critics-split-on-house-of-the-dragon-season-2

The much-anticipated second season of House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones, is set to be released in India soon. Following a gripping finale in season one, the stage is set for a monumental showdown between Emma D’Arcy’s Rhaenyra Targaryen and Olivia Cooke’s Alicent Hightower. As fans eagerly await the next chapter, early reviews of the show, which will stream on JioCinema in India, have started pouring in, presenting a spectrum of opinions.

 

Despite the mixed critical reception, House of the Dragon has already secured a renewal for its third season, a testament to its enduring popularity. Here’s a roundup of how season two has fared with critics.

Too many side quests, not enough stakes

USA Today expressed disappointment with the second season, pointing out an overabundance of dragons and blood, but a lack of coherence. “Multiple scenes in which common sense and logic have flown out the window, more twists and surprises introduced without context or feeling to back them up, and more gratuitous violence that borders on outright indecency. There are too many side quests and not enough stakes to make me care about the battle for the Iron Throne that is meant to be the crux of the series,” the review stated. 

Series feels satisfyingly grand

In contrast, Vogue had a more favourable view, praising the series for breaking the monotony of “mid-TV” content. The review highlights the grandeur and visual splendour of the show, particularly the dragons and majestic settings. 

 

“There are many, many scenes of dragons in these episodes. Enormous, gorgeously rendered CGI behemoths that stomp and take to the air and breathe fire and lay waste to anything they care to. It’s a bit astonishing to contemplate how many millions fed the aerial sequences; one in particular made me gasp. And the settings—castles, ruined chambers, fields, and forests—have a hugeness of scale that makes the series feel satisfyingly grand,” Vogue wrote.

Dragon-on-dragon violence, as promised

Variety noted that while season one served as a mere prelude to the epic Dance of the Dragons, season two finally delivers on its promise. “The new episodes, four of which were screened for critics in advance, contain much of what their predecessors lacked, from the development of key relationships to the dragon-on-dragon violence promised by the title. ‘House of the Dragon’ has been elevated, sharpened, and broadened in scope — all in service of a show now as dark figuratively as it already was literally,” the review stated. 

Has a hard time escaping its own trappings

IndieWire offered a more critical perspective, suggesting that season two struggles to build momentum. “Thus far, Season 2 has a hard time escaping its own trappings. The plot lurches forward. The characters focus on what we’ve already seen. New developments on either front do little to raise our curiosity. For those who want to tune in and be rewarded with exactly what they expect (plus an extra cringe-inducing death or two), perhaps that’s enough. But ‘HotD’s’ duty to ‘GoT’ should only go as far as its prequel status requires,” the review noted. 

Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke do the heavy lifting

Empire acknowledged the improvements in season two while praising the performances of the lead actors. “Where Season 1’s flaws have been addressed, its strengths continue to shine. Fortunately, we have the equally impressive Cooke and D’Arcy — not to mention Ifans and Matt Smith (still brooding malevolently as Daemon) — to do the heavy lifting, while Tom Glynn-Carney, Ewan Mitchell, and Fabien Frankel (as the dark-hearted Criston Cole) are able to spread their wings in juicy roles. With characters as troublesome and combustible as these, who needs dragons to blow the world to s**t?”