House of the Dragon Episode 1 review: Game of Thrones prequel lacks uniqueness but not disappointing

Three years after the finale of the most influential show of the 2010s, Game of Thrones, left many fans with unanswered questions and disappointment, some relief has come with the premiere of its prequel — House of the Dragon.

It has been adapted from portions of George RR Martin's 2018 book Fire & Blood, which recounts the history of the Targaryens — the blonde-haired, dragon-riding house that ruled the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros for nearly three centuries.

House of the Dragon takes place 172 years before Daenerys Targaryen's birth.

(Spoilers ahead)

The first episode, "The Heirs of the Dragons", introduces you to different players of the House Targaryen. The episode doesn’t have the glamour of the Game of Thrones, which ran for eight years and seasons, as the setting, the visuals and the characterisation are pretty familiar to the audience already.

Still, can't be called a disaster. And the popularity can be gauged from the fact that the premier on HBO Max crashed the app.

In the episodes, we will learn how the Targaryen family and their squabbles over the Iron Throne ultimately led to the near-extinction of their entire bloodline and their winged beasts of war.

The first episode features the major players in the dysfunctional family. The entire episode focuses on who will be the heir to king Viserys Targaryen and sets the ground for raging battles and treachery that is to come for the Iron Throne.

Because Viserys cannot give birth to a son, the MacGuffin in House of the Dragon serves as the heir to be chosen between two candidates for the Iron Throne. Prince Dameon Targaryen (Matt Smith), the sinister younger brother of the King, whose wicked ways impress only himself and Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock), the King's daughter, whose gender makes her an unsuitable candidate.

Hence highlighting the aspects of a patriarchal society where the idea of having a woman monarch is something that never crosses people’s minds. Other characters introduced are Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) and Lady Alicent Hightower, his initially reserved daughter.

The major challenge is to live up to the hype of Game of Thrones. This looks a little tough as the background setting, the story build-up and the soundtrack seem very similar to Game of Thrones, making House of the Dragons less unique.

Another element is upping the gory elements and the nudity, which can turn out to be problematic.

Westeros, in the first episode, looked very identical to the Westeros in Game of Thrones despite having almost two centuries' worth of difference in the timeline. This could be due to the involvement of Game of Thrones composer Ramin Djawadi and director Miguel Sapochnik, who keep the look, feel and sound of House of the Dragon familiar to Game of Thrones.

The series so far, through the first episode, looks like it aims to replicate Game of Thrones rather than deviating from it. The episode setting and character establishment will remind viewers a lot about how the story was told in the first episode of Game of Thrones.

Yet, House of the Dragon has a talented ensemble, and the first episode does showcase powerful performances. As the series moves forward, watching how a series of events paved the way for the clash of Lannisters, Starks and White Walkers will be interesting.

House of the Dragon seems better than the final season of Games of Thrones, but fans would watch out for how the series sets itself apart from the legacy of Game of Thrones, and whether it can be what Better Call Saul was to The Breaking Bad.