House Of The Dragon. Because Martin really doesn't want to finish his book serie

[Anthony W]

C'mon, you know you watched it. I know a lot of you are disgruntled, but did it earn back some trust?

[Emperor-of-Dragons]

House of The Dragon had a decent first episode. I don't mind the tale of the Dance of The Dragons. I'd still prefer a story set during the Age of Heroes about The Long Night, personally speaking. I'm sick to DEATH of Matt Smith, but I have to tolerate him (along with Benedict Cumberbun) i guess. So far the first episode is good. So that takes the bitterness out lol. We'll see if it holds tho.

[Somecrazyaussie]

C'mon, you know you watched it. I know a lot of you are disgruntled, but did it earn back some trust?

I don't think he knows how to end it.

The wait for the next book is comparable to GNR's Chinese Democracy and we all know how that turned out.

[Madam-Shogun-Assassin]

I don't think he knows how to end it.

The wait for the next book is comparable to GNR's Chinese Democracy and we all know how that turned out.

Chinese Democracy was perfectly fine imo lol. I think he knows how to end it, he's just distracted by things, and on top of that he keeps adding in more plot lines late into the game. I also suspect he'll probably alter the ending to the book, he sort kinda already hinted that he would.

HoTD had a good first episode, but it's mostly just set up. Of all the spinoff ideas this was a story I was least interested in, second only to Robert's Rebellion. I too would have liked a Age of Heroes story, or something set elsewhere outside Westeros, like Southeros.

[kidfresh512]

C'mon, you know you watched it. I know a lot of you are disgruntled, but did it earn back some trust?

Will take more than 1 for that. I was entertained. Will take a bit to wrap my head around who is who of the white wig family. I am not that familiar with the material in terms of the books so I am just taking it as it is for now.

[TheCasualReader]

Eve "I WOULD EAT HIS HEART IN THE MARKET PLACE" Best as Rhaenys Targaryen aka She Who Should Have Been Queen (seriously, it would have solved so many problems)

Overall, I enjoyed the first episode. I'm not going to say anything more right now because I tend to get thoughtless about spoilers when I'm talking about things that excites me.

[Tofali]

Matt Smith has a really whiny voice that I didn't know would repel me in a medieval setting. Please tell me the Rogue Prince isn't the character we are supposed to follow?

[80sbaby]

It's crazy how timely the forced C-section is. I love when art imitates life through cosmic coincidence. You'd think when it happens that it would make some people re-think their positions but I doubt it.

The episode itself was good, even though it was just set-up. I think I'm going to really enjoy Daemon the most.

[Comic Lore]

No one really grabbed me, I'd say boring overall. Feels like failed casting, or maybe direction and writing. Game of thrones was great for a few seasons, but the staff at HBO just can't write anything compelling on their own. They really should just wait on the books and reshoot the end with new actors if GRRM ever finishes.

[godisawesome]

…I’m personally glad we didn’t get a story set in the Long Night. I know that's the stronger High Fantasy concept, since the White Walkers would be the villains again, we’d have the Children of the Forest as a shot of “wood elf” analog, and likely more magic, period…

…But to me, the Westeros setting and drama runs far better as political drama and medieval war story with Low Fantasy magic being fitted into it rather than defining it.

I was happy with the premier, especially regarding setting up Smith’s Daemon as the “wild card” of the story - he’s not the proper protagonist, but he’s the heavily active deuteragonist.

I think the “hook” we’re looking for to people who aren’t immediately intrigued probably won’t come until they successfully position Rhaenyra vs Alicent, and we get their older actors.

[Emperor-of-Dragons]

…I’m personally glad we didn’t get a story set in the Long Night. I know that's the stronger High Fantasy concept, since the White Walkers would be the villains again, we’d have the Children of the Forest as a shot of “wood elf” analog, and likely more magic, period…

…But to me, the Westeros setting and drama runs far better as political drama and medieval war story with Low Fantasy magic being fitted into it rather than defining it..

We can have our cake and eat it too bruh...

[Omega Alpha]

It wasn't bad, but was missing something still- we don't have a character that's very easily relatable or fun to watch, or at least someone to leave the odd joke here there, like Varys and Bronn.

[TheCasualReader]

It wasn't bad, but was missing something still- we don't have a character that's very easily relatable or fun to watch,

Eh, I tend to think relatable characters are overrated in terms of being a necessity. Most of the characters in A Song of Ice and Fire weren't relatable to me, but I still found their chapters engaging and entertaining because the characters were compelling. Same with the characters in a Game of Thrones (until the later seasons) There are things in this show that I do find relatable, such as the treatment of women and girls; the expendability of Aenma - she wasn't even afforded the choice - Rhaenyra's complete awareness of this before her mother's death, and women being disqualified from rule just because of their gender. Alicent being sent by her father to seduce a grieving widower so much older than her, and because she's still just a child who's been made to dress up in her dead mother's dress by her father to be enticing, Alicent can't think of anything but to bring her favorite book to read to the king.

As an amateur historian, the conflict surrounding women being barred from ruling is also interesting to see play out in a show because a similar, but bloodless, event happened in my country's history when a king died without male heirs and it was decided to amend the law so his oldest daughter could become queen regnant, something her male relatives, objected to since they would have been in line for the throne. She's been ruling for five decades now. While she was named after a relative, she styled herself Margaret II after a predecessor who was also queen regnant way back in the 13th century.

or at least someone to leave the odd joke here there, like Varys and Bronn.

To be honest, I think the largely absent patented Game of Thrones-specific humor might be why I enjoyed this episode so much. I'm really not missing the stupid sex humor, the cock jokes and the many verbal fucks.

[Madam-Shogun-Assassin]

Eh, I tend to think relatable characters are overrated in terms of being a necessity..

I'm glad someone said this, cause I totally agree. Not every character needs to be relatable. Most things I enjoy don't even really have a "relatable characters". Having then is good, of course. But I don't think it's super necessary to have relatable characters. Also what's relatable is debatable to begin with.

[Omega Alpha]

Oh, we can certainly have a show without relatable characters, without funny characters, or both, it's just going to be much harder to pull off well.and keep the audience interested, specially those of us that know where the story is going.