Set 200 years before the events of the fantasy epic Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon season 3 continues the deeply messy familial drama of the Targaryen dynasty.
Built off the back of George R. R. Martin’s pseudo-historical chronicle Fire and Blood, HOTD season 3 returns with fiery spectacle of a civil war involving dragons, as well as spotty interpersonal drama. Aptly nicknamed in-universe as The Dance of the Dragons – HOTD centres around the complicated rise of Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy), and her fight for the Iron Throne against her half-brother Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) and nemeses House Hightower. This season finds Rhaenyra at her most powerful and her enemies most scattered – yet the Hightower host continues to wreak havoc on her promised rule as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms.
Despite GOT’s disastrous final season, season 1 of HOTD landed with a hit – I was impressed at the efficiency of storytelling, superb acting and, naturally, a colourful and effortlessly cool cast of dragons. I was less convinced by the slow pace of season 2, which had some of TV’s coolest fantasy battles, but slammed on the brakes in its writing. My main concern with season 3 was that, with only 4 seasons projected and 8 episodes per season, the series would buckle under the pressure. Thankfully, season 3 manages to claw its way through a more exciting and meaningful story – but not without some hiccups.
The most consistent part of the show since its first episode has been its ensemble cast that has an insane breadth of acting prowess – this remains for the most part. The majority of the cast are top-notch – but only as great as the script allows them to be. Rhaenyra, the ‘main’ character is a great example of this push and pull between performance and character. Emma D’Arcy is perfectly cast, and exudes the perfect blend of frantic anxiety and eventually venomous tenacity. However, many scenes force D’Arcy into repetitive character beats that offer little for them to do, or confine them to scenes with characters that do not explore their more interesting characteristics. A few other characters that shone in previous seasons are similarly held back by the script – notably Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell) and Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) – both of whom were exiled to single locations by the script, with little much to do.
Thankfully, season 3 also manages to do the flip side with some of its best characters and actors – giving them more agency and exciting set pieces to flex their talents. Fan (and personal) favourite Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) is a complete scene stealer as always, but rather than being stuck in a haunted castle in the previous season, he is utilised to his maximum. Smith propels dramatic low-key scenes as well as he commands high-intensity battles.
A big shoutout is also due to James Norton as Ormund Hightower, who portrays the season’s core villain in wholly unique fashion. He offers a hilariously unhinged performance, resulting in one of the most distinctive villains on TV in recent memory. Regarding the unhinged, Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) has a brilliant underdog character arc. Glynn-Carney has so much more room to flex here and portrays his ego-death as a former resident of the Iron Throne turned battle-scarred hermit so precisely, that I started rooting for the opposite team by the end.
Moving away from characters and into one of the biggest draws of the GOT universe – the visual scale and fantasy escapism through high-budget set pieces – season 3 delivers as expected. Season 3 features two breathtaking battles that bookend the season, that explore a naval and siege fantasy battle and take them to the next level with a blend of dragon warfare and gritty boots-on-the-ground perspectives. Truly every scene is awash in fantasy escapism, mostly due to stunning set and costume design. I recently upgraded to an OLED TV for my main space, which really helped elevate the depth and dark colours of the Dragonstone and King’s Landing interiors – get in touch with your local Richer Sounds for the best deals on a new TV or projector display!
It would also be a crime not to mention the titular dragons – the show continues to characterise these (somehow adorable?) fiery predators with so much character and personality. The special effects and sound design teams deserve their flowers for portraying these stunning fantasy beasts in unique ways.
House of the Dragon season 3 felt like how I’d imagine a dragon ride – breath-taking, gloriously violent, and the uncomfortable bumps along the way are mostly forgotten by the time it’s over. Whilst there are some unfortunate and bizarre script choices, the calibre of everything surrounding it is good enough to remain excellent fantasy television. Overall I was left very excited for its final season, and with this show’s little brother A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms being another (maybe better?) triumph in the GOT universe, it’s safe to say we’re gradually being healed from the dagger in the back of GOT’s season 8.
Author: Elliot, Holborn Store
