It’s been three years since Game of Thrones wrapped up its eight-season run, but the finale has still left a sour taste in many mouths. The good news is that a palate cleanser has arrived with House of the Dragon, very much a worthy successor to HBO’s hit fantasy series.
This is a spoiler-free review of House of the Dragon’s first episode.
The new series, based on the book Fire & Blood by George R.R. Martin, is a prequel that takes us right into the heart of one of Westeros’ most interesting houses: the Targaryens.
The noble family looks a whole lot different a few hundred years before Danaerys was born, with the Targaryen dynasty riding high on the power of the Iron Throne and the backs of its many dragons.
But it’s not long before the seeds of division are sewn within the family.
As old King Jahaerys I grows older without an obvious heir, he calls the houses of Westeros together to settle the matter of his succession, which results in his grandson, Viserys I (Paddy Constantine), taking the crown over Rhaenys (Eve Best). Rhaenys was born to his first son and technically has the better claim, but she’s a woman so god forbid she takes the throne.
Fast forward a few decades and a similar situation rears its head again in the Targaryen family. Viserys, a generally well-liked and peaceful king, must cement his line of succession and choose between his power-hungry brother Daemon (Matt Smith) or his daughter Rhaenyra (Millie Alcock, Emma D’Arcy).
Surrounding them is a diverse cast of intriguing characters each with their own morals and motives. Rhaenys, aka the Queen who never was (and is definitely not bitter about it), watches from the wings alongside her husband Corlys Velaryon, as does the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower, and his daughter Alicent, Rhaenyra’s best friend. As dissent grows within the ranks, each pair is set up to play an important part in the emerging civil war.
Despite being set long before the main timeline in Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon does share a lot of similarities with its predecessor.
House of the Dragon weaves an intricate political landscape of complicated familial ties that is both comfortably familiar and complicated. It’s easy to quickly lose track of who is related to who and which lord or lady is the master of what and why all their names are so similar. But it’s this complexity that also makes for such a rich and enthralling story.
Seeing as House of the Dragon is a prequel it does mark an easy entry point for both new viewers and long-time fans of George R.R. Martin’s world. The series is more contained than that of Game of Thrones, with much of the action taking place within one family, residing in the one location of King’s Landing. Well, for now at least.
It’s worth mentioning that House of the Dragon will make use of multiple timelines with two actors cast in the roles of Rhaenyra and Alicent to represent them at different points in time. How complicated this will get is yet to be seen, but it’s safe to say this isn’t a show to doze off in.
House of the Dragon’s first episode does an excellent job of setting up intriguing character conflicts that will fuel the drama of many episodes to come. It also lives up to the many preconceived expectations Game of Thrones fans will surely have.
The show remains tonally consistent with brazen scenes of nudity, violence and blood akin to GoT (although blessedly without the sexual violence).
The series also lives up to its name with plenty of dragons right out of the gate and it really is refreshing to see the Targaryen dynasty at the height of its power. We definitely haven’t seen all the fire and the blood that’s on offer yet, but there’s a lot of potential still to come from the Targaryen’s 17 dragons.
House of the Dragon maintains a nice balance of high-stakes decisions, sharp dialogue and emotional scenes. Visually, the show is also a bit more daring with GoT veteran Miguel Sapochnik guiding the series through gripping action sequences that alternate between vast and vibrant as well as quick and gritty.
At the end of the hour, it’s hard to believe how much House of the Dragon has packed in. If that’s what we’re in for each week it’s easy to see how this series could renew the good old days of Game of Thrones watch parties.
If there’s one thing the show is missing, it’s an epic intro. For almost a decade we sat in front of our screens humming the iconic Game of Thrones theme tune and gazing upon its detailed animated map. While that intro is hard to top, it’s a shame that House of the Dragon doesn’t even try. (Note: It’s been brought to my attention since writing this review that House of the Dragon will introduce a theme song from the second episode so, as you were).
While many viewers are probably happy to leave their Game of Thrones days behind after season eight, House of the Dragon redeems a lot of goodwill and rewards those fans looking for another brutal, politically-infused fantasy drama series set in a familiar world.
House of the Dragon review: The verdict
Pros: High-stakes emotional family drama, plenty of dragons, return to form for the franchise.
Cons: Might be too violent for sensitive viewers.
Watch it if you liked: Game of Thrones (duh), The Witcher, Vikings.
House of the Dragon debuts weekly on Binge from August 22.
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