The first season of the American fantasy drama television series House of the Dragon premiered on HBO on August 21, 2022, in the United States and concluded on October 23, 2022. It consists of ten episodes, each of approximately one hour. The series is based on Fire & Blood, a prequel novel in the A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin, adapted for television by Ryan Condal and Martin. Following the conclusion of its predecessor series Game of Thrones, in October 2019, HBO ordered the first season, which began filming in April 2021, primarily in the United Kingdom, Spain, and Portugal.
The story takes place upon the continent of Westeros, set nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones. The season follows the rise of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen to the throne after her father King Viserys I Targaryen chooses her as his heir. However, Viserys' decision breaks an inheritance principle and a century tradition of only naming male heirs, which leads to a turmoil that slowly starts to divide the House Targaryen, while Rhaenyra struggles with the responsibilities of being the heiress of the Iron Throne. As the tensions between the Targaryens grow, the Hand of the King Otto Hightower conspires to usurp Rhaenyra as the ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, by having his daughter Alicent Hightower married to Viserys, who fathers the Prince Aegon II Targaryen.
House of the Dragon features a large ensemble cast, including established actors such as Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, and Graham McTavish. Newer actors were cast as the younger generation of characters, such as Emma D'Arcy, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, and Fabien Frankel. Critics praised the character development, visual effects, writing, Ramin Djawadi's score, and performances; Smith's and D'arcy's performances as Daemon Targaryen and Rhaenyra respectively, received multiple accolades. However, the pacing, specifically of the time jumps, and the dark lighting of some scenes were criticized. The first season won one of the nine Emmy Awards for which it was nominated, with one of the nominees being for Outstanding Drama Series. Over 10 million viewers watched the series premiere across the linear channels and HBO Max on the first day, the biggest audience in HBO's history. A second season was ordered in August 2022.
Episodes
Cast and characters
Main
Paddy Considine as Viserys I Targaryen Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen Milly Alcock portrays young Rhaenyra Targaryen Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon Eve Best as Rhaenys Targaryen Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower Emily Carey portrays young Alicent Hightower Graham McTavish as Harrold Westerling Matthew Needham as Larys Strong Jefferson Hall as identical twins: Jason Lannister and Tyland Lannister Harry Collett as Jacaerys "Jace" Velaryon Leo Hart portrays young Jacaerys Velaryon (guest) Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon II Targaryen Ty Tennant portrays young Aegon Targaryen (guest) Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen Leo Ashton portrays young Aemond Targaryen (guest) Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen Shani Smethurst portrays young Baela Targaryen (guest) Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen Eva Ossei-Gerning portrays young Rhaena Targaryen (guest) Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen Evie Allen portrays young Helaena Targaryen (guest)
Recurring
David Horovitch as Mellos Bill Paterson as Lyman Beesbury Gavin Spokes as Lyonel Strong Steffan Rhodri as Hobert Hightower Elliott Tittensor as Erryk Cargyll Luke Tittensor as Arryk Cargyll John Macmillan as Laenor Velaryon Theo Nate portrays young Laenor Velaryon Matthew Carver portrays child Laenor Velaryon Nanna Blondell as Laena Velaryon Savannah Steyn portrays young Laena Velaryon Nova Foueillis-Mosé portrays child Laena Velaryon Anthony Flanagan as Steffon Darklyn Ryan Corr as Harwin Strong Wil Johnson as Vaemond Velaryon Kurt Egyiawan as Orwyle Elliot Grihault as Lucerys "Luke" Velaryon Harvey Sadler portrays young Lucerys Velaryon Paul Kennedy as Jasper Wylde Alexis Raben as Talya Jordon Stevens as Elinda Massey Paul Hickey as Allun Caswell Phil Daniels as Gerardys
Guest
Sian Brooke as Aemma Arryn Michael Carter as Jaehaerys I Targaryen Garry Cooper as Ryam Redwyne Julian Lewis Jones as Boremund Baratheon David Hounslow as Rickon Stark Frankie Wilson as Randyll Barret Gary Raymond as The High Septon Daniel Scott-Smith as Craghas Drahar Solly McLeod as Joffrey Lonmouth Edward Rowe as Howland Sharp Lucy Briers as Ceira Lannister Joanna David as Joselyn Redwyne Alana Ramsey as Lynesse Hightower Chris David Storer as Humfrey Bracken Gabriel Scott as Jerrel Bracken Alfie Todd as Willem Blackwood Paul Leonard as Beric Dondarrion Ben Dilloway as Soren Owen Oakeshott as Gerold Royce Rachel Redford as Rhea Royce Arty Froushan as Qarl Correy Patrice Naiambana as the Dragonkeeper Elder Dean Nolan as Reggio Haratis Haqi Ali as Kelvyn Max Wrottesley as Lorent Marbrand Maddie Evans as Dyana Michelle Bonnard as Sylvi Simon Chandler as High Septon Eustace Miriam Lucia as Lady Fell Paul Clayton as Lord Merryweather Roger Evans as Borros Baratheon Nicholas Jones as Bartimos Celtigar Michael Elwyn as Simon Staunton
Production Development In 2015, with Game of Thrones still in production, HBO executives approached A Song of Ice and Fire writer George R. R. Martin regarding possible successors or spin-offs to the series. In November 2018, Martin stated that a "potential spin-off series would be solidly based on material in Fire & Blood." Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D. B. Weiss stated they wanted to "move on" from the franchise and declined involvement in subsequent projects. By September 2019, a Game of Thrones prequel series from Martin and Ryan Condal that "tracks the beginning of the end for House Targaryen" was close to receiving a pilot order from HBO. The following month, House of the Dragon was given a straight-to-series order. Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, who won an Emmy Award for directing the episode "Battle of the Bastards", were selected to serve as showrunners. A second season was ordered in August 2022.
Casting Casting for the first season began in July 2020. In October 2020, Paddy Considine was cast as Viserys I Targaryen. Considine was offered a role in Game of Thrones but declined due to the fantasy elements of the series. Condal in a 2020 interview stated that Considine was their first choice for Viserys. By December, Olivia Cooke, Matt Smith, and Emma D'Arcy were cast as Alicent Hightower, Daemon Targaryen, and Rhaenyra Targaryen, respectively. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Smith stated he was initially hesitant to star in a Game of Thrones prequel but accepted the role after learning of Considine's attachment to the project.
In February 2021, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, and Sonoya Mizuno were added to the main cast. By April, Fabien Frankel joined the cast as Criston Cole. In May, Graham McTavish was spotted on set in full wardrobe. In July 2021, Emily Carey and Milly Alcock were added to the cast as younger counterparts of Alicent Hightower and Rhaenyra Targaryen, respectively. The time jump midway through the first season prompted the casting of multiple actors for the same role.
Filming Principal photography on the ten-episode first season of the series began in April 2021. The series was filmed primarily in the United Kingdom. House of the Dragon was the first production to be shot at Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios' new virtual production stage. On July 18, 2021, a positive COVID-19 case forced the pausing of production for two days. The Spanish publication Hoy reported that House of the Dragon would be filmed in the Province of Cáceres in western Spain between October 11–21, 2021. The provincial capital of Cáceres along with the medieval town of Trujillo were used in scenes for King's Landing. From October 26–31, the series was filmed in Portugal at the Castle of Monsanto. The majority of season 1 was shot using Arri Alexa cameras; specifically Alexa 65s for the main camera and the Alexa Mini LFs as additional cameras.
Locations in Cornwall, England included St Michael's Mount, Holywell Beach and Kynance Cove. Other locations included Castleton, Derbyshire, in areas such as Cave Dale, Eldon Hill Quarry and the Market Place. Some scenes were shot in Aldershot, Hampshire. In February 2022, HBO confirmed that the first season of House of the Dragon had wrapped production. Visual effects for the series were produced in part by Pixomondo, who worked on Game of Thrones and received an Emmy Award for Outstanding Visual Effects. In October 2022, it was reported that the OSVP stage at Leavesden Studios, used in the series, was shutting down.
Music
It was announced in February 2021 that Ramin Djawadi would compose the series score. Djawadi and the showrunners opted to retain the original theme song, "Game of Thrones Theme", for House of the Dragon. The song debuted in the opening credits of the second episode. For the first season, Djawadi, along with Condal and Sapochnik, watched each episode and made notes on when the music should occur and what mood the music should set.
The 44-track score album was released by WaterTower Music on October 24, 2022, a day after the season finale premiered.
Release Broadcast House of the Dragon premiered on August 21, 2022. It is HBO's first new series to stream in 4K, Dolby Vision HDR and Dolby Atmos on its sister streaming platform HBO Max. The first episode was released for free on YouTube on September 2, 2022. The first-season finale was leaked online the week before the actual air date, with the full episode appearing on torrent sites. According to HBO, the leak came from a Europe, the Middle East and Africa partner and it will "aggressively" monitor for additional leaks.
International broadcast
In New Zealand, the series will be distributed by Sky's SoHo TV channel and Neon streaming service. In India, Disney+ Hotstar is set to distribute the show. In the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the series will air on Sky Atlantic. In Canada, House of the Dragon will be available on Bell Media's Crave streaming service and its HBO linear channel.
Home media The first season was released on 4K UHD Blu-ray (including a SteelBook special edition), standard Blu-ray, and DVD on December 20, 2022, and contains over an hour of behind-the-scenes features.
Reception Critical response
On the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, the first season holds an approval rating of 90% based on 873 reviews, with an average rating of 7.85/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Covering an era of tenuous peace with ferocious – albeit abbreviated – focus, House of the Dragon is an impressive prequel that exemplifies the court intrigue that distinguished its predecessor." On Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, the first season received a score of 69 out of 100 based on 43 critic reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".
Reviews for the first season were positive, with critics praising the writing, directing, score, and cast performances. Lucy Mangan of The Guardian called the show a "roaring success" with Lorraine Ali of the Los Angeles Times stating the show mirrors the acclaim of the early seasons of Game of Thrones. Reviews pointed out the reliance on Martin's work was one of the reasons the series fared better critically than the later seasons of its predecessor, specifically the last season. The cast also received praise, with Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, and Olivia Cooke being singled out for their performances.Cast performances reviews