Overview
In Westeros, and in books and TV shows that head to the fictional location, some things are simply inevitable. People saying "winter is coming" is one of them. Creepy relationships, whether because of gross age differences or blood ties, is another. Flowing long blonde hair is yet another certainty. People stabbing each other in the back for the Iron Throne ranks right up there, too. Indeed, there are so many predictable eventualities, you could make a drinking game out of watching new Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon — and we did. Here's something we should've included but didn't, though: House of the Dragon proving such a hit straight away that HBO has already renewed it for a second season.
If you already been enjoying the show's jump back into House Targaryen's history, to 172 years before the birth of Daenerys and her whole dragon-flying, nephew-dating, power-seeking story, then rejoice — like winter, more is coming. Again, the news is hardly surprising, especially given that House of the Dragon's debut episode, which arrived on Monday, August 22, gave the US cable network its largest American audience for any new original series in the history of HBO.
Yes, House of the Dragon is basically a case of new show, same squabbles, as it was easy to foresee it would be. Yes, it's pretty much Game of Thrones with different faces bearing now well-known surnames — and more dragons. And yes, this latest adaptation of George RR Martin's popular fantasy books is bound to continue on for more than just two seasons, but that's all that's confirmed for the moment.
If you haven't yet caught up with the series, it dives into the battle for the Iron Throne before the one we all watched between 2011–19. Paddy Considine (The Third Day) plays King Viserys — and it's exactly who should be his heir that sparks all the Succession-style fuss. The words "succession" and "successor" (and "heir" as well) get bandied around constantly, naturally.
The king has a daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (played by Upright's Milly Alcock, then Mothering Sunday's Emma D'Arcy), who is also his first-born child. But because putting a woman on the throne isn't the done thing, the King's younger brother Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith, Morbius) considers that spiky iron chair his birthright.
And, this wouldn't be Westeros if plenty of other people didn't have an opinion, including Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans, The King's Man), the Hand of the King; his own daughter Alicent (The Lost Girls' Emily Carey, then Slow Horses' Olivia Cooke); and Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint, It's a Sin), who is married to Princess Rhaenys Velaryon (Eve Best, Nurse Jackie), who had a better claim to the throne when Viserys was named king instead.
All that feuding over the realm's spiky metal seat will continue across House of the Dragon's ten-episode first season, of course, before returning for a second go-around. HBO hasn't announced a date for the show's second patch of episodes, but you could bet all the wine in King's Landing on it arriving around this time in 2023.
House of the Dragon is the culmination of years of planning to extend the GoT franchise by HBO. Firstly, the American cable network announced that it was considering five different prequel ideas. It then green-lit one to pilot stage, scrapped it and later picked a contender to run withL House of the Dragon. It has also opted to give novella series Tales of Dunk and Egg the TV treatment, too, and to work on an animated GoT show. And, it's been reported that another three prequels are also under consideration — plus a Jon Snow-focused sequel series.
Check out the full House of the Dragon trailer below:
House of the Dragon streams Down Under via Foxtel and Binge in Australia and SoHo, Sky Go and Neon in New Zealand. Read our full review of season one.
Images: Ollie Upton/HBO.