If you need to know, I got my nosebleed around episode 6 (there are 10 episodes in total). I’m not actually sure when my nose starting bleeding, since I was binging it from around episode 4 that day. But during an intense scene which made me fear for one of the main characters, my nose started dripping blood (one side only), and I almost couldn’t make it for my appointments for the rest of the day.
That’s how intense it was.
And if you’re wondering if it’s only episode 6 that’s intense – haha! The intensity starts out strong with episode 1, which stopped me from eating my dinner. It’s reminiscent of Game of Thrones’ good seasons, and I loved it.
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Synopsis
House of the Dragon is a fantasy drama series that’s a prequel to Game of Thrones. Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, it revolves around the decline of House Targaryen after it has united the Seven Kingdoms in Westeros. The first season depicts the reign of King Viserys I Targaryen, and the events that led to the fracturing of House Targaryen.
Directors: Claire Kilner, Geeta Vasant Patel, Miguel Sapochnik, and Greg Yaitanes.
Writers: Ryan J. Condal, Charmaine DeGrate, Sara Hess, Gabe Fonseca, Kevin Lau, Ira Parker, and Eileen Shim.
Cast:
- Paddy Considine (Viserys I Targaryen)
- Matt Smith (Daemon Targaryen)
- Emma D’Arcy (Rhaenyra Targaryen, episodes 6-10)
- Milly Alcock (young Rhaenyra Targaryen, episodes 1-5)
- Rhys Ifans (Otto Hightower)
- Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon)
- Eve Best (Rhaenys Targaryen)
- Sonoya Mizuno (Mysaria)
- Fabien Frankel (Criston Cole)
- Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower, episodes 6-10)
- Emily Carey (young Alicent Hightower, episodes 1-5)
- Graham McTavish (Harrold Westerling)
- Matthew Needham (Larys Strong)
- Harry Collett (Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon)
- Tom Glynn-Carney (Aegon II Targaryen)
- Ewan Mitchell (Aemond Targaryen)
- Phia Saban (Helaena Targaryen)
- Bethany Antonia (Baela Targaryen)
- Phoebe Campbell (Rhaena Targaryen)
Episodes: 10
Running time: 45-69 minutes
The most intense show you can watch on television
House of the Dragon is truly the most intense show you can watch on television right now. Decapitations are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the numerous gruesome deaths on the show, ranging from being eaten by various beasts to literally being cut in half in every which angle possible. Then there are the injuries – maimings that make me flinch just from the thought of it. But the violence serves a thematic purpose – which is to underscore just how lethal the politicking in Westeros is. The feuds and conflicts of the characters in House of the Dragon carry very real, very lethal consequences – which is why the characters will stop at nothing to ensure their safety, and (most of the time) the safety of their Houses.
If you’re wondering – yes, sexual relations are also depicted on screen. It’s markedly less than Game of Thrones, and they’re given a more raw and bestial treatment, rather than the sometimes erotic take that Game of Thrones would have. But it has its place, in that it serves to show the inclinations of certain characters, in more ways than one.
But more importantly, it’s not just death and sex that get gory depictions. Childbirths are shown in all their painful glory, and rightly so for a show where the two main protagonists are female. I’ve never had a good, hard think about childbirth before, and I’ve never been privy to one. For me, the childbirths were incredibly intense to watch – especially the numerous ways they can go wrong. And in a show that focuses so much on death, it’s only right that it shines a light on birth as well.
The brutal politicking is a treat to watch
But perhaps the most intense aspect of House of the Dragon is the political manoeuvring (or at times, outright backstabbing) of the different characters. From Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) to Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), to even Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey/Olivia Cooke) and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock/Emma D’Arcy), every single character is playing their own complex game of chess, striving to force their pieces in place to achieve their own checkmates. And in the process, the worst aspects of humanity (and dragonkind) are brought to the fore, as layers upon layers of their scheming are unravelled.
You’d know all this if you read the books (sorry, I haven’t, not sure if starting on them is going to leave me hanging the way reading A Song of Ice and Fire has), but to me, it’s cathartic to watch all this play out on screen. On some level, I take pleasure in seeing the characters do the things I’ve always secretly desired to do to my enemies, and seeing the grave consequences of those actions. Of course I wouldn’t do them in real life – but seeing it play out on television is a guilty pleasure that I’ll readily indulge in.
The focus on House Targaryen makes for clearer storytelling
It’s unfair to compare House of the Dragon to Game of Thrones but I’m going to do it anyway, because if there’s one thing the series has taught me, it’s that life isn’t fair. And I have to say – having the spotlight squarely on House Targaryen makes for a stronger, clearer story. It means that we know who the protagonists are, since it’s literally in the title of the show, and those characters are front and centre.
That doesn’t mean there’s no conflict, because as you might have rightly guessed, the decline of House Targaryen comes largely from within. It also doesn’t mean we don’t see the other Houses trying to edge in on the throne, because they do appear in the show and their interactions with House Targaryen are clearly for self-benefit. But it also means there’s less of a sprawling storyline to keep track of, and you can follow the plot without resorting to copious Googling. I think it’s a better approach to Game of Thrones than Game of Thrones did.
The time jumps are a mixed bag
The season skips forward several years literally halfway through, resulting in cast changes for Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock exits to let Emma D’Arcy to assume the role) and Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey is replaced by Olivia Cooke), as well as some supporting characters. It’s necessary in order to progress the storyline. But it wasn’t clear when it first happened (and I hadn’t quite begun my frantic Googling yet), so it was disconcerting in episode 6. So I’m saying it here – there’s a time jump in episode 6, just in case you get a nosebleed like me.
I preferred Milly Alcock’s portrayal of Rhaenyra Targaryen to Emma D’Arcy. Alcock seemed to portray Rhaenyra’s strength and dignity in the face of of her helplessness much better than D’Arcy, who feels more stoic and muted. Perhaps it’s supposed to be an indicator of Rhaenyra’s maturity as she grows older, but in reality it made for a huge disconnect. The two actresses don’t seem to be playing the same character at all, and it made it hard for me to root for Rhaenyra in the second half of the show.
Olivia Cooke plays a marvellously nuanced Alicent Hightower
On the other hand, the actress change for Alicent Hightower was spot on. Emily Carey played an innocent, uncertain Alicent Hightower who seemed to be a chess piece that was being manipulated by various characters, and her youth and meekness were so reminiscent of a child being forced to assume a role well beyond her years. But when Olivia Cooke takes over, you can clearly tell that she’s playing the same character – only with more maturity, cunning, and wisdom. Cooke’s Alicent keeps the idealism and naiveté present without letting it become a defining part of a character – in other words, retaining what was so memorable and distinctive of Carey’s portrayal, while showing us how Alicent has grown in knowledge and experience. She understands the ways of the world, and although she wishes things could be different, she knows what must be done.
Carey plays an Alicent who is a girl, while Cooke plays an Alicent who is a woman. And Cooke’s portrayal, which co-opts elements of Carey’s Alicent, is what makes Alicent Hightower one of the most complex characters in House of the Dragon.
Conclusion
House of the Dragon recaptures the best of Game of Thrones, while still carving out its own niche in terms of intensity and storytelling. The scheming and squabbling between the Houses is what makes it such a delight to watch, and the more explicit elements only serve to highlight the thematic aspects of the show. Having awareness of the time jump and cast changes will greatly help with your appreciation of the first season. But most importantly, it focuses on everyone’s favourite House – House Targaryen. That, in and of itself, is what makes House of the Dragon such a draw.
Score: 8/10
House of the Dragon is available now on HBO GO.
Game of Thrones is available now on HBO GO.
This is an original article on marcusgohmarcusgoh.com.
You might also want to read:
- [TV Show Review] ‘Game of Thrones’ Season 8 was epic but ultimately hollow
- [Book Review] “A Game of Thrones” starts slow and ends well, Book 1 of A Song of Ice and Fire
- [Book Review] “A Clash of Kings” keeps tensions high throughout, Book 2 of a Song of Ice and Fire
- [Book Review] “A Storm of Swords” is a mammoth epic of Pyrrhic victories, Book 3 of a Song of Ice and Fire
- [Book Review] “A Feast for Crows” is sprawling but limited, Book 4 of a Song of Ice and Fire
- [Book Review] “A Dance with Dragons” concludes surprisingly well, Book 5 of A Song of Ice and Fire
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