The tides are changing, the cries of war are starting to echo through the air, and the Battle of the Gullet is coming. Audiences are gearing up to watch an action-packed third season of House of the Dragon, and while every new release of the iconic HBO series is always met with a lot of excitement, there's one reason in particular to be stoked this time around.
The first reviews of House of the Dragon season 3 have made their way online in anticipation of the show's release on June 21, 2026. Fortunately, these early reactions are nothing short of stellar. The new installment has officially been rated higher than its two predecessors and is even contending with some of the most acclaimed seasons ever released of Game of Thrones.
House of the Dragon season 3 debuts with a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, becoming the highest-rated season of the show
House of the Dragon season 3 debuted with a perfect 100% critical approval score on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 14 reviews. That number has slightly gone down since then as more reviews have started to come in. Still, the latest release of the HBO show sits at a 97% score based on 32 reviews at the time of writing this, which is nothing short of impressive.
Granted, it's early days, and that approval rating could go down when the full season is finally released for the whole world to see. Besides, it's important to remember that this number indicates that 97% of the people who've watched the show liked it overall, but it doesn't mean that they all gave it a score of 9.7 out of 10. Furthermore, these numbers aren't representative of the full season, but rather the first two to four episodes. However, this score will only generate more excitement for the season's premiere, which has already broken a different record for the most stunt people on fire in one take.
Audiences are in for a fast-paced and action-packed tale that will hit the ground running, according to early reviews. We gave it a B rating, highlighting that House of the Dragon season 3 is "the absolute definition of must-watch television." Mama's Geeky notes that House of the Dragon Season 3 "wastes no time getting into the dark and gritty" and that the "Battle of the Gullet is a massive, devastating spectacle." Furthermore, Metro UK states that "fans who felt that the show suffered a dip will be relieved by this thrilling return to form."
For comparison, the first season of House of the Dragon has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 90%, and the second season has been the lowest-rated so far, sitting at an approval score of 84%. As such, season 3 could definitely outshine its predecessors, provided that it keeps the momentum going. It is unanimously agreed that HBO hasn't managed to fully recapture the magic of its original Game of Thrones series, but maybe that will finally change.
There's a lot of debate about which Game of Thrones season is the very best. However, if you were to ask many fans, chances are that you'd frequently hear that season 4 shines above the rest. Coincidentally, it is also the highest-rated season on Rotten Tomatoes, with an approval score of 97%—which is the same score that House of the Dragon season 3 just managed to secure.
Only time will tell how the full third season of House of the Dragon will compare to its predecessors. However, things are looking very promising from the get-go, and the best part is that we won't have to wait long to experience the violent and dark adventures that lie ahead.
House of the Dragon season 3 premieres on HBO and HBO Max on June 21, 2026.
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