Game Of Thrones, one of the most successful television shows in history, has been defined by its twists and turns and drama-filled episodes that have kept audiences coming back week after week to see what will happen next.
But while Game Of Thrones may be the reigning champion in terms of audience attention and critical acclaim, there’s another book series that might just be able to dethrone it with just as much ease: House Of The Dragon.
Here are eight (8) reasons why House Of The Dragon will soon become the new favorite show of audiences everywhere!
1) There is a clear focus on story
House of the Dragon is a book series that is just as epic as Game of Thrones. It's a story about an honorable warrior and his band of brave companions, who are on a quest to save the world from evil and darkness.
A major difference between House of the Dragon and GoT is that there is a clear focus on story in HoTD, rather than gratuitous sex scenes.
While both TV shows are rooted in fantasy, they take two different approaches to their storytelling: while Game of Thrones focuses more on battles and revenge with some light romance thrown into the mix, House of the Dragon places its emphasis squarely on relationships and personal growth.
2) The characters are much more likable
House of the Dragon's characters are much more likable than in Game of Thrones. In Westeros, there is a large cast of characters but many are difficult to like or relate to. For example, Cersei Lannister is power-hungry and manipulative and makes questionable decisions that lead to the death of many innocent people.
Arya Stark, on the other hand, is a young girl who has been taught how to become stealthy and kill people with ease. What kind of message does this send? If she is capable of killing so easily, why should we care about her journey? House of the Dragon's characters are not only likable, they're relatable too. They have their own struggles and weaknesses and for these reasons it's easy to root for them when they need help.
One character, Natasha Romanov, was born into privilege but was an orphan by age sixteen (16). She then goes through life struggling with PTSD from what happened to her as a child until she found comfort in physical activity - such as gymnastics and martial arts - which led her to becoming one of the most lethal spies the world had ever seen.
She doesn't want revenge on those who hurt her because she knows revenge never ends well; instead she chooses forgiveness and strength which leads to an even better life than before.
3) There is more diversity among the cast
While the show is getting better at incorporating more diversity, it is still lacking. In contrast, the cast of House of the Dragon is ethnically diverse with a protagonist that is Asian American.
This means that people of color can see themselves in the story and experience the same world as the protagonist. The plots are also much more diverse, going from ancient Rome to a future where we have to survive on Earth after being attacked by aliens.
It’s not just about dragons: There is no need to have dragons in every episode when you can have so many other exciting plots and characters as well!
4) The setting is more interesting
The setting is one of the most important aspects of a story. The world in which it takes place needs to be interesting, with unique details and locations.
And while both stories take place in fantasy worlds, there are some key differences between Westeros and the House of the Dragon world. For example, unlike Westeros, the climate in HOD is actually based on real-world climates: from tropical jungles to steaming deserts and cold mountains.
But what really sets HOD apart from Game of Thrones is that this world has been created by someone who actually lives there; for over twenty (20) years Chris Cardwell has been painstakingly designing his own culture, history, legends and religion that live alongside those of our own Earth's cultures.
5) The CGI is better
House of the Dragon is a show that provides a refreshing break from our current TV shows. The CGI is better, the action is better and the acting is better.
Plus, House of the Dragon doesn't have to be as violent or sexualized in order to provide suspenseful scenes. A family friendly series like this can be something that parents can enjoy with their kids and not worry about them being scared or scarred for life. We don't need to make Game of Thrones even more extreme than it already is! That would just set a bad example for children who are watching.
Children should be allowed to watch House of the Dragon without having to worry about if they're going to get nightmares later on because someone was decapitated or skinned alive by Daenerys Targaryen.
6) There is less gratuitous violence
Game of Thrones is a beautiful show, but the violence is one of the many things that make it difficult to watch. House of the Dragon has less gratuitous violence and more positive messages.
While there are deaths in the book, they aren't as shocking because they happen much less frequently than in Game of Thrones. There's also very little blood (only when necessary) because violence isn't glorified like in other books and shows.
It may be true that some of this lack could be attributed to different mediums, but I'm happy with how it is done here.
7) The plot moves at a faster pace
The plot moves at a faster pace. One of the main reasons for this is that there are only three seasons, so it's easier to keep up with. Plus, you don't have to wait a year in between episodes. Each episode usually comes out once a week on Sunday. There's also no filler.
If a character doesn't contribute anything important to the story then they won't show up until their next part shows up. For example, none of Daenerys' family from Essos make an appearance until season 2 when she gets her dragons and goes back home to deal with her family. Arya Stark doesn't show up again until she joins a theater company in Braavos and meets Lady Crane.
Jon Snow was killed at the end of season 5 but he was resurrected by Melisandre in time for Season 6.
And Bran Stark never returns after he leaves Winterfell after his encounter with the Night King near The Wall.
8) There are fewer filler episodes
When you are watching an episode of GOT, there are a lot of episodes that feel like filler. There is just so much going on and it can be hard to track everything.
With House Of The Dragon, there are fewer filler episodes because the story focuses on one thing at a time and tells it in a linear fashion. For example, when Jack meets Elijah for the first time, he doesn't learn who Elijah really is until about two seasons later. So we only get about 10 episodes with him instead of 20+ where they try to find out what happened during their childhoods or pasts.
It's more interesting than watching characters talking around each other as they constantly look away or watch something happening outside while they talk.
