House of the Dragon Season 1 Review – One of the biggest surprises of the year

Episode Guide

Game of Thrones will forever be remembered in history as being one of the most infamous television disasters ever. In its prime, it was unparalleled, even rivaling the brilliance and awe that was Breaking Bad at times. The plot was certainly a departure from the novels (where’s Lady Stoneheart where is Lady Stoneheart?) However, it managed to keep things in a tense state and, perhaps more importantly, keep the audience.

The reason Game of Thrones worked so well is due to its ability to defy common patterns in the world of fantasy. The noble, heroes weren’t always safe (RIP Ned Stark) while the chaotic realm, which was thrown into backstabbing powerplays made it more intense because you were aware that the danger from The White Walkers was hovering over our protagonists. What were they going to do to stop the White Walkers? What is the best way to make everyone in Westeros come together to ward the threat vanish?

Of course, the last two seasons completely blew it into the fire and resulted in one of the most disappointing finales of any television show ever.

The prequels, as well as sequels of Game of Thrones, have been in the works for some time now, but when House of the Dragon was revealed, with the intention of stepping into the past for hundreds of years to witness what happened to the rise and decline of the Targaryens, many viewers were skeptical. While it isn’t the fastest and with a few issues throughout, House of the Dragon is among the most exciting surprises of this year. A well-written political period drama, with a splash of fantasy paint It’s a very excellent show.

It was created by George R.R. Martin (Because truthfully, George isn’t going to create Winds of Winter at this moment) House of the Dragon is a graphic account of the bloody history of the Targaryens which began 172 years prior to Daenerys’s birth. Targaryen. It is the story of King Viserys I is the throne’s incumbent and is looking to have a son succeed him. But he’s not able to get one, so his daughter Rhaenyra is born with the possibility of being the next heir to the throne. It is that, until Viserys gets married to Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra’s good acquaintance and the couple have children together.

Through several leaps ahead in time, Rhaenyra also weds, however, to Lord Corlys’s son Laenor Velaryon. With the bonds of Valeria and Targaryen solid, the focus quickly turns to the Iron Throne as the seeds for war start to grow along with Alicent and Rhaenyra’s kids.

The idea of giving away too much would be an insult to this series. But suffice it to say that all the typical hallmarks that are typical of George R.R. Martin’s works are evident. There’s a complex family hierarchy that is in play, a lot of shocks, and some poetry and foreshadowed dialogue all through.

The thing that’s really great about this show is the way it doesn’t make the viewer like an idiot. Many shows today feed you with information while the dialogue of the characters explains exactly what viewers are looking for or require in order to keep the viewers engaged. House of the Dragon however does not. The series deliberately hides a lot of the motivations of its characters and lets you determine what the characters want, which can lead to interesting conversations among fans.

The visuals of House of the Dragons are pretty decent and the series does not go over the top with its dragons. Much of the season’s episodes are shot in dark, dark rooms and have minimalist sets with the intention of building this world and its political allegiances rather than putting dragons into action-packed pieces just for the sake of it. But, when dragons do appear it’s more impressive and magnificent due to the sheer dimension and size of these creatures awe-inspiring at times.

House of the Dragon is not without imperfections, especially in regards to the place the story will end up and the apparent absence of tension in the background as Game of Thrones had. In addition, there are a few logic-jumping snubs that are taken in various aspects of the story which include a questionable conclusion to episode 9 as well as an undeveloped character in Crabfeeder.

House of the Dragon plays out as a very complex period drama of fantasy and if you’re in search of an action movie that’s fast and fast it is unlikely to find it in this. Although it’s not going to fill in the gap left by the conclusion in Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon is a perfect example of a series that exceeds expectations and focuses solely on its story and narrative beats instead of trying to impress with flashy visuals and a lack of world-building (hello Rings of Power). House of the Dragon is definitely worth watching.