House Of The Dragon Review Brutal Creepy Got Prequel.

The stakes are high, given that “GoT” was the biggest show in the world during its run from 2011-2019, even as it fell to a widely derided end. While “House of the Dragon” (premiering Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. on HBO) is hardly a masterpiece, it’s an addictively watchable series full of juicy drama, palace intrigue and crowd-pleasing “GoT” nostalgia. Set 172 years before the birth of Daenerys, it gives us Westeros through “Succession.” We’re caught up in the drama of her ancestors, the silver-haired, dragon-riding, inbred Targaryen family — and what led to their downfall, with Daenerys and Jon Snow the last of their line. The main conflict in House of the Dragon, which is based on George RR Martin’s book Fire & Blood, is a civil war between Princess Rhaenyra and her half-brother Aegon II (who is not yet born at the beginning of this show) about who will take the throne. The Targaryens are the power players ruling Westeros during this era, but the current king, Viserys I (Paddy Considine), a sensible ruler (a novelty in this world!), must name an heir. Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon’. Behind her, Paddy Considine as her dad, Viserys I, sits on the throne. Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO Fans looking for characters to latch onto and root for – like the original show gave us the Starks – will be disappointed. The Targaryens are a bunch of prickly weirdos, and all of the show’s relationships are straight out of Groomers R Us, pairing middle-aged men with young girls they’ve known for years, who are often blood relatives. Dragons, fighting and politics are all good, but they weren’t the only factors why “GoT” landed with such a huge audience. The main contender for the crown of Viserys I is his young daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock in the first episodes; in the later episodes after a time jump, she is played by Emma D’Arcy). But it is against the norm for women to rule, so the king’s advisers fear that this will cause chaos. We mostly see her hanging out with her friend, Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey and later Olivia Cooke), whose father Otto (Rhys Ifans) is the hand of the king. Rhaenyra also has an awkward romantic dynamic with her uncle Daemon (a scenery-chewing, menacing Matt Smith). The incest between twins Jaime and Cersei Lannister was awkward on “GoT,” but at least they were the same age, and the show also offered plenty of more palatable romances to counter it. It’s disturbing – and sure to raise eyebrows – to see Daemon, who is pushing 40, flirting with his young teenage niece. Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first episodes of “House of the Dragon”. Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOMatt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in “House of the Dragon.” Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOOlivia Cooke as elderly Alicent Hightower, left, and Emma D’Arcy as older princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in “House of the Dragon.” Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO As the King’s brother, Daemon is another contender for the throne, but almost everyone (including Otto, who hates him) thinks that would be a disaster, as he is impulsive, violent, and power hungry. (Of course, he delivers many of the scenes that are sordid, gruesome, or just plain fun.) And, when the King finally has a baby boy, the issues of his succession become even more complicated. Like “GoT,” “House of The Dragon” features multiple characters jamming in rooms and action scenes steeped in brutality. At times, the writing is almost comically heavy-handed. In one episode, a pregnant woman compares childbirth to the battlefield. Later, the scene cuts back and forth between her delivery going badly and a battlefield full of men being brutally beaten. “GoT” wasn’t a subtle show, but it didn’t hit viewers over the head like that. The swapping of actors with Rhaenyra and Alicent is also jarring – although both couples give good performances, the change seems pointlessly distracting, as the age jump isn’t all that obvious. Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling in ‘House of the Dragon’. Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOO One of the many dragons in “House of the Dragon.” Courtesy HBOKing Viserys (Paddy Considine) and his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, chat in front of a dragon skull. Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO For better or worse, “House of the Dragon” has a smaller scope than “GoT.” If you got bored of Jon in the freezing cold, you could always count on “GoT” to change the scene to a different character or family. In “House of the Dragon”, we only have the grand Targaryens and the main location (with some exceptions) is King’s Landing. Questionable wigs aside, “House of the Dragon” is well made for what it is: a gritty political fantasy that makes you want to keep watching. And it manages to learn at least one key lesson from “GoT”: Its sex scenes are more tastefully shot, featuring both female and male nudity — and the former seem to be having a good time, too. It remains to be seen if the general public can get over their anger with the ending of ‘GoT’ or if this will be a more niche show for die-hard fans. But, it should set many viewers on fire.

title: " House Of The Dragon Review Brutal Creepy Got Prequel. Klmat" ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-08” author: “Norman Matthews”

The stakes are high, given that “GoT” was the biggest show in the world during its run from 2011-2019, even as it fell to a widely derided end. While “House of the Dragon” (premiering Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. on HBO) is hardly a masterpiece, it’s an addictively watchable series full of juicy drama, palace intrigue and crowd-pleasing “GoT” nostalgia. Set 172 years before the birth of Daenerys, it gives us Westeros through “Succession.” We’re caught up in the drama of her ancestors, the silver-haired, dragon-riding, inbred Targaryen family — and what led to their downfall, with Daenerys and Jon Snow the last of their line. The main conflict in House of the Dragon, which is based on George RR Martin’s book Fire & Blood, is a civil war between Princess Rhaenyra and her half-brother Aegon II (who is not yet born at the beginning of this show) about who will take the throne. The Targaryens are the power players ruling Westeros during this era, but the current king, Viserys I (Paddy Considine), a sensible ruler (a novelty in this world!), must name an heir. Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon’. Behind her, Paddy Considine as her dad, Viserys I, sits on the throne. Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO Fans looking for characters to latch onto and root for – like the original show gave us the Starks – will be disappointed. The Targaryens are a bunch of prickly weirdos, and all of the show’s relationships are straight out of Groomers R Us, pairing middle-aged men with young girls they’ve known for years, who are often blood relatives. Dragons, fighting and politics are all good, but they weren’t the only factors why “GoT” landed with such a huge audience. The main contender for the crown of Viserys I is his young daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock in the first episodes; in the later episodes after a time jump, she is played by Emma D’Arcy). But it is against the norm for women to rule, so the king’s advisers fear that this will cause chaos. We mostly see her hanging out with her friend, Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey and later Olivia Cooke), whose father Otto (Rhys Ifans) is the hand of the king. Rhaenyra also has an awkward romantic dynamic with her uncle Daemon (a scenery-chewing, menacing Matt Smith). The incest between twins Jaime and Cersei Lannister was awkward on “GoT,” but at least they were the same age, and the show also offered plenty of more palatable romances to counter it. It’s disturbing – and sure to raise eyebrows – to see Daemon, who is pushing 40, flirting with his young teenage niece. Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first episodes of “House of the Dragon”. Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOMatt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in “House of the Dragon.” Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOOlivia Cooke as elderly Alicent Hightower, left, and Emma D’Arcy as older princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in “House of the Dragon.” Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO As the King’s brother, Daemon is another contender for the throne, but almost everyone (including Otto, who hates him) thinks that would be a disaster, as he is impulsive, violent, and power hungry. (Of course, he delivers many of the scenes that are sordid, gruesome, or just plain fun.) And, when the King finally has a baby boy, the issues of his succession become even more complicated. Like “GoT,” “House of The Dragon” features multiple characters jamming in rooms and action scenes steeped in brutality. At times, the writing is almost comically heavy-handed. In one episode, a pregnant woman compares childbirth to the battlefield. Later, the scene cuts back and forth between her delivery going badly and a battlefield full of men being brutally beaten. “GoT” wasn’t a subtle show, but it didn’t hit viewers over the head like that. The swapping of actors with Rhaenyra and Alicent is also jarring – although both couples give good performances, the change seems pointlessly distracting, as the age jump isn’t all that obvious. Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling in ‘House of the Dragon’. Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOO One of the many dragons in “House of the Dragon.” Courtesy HBOKing Viserys (Paddy Considine) and his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, chat in front of a dragon skull. Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO For better or worse, “House of the Dragon” has a smaller scope than “GoT.” If you got bored of Jon in the freezing cold, you could always count on “GoT” to change the scene to a different character or family. In “House of the Dragon”, we only have the grand Targaryens and the main location (with some exceptions) is King’s Landing. Questionable wigs aside, “House of the Dragon” is well made for what it is: a gritty political fantasy that makes you want to keep watching. And it manages to learn at least one key lesson from “GoT”: Its sex scenes are more tastefully shot, featuring both female and male nudity — and the former seem to be having a good time, too. It remains to be seen if the general public can get over their anger with the ending of ‘GoT’ or if this will be a more niche show for die-hard fans. But, it should set many viewers on fire.

title: " House Of The Dragon Review Brutal Creepy Got Prequel. Klmat" ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-29” author: “Heather Warnock”

The stakes are high, given that “GoT” was the biggest show in the world during its run from 2011-2019, even as it fell to a widely derided end. While “House of the Dragon” (premiering Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. on HBO) is hardly a masterpiece, it’s an addictively watchable series full of juicy drama, palace intrigue and crowd-pleasing “GoT” nostalgia. Set 172 years before the birth of Daenerys, it gives us Westeros through “Succession.” We’re caught up in the drama of her ancestors, the silver-haired, dragon-riding, inbred Targaryen family — and what led to their downfall, with Daenerys and Jon Snow the last of their line. The main conflict in House of the Dragon, which is based on George RR Martin’s book Fire & Blood, is a civil war between Princess Rhaenyra and her half-brother Aegon II (who is not yet born at the beginning of this show) about who will take the throne. The Targaryens are the power players ruling Westeros during this era, but the current king, Viserys I (Paddy Considine), a sensible ruler (a novelty in this world!), must name an heir. Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon’. Behind her, Paddy Considine as her dad, Viserys I, sits on the throne. Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO Fans looking for characters to latch onto and root for – like the original show gave us the Starks – will be disappointed. The Targaryens are a bunch of prickly weirdos, and all of the show’s relationships are straight out of Groomers R Us, pairing middle-aged men with young girls they’ve known for years, who are often blood relatives. Dragons, fighting and politics are all good, but they weren’t the only factors why “GoT” landed with such a huge audience. The main contender for the crown of Viserys I is his young daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock in the first episodes; in the later episodes after a time jump, she is played by Emma D’Arcy). But it is against the norm for women to rule, so the king’s advisers fear that this will cause chaos. We mostly see her hanging out with her friend, Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey and later Olivia Cooke), whose father Otto (Rhys Ifans) is the hand of the king. Rhaenyra also has an awkward romantic dynamic with her uncle Daemon (a scenery-chewing, menacing Matt Smith). The incest between twins Jaime and Cersei Lannister was awkward on “GoT,” but at least they were the same age, and the show also offered plenty of more palatable romances to counter it. It’s disturbing – and sure to raise eyebrows – to see Daemon, who is pushing 40, flirting with his young teenage niece. Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first episodes of “House of the Dragon”. Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOMatt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in “House of the Dragon.” Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOOlivia Cooke as elderly Alicent Hightower, left, and Emma D’Arcy as older princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in “House of the Dragon.” Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO As the King’s brother, Daemon is another contender for the throne, but almost everyone (including Otto, who hates him) thinks that would be a disaster, as he is impulsive, violent, and power hungry. (Of course, he delivers many of the scenes that are sordid, gruesome, or just plain fun.) And, when the King finally has a baby boy, the issues of his succession become even more complicated. Like “GoT,” “House of The Dragon” features multiple characters jamming in rooms and action scenes steeped in brutality. At times, the writing is almost comically heavy-handed. In one episode, a pregnant woman compares childbirth to the battlefield. Later, the scene cuts back and forth between her delivery going badly and a battlefield full of men being brutally beaten. “GoT” wasn’t a subtle show, but it didn’t hit viewers over the head like that. The swapping of actors with Rhaenyra and Alicent is also jarring – although both couples give good performances, the change seems pointlessly distracting, as the age jump isn’t all that obvious. Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling in ‘House of the Dragon’. Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOO One of the many dragons in “House of the Dragon.” Courtesy HBOKing Viserys (Paddy Considine) and his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, chat in front of a dragon skull. Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO For better or worse, “House of the Dragon” has a smaller scope than “GoT.” If you got bored of Jon in the freezing cold, you could always count on “GoT” to change the scene to a different character or family. In “House of the Dragon”, we only have the grand Targaryens and the main location (with some exceptions) is King’s Landing. Questionable wigs aside, “House of the Dragon” is well made for what it is: a gritty political fantasy that makes you want to keep watching. And it manages to learn at least one key lesson from “GoT”: Its sex scenes are more tastefully shot, featuring both female and male nudity — and the former seem to be having a good time, too. It remains to be seen if the general public can get over their anger with the ending of ‘GoT’ or if this will be a more niche show for die-hard fans. But, it should set many viewers on fire.

title: " House Of The Dragon Review Brutal Creepy Got Prequel. Klmat" ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-05” author: “James Valdez”

The stakes are high, given that “GoT” was the biggest show in the world during its run from 2011-2019, even as it fell to a widely derided end. While “House of the Dragon” (premiering Aug. 21 at 9 p.m. on HBO) is hardly a masterpiece, it’s an addictively watchable series full of juicy drama, palace intrigue and crowd-pleasing “GoT” nostalgia. Set 172 years before the birth of Daenerys, it gives us Westeros through “Succession.” We’re caught up in the drama of her ancestors, the silver-haired, dragon-riding, inbred Targaryen family — and what led to their downfall, with Daenerys and Jon Snow the last of their line. The main conflict in House of the Dragon, which is based on George RR Martin’s book Fire & Blood, is a civil war between Princess Rhaenyra and her half-brother Aegon II (who is not yet born at the beginning of this show) about who will take the throne. The Targaryens are the power players ruling Westeros during this era, but the current king, Viserys I (Paddy Considine), a sensible ruler (a novelty in this world!), must name an heir. Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon’. Behind her, Paddy Considine as her dad, Viserys I, sits on the throne. Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO Fans looking for characters to latch onto and root for – like the original show gave us the Starks – will be disappointed. The Targaryens are a bunch of prickly weirdos, and all of the show’s relationships are straight out of Groomers R Us, pairing middle-aged men with young girls they’ve known for years, who are often blood relatives. Dragons, fighting and politics are all good, but they weren’t the only factors why “GoT” landed with such a huge audience. The main contender for the crown of Viserys I is his young daughter Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock in the first episodes; in the later episodes after a time jump, she is played by Emma D’Arcy). But it is against the norm for women to rule, so the king’s advisers fear that this will cause chaos. We mostly see her hanging out with her friend, Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey and later Olivia Cooke), whose father Otto (Rhys Ifans) is the hand of the king. Rhaenyra also has an awkward romantic dynamic with her uncle Daemon (a scenery-chewing, menacing Matt Smith). The incest between twins Jaime and Cersei Lannister was awkward on “GoT,” but at least they were the same age, and the show also offered plenty of more palatable romances to counter it. It’s disturbing – and sure to raise eyebrows – to see Daemon, who is pushing 40, flirting with his young teenage niece. Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in the first episodes of “House of the Dragon”. Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOMatt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen in “House of the Dragon.” Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOOlivia Cooke as elderly Alicent Hightower, left, and Emma D’Arcy as older princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in “House of the Dragon.” Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO As the King’s brother, Daemon is another contender for the throne, but almost everyone (including Otto, who hates him) thinks that would be a disaster, as he is impulsive, violent, and power hungry. (Of course, he delivers many of the scenes that are sordid, gruesome, or just plain fun.) And, when the King finally has a baby boy, the issues of his succession become even more complicated. Like “GoT,” “House of The Dragon” features multiple characters jamming in rooms and action scenes steeped in brutality. At times, the writing is almost comically heavy-handed. In one episode, a pregnant woman compares childbirth to the battlefield. Later, the scene cuts back and forth between her delivery going badly and a battlefield full of men being brutally beaten. “GoT” wasn’t a subtle show, but it didn’t hit viewers over the head like that. The swapping of actors with Rhaenyra and Alicent is also jarring – although both couples give good performances, the change seems pointlessly distracting, as the age jump isn’t all that obvious. Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling in ‘House of the Dragon’. Photo by Ollie Upton / HBOO One of the many dragons in “House of the Dragon.” Courtesy HBOKing Viserys (Paddy Considine) and his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, chat in front of a dragon skull. Photo by Ollie Upton/HBO For better or worse, “House of the Dragon” has a smaller scope than “GoT.” If you got bored of Jon in the freezing cold, you could always count on “GoT” to change the scene to a different character or family. In “House of the Dragon”, we only have the grand Targaryens and the main location (with some exceptions) is King’s Landing. Questionable wigs aside, “House of the Dragon” is well made for what it is: a gritty political fantasy that makes you want to keep watching. And it manages to learn at least one key lesson from “GoT”: Its sex scenes are more tastefully shot, featuring both female and male nudity — and the former seem to be having a good time, too. It remains to be seen if the general public can get over their anger with the ending of ‘GoT’ or if this will be a more niche show for die-hard fans. But, it should set many viewers on fire.