2016 5:28 PM UTC  A still image of Kit Harington as Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. A still image of Kit Harington as Jon Snow on Game of Thrones. HBO by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Dec 28, 2016 5:28 PM UTC Back in 2015, [_Game of Thrones_](http://time.com/4429346/game-of-thrones-season-7-cast-news/?iid=sr-link2) ended its fifth season on a jaw-dropping cliffhanger: Jon Snow was killed at the hands of his own Night’s Watch brethren. Then rumors started that [Kit Harington](http://time.com/4386352/game-of-thrones-kit-harington/?iid=sr-link4), who plays Snow in the HBO series, was still loitering around set. Was he just hanging out with his friends? Or was Jon Snow not [actually dead](http://time.com/3924852/every-game-of-thrones-death/?iid=sr-link5)? To find out, millions of people tuned in to the premiere of the show’s [sixth season](http://time.com/4354065/game-of-thrones-episode-7-photos/?iid=sr-link4) on HBO this past April—and if they didn’t have access to [HBO](http://time.com/3510434/hbo-online-streaming/?iid=sr-link10) (or their parents’ [HBO GO](http://time.com/51346/hbo-go-crashes-game-of-thrones-season-4-premiere/?iid=sr-link1) account), they downloaded the show from torrent sites. At least that’s what we can gather from [_TorrentFreak_](https://torrentfreak.com/game-of-thrones-most-torrented-tv-show-of-2016-161226/)_,_ an online publication that calculates (among other things) the number of times shows are illegally downloaded. And for the fifth year in a row, [_Game of Thrones_ ](http://time.com/4499327/game-of-thrones-cast-2016-emmys/?iid=sr-link8)topped the list of most pirated shows. _TorrentFreak_ reported _The Walking Dead_, which also ended on an intense cliffhanger, came in second place, followed by HBO’s latest hit, _Westworld._ Rounding out the top ten were _The Flash, Arrow, The Big Bang Theory, Vikings, Lucifer,_ _Suits_ and Amazon’s show about British car enthusiasts, _The Grand Tour_. Interestingly, an earlier report suggested _The_ _Grand Tour_ was the [most illegally downloaded show ever](http://fortune.com/2016/12/12/amazon-grand-tour-pirated/). But Muso, the anti-piracy firm who calculated that particular data, is now saying the show might only be the most pirated in the UK, according to [Digital Spy](http://www.digitalspy.com/tv/game-of-thrones/news/a817785/game-of-thrones-most-illegally-downloaded-show-2016/). \[H/T [Mashable](http://mashable.com/2016/12/28/game-of-thrones-pirated-2016/?utm%5Fcid=hp-n-1#sqW2hQPo2Oq2)\] ## Transcript So you actually thought she sent you to the iron bank to negotiate? You. Well, as [ UNKNOWN ] it seemed only natural. [ UNKNOWN ] Bannister sent you to [ UNKNOWN ] to get you out of her way. And she sent the bloody king's guard to make sure you stayed there so out of her way you stayed. Eating, drinking, singing, while your own children were being- Mother! That is an entirely unfair accusation! Look me in the eye and tell me there was no singing. Well, it won't happen again. Kevin Lannister has asked me to attend the small council meeting. He has. He has. So does this mean you'll be the master of coin now? It means I am the mistress of getting my grandchildren out of bloody prison. We want the same thing, they're my children and I fear for them every day and every night. We will get them back. We will leave this miserable place. And let the Sparrows and Lannisters rip each other to pieces. 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