The Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon is a story that dives into the world of the Targaryens and family politics long before they were overthrown. To a time before the epic and the intertwined saga of Lannisters, Starks, and Targaryens began. The series which is soon to grace the screens will feature Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen and Emma D’Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen among other major ensemble cast members.
Game of Thrones: A Landmark in Television History
The Game of Thrones universe has entertained its audience beyond quantifiable measures. The epic saga has interwoven its narrative as one that is not only revolutionary but also radical in its cinematography and character and plot building. The events that set off the ultimate war between the houses and ended in the showdown with the White Walkers and their Night King will forever be etched in the history of television and be revisited countless times due to its unfailing depth of rich story and unyielding content.
Daenerys Targaryen with Drogon in Game of Thrones
For a show as richly woven and densely packed with every flavor of epic fantasy available and then some, it is hard to match up to the expectations of the original with the subsequential spin-offs. Although important in its own right, the House of the Dragon storyline is also essential as it provides a well-established foundation for the events befalling the Targaryens long before the Mad King was slain by the kingslayer, Jaime Lannister.
Also read: House of the Dragon Showrunner Compares the Show’s Dragons to Gods
House of the Dragon Co-Writer Talks About Game of Thrones
House of the Dragons was materialized through the conjoined vision of writers, Sara Hess and Ryan Condal and one could not have made it without the other. Both Hess and Condal are familiar with the works of George R. R. Martin, but with one crucial difference — while Ryan Condal is an avid fan and follower of all things A Song of Ice and Fire, Sara Hess is only acquainted with the work as a hazy memory in the distant past. Having read the published oeuvre a long time ago, she remembers the broad brushstrokes that are important to the narrative but not so much that her personal attachment or fandom to the source would ruin the production of the scripted show.
As such, Sara Hess provides a perfect balance to Ryan Condal’s fanboy investment in the work. However, no matter how balanced their contribution be, Hess’s work with the House of the Dragon is essential only because it is a prequel spin-off to the original show, Game of Thrones. But as was revealed by the co-writer and producer of the spin-off series, Hess has never watched the television adaptation of Martin’s work. This has led to concerned speculation about whether Hess is qualified enough to embody the essence of the parent series but Hess thinks otherwise: “I think it was actually a plus. […] I think I was able to come at it sort of with fresh eyes.” She added,
“I’ve worked on so many different series in the past that I’ve experienced a lot of engagement with fans and some people have very strong opinions. At the end of the day you hear what people are saying, but you can’t sort of like let other people dictate the way that you’re telling the story.
So you have to like sort of appreciate it and take it in and then also not be swayed by it and like, keep to your vision and tell the story that you need to tell and hope that you do it the best that you can and hope that people like it. If you think too much about how huge it is, you’ll just freak out.”
House of the Dragon will premiere on HBO Max on August 22, 2022.
Source: IGN
