The second season of House of the Dragon is behind us, but that doesn't mean we're going to stop talking about it. Though there were certainly high points, including epic moments such as the Battle at Rook's Rest and strong performances from the cast, I did feel pretty underwhelmed by the season overall. Maybe it's because I went in with such high expectations following the first season, or maybe it's because they got a shortened season this time around. Or maybe, more likely, it's a combination of many factors.
But not all hope is lost, at least not for me. I'm still excited for the third season of House of the Dragon, and I think the writers can redeem the issues of season 2 if they make a few important choices. Here are five ways season 3 can make up for the mistakes:
Better pacing
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I do not mind a slow burn. Really, I'd prefer a story to take its time setting events up rather than rushing through them. But a few of the episodes in House of the Dragon season 2 are on tortoise speed, crawling toward something interesting. I can appreciate a dialogue-heavy show when the conversations are engaging and mean something, but so many of the scenes seem repetitive. We know Rhaenyra wants to avoid war, we know Alicent feels like a bad person, and we know Daemon is struggling with his inner demons. Having to watch these plot points over and over again gets tired quickly.
And to me, "better pacing" doesn't necessarily mean more action. It just means finding a balance between fast and slow where we feel like what we're watching actually amounts to something. In House of the Dragon season 3, the war really will get going — or, at least, it's supposed to — so the pacing will have to pick up. Plus, the fact that showrunner Ryan Condal has confirmed that the series will end with four seasons means they have a lot to get through in just two more installments.
Seeing how slow season 2 was, I don't think the writers want to rush through anything, so fingers crossed that with big events to come in the third season will be well-paced.
Book changes that enrich the story, not bog it down
Again, another disclaimer here: I'm not against book changes from the source material, George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood. While I do really like the book, I've only read it once, and I believe the show has made changes that have actually improved the story. Rhaenyra's fleshed-out relationships with Alicent and Daemon are great additions, and some of the characters, like King Viserys, are much more interesting in the show.
In season 2, I really like how the writers approached Aemond and Aegon's relationship, which led to some changes in the Battle at Rook's Rest, making the scene much more complex. Rhaenyra and Mysaria's kiss is a great addition, something that will presumably make things more complicated come season 3. Unfortunately, for season 2, however, the weak book changes stick out more than the strong ones. The Blood and Cheese incident is not as impactful as it is in the book, Daemon's monotonous visions don't happen in the book, and Rhaenyra and Alicent's ridiculous secret meetings aren't from the book, either.
House of the Dragon has been criticized for creating tension where it doesn't make sense, which leads to unnecessary scenes that slow down the plot and take us out of the story. There are only eight episodes in season 2, so you'd think the writers wouldn't want to add any more fluff that isn't in the book, but that's what happened. If they avoid these silly book changes in season 3, we'll be in a much better place. Speaking of the episode count...
More episodes (though that might not be possible)
The episode count in House of the Dragon season 2 has been a hot topic ever since it was reported that we'd be getting only eight episodes instead of 10. While Condal explained that there were "a host of factors" that led to this decision, including lack of resources and time, he also claimed it's what they thought best for the story. But on the other hand, when writer-producer Sara Hess weighed in on the episode count, she gave a more interesting answer: "It wasn't really our choice." We might not ever find out the true cause of the reduction, though I'd assume there wasn't just one reason.
That said, I think I speak for the whole fandom when I say the second season really suffered from having fewer episodes. While the season 2 finale isn't actually a bad episode, it just feels so disappointing as a finale and would've been way better as a penultimate episode. Even just getting nine episodes this season would've been better, presumably, depending on what they'd do in a ninth episode. With the slow pacing, there's no way eight episodes could tell a satisfying story that delivers something epic while still leaving us wanting more.
Condal was asked if the third season would have eight episodes again, to which he gave a not-so-great answer: "I haven’t had discussions with HBO about it. I would just anticipate the cadence of the show, from a dramatic storytelling perspective, will continue to be the same from Season 2 on." Considering this, we anticipate we'll be getting eight-episode seasons from now on, which is a shame. Again, we don't know a whole lot about the behind-the-scenes decisions here, but it seems like a poor choice. Maybe if the pacing is better in season 3, they can make it work. Maybe not.
Bring back the real Daemon
Among all of my issues about House of the Dragon season 2, the one that still really irks me is what the writers did to Daemon. He is an absolute standout in the first season and without a doubt one of the reasons the show was so successful. Matt Smith's performance is fantastic, and, like the rest of the internet, I became obsessed from the series premiere. But my problem here isn't just because I have a crush on Daemon. It's because the show took such an impactful, unpredictable character and turned him into someone fans dreaded to see. I can't believe how far he's fallen.
Having read Fire & Blood, it's obvious the show didn't know what to do with Daemon. I totally understand wanting to show him deal with his inner conflicts, like the realization that he's really hurt people, including Rhaenyra, and that sitting the Iron Throne might not be what he wants after all. But to have six episodes of him in Harrenhal, acting pathetic as he tries and fails to build up an army (not to mention those godawful visions) is disrespectful to the character. I like spooky, but this is cheesy.
With Daemon now leading an army at the end of the season 2 finale, we can assume he'll be off to war in the third season, which is a good thing. Fighting for Rhaenyra, we're ready to see the ruthless, dangerous Daemon, one who is powerful and interesting. Please, writers, remind us why we love this character so much!
More than just one battle
Now, this is a tricky one, because just like the episode count, we don't know what goes into a decision like this. Of course, the most important thing is making the narrative as engaging it can be, but there are other factors, most prominently budget, that might get in the way.
Prior to the second season, Deadline reported that "a major battle" was moved to the third season. Based on what happens in the book, we've been assuming that battle must be the Battle of the Gullet, though that hasn't been confirmed. Condal also revealed ahead of season 2 that they shot "two of the largest sequences that we’ve ever filmed on House of the Dragon," which we now know is the Battle at Rook's Rest and the Sowing of the Seeds. Is it possible this is all they could afford for the second season? Sure, it's possible.
Of course, I'm just speculating here, but it does make me a little nervous about what's to come in season 3. With the story they're adapting, the third season will need to be full of battles and full of dragons. Surely, going into the show, the writers and HBO knew this, right? If the show follows the book and delivers on the battles up next in the Dance of the Dragons, fans will be happy. I can promise you that. And I don't mean a battle like the Battle of the Burning Mill where we only see the start and the aftermath. We need full-out war.
According to Condal, we will, in fact, be getting this. "While this season was very much about the fits and starts of an early medieval war, season 3 is clearly going to be about total war," he shared. It's not so clear to me, Condal, but I'll try to take your word for it!
Understandably, some fans are anxious about the third season knowing what we got from season 2, but if the writers can just follow these tips (or at least one or two!), we'll be golden. Production on season 3 is set to begin in "earlyish 2025," but we probably won't see new episodes until 2026. Keep up with us at Winter is Coming for all the latest House of the Dragon updates.
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