House of the Dragon: Season Two – Review
Game of Thrones was a huge phenomenon and so it was natural that there would be a spinoff. The Targaryens were a natural place to start, both because of their past possession of the throne and their use of dragons.
Season two starts where the first season ended. The fight for the throne is bitter. Not only are the two claimants family, the conflict has already resulted in the death of young family members.
This season threatens to fracture the family even more and there are deep divisions even within each side. Family does not always have your best interests in mind.
House of the Dragon includes many of the elements of Game of Thrones in terms of backstabbing and betrayals. This is a world where each person looks to their own concerns and advancements and will do what it takes to achieve what they want.
The main conflict is more complicated because each side possesses dragons. One side has the largest dragon but the other side has more dragons. I found the parallels between the use of dragons and nuclear weapons in our own age to be very interesting.
Another interesting aspect of this season was the attitude toward the high born and the commoners. Are certain people superior to others because of the circumstances of their birth, even if they may share some of the same DNA?
I watched all of the Game of Thrones and I enjoyed the world that was created. However, I really struggled with the nudity and in some cases, graphic sex. There were many times I almost gave up watching it, and only stuck with it because I saw a lessening of it.
I mentioned to my wife that I appreciated House of the Dragon because it cut way back on that stuff and it was much easier to watch. That very episode included a very graphic scene that almost made me give up on it.
I am not a prude but graphic nudity does not add anything to the story. I am sure they want to look “edgy” and “mature” but it can be an obstacle. I hope that future seasons on House of the Dragon keep this in mind.
I do like the storyline and the myths behind this series. It is actually drawn from many aspects of both myth and history. Aside from the dragons, real history is not really less bloody or treacherous.
I am interested in where House of the Dragon goes from here. Season two was good and sets us up for the next part of the story.
