This week I caught the first episode of the new GOT prequel, ‘House of the Dragon’. When I was in Amsterdam I saw people queueing for a preview and so I knew it would arrive on our screens soon but I wasn’t sure if it would be worth watching or not. How can anything live up to Game of Thrones?
After being disappointed by the end of GOT (a bit rushed and not really satisfying for fans) I was wary of a new series being developed as so often they are poorer versions of originals. Nevertheless I noticed that Sue Perkins had a panel show which was discussing the new season and she quickly got me intrigued.
In A Nutshell
Daenerys Targaryen was the last in a long line of dragon riding royalty and this series was all about her ancestors, 200 years before Game of Thrones. The King was chosen by ballot and was desperate for a male heir. His daughter was uninterested in power and his raging brother (Matt Smith) was a loose cannon, intent on inheriting the Iron Throne himself.
The daughter, Rhaenyra, was a young version of herself and had a close friend whose father was the King’s right hand man, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans). The friend, Alicent, will eventually grow up to be played by the brilliant Olivia Cooke. I cannot wait to see how the Hightowers become involved in the unfolding stories, especially as they are played by such talented actors.
Without giving too much away, the first episode is all about establishing the royal family. The Queen was in labour and the King had arranged a tournament in the name of his forthcoming heir. Needless to say, things didn’t flow predictably. Thank goodness.
What Was Missing?
For me, I enjoyed the original series because each main character (mainly the Stark family) went off on journeys and we caught up with them each week. Mind you, they all started off in Winterfell in the first episode.
Everything in House of the Dragon began in Kings Landing. However, hopefully they will all spread out to different places in future episodes. That is one thing that I really enjoyed and will miss if House of the Dragon doesn’t do it.
Summary
I hope that you get to check out House of the Dragon on Sky Atlantic or Now TV. It is really good and sets the scene incredibly well. There is so much potential for a fulfilling season.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read my blog. You can also read a previous post about the ‘Where the Crawdads Sing’ movie. Please follow the blog for similar future reviews of books, TV shows and films.
