Warning! This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 2.
Summary
House of the Dragonseason 2’s biggest mistake was ignoring a rule that was present throughout most ofGame of Thrones. By the time ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s ending, the reception from fans and critics alike was notably mixed. While not dubbed a disaster likeGame of Thrones' divisive endingwas, many are not happy withHouse of the Dragonseason 2, stating that it spun its wheels a lot regarding forward plot progression and had little in the way of climactic, spectacular action sequences outside of episode 4.
It is worth noting that many of these criticisms are valid, though perhaps the increase in online negativity is paintingHouse of the Dragonseason 2 in a poorer light than it deserves. That said, as the wait forHouse of the Dragonseason 3’s storybegins, there is little to do but look back upon the most recent installment in retrospect. In light of the many conflicting opinions, one that many would agree with links toHouse of the Dragon’s sister series, with the show breaking a tradition held byGame of Thrones’first six seasons.
House Of The Dragon Season 2 Having Fewer Episodes Backfired
House Of The Dragon Season 2 Was Reduced To Eight Episodes
The tradition in question is having 10-episode installments, somethingGame of Thronesupheld in its first six seasons, andHouse of the Dragonseason 1 possessed after the former show’s final two entries featured incredibly rushed storytelling. Unfortunately, afterHouse of the Dragonseason 1 learned that lesson and had a balanced, 10-episode story,House of the Dragonseason 2 once more reverted to fewer episodes.Instead of the usual 10,House of the Dragonseason 2 had eight episodes, a plan that backfiredas it felt like an extended set-up for season 3.
Although the criticism that “nothing happened” inHouse of the Dragonseason 2 does not hold too much weight, having two more episodes after the season finale would undoubtedly have led to further progression of the show’s overall story. The finale especially felt like a lot of set-ups with no payoff, which could have been avoided by having the teasedBattle of the Gullet inHouse of the Dragonseason 2, episode 9. The finale could then have featured future teases after a major conflict, leading to a more balanced season overall that was simply not possible with eight episodes.
Game Of Thrones' 10 Episode Seasons Were Perfect, And Allowed Its Episode 9 “Rule”
Game Of Thrones' Earlier Seasons Perfected The Formula For A Westeros Show
All the evidence needed to supportHouse of the Dragonseason 2 having 10 episodes was found in the show’s first season and the first six entries ofGame of Thrones. The latter show perfected the formula for dense storytelling, with 10 episodes each running over 60 minutes often allowing for individual seasons to have enough story progression, character work, big battles, and political machinations to feel like complete stories.House of the Dragonseason 2 fell short in this regard and even lackedGame of Thrones’episode 9 rule.
In the 10-episodeseasons ofGame of Thrones, episode 9 was often used to include major events. Be it a climactic battle, a shocking plot twist, or huge character developments,Game of Thrones' penultimate episodes were huge event-like stories that paid off a lot of what the previous eight had been building toward.House of the Dragonseason 2’s episode 9 should have been the Battle of the Gullet, yet the eight-episode cap did not allow for this.
Ned Stark was beheaded by Joffrey Baratheon
Season 2, “Blackwater”
Tyrion Lannister led the armies of King’s Landing in the Battle of Blackwater
Season 3, “The Rains of Castamere”
Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark, and the entire northern army were killed at the Red Wedding
Season 4, “The Watchers on the Wall”
Jon Snow led the Night’s Watch against the invading Wildling army
Season 5, “The Dance of Dragons”
Daenerys rides Drogon for the first time and survives an assassination attempt by the Sons of the Harpy
Season 6, “Battle of the Bastards”
Jon Snow faces off against Ramsay Bolton in the Battle for Winterfell
If this had been the case, the set-up found in earlier episodes would have felt warranted, raising even more anticipation for season 3 as opposed to the frustrating wait fans now face. Rather than have a season’s worth of build-up culminating in nothing, the Battle of the Gullet would have continuedGame of Thrones’episode 9 “rule” in perfect fashion, allowing episode 10 to tease what is to come in season 3. Instead,House of the Dragonseason 2’s story felt borderline infuriating, as what was teased for so long will not come to pass for another two years, at the least.
House Of The Dragon Showrunner Addresses Large Gap Between Seasons 2 & 3: “I Apologize For The Wait”
House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal addresses the upcoming large gap between seasons 2 and 3, saying, “I apologize for the wait.”
Why Did House Of The Dragon Season 2 Have Fewer Episodes?
The Showrunners Are Not Responsible For House Of The Dragon’s Shorter Season
While it has not been confirmed exactly whyHouse of the Dragonseason 2 had only eight episodes, some hints have been provided. Before the release ofHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s premiere,Entertainment Weeklydid a preview article in which writer Sarah Hess reportedly stated that the cut to eight episodes was not the choice of the show’s creative team. This aligns with a report fromDeadlinefrom March 2023 that the season was originally planned as a 10-episode arc before being cut down to eight.
An interview withTHRfrom June 2023 also mentions an upcoming sea battle, undoubtedly referencing the much-teased Battle of the Gullet. All signs point to the reality thatHouse of the Dragon’s showrunners intended to have a 10-episode story for season 2 before being limited by studio mandates. Again, it is unclear why these mandates were enforced, but there is no denyingHouse of the Dragonseason 2’s story fell victim to the shorter episode count.
House of the Dragon
Cast
House of the Dragon is a 2022 fantasy drama set in the world of Westeros, chronicling the Targaryen dynasty at its height. The story revolves around King Viserys’s controversial decision to name his daughter Rhaenyra as heir to the Iron Throne, sparking tensions and divisions within the realm.
