TV Editor Josie Scott-Taylor reviews the first few episodes of House of the Dragon, praising its outstanding cast and intimate narrative focus
The way that Game of Thrones was immediately erased from the public’s collective consciousness after its trainwreck of an ending still entertains me, but clearly, people have just been waiting patiently for the next instalment. HBO has managed to reignite a shared love for the world of Westeros with its new prequel show, House of the Dragon. Set nearly two centuries before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), it follows her ancestors as they battle against the dark forces that want to see their house dethroned, documenting their slow demise. Everybody seems to want to be the one to sit atop the iconic Iron Throne, but there can only be one King – or Queen.
House of the Dragon’s pilot episode, ‘The Heirs of the Dragon’, contains just about everything a die-hard Game of Thrones fan could wish for. It has dramatic deaths, scheming politics, and, of course, a healthy amount of gore. A basically-unmedicated caesarean takes place on screen in just the first episode, almost (but not quite) surpassing the scene in Game of Thrones in which Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) has his eyes pushed back into his skull in front of hundreds of people. These reminders of Game of Thrones are simultaneously nostalgic and fascinating; although we know roughly what happens to the Targaryens later in the timeline, discovering more about their family history is incredibly intriguing.
Despite the fact that [Rhaenyra] clearly has everything it takes to sit on the Iron Throne, she is unfortunately not a man, and therefore is not a viable option
Ramin Djawadi’s return as the composer of the show’s soundtrack was definitely a smart move; every note in every track creates a flawless atmosphere throughout, and creates even more nostalgia for Game of Thrones. The references to familiar family names feel almost like you’re checking in with old friends, characters that we followed over eight seasons but haven’t heard from in a while. Perhaps people are just hungrier than usual for prequels of cult-classics, particularly after the near-perfect final season of Better Call Saul.
As Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) once said in Game of Thrones, “everywhere in the world, they hurt little girls”; this quote rings uncomfortably true in just the first few episodes of House of the Dragon, during which King Viserys I’s (Paddy Considine) self-assured teenage daughter Rhaenrya (Milly Alcock) is overshadowed in the fight to become the new heir. Despite the fact that she clearly has everything it takes to sit on the Iron Throne, she is unfortunately not a man, and therefore is not a viable option – to the people of King’s Landing, the logic is as simple as that. The battle between potential heirs is almost Succession-esque with a historical twist, although Viserys is a far more likeable patriarch than the tyrant Logan Roy (Brian Cox).
Speaking of odious characters, it would be a crime to review House of the Dragon without mentioning Matt Smith as the King Viserys’s brother, Daemon Targaryen. Smith is calculating, slimy, and definitely a villain to watch out for; the first episodes make it clear that he is going to play a crucial role in the downfall of his own house.
the focus on King’s Landing allows for more narrative focus, and more attention is paid to its rich tapestry of characters
One of the best things about Game of Thrones was its huge scale, spanning across the entirety of Westeros, telling intricate stories from all over the fictional world. Although House of the Dragon does not have this same scope, the focus on King’s Landing allows for more narrative focus, and more attention is paid to its rich tapestry of characters, who are fleshed out and concentrated on in a more intimate way. Of these characters, Rhaenyra is definitely a standout from the very first time she appears on the screen. Despite being just fifteen years old, Alcock’s outstanding performance has the confidence and courage of a girl who knows exactly what she wants from the world, and will not stop until she has it.
Despite it being in its early stages, House of the Dragon has demonstrated enough potential to almost make people forget about why they dropped Game of Thrones so quickly. If you enjoyed Game of Thrones on any level, I would definitely recommend watching its prequel.
Rating: 4/5
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