User Reviews

A mythical kingdom where raw natures of human qualities shaping a realm. So much entangled games of politics that can keep the audience engaged without wanting to miss a beat. So much details with unique characters with many stories of their own. Flawless visuals that sets and symbolizes the background of each moment. Excellent CGI. Precise audio effects and excellent background music. Prequel is actually welcoming to the new audience and it's an opportunity to get a feel for the GOT series. Though it may sometimes strand new comers with the absence of a proper prologue HOD become interesting as the episodes goes on.

After the disappointing last season of Game of Thrones, many predicted the worst for this other adaptation based on George RR Martin's novels, in this case, ''Fire and Blood''. However, not only is it a success, but in some ways, it is even superior to the original series. First of all, it is obvious that the creators of the series take their work seriously: the sets, the cinematography, the costumes and the special effects are all elements that elevate House of the Dragon to a high level of quality (the making-of of each episode are to be seen). Ramin Djawadi, a renowned composer of the GOT soundtrack, returns with even more beautiful, intense, emotional and epic pieces! Aside from the main theme common to the two series, we remember these GOT classics like ''The Rains of Castamere'', ''Winds of Winter'', ''The Tower of Joy'' as well as the music associated with Winterfell or Daenerys. From HOTD, we will remember the march of Viscerys on ''Protector of the Realm'', the coronation of Rhaenyra on ''The Crown of Jaeharys'', her marriage to Daemond or the sublime music which accompanies the intimate scene between her and Criston Cole.

But more than anything, it is the acting and the quality of the writing that make the series successful. Unlike GOT, which simultaneously followed dozens of characters across Westeros and beyond, HOTD takes place approximately 300 years before Daenerys and focuses on the intrigues of the Targaryen family, from its peak to its bloody downfall caused by internal wars. Some episodes feels extremely packed as lot is going on because the first season covers a period of around thirty years. As a result, characters sometimes appear and die in the same episode while Rhaenyra, Alicent and their respective children are played by different actors to emphasize the jumps in time, which constitutes one of the rare downsides of the season because some passages move too quickly and leave the impression that we are missing information. In short, we don't always have time to digest all the intrigues. We should also highlight the unusual fact that there are four childbirth scenes during the season, each equally brutal!

The strengths far outweigh the few weaknesses and make House of the Dragon the best series since... season four of Game of Thrones! I rated each episode and it gives me an overall total of 8.2/10. This is a must watch for sure!

This show wears its political messaging on its sleeve and shoves it in your face. It can be annoying at times and quite obvious what sort of message the show is pushing, but this ultimately has no effect on the quality of the show. Some of the best moments in Game of Thrones were scenes that didn't have any dialogue, a series of visuals would play accompanied by great music. As if you were looking at a series of paintings. These moments I refer to were few and far between in Game of Thrones. In House of the Dragon, these moments occur quite frequently. Strong visual storytelling with great music and great visuals, completely immersed in the visual side of this medium. Almost as if you were watching a silent film. No dialogue necessary. The acting, from the main cast at least, is strong. You can tell the actors are confident in their abilities to act and are unafraid to emote. I find confidence an important factor in good acting. The show also does a great job at conveying the character's emotions through cinematography and camera work. House of The Dragon believes in the motto of showing, not telling. If you enjoyed Game of Thrones, especially episodes such as The Winds of Winter and the episode where Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton fight, then you will certainly enjoy this series. Don't skip out and don't let the show's politics get in the way of your enjoyment.

I've been looking forward to House of the Dragon since the spin-off was first announced. The majority of the reviews and ratings have been great so that only enhanced my excitement. I told myself I'd be happy if it was half as good as the original and I can say that without a doubt that it is. While it's obviously not as good as the original (not much is) it definitely is still a really good show that will no doubt be successful. It has the same Game of Thrones feel with all the action, drama, mystery, etc. People who don't like it either didn't want to because they hate everything or are comparing it to the original...don't. Just take it for what it is and that's a really good show! It was the most watched premiere in HBO history and has already been renewed for another season. This is going to have a long run so I hope it continues to get better and better like the original.

All I can say is...WOW!!! What a follow up to one of the best shows ever in Game of Thrones. Like millions of others, I'm a huge Game of Thrones fan so I was counting down the days until this came out. Even though I couldn't wait to watch it I didn't have a lot of confidence it would be as good as the original because of how bad that last season of GoT was. The last season and especially the last episode were extremely disappointing. Well, House of the Dragon is making up for it because this show is beautiful. With season 2 coming out in a few weeks I've just rewatched season 1 again and it was even better the second time around. I'm now going into the new season with all the confidence in the world that it's going to be great.

The House Of Dragon Is An Extremely Underrated Show, Which Can Never Be Apprised To The Greatness It Has Achieved. The Show Just Gives The R. R Martin Books, The Level It Was Never Seen Before. It Just Pushes The Limits R. R Or The Directors And Producers Of GOT Couldn't Do Or Could Never Have Achieved. Milly Has Done Has Exceptional Job Has Young Talented Actress To Do Justice To Such A Huge Role Of Rhaenyra Targaryen, The Dragon Queen. The Role Just Suits Perfectly Into Her Shoes. Emma Did Let The Benchmark Set Milly Go Down As Well. She Just Took The Role To New Heights. The Shows Gives More Freighting Aspects The Targaryen's Offer, Fire & Blood. The Show Completely Sums Up There House Motto. A Brutal Masterpiece.

"House of the Dragon" reignites the fire of Westeros with a thrilling first season. From the opening moments, the show masterfully transports us back into the world of political backstabbing, noble houses, and the majestic power of dragons.

The Targaryen family takes center stage, showcasing complex characters whose decisions will shape the fate of the realm. Expect intricate relationships, power struggles, and stunning betrayals that will keep you hooked until the very last episode.

Visually stunning and emotionally charged, "House of the Dragon" delivers epic battles, shocking twists, and heart-wrenching moments. While there are time jumps that might initially feel jarring, the show ultimately delivers a gripping narrative that cements itself as a worthy successor to "Game of Thrones."

If you loved the intrigue, ambition, and spectacle of "Game of Thrones", then "House of the Dragon" is a must-watch. It's a captivating return to Westeros filled with fire, fury, and the promise of a devastating war to come.

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. The new season should be here sometime this summer and I'm sure it'll be just as good as the first.

GoT not only was beautifully shot. With wonderful acting and compelling characters but it was also complex. This show feels like its just trying to rush through some plot. GoT had multiple characters that you felt deeply for, both loving and hating. None of these characters have deep substance. Additionally we aren't following the grand and unique stories of several characters and anxiously awaiting to see how they collide. We are watching a single plot seem to race towards the end. This is visually beautiful but there is no emotional connection beyond hoping to see a glimpse of the connection to GoT.

I'm very disappointed and I hope that next time a spinoff is made they take their time crafting the characters and the plot and less time pandering to the perceived desires of the audience.

Some reviewers have claimed that I shouldn't compare it to GOT, but how can I not ? After all, it wouldn't have been here if not for GOT.

And while the first couple of episodes didn't exactly impress me, I decided to watch the whole season before judging it. I mean, giving it the chance to develop the characters, it was bound to get better, right ?

Wrong ! It didn't !

The crew in charge of lighting must have gone on strike, cause most of the season played out in semi darkness, and it also seemed like most of the episodes had plot for about 30 minutes of time, which caused scenes to be dragged out painfully, and supplied with fillers like 10 minutes of soft porn in #4, and 10 minutes of people dancing in #5.

And then there was the time jumps. The season spanned about 20 years, so we were treated to a lot of changing actors, but oddly enough some characters didn't seem to age at all. Otto, Daemon, Rhaenys and Criston looked pretty much like they did at the beginning of the season. I guess the makeup crew was too busy turning Viserys into a crypt keeper lookalike, to do something about that.

As for the acting, I'm not gonna comment on that, since the lack of character build gave the actors very little to work with. That also meant that whenever somebody was killed, I was mostly like "right, so that happened", because they hadn't build up the character enough for anyone to care.

If they wanted to make a spin off, from a popular show, they could at least have tried to maintain just a bit of the quality of the original, but this was just a very sloppy production way below what we have come to expect from HBO.

The dragons looked great though :)

The tables turned towards the end of the first season, in comparison like all always the house of dragons doesn't even come close as to what the game of thrones was, in fact and reasoning there was no need to even compare with both plots and characters likewise was in their own league power struggles through the ages but in some cases accidents do sure play a larger role as to the ignition of what's about come, setting the stage for an inevitable war between love,blood and power let the outcome be favorable to both the victor and the one who lost the war cause in the end we've heard the song of ice and fire but not of blood and fire, lett the raging flame burn.

The issue with House of the Dragon is that it just isn't interesting. Game of Thrones had so much political intrigue that the audience paid attention to every single detail. There was always a massive payoff with some seriously shocking events. The seasons (prior to 8) had interesting and complex story lines.

With House of the Dragon, this is not quite the case. Where is the political intrigue? Where is the conflict? A plot centered around a daughter's refusal to marry/being a female heir is not interesting enough to be the sole plot for four episodes. There needs to be additional conflict. I will keep watching and praying that it gets more interesting. If this is a slow burn, it is VERY slow.

A couple of episodes in, I'm struggling to remain interested. It's a lot like Game of Thrones S6/S7; it's a competent production, but it lacks a lot of the intrigue, wit and humor of the first four seasons of that series.

It's also increasingly clear that Martin has a few tropes he comes back to again and again, and House of the Dragon feels like a rehash with fewer stakes, a smaller variety of characters, and less interesting personal stories. He doesn't seem to have much to say, no big idea that shines through in the narrative, and he thus seems stuck in describing one cycle of violence after another. This series has made it quite obvious why he is unable to finish his books, and why he left HBO to fend for itself in wrapping up Game of Thrones. His shtick was fun the first time, but it's not particularly thoughtful or interesting and thus makes for a pretty mediocre second showing.

One notable miss on the production side is the music. It's such a big step back that it was surprising to learn Ramin Djawadi is also behind this series' score. It's nowhere near as compelling or interesting as his music for GoT, where it was a big part of the presentation and was rightly recognized as such with various awards.

The actors can't be blamed for their characters, and they all seemed to do fine. Paddy Considine as Viserys makes for a compelling cautious king, and every scene with Eve Best as Rhaenys is better for having her in it.

All in all, House of the Dragon doesn't come close to the first four seasons of Game of Thrones. But neither did the second half of that series, so I suppose it's not a huge surprise. Given the struggles of similar competing American fantasy series like Wheel of Time, The Witcher, and Rings of Power it might be a while yet before we get a truly next generation big fantasy series.

What was best about GOT was the character development and complexity: viewing a character's motivations through their history and experience, the character arc, the character's evolution. HOTD writers evidently confuse inconsistency with complexity. None of the characters are terribly interesting. They don't exist in any kind of world that's presented. There is no realm. We see mostly claustrophobic scenes of bickering families, like in a soap opera, except with some anonymous knights standing around, and occasional graphic violence.

And the banal, predictable dialogue: "That's your father talking", "My father's dead and he chose me as his successor". What I wouldn't give for a Littlefinger rapier monologue.

Scenes that should create tension and suspense, like when they're looking for Aegon to be crowned, don't, because- who the heck is Aegon? Just a name of a character we don't care about because he's not formed.

Too bad because first episode seemed promising; strong independent young woman becomes a leader. But then turns into promiscuous mother fighting another mother over whose kids gets what. Never clear what difference it makes who is in charge. They all seem kind of the same.

Just rewatch seasons 1-4 GOT.

The amount of ppl who gave this show a very low rating it absolutely blows my mind! I wonder if they saw the whole season or just an episode and for whatever reason they decided the show is a failure.

I was so sad when GOT ended and I was sure that I will never again get to see another one like it. Till House of the Dragon came along. I watched the whole season in one night, I literally didn't sleep because I couldn't stop watching. Finished season 1 and realized that season 2 is not out yet 🤦‍♀️. I have to wait till June omg nooooo I'm not going to talk about the plot, acting, dragons, scenes...anything. I'm just saying if you loved GOT you will love this one as well.

I really enjoyed this backstory series, rich characters. So much opportunity to expand the histories of GOT characters. I would love to see someone like James Spader make an appearance. Every episode is such a feast for the eyes, making one homesick for a place you've never been. Although it is not without its cliches of forbidden love, scheming relatives and the like, it doesn't hurt to have dragons and Rhys Ifans to soften the blow. I don't usually like a spin off, they are often disappointing and lacking, but House of the Dragon had me hooked from the first episode. Even the into draws you in.

I was hoping to go the rest of my life without ever seeing another jousting match or brothel scene. But there were both in just the first episode. I think that's been done before!? I found the start of this new story to be boring, routine and not very original. I hope it picks up.

The show contains all the necessary elements of a great show: suspense, drama, betrayal, passion - however it's biggest flaw is that it lacks a likable person.

Every character falls in either of two categories; arrogant or pathetic, and this becomes apparent immediately.

The show needs a hero with humility whose rise to power is mostly seen as a taking of responsibility for the good of the realm and not for one's personal ambition.

Where is the character development? Where is the struggle? What sort of values should we emulate and from whom?

Still, the show is worth watching - I just hope that one of the dragons goes crazy and eats everyone.

Ugh, where is Jon Snow when you need him?

Season 1: The first season of 'House Of The Dragon (2022-)' is definitely up there with the best seasons of 'Game Of Thrones (2011 - 2019)'. Asserting its dominance early on, the show details the consequences of the peaceful Targaryen King's decision to name his first-born daughter heir to the iron throne - consequences which only become more complex after he later sires a son (who, according to tradition, should supplant his older sister). The core of the narrative is based around political intrigue, with the various players plotting to give the throne to whoever's ascension would benefit themselves the most. The backstabbing, betrayal, heel-turns and revelations are all incredibly compelling, and the show manages to weave a tight-knit tapestry out of its various factions and conflicts. It's in some ways more focused than its older brother, focusing entirely around a decades-long issue of succession and more-or-less bouncing between two primary characters (although it takes a while for the pieces to all fall into place). There's still plenty of intrigue to be found, though, and the narrative twists and turns many times. It remains wholly engaging throughout, even as it navigates several hefty time-jumps and even recasts its core characters. It's really well-executed, a mature and impeccably written affair from start to finish. It also looks amazing, with immersive costuming and set-design and tactile special effects (the dragons look fantastic). The acting is all great, too, with the stand-out being the phenomenal Paddy Considine - although Olivia Cooke, Emma D'Arcy, Millie Alcock, Emily Carey, Matt Smith, Rhys Ifans and Eve Best are all notably strong as well. It's all just really entertaining, an often jaw-dropping and delightfully frustrating experience that puts you on the edge of your seat and keeps you there. It also features some palpable character arcs and is surprisingly affecting on occasion. It's just a brilliant series overall, even though it does have a few slower episodes (which thankfully tend to have great endings). It also leaves you wanting more, much more, so it's a good thing that season 2 isn't far away. I watched 'Game Of Thrones (2011 - 2019)' after it had all been released, so I didn't experience the wait between seasons which I'll now have to with this show. Honestly, I just can't wait until it returns. I hope that it continues to be as good as this. Incredible stuff.

For me this is on par with game of thrones or in other words on the same level as 1 or 2 seasons of it. Meaning in my book, it's close to a 10/10 but for me is a 9.5/10 cause I feel as if the start was a bit slow but that does not mean it did not exceed expectations after a few episodes. The story was very well written & it's definitely one of the strongest spin off shows of any recent universe/series. The ending got me gassed for the new season & makes me wonder what we'll get in the future in the game of thrones universe. The acting was phenomenal & each character just like game of thrones, although some were annoying as hell, they were great characters. The time jumps weren't even confusing either. Seeing more & more dragons was cool asf too, can't wait for season 2. I fw this show heavy I'll be so real.