House of the Dragon — Season 1 Review
★★★★☆
Two hundred years before Game of Thrones Viserys I Targaryen rules over a united Westeros, but the king’s failing health leads to an increasingly hostile struggle over his succession.
They say time heals all but for some, the scars left by the shocking demise of David Benioff and D. B. Weiss’s culture-smashing Game of Thrones adaptation might never go away. It’s pleasing to report then that House of the Dragon, the equally anticipated and feared prequel show provides the spark needed to reignite the flame of George R. R. Martin’s fascinating world.
The show’s first ten episodes cover an awful lot, and at times the various time jumps and aged-up versions of characters can be difficult to keep up with. But this is more than made up for by a thrilling family saga, resplendent with schemes and twists and shocking deaths right up there with heyday Thrones. The acting pretty much across the board is exceptional with Paddy Considine surely a lock for awards attention for his multilayered performance as the ailing King Viserys.
Brief moments of questionable lighting and wonky special effects are noticeable but don’t derail an excellent first season that largely restores excitement and intrigue of future trips to Westeros. The game is afoot.
Episodes watched: All
Director: Miguel Sapochnik, plus various
Starring: Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Rhys Ifans
Cinematography: Various
Music: Ramin Djawadi
Running time: approx 60 mins per episode (10 episodes)
Release year: 2022
BBFC rating: 18 for strong bloody violence, gore, horror, sex, very strong language and domestic abuse
