First “House of the Dragon” Reactions Hail “Game of Thrones” Prequel as Worthy Successor
When Game of Thrones ended its game-changing 8-season run on HBO—with a highly controversial final season, no less—HBO was left with a dragon-sized hole to fill. Game of Thrones became one of the most popular shows of all time, thrilling (and occasionally infuriating) viewers for almost a decade. And now, the first GoT related series to make it to air is nigh, with critics getting a glimpse at the House of the Dragon pilot. The new series will focus on the dragonlords of House Targaryen some 200 years before the events in Game of Thrones, and the early reactions to the pilot are very promising.
House of the Dragon will chronicle the growing unrest in Westeros as the intrigue within House Targaryen barrels towards a civil war. The series comes from showrunners Ryan J. Condal and former Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik. Crucially, George R. R. Martin, the man who brought Westeros to life with his novels, is on board as a producer. Considering how hard HBO worked to make sure the first series to follow Game of Thrones was built for success, it’s not that surprising that House of the Dragon sound as if it starts off on the right track.
Arguably the most important thing that House of the Dragon had to get right for anything else to work was casting, and it seems like they nailed it. The three key Targaryens are led by Paddy Considine as King Viserys, a man looking to find an heir to the throne; Emma D’Arcy is Princess Rhaenyra, heir apparent to the Iron Throne; and Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, the younger brother of King Viserys and heir presumptive. The cast also includes Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, Steven Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon, and Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria.
And what are the critics who have seen the House of the Dragon pilot saying? Let’s take a brief tour:
The #HouseOfTheDragonHBO pilot very efficiently explains its context in relation to GoT, introduces its core characters, and lays out the central conflict of the series. It’s an easy to follow premiere with vibrant colors and detailed texture. Absolutely a worthy successor so far pic.twitter.com/3lARILHfuv
— Brandon Katz (@Great_Katzby) July 28, 2022
I didn’t know how much I missed the #GameofThrones theme song until I heard it tonight at the #HouseoftheDragon premiere! That first episode is fantastic! Can’t wait to see what’s next. Fingers crossed it’s no repeat of the final season of GoT. @BlackGirlNerds #hbo #HBOMax pic.twitter.com/8EZYC8iLY8
— Cat Combs (@ccfilmcritic) July 28, 2022
For those curious about the series, without spoilers, I can say that the thing I really dig is the fact that it still feels epic in scale and scope while telling a personal and intimate story about one family, showcasing both their love and dysfunction
— Christina Radish (@ChristinaRadish) July 28, 2022
I did not like the last season of #GameofThrones. At all. But I’ll admit the series premiere of #HouseOfTheDragonHBO is really well done and I’ll definitely continue watching. After the episode ended they showed an extended preview of the season and looks cool. pic.twitter.com/wzuIMkZWe0
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) July 28, 2022
Check out the official trailer below. House of the Dragon premieres on August 21.
For more on House of the Dragon, check out these stories:
“House of the Dragon” Trailer Promises a GoT Prequel Worthy of Westeros
“House of the Dragon” Video Reveals New Dragons & a New Reign
Dragons, Deceit, & Danger Highlight Official “House of the Dragon” Trailer
Featured image: Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen. Photograph by Ollie Upton/HBO
