masterpiece, the details and ambiance in the family
I'm in love with everything about this, but reusing the Game of Thrones title theme is some bullshit. Djawadi is perfectly capable of writing something new and exciting, or an alternate orchestration at the very least.
The Opening theme man. good old days. 10/10 for the opening theme nostalgia
fuck it i'm in for the season
Insanely good writing and storybuilding going on. Plot points are being set up, and you see the power and influence of the truebloods of House Targaryen.
Is it just me, or does anyone else think Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) looks a lot like Lancelot from BBC Merlin (Santiago Cabrera)? I thought they were the same person at first.
Already sending me to sleep, acting is pretty awful, not holding out much hope for rest of season.
it's getting betttttterrr and i cannnn really feel some old vibes, let's gooooooo
The reason the original show became progressively less compelling to me throughout the seasons was because of its increasing focus on the White Walkers plot. It makes sense considering it was always the endgame of the whole story but the main draw of Game of Thrones to me was never the big fights between the dead and the living,. It was watching a game of chess being played in front of us and we're left piecing things together and figuring out everything for ourselves. Understanding character motivations and figuring out what's going through their minds to try getting a glimpse of what's going to happen.
I'm happy to see that this show is going back to basics: taking its time setting pieces together and building an atmosphere of uncertainty and paranoia leading the viewer to over-analyse what characters say and how they act.
Something is brewing behind the scenes and it'll be interesting to see where this story is leading us.
Honestly, really impressed with the show so far, this episode was amazing.
Even without 'real action' it was a great episode. A clear showcase of the writing talent they have now, only matched by the earlier seasons of Game of Thrones. With a limited budget, Game of Thrones had to stand out without flashy action so there was a real need write smart and engaging dialogue. House of the Dragon did not have that need but takes after it's predecessor when it comes to it's writing.
Pacing feels just right, not too fast, not too slow. Characters are built upon in a clever and meaningful way. Even though the book lacked concrete details on this, the writers manage to add something that feels natural.
The episode starts a bit slow but gradually gains momentum until the confrontation between Rhaenyra and Daemon. The princess is a rather likeable character that you can root for, I hope she would not change into a monster like Dany did in GoT. She thinks a bit out of the box and is not afraid to take dangerous decisions as in choosing to confront Daemon against her father's wishes. The father-daughter relationship between Rhaenyra and her dad king Viserys is very interesting, because even though they seemed to have fallen out after Aemma's death, they have quite a normal and loving relation which is exceptional in Westerosi standards. The king also looks like a more "human" person and not someone bent on plots and intrigues, which perhaps makes others perceive him as weak. It looks like his interest in Rhaenrya's friend Alicent is genuine as he rejects a more advantageous match in favour of her (though it may be said that Velaryon's daughter is too young to bring him heirs anyway so there may be a practical reason behind it as well). Though I supposed he would marry them both as it was Targaryen custom to have more than one wife. This decision does complicate matters as the spurned Velaryon wants to convince Daemon to join his side. As for Daemon, it seems that Rhaenyra is the only one who can reach him and have some sort of influence over him. It looks like she might be a good ruler if she ever gets the throne.
I loved the visuals in this episode, I think the intro was not shown in the first one? but it is really impressive. The interiors of the court are so detailed with all the furniture and even food that they resemble real places and not some stage decorations like in "The Witcher". The costumes are also meticulously made. Dragonstone covered in mist was a feast for the eyes. Though I got the impression that Rhaenyra was risking quite a lot in confronting Daemon as his dragon seemed bigger than her Syrax, or the scene was shot in such a way.
God I hope this dragon egg turns into Sunfyre lmaooooooo
Another time skip and at this rate it will probably have one every episode given there's gonna be a change of the main cast to the adult versions.
It slowed down quite jarringly from the pilot (it was fun) to focus more on the king's dealing with his grief and rewedding plan. To be honest I have to say it was quite a drag especially if you already knew he was clearly gonna pick Alicent. Daemon barely having any scenes didn't help make it much of an entertaining watch either.
Overall it's a decent characters episode building seeds for later but not much else going for it. 6/10
I disagree with other comments that the pacing of this episode is slow. I didn't notice it any slower than any GOT episode. Every episode doesn't need war or intensity to be satisfying. A good show needs character building to set up further story.
This is what made GOT so great in the earlier seasons. The nuanced characters, rich dialogue, and complex politics. You can feel all of the chess pieces being set up and the game starting to be played. I’m absolutely loving this so far. And those opening credits with the original GOT theme has me feeling some type of way.
Rhaenyra is right, if you have dragons, use them!
And she went there and used hers and did what the heir to the iron throne was supposed to do: controlled the situation!
Very good second episode. So far they are doing everything right by concentrating first on the world building.
My god what an episode. That rivaled anything in GOT proper for me. Every scene was absolutely perfect. Completely riveting.
I can already hear the knives sharpening in the shadows and the earliest whispers of civil war.
I get that people are excited for more politicking rather than big battles, but that doesn’t mean that what played out was interesting and not completely predictable. The show isn’t bad but it is definitely to be seen if it is good
This was better than the first episode... I think. The pacing is good, just like Game of Thrones used to be; and the characters seem complex and well thought out. However, it feels like something is missing... or off. Some of the acting is a little strange, and I feel like every scene with a dragon on screen is more of a novelty than anything - as though they don't know what to do with the dragons so they just throw them in when they can to make people go "Whoah, a dragon!"
It's not bad, but I'm not getting the same vibes or complexity that I did from season one of Game of Thrones. It feels much less inspiring, and I find the characters much duller. I'm hoping I'll have a different opinion in a few episodes from now.
Painfully predictable but this was a rather good episode nonetheless. I enjoy all of the scenes of Viserys talking to his advicers, I like Rhaenyra and the alliance between Corly & Daemon as well as the marriage between Viserys & Alicent have a lot of potential of being interesting storylines.
The visuals of the crabs having a feast are great and I'm looking forward to see more of "The Crabfeeder". Like in the pilot I think there's a lot of interesting setup and I hope it goes somewhere good!
Very lame to reuse Game of Throne's intro song though.
Of course, Viserys'll marry Alicent - just like Otto planned from the beginning. Loved the confrontation at Dragonstone. The only disappointing thing is the reuse of the GoT title theme... it's a new show, give it a new title theme or at least a new rendition of the old title theme. Don't just reuse it.
Trying to marry off that 12-year old child... well... at least, she was promised that she won't be forced to have sex with the king until she's 14, what a solace. Anyway, who knows whether the king himself could have survived another 2 years, given the way his body's rotting from the outside in...
Paddy Considine's acting is phenomenal in this show.You could feel just how uncomfortable Viserys was when little Laena was giving him her parent's sales speech about the two of them getting married and producing heirs. So far, this show is very much the best parts of early seasons GoT, and I didn't realize how much I've been missing that.
i can see the "game of thrones" elements and that makes me super excited for the potential future of the series, with new houses and characters and great clashes and battles
but at the same time, i don't think this show is as great as game of thrones was, on both the script and the characters/actors. it's been a good show, i'm excited, but it doesn't feel genius as the original show.
Sick fucks in Pedowoo love promoting pedophiles with them trying to marry the king to a 12 year old! Whatever parent allowed their kid to even be in a show and say hey act like you're going to screw a 60 year old!
Not amazing, but the production design is incredible, and I'm in love with Alicent's blue dress.
The title sequence was bad, and I mean really bad. Extreme lack of imagination on the theme tune, appealing to recognition bias for goodwill. Cheap for a show on this scale.
Interesting direction for the Targaryens then, with the King's daughter soon to be sleeping with the King's wife. Trust HBO to find novelty in incest...
Loved this chapter, the scene with the 2 dragons was out here!
The fast travels of the last seasons of GOT are present.... (Memories of Vietnam)
Okay, now I feel like I'm back in the world of Westeros!
Nothing happened, yet. And the show is already overshadowed the best seasons of GoT. That dialogue and detail-oriented set designs are truly marvelous!
Every important character is nuanced and human. Be it childish brother, his level-headed whore, selfish king, manipulative Hand, his cornered daughter or her rebellious girlfriend.
How i missed the thememusic and the intro
I really hope the producers dont rush it
And i see so much Daenerys in Rhaenyra
This episode was SO SO GOOD! I could watch them talk for hours! I love it
At least my review won't be about the pacing, which I deem quite consistently upbeat and even enjoyably ambitious so far. In fact, I'm here to register a complaint about the acting thus far, and by extension the casting for the series. The characters are all shaping up to be (hardly a shocker, either) incredibly rich and in many ways more archetypal. Where I get lost is in the acting, in particular from Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower, Milly Alcock as Rhaenyra and even Paddy Considine as Viserys. They're just not selling me on the reality of their characters and I can't tell yet whether the actors lack the depth for the roles or they're all falling victim to lousy direction; I suspect the former, but only time will tell.
Maybe a part of it stems from the ages of these characters, which skew much more to the margins than GOT's did? I'd find that more believable had the young actors who played the Stark children not completely CRUSHED it left, right and center. Plus there's the fact that these aren't nobodies, I mean I first saw Ifans in 1998's The Replacements and while funny he wasn't turning my head there either (though in fairness that's a much higher bar when all your scenes are opposite Gene Hackman and Keanu Reeves, hah).
There's something missing here still...that "spark" that makes you forget this is all just fiction in between the credits. I hope they manage to find it because I really want to like this show, but after two episodes I'm still stuck on Meh.
It's a shame that we won't see Milly Alcock for the rest of the series. But I'm sure Emma D'Arcy will also do a great job.
This was easier to follow than the pilot, but also more riveting. very good second episode.
I still think Matt/Daemon is kind of a gothy douchebag. I mean, hell, even the hooker who's living in a castle with him seems to agree with me on that. And I'm rooting for Otto over Corlys. But Corlys isn't all bad. I respect him more now that I understand that the reason his hair game is so gods-awful is that he's in debt like a zillion bajillion gold dragons to his daughters' hair stylist. For all his tough guy talk, the big soft-hearted lug just can't say no to his little girl wanting to look like Marie Antoinette.
I do hope they spread out the pirate story arc for a few weeks. September 19th isn't for a while.
I've never watched Game of Thrones which will probably make people judge me, but I needed to watch some good fantasy' series after reading so many books in the same genre. House of Dragons does not only catch my attention for having only 10 episodes, but because it was recent, it made me think that it was going to have amazing cinematography. I was not wrong, at all. The sets, the clothes, the makeup, the hairstyle, the amazing scenario? Everything is perfect so far. And the fact that it was filmed in Portugal? Chef's kiss. I'm so intrigued by everyone in this series, especially (of course) the Princess. I love how fearless she can be. I want to see the next episodes and emerge even more in this plot. I'm very curious about everything. And I want a dragon by the way.
See they are trying to make Daemon this loose cannon, bad boy prince gone rogue but after the first episode I'm slightly siding with him because he gets shit done and he is fun in a playful manor. He is definitely more interesting than his brother.
I'm guessing besties aren't besties anymore now that Alicent is engaged to her father...
Still weaker than Game of Thrones. I can't help but compare. The dragons are a treat to watch. Milly is doing a superb job as young Rhaenyra. The story itself if tame. It can't just be about the rogue Prince trying to taunt his brother.
Opening gave me goosebumps again... I will never get tired of the theme song.
Wow that was a snoozer :/
This was the first episode I really enjoyed. The princess flying in to take back the egg was badass.
8/10
This for me was a much more GOT episode and I have to say I enjoyed it more than episode one.
That scene with Matt and Rha was awesome and there was some flexing going on their.
This episode had a lovely flow to it, much better paced than episode one,
And Rha definitely won me over this episode and made me care about her.
What is going on with her farther the king with all these sores, he's slowly rotting away and I feel as though the show wants me to pay attention to this on going accurrence.
Remeber the clever writing of GOT?
Well.
If you’re looking for that. Look somewhere else.
Anyways.
Fangirls and boys gonna keep the old train rolling.
Who is the first to get a house of dragon face tattoo?
wonder their budget cause dragon chi ain't cheap
What a great scene between Rhaenyra and Rhaenys.
Rhaenys: It bothers you, right?
Rhaenyre: My father is the King. He must remarry and strengthen the bloodline.
Rhaenys: I asked if you mind.
Rhaenyra: Laena is your daughter.
Rhaenys: Does that bother you?
Rhaenyra: Clear. But I understand the order of things. I doubt this is your case. If your intention was to arouse my anger, know that you have failed, princess.
Rhaenys: On the contrary. Let it be my daughter or someone else, your father will have a new wife. .. will generate new heirs... And one of them will inevitably be a boy. When he comes of age, you will be considered the heir to the throne, not you. Because that's the order of things.
Rhaenyra: Once queen, I will disturb you.
Rhaenys: I wish it were possible. But the kingdom could have appointed a queen to the Great Council of Harrenhal. He rejected the idea.
Rhaenyra: They rejected you, Princess Rhaenys "The Queen Who Wasn't" Not the idea of a female queen, in fact those same men bowed to me.
Rhaenys: And do you remember them bringing them the wine? Here's the hard truth that no one dared to tell you. Men would give fire and blood to the kingdom instead of seeing a woman rule. Your father is not naive. The Select Council urges me to remarry.
Rhaenyra: The kingdom asks for a new queen. A kind and generous queen will reassure her subjects.
Much slower episode. Few gritty bits that were ment to built tension but was kinda weak. Need a bit more mayhem.
I predict 8 episodes of poorly written and acted political maneuvering and two episodes full of action that cause the masses to forget about the 8 boring subpar episodes. I call it the Christian Yelich hypothesis.
Surprised they went with the original theme. But I guess keep it all in house.
2nd episode wasn't as tense or strong as the first, and was a little slower, but that's to be expected. The quality was still there. Any time Matt Smith is on screen, he's stealing the spotlight. A lot of what happened tonight will pay dividends by season finale. Digging this return to Westeros.
What a really boring episode, fell asleep twice. This is slower than GoT's season 1 entirety! it's just too slow, nothing going on, boring dialogue and scenes, how has this been renewed already for a season 2..?
Review by Alexander von LimbergBlockedParent2022-08-29T08:01:23Z
It's such a tiny detail, but I'm glad they added a proper (and very nostalgic) intro.
Costumes, stage design and make-up continue to be my favorite element: on my second screen I can't stop googling pictures of the actors in this franchise and I'm amazed how different they look in real life. I've been doing this ever since I saw Emilia Clark for the first time in Colbert's Late Show.
A good episode. Correctly paced. Leaves ample room for character building. That's what a first season was always supposed to do: tell us who is who and who is fighting for power for what reason. I can only assume that it's especially important why innocent but fiery Rhaenyra will enter the power struggle. And they do a good job here: it's about feminism (if that concept yet existed), it's about her personal loss, it's about other family members deriding her, it's about the love to her father and to her dragons, about the difficult relationship with her uncle and probably about a confident (aka BFF) turned into a competitor. Plus, they start to widen our view: there are also external threats endangering Targaryan realm. Presumably other factors will be added in the next episodes but it's kind of credibly told. There's not much fun or joy in this episode. Everyone is angry, agitated or sad. Love stories are disturbing: even age-appropriate marriage proposals are not romantic at all. Thus: there's not much wrong with this episode :smiling_imp: