As the last severed body parts were carted away, those wicked winds of deceit blew in, and the dragons were sent off to bed, we’re all greatly relieved that HBO’s new Game of Thrones prequel spinoff, House of the Dragon, scored an impressive debut this past Sunday.
The show has done something quite rare in episodic television in that it not only echoes the somber tone and grim atmosphere of one of the greatest TV shows ever to assault the airwaves, but it also manages to carve out its own unique personality and flair within George R.R. Martin’s fictional universe.
Bolstered by compelling performances by Matt Smith, Paddy Considine, Milly Alcock, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, and many others, House of the Dragon injects some potent flames into the late summer streaming season. And wow, those soaring dragons are simply amazing!
Yes, that old familiar Game of Thrones feeling is back with a vengeance thanks to the solid storytelling and lavish production design delivered by creator/showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, with adaptation duties including the talents of GRRM. Even Emmy-winning composer Ramin Djawadi has returned to lend his moody, melancholy music to this highly-anticipated prestige series that reportedly cost $10 million per episode.
After a pilot episode that catered to nearly everyone’s tastes, from the tender to the terrifying, viewers were whisked back to the Westeros of 200 years past as the dysfunctional Targaryen clan jockeys for political power, with ailing King Viserys I naming his daughter Rhaenyra as his heir instead of his cruel, duplicitous brother, Daemon. Heavy is the heart that sits on the Iron Throne!
Now that the table has been set for further intrigue and violent clashes, let’s sheath our swords for a moment and pry into what’s due to unfold in House of the Dragon Episode 2, titled “The Rogue Prince.”
When is House of the Dragon Episode 2 release date?
House of the Dragon Episode 2 airs exclusively on HBO and HBO Max starting August 28, 2022.
What is House of the Dragon Episode 2 release time?
HBO will release new episodes of House of the Dragon on Sundays at 9 p.m. They stream on HBO Max at the same time.
How many episodes is House of the Dragon Season 1?
House of the Dragon Season 1 will consist of ten weekly episodes.
What is the plot of House of the Dragon?
House of the Dragon is the tumultuous history of House Targaryen, set centuries prior to the saga of Game of Thrones. It’s also an adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s 2018 novel, Fire & Blood. This series revolves around a period of history known as “The Dance of the Dragons,” which is a conflict that erupts between rival siblings Prince Aegon Targaryen and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen over the right to sit on the Iron Throne after their father Viserys I’s demise.
House of the Dragon focuses on those earlier days of one of the surviving families of Old Valyria, House Targaryen. These dragon-riding nobles with their signature silvery locks managed to escape the doomed city of Old Valyria before a volcanic event destroyed the kingdom. They settled on the jagged island of Dragonstone where they carved out their sinister-looking fortress.
With their stable of fire-breathing beasts terrorizing anyone who stood against them, House Targaryen took the Iron Throne at Kings Landing to create a dynasty that lasted 300 years. House of the Dragon picks up a few generations later as the cracks begin to show in the Targaryen dynasty and infighting begins.
This epic fantasy series is a co-creation of Ryan Condal (Colony, Rampage) and Martin. Showrunning duties go to Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, who directed a half-dozen Game of Thrones episodes including the epic Emmy-winning chapter, “Battle of the Bastards.”
Who is in House of the Dragon’s cast?
House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine (King Viserys Targaryen), Matt Smith (Prince Daemon Targaryen, younger brother of King Viserys I), Milly Alcock/Emma D’Arcy (Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen), Tom Glynn-Carney (Prince Aegon Targaryen), Rhys Ifans (Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King), Olivia Cooke (Alicent Hightower, daughter of the Hand of the King), Steve Toussaint (Corlys Velaryon), and Eve Best (Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, wife to Lord Velaryon).
Rounding out the stellar cast are Sonoya Mizuno, Fabien Frankel, Emily Carey, Ryan Corr, Jefferson Hall, David Horovitch, Graham McTavish, Matthew Needham, Bill Paterson, Gavin Spokes, and Ewan Mitchell.
Is there a trailer for House of the Dragon Episode 2?
There is no specific teaser for the second episode but there was a full season supercut at the end of the premiere that offered a multitude of clues concerning the question of succession and the turmoil it will bring to Westeros. It’s got plenty of dire warnings, sharp daggers, glaring nobles, pregnant royals, flying dragons, gleaming swords, brutal battles, and dark gloomy castles.
This next chapter will also introduce a new full title sequence that’s sure to be incendiary!
However, HBO released the final main trailer for House of the Dragon on July 21 and it’s a rousing spectacle full of “thundering hooves, splintering shields and ringing swords” as internal strife strikes House Targaryen and those glorious flame-belching dragons roar as one!
Will House of the Dragon get a Season 2?
Yes! HBO officially renewed House of the Dragon for Season 2 on Friday, August 26. The second season does not yet have a releasedate.
Game of Thrones: House of the Dragon Episode 2 premieres on HBO and HBO Max on August 28, 2022.
