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In August, three years after the end of one of history’s most famous TV shows, Game of Thrones, the series’ fans have contact with the release of another story created in the same universe as GOT…only, 172 years earlier.
Like the first tale, this one is streamed by HBO and based on a book by George R.R. Martin, which is called A Song of Ice and Fire. But House of the Dragon is based on the second half of Martin’s novel, published in 2018, named Fire & Blood. The plot this time is the fight between two half brothers, Rhaenyra Targaryen and Aegon II, and their goal to conquer the Iron Throne, which is a symbol of command of Westeros’ seven kingdoms.
The show has ten episodes, and by now there are six of them available. The series has already – like its predecessor – become a worldwide success, with more than ten thousand spectators just in the U.S. As GOT, the episodes are also exhibited on Sundays at 10 pm.
- Power Struggle
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As mentioned, the plot of both shows is about who is going to conquer the Iron Throne and rule the continent, Westeros, becoming king or queen of the seven kingdoms.
Their characters are different, obviously, and in GOT each house fights the other, and in House of The Dragon (HOTD, for the fans), the conflict is between relatives, it is Targaryen versus Targaryen. Also, the characters will do whatever they can to win this fight, even the most horrific thing that you can imagine.
- Impeccable production
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One of Game of Thrones’ highlights was the quality of the setups. Makeup, outfits, shots, and special effects were all of the highest quality, creating a realistic atmosphere. Those resources earned many nominations for famous awards, such as the Emmy, which is the world´s most renowned premiere for shows. In fact, GOT is the show that has won the most Emmy statues. In that way, House of The Dragon is already following its preceding path, since they released just six episodes and they are very similar to the Song of Ice and Fire’s story, with many special effects, since they have many dragons in the show.
Besides that, the directors kept GOT’s songwriter, Ramin Djawadi, in charge of HOTD’s soundtrack. This decision brought a feeling of nostalgia to the first show´s spectators, and the opening music – Main Title – is the same for both series, leaving any viewer with chills on Sunday nights.
- bloody drama and explicit content
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Both TV shows are about deep dramas, presenting complex human problems with so many twists, family conflicts, and political decisions. In the six first seasons of GOT, with ten episodes each, the fans already knew that the tensest episode would be the night since the pattern was always this. Baelor, The Rains of Castamere, and Battle of the Bastards are all examples of tense episodes, all of which were in the last but one position. We still don´t know if HOTD will follow this rule, but the last Sunday, we already had a bloody drama. It was Rhaenyra Targaryen’s and Laenor Velaryon’s wedding, and it had one explicit scene of violence, in which a man was dead with several punches in his face.
Sex scenes with blood and violence were GOT’S trademark, with were always a target of negative critics. And, HOTD is suffering from those bad evaluations too, since according to the site Rotten Tomatoes, the show had its approval reduced from 91% to 85% due to excessive exposition of sexual relations and nudity.
- girl power!
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It is not just due to the dragons’ scenes and explicit content that Game of Thrones has its fame. The show also is known for having many iconic feminine characters. Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei Lannister, Arya Stark, Melisandre, Margaery Tyrell, and Brienne de Tarth are all examples of powerful women that marked their presence in the show. It is important to bring characters such as them, but they were also criticized for being represented in a very misogynistic and stereotyped way.
In the newest show, Rhaenyra Targaryen, Alicent Hightower, and Rhaenys Velaryon are the characters presented until now. The show seems to have the goal to investigate the patriarchy and misogyny practiced in the Middle Age, in an era placed in time before movements such as Me Too. We just need to cross our fingers and hope the show doesn’t follow GOT’s horrific path in women’s representation.
The article above was edited by Lorena Lindenberg.
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