The intrigues of House of the Dragon are very similar to the battle for European thrones in the Middle Ages. A fantasy mix of history with dragons, in other words. Food for viewers who don't spare their brains. Most people probably have no idea how violent many of the medieval successions to the throne have been. Yet the history books are full of fratricides, arranged marriages, betrayals, poisoned cups, succession wars and intrigues that rival the events of House of the Dragon (HotD). No, George R.R. Martin didn't have to look far for the House of the Dragon storylines.
According to chaos theory, nature always seeks a new equilibrium when an existing equilibrium is disturbed. A kingdom well-ruled is an example of such a balanced situation. That is, until the nobility inside and outside the borders has to start thinking about the succession to the throne. Then it's about survival. Who will find the best spot at the new table? Whose gender survives the power struggle until the next musical chairs?
For those who let themselves be carried away by the events, this series manages to create a palpable tension. The creeping danger that threatens the main characters gets closer as the season progresses. A sworn oath of loyalty can easily turn into betrayal if one's own position is threatened. Existing certainties evaporate as if they never existed and alliances are formed and broken. The own sex must survive at all costs.
Those moments of triumph and despair alternate in every episode.
Those moments of triumph and despair alternate in every episode. Because the acting performances are top notch, I didn't find it difficult to empathize with the characters. The decors and special effects are also beautiful and credible and the music and sounds evoke a suitable atmosphere.
For me this is one of the strongest series of recent years. Frankly, that comes as a bit of a surprise. At first I dropped out after five parts. Somehow it didn't interest me enough. I lost track of the unexpected and sometimes unclear time jumps and then it took me a while to understand who was who.
Still, I wanted to give the series a second chance. As if by magic, it clicked now. One episode after another flew by and I loved the strong story. I sympathized with the king. I understood the frustrations of the heirs to the throne and their fear of losing their place in history. Everything fit and I understood what George R.R. Martin wanted to tell with his Song of Ice and Fire.
I can't finish without giving a big compliment to all the actors.
I can't finish without giving a big compliment to all the actors. For me, a few stand out. The series is full of iconic characters, but especially the charisma of Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith, Doctor Who) splashes off the screen. Paddy Considine (The Third Day) deserves an award for his role as a king who tries to keep the peace in the kingdom with all his might and pays a high price for it. The poisoned relationship between Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock, Reckoning) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke, Slow Horses) is palpable.
The box set of the first season consists of four Blu-ray discs containing all ten episodes. In addition, there is an hour of extra content, spread over several videos and two exclusive featurettes. Return to the Seven Kingdoms explains the relationship between this series and Game of Thrones. Welcome to Westeros lets one of the directors and the two main writers talk about the world where everything takes place.
I award the first season with an 8.5. The 1.5 point deduction is for some minor annoyances, such as the (too) abrupt time jumps that can confuse the viewer. With a little effort this could have been avoided.
The entire first season is a prelude to the (confirmed) second season. I expect that the pace of the series will be a lot faster. The first season creates a clear picture of how the cards are divided. The second season can go all the way and let fans of hard action, fire and blood get their money's worth even more.
