Let’s just say it : FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) is real. You know what might be even more real than regular FOMO? TV FOMO. And with the release of HBO’s new Game of Thrones prequel series House of The Dragon, you’re probably seeing a lot of talk, and wondering, sincerely, if that’s talk that you want to be a part of. It’s all about that TV FOMO.
Well, first, let’s quickly define TV FOMO, shall we? It’s when you are just enjoying a little time to yourself, check your social media feeds, and all of a sudden it seems like everyone that you follow is talking about one thing—and it’s a TV show that you’re not watching. This can happen in real life—at lunch, at drinks, at softball games, wherever—as well. Sometimes watching a popular TV show can essentially count as social currency, or an invitation into a fun conversation. And no one wants to miss out on that.
I felt it recently with the final season of Better Call Saul; I was a devout fan of Breaking Bad, and saw the first season of Saul, the former show’s prequel series, as it was airing. But eventually I fell too far behind, and to remember everything that happened in Breaking Bad while also catching up on Saul simply felt too daunting—and I never followed through with it. And I paid the price! Every week, the show aired, and I either had no idea what anyone was talking about, or wound up seeing spoilers for when I eventually take the plunge and do watch. I felt left out, and it wasn’t fun!
So, now that House of the Dragon is only beginning its first season, you’re probably wondering how you can not be like me. Can you jump onto the tracks with House of the Dragon right away? Or do you need some Game of Thrones as a support base? Let’s get into it.
Can I watch House of the Dragon without having seen Game of Thrones?
In short? Yes.
Stream House of the Dragon Here
The most important detail when answering this question is that House of the Dragon takes place nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones—172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. That places this story far enough in the past that there’s something of a blank slate as far as character and story go. Yes, these are the ancestors of some of the characters we know from the other show (Episode 1 gives us a look at Rickon Stark, whose descendants Ned, Robb, Sansa, Arya, etc. were all key players in Game of Thrones, for example), but the political and action intrigue of the new season is basically all starting from the ground floor.
Now, if you’re a Game of Thrones newbie coming to House of the Dragon, just because you’ll be able to follow this story entirely doesn’t mean you won’t also be missing some stuff. There will be easter eggs, and there will be references to both HBO’s prior series and George R. R. Martin’s (as of now unfinished) book series. It’s basically the same reasoning that we suggest watching Marvel movies in release order rather than “chronological”—it’s implied that the people watching in real time have seen everything that’s come before it, so some deeper cut references may go over your head.
That said? Not everyone has time to binge a whole series. If you’re willing and eager to for your first journey to Westeros to be House of the Dragon, come on down. The more the merrier.
Evan is the culture editor for Men’s Health, with bylines in The New York Times, MTV News, Brooklyn Magazine, and VICE. He loves weird movies, watches too much TV, and listens to music more often than he doesn’t.
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