‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Episode 1 Review - Fire, Fury, and a Battle That Lacks Stakes

There is enough razzle-dazzle in the first episode of House of the Dragon Season 3 to distract you from the fact that it isn't as spectacular as it thinks it is. There are dragons breathing fire, soldiers shooting arrows and ramming ships into one another, and a scene in which two vessels carefully cross a rocky pass. The battle has all the ingredients to be grand and glorious. It even comes with dramatic character deaths. Yet something feels amiss as you watch this fury of sight and sound. The thunder of it all, the breathlessness of the quick cuts and close-ups, overwhelm and slightly exhaust the senses. The episode grabs you by the collar and forcefully urges you to be awed, to be thrilled by the exhibition of violence. To its credit, it does get the heart racing, but what is missing is excitement—or that awe-inspiring shudder that should come from watching a battle of this scale, complete with three fire-breathing dragons.

House of the Dragon does display the flying beasts in a way that foregrounds their majestic scale, but it no longer (or at least not in this episode) fills you with terror. Despite well-known characters being caught in the midst of physical danger, the episode curiously feels devoid of stakes and shocks. Is the reason behind this also the long gap between the release of all these new seasons? There is one particular death scene that should have left you open-mouthed, but at best, it only leads you to think about the wrath Rhaenyra will unleash now. Your mind is more concerned with the future because the present feels merely like a setup—a bloody setup. All in all, the combat at sea reminds you that you have seen better and, in fact, played better ship warfare in Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag.

The "quieter" moments, too, feel like missed opportunities for well-timed jokes. The visual of Sheepstealer feeding Rhaena barbecued lamb comes and goes so suddenly that you don't get the time to appreciate its humor. And when Alys casually informs Addam, Hugh, and Ulf that she is a witch, prompting Ulf to run like a scared kitten, what should be funny fails to evoke even a mild chuckle because the scene is awkwardly cut. There is no rhythm to it, and the transition to the next scene comes a bit too soon. You are, however, taken aback when Aemond lip-kisses Alicent. Incest is very much alive in this Game of Thrones universe. Also, Olivia Cooke's expressions during this moment briefly bring what is missing from the rest of the episode: a sense of spontaneity, comic discomfort, and pleasure. Let Cooke cook; she is this week's winner.

Final Score - [5/10]