Created by George R.R. Martin and Ryan Condal.
House of the Dragon premiered on August 21, 2022.
Distributed by Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming & Interactive Entertainment and airs on HBO / Max.
Series Review
House of the Dragon is a big and powerful story full of family fights, dragons, and betrayal.
Season 1 gave us the setup, showing how old grudges and rivalries in the Targaryen family would lead to war.
It was slow at times, but the acting, costumes, and tension made it worth watching.
Season 2 takes the drama further with bigger battles, more dragons in action, and deeper emotions for key characters.
Still, some episodes feel a bit too long and the ending does not hit as hard as fans hoped.
Even with these flaws, the show is full of strong moments that make it exciting and gripping.
For anyone who loves fantasy, politics, and the dark side of family power, House of the Dragon is still one of the best shows on TV and a must-watch for Game of Thrones fans.
Ratings
• IMDb: 8.3/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 86%
• Google Audience Score: 89% liked this TV show.
House of Dragons Actors
Matt Smith as Prince / King Daemon Targaryen
DOB: October 28, 1982.
Bio: English actor who first gained international recognition as the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who (2010–2013), a role that earned him BAFTA and Emmy nominations.
Trained at the University of East Anglia and the National Youth Theatre, he has since built a career spanning stage, television, and film.
Role: Daemon Targaryen is King Viserys’s younger brother, a celebrated but unpredictable warrior, dragonrider, and tactician.
Known as the Rogue Prince, Daemon is proud, ambitious, and often a source of chaos within the Targaryen dynasty.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (17 episodes).
What to Expect: A performance that can flip from seductive charm to violent intensity in a blink. Expect bold physical scenes, dramatic confrontations and morally messy choices.
Favorite Things: Smith has spoken about enjoying roles that challenge him physically and psychologically, particularly characters with theatrical or darker edges.
Notable Works: Doctor Who, The Crown, Morbius, Last Night in Soho.
Emma D’Arcy as Princess / Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen
DOB: June 27, 1992.
Bio: British actress known for their commanding stage presence and nuanced television performances.
A graduate of the University of Oxford (Ruskin School of Art), D’Arcy built a career through theatre productions such as Romeo and Juliet and The Pillowman before moving into screen work.
Role: Rhaenyra is King Viserys’s eldest child and his chosen heir, the first woman officially named to inherit the Iron Throne.
Her claim, however, is contested, leading to deep divisions within House Targaryen.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (17 episodes).
What to Expect: A layered performance of wounded dignity, rage and ruthless determination. Expect scenes that balance personal loss with political fury.
Favorite Things: D’Arcy has discussed the importance of representing complex gender identities and choosing projects with depth.
Notable Works: Truth Seekers, Wanderlust, Mothering Sunday.
Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
DOB: December 27, 1993.
Bio: English actor born in Oldham, Greater Manchester.
She first gained attention with British TV dramas such as Blackout and The Secret of Crickley Hall, before breaking out internationally with her role as Emma Decody in Bates Motel.
Cooke has built a reputation for portraying morally complex and emotionally layered women, moving seamlessly between indie dramas and major studio projects.
Role: Alicent Hightower begins as Rhaenyra’s close companion but later becomes her fiercest rival when the succession crisis divides the court.
As queen and leader of the Greens, Alicent wields influence with diplomacy, calculation, and maternal determination, shaping the political landscape while guarding her children’s claims to power.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (12 episodes).
What to Expect: A performance that mixes appearing decorum with inner resolve; expect scenes of courtly tension and private bargaining.
Favorite Things: Cooke speaks about craft, strong directors and the collaborative process of building complex female roles.
Notable Works: Bates Motel, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Thoroughbreds, Ready Player One.
Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen
DOB: September 5, 1973.
Bio: English actor, screenwriter, and director, born in Burton upon Trent, Staffordshire.
Known for his intensity and authenticity, he built his reputation through collaborations with director Shane Meadows, particularly in A Room for Romeo Brass and Dead Man’s Shoes.
His career spans independent cinema, Hollywood films, and prestige television, where he often portrays characters with a raw humanity.
Role: King Viserys I Targaryen is portrayed as a warm-hearted, well-intentioned monarch whose rule is marked by fragility.
His attempts to maintain peace and ensure a stable succession inadvertently fracture the realm, setting the stage for the civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (11 episodes).
What to Expect: Quiet, human depth and the sorrow of a ruler outmatched by history; Considine grounds the series emotionally.
Favorite Things: Considine is also a director and writer; he values character-driven material.
Notable Works: Dead Man’s Shoes, In America, The Bourne Ultimatum.
Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower
DOB: July 22, 1967.
Bio: Welsh actor and musician, born in Haverfordwest, Pembrokeshire.
Known for his eclectic career, he has excelled in both comedy and drama, with memorable performances ranging from eccentric charm to calculating menace.
Trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Ifans gained early recognition with roles in British comedies before branching into Hollywood films.
Role: Ser Otto Hightower is the Hand of the King and father to Alicent Hightower.
Shrewd, ambitious, and calculating, Otto plays the long game at court, steering decisions that secure power for his family and position Alicent’s children in the line of succession.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (13 episodes).
What to Expect: A quietly ruthless, strategically minded performance that rarely raises its voice but always moves the board.
Favorite Things: Ifans often picks roles with range from comedy to menace and values theatre experience.
Notable Works: Notting Hill, Enduring Love, The Boat That Rocked, The Amazing Spider-Man.
Steve Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon
DOB: March 22, 1965.
Bio: British actor, born in Birmingham and raised in London, with Barbadian heritage.
Trained at the University of Sussex and later honing his craft in theatre, he has built a career that spans stage, television, and film.
Known for his versatility, Toussaint has appeared in gritty British dramas, historical pieces, and major international productions.
Role: Lord Corlys Velaryon, known as the Sea Snake, is the head of House Velaryon, husband to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen, and one of the wealthiest and most influential lords in Westeros.
A legendary sailor and adventurer, Corlys built his fortune through daring naval voyages and trade routes that enriched his house.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (14 episodes).
What to Expect: A commanding screen presence, dashing sea-captain energy and scenes that balance honor with political calculation.
Favorite Things: Toussaint values ensemble work and often highlights the craft of storytelling in interviews.
Notable Works: Small Axe, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Judge Dredd.
Eve Best as Princess Rhaenys Velaryon
DOB: July 31, 1971.
Bio: English actress and director, celebrated for her extensive theatre career and award-winning performances.
A graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), she is a two-time Olivier Award winner and a Tony Award nominee, with standout roles in both classical and modern theatre.
Role: Princess Rhaenys Velaryon, often called “The Queen Who Never Was,” is a Targaryen by birth who was once passed over for the Iron Throne in favor of her cousin Viserys I.
Married to Lord Corlys Velaryon, she is both politically astute and fiercely proud of her family’s legacy.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (11 episodes).
What to Expect: A performance that balances elegance with steel; Rhaenys often speaks truth to power.
Favorite Things: Best continues to work regularly in theatre alongside her screen projects.
Resourceful and politically astute, she transforms from an outsider to a key informant in the web of King’s Landing intrigue.
Notable Works: Nurse Jackie, The Honourable Woman, The King’s Speech.
Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole
DOB: April 6, 1994.
Bio: British actor of French-Iraqi heritage, trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA).
He began his career in theatre before moving into screen roles, quickly gaining notice for his presence and layered performances.
Role: Ser Criston Cole, the son of a steward, rose through merit to become a knight of the Kingsguard.
Initially close to Princess Rhaenyra, his disillusionment and personal bitterness turn him into one of Queen Alicent’s most loyal allies.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (16 episodes).
What to Expect: Intense, unpredictable scenes where allegiance, honor and passion collide.
Favorite Things: Frankel has a multilingual background and often notes the value of classical training.
Notable Works: Last Christmas, The Serpent.
Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
DOB: July 1, 1986.
Bio: Japanese-British actress, model, and classically trained ballet dancer.
Born in Tokyo and raised in Somerset, England, she trained at the Royal Ballet School before transitioning into acting and screen work.
Mizuno’s career spans film, television, and theatre, where she is recognized for combining striking screen presence with physical precision.
Role: Mysaria, also known as the White Worm, is a former courtesan who becomes Prince Daemon Targaryen’s confidante and lover.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (13 episodes).
What to Expect: Shrewd, intimate scenes that illuminate the social margins of Westerosi power.
Favorite Things: Mizuno’s background in dance and movement informs her grounded, physical approach to performance.
Notable Works: Ex Machina, Annihilation, Devs, La La Land.
Tom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II Targaryen
DOB: February 7, 1995.
Bio: English actor and musician who trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
He began his career on stage, earning early acclaim for performances with the Royal Court Theatre, before transitioning to film and television.
Role: Aegon II Targaryen, the firstborn son of King Viserys and Alicent Hightower, becomes the Greens’ claimant to the Iron Throne.
He is reluctant, entitled, and often reckless, embodying the instability of youthful kingship.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (10 episodes).
What to Expect: A performance that moves from comic immaturity to dark volatility, especially after key battlefield events reshape his body and mind.
Favorite Things: Glynn-Carney has theatre roots and often emphasizes character work and physical transformation for roles.
Notable Works: Dunkirk, The Last Post, Tolkien, SAS: Rogue Heroes.
Ewan Mitchell as Prince Aemond Targaryen
DOB: March 8, 1997.
Bio: English actor recognized for his distinctive screen presence and ability to embody brooding, enigmatic characters.
Trained through consistent stage and screen work rather than a traditional drama school route, he earned attention for roles in The Halcyon and The Last Kingdom, where he played Osferth.
Role: Prince Aemond Targaryen, second son of King Viserys and Alicent Hightower, is one of the most formidable figures in the Targaryen dynasty.
He is proud, calculating, and scarred by the loss of his eye in childhood, which fuels his ruthless determination.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (11 episodes).
What to Expect: Steely, intense scenes on dragonback and in council rooms that make him one of the show’s most fearsome presences.
Favorite Things: Mitchell has spoken about studying historical and military detail to ground his performance.
Notable Works: The Halcyon, The Last Kingdom, High Life, World on Fire.
Harry Collett as Prince Jacaerys Velaryon
DOB: January 17, 2004.
Bio: English actor who began his career as a child performer on stage and television.
He gained recognition for his long-running role as Oliver Hide in Casualty and later transitioned into film with Robert Downey Jr. in Dolittle.
Role: Prince Jacaerys “Jace” Velaryon is the firstborn son of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and her chosen heir to the Iron Throne.
Though questions surround his legitimacy, Jace embodies his mother’s claim with dignity and responsibility.
Season & Episodes: Seasons 1-2 (10 episodes).
What to Expect: A heartfelt, earnest performance that highlights how the next generation is scarred by their parents’ wars.
Favorite Things: Collett has spoken about the privilege of growing with a role and the importance of physical stunt work for authenticity.
Notable Works: Casualty, Dolittle.
More Actors
Season 1 (2022)
• Kurt Egyiawan as Grand Maester Orwyle
• Matthew Needham as Lord Larys ‘The Clubfoot’ Strong
• Emily Carey as Young Alicent Hightower
• Nanna Blondell as Laena Velaryon
• John Macmillan as Laenor Velaryon
• Ryan Corr as Ser Harwin Strong
• Jefferson Hall as Lord Jason Lannister / Ser Tyland Lannister
• David Horovitch as Grand Maester Mellos
• Bill Paterson as Lord Lyman Beesbury
• Gavin Spokes as Lord Lyonel Strong
Season 2 (2024)
• Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull
• Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
• Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower
• Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong
• Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull
• Kieran Bew as Hugh Hammer
• Tom Bennett as Ulf the White
FAQ – House of The Dragon TV Series
How many episodes are in season 1 and 2?
House of the Dragon Season 1 has 10 episodes, while Season 2 has 8 episodes.
What’s “Fire & Blood”?
“Fire & Blood” is the George R.R. Martin book that House of the Dragon is based on.
It covers Targaryen history, including the civil war that the show dramatizes.
How is the House of Dragons related to Game of Thrones?
House of the Dragon is a prequel to Game of Thrones, set 200 years earlier, showing the Targaryen civil war that began their downfall.
Is Season 3 confirmed, and when might it come?
Yes, Season 3 is officially in development. HBO has said it is expected to premiere around mid-2026. More on GamesRadar
How many episodes will Season 3 have?
It’s reported that Season 3 will consist of eight episodes.
Who is the villain in House of the Dragon?
The true villain in House of the Dragon is not one person but the brutal Targaryen civil war itself, where both the Greens and the Blacks make ruthless choices that lead to tragedy.
How many seasons will House of the Dragon need?
House of the Dragon is expected to run for 4 seasons in total.
HBO and George R.R. Martin have confirmed that the full Targaryen civil war, the Dance of the Dragons, will need about four seasons to tell properly.
Conclusion
House of the Dragon proves that the world of Westeros still has many powerful stories to tell.
It may move slowly at times and not every choice will please fans, but the mix of family drama, dragons, and politics keeps it gripping.
With stunning visuals, strong acting, and plenty of twists, it stands as a worthy prequel to Game of Thrones.
For viewers who enjoy dark fantasy filled with betrayal and high stakes, this series continues to deliver moments that are both thrilling and unforgettable.