House of the Dragon - GoT Prequel Series (non book reader)

[Deleted User]

Doesn't (and can't) have the freshness that GoT had over a decade ago.

The family tree exposition stuff wasn't done all that well I thought and yes the names themselves are off-putting.

When the dragons finally made it into GoT it was a bit of a CGI-fest compared to what came before and they are obviously here from the start.

Hasn't really grabbed me.

feelings

Not a fan of Matt Smith in this roll. He was one of the best Dr. Who's but I didn't warm to him at all in this.

_Kaiser_

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119511105#Comment_119511105

Plus this thread is buried in this sub-forum rather than the main TV one

Watched it last night and I really enjoyed it myself. I was late to the GoT party anyway (watched 6 seasons back to back) and I love that they kept the music/audio cues and the general feel of the parent show.

I think Damon was great myself, but other standouts being the King and the Hand (though you'd miss Tywin and Tyrion's sardonic attitudes). First episode sets things up well and I'm glad thay they're still focusing on the political intrigue and backstabbing rather than "ooh, Dragons!!"

Looking forward to more.

Galwayguy35

Not a bad opening episode, thought the dragons didn't look very realistic but apart from that looks like it might be a decent watch.

i was underwhelmed, to be honest. A big hype in the build up then didn't really deliver. 6/10 would be my score. i'll stay with it and see how it develops.

Mr.S

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119511180#Comment_119511180

I'd wonder how long it will last - GoT was absolutely massive, I can't remember a show that was as big socially, maybe LOST at the beginning, Soprano's before that? So it's only logical this will have huge interest. There's a video going around from outside an apartment block in NYC and you can see apartment watching it at the same time as the light changes are sequenced!

--

I liked the season opener. It's not the core Game of Thrones, but the storyline seems a bit more structured / solid with less subplots like GoT had. Casting seems a bit all over the place, it seems hard to connect with any of them where as Game of Thrones had perfect casting for the roles.

geecee

Rhys Ifans was definitely channelling Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister) in the early scenes at the Kings council, I was expecting his surname to be Lannister!

Homelander

I thought it was pretty OK. Not amazing, but being fair it took me a few episodes to really get enthralled in Game of Thrones as well, but definitely solid enough as a scene setter.

Cast was good, maybe Matt Smith was a little two one-dimensional and hamming it up a bit, but no major complaints.

partyjungle

I enjoyed that a lot more than I thought I would. Gathered it was serviceable from some headlines so had low expectations. Far exceeded them. Glad to have something decent to watch week to week. There's a great menace about Daemon. Didn't know Matt Smith had it in him.

ardinn

I enjoyed it, it was fairly gruesome in parts I thought, Got was aswell but it led up to it - I nearly turned it off at the birth (not sure why - im not squeamish) Maybe thats a compliment to the way it was acted.

The names are infuriating however.

Of course its early days, id give it a 7, maybe an 8/10 for entertainment.

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119521771#Comment_119521771

I had to look away at parts of the section too and I'm not normally squeamish either.

The names don't bother me, I have to say. It's just a device GRRM uses.

gmisk

Finished first episode.

If I had to sum it up.

Watchable, enjoyable, predictable.

partyjungle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119521782#Comment_119521782

What do you mean by a device he uses

corkie

Renewed for second season.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/26/game-of-thrones-hbo-renews-house-of-the-dragon-for-season-2.html

pjcb

Does the king doesn't think he'll live long enough to wait 2 years to try and get the younger lady pregnant?

Did the hand not think that Daemon would have a dragon on call?

Tristram

Second episode is excellent. So many interesting ways this could develop. Can't wait for next week. Hope they can manage to sustain pace and momentum over the course of ten episodes.

corkie

https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/The_Rogue_Prince

https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/house-of-the-dragon-episode-2-review-the-rogue-prince/

Just watching it now.

ardinn

Really enjoyed that.

I dont like hightower!

pjcb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119538769#Comment_119538769

how could you not like this face?

Evade

It's interesting so far but I'd like the prequel part to be over soon so the real story can start.

castletownman

Enjoyable second episode and bubbling up nicely.

But...I can't take the black lad seriously with his blond dreadlocks.

Homelander

Good second episode. A bit more linear and far less complex than GOT was, but moving at a good pace while still setting things up nicely.

Was weird to see the GOT title music at the start and a new take on the mechanical landscape opening along with it.

Big Pussy Bonpensiero

Just a word of warning - avoid any memes you see with dragons that are not in the GoT sphere. There'sa a meme going around with Joffrey showing Margaery around the dragon skulls in the Red Keep - avoid that too and don't rewatch that scene should you come across it. I hope it's not the ultimate ending, but it's a massive spoiler and I ruined it for myself browsing through r/freefolk earlier on. Very annoying that spoilers for the show are going to be much harder to avoid this time round.

Slydice

2: Well.. it's like a landslipe of bad decisions are just going to pile up here and something will fall over.

Also.. looking at those people on

Spoiler Warning

the beach.. on one of their shoulders at the end.. that looked like that skin disease from game of thrones.. that Jorah Mormont got.

so some kind of civil war brewing .. with skin disease? *one quick google later...* greyscale?

I did like Rhaenyras costume.. the way the scales looked was cool.

Loafing Oaf

I'm very impressed with Rhys Ifans so far. Totally unlike anything I've seen him in before

pjcb

OMG the guy on the official podcast is annoying https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcUmLlopkdM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGH31e5PP58

Penn

Another really good episode. I think they're setting up the characters and conflicts well. I particularly liked how they use the dragons sparingly; as a show of strength without just big dragon fights (which I'm worried it will eventually descend into). The politics and relationships are far more interesting.

The accent of Daemon's new wife is shocking though. I didn't really rate the actress when she was in Devs and I worry for her in this if that's the accent she's chosen.

Johnny Storm

Serious question: The Targareans have 10 adult dragons and those dragons make them an almost invincible military force.

So why is one of those dragons owned by a teenage princess whose main responsibility is to serve wine at committee meetings?

That's be like a princess having her own fully armed nuclear submarine or something???

If they don't take Rhaenyra seriously at all why is she in charge of a significant part of their military might?

I appreciate that maybe only a handful of people are able to control a dragon, but since she obviously can and since she is in charge of a dragon why doesn't she have lots of power/influence?

PsychoPete

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119541295#Comment_119541295

I'd imagine it's because she's a woman, they don't want a woman on the iron throne so they certainly aren't going to take orders from her

Penn

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119541295#Comment_119541295

The same reason why in GoT, Bran was Lord of Winterfell when Robb went off to war, Lyanna Mormont was Lady of Bear Island, Robin Aryn was Lord of the Vale after Littlefinger offed Lysa Aryn. They get their positions and privileges through their position in their families.

Rhaenyra has a dragon because she's a Targaryen and being raised alongside the dragon bonds the dragon to them (hence why Daemon claimed he wanted a dragon egg for his child though it was just a ploy to antagonise Viserys). She's serving wine at the committee meetings in part to see how the small council operates as she's part of the royal family. But the dragon is hers due to her position in the family, not because she's in charge of part of their military might. The Targaryens are dragon riders, no-one else (as far as I know).

She is the oldest of the King's children (even if Viserys' son lived). She has a high position in the royal family, and she's a Targaryen so the dragon is her birthright. Serving the wine makes her privy to the decisions and discussions of the Small Council. She's not just serving wine, she's learning how to rule.