House of the Dragon showrunners talk season 8 backlash
By Ariba Bhuvad
House of the Dragon is finally premiering this month, and dare I say, I’m feeling quite exciting. But cautiously, of course. Like many others, I wasn’t a fan of the final season of Game of Thrones, which ended with Daenerys Targaryen burning down King’s Landing. But now that we’re heading into a new era for the franchise, I think it’s time to put the past behind us.
The new show is set some 200 years before Game of Thrones, but the show will still deal with the famous strain of Targaryen madness. Daenerys isn’t the only Targaryen around during this time; there are lots in the mix, and most have their own dragons (I cannot wait for this). “Daenerys resurrected this idea that, when you’re the only person in the world with nuclear weapons, you can either be a force for peace, or you can be a tyrant,” showrunner Ryan Condal told Empire. “The line between those two things is very thin. That’s definitely something this show will explore.”
Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik, who’s in charge of House of the Dragon alongside Condal, also weighed in. He discussed the Game of Thrones episode “The Bells,” the one where Daenerys let loose on King’s Landing. That one made a lot of people upset. “Life doesn’t end the way you want it to!” he said. “I think we very much wanted to pay attention to not that.”
Backlash to Game of Thrones “doesn’t factor in” to House of the Dragon
As for the backlash, Condal is just focusing on making the new show as good as it can be. “It doesn’t really factor in at all,” he said. “I think the minute you as a creator start playing defense, you’re just taking the ground from beneath your feet. Should we be so lucky to have such a large and passionate fanbase that will debate our show! I think that in itself is a sign of success.”
I can completely understand that sentiment; if you start making decisions based on the reactions to a different show, you can’t give the new show the attention it needs. Everyone has opinions, but can’t let them overwhelm you.
House of the Dragon premieres on HBO on Sunday, August 20!
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