‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 Earns Positive Ratings Before Release

The much-anticipated ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel, ‘House of the Dragon,’ is set to make its return to HBO next week on June 16. Early reviews have been glowing. Last month, a trailer for the second season dropped, building on the high-stakes tension that ended season one. Aegon II and Rhaenyra Targaryen are at each other’s throats, vying for the Iron Throne and sparking a Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons.

The trailer teases The Blacks, led by Rhaenyra and Daemon, as they plan an invasion of King’s Landing to seize the throne from The Greens, led by Aegon. It’s packed with glimpses of the fiery and bloody war ahead, even hinting at a trip to The Wall.

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House of the Dragon’s second season was renewed just five days after the premiere of the first season in August 2022. Based on George R. R. Martin’s 2018 novel ‘Fire & Blood,’ the series is set nearly 200 years before the events of ‘Game of Thrones.’ The new season will feature eight episodes, airing weekly from June 16 to August 4.

The early reviews for season two have been stellar, with a 91 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Empire gave the season four stars, praising it as a “spiky, acidic human drama” and a “well-performed study of power and wisdom.” The Independent also awarded four stars, noting that while the season takes a few episodes to hit its stride, it delivers the grand, violent spectacle fans crave.

The Telegraph echoed these sentiments with another four-star review, recommending ‘House of the Dragon’ as a perfect summer escape. The Evening Standard also rated it four stars, appreciating the deeper character exploration now that the show has moved past the time jumps of season one. Olivia Cooke’s performance as Alicent received special mention.

Not all reviews were glowing. Rolling Stone was less impressed, criticising the show for confusing complexity with a surplus of poorly defined characters, though they acknowledged the allure of dragons. With Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, and Rhys Ifans among the cast, the first season of ‘House of the Dragon’ received critical acclaim and even won the Golden Globe for ‘Best Television Series – Drama.’