House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones. The television series was created by George R. R. Martin and Ryan Condal for HBO. It's the second series in Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire franchise. It is based on parts of Martin's 2018 book Fire & Blood.

The series begins about 100 years after the Seven Kingdoms are united by the Targaryen conquest, nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and 172 years before the birth of the Daenerys Targaryen caricature featured in Game of Thrones.

House of the Dragons portrays the events leading to the decline of House Targaryen, and the devastating war of succession known as the "Dance of the Dragons".

As I stated in my review of The Game of Thrones, I was not that interested in watching Game of Thrones for several years. And, after watching a bit of one episode, Game of Thrones did not look very interesting to me. But, once I decided to find out what all the hoopla and massive fan base was all about, I decided give it a try. I not only purchased the complete series of Game of Thrones on DVDs, but I also purchased House of the Dragon Season 1, and then Season 2, when it came out, all on DVDs as well.

And, yes, also as I previously stated, I subscribe to several streaming services, and could watch most of the TV series I want much more easily by streaming them. But, I'm a collector, and I love collecting, and I'm collecting TV series DVDs. Don't hate me.

Anyway, before watching Game of Thrones, I checked online regarding whether I should watch House of the Dragon first before watching Game of Thrones, since House of the Dragon is a Prequel. I read several opinions that stated that it was best to watch Game of Thrones first, because I would better understand the story in House of the Dragon given it is the same of the fantasy world creation in which both series exist.

Therefore, I watched Game of Thrones first, and thoroughly enjoyed it, and then watched the first two seasons of House of the Dragon and enjoyed that story as well.

After watching both series however, I gotta disagree with those opinions I read on the Internet about which series to watch first. I think watching House of the Dragon first would have better prepared me for watching Game of Thrones. I was easily able to grasp the story, characters, and what was going on in House of the Dragon fairly easily.

Season 1 of House of the Dragon, was more what I would have called a game of thrones than anything else. The intrigue, suspense and political rivalries of the characters in the different kingdoms, and they're quest for power and riches was interesting yet complex. I felt it was similar to watching the intrigue, suspense and political rivalries of the Borgia TV series', or even the political chess game of the Trump administration.

The story in Season 1 of House of the Dragon was mostly about the Targaryen King trying to keep his rule all the while trying to maintain the peace. It was entertaining in a way, but, after episode after episode, it sometimes proved a little boring. That was at least until the last few episodes where... Bammm upside your head and your side blinded by what happens in the story, leaving your mouth haning open. And, of course, the season ends in a cliff hanger, prompting me to immediately begin to watch Season 2.

Season 2 of House of the Dragon is more similar to the Game of Thrones series in that there is still that suspense and political intrigue, but there also seems to be non-stop action, adventure, war and bloodshed. And, of course... Dragons!!!

The writing is equally as good as Game of Thrones, except for the slower pace and some of the more anguishing relationship based episodes in Season 1, which like I said, proved to be kind of boring. But, what was never boring was Season 2, which I spent many hours binge watching. The acting, production, direction, cinematography and special effects were all also excellent and equal to that of Game of Thrones.

My review seems to be, in some ways, the opposite of many other reviewers who seemed to love Season 1, but hated Season 2. But, I guess everyone's got a right to their opinion, right.

However, now I'm faced with the problem I hate. And that is that when I begin watching a series before all the seasons have been released, I'm left having to wait, sometimes years, before I can get back to the story to see what happens.

So, I now have to wait until sometime in 2026 to watch the release of House of the Dragon Season 3!

This has to be one of the best spinoffs ever made. This is a show where you can't be playing on your phone, cooking dinner or doing something else, it requires your undivided attention. It's a show that never gets stale. I can't remember ever being bored, even for one episode. I loved every second of every episode and I think you will to if you give it a chance. The one thing I didn't like was the time jump came to early. I would've liked to seen more of the earlier episode years. I've already watched this show twice from beginning to end. It can't wait for season 3 to get here.

Season 2 was a catapulted storm-not as great as Season 1, but still a brutal, calculated build-up to chaos. The ending was fire-Triarchy's fleet advancing, Velaryons ready, dragons unleashed, and the Arryns, Starks, Lannisters, Riverlands, and Hightowers all racing toward a bloody collision. Every episode was like a slow tightening of the noose, building toward something massive. This wasn't just a setup-it was the start of annihilation.

And to the GoT fanboys stuck worshipping Seasons 4-6: wake up. Your so-called "peak TV" was just budget battles, sexposition, and Tyrion recycling the same drunk jokes. House of the Dragon has already outclassed that overrated mess in depth, tension, and storytelling.

Despite the high anticipation surrounding the series, it's unfortunate that the only captivating element is the presence of dragons. The actors lack charisma, failing to bring their characters to life in a way that engages the audience. This deficiency in performance makes it nearly impossible to form any emotional connections with the characters. The narrative, which could have been enriched by strong, memorable personalities, instead falls flat, leaving viewers disinterested and detached. The dragons, while visually impressive, aren't enough to carry the entire show and redeem its shortcomings.

No emotional connection whatsoever with characters, and this is why it is not working. In 'House of the Dragon,' the narrative struggles to engage viewers on a deeper level. The characters, while visually striking and well-portrayed, lack the development needed to foster genuine attachment. Unlike 'Game of Thrones,' where complex backstories and evolving relationships drew audiences in, 'House of the Dragon' fails to provide sufficient depth. Without this emotional investment, viewers find it challenging to care about the fates and motivations of the characters. The intricate political plots and spectacular battles cannot compensate for the absence of heartfelt connections. Consequently, the show risks becoming a mere spectacle, losing the compelling human element that once captivated fans. For 'House of the Dragon' to succeed, it must cultivate richer character arcs and more intimate storytelling. Adding more personal stakes and emotional dilemmas could help bridge this gap, making the audience genuinely care about the characters' journeys.