As a general rule, spinoffs should be able to stand alone on their own merits, and need not be compared to their predecessors. In practice, though, it’s naive to think that any of us could take in a show as big as the one that came after “Game of Thrones” without feeling the comfort of familiarity or the pangs of what’s lacking in comparison. And what “House of the Dragon” is sorely lacking, at this point, is heroes.
This week, as we witness Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy) hook up with her murderous uncle, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) attempt to gouge out the eye of a child, and their children engage in a brutal fight, it’s hard not to wonder: who am I supposed to root for, here? Even the show’s most milquetoast character, King Viserys (Paddy Considine), began the show by okaying the bloody non-consensual c-section that killed his wife. Too often by this point, watching “House of the Dragon” feels a bit like watching a reality show where it’s no use getting attached to someone, because you never know when the edit will make them into a villain.
Not every show needs a hero, but for all the attention given to the more nihilistic aspects of his books, George R.R. Martin is in the business of building heroes. He anchored much of “A Song of Ice and Fire” around Ned Stark and Jon Snow, characters who were noble to a fault. On screen, “Game of Thrones” imbued supporting characters like Brienne, Samwell, and Davos Seaworthy with not just the qualities of a good sidekick, but also with a sense of warmth. Despite all the fire in “House of the Dragon,” there’s not much warmth to be found.
