House of the Dragon

And how the hell did you want Rhaenys to get out of the dragonpit when it was all closed for the coronation? Waiting patiently until everyone left? fff

How did she get in there in the first place? Didn’t they establish earlier in the episode it was heavily guarded when she tried to get to her dragon.
 
CGI looks fine to me. Did you guys expect the dragons to come through the screen and lick you, or something?

Rhaenys got to the Dragon Pit lost among the peasantry shephered there to witness Aegon's coronation. Presumably, there was no great need to guard the inner entrances as the frightened smallfolk would become crisp mince meat if they ventured down. Since the alarm hadn't gone up that Rhaenys had been broken out of her house arrest, there was no suspecting a rogue Targaryen in the crowd. Most likely Rhaenys knew she was outnumbered, alone and vulnerable, so had best break her dragon out ASAP rather than waiting and risking Aemond and Aegon chasing her down, the huge Dragonpit doors being closed, etc.

The real travesties there were her being uninjured by breaking through the floor & the smallfolk cheering Aegon as King.

As for the Baratheons, they had always been vocal defenders of Rhaenys' claim - her mother was a Baratheon. They also have Velaryon blood, in canon. It was fairly "obvious" they'd stand with the Blacks, until Borros' pride got the best of him and he didn't. Rhaenyra was stupid not to offer him a marriage or Council seat. That's kinda the point. But between Rhaenys and Lucerys patrolling the Gullet, Rhaenys was probably the better bet. It's a plot point Lucerys is making the shorter and (assumed) safer trip to deliver a simple message.
 
There’s definitely a downgrade in quality in terms of GCI, compared to GoT, which is fine, because the same applies to the budget of each series.

There are times when they can “hide” it better. For example, the recent scene with Daemon singing to Vermithor was beautifully done.
 
Rhaenys got to the Dragon Pit lost among the peasantry shephered there to witness Aegon's coronation. Presumably, there was no great need to guard the inner entrances as the frightened smallfolk would become crisp mince meat if they ventured down. Since the alarm hadn't gone up that Rhaenys had been broken out of her house arrest, there was no suspecting a rogue Targaryen in the crowd. Most likely Rhaenys knew she was outnumbered, alone and vulnerable, so had best break her dragon out ASAP rather than waiting and risking Aemond and Aegon chasing her down, the huge Dragonpit doors being closed, etc.

Ok. But then they should have re written the previous bit of the script where it was said the pit was heavily guarded. To perhaps the main entrance was heavily guarded.

Still great to watch. I just hate plot holes.
 
I liked the season finale but it’s a little frustrating that just as the plot is starting to open up & really evolve we’re going to have to wait 2 years for the next episode. My main complaint with season 1 is that it all felt very constricted and low scale, I think mainly due to the majority of the season focusing on one group of characters within the same castle. The grandeur of GoT wasn’t really there. I also am still having a very difficult time understanding who is who, the excessive amount of time jumps & character names being so similar hasn’t helped there. Overall I don’t think season 1 was amazing but I have an optimistic view that the best is yet to come.
 
As much as I love the series overall, S1 of GOT was an awful slog to get through (even binging because I didn't watch live until S4). I think this was an excellent first season of HOTD. It did a great job of building the characters but also kept things exciting and fast-paced. It already feels like the stakes are as high as they were in some of the best GOT seasons, so I think it's an incredible start.
 

Solenciennes

Staff member
I think this opened up into something really special - I have read the book so it seemed like a good premise for a show. The time jumps and changes of actor for certain roles is a bit confusing but hopefully that's it settled into who's who now. Can't believe they've left such a long gap between the end of this S1 and the eventual S2, that seems like poor planning.
 

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I absolutely fucking loved this. Like properly thought it was great. I’m tempted to go back to the beginning and rewatch, which I never do. Loved all the characters, particularly the main girlies. I thought I’d miss the younger cast because they were great, but what a treat Emma and Olivia are. Emma in particular absolutely devoured. An incredibly watchable presence.

Just such a great, gripping show. I loved every second. I do agree the pace was a little quick, and we definitely could have spent more time with certain plot points. I’d have like to have seen more of Rhaenyra and Harwin Strong, and more of the Sea Snake’s adventures (although he’s getting a spin-off I believe?). Basically they did get a bit trigger happy with the time jumps a bit in the middle. But overall I enjoyed it a lot, and I’d rather it be too quick than too slow. And maybe leaving some aspects unsaid links back to the based on a history book thing.
 

Solenciennes

Staff member
I suppose the wild time jumps do offer up the possibility that they'll have flashbacks in S2 with the younger Alicent and Rhaenyra and maybe explore a bit more about the Harwin Strong/Rhaenyra/Laenor Velaryon dynamic; Criston and Alicent becoming thick as thieves; the two branches of Targaryen heirs growing up...

It's probably better than the meandering nothing episodes we'd often get in Game of Thrones that were designed to take up air time but I wonder if S2 of this will settle into that pattern.
 
Alicent really never wins uh. Her father is an asshole who uses her as merch for political gain. She's forced to marry an old king who will never love her, is terrible at sex and is also decomposing in real time. She loses her best friend by marrying her father. Her only "friend" inside the castle is a murderous goblin who helps her survive in there in exchange of a wank. She births two ugly-as-sin boys who are complete psychopaths. She thinks she's guiding the council while they're actually working unbeknownst to her.

I hope at least she gets some dick from her murderous but beautiful guard at least.
 

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