Best of: House of the Dragon (tv show)

Unhappy with season 8 of “Game of Thrones?” 

Allow “House of the Dragon” to redeem the franchise. 

Set nearly 200 years before the birth of the notorious Daenerys Targaryen, “House of the Dragon” tells the story of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, played by Milly Alcock and Emma D’Arcy, and her ascension — then tragic unseating — to the throne. The plot takes place during the “Dance of the Dragons,” an infamous war between Targaryen relatives in a battle for the crown that led to the family’s ultimate demise. The co-creators of the HBO Max show are producer and screenwriter Ryan Condal and George R.R. Martin, who is the author of the books that inspired “Game of Thrones.” The first season contains 10 episodes. The series premiere was on Aug. 1, 2022, and the last episode released on Oct. 23. 

The stellar cast includes two actors for some of the main roles due to the time jumps throughout the episode. Princess Rhaenyra, whose story the plot is mainly focused on, is played by the talented Milly Alcock for the first five episodes. Emma D’Arcy plays the aged-up Rhaenyra for the rest of the season. Similarly, Alicent Hightower, Rhaenyra’s closest friend turned enemy, is played by both Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke. They are joined by Matt Smith, who plays Daemon Targaryen, and Paddy Considine. 

The prequel, while still incorporating themes from “Game of Thrones,” succeeds in creating its own elements that allow viewers to see an entirely different side of the “A Song of Ice and Fire” installments. 2022 visuals combined with complex characters who are just as lovable as some of the “Game of Thrones” favorites resulted in the show being significantly well-received despite the separate storyline from its sequel. But don’t worry — dragons are still incorporated, because what is a “Game of Thrones” show without dragons?