House Of The Dragon Season 2 Rotten Tomatoes Score Speaks Volumes

While the general consensus has been largely positive, the reviews reveal the aspects holding House of the Dragon Season 2 back from a coveted perfect Rotten Tomatoes score. The Hollywood Reporter described the premiere episodes as “entertaining” while noting that it “still struggles with the balance of epic scope and human-scale motivation that made its predecessor work so well.”

The Washington Post described House of the Dragon Season 2 as “more of a family feud than an epic.” While noting that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, the publication said that “it can sometimes seem more like a sadder Arrested Development than Shakespeare (with dragons).” Vanity Fair called the second outing “more cohesive and more disappointing.”

The New York Times likened House of the Dragon Season 2 to a board game, saying that “it’s neither interesting enough to pull us consistently into the flow nor weird enough to rattle our chains.” Variety is more optimistic, saying that the Game of Thrones spinoff finally feels like “the show it was always meant to be.

House of the Dragon Season 1 ended with the death of Lucerys Velaryon at the hands of his uncle Aemond Targaryen and his dragon Vhagar. Season 2, Episode 1, sees Rhaenyra mourning the death of her son while Daemon wants revenge.

He initially considers enlisting Rhaenys and her dragon to kill Vhagar but instead sneaks into King’s Landing to bribe a rat catcher and a guard to kill Aemond.

The eight-episode House of the Dragon Season 2 will focus on the Targaryen civil war, known as the Dance of the Dragons, where Rhaenyra and her half-brother Aegon battle for the throne. Many new characters will reportedly appear in the season, including Alys Rivers, played by Gayle Rankin, and Ser Simon Strong, played by Simon Russell Beale.

Although Games of Thrones author George R.R. Martin was involved in the first season, showrunner Ryan Condal mentioned that the show is now operating independently, with Martin’s guidance still present in the background. Despite the reduced episode count, House of the Dragon Season 2 promises an emotional and visually exciting story (and five new dragons).

House of the Dragon (Season 1 and 2) is based on George R.R. Martin’s book Fire & Blood, which is a historical account of the Targaryen dynasty in Westeros. The book provides a detailed history of the Targaryen family, including their conquests, wars, and familial conflicts. Along with Dance of the Dragons, the season will likely include the “Blood and Cheese” story arc.

During this event, the rat catcher “Cheese” and the Gold Cloak “Blood” kill a young child at the behest of Helaena Targaryen. House of the Dragon Season 2 may also see Rhaenyra’s son Jacaerys meet the Starks in Winterfell, which is a significant event in the book. Corlys Velaryon could also blockade King’s Landing, as the book shows.

Other predictions for House of the Dragon Season 2 include expanding the world beyond the confines of Westeros’s nobility and introducing other houses and regions, such as the North, the Reach, and the Iron Islands. Rhaenyra, who is almost entirely sidelined in the book, could see her role expanded in the show, potentially becoming more involved in the conflict and its resolution.