Review: After the spectacular final season of Game of Thrones, HBO is developing multiple spin-offs, prequels and sequels to the fantasy series. With a pilot wrapped up and scrapped for a prequel set ten thousand years before GoT titled Bloodmoon, all eyes are on House of the Dragon. With very high expectations from fans and critics, House of the Dragon stays closer to the era of the original series. With familiar families, locations and tone, House of the Dragon feels like the Game of Thrones we know so well. The biggest difference between this series and its predecessor is that it lacks the uniqueness and freshness that Game of Thrones introduced to the airwaves. While this series is far from a masterpiece, it’s not the disaster I was expecting. Set 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen, House of the Dragon mimics the palace intrigue of Game of Thrones with various characters from rival families backstabbing and plotting a chance to sit on the Iron Throne. The first episode of the series spends the majority of its running time establishing the various players in this round of the game, many of whom are members of the titular ruling family. The entire first episode focuses on the heir to King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) who has yet to have a male child. His cousin, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best), is waiting with her husband, Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint). Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), the Hand of the King, mistrusts Viserys’ brother Daemon (Matt Smith), the presumptive heir to the throne. Otto’s daughter Alicent (Emily Carey) is the closest friend of Viserys’ elder Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), who is not the heir due to Westeros never having a female monarch. The first episode of House of the Dragon establishes that despite the two centuries between the series, Westeros hasn’t changed much. From technology to culture, both series look almost identical. Much of that could be attributed to the involvement of Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi and director Miguel Sapochnik, both of whom keep the look, feel, and sound of this series true to its predecessor. The quality of the production values is on par with Game of Thrones, as is the somewhat underwhelming CGI on the dragons. Large animals are much more abundant in House of the Dragon and don’t seem to be quite the spectacle they were in Game of Thrones. In many ways, House of the Dragon is similar to George Lucas’ Star Wars prequels, as we hear familiar names, families and stories meant to connect us to the series set hundreds of years later. But for as much connection as we’ve had with the Lannisters and Starks, this series forces us to align ourselves with the Targaryen faction and less with a set of families. While only the first episode was available for this review, it’s clear that House of the Dragon aims to replicate Game of Thrones rather than diverge from it. Matt Smith, a director on both Morbius and Last Night in Soho, continues to steal the spotlight here as Daemon, a character who combines elements of Joffrey Baratheon, Draco Malfoy and Loki into a character who will love common to hate. Rhys Ifans and Steve Toussaint also deliver subtle but impressive performances, while Paddy Considine shines as a monarch facing pressure to secure his legacy. Both Milly Alcock and Emily Carey are good in roles that will be central to the story, although it seems unclear when this season will change in time for their adult counterparts, Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke, to take on the roles of Rhaenyra and Alicent. House of the Dragon also maintains the nudity and brutal violence of Game of Thrones as a staple with many gruesome sequences including a couple that rival the previous series’ most disturbing moments. There are a lot of brothel sequences, so breasts are exposed more than the minimum viable amount you’d expect from an HBO series. The first episode reminded me a lot of the first season of Game of Thrones with a lot of focus on the establishment of the various factions and who to trust and who to be wary of. I remain curious about this show if only because George RR Martin has created a layered and deep mythology that is interesting to revisit even if we know the fate of many of these characters is already sealed. House of the Dragon still has the potential to become a prequel to Better Call Saul that can enhance the experience of the story it came from. While I would have been much more interested in visiting an entirely separate era of Westeros history, I was very amused by this look at how a series of events paved the way for the Lannisters, Starks, and White Walkers to clash. There is a long time left for this series to distinguish itself and present a story worth investing in. For now, I can say that what House of the Dragon shows in the first episode is much better than the last season of Game of Thrones, but it still has a long way to compete with the first seasons that made this fantasy series so great success. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love this show, I just don’t know if I do yet. House of the Dragon premieres August 21st on HBO. 7
