OK y’all I was was wrong. I’m caught up now and I agree 100% that Milly Alcock is up to the challenge. She fills the role and then some. I shoulda known better, in a series that has an impressive track record in re: tough broads, she looks like she’s going to hold her own.
I don’t think GOT would have passed up the opportunity for hot campfire sex by two good looking people hopped up on adrenaline.
I was a little disappointed in that blown chance, too.
Didn’t read the books. Loved GoT. I’m in to this. It’s not GoT of course, but it’s a good watch.
I am enjoying the series. Didn’t it cost a lot to make?
IIRC, and I probably don’t, season one of GoT included The Wall (with Jon Snow and Samwell Tarly as well developed characters and lots of lesser ones), Winterfell (with Starks Ned, Catelyn, Robb, Sansa, Arya and Bran), Kings Landing (including Lannisters Tywin, Cersei, Jaime, Tyrion - who travelled to almost all the different areas - and a boatload of Baratheons and Tyrells, plus Varys and Littlefinger), plus many places in Westeros and Essos and many interesting characters from Melisandre to Mormont. I’ve only watched the series once and this might include some later things.
Of course comparisons are inevitable and impossible. It’s a simpler story meant to put bums in seats and increase subscriptions. But it is much simpler, not having read the books and acknowledging it is only a few episodes. I’d like a few changes of scene more interesting than step stones and some new complex characters.
Fourth episode dragged on a bit. Some good plot progression, but the show might have benefitted from more background on the Hightowers - the friendship between the Queen and Princess could be better portrayed.
A pretty big tempest for such a small teapot, And abortifacients are better taken with lots of milk and sugar.
Season 1 of GoT also had a lot more comic relief than this show does, and it balanced the “serious shit all the time” characters like Ned and Jon and Sansa and Robb and Tywin and Cersei and Danaerys with a variety of more light-hearted, wisecracking down-to-earth characters (Tyrion, Arya to an extent, Robert Baratheon, Bronn) so that even while you had those characters entangled in serious intrigue, their personalities added some levity and relatability and a sense of “this is a rollicking adventurous world that has way more going on in it than just royal houses fighting for control.” Not getting a whole lot of that vibe from House of the Dragon so far. It’s not a bad show, it just doesn’t have the sense of … I don’t know, world-building? character exposition? relatability? that made early GoT so good.
I read a recap of last night’s episode that one of the showrunners said this show would be different from GoT in featuring more “melodrama” (which I interpret as meaning palace intrigue) than the jumping all over the place of GoT.
So, did Daemon and Rhaenyra complete the sex act? It looked as though they were and then suddenly he . . .passed out? She of course denies it to Alicent and we’ve seen Daemon suffer impotence before. Are we being set up for a “Who is the father?” storyline?
My takeaway is that Daemon stopped for whatever reason before penatration so Rhaenyra is technically correct when she says Daemon didn’t deflower her. Obviously there is a massive double standard in Westeros, even for Targaryens, but if try to judge Rhaenyra’s actions by our own standards she’s almost as bad as her uncle. There’s a massive power imbalance between her and Ser Criston, he was clearly unwilling and she refused to take no for an answer, and she’s putting his live in severe danger. He’s not the King’s brother or from an important house; he’ll die horribly if anyone finds out Rhaenyra had sex with him. Indeed if he did decide to overpower and leave she all she has to do is make up an accussation and he’ll be killed.. And I I’m not mistaken next episode will be last episode with the same actresses.
And I’d argue it was the best so far 
. Lots of very good story progression, and plotting and counter plotting. With a LOT more humor than previous episodes (the TAPESTRIES convo had me laughing out loud). Felt very much like classic S1-4 GOT.
I also don’t believe she and Daemon actually did anything but I think it was all carefully manipulated by him. He was making her want him and then walking away.
It did appear that he wanted to use the uncertaintly to have Viserys marry him off to Rheanyra. That would be his best path to power. As if the realm agrees that there should be a male heir - Aegon has dibs on that now. But as husband of the heir, he can fight for her rights, while trying to convince other lords (and the smallfolk) that he’d be the one wielding power.
Probably not, if the tea is meant to stop pregnancies, and works, which is how I interpreted the ending.
True enough, but that would be too sensible / easy 
Seems odd to forego the chance to have some baby drama.
She’s an Uncle Fucka, I must say
She fucked her uncle yesterday?
Am i the only one who’s noticed that the dais on which the Iron Throne doesn’t look OSHA compliant?
I think the King has taken notice 
Didn’t the King get a laceration from the throne in an earlier episode? The guilds must be up in arms…
Is it just me, or is Rhaenyra having potential suitors literally line up to plead their cases completely asinine? 
Sure it’s funny, but it seems like it’s designed to maximize bad feelings and loss of face in every noble house.
Clearly there were some hard feelings about it. But you are right, it is a silly approach to do it so publicly.
Also, I heard someone complain how often they used the phrase “the realm”. They have a point.