Everyone is patiently waiting to see the new Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon. However, the co-showrunner for the new series has compared the show to something that is not its predecessor. The main plot of House of the Dragon focuses on the Targaryen family, as they fight amongst themselves to determine who should take the Iron Throne. This familial battle is something that is showcased in another hit HBO series, Succession. When asked about the similarities, co-showrunner Ryan Condal said, “Yeah, I think that’s actually a great metaphor, and the things we referenced in the [writers’] room the most were The Crown and Succession, just as tonal analogs and as shows that we, the writers, were really enjoying and immersed in.”
Although House of the Dragon should be compared to Game of Thrones based on the Targaryen lineage being one of the main plot points for the latter, Condal is stating that the new prequel series revolves around one family, rather than it being about the Starks and Lannisters. He does have a point, as Game of Thrones relied on that battle until the very end of the series. The new series is going to be all about the Targaryen’s and their ability to use dragons in their quest to dominate those who would get in their way. In fact, there is said to be a whopping 22 dragons in the new series, all with their own personality. Game of Thrones only gave us three dragons in the entirety of the series. All of which were controlled by a Targaryen, up until the Night King killed one and resurrected it.
House of the Dragon takes place hundreds of years before the events of Game of Thrones, which highlighted the rein of the Mad King. This new series is said to showcase the Dance of the Dragons, which was a civil war enacted between House Targaryen, meaning we could be seeing some epic dragon battles take place. It sure does sound a bit like Succession. That is not a terrible comparison either, as Succession has been one of the best shows for the network. In fact, Succession currently is nominated for 13 Emmys, including a nomination for Outstanding Drama Series.
Game of Thrones was one of the highest-rated and watched shows on HBO. It had barely been unseated as the most watched by Euphoria. However, House of the Dragon can take that title back, as it has been highly anticipated for quite some time. This will be the first spinoff and prequel series for Game of Thrones, but it likely not going to be the last. Game of Thrones officially ended in 2019, and everyone had been upset with the final season. Hopefully, House of the Dragon can correct that horrible feeling.
HBO has amazing programming, and we can’t wait to see House of the Dragon when it officially premieres on August 21st. The new series will tackle the rise and fall of the Targaryen family, though we are likely not to see any familiar faces. Well, that’s to say that we will likely learn about characters mentioned in the original series, but that’s it. We can’t wait to see everyone battle again for the Iron Throne.
