bluesouptin's reviews

Let's call it out. House of the Dragon (S2, Ep8) is a pimp. It's a season-ending episode that fails to resolve any of the season's plot threads, but rather pulls you forward into yet another two-year wait, likely, for another set-up season like the serials of old. Only an arrogantly confident showrunner/writing team would offer this drivel as a season finale, a team that takes the attendance of its audience wholly for granted. We are captives of the GoT arc of fiction and they know it.

Thing is, the serials of old didn't demand the patience of Job as we wait to see even marginal storylines addressed. And if (as appears likely) Alicent simply abandons the City and concedes the throne to Rhaenyra without a single dragon's breath exhaled or sword drawn, then we'll know that HotD has neither the courage of its written convictions nor the budget to realize them. In the end, I feel disrespected and abused by this sham of a season finale.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against a few tears but every time I turned around someone was blubbering. Just sayin'.. It feels like the MO for such films and I get it: in 1950, the first Black naval aviator must have suffered ungodly abuse. I suffered a decent amount during my time in the service over 30 years later, well after the U. S. Armed Forces had fully integrated. Anyway, these films must hook you, quickly, and more often than not tough guy tears will work, I suppose.

The film sacrifices its depth-of-character to the subject matter, but the leads offer strong performances within the plot's limited range. Pretty good Corsair sequences.

In truth, the show presents all the GOT trappings, but offers none of its heart. Consider why we cared about GOT. First, we watched the Stark family children and their trials, torn from their home in the North: Sansa in King's Landing, then worse; Arya among the Nameless Men, then wandering Westeros with the Hound; Jon Snow at the Wall and beyond on his northern quest, then finding his truth with Dani. Secondly, the Lannister story-arc had legs. We came to care about both Jamie and Tyrion. Finally, we watched Dani rise from trophy wife to Targaryen queen. That is, we experienced these complex and beautifully written characters as they grew.

Contrastingly, House of the Dragon offers no one to support, truly; no main character to root for. Thus, it descends quickly into mere palace intrigue, cut with gut-wrenching violence. Who do we like, here? The arrogant and self-serving Rhaenyra offers little empathy; and while the young Queen Alicent seemed sympathetic, she grows icy cold. The King's weakness undermines our connection to him and, finally, Daemon is just unfathomable. Put simply, we don't care about these people and, without character sympathy, the show is empty. Great stories aren't about what happens to people. They're about what happens to people we care about. A lesson HOTD should learn.