House of the Dragon

At the height of Targaryen power, with more than fifteen dragons under their command, the realm looks unassailable. King Viserys shocks tradition by naming his daughter Rhaenyra heir, a move that unsettles nobles who expect a male successor. When Viserys later fathers a son but keeps Rhaenyra first in line, the court fractures and loyalties shift. The series follows palace intrigue, rival ambitions, and the way dynastic rules and personal grievances combine to threaten a house that seemed untouchable. Dragons and political maneuvering are constantly present, but the story stays focused on succession, family tensions, and how decisions at the throne ripple outward across the kingdoms.

Premiering in 2022 on HBO, House of the Dragon was created by George R. R. Martin and Ryan Condal, adapted from Martin's Fire & Blood. The ensemble includes Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen, Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower, and Patrick Sass as Arilon.

The series drew industry recognition, earning multiple nominations across major television award bodies for acting, production design, costuming, and visual effects, acknowledging the scale and technical ambition of its production.

House of the Dragon quickly reanimated interest in the older eras of Westeros, especially the Dance of the Dragons storyline. Its dragon imagery and dramatic set pieces sparked fan discussion, fan art, cosplay, and online theory threads about succession, legitimacy, and the ethics of power, making the prequel a frequent topic among genre communities.

Critics and audiences praised the show's production values, creature work, and lead performances, while some viewers noted uneven pacing and an intense level of brutality in certain episodes. It holds a strong audience score, with a vote average of 8.305/10 from 5,635 votes, reflecting broad enthusiasm for its spectacle and its focus on how personal choices shape political futures.