House of the Dragon – premiering August 21 on HBO Max and August 22 on Disney+ Hotstar – is in an awkward position. Without fault, a cloud casts over Game of Thrones’ prequel spin-offs. The eighth and final season of Thrones left almost everyone with a bad taste in their mouths due to a series of awkward and hasty creative decisions. At the same time, the huge success of Thrones over the years—it was arguably the biggest TV show of 2010—is why House of the Dragon even exists. It would never get a chance, and there wouldn’t be more spin-offs in the works if its big brother didn’t pave the way for epic fantasy series on television. (In fact, Thrones even has Amazon to thank for The Lord of the Rings TV show, which is due out in 10 days.)
But beyond that jail d’etre, dragon house It has nothing to do with Game of Thrones. It is still established in Westeros, but it happened almost two centuries ago. That means no Thrones characters are going to appear, although there are plenty of family dynasties you’ll recognize. While there is no continuity in front of the screen, the people behind the screen keep going. Don’t Worry, Thrones Creators David Benioff and DB Weiss, Who Were Rightly Blamed for season 8 messare not included.
Ramin Javadi, composer on game of Thrones, returns in that capacity on the prequel series, setting aside its own themes. House of the Dragon earns your love and respect before the first episode rolls out a modified version of the GoT theme. (I haven’t seen the title sequence, so I can’t say if it’s equally epic.) More importantly, Miguel Sapochnik—who played Season 5’s “Hardhome” and Season 6’s “Battle of the Bastards” ” Including some memorable Thrones episodes. “and “The Winds of Winter” – co-showrunner with Ryan Condall (Colony).
All you need to know about House of the Dragon
And thankfully they know what they’re doing. House of the Dragon is a thing of beauty from the very first episode, as it provided an entertaining and engaging pilot that I wanted to revisit the moment it ended. Of course, the Thrones prequel benefits from existing world-building — Westeros, King’s Landing, and the Red Keep are no longer foreign to us — but the writing, directing, and performances add to it. It nails the visual construction, narrative pace, and moment-to-moment flow. These may seem like small things, but they can make or break a TV show. Additionally, there is an increased understanding of female characters which pays off immediately. Sure, game of Thrones A group of women was at the fore, but most complaints also stemmed from their behavior.
The Thrones prequel shows itself to be more mature in that regard from the get-go. Set in a Westeros that’s even more patriarchal than we can remember – and one that has far more dragons – dragon house It begins with a great council convened by the ailing king Zeherys Targaryen to vote on a successor, as he has outlived both of his sons. (Why aren’t the other mighty houses of Westeros vying for the throne? Because no one clearly wants to go up against a family with dragons.) The alternative is their eldest son’s daughter, Raines (Eve Best), and their younger cousins. There are Viserys (Paddy). Considine). Even though Rainis has a strong claim, the council voted for Viserys. Simply because she is a man, and there is no precedence for a woman on the Iron Throne.
Nineteen years later, King Viserys finds himself in a similar pickle. With his wife Emma (Sean Brooke) unable to “provide” him with a male heir, Viserys is forced to live with his daughter Rainera (Millie Alcock/Emma D’Arcy), or his younger brother Damon (Matt Smith). Have to choose between. Naturally, because he is a man, Damon is supposed to be the successor. But Damon is also reckless and capricious, warns Ser Otto Hightower (Rice Ifans), the king’s hand. Viserys made the bold choice of naming Rainera as his successor, which upsets many in King’s Landing because it goes against tradition. Otto, who hates Damon, begins to implement his plans to turn his daughter Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey/Olivia Cooke) into places of power.
Inside House of the Dragon, the Fiery Game of Thrones Prequel Spin-Off
The main focus of House of the Dragon is the friendship between Renera and Alicent. Or rather, how friendships break down because of patriarchy, what they want and what is expected of them. That’s why the prequel time jumps to portray the story of the two actresses playing their roles, unlike Game of Thrones. While Alcock and Carey play them as teenagers, D’Arcy and Cook take over as the season progresses. The Time Leap brings us to the famous Targaryen War of Succession, the Dance of the Dragons—which was talked about in Game of Thrones—though it’s unclear how long Kondal and Sapochnik plan to stretch it. Huh. (it is hypothetical hinted at An anthology format for what it’s worth, which would mean even more time jumps.)
While House of the Dragon undoubtedly has a narrow focus, as its title makes clear, it was also Game of Thrones that was fair at its beginning. The first season largely revolved around the Starks and Lannisters, introducing other characters in bits and parts. House of the Dragon gives us some non-Targaryen characters, although they are all related to the Dragonriders in some way or another. There is the King’s Council, which includes Otto, Damon, and the famous seafarer Lord Corliss “Sea Snake” Valerian (Steve Toussaint), who is also the husband of Rainis, The Queen Who Never Was. Dornish swordsman Ser Kristen Cole (Fabian Frankel) also forms part of the main cast, as does dancer Massaria (Sonoya Mizuno) who becomes close to Damon as the show progresses.
As you might expect from a TV show cost under At $20 million (about Rs 159 crore) per episode, House of the Dragon is well shot, appropriately epic, and has great production values. This is more than what HBO spent on the final season of Game of Thrones ($15 million per episode). While Thrones had to prove itself before getting the big budget – the first season was made on $6 million (approximately Rs 48 crore) per episode – HBO It’s comfortable to pay a lot of money to a fantasy show from the start, because it deals with a proven universe. (Plus, there are giant dragons here from the first minute, and I’ve heard they cost a lot to make.) Although I think HBO needs to put it on a great show to justify those investments in House of the Dragon. will be required.
she hulkHouse of the Dragon, and more on Disney+ Hotstar in August
Matt Smith as Prince Damon Targaryen in House of the Dragon
Photo Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO
While Game of Thrones may have ended in ashes and flames, during its heyday, there was no such show. Not only was it captivating with its twists and violence, but it also delivered a story that could only be done on TV. Characters you previously despised began to redeem themselves years later, while those you idolized or respected paid a heavy price for their values. Thrones was also very (deeply) funny, a trait that many people overlook—especially those who try to emulate it. and Benioff and Weiss were great when they had George RR Martin Books to fall back on.
Kondal and Sapochnik do not have them at all. Yes, technically, House of the Dragon is based on Martin’s 2018 book “Fire and Blood” (one volume). But it’s not like the novels that were adapted into Thrones. It is an encyclopedia at best, a dry history of the Targaryen years from Aegon I’s conquest of Westeros to Aegon III’s reign. In true GRRM fashion, Fire and Blood is the first of two planned versions, and the second lacks a date like in “The Winds of Winter”. This fact may be alarming to some interested viewers, considering how it all ended with Thrones.
But House of the Dragon shows that we are in safe hands. In fact, here are the Flashes that suggest we may be getting the best of Game of Thrones back, permeating our collective terrifying memories of Season 8. By dragons, do we deserve it.
House of the Dragon premiere Sunday, August 21 Wherever available, at 9 p.m. ET on HBO Max. It premieres on Monday, 22 August 6:30 AM IST On Disney+ Hotstar in India.