This review is based on episodes 1 and 2 of House of the Dragon season 3.
House of the Dragon’s previous run fielded plenty of criticism for its slow pace and lack of action. But, as the fiery Game of Thrones spin-off explosively returns, there surely won’t be those same complaints for season 3.
When we left the two factions of House Targaryen, the Blacks and the Greens, they were on the brink of warfare. Now, we’re immediately tipped into all-out civil war, kicking off with the Battle of the Gullet (this was originally planned as the climax to season two before it was delayed).
As the Velaryon fleet faces up to the Triarchy, what has been teased as one of the most epic Thrones battles ever committed to screen doesn’t disappoint – despite the absence of many of our key players. Corlys (Steve Toussaint), Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) and Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorne) take centre stage in the brutal affair, which is sure to leave some lasting scars.
Elsewhere, Emma D’Arcy delivers a scorching performance as Rhaenyra Targaryen, showing a very different side to the usurped queen. Thankfully, she’s also reunited with warrior Daemon (Matt Smith), who is thrown back into the action after he was sequestered last season in Harrenhal. The duo’s fervent chemistry is back in full force as they finally seem to be on the same page. But something tells us that won’t last forever…
Meanwhile, a worried Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) now desperately seeks peace, as one son, her sacrificial lamb, Aegon (Tom Glynn Carney) flees King’s Landing with the scheming Larys (Matthew Needham) while the other, the monstrous Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), grows ever more power-hungry. More than once, Alicent’s interactions with Rhaenyra leave us wondering if there’s still some semblance of love there. But is it impossible to forgive, much less forget, when so much has been lost on both sides?
There’s also a larger focus on the dragonseeds Addam of Hull (Clinton Liberty), Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew) and Ulf White (Tom Bennett). It feels like the right decision – particularly given that many fans have been calling out for House of the Dragon to bring back the signature humour from Game of Thrones. Their prayers now appear to have been answered with Bennett’s Ulf. He is a glorious hark back to Peter Dinklage’s Tyrion Lannister; he’s a joy to watch and an absolute scene stealer.
Other new characters also enter the fray – most notably James Norton joins the cast as Ormund Hightower. In the opening two episodes he seems underused, but presumably – hopefully – there’s going to be much more to come from him in later episodes.
Although showrunner Ryan Condal offers up a thrilling start to the season, not everything is perfect. A couple of scenes in the first two episodes, with Cooke at the centre, seem unnecessary. Plus, as always, there will certainly be some passionate discussion between fans over the changes made from George RR Martin’s source material – particularly after reports of behind-the-scenes disagreements between Martin and Condal.
What this show never fails to do, however, is demonstrate the sheer scale of Thrones. The two episodes available to press are bookended with memorable series-defining moments. Of course, with the season storming out of the gate in such a blaze of glory, could it risk of fizzling out further into the run? We’ll have to wait and see. What we do know for certain is that the Dance of Dragons is finally heating up – and, as House Targaryen rains fire and blood over Westeros – no one is safe.
House of the Dragon season 3 will arrive on HBO Max on 22 June in the UK. Seasons 1 and 2 are available to stream on Sky and NOW – find out more about how to sign up for Sky TV.
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