The Targaryen Civil War threatens to bring the Seven Kingdoms to its knees as the Dance of Dragons escalates to Westeros-wide carnage. House of the Dragon season 3 airs on HBO in the US every Sunday, and on Sky in the UK the following day. It also streams on HBO Max wherever the service is available. Don't worry if you’re away from home, because you can watch House of the Dragon season 3 from anywhere with a VPN.

Season 2 of the Game of Thrones prequel left us with an exiled and injured King, a fleet of low-born Dragon riders and a continent-wide mobilisation of armies on both sides of the sibling squabble. Now, as noble Houses across Westeros march in favour of numerous claimants to the Iron Throne, the only thing promised is death and destruction on a franchise-first scale.

While the full outcome of the Dance of Dragons is out there (the show is based on George R. R. Martin’s Fire & Blood novel), much of what to expect for unsullied viewers is being kept under wraps for now. Showrunner Ryan Condal teased the opening episode’s Battle of the Gullet as "arguably the craziest episode of television ever made." And boy did it deliver, with the pivotal battle getting things off to a ferocious start with action and carnage on a scale never before seen in the franchise during a huge naval clash that made the Battle of the Blackwater look like a playground skirmish, with not everyone making it out alive.

The usual cast return, including Emma D'Arcy (Rhaenyra), Matt Smith (Daemon), Olivia Cooke (Alicent), Harry Collett (Jacaerys), Steve Toussaint (Corlys), Bethany Antonia (Baela), Phoebe Campbell (Rhaena), and Sonoya Mizuno (Mysaria), Tom Glynn-Carney (Aegon), Ewan Mitchell (Aemond), Phia Saban (Helaena), Fabien Frankel (Criston Cole), Rhys Ifans (Otto Hightower), and Matthew Needham (Larys Strong) and Freddie Fox (Gwayne Hightower). Also look out for Happy Valley's James Norton, who joins the cast as Ormund Hightower, the Lord of Oldtown and cousin to Queen Alicent. This being A Song of Ice and Fire, however, who knows how long anyone will stick around.

After the glorious A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it’s great to be visiting Westeros for a second time this year, and after the carnage of the season opener, expect some receipts to be delivered before the credits roll on the next episode.

Here's how to watch House of the Dragon season 3 from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you'll need below. Plus, don’t miss our full preview, giving you the rundown of all you need to know about House of the Dragon season 3.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 3 in the US

US viewers can watch House of the Dragon season 3 on HBO and HBO Max in the US at 9pm ET/PT every Sunday.

HBO is often included in many cable TV package, but what if you've cut the cord? Well, you can stream HBO online via YouTube TV, which currently comes with a 21-day FREE trial. You can also get $15 off each your first three months for a limited time. It's $82.99 a month thereafter.

Stand-alone Max subscriptions start at $10.99 per month or $109.99 per year for its basic tier, but you can pay more to get rid of ads or bundle it with Hulu and Disney Plus.

Sling TV and Hulu with Live TV also carry HBO.

Away from home right now? You'll need a VPN to avoid being geo-blocked. Details below.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 3 in the UK

If you live in the UK, there's a few options to watch House of the Dragon season 3.

The show will stream on both Sky TV and Now, as well as the recently arrived HBO Max. Whichever you choose, episodes will arrive every Monday.

Now TV costs £9.99 per month, but Sky TV has a lot more for the money, as it includes lots of premium live channels. HBO Max subscriptions start from £5.99, although both Sky and Now offer bundle deals that include the streamer.

If you're away on holiday at the moment, remember to get a VPN so you can watch your regular streams as normal.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 3 in Australia

Aussies will be able to watch House of the Dragon season 3 via the HBO Max streaming service each Monday.

A subscription starts at AU$11.99 per month or $119.99 per year.

Again, read below to find out how to watch from abroad with a VPN.

How to watch House of the Dragon from anywhere with a VPN

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch House of the Dragon, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favourite show, sport or other content even if you're not there. One of our favorites is Proton VPN, which is rated among the best VPNs in the world right now according to our rankings.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at Proton VPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

House of the Dragon season 3 cast

• Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen
• Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen
• Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower
• Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon
• Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
• Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole
• Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower
• Matthew Needham as Larys Strong
• Jefferson Hall as Jason Lannister / Tyland Lannister
• Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon
• Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen
• Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen
• Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen
• Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen
• Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen
• James Norton as Ormund Hightower
• Tommy Flanagan as Roderick Dustin
• Dan Fogler as Torrhen Manderly
• Tom Cullen as Luthor Largent

The biggest new TV show which you can watch right now is The Last of Us season 2, with the post-apocalyptic thriller series returning to screens on Sunday, April 13.

The Last of Us season 2 returns us to a world in which the Cordyceps fungus turns poeple into zombie-like monsters, and so people live in communes with the dangers of the creatures, the military and the Firefly rebels all breathing down their necks. The first season was a huge success and had people clamoring for more.

The first season is about a man named Joel who has to escort a young girl called Ellie across the US, while they learn about each other. In season 2 of The Last of Us, five years has passed and the world is just as dangerous as before, and Joel and Ellie's actions are catching up with them.

So here's how to watch The Last of Us season 2, as well as the first season if you need to catch up.

How to watch The Last of Us season 2 in the US

You can watch the new season of The Last of Us in two ways: streaming online, or on cable.

Let's start with the latter: season 2 will debut on HBO on Sunday, April 13 at 9 pm ET/PT, as well as on HBO Latino, and it'll repeat on both channels at multiple times over the next few days.

Each new episode will air at the same time weekly.

You may already have HBO as part of your cable plan but if not, several live TV streaming services offer it as add-on packages. Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV offer it, if you pay a little more each month. Sling TV is the cheapest option, and you can find more about Sling TV deals here.

If you don't need to watch The Last of Us season 2 live, then you can catch it on demand using the streaming service Max, which costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one.

Each episode of the new season of The Last of Us will hit Max after it airs on HBO. The first season of the show is also all on Max for you to watch.

How to watch The Last of Us season 2 in the UK

You've got two options to watch The Last of Us season 2 in the UK, as both Sky TV and Now TV will let you stream the show. The first episode will land on Monday, April 14, with new ones dropping weekly.

The first season of The Last of Us is all on those two streaming services too.

Sky Atlantic will likely also broadcast the episode, if you'd rather watch it on the live channel.

Thanks to recent price changes, a subscription to Sky TV only costs £15 per month for its essential plan, and that's only one you'll need to watch The Last of Us. You can save more money by signing up for long-term contracts or using our guide to Sky TV deals.

How to watch The Last of Us season 2 in Australia

You'll get to enjoy a shiny new streaming service to enjoy The Last of Us season 2 in Australia; it'll come to the brand-new streaming service Max, which only released in Oz in early April.

Episodes will roll out weekly beginning on Monday, April 14, and will only be able to be watching on the streamer.

Max begins at $11.99 monthly for its ad-supported plan or $119.99 for the annual version, with pricier tiers to lose ads or get more features. However if you sign up before Wednesday, April 31, you get a discount of $4 per for your first month or $40 for the year, whichever you sign up for.

That's a change from the first season, which came to Binge, as lots of HBO-made content was pulled from Binge upon the release of Max.

How to watch The Last of Us season 2 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch The Last of Us season 2, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN).

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite shows, sports or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

The dance of the dragons has only just begun, as House of the Dragon season 3 is on its way to continue the epic story of the war between Rhaenyra and the Hightowers.

HBO has pledged itself to the Game of Thrones prequel, announcing before the start of House of the Dragon season 2 that a third season had been greenlit. Throw in more critical acclaim (season 2 is "Certified Fresh" on Rotten Tomatoes) and the continued solid ratings for the show, and it's little surprise that HBO is flying high with its latest Game of Thrones series (and continuing to add to it with another prequel series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms).

But as we wait for House of the Dragon season 3 to return, here is everything we know about the next season.

House of the Dragon season 3 release date

There is no official release date for House of the Dragon season 3 and no announced timetable for the show's return as of yet.

It took two years for House of the Dragon season 2 to reach TV following the end of season 1, but there were outside factors that contributed to that delay (the 2023 Hollywood strikes). With no such hindrance this time, could we get House of the Dragon season 3 sometime in 2025? It's a big show, so production takes a long time, but you'd have to imagine HBO would want to keep momentum going on the series.

It was announced on March 31 that production was officially underway on House of the Dragon season 3, so that's the first step in getting it back on TV.

In the meantime, if you need to catch up on House of the Dragon between now and the series' return, US viewers can stream it exclusively on Max, while those in the UK can watch the show on-demand via Sky TV, NOW TV and Sky Go.

House of the Dragon season 3 cast

House of the Dragon season 3 has a big cast, but just about all of the main cast that you have come to know over the last two seasons are back:

Here is a look at the confirmed returns cast returning:

• Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra
• Matt Smith as Daemon
• Olivia Cooke as Alicent
• Fabien Frankel as Criston Cole
• Steve Toussaint as Corlys
• Ewan Mitchaell as Aemond
• Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower
• Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria
• Matthew Needham as Larys Strong
• Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon
• Harry Collet as Jace
• Bethany Antonia as Baela
• Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena
• Phia Saba as Helaena
• Jefferson Hall as Tyland Lannister
• Tom Bennett as Ulf
• Kieran Bew as Hugh
• Abubakar Salim as Alyn
• Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne
• Clinton Liberty as Addam
• Kurt Egyiawan as Grand Maester Orwyle
• Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers

HBO has also confirmed new additions to the cast, which include Tommy Flanagan (Sons of Anarchy) as Ser Roderick Dustin, Dan Fogler (Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them) as Ser Torrhen Manderly and James Norton (Happy Valley) as Ormund Hightower.

Variety has also reported that joining the show this season are Tom Cullen (The Gold) as Ser Luthor Largent, Joplin Sibtain (Andor) as Ser "Bold" Jon Roxton and Barry Sloane (Sandman) as Ser Adrian Redfort.

House of the Dragon season 3 plot

No official plot details about House of the Dragon season 3 have been announced yet, but we can infer a lot of things that are going to taking place in the third season based on where things left off with season 2.

Most critically, war is about to break out as armies for the Blacks (Rhaenyra's forces that include her seven dragons, Daemon's Riverlands army, Corlys' fleet and the North) and the Green's (Aemond and Vhagar, Criston Cole and the Hightower forces, which will include Prince Daeron, the Lannister army and ships from Essos). Rhaenyra is possibly going to add another dragon as Rhaena sought to fulfill her long desire for one as she chased down the wild dragon in the Vale.

Other big plot points that were left open-ended for next season include Aegon and Larys fleeing King's Landing to avoid being killed by Aemond. Also, Otto Hightower is imprisoned, though we don't know where.

If you can't wait to find out more about what's coming next in the story, you can read George R.R. Martin's text that the series is based on — Fire & Blood — though the show has taken some liberties with the story, so it may not line up perfectly.

House of the Dragon season 3 trailer

There is no trailer for House of the Dragon season 3 at this time.

We've reached the end of House of the Dragon season 2, with the eighth and final episode landing on Sunday, August 4, and it will bring a temporary halt to the story of this Game of Thrones prequel until season 3 picks it back up again.

Over seven episodes we've watched the House Targaryen dance on a knife edge towards civil war, with some shocking twists and turns (and by that we mean 'deaths'!).

With only one episode left of House of the Dragon season 2, you're going to want to watch it as soon as possible, to make sure you don't get anything spoiled to you online.

Here’s how to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 7 on TV and online – it airs on Sunday, August 4 in the US and on Monday, August 5 in the UK and Australia. 

How to watch House of the Dragon S2 E8 in the US

You can watch the eighth and final episode of House of the Dragon season 2 in two ways: online or using a cable plan.

Starting with the latter, you can watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 8 on HBO or HBO Latino channels. Ep. 8 will be released on Sunday, August 4 at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT. The episode will be repeated countless times over the next few days at varying times.

A few live TV streaming services let you purchase HBO as an add-on package if you don't have it already. The list includes Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV, with it available if you pay a little extra per month.

To stream House of the Dragon season 2 episode 8 on demand, you can sign up to Max where it'll appear as soon as it airs on HBO, joining all the previous episodes.

Max costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one. There's another higher tier but it's for high-res movie streaming so it won't affect House of the Dragon.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 8 in the UK

There are two ways to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 8 in the UK, both of which start on Monday, August 5. 

Firstly, to watch it on live TV, Sky Atlantic will air the episode at 2 am... if you value your sleep ahead of the first day of the working week, it'll repeat at 9 pm that evening. 

Then to watch it on demand, the episode of House of the Dragon will be available as part of Sky TV's and Now's libraries as soon as it airs on Sky TV.

You can watch it on Sky Atlantic or Sky TV's library if you subscribe to Sky. This costs £26 per month (with the occasional free trial or discount thanks to Sky TV deals) for its basic tier.

Now costs £9.99 per month so it's a bit cheaper but doesn't offer Sky TV's live channels, so deciding between the two is as much about which other parts of the subscription you're interested in, as much as the price.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 8 in Australia

Sign up for Binge if you want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 ep 8: that's where the episode will be available to watch from Monday, August 5. 

You can get access to Binge or as little as $10 per month for its most basic plan, but this only streams video in SD. Standard costs $18 per month and has HD streaming, and there's also Premium at $22.

Binge has a free trial available for brand new customers, though you need Australian contact information to sign up.

How to watch House of the Dragon S2 episode 8 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 8, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite shows, sports or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

This House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6 recap contains spoilers. In Harrenhal, Daemon finds himself falling under the sway of Alys Rivers, a "Witch Queen" who seems able to make the Targaryen prince reflect upon his past crimes. Meanwhile, in King's Landing, Aegon stirs, as Aemond tightens his grip on the Iron Throne...

US viewers wanting to keep up with the epic fantasy series need to be signed up for either HBO or its streaming service Max. HBO can be added to traditional TV packages or live TV streaming services as a premium add-on channel, including YouTube TV. Or you can sign up for Max as a standalone streaming service (though also available as an add-on channel on some platforms).

In the UK, with the show airing on Sky Atlantic, a Sky TV subscription is necessary to watch House of the Dragon. Episodes are also going to be available to stream on-demand on Sky Go and NOW TV.

'He dares to summon me?'

Lord Lannister arrives at The Golden Tooth where he’s greeted apprehensively, yet rather than march on Harrenhal immediately, he orders a raven be sent to King’s Landing requesting Prince Aemond join them upon the mighty Vhagar.

This presumptuous message doesn’t please the new regent, who’s ruling the counsel with an iron fist that couldn’t be more different from the hand of his malleable brother, Aegon. Few people around the table believe his plan of smashing the Sea Snake’s blockade by making an alliance with the Free Cities is a good one, yet the fear of contradicting him is tangible. “They might play at accepting terms but they are not to be trusted,” says Aemond’s mother Alicent.

Ser Cristan supports his former lover, yet it’s not long before he’s being ordered to march upon Daemon at Harrenhal, a tricky mission considering the vast numbers lost during The Battle of Rook’s Rest. Once the council is dismissed, Aemond explains that he no longer requires his mother’s wisdom. As such, the two people who voiced any kind of opposition to his plan are removed.  He may be a decisive ruler, but surrounding yourself with yes men who are afraid to question your commands is rarely a good idea.

“Have the indignities of your childhood not yet been sufficiently avenged?” Alicent asks her son as she departs, hoping against hope that he will somehow find some temperance to go with his bloodlust. 

'I am but a man, the dragons are gods...'

On Dragonstone, Princess Rhaenyra enacts the desperate plan she hatched with her son at the end of the previous episode. She summons Ser Stefan Darklyn, whom the records suggest has Targaryen blood from many generations before. Ser Stefan knows the risks of failing to claim a dragon, but sees it as an honour to be asked.

Yet the process of claiming Seasmoke is nerve-racking and just when it looks like Ser Stefan has succeeded, the dragon decides his Targaryen blood runs too thin and consumes him with fire. It’s a sobering moment for Rhaenyra, as she loses a trusted general, while realising only the most courageous will now be willing to follow in his footsteps.

However one man burning for greater honour and a more glamorous place in the world is Addam of Hull, who’s envious of his brother being called up as a first mate by Lord Corlys. We’ve long suspected he and Alyn are Lord Corlys’ illegitimate sons and when the confirmation finally arrives, we begin to realise the possibilities the Velaryon blood in their veins offers.

'You are not a player, but a piece on the board...'

Meanwhile at Harrenhal, Prince Daemon is now seeing visions of his late brother Viserys, who reminds him of the terrible quip he made on the day his nephew died. “You should have been at my side,” says Viserys from beyond the grave. “But instead you chose to celebrate your own rise.”

Yet this is a conversation that actually took place - it’s a memory rather than a dream - and when Ser Simon Strong rouses Daemon from his reverie, the Targaryen prince holds a dagger to his throat. It’s well-known in Westeros that every time a Targaryen is born, “the gods toss a coin”. Daemon was never on the good side of that spectrum, but this encroaching madness has eerie echoes of the Mad King, whose rule foreshadowed Game of Thrones. Or is Daemon simply slipping under the influence of Alys Rivers, ‘the witch of Harrenhal’?

Daemon spills his fury and frustration out to the woman he’s becoming increasingly reliant upon and she points out that those who desire the crown are perhaps those least suited to it. However she does explain that the winds of change are about to blow through the Riverlands.

Later on, Daemon dreams of comforting his grief-stricken brother after the death of his wife and when he awakes, news of Grover Tully’s death arrives. This means the paralysed forces of the Riverlands can finally start moving under his Lord Oscar Tully, while Alys Rivers’ hand in the process is impossible to miss. She’s a powerful ally and if she can make Daemon reflect upon his past sins and become a better man, she could be the saviour the small folk of Westeros need. It's like therapy through trauma, we just hope Daemon is capable of becoming a new man. 

'Your life is in danger...'

Meanwhile Lord Corlys' blockade of King’s Landing is encouraging the small folk to become increasingly emboldened. It’s amazing how hunger can overcome fear. “The enemy without can be fought with swords, the enemy within is far more insidious.” says Larys Strong, during Prince Aegon’s increasingly diminished council meeting.

The conversation soon moves on to the prospect of Aemond’s Hand and he wisely chooses to recall his grandfather, Ser Otto Hightower, yet can’t resist doing so in a manner that belittles Lord Larys. The habit of passively lashing out at his most loyal advisors is one he believes will keep everyone on their toes and protect him from manipulation, but it will also foster resentment among those he relies upon the most, leaving him with few true allies.

With King Aegon’s condition slowly improving, Ser Larys Strong begins to wonder if he might fare better under a broken King than a violent tyrant. Later on, the old Master of Whisperers seeks the shattered ruler out and points out that while he will be pitied, people will also underestimate him. 

“That will be to your advantage,” he explains. We’ve seen how Lord Larys and - many years down the road Tyrion Lannister - have climbed the ladder, dispute their physical frailties, yet they were battle-hardened over decades. Does Aegon have the mental strength to make such a sharp shift this late in the day?

We think this might be a long and risky shot from Lord Larys. It’s surely only a matter of time before Aemond finishes his brother off, so tying himself to a stricken ship is a perilous course. 

'Kindness is a quality I've found lacking in his brothers...'

In the Eyrie, Lady Rhaena is making preparations to sail to Pentos when she realises there is a large dragon in the Vale. It’s wild, but as the Greens and Blacks pursue an arms race, it's surely something worth investigating. Whichever side can tame this mighty beast will surely strike a crucial blow and the subject plays on Rhaena’s mind as she prepares to depart Westeros. Will she leave her kin behind, increasingly outnumbered, or will she take a hand in the fight?

Meanwhile in King’s Landing, the gifts Rhaenyra and Mysaria discussed begin to wash up on the beach. Boat upon boat of food, draped in her colours, are sure to be well-received in a city of starving people.

Later on there’s a powerful moment between Alicent and her brother Ser Gwayne, who’s about to head into the breach once more as he marches upon Harrenhal with Ser Cristan. There has been no word from their father - which is odd - and as they reminisce about their different youths, she asks about her 16 year-old son, Ser Dareon Hightower, who remains in Oldtown.

When Ser Gwayne confirms he is kind, it’s a bittersweet moment for Alicent and a glimpse of what could have been if the winds of fate blew in a different direction. “Kindness is a quality I’ve found lacking in his brothers,” she explains, in a farewell that bears all the hallmarks of a final meeting.

As Alicent and her daughter set off to light a candle for Aegon in the Great Sept, rioting brought on my Rhaenyra’s aid packages almost engulfs them. “The Queen of fishes” shouts one man, hurling one at her, while cries of “Long live Rhaenyra!” are also heard among the throng. Vladimir Lenin once said that any society is only three meals away from chaos and the small folk of King’s Landing have been going without for many weeks now.

Meanwhile, Seasmoke - who has been missing since roasting Ser Stefan Darklyn - seeks out Addam of Hull and offers himself as a steed. Could this be a turning point in the Targaryen civil war? 

Five episodes into the second series of House of the Dragon and the build towards the Targaryen civil war is gathering pace. Make sure you don't miss the latest instalment as season 2 episode 6 is set to drop on Sunday, July 21. 

After an epic dragon battle in the skies above Rook's Rest, last week's episode of House of the Dragon focused on the fallout and saw plenty of manoeuvring from the leaders of the Seven Kingdoms. 

It was also quick to answer the question that was on everyone's lips after the cliffhanger ending – did King Aegon survive the beastly battle? If you missed the episode then you'll want to check out our helpful recap which will make sure you are up to speed. 

If you're all caught up then you’ll want to know how you can watch this week’s episode. 

Here’s how to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6 on TV and online – it airs on Sunday, July 21 in the US and on Monday, July 22 in the UK and Australia. 

How to watch House of the Dragon S2 E6 in the US

You can watch the sixth episode of House of the Dragon season 2 in two ways: online or using a cable plan.

Starting with the latter, you can watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6 on HBO or HBO Latino channels. Ep. 6 will be released on Sunday, July 21 at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT. The episode will be repeated countless times over the next few days at varying times.

A few live TV streaming services let you purchase HBO as an add-on package if you don't have it already. The list includes Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV, with it available if you pay a little extra per month.

To stream House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6 on demand, you can sign up to Max where it'll appear as soon as it airs on HBO, joining all the previous episodes.

Max costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one. There's another higher tier but it's for high-res movie streaming so it won't affect House of the Dragon.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6 in the UK

There are two ways to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6 in the UK, both of which start on Monday, July 22. 

Firstly, to watch it on live TV, Sky Atlantic will air the episode at 2 am... if you value your sleep ahead of the first day of the working week, it'll repeat at 9 pm that evening. 

Then to watch it on demand, the episode of House of the Dragon will be available as part of Sky TV's and Now's libraries as soon as it airs on Sky TV.

You can watch it on Sky Atlantic or Sky TV's library if you subscribe to Sky. This costs £26 per month (with the occasional free trial or discount thanks to Sky TV deals) for its basic tier.

Now costs £9.99 per month so it's a bit cheaper but doesn't offer Sky TV's live channels, so deciding between the two is as much about which other parts of the subscription you're interested in, as much as the price.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6 in Australia

Sign up for Binge if you want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 ep 6: that's where the episode will be available to watch from Monday, July 22. 

You can get access to Binge or as little as $10 per month for its most basic plan, but this only streams video in SD. Standard costs $18 per month and has HD streaming, and there's also Premium at $22.

Binge has a free trial available for brand new customers, though you need Australian contact information to sign up.

How to watch House of the Dragon S2 episode 6 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite shows, sports or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

This House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 recap contains spoilers. After the carnage at Rook’s Rest and the fall of King Aegon, Prince Aemond makes a move for power in King's Landing. His mother understands the carnage he will unleash, but can do little to stop him, while in Harrenhal, Prince Daemon begins to imagine himself as the driving force behind the Black's bid for the Iron Throne... 

US viewers wanting to keep up with the epic fantasy series need to be signed up for either HBO or its streaming service Max. HBO can be added to traditional TV packages or live TV streaming services as a premium add-on channel, including YouTube TV. Or you can sign up for Max as a standalone streaming service (though also available as an add-on channel on some platforms).

In the UK, with the show airing on Sky Atlantic, a Sky TV subscription is necessary to watch House of the Dragon. Episodes are also going to be available to stream on-demand on Sky Go and NOW TV.

'Behold the traitor dragon Meleys...'

Lord Corlys Velaryon is a broken man after news of his wife’s courageous demise at The Battle of Rook’s Rest reaches Driftmark, although in King’s Landing his blockade is beginning to bear fruit.

King Aegon’s people are hungry, yet the Greens hope the sight of Meleys’ head will keep their spirits up. With smoke still wafting from the cart that bears it, the decapitated Black dragon is an awful and awesome sight, yet many people take it as a bad omen. “Don’t they realise we won the battle?” Ser Cristan Cole asks Ser Gwayne Hightower as they parade through the crowd, yet with nearly a thousand men lost, his companion wonders if it was a victory at all.

The people are told the dragon was slain by Aegon, but they have no idea that in a humble cart draped in rags behind the beast, lies their King’s broken body. He’s still alive, yet as the healers gather around him to remove his armour, the true extent of his injuries become clear. As his burns are treated and bones reset, Prince Aemond enters the room gazing at the brother he cast down in his pursuit of the throne.

Alicent intuitively understands what happened in the skies above Rook’s Rest, although when she seeks out Ser Cristan for confirmation he's unwilling to speak out. Much has happened since we saw Prince Aemond and Ser Cristan plotting by candlelight in the first episode of the series, yet despite being the Hand of the King, Cole knows where power lies and that only the strong can command loyalty in the game of thrones. Whether he agrees with Aemond’s approach is now irrelevant, metaphorically he’s riding a dragon and can not get off. 

'There is more than one way to fight a war...'

At Dragonstone, the Blacks lament the loss of Princess Rhaenys and none more than Queen Rhaenyra, who’s lost a powerful ally on the battlefield and around the council table, where she's now a lone woman in a room full of men.

However, Lady Mysaria seems more than ready to step into the breach and there are few advisors in Westeros who understand the nature of crowds more than "The White Worm'. While Rhaenyra laments her misfortune at being born a woman, Mysaria urges her to use the weapons at her disposal before suggesting Ser Cristan made an error in dragging Meleys through King’s Landing. “Do not underestimate your subjects,” she says. “They have been forgotten for too long and to the discontented, rumours are feed.”

Trusting her counsel, Rhaenyra dispatches Elinda Massey to King’s Landing on a secret mission, yet she also sends Lady Baela to see her father, Lord Corlys, asking him to be her new Hand. “I do not wish to stand alone..” she explains.

Meanwhile, Prince Jacaerys is suspicious of Prince Daemon’s loyalties, yet spies a way to make the Blacks less reliant upon his negotiations at Harrenhal. Flying to visit the Frays, who control the crossing at the Twins, he hopes to secure the crossing of Cregan Stark’s army from the North, who are loyal to his mother. 

'You should address me as My King...'

At Harrenhal, Daemon finds the Brackens unwilling to bend the knee, even under the immediate threat of dragonfire. When they call his bluff, Daemon orders Lord Blackwood to secure their loyalty by other means. Yet it hasn’t escaped our attention that the King Consort no longer asks loyalty on behalf of Rhaenyra, but himself.

That evening the vision of a woman appears in Daemon’s bed, extolling his suitability for the crown over his brother, Viserys. Yet this lover turns out to be his mother, making him a… well, you get the idea. Either way, the notion of sitting upon the Iron Throne - an idea that Daemon has never banished - is now coalescing through a prism of guilt towards Rhaenyra and vindication at narrowly missing the boat of succession on so many occasions.

At dinner that evening, Ser Simon Strong asks for money to pay for the refurbishment and arming of Harrenhal, yet he refuses to ask Rhaenyra for the cash and says he will guarantee the payment himself. “Harrenhal is my command,” he explains, pushing his own claim with greater vigour every day.

Alys Rivers understands his intentions and reads his thoughts with unerring accuracy, yet she may well be a force of levity for him, reciting the crimes against the innocent that have transpired in his new lands. “I’m sure your tactics are approved by the Queen” she says pointedly, finally drawing out the truth of his intentions to take the throne for himself. “It’s a pity you never knew your mother,” she calls as he departs, knowing exactly where his weak spot is. However, with the Blackwoods finally forcing the Brackens to submit to him, Daemon cares little.  

'It must be Aemond...' 

We remember The Eyrie well from the first season of Game of Thrones, yet it’s many years until Tyrion will be locked in that spectacular skycell. In the present, Lady Rhaena entreats with Jeyne Arryn, who demanded a dragon from Queen Rhaenyra in return for her loyalty. She has been sent two, although both are still “wet from the egg” and would be less than a mouthful for Vhagar.

Fans of the original series will also be familiar with the Freys — the villainous Walder Frey in particular — and as this story continues to spread from King’s Landing, we see another familiar place. The Freys of House of the Dragon are only slightly more charismatic than their sneering ancestor and when Jacaerys arrives to secure passage for Cregan Stark's army, they have demands of their own. However, with negotiations symbolically taking place over an overturned door, the young Velaryon is left in no doubt as to the importance of the Twins. The Freys want Harrenhal, yet for that Rhaenyra will want “bent knees”, says Jacaerys.

In King’s Landing, the prognosis is not good for King Aegon, meaning a regent is needed to rule in his stead. Desperate to avoid the all-out carnage Aemond will unleash, Alicent puts herself forward for the role, but it’s clear she’s fighting an uphill battle and there’s only one credible candidate in the eyes of the Council.

Seeing Ser Cristan throw his weight behind Aemond wounds her deepest of all, but in truth he had no option but to endorse the man who actually wields power, or find himself in the unhinged prince’s firing line. However, with Alicent increasingly isolated, she remains an even more unpredictable force within the capital.

“You know what he is and what he has become,” Alicent tells Ser Cristan later on, yet after the horrors of Rook’s Rest he says a dragonrider is needed to lead the battle against Rhaenyra. It’s a trope seen on both sides of the divide and in this case, an example of dog-whistle sexism. After all, Aegon was a dragonrider and one of the most incapable generals we’ve ever seen. 

'Was it worth the price?'

News that Queen Rhaenyra wishes Lord Corlys to be her Hand arrives at Driftmark, yet he's still struggling to overcome the loss of his wife. In a fine scene, Lady Baela reminds him that Rhaenys was not simply his vassal, but a Targaryen princess who chose the manner of her death and met it with honour. Her words certainly hit their mark, because he asks her to become his heir. “I am blood and fire,” she responds. “Driftmark must pass to salt and sea.”

Meanwhile, Rhaenyra sends Ser Alfred Broome to Harrenhal to find out whether Daemon means to raise a host for her or for himself. Yet at Harrenhal, Daemon is learning the problems of ruling, when the Riverlords arrive in the middle of the night with complaints about the war crimes Lord Blackwood carried out upon his orders. As with the murder of Jaehaerys, it’s not a good look for the impulsive Targaryen and rumours about him are now rife in the Riverlands. “Dragon or no, we shall not raise our banners for a tyrant,” says one bold woman.  

At King’s Landing, Helaena confronts Aemond over what he did to her brother and husband, Aegon, as the list of people who have read between the lines to deduce the truth about Rook’s Rest continues to grow.

Yet while Aemond believes he has struck a fatal blow to the Blacks by killing their largest dragon, it’s revealed they have two more beasts who can “stand against Vhagar” lying unclaimed deep within their dragon pit. If only they can find someone with a trace of Targaryen blood to ride them. Step forward Ulf the White, the man we saw boasting in the taverns of King’s Landing earlier in the series! 

House of the Dragon season 2 continues on HBO on Sunday, July 21 in the US and on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Monday, July 22 in the UK. Each new episode will air at the same time weekly. You may already have HBO as part of your cable plan but if not, several live TV streaming services offer it as add-on packages. Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV offer it, if you pay a little more each month.

If you don't need to watch House of the Dragon season 2 live, then you can catch it on demand using the streaming service Max, which costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one.

Each episode of the new season of House of the Dragon will hit Max after it airs on HBO. The first season of the show is also all on Max for you to watch.

The long wait is almost over. After an incredible fourth episode that featured one of the best battle scenes we've seen in either Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon, season 2 episode 5 will land on Sunday, July 14. 

Currently the top-rated episode of House of the Dragon, last week's The Red Dragon and the Gold featured a beastly battle with a heavy human cost. The fourth episode of the second series was utterly enthralling and has left fans around the world desperate to see the fallout from the clash at Rook's Rest. 

With the Targaryen civil war finally igniting in spectacular fashion, the Game of Thrones prequel gave fans what they have been waiting for — a dragon battle in the skies. 

If you missed the episode then you'll want to check out our recap, but if you're all caught up then you’ll want to know how you can watch this week’s episode. 

Here’s how to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 on TV and online – it airs on Sunday, July 14 in the US and on Monday, July 15 in the UK and Australia. 

How to watch House of the Dragon S2 E5 in the US

You can watch the fifth episode of House of the Dragon season 2 in two ways: online or using a cable plan.

Starting with the latter, you can watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 on HBO or HBO Latino channels. Ep. 5 will be released on Sunday, July 14 at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT. The episode will be repeated countless times over the next few days at varying times.

A few live TV streaming services let you purchase HBO as an add-on package if you don't have it already. The list includes Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV, with it available if you pay a little extra per month.

To stream House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 on demand, you can sign up to Max where it'll appear as soon as it airs on HBO, joining all the previous episodes.

Max costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one. There's another higher tier but it's for high-res movie streaming so it won't affect House of the Dragon.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 in the UK

There are two ways to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 in the UK, both of which start on Monday, July 15. 

Firstly, to watch it on live TV, Sky Atlantic will air the episode at 2 am... if you value your sleep ahead of the first day of the working week, it'll repeat at 9 pm that evening. 

Then to watch it on demand, the episode of House of the Dragon will be available as part of Sky TV's and Now's libraries as soon as it airs on Sky TV.

You can watch it on Sky Atlantic or Sky TV's library if you subscribe to Sky. This costs £26 per month (with the occasional free trial or discount thanks to Sky TV deals) for its basic tier.

Now costs £9.99 per month so it's a bit cheaper but doesn't offer Sky TV's live channels, so deciding between the two is as much about which other parts of the subscription you're interested in, as much as the price.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 in Australia

Sign up for Binge if you want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 ep 5: that's where the episode will be available to watch from Monday, July 15.

You can get access to Binge or as little as $10 per month for its most basic plan, but this only streams video in SD. Standard costs $18 per month and has HD streaming, and there's also Premium at $22.

Binge has a free trial available for brand new customers, though you need Australian contact information to sign up.

How to watch House of the Dragon S2 episode 5 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite shows, sports or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

The Battle at Rook's Rest was the most spectacular moment of House of the Dragon season 2 so far, with three dragons fighting to the death high in the sky above Lord Staunton's family seat. 

As the fourth episode of the new series — titled "The Red Dragon and the Gold" — opened, Ser Cristan Cole and the Greens attacked the castle in broad daylight, knowing Rhaenyra Targaryen would likely send a dragon to defend it.

She eventually decided to send Princess Rhaenys and her steed Meleys, yet the dragonrider had no idea she was flying into a trap, with Prince Aemond and his mighty beast, Vhagar, lying in wait.

What Ser Cristan and Aemond hadn't counted on was the arrival of King Aegon on his dragon Sunfyre and the three beasts did battle over Rook's Rest, in a duel that left Rhaenys dead and Aegon badly injured.

Yet before the dragons arrived on the scene, we saw Ser Cristan and the Green forces attacking Rook's Rest from the cover of a forest on high ground overlooking the castle.

That scene was actually shot in Bourne Wood in the English county of Surrey, however, it wasn't the first time the location had been used as a film set, with the opening scene of hit movie Gladiator also being shot there. 

In Ridley Scott's Oscar-winning film, Bourne Wood doubled as Germania, with Russell Crowe leading a Roman army as General Maximus (see above). 

“Filming in the same place as Gladiator was really special,” says Fabien Frankel, who plays Ser Cristan Cole. “I mean, that’s cinematic history and we were filming on the same ground. I had to pinch myself.”

The forest sure is a popular location for filmmakers, with shows such as Citadel and The Witcher, plus Michael Bay movie Transformers: The Last Knight also using parts of it for a backdrop in recent years.

Meanwhile executive producer Melissa Bernstein has revealed the battle itself took several weeks to film, with 250 extras used to play the army of greens and Rook's Rest's black defenders. 

“The scale and scope of the production," she says. "The heavy visual effects, the period element — there’s so much complexity and specificity which made it a wonderful and incredible challenge.”

Creating the dragon duel was also an enormous task for all involved, especially for Eve Best who plays the doomed Princess Rhaenys.

“I spent every day for about two weeks on the bronco — and we were doing all kinds of wild moves," she explains. “At one point it had to look like we were doing 360-degree turns and they were having to simulate that somehow. 

"I remember we’d done a particularly big loop and I was on the buck basically perpendicular to the ground, clinging on for all I was worth, and the move finished, they shouted “cut” & the buck stopped right where it was — perpendicular to the ground - and I was hanging there like a prawn on the side of a ship feebly shouting ‘Help! Help! Get me down!'" 

This House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 recap contains spoilers. Wow! When this Game of Thrones spin-off first flapped on to the horizon many years ago, we all dreamed of spectacular episodes like this and after waiting patiently for 13 episodes, we're finally getting what we signed up for.

The Dragon battle in the skies over Rook's Rest was an awesome sight to behold, yet it was also the icing on the cake of a superb episode, in which we saw inexorable power shifts on both sides of the divide. In Dragonstone, Queen Rhaenyra finally found her voice, while in King's Landing, authority poured through Aegon's hands and towards a menacing Aemond. 

US viewers wanting to keep up with the epic fantasy series need to be signed up for either HBO or its streaming service Max. HBO can be added to traditional TV packages or live TV streaming services as a premium add-on channel, including YouTube TV. Or you can sign up for Max as a standalone streaming service (though also available as an add-on channel on some platforms).

In the UK, with the show airing on Sky Atlantic, a Sky TV subscription is necessary to watch House of the Dragon. Episodes are also going to be available to stream on-demand on Sky Go and NOW TV.

'House Tully is a fish without a head...'

Overlooked by his brother, jilted in favour of his niece and then married to her, psychiatrists would have a field day with Prince Daemon and we get to explore his mind a little more in this week’s episode. Rhaenyra seems to figure who seems to conjure the most anguish in him and a younger version of her returns once again to torture him. He sees her like this because this was the Rhaenyra who stole his inheritance, yet the guilt he feels for leading her astray and eventually betraying her is clear.

When he wakes, Ser Simon Strong tells him of how Ser Cristan Cole has been at recruiting forces to the Green’s cause while he’s been at Harrenhal, yet Oscar Tully - the young heir to the incapacitated Grover Tully as Lord of the Riverlands - has finally arrived. However the youngster seems unwilling to embrace Westeros realpolitik by murdering his grandsire in a bid to ‘speed along’ his inheritance.

Later on Daemon follows a vision of himself - complete with Aemond’s eye-patch - to find Alys Rivers, a ‘witch’ who seems to know a lot about him and the quarrel with his wife. “Do you now plan to make your own claim?” she says. “It must be a hard thing to give obeisance to one who replaced you.” It’s probably a tempting thought for a man as capricious as Daemon, yet his vision of himself as Aemond is even more intriguing. While he talks to Lord Blackwood, he also has a vision of his dead wife.

We're also intrigued by Alys Rivers who sees things miles beyond her kitchen. Where did she come from and what is her purpose? Is she a key character or a mere whimsy? Only time will tell. 

“The significance of Viserys’ intention died with him” 

Meanwhile, at King’s Landing, Alicent Hightower is taking the morning-after potion in the hope of avoiding a permanent reminder of the night Aegon’s heir was murdered. With Rhaenyra’s words still ringing in her ears, she also quizzes the Grand Maestor on whether he believes her late husband wanted her son to be King. He tells her he couldn’t know, yet we believe he’s unwilling to speak the truth.  

Alicent’s next visitor is Ser Larys Strong — Master of Whisperers and the pair share a conversation that takes place almost exclusively between the lines. It’s clear Strong knows the truth about her son’s claim to the throne and also that he shares her belief that it is now irrelevant.

Alicent is unable to attend her son’s Council, which is a shame for him as it's clear power is slipping through his fingers at an alarming rate of knots. He’s furious to hear of Daemon’s arrival at Harrenhal, even though it's the most Pyrrhic of victories.

Yet while Aegon throws his toys about with abandon, his younger brother Aemond smolders with tangible menace at the other end of the table, councilors hanging on his every word. As he switches to Valyrian, while eyeing his brother like a lion watching a sheep, Aegon is unable to reply. It’s a symbolic and completely calculated move that demonstrates how helpless the King really is and where power resides.

Outside, Aegon bumps into his mother — who now has a zest for history and Viserys’ books — and begins lamenting the lack of respect he has at council. “Do you think simply wearing the crown imbues you with wisdom?” she asks, before telling him his true place in the order of things and swatting aside his threats like those of a child. “Do simply what is needed from you - nothing.” It's clear an exasperated Alicent has reached the end of the line with her son. 

'Either I win my claim, or die...'

At Driftmark, Princess Rhaenys seeks out Alyn of Hull, the mysterious figure who saved Lord Corlys' life in the first season. He’s not mysterious to Rhaenys though, who describes him as ‘comely’ and remarks upon how beautiful his mother must have been in a loaded and cathartic exchange for her. “I know who he is, Corlys” she says, almost confirming that Alyn will have a larger part to play as the series goes on. Is he another illegitimate child who will go on to shape the fates of men? From the sorrow in Rhaenys’ eyes we’d say the first part at least is true..

On Dragonstone, the Black council are wringing their hands over Ser Cristan’s progress when Queen Rhaenyra makes a much-anticipated return and reveals the outcome of her recent mission to King’s Landing. “Either I win my claim, or die,” she tells them. Spurred on by this final realisation, she sends Princess Rhaenys, who rides the Black’s largest dragon, Meleys, to rout Cole at Rook's Rest.  

Yet she’s not the only one heading to war, as a sozzled King Aegon fails his final test by rejecting his mother’s advice and climbing on to his dragon, Sunfyre. As he takes off on the golden beast, at Dragonstone, Queen Rhaenyra tells her heir, Jacerys, about Aegon the Conqueror’s dream, The Song of Ice and Fire, which says The Targaryens are protectors who must unite the realm against a common foe in the winters to come. “The horrors I’ve loosed can’t be for a crown alone,” she says. “That is why I must believe what Viserys told me when he named me his heir.” It’s a tale that is passed from ruler to ruler, yet aptly King Aegon never heard it.  

'Make the signal...'

Green forces attack Rook’s Rest, yet when Meleys appears on the horizon as Ser Gwayne feared, Cole tells his soldiers to make the signal. With Aemond and Vhagar lying hidden, it’s soon clear the Greens have set a trap, yet Aemond decides to delay his attack rather than charge straight into the fray.

Whether he has foreseen his brother’s rash actions or is waiting for another reason, Aegon is soon on the scene, which throws a significant spanner in the works as far as Cole’s plan is concerned. Meleys sets upon Sunfyre and soon has the better of her naive rival, yet at that moment Vhagar finally takes to the sky. “Dracarys” Aemond yells, as his mighty steed approaches the two duelling dragons, sending Sunfyre and Aegon crashing to the ground. It doesn't feel like an accident.

We sense he was hoping to take out a Black dragon and couldn’t believe his luck when his feckless brother entered the fight, allowing for a political assassination easily explained away in the fire and fury of a dragon duel.

Undeterred, Rhaenys then courageously orders Meleys to attack Vhagar, with hundreds of men watching on as the two beasts tussle in the air above them. It’s an awesome spectacle and Rhaenys looks broken as she wheels as both dragons come crashing to the ground. Yet Vhagar is far from finished and ambushes her as she approaches the sea, in a similar manner to fashion to that in which he dispatched Arrax and Lucerys.

After the opening of this tale back in 2022, it feels like we're finally getting what we signed up for with this terrifying face-off. It's the most stunning set piece Ryan Condal & Co. have produced so far.

As Rhaenys plummets to her death, Aemond seeks out the charred and battered body of his brother Aegon, lying in the wreckage of Sunfyre.  In doing so he picks up the catspaw dagger - which is inscribed with The Song of Ice and Fire. Aegon never spoke Valyrian and no one explained what the markings meant to him, but Aemond is a far more serious prospect as it's keeper. 

House of the Dragon season 2 continues on HBO on Sunday, July 14 in the US and on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Monday, July 15 in the UK. Each new episode will air at the same time weekly. You may already have HBO as part of your cable plan but if not, several live TV streaming services offer it as add-on packages. Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV offer it, if you pay a little more each month.

If you don't need to watch House of the Dragon season 2 live, then you can catch it on demand using the streaming service Max, which costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one.

Each episode of the new season of House of the Dragon will hit Max after it airs on HBO. The first season of the show is also all on Max for you to watch.

I've just read What to Watch's resident House of the Dragon fan's impressions on season 2 episode 4, and they're glowingly positive, so you're going to want to watch this new episode which lands on Sunday, July 7.

This newest episode of House of the Dragon season 2 is called A Dance of Dragons and I didn't read his plot recap so I don't know what's so exciting about the episode yet, but the word 'dragons' is enough to get me pumped.

House of the Dragon season 2 continues the Game of Thrones prequel's story of a Westeros at war. The Targaryen family's infighting and woes are pushing the continent towards a civil war, and each episode brings us closer to that bloody rampage.

If you’re all caught up with the Game of Thrones spin-off then you’ll want to know how you can watch this week’s episode. 

So here’s how to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 which will air on Sunday, July 7 in the US and on Monday, July 8 in the UK and Australia. 

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 in the US

You can watch this new episode of House of the Dragon season 2 in two ways: online or using a cable plan.

Starting with the latter, you can watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 on theHBO or HBO Latino channels on Sunday, July 7 at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT. The episode will be repeated countless times over the next few days at varying times.

A few live TV streaming services let you purchase HBO as an add-on package if you don't have it already. The list includes Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV, with it available if you pay a little extra per month.

To stream House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 on demand, you can sign up to Max where it'll appear as soon as it airs on HBO, joining all the previous episodes.

Max costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one. There's another higher tier but it's for high-res movie streaming so it won't affect House of the Dragon.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 in the UK

There are two ways to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 in the UK, both of which start on Monday, July 8.

Firstly, to watch it on live TV, Sky Atlantic will air the episode at 2 am... if you value your sleep ahead of the first day of the working week, it'll repeat at 9 pm that evening. 

Then to watch it on demand, the episode of House of the Dragon will be available as part of Sky TV's and Now TV's libraries as soon as it airs on Sky TV.

You can watch it on Sky Atlantic or Sky TV's library if you subscribe to Sky. This costs £26 per month (with the occasional free trial or discount thanks to Sky TV deals) for its basic tier.

Now TV costs £9.99 per month so it's a bit cheaper but doesn't offer Sky TV's live channels, so deciding between the two is as much about which other parts of the subscription you're interested in, as much as the price.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 in Australia

Sign up for Binge if you want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4: that's where the episode will be available to watch from Monday, July 8.

You can get access to Binge or as little as $10 per month for its most basic plan, but this only streams video in SD. Standard costs $18 per month and has HD streaming, and there's also Premium at $22.

Binge has a free trial available for brand new customers, though you need Australian contact information to sign up.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite shows, sports or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

This House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 recap contains spoilers. While Prince Daemon tries to shore up the Black's forces in Harrenhal, Rhaenyra's council urge her to strike the first blow in the Targaryen Civil War. At King's Landing, Alicent is trying to restrain a battle-hungry Aegon, while her stolen meeting with Rhaenyra offers a defining moment that could finally begin the march to war.... 

US viewers wanting to keep up with the epic fantasy series need to be signed up for either HBO or its streaming service Max. HBO can be added to traditional TV packages or live TV streaming services as a premium add-on channel, including YouTube TV. Or you can sign up for Max as a standalone streaming service (though also available as an add-on channel on some platforms).

In the UK, with the show airing on Sky Atlantic, a Sky TV subscription is necessary to watch House of the Dragon. Episodes are also going to be available to stream on-demand on Sky Go and NOW TV.

'The Riverlands are the key to the war'

After smouldering for a few episodes, the first skirmish of the Targaryen Civil War takes place in the Riverlands, with Black and Green sub-factions using the succession dispute as an excuse to settle some festering disagreement. We can expect plenty more of that in the weeks ahead.

In King’s Landing the council gathers to discuss the battle between House Bracken and the Blackwoods, who declared for Rhaenyra. When others doubt whether this counts as the outbreak of war, King Aegon slams his very familiar catspaw dagger on the table, insisting the conflict has begun. With Ser Otto Hightower gone, it’s clear there’s no one left to restrain the King’s base instincts.

However after attracting opprobrium for his rash plan to have Ser Arryk kill Rhaenyra, Ser Cristan Cole is keen to move and says he’ll set off for Harrenhal to secure the loyalty of the Riverlands. Alicent - the only person along with Primnce Aemond, who still has the capacity and courage to disagree with the King — urges him to wait and find more men, but he refuses. 

'Hotter blood has prevailed...' 

At Dragonstone, Princess Rhaenys suggests the attempt on Rhaenyra’s life means that Ser Otto Hightower has lost his grip in King’s Landing and that “hotter blood has prevailed. Young men who wish to punish and avenge, soon they will not even remember what began the war.” Rhaenys has much wisdom, yet her plan to reach out to Alicent is ambitious. Although she would argue that any chance to prevent the war is worth gambling on..

Rhaenyra considers it worth a punt and consults Mysaria, who knows the goings on the Red Keep very well. That knowledge and her hatred of the Hightowers could make her a useful asset for the Greens, and she in turn seems to see the value of having a ruler capable of mercy. Later on Rhaenyra sends her youngest children away to Pentos with Daemon’s youngest daughter, Lady Rhaena. “You have seen what may befall them here,” she tells her niece. “I need you to be a mother to them.”

It’s a hard but necessary thing for Rhaenyra to send her youngest away, but a tougher ask for Rhaena, who must leave her sister behind and travel to the place where her mother, Laena Velaryon, was killed. She will take some dragon eggs with her though as a final insurance policy for the future if the Blacks’ cause is lost. She leaves at sunset, because that’s when everything seems to happen on Dragonstone.  

'Sin begets sin, begets sin, begets sin...' 

Meanwhile Prince Daemon arrives at Harrenhal and finds they’ve done little to repair Westeros’ biggest castle since King Aegon the Conqueror and his dragon Balerion burned the place to ashes. Ser Simon Strong quickly submits and pledges himself to Queen Rhaenyra, however Daemon is suspicious, not least because Ser Simon’s Lord, Larys Strong, is now one of King Aegon’s most trusted advisors.

“Larys Clubfoot is no Lord of mine..” says Ser Simon, correctly suggesting he organised the death of his father, Lord Lionel. He’s right when he says a fire in such a damp place seems unlikely to have happened by accident. Yet when we hear there are 40,000 swords in the Riverlands - the largest undeclared force in Westeros - we understand why Daemon is willing to be dripped on, literally and metaphorically.

However with the Brackens and the Blackwoods already fighting and Lord Grover Tully unable to instil discipline in the Riverlands fighting men, it seems many of those 40,000 swords are rather loose. Daemon hopes the presence of a dragon might remind them where their loyalties should lie.

Later on, Daemon dreams of a young Rhaenyra and a decapitated Prince Jaehaerys, suggesting that even the most egotistical among us suffer the ghosts of our conscience. “You will die in this place,” another mysterious figure from his past tells him.

Alicent might be struggling to hold back the dogs of war, but at Dragonstone, Queen Rhaenyra is having the opposite problem. Her council urges her to take decisive action and even go as far as suggesting to head for safety, while they conduct the war in her absence. “It would be treason,” she says, firmly putting them back in their box. Later on Lady Rhaenys discusses succession with her husband Lord Corlys. Will he choose Rhaena or the six year-old Joffrey as heir to Driftmark? 

'Master of Whisperers...' 

At King’s Landing, Ser Cristan prepares to set off for Harrenhal with Alicent’s brother, Ser Gwayne Hightower. The newcomer is greatly displeased by his father’s unseating as Hand of the King, especially by a knight from such ‘modest beginnings’. It’s great to see Freddie Fox, who’s played posh people in everything from Agatha Christie to The Gentlemen, bringing his talents as an entitled aristocrat into the fantasy world.

Gwayne’s feud with Ser Cristan is one to keep an eye on, while the brooding resentment between Alicent and Cristan continues to grow. They’ve not reached the ick stage yet, but it might only be a matter of time. So much of Alicent’s bottled up fury with Cristan comes from the night young Jaehaerys died. However in a powerful scene, Helaena looks deep in her mother’s eyes and forgives her. If that doesn't assuage the pain in Alicent’s heart, then nothing will.

Meanwhile, King Aegon is preparing to ride Sunfyre in support of Ser Cristan, when Ser Larys Strong enters and persuades him of his folly. “I’m as fierce as any of them!” he told the council at the start of the episode. Yet with the pain of his son’s death still fresh in his mind, his already questionable judgement is further impaired. He’s not the only man yearning for decisive action though. Larys explains that tales of Aegon’s pliability are spreading and is appointed Master of Whisperers. It’s a good appointment, we think.

Instead of flying to war, Aegon heads to a brothel, where he stumbles in on his little brother Aemond curled up in bed with the woman who took his virginity. Aegon mocks his little brother, which could be a dangerous move, as Aemond seems like a terrifying and deadly enemy who’s capable of anything. His stare sends shivers down the spine.

Across the bar, we meet Ulf White, who claims to be the grandson of King Jaehaerys the Conciliator, Viserys’ predecessor. That’s the second time Jaehaerys (who's had the longest rule of any Targaryen King so far) has been mentioned in this episode. Anyway, Ulf is the son of Baelon the Brave, bastard brother of Daemon and Viserys, and uncle to Rhaenyra. In King’s Landing, that makes him quite vulnerable. 

'The Prince that was promised...'

On the way to Harrenhal, Ser Gwayne Hightower makes an ill-advised detour to the pub and is spotted by Lady Baela and Moondancer. Ser Cristan saves the day by leading them into the woods, which might take Ser Gwayne down a peg or two. “I am in your debt,” he tells The Hand.

At Dragonstone, more pressure comes upon Rhaenyra to loose her dragons against Ser Cristan, yet after finally reading the letter Alicent sent her, expressing remorse for Lucerys’ death, she decides to reach out to her childhood friend.

Mysaria helps Rhaenyra sneak into King’s Landing on a fishing vessel, where she meets Alicent while she is alone at prayer. At their stolen meeting, Rhaenyra pleads with Alicent to help her uncover a path towards peace, yet it seems the Dowager Queen is unwilling. We’re not sure she could stop the wheels of war turning even if she did want to.

“Your father changed his mind,” says Alicent of the night Viserys died, yet when she explains what Viserys said about “Aegon being the Prince that was promised”, Rhaenyra reveals that he was discussing The Song of Ice and Fire, a prophecy passed down since Aegon the Conqueror about the coming of the White Walkers. It’s the defining moment of the episode and maybe the series, as realisation finally dawns upon Alicent that she was mistaken about Viserys naming her son and that thousands of people will now die because of that error.

Knowing there’s nothing she can do about it, she maintains there was no mistake, but this revelation will surely light a fire of righteous validation underneath Rhaenyra. Her father did want her to be Queen. 

House of the Dragon season 2 continues on HBO on Sunday, July 7 in the US and on Sky Atlantic and NOW on Monday, July 8 in the UK. Each new episode will air at the same time weekly. You may already have HBO as part of your cable plan but if not, several live TV streaming services offer it as add-on packages. Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV offer it, if you pay a little more each month.

If you don't need to watch House of the Dragon season 2 live, then you can catch it on demand using the streaming service Max, which costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one.

Each episode of the new season of House of the Dragon will hit Max after it airs on HBO. The first season of the show is also all on Max for you to watch.

The newest season of House of the Dragon continues to impress fans with its warring Westeros and the decline of the bloodline of the Targaryens, and season 2 episode 3 comes out on Sunday, June 30.

This Game of Thrones spin-off continues into its 13th episode and fans are loving House of the Dragon season 2 as much as the first season and the glory days of GoT.

The show continues to show a Westeros descending into disarray and war, as the Targaryen family bickers and fights with itself and dragons continue to mess about. And after an explosive season 1 finale and lots of drama in this new season, the fate of Westeros is at risk.

If you’re all caught up with the Game of Thrones spin-off then you’ll want to know how you can watch this week’s episode. 

So here’s how to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 which will air on Sunday, June 30 in the US and on Monday, July 1 in the UK and Australia. 

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 in the US

The newest episode of House of the Dragon season 2 will be available to watch in two different ways: via cable or online.

For cable, you can watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 on HBO or HBO Latino on Sunday, June 30 at 9 pm ET/6 pm PT, with plenty of repeats on both channels over the next few days.

Several live TV streaming services offer HBO as an add-on package to their standard offerings. The list includes Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV, with it available if you pay a little extra per month.

If you don't need to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 immediately as it airs, then it'll be on demand on Max as soon as it airs on HBO / HBO Latino. That's where all past episodes are too.

You can sign up for Max for $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 in the UK

As in the US, House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 will be available to watch live as it airs, or on demand afterwards. Unlike in the US, you'll have to wait until Monday, July 1 to watch it.

You can watch the episode on TV on Sky Atlantic where it airs as early as 2 am, though it'll repeat at 9 pm if you want to see it and escape sleep deprivation.

Sky Atlantic is available to people who subscribe for Sky TV, which costs £26 per month (and sometimes less, or for free, via Sky TV deals) for its basic tier (which is all you'll need).

If you don't need to watch it live, you'll have two options to watch it on demand. First there's via Sky TV's video-on-demand library, and we've already told you how much that'll cost you. The other is Now TV, which costs £9.99 per month.

Both options will also let you stream the previous episodes of the show as well as Game of Thrones.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 in Australia

You'll need to sign up for Binge in order to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3, as that's where the episode will land on Monday, July 1. It's not airing on any TV channels.

Binge costs $10 per month for its most basic plan, but this only lets you watch in SD. Standard costs $18 per month and has HD streaming, and there's also Premium at $22.

Binge does have a free trial for new customers, though you need Australian contact information to sign up.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite shows, sports or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

This House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 recap contains spoilers. The aftermath of Prince Jaehaerys' death has far-reaching consequences in King's Landing and Dragonstone, as tempers fray and blood runs hot. Meanwhile Ser Otto Hightower clashes with his grandson, King Aegon, on the best way forward and his daughter Alicent Hightower is consumed by guilt over her actions on that fateful night... 

US viewers wanting to keep up with the epic fantasy series need to be signed up for either HBO or its streaming service Max. HBO can be added to traditional TV packages or live TV streaming services as a premium add-on channel, including YouTube TV. Or you can sign up for Max as a standalone streaming service (though also available as an add-on channel on some platforms).

In the UK, with the show airing on Sky Atlantic, a Sky TV subscription is necessary to watch House of the Dragon. Episodes are also going to be available to stream on-demand on Sky Go and NOW TV.

“Traitors and villains..” 

House of the Dragon season 1 pulled few punches, with scenes like Rhaenyra’s stillbirth scraping the bone, yet after a six year-old was beheaded in the opening episode, the second seems to be going down the same path. Mercifully, that macabre moment took place off screen.

That was of no consolation to King Aegon II, who’s understandably beside himself with grief and fury at the loss of his heir. His mother Alicent Hightower is also in agony, not least because she was carousing with Ser Cristan Cole — who should have been guarding the royal chambers — when Jaehaerys was killed.

Yet while Aegon rages, his grandfather and Hand, Ser Otto Hightower, clearly has no time for his histrionics. “You’re already seen as weak,” he tells the young King, suggesting they use Jaehaerys' death as a chance to paint Queen Rhaenyra as a monster. It’s a good plan, yet Otto may well come to regret losing his patience with Aegon. Speaking to a Targaryen King in such a way rarely produces good results.

Aegon is unwilling to have his son’s body “dragged through the streets like a dog,” in a large funeral procession, which is admirable, but principle and pragmatism are rarely the same thing in Westeros. Despite her instincts as a mother, Alicent knows her father speaks the truth, although bitterly regrets that her daughter Helaena must take part - almost as much as she regrets that when Helaena fled the scene of her son’s murder, she walked in on her and Ser Cristan. 

'You have weakened me, I can not trust you Daemon...'

The funeral procession is a fine illustration of the rampant imbalance between the sexes in Westeros. While Helaena and Alicent are forced to restrain themselves as they walk through the fire of their own grief, in the dungeons Aegon indulges his uncontrollable desire for revenge against the man who slew his son.

News of Jaehaerys’ death also causes consternation in Dragonstone, yet it’s not long before Rhaenyra realises which of her advisors was behind the depraved act. When she confronts Prince Daemon he denies that Jaehaerys was the intended target, but we all remember the dark look he gave to the rat-catcher and Rhaenyra doesn’t believe him either.

“Have you used me as a tool to grasp at your stolen inheritance?” she asks him, before hinting at the darkness he keeps “sheathed inside himself like a blade”. It’s a fine scene and one that exposes all of Daemon’s weaknesses. Duplicity is not always a failing in Westeros, as players like Littlefinger used to demonstrate, but if you’re going to be a liar you need to be an adept liar, and in truth Daemon has seldom been able to outmanoeuvre anyone by wit alone. As allies go, he’s limited.

'There is no absolution for what I’ve done'

With guilt gnawing away at him, Sir Cristan Cole seeks out Ser Arryk Cargyll and begins pouring it all over him, lashing out with accusations about the night Jaehaerys was killed, which he knows he should face. After invoking the treachery of Ser Arryk’s twin, Ser Erryk, he commands the knight to travel to Dragonstone and use their likeness to get close to Rhynaera and kill her. It’s a bold and unhinged move from Ser Cristan, who’s reaching for redemption in under a sea of pain and guilt.

Elsewhere, Prince Aemond finds a sympathetic shoulder to mull things over upon at the local brothel. As the warrior who sits astride the most deadly weapon in the whole of Westeros — Vhagar — he has a burgeoning sense of self-worth and the thought of Daemon sending assassins against him does little to douse those flames. He admits he regrets the ‘business’ with Lucerys Velaryon, but is that only because it has led to his nephew’s untimely death? 

'I wish to spill blood, not ink...'

At Dragonstone, Rhaenys and Lord Corlys discuss Prince Daemon and the wider struggle for power. "Devotion has never sat well with him," she says as they consider his predicament while he flies to Harrenhal to raise an army for Rhynaera. She’s not wrong about that and the struggle many men in Westeros feel when following the orders of a woman.

Meanwhile Rhaenyra questions Daemon's former paramour Mysaria, to gauge her worth. In a world of entitlement and rigid class structure, she’s an entrepreneurial mover who built her own house only for the Hightowers to burn it to the ground. “For too long I made it my aim to be of consequence, but now I see that was the wish of a child,” she says, knowing none of the masters she has served will ever accept her truly. But has she found something of a kindred spirit in Rhaenyra?  

At King’s Landing, Aegon has had all the rat-catchers murdered, including the gambler who snuck into the Red Keep. Ser Otto believes it’s a mistake and finally vents the full spleen of his frustration, calling his grandson an idiot. He’s played the man rather than the ball though, as the killing of a few innocent rat catchers is well within the norm in Westeros, yet the most regrettable aspect of his outburst is his dismissal as the Hand. It’s clear Ser Otto was used to a relatively easy life as the advisor to Viserys, a far more temperate and sensible King, and has struggled to adjust to life under someone more impetuous. However his failings could cost him - and the realm - dearly. 

“He was right about you,” says Ser Otto after invoking memories of Viserys, before hinting that he knows full well that his father never meant for Aegon to become King. And what will Aegon think if he discovers what his new Hand — Ser Cristan Cole — was doing on the night his son was killed? 

Ser Otto tells his daughter he will return to Old Town, yet Alicent urges him to head to High Garden to shore up the Tyrells, in the hope that he might be able to return one day. He tells her they can still prevail as long as they hold fast, yet it’s clear the guilt from the night of Jaehaerys’ death is beginning to weigh terribly upon Alicent. Otto tells her he doesn’t wish to hear of her crime, yet it could prove an invaluable tool for removing Ser Cristan, if he could manage the blow back upon his daughter. Although how long she can contain the truth is in question and if her dark secret is discovered while he's away there could be serious trouble.

'You betrayed us brother...'

Rhaenyra keeps the word of her house and allows Mysaria to go free, yet as she heads to her ship, she spies Ser Arryk heading up the cliffs towards Dragonstone. Realising what this means, she turns back and repays Rhaenyra’s mercy almost immediately by alerting Ser Erryk to his twins’ dark scheme.

Rhaenyra’s servant arrives just in time to save her and after defeating his brother in the ensuing struggle, Ser Erryk falls on his sword. It’s a sad end for both men and a terrible waste of a priceless asset for the Greens - and the Blacks. We can only presume that Erryk killed himself because he knew the Blacks had no way of knowing whether he was a loyal servant or an assassin, yet it’s a very quick end to what could have been an intriguing plot line. 

House of the Dragon season 2 continues on HBO on Sunday, June 30 in the US and on Sky Atlantic on Monday, July 1 in the UK. Each new episode will air at the same time weekly. You may already have HBO as part of your cable plan but if not, several live TV streaming services offer it as add-on packages. Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV offer it, if you pay a little more each month.

If you don't need to watch House of the Dragon season 2 live, then you can catch it on demand using the streaming service Max, which costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one.

Each episode of the new season of House of the Dragon will hit Max after it airs on HBO. The first season of the show is also all on Max for you to watch.

After a two-year wait, House of the Dragon returned with a bang last week as the warring royals of Westeros were seen reeling from the events that unfolded at the end of season 1.

Season 2 continues to focus on the fall of the Targaryen family and hints at an impending civil war between the great houses of Westeros. It’s fantasy TV at its finest so if you missed the first episode, or simply want a reminder of what happened, then check out this Season 2 Episode 1 recap. 

If you’re all caught up with the Game of Thrones spin-off then you’ll want to know how you can watch this week’s episode. 

So here’s how to watch the 72-minute Season 2 Episode 2 which will air on Sunday, June 23 in the US and on Monday, June 24 in the UK and Australia. 

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 in the US

You can watch the latest episode of the second season of House of the Dragon in two ways: streaming online or on cable.

Let's start with the latter: season 2 episode 2 will air on HBO on Sunday, June 23 at 9 pm ET/ 6pm PT, as well as on HBO Latino, and it'll repeat on both channels at multiple times over the next few days. 

You may already have HBO as part of your cable plan but if not, several live TV streaming services offer it as add-on packages. Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV offer it, if you pay a little more each month.

If you don't need to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 live, then you can catch it on demand using the streaming service Max, which costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one.

Each episode of the new season of House of the Dragon will hit Max after it airs on HBO. The whole of the show's first season is also on Max for you to watch.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 in the UK

You've got two options to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 in the UK, as both Sky TV and Now will let you stream the show. The episode will land on Monday, June 24. 

Sky Atlantic will also broadcast the episode at 2am BST on Mondays, but will repeat it at the much more reasonable hour of 9pm.

Sky TV usually costs £26 per month, and you only need the basic tier to watch House of the Dragon, nothing like Sky Cinema or Sky Sports. You can save money by signing up for long-term contracts or using our guide to Sky TV deals.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 in Australia

In order to watch season 2 episode 2 of House of the Dragon in Australia, you'll need to sign up for the streaming service Binge, which also hosts the first season of the show. Episodes drop every Monday, with this second episode airing on Monday, June 24. 

Binge costs $10 per month for its most basic plan, but this only lets you watch in SD. Standard costs $18 per month and has HD streaming, and there's also Premium at $22.

Binge does have a free trial for new customers, though you need Australian contact information to sign up.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite shows, sports or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example:1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service).2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad.We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

This House of the Dragon season 2 episode 1 recap contains spoilers. Dragons are preparing to take to the skies and armies are about to move as Westeros draws one last breath before the deep plunge into the Targaryen civil war. With hot heads and vengeful Princes on both side of the Green / Black divide, it's surely not long before this tale ignites... 

US viewers wanting to keep up with the epic fantasy series need to be signed up for either HBO or its streaming service Max. HBO can be added to traditional TV packages or live TV streaming services as a premium add-on channel, including YouTube TV. Or you can sign up for Max as a standalone streaming service (though also available as an add-on channel on some platforms).

In the UK, with the show airing on Sky Atlantic, a Sky TV subscription is necessary to watch House of the Dragon. Episodes are also going to be available to stream on-demand on Sky Go and NOW TV.

“War is coming..” 

After soaking up the sun in King’s Landing during the first season, the opening scene of the sequel takes us off to Winterfell, where Game of Thrones nostalgia feels like a warm blanket even as flakes of snow fall from the sky.

However, we’re soon heading North to the wall, where Jacaerys Velaryon has been sent to persuade Cregan Stark to join his mother, Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen, and the Black faction of his house. “War is coming to the whole of the realm,” says Jacaerys, before faltering over his words as he climbs to the top of the 700 ft wall to view the icy expanse beyond. Cregan points out that he needs his men to defend the realm from what lies beyond (although we know it won’t be coming for a few centuries) yet he will send a few "greybeards" to fight for the Blacks.

Elsewhere, Princess Rhaenys returns to Dragonstone after patrolling on Meraxes only to clash with Prince Daemon over the Black faction's next move. Rhaenyra, who is grief-stricken by the loss of Lucerys, is nowhere to be found and in her absence, her petulant uncle/husband wants to take vengeance. 

"The Queen is wise to recuse herself," says Rhaenys. "She’s not acted on the vengeful impulse that others might have," taking a swipe at her relative, before refusing his command in an act that exposes Daemon as a capricious chancer, ever-reaching beyond his station.

We're then reintroduced to Rhaenys' husband Lord Corlys Velaryon, whom we feared had met his maker at the end of the first season. Yet the Sea Snake lived and is now in charge of a vast blockade upon Kings' Landing. He was Prince Lucerys' grandfather by name and although he knew the young Targaryen didn’t share his blood (Ser Harwin Strong, rather than his son Ser Laenor Velaryon, fathered Rhaenyra’s boys) the attack upon his family’s honor cuts almost as deep and has far-reaching consequences. 

'We must play the board before us...'

At King’s Landing, we get a glimpse of the mighty Scorpion arrow-launcher that will almost certainly come into play as the series unfolds, before joining King Aegon’s small council. Apparently the gods toss a coin every time a Targaryen is born, but in our experience the family has produced plenty more unhinged psychos than normal men. The late King Viserys was something of an outlier in that regard.

Aegon’s no a Joffrey just yet, but he clearly has the potential to become just as annoying, especially when he brings his young son into small council meetings. It’s the Westerosi version of calling someone and being put on the phone with their small child. It's not cool people.

Elsewhere, Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower, who’s a grandmother at the age of 30 (hey, that’s Westeros for you!) nearly misses the meeting all together because she’s cavorting with Ser Cristan Cole. We’re not sure these two are very good for each other - or anyone else for that matter!

At the meeting, Alicent’s father and Hand of the King, Set Otto Hightower, tries his best to reason with his grandson, King Aegon II, as they muster allies in the face of Rhynaera’s blockade. “Regrettably the opportunity for surprise has been lost,” he says of the missed chance to kill Rhynaera and end the conflict quickly. “We must play the board before us.”

When Prince Aemond arrives, his mother reminds him he has no place on the council, yet the young Targaryen seems to be in no mood to respect his elders or “proceed cautiously”, in what could be an ominous sign of things to come.

Later on, we’re reacquainted with Alicent’s deeply creepy advisor, Larys Strong, whose omniscience makes him indisposable, even though the Dowager Queen finds him as unsettling as everyone else. However Larys’ talent for whispers is beyond question and he’s soon dripping ideas about replacing Ser Otto Hightower as the Hand of the King, into Aegon's pliable ear.

He may be dry, but Otto is undoubtedly playing a key role in keeping the young King in check and we doubt Alicent would approve of her creepy stooge working against her father. Has Larys sensed the time is right to switch horses and aim for a bigger prize? Although Alicent and her father don’t seem to be as closely united as they once were…

'I want Aemond Targaryen...'

Prince Daemon’s former paramour, Mysaria — aka The White Worm — arrives in Dragon Stone. He’s furious by her transactional attitude towards her role in helping to put King Aegon II on the throne and she's correct when she tells him he “only blames her because his true enemies are out of reach”. It clearly comes as a shock to Daemon when lowly folk act to further their own interests, although he does spare her. 

In an echo of the conversations going on in King’s Landing, Daemon then lambasts Ser Erryk Cargyll for not killing King Aegon when he had the chance at the end of season one. Rhaenys could also have smoked Aegon at the end of the last series, while Otto regrets that no one from his side tok the chance to kill Rhynaera. So many missed chances on both sides, but we wouldn’t have much of a series if any of them had been taken!

When Rhaenyra finally returns, she’s ready for war and says she wants vengeance upon one-eyed Prince, Aemond Targaryen, with Daemon realizing Mysaria could be the key to that. Meanwhile, Jacaerys returns from his missions to The Vale and Winterfell, and is embraced by his mother as they share in the grief of the departed Lucerys. 

'They killed the boy'

In the opening seasons of Game of Thrones it took whole seasons for characters to travel about Westeros, so we’re glad to see that Prince Daemon’s journey to King’s Landing is done within minutes. I suppose that’s the luxury dragons for you! Anyway he’s there to plot the death of Prince Aemond, with the help of a rat-catcher. “What if we can’t find him,” says the ad-hoc assassin, before Daemon gives him a knowing look.

Inside the Red Keep, Aemond is discussing tactics with Ser Cristan Cole when the Hand of the King interrupts them. Despite his calm demeanour, it’s clear he's concerned to see the younger generation wresting control of the Green faction from his grip is clear. How long before the beast he unleashed slips from his control?

As the rat-catcher and his henchman penetrate the Red Keep, they embark upon a nerve-racking hunt for Prince Aemond, while his brother Aegon knocks back drinks while perched on the Iron Throne. Ser Cristan Cole is cavorting with Alicent, so there’s no one to guard the royal chambers and when the assassins fail to find Aemond, they happen upon Helaena and her two children.

With Daemon’s unspoken instruction still in their mind, they decide to take the head of young Jaherys - King Aegon’s son - instead. “They killed the boy,” Helaena tells her mother after escaping with her daughter.  However why the Queen helped them take the heir to the throne, rather than her politically less-crucial daughter is a mystery. Will Helaena come to regret her decision if the truth emerges - and how did the rat catcher know she spoke the truth? Intriguing. 

House of the Dragon season 2 continues on HBO on Sunday, June 23 in the US and on Sky Atlantic on Monday, June 24 in the UK.

The hottest new TV show on screens right now is House of the Dragon season 2, and after the season premiere on Sunday, June 16, we're getting a new episode each week until August.

House of the Dragon takes place 200 years before Game of Thrones and it depicts the fall of the Targaryen family, as the members of the family fight and kill each other in a bloody succession war.

The first season of this Game of Thrones spin-off was a roaring success with fans, bringing back the high quality of the first seasons of the popular fantasy series, and the second season will continue the story of the first.

So here's how to watch House of the Dragon season 2, as well as the first season if you need to catch up.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 in the US

You can watch the new season of House of the Dragon in two ways: streaming online, or on cable.

Let's start with the latter: season 2 will debut on HBO on Sunday, June 16 at 9 pm ET/PT, as well as on HBO Latino, and it'll repeat on both channels at multiple times over the next few days. 

Each new episode will air at the same time weekly.

You may already have HBO as part of your cable plan but if not, several live TV streaming services offer it as add-on packages. Sling TV, DirecTV and YouTube TV offer it, if you pay a little more each month.

If you don't need to watch House of the Dragon season 2 live, then you can catch it on demand using the streaming service Max, which costs $9.99 per month for its basic tier or $16.99 per month for its ad-free one.

Each episode of the new season of House of the Dragon will hit Max after it airs on HBO. The first season of the show is also all on Max for you to watch.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 in the UK

You've got two options to watch House of the Dragon season 2 in the UK, as both Sky TV and Now TV will let you stream the show. The first episode will land on Monday, June 17, with new ones dropping weekly.

Sky Atlantic will also broadcast the episode at 2 am on Mondays, but will repeat it at the much more reasonable hour of 9 pm.

Sky TV costs £26 per month, and you only need the basic tier to watch House of the Dragon, nothing like Sky Cinema or Sky Sports. You can save money by signing up for long-term contracts or using our guide to Sky TV deals.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 in Australia

In order to watch season 2 of House of the Dragon in Australia, you'll need to sign up for the streaming service Binge, which also hosts the first season of the show. Episodes will drop every monday beginning from Monday, June 17.

Binge costs $10 per month for its most basic plan, but this only lets you watch in SD. Standard costs $18 per month and has HD streaming, and there's also Premium at $22.

Binge doe shave a free trial for new customers, though you need Australian contact information to sign up.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 everywhere else

If you're going to be away from your normal TV setup but still want to watch House of the Dragon season 2, you might run into some problems. Thankfully, you can solve this exact issue with a Virtual Private Network (VPN). 

A VPN lets you change your IP address to that of the area of what you want to watch, meaning you can tune in to your favorite shows, sports or other content even if you're not there. Our favorite is NordVPN, which is the No. 1-rated VPN in the world right now according to our sister site, TechRadar.

How to use a VPN to watch any stream

• Download the app at NordVPN
• Choose the location of the streaming service you want to watch (UK, US, etc)
• Navigate to the streaming service and start watching!

House of the Dragon season 2 got all the pomp and circumstance of its standing as the most anticipated summer TV show this year at its London premiere, and What to Watch correspondent Matt Higgs was in attendance on the red carpet to ask many of the cast members some questions about what fans can expect. As Aemond Targaryen himself (Ewan Mitchell) says, "all out war."

Of course that should be of little surprise seeing as it was his character's (and his dragon's) actions in killing Lucerys Velaryon, Rhaenyra's son, in the final moments of season 1 that serves as the first official casualty of the war between the Blacks (those loyal to Rhaenyra and her claim to the Iron Throne) and the Greens (those supporting Alicent and her son Aegon II as the new king).

"Season 1 saw this family's world on a knife's edge and all it was going to take was a push from either side to draw blood," said Mitchell. "Aemond drew first blood, so season 2… it's all out war."

Adding to the hype of the new season were returning cast members Bethany Antonia (Baela Targaryen) and Harry Collet (Jacaerys Velayron). "It's crazy," Collet said, "I can't put it into words without saying too much, but it's brilliant." Antoia managed to find some words though, claiming "Everything's bigger, everything's better, everything's times 10 this season." She also added that fans can expect "a lot of dragon riding,” including from characters they have not seen before, as well as some classic Game of Thrones chaos.

Many fans have their favorite characters in the series, but so do members of the cast. So we asked new and returning members which character that isn't their own would they like to portray? Collet opted for Daemon Targaryen (played by Matt Smith), but the most popular character for people to switch to was Aemond Targaryen picked by Antonia and new cast member Abubakar Salim (though Salim also offered a second choice, Lord Larys Strong).

Check out more from our red carpet interviews at the House of the Dragon season 2 premiere in the Instagram reel below:

House of the Dragon season 2 premieres Sunday, June 16, on HBO and Max for those in the US. It premieres on Monday, June 17, on Sky Atlantic for UK viewers. 

Fans have been waiting nearly two years for House of the Dragon season 2 to premiere, and it is nearly over as the Game of Thrones prequel series is set to return on Sunday, June 16. But the cost to watch House of the Dragon season 2 has just gone up, as the streaming service Max raised its price.

Multiple outlets have reported that as of June 4, the price to sign up for Max's Ad-Free plan has increased $1 from $15.99 per month to $16.99 per month, with an annual subscription cost rising from $149.99 per year to $169.99 per year. For Max's Ultimate Ad-Free plan, which allows for 4K viewing among other perks, is rising from $19.99 per month to $20.99 per month, and $209.99 for a full year. These prices are effective immediately for all new subscribers, while current subscribers will be hit with these new prices with their first billing cycle post July 4.

There is no price change, however, being made to Max's With Ads plan, which remains at $9.99 per month.

Raising the price of Max's ad-free plans ahead of an anticipated series debut is not a new strategy for Max. They also raised their monthly prices $1 ahead of the premiere of The Last of Us in January 2023; again, the price for Max's ad-supported plan was not changed.

Of course, it's not just the premiere of House of Dragon that Max has added in the last year. Live sports have come to Max, with subscribers having enjoyed watching events like March Madness, the NBA playoffs, the NHL playoffs and more on the streaming service at no additional cost. However, that isn't going to be permanent, as Max has made clear the Sports Add-On, which hosts the live sports, is being included only for a limited time; how long that limited time is going to be is still unclear. When that does end, it'll cost subscribers an additional $9.99 per month to continue to watch live sports.

All of this continues to contribute to the fact that Max is one of the pricier streaming services around. Its new $16.99 per month ad-free plan is $5 dollars more than Paramount Plus with Showtime and Peacock, $3 more than Disney Plus and about $1 more than Netflix's standard ad-free plan; it is cheaper than ad-free Hulu though.

Of course, Max is the exclusive streaming home for new HBO content, not only House of the Dragon and The Last of Us, but True Detective and The Regime, as well as its own Max originals, including Hacks, Tokyo Vice and more. In addition, it has older HBO classics, a library of movies from Warner Bros and Turner Classic Movies, reality TV shows from TLC, HGTV and Magnolia, and family-friendly content from Cartoon Network and Looney Tunes.

As for the why of it, an official statement from Warner Bros. Discovery, which owns Max, said "this increase allows us to continue to invest in delivering more culture-defining programming and improving our customer experience for all users."

If the $16.99 or $20.99 per month fee is too rich for you though, but you want to keep Max, then here are a few things you need to know about the $9.99 per month plan with ads. First, you can watch all of the same content with the ad-supported plan as you can with the ad-free plans. Like the $16.99 per month plan, you can also stream Max on two devices simultaneously and watch all content in Full HD. Where things start to differ is that you cannot download any content to watch when you’re not connected to the internet. Also, of course, there are ads. Max says that there are four minutes of ads per hour.

Like or not, if you plan to be streaming House of the Dragon on Max when it comes out, this is the price to do so now.

In between the vacations and BBQs, most nights during the summer we still need something good to watch on TV. The good news is US TV is not going to be short on options to choose from.

While the broadcast networks are turning to game shows and reality programs to help fill their slates out while their dramas and comedies prepare for new seasons, streamers and cable are set to bring plenty of new and returning scripted shows to air if that is what you're looking for. While we're sticking to those areas mostly in this guide, let's not forget that for two weeks starting in late July we're going to have the 2024 Summer Olympics from Paris to keep us entertained.

Below you'll find the full US summer TV schedule so you know exactly when and on what channel shows are premiering, but let us help raise your awareness on some of the show's we are most excited for this summer, as the What to Watch team has picked 18 shows we can't wait to start watching.

• Also read: 15 summer blockbuster movies to see

WTW staff picks

Masterchef Generations (May 29)

There are cooking competition and then there are Gordon Ramsey cooking competitions. This year, MasterChef Generations will be turning up the heat by pitting talented chefs across four different generations against each other to determine the big winner. Contestants will represent Millennials, Baby Boomers, Gen X and Gen Y. By the end of the show we'll see which generation can keep cool under pressure and walk away with $250,000, a shiny trophy and the title of MasterChef Champion. — Sarabeth Pollock

Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 (June 3)

It's time to set sail once again with Captain Sandy and the crew of the Motor Yacht Mustique in Below Deck Mediterranean season 9. Not only do I love the Bravo reality series for the intense drama amongst the crew on the high seas and poorly behaving guests who keep the crew on their toes, but I love seeing all of the places the boat ends up. This year, the show is heading to Greece, which will no doubt provide some stunning landscapes as a background to whatever is going on aboard the yacht.  — Sarabeth Pollock

The Acolyte (June 4)

I'll be honest, I've had my fill of the Skywalkers and their adjacent characters. I'm ready to explore another corner of the Star Wars galaxy and timeline, which is why I'm pumped to give The Acolyte a try this summer. Set long before any of the characters we're familiar with entered the picture, this mixes Star Wars and crime drama as a Jedi master investigates a murder by someone he has a past connection with. The fact that Sleeping with Other People and Russian Doll creator Leslye Headland hasn't done anything like this before intrigues me as well, as we get some truly fresh thinking into a franchise in some need of it. — Michael Balderston

Clipped (June 4) 

As both an NBA fan and a fan of basketball-inspired dramas like Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, I can't wait to watch the limited series Clipped. The show follows the story of former LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling and his infamous fall from grace when audio recordings surfaced of him making racially offensive remarks. The real-life drama of the incident was dramatic enough, so I can only imagine what’s in store with a Hollywood spin. Plus, there's something intriguing about seeing Laurence Fishburne portray NBA championship coach Doc Rivers. — Terrell Smith

Queenie (June 7)

Watching the trailer for Queenie, I was instantly reminded of the sleeper-hit comedy, Chewing Gum starring Michaela Coel, which I found quite fascinating. Queenie is somewhat of a dark comedy about a Jamaican British woman living in London attempting to navigate her love and family dynamics, while also trying to just figure out life for herself. The latter task is hard enough in real life, so I look forward to the comedic spin of the series. — Terrell Smith

Love Island USA season 6 (June 11)

Love Island USA has become sort of a guilty summer pleasure for me over the last couple of years. I started watching when the series picked up with season 4 on Peacock, and now I can't stop. There aren't award-winning scripts, tear-jerking performances or occasions that will compel you to give a standing ovation. However, it has rollercoaster romances and must-watch challenges. Plus, Love Island USA season 6 has Ariana Madix from Vanderpump Rules to host. — Terrell Smith

The Boys season 4 (June 13)

Like Star Wars, superhero fare can't just be the usual type stuff from Marvel and DC to get me pumped any more, I'm looking for more of an edge. That's why I'm stoked for the return of The Boys. This highly violent supe satire has been pure entertainment from the start, and with The Boys season 4 promising an even more unhinged Homelander (Anthony Starr) and a desperate Billy (Karl Urban) set to go head to head, I don't expect that to change with this batch of episodes. — Michael Balderston

Bridgerton season 3 part 2 (June 13)

Dearest Gentle Reader, I can't help but admit that I am addicted to all of the drama of the Ton and after that carriage ride at the end (if you know, you know!) of the first four episodes of Bridgerton season 3, I have to know what happens next. With the quest to unmask Lady Whistledown threatening Penelope Featherington's chances at her happy ever after with Colin Bridgerton, well, let's just say the Ton has never been so thrilling and I'm ready to see how Pen and Colin's story develops.  — Sarabeth Pollock

Hotel Cocaine (June 16)

I’m a sucker for a crime drama, and Hotel Cocaine follows the story of Roman Compte, who was the general manager of a hotel that served as the epicenter of the Miami cocaine scene in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Having watched Netflix's Griselda earlier this year, I think the new series may be a good companion piece considering Griselda was a queenpin in Miami around that time. — Terrell Smith

House of the Dragon season 2 (June 16)

While it isn't exactly Sophie's Choice, I was going back and forth on whether I was more excited for House of the Dragon season 2 or The Rings of Power season 2. I liked both fantasy series a lot when they debuted in 2022, and actually preferred Rings of Power for being something different. But as for these two new seasons, the fact that we're getting a full-fledged dragon war (something we never saw in Game of Thrones) in House of the Dragon swayed me. Though with the two shows not overlapping as much this time, each should have their moment. — Michael Balderston

Orphan Black: Echoes (June 23)

The Clone Club is back in Orphan Black: Echoes. This time around, Krysten Ritter plays Lucy, a woman who has been through a lot in her life. All she wants is to figure out where she belongs in the world, but her past keeps colliding with her future in the most unimaginable ways. She has a supportive boyfriend, Jack (Avan Jogia), who is dedicated to helping her, but they have no idea how much the odds are stacked against them. I'm really excited to be back in the Orphan Black world; it was an innovative series when it debuted in 2013 and I can't imagine where the show will go now, especially with all of the real-world advances we've seen in science in the past decade. — Sarabeth Pollock

The Bear season 3 (June 27)

The meteoric rise of The Bear has been incredible. Over the last two summers it has completely enthralled audiences with depicting this group of friends, family and chefs as they attempt to turn around their struggling Chicago restaurant. It has quickly claimed 10 Emmys and a spot on WTW's 100 best TV shows of all time list, so of course we are going to feature The Bear season 3 on our most anticipated shows of summer 2024. After pulling off the near impossible to convert their sandwich shop into a fine dining venue, can they beat the odds and stay open? It will be another hectic and entertaining time with the cousins this summer. — Michael Balderston

All American: Homecoming season 3 (July 8)

After being off the air for over a year, largely due to the actor's and writer's strikes in Hollywood, All American: Homecoming season 3 finally debuts this summer. I've been waiting for a while to find out who Simone (Geffri Maya) decides to be with. Will she choose Damon (Peyton Alex Smith), a guy she's been attracted to since she arrived at Bringston? Or will she go with new love interest Lando (Martin Bobb-Semple), who seems to get the woman she's becoming? Personally, I'm rooting for the latter. — Terrell Smith

Big Brother season 26 (July 17)

Houseguests, get ready for another summer filled with twists and turns as a new group of contestants enter the Big Brother house to see who can outlast everyone else and take home the big cash prize at the end. To get to the end, they'll have to survive plot twists, deceit, lies, colorful competitions and visits from Zing Bot, and we'll have full access to all the action between primetime episodes and the 24/7 live feeds that offer a glimpse of what's happening in the house. — Sarabeth Pollock

Unprisoned season 2 (July 17) 

Unprisoned season 1 was a pleasant surprise. I had no idea how well leads Kerry Washington and Delroy Lindo would pair together in a comedy. If you haven't tuned in yet, the series follows a woman trying to reconnect with her absentee father as he gets released from prison. By the end of the season, the father got into a little bit of trouble, so I'm looking forward to seeing what happens with him next in Unprisoned season 2. — Terrell Smith

Lady in the Lake (July 19)

Apple TV Plus is leaning heavy into crime dramas this summer with shows like Jake Gyllenhaal/David E. Kelley's Presumed Innocent and the Vince Vaughn/Bill Lawrence series Bad Monkey. But forced to choose, I'm going with Lady in the Lake, an adaptation of the Laura Lippman novel by Alma Ha'rel (Honey Boy) and starring Natalie Portman in her first TV leading role. The mystery sees Portman star as a 1960s woman with dreams to become an investigative journalist who dives head first into a mysterious death that rocks her city. Some great talents combining for what could be a gripping summer TV drama. — Michael Balderston

Emily in Paris season 4 part 1 (August 15)

It has been a minute since the massive cliffhanger of the Emily in Paris season 3 finale that left fans on the edge of their seats. Emily in Paris season 4 will finally deliver some answers to our burning questions. Who does Emily (Lily Collins) end up with? Who is the father of Camille's bab? And will their lives ever be the same after all of the revelations that came about at the wedding? So many burning questions! The show arrives as the Paris Olympics wrap up, so you'll be able to keep the fun times in France flowing even longer. — Sarabeth Pollock

Only Murders in the Building season 4 (August 27)

Whenever Only Murders in the Building is on, you can bet I'll be watching. This is probably my favorite show of the last few years, as the trio of Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez are perfect as a crime-solving team. And in Only Murders in the Building season 4 things are bigger than ever as they leave not just the Arconia but New York City for a sojourn in Hollywood to mingle with stars (Meryl Streep is returning, plus there are new guest stars in Eva Longoria, Molly Shannon, Eugene Levy, Kumail Nanjiani, Zack Galifianakis, Richard Kind and Melissa McCarthy). But the mystery is still the thing, as we all want to know who killed Sazz (Jane Lynch)?

Those are our picks, but there are plenty more shows that are going to premiere over the next few months that will appeal to a wide array of interests. See what catches your eye with our complete 2024 summer TV schedule, from Memorial Day to the end of August:

May TV releases

Monday, May 27

• Fallen Idols: Nick and Aaron Carter (ID/Max)
• Gordon Ramsay: Uncharted (National Geographic)
• The Great War (History)
• House of Horrors: Secrets of College Greek Life (A&E)

Tuesday, May 28

• America's Got Talent season 19 (NBC)
• Beat Shazam season 7 (Fox)
• Kitchen Glow Up (Tastemade)
• The Quiz with Balls (Fox)

Wednesday, May 29

• Camden (Hulu)
• Forged in Fire season 11 (History)
• Masterchef Generations (Fox)

Thursday, May 30

• Eric (Netflix)
• Geek Girl (Netflix)
• Outchef'd season 3 (Food Network)
• Pyramid Game (Paramount Plus)
• Teen Mom: The Next Chapter season 2 (MTV)
• We Are Lady Parts season 2 (Peacock)

Friday, May 31

• Celebrity Family Food Battle (The Roku Channel)
• Couples Therapy (Paramount Plus with Showtime; June 2 on Showtime)
• The Famous Five (Hulu)
• Frog and Toad season 2 (Apple TV Plus)
• Gold Rush: Parker's Trail season 7 (Discovery Channel)
• The Great Lillian Hall (HBO)
• The Outlaws season 3 (Prime Video)

June TV releases

Saturday, June 1

• The Life & Murder of Nicole Brown Simpson (Lifetime)

Sunday, June 2

• Billy the Kid season 2 part 2 (MGM Plus)
• Celebrity IOU season 7B (HGTV)
• The Einstein Challenger (History)
• Fixer Upper: The Lakehouse (HGTV/Magnolia)
• Mayor of Kingstown season 3 (Paramount Plus)
• The Real Housewives of Dubai season 2 (Bravo)
• Ren Faire (HBO)
• Secrets and Spies: A Nuclear Endgame (CNN)
• Violent Earth with Liev Schreiber (CNN)
• World Eats Bread (National Geographic)

Monday, June 3

• American Ninja Warrior season 16 (NBC)
• Battle on the Beach season 4 (HGTV)
• Below Deck Mediterranean season 9 (Bravo)
• Name That Tune season 4 (Fox)
• Deadly Influence: The Social Media Murders (ID)
• Erased: WW2's Heroes of Color (National Geographic)
• Holy Marvels with Dennis Quaid (History)
• Unexpected season 6 (TLC)

Tuesday, June 4

• The Acolyte (Disney Plus)
• Beyond Skinwalker Ranch season 2 (History)
• Clipped (FX on Hulu)

Wednesday, June 5

• Backed by the Bros (HGTV)
• Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial (Netflix) 

Thursday, June 6

• Criminal Minds: Evolution season 2 (Paramount Plus)
• Sweet Tooth season 3 (Netflix)

Friday, June 7

• Becoming Karl Lagerfeld (Hulu)
• Fantasmas (HBO)
• Guy's All-American Road Trip season 3 (Food Network)
• Perfect Match (Netflix)
• Power Book II: Ghost season 4 (Starz)
• Queenie (Hulu)
• Transformers: Earthspark season 2 (Paramount Plus)

Monday, June 10

• Divided by Design (HGTV)
• Paranormal Caught on Camera season 7 (Travel)
• Six Schizophrenic Brothers season 1 (Discovery)

Tuesday, June 11

• Deadliest Catch season 20 (Discovery Channel)
• How Music Got Free (Paramount Plus)
• Love Island USA season 6 (Peacock)
• Motel Rescue season 2 (Magnolia Network)

Wednesday, June 12

• My Guest Needs No Introduction season 5 (Netflix)
• Presumed Innocent (Apple TV Plus)

Thursday, June 13

• Alone season 11 (History)
• Bridgerton season 3 part 2 (Netflix)
• The Boys season 4 (Prime Video)
• Blue Lights season 2 (BritBox)

Friday, June 14

• The Big Bakeover (CW)
• Joko Anwar’s Nightmares and Daydreams (Netflix)

Sunday, June 16

• American Monster season 12 (ID)
• Grantchester season 9 (PBS)
• House of the Dragon season 2 (HBO)
• Hotel Cocaine (MGM Plus)

Monday, June 17

• Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown (Hulu)
• The Great American Recipe season 3 (PBS)
• Maine Cabin Masters: Building Italy (Magnolia Network)
• My Life Is Murder (BBC America/Acorn TV)

Tuesday, June 18

• Chopper Cops (Paramount Plus)
• Disco: Soundtrack of a Revolution (PBS)
• Farmhouse Fixer: Camp Revamp (HGTV)

Wednesday, June 19

• Crimes Gone Viral season 5 (ID)
• Dynamic Planet (PBS)
• Hope in the Water (PBS)

Thursday, June 20

• Alone Australia season 2 (History)
• Federer: Twelve Final Days (Prime Video)
• Perfect Wife: The Mysterious Disappearance of Sherri Papini (Hulu)

Friday, June 21

• Shoresy season 3 (Hulu)

Sunday, June 23

• Getting Lost with Erin French season 1 (Magnolia)
• Magnolia Table with Joanna Gaines season 8 (Magnolia)
• Orphan Black: Echoes (AMC/BBC America/AMC Plus)

Tuesday, June 25

• High Speed Chase season 2 (ID)

Wednesday, June 26

• Land of Women (Apple TV Plus)
• The Real CSI: Miami (CBS)

Thursday, June 27

• The Bear season 3 (FX on Hulu)
• Domino Day (Sundance Channel)
• My Lady Jane (Prime Video)
• That '90s Show season 2 (Netflix)

Friday, June 28

• Family Empire: Houston (OWN)
• The Mole season 2 (Netflix)

Sunday, June 30

• The Great Food Truck Race season 17 (Food Network)

July TV releases

Monday, July 1

• The Wall (NBC)

Tuesday, July 2

• Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants (HBO/Max)

Friday, July 5

• Down in the Valley (Starz)

Monday, July 8

• All American: Homecoming season 3 (CW)
• The Bachelorette season 21 (ABC)

Tuesday, July 9

• Celebrity Family Feud (ABC)

Wednesday, July 10

• Claim to Fame season 3 (ABC)
• Sunny (Apple TV Plus)
• Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (ABC)

Thursday, July 11

• Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer (Hulu)
• The Responder season 2 (BritBox)
• Sausage Party: Foodtopia (Prime Video)

Friday, July 12

• The Serpent Queen season 2 (Starz)

Sunday, July 14

• Emperor of Ocean Park (MGM Plus)
• Tulsa King season 1 (CBS)

Monday, July 15

• Hit-Monkey (Hulu) 

Tuesday, July 16

• Judge Steve Harvey (ABC)

Wednesday, July 17

• Big Brother season 26 (CBS)
• Unprisoned season 2 (Hulu)

Thursday, July 18

• Cobra Kai season 6 (Netflix)
• Lucky 13 (ABC)
• Press Your Luck (ABC)
• Those About to Die (Peacock)

Friday, July 19

• Lady in the Lake (Apple TV Plus)

Sunday, July 21

• Snowpiercer season 4 (AMC/AMC Plus)

Monday, July 22

• 61st Street season 2 (CW)

Tuesday, July 23

• Dress My Tour (Hulu)

Wednesday, July 24

• Time Bandits (Apple TV Plus)
• Wayne Brady: The Family Remix (Freeform)

Thursday, July 26

• 2024 Olympics (NBC/Peacock)

Monday, July 29

• Futurama season 12 (Hulu)

Wednesday, July 31

• Women in Blue (Apple TV Plus)

August TV releases

Thursday, August 1

• Unstable season 2 (Netflix)

Tuesday, August 6

• Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Chicago Bears (HBO/Max)

Wednesday, August 7

• Let's Make a Deal Primetime (CBS)

Thursday, August 8

• The Umbrella Academy season 4 (Netflix)

Friday, August 9

• Yo Gabba Gabbaland (Apple TV Plus)

Monday, August 12

• Solar Opposites season 5 (Hulu)

Wednesday, August 14

• Bad Monkey (Apple TV Plus) 

Thursday, August 15

• Bel-Air season 3 (Peacock)
• Emily in Paris season 4 (Netflix)

Thursday, August 22

• Reasonable Doubt season 2 (Hulu)

Tuesday, August 27

• Only Murders in the Building season 4 (Hulu)

Thursday, August 29

• The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power season 2 (Prime Video)

A key member of the House of the Dragon cast has revealed that they have wrapped filming on the new series. 

We've been eagerly awaiting news about House of the Dragon season 2 for some time. We learned that filming was underway on the second season back in April, and now one of the main stars has revealed that he's finished filming his scenes for the second series.

On Instagram, Steve Toussaint — who plays Lord Corlys Velaryon, the Lord of the Tides — posted a selection of photos to mark the end of shooting. Along with the photos, Toussaint wrote: "And that's a wrap on Steve!" 

"What a blast to work with such great people! Now it's in the hands of editors, SFX folk, and whoever else. Hope you like it when you eventually get to see it! #hotd #hotd2"

As you can see, the photos don't exactly spoil anything about the new season, as Toussaint only shared a selfie, a snap of the sunrise and a distinctly non-spoilery photo of his trailer. 

HBO has yet to confirm whether this means filming has fully come to an end, though a recent Variety article did claim that shooting had wrapped and was targeting a summer 2024 premiere. 

That report also claimed that, now the writers' strikes have come to an end, HBO would be focusing on new episodes of The White Lotus, Euphoria and The Last Of Us through 2024, rather than working on new development.

In other House of the Dragon season 2 news, one of the show's directors, Clare Kilner, recently teased just how 'jam-packed' the new series will be. "There are eight wonderful episodes with so much happening in every episode, and we have trouble, at times, bringing them down to one hour", she said. 

"Ryan's decision was to give it a good opening and a good ending, and they're jam-packed with emotional and visually exciting events."

House of the Dragon season 2 does not have an official release date just yet. You can stream the first season on Max and on NOW in the UK. If you're looking for more shows to enjoy, check out our top picks for the best fantasy TV shows you should be streaming right now.

Emilia Clarke shall forever be known as the Mother of Dragons for her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen in HBO's Game of Thrones, but that doesn't mean she's keeping up with the rest of the Targaryen family in the prequel series House of the Dragon. 

In an interview with Variety at the Sundance Film Festival, Clarke talked about the very relatable reason she's not tuning into the prequel series. "It's too weird," she said. "I'm so happy it's happening. I'm over the moon about the awards. I just can't do it. It's so weird. It's so strange. It's kind of like someone saying, 'You want to go to this school reunion that's not your year? Want to go to that reunion?' That's how it feels. I'm avoiding it."

(It can be hard enough to go to your own school reunion, so we understand the sentiment completely!)

Though set in the same universe, House of the Dragon takes place hundreds of years before Game of Thrones. House of the Dragon spotlights the reign of the Targaryen family during their peak ruling the Iron Throne — and the events that lead to their eventual downfall. 

Given that the two shows are so different, it makes sense that Clarke might not want to jump into House of the Dragon, particularly after spending eight seasons as Daenerys. It hasn't been that long since the show ended in 2019 and Clarke deserves a break from the universe. If she wants to jump back into the new series, great, but it's totally understandable that she might not want to dive into a show that's so closely related to one she worked on for so many years. 

Since the show ended, Clarke has been spreading her wings with other projects, including her new movie The Pod Generation. Clarke was at Sundance to promote the movie at its festival world premiere in Park City, Utah. She stars with Chiwetel Ejiofor in a story about a future where babies can be conceived and raised in artificial and detachable wombs, raising important questions about the politics of motherhood and having children. 

"There's so much politics around being another, having a child, not having a child…my God!" she said. "How dare people have the audacity to have that kind of an opinion on someone's life?"

While Clarke may not, you can watch House of the Dragon season 1 right now on HBO Max in the US and Sky Go or NOW in the UK. House of the Dragon season 2 is confirmed, but may not air until 2024.

The House of the Dragon cast swelled to include a long list of prominent figures as the action played out in the lead-up to the Dance of Dragons that's coming in House of the Dragon season 2. 

Set hundreds of years prior to the events of HBO's original fantasy saga, House of the Dragon season one transported us to a Westeros that was still ruled by the Targaryens and their closest allies.

Based on George R. R. Martin's book, Fire & Blood, the first season showed us what the Seven Kingdoms were like when dragons (and their masters) ruled the skies. There, we watched as the Targaryen dynasty began to fracture under the weight of King Viserys' decision to name his daughter, Rhaenyra Targaryen, as his sole heir. 

Below, you can find info about some of the most prominent figures from the House of the Dragon cast so far. For more detail, it's also worth checking out HBO's interactive House of the Dragon character guide.

*This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 1*

Who's in the House of the Dragon cast?

Paddy Considine as Viserys Targaryen

Viserys was the ruler sitting atop the Iron Throne for most of House of the Dragon season 1. He succeeded his grandfather, Old King Jaehaerys and seeks to continue House Targaryen's legacy where he can; he was a good man, but not necessarily the best or most effective leader. 

Where else have you seen Paddy Considine?
Paddy Considine has been on our screens in TV and film since 1999 in a variety of projects, including 24 Hour Party People, Hot Fuzz, Submarine, Pride, Peaky Blinders, Funny Cow and The Outsider, among others.

Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen 

Prince Daemon is the younger brother of King Viserys and the original heir to the Iron Throne since Viserys had no male heirs and coveted the title of Prince of Dragonstone. 

Initially, he grew hardened against his brother. By the end of season one, though, Daemon and Rhaenyra are wed, and he's become a fierce supporter of Rhaenyra's claim to the Iron Throne. He's sure to use his skills as a capable (but sometimes cruel) fighter to good effect in the Dance of the Dragons.

When WTW spoke to Matt Smith, he described Prince Daemon as "a very complex character" and someone who is "ambitious and ruthless" with a set of values that differ from other people.

Where else have you seen Matt Smith?
Matt's biggest role to date is likely his star turn as the 11th Doctor in Doctor Who. Since handing the keys to the TARDIS over, he's had roles in The Crown, Last Night in Soho and Morbius.

Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen

Princess Rhaenyra was Viserys' first and only child from his first marriage to Queen Aemma Arryn. She had practically every quality you could want in an heir in Westeros: she's of pure Valyrian blood and she's a dragonrider... the only thing that stood in her way was that she wasn't a man. Although she was formally sworn in as Viserys' rightful heir, many figures in King's Landing and beyond took issue with the line of succession.

As of the series finale, she is poised for the impending civil war with Alicent's family.

Where else have you seen Emma D'Arcy?
Emma has also appeared in Wild Bill, Hanna, Misbehaviour, Mothering Sunday and had a major role alongside Nick Frost in Truth Seekers. 

Milly Alcock (Upright) played a younger version of Princess Rhaenyra in the earlier parts of the first season.

Rhys Ifans as Ser Otto Hightower

Ser Otto Hightower served as the Hand of the King to Viserys, a loyal servant of the realm. As far as Ser Otto is concerned, the biggest threat to Westeros was Daemon, though across the course of the season, he was desperate to get his own grandchildren onto the Iron Throne and succeeded in crowning Aegon II as the new King after Viserys' death.

Where else have you seen Rhys Ifans?
He played Luna Lovegood's father, Xenophilius, in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, The Lizard in The Amazing Spider-Man and Spider-Man: No Way Home, Mycroft in Elementary, Rasputin in The King's Man and he had major roles in Temple and Berlin Station

Olivia Cooke Alicent Hightower

Queen Alicent Hightower is Otto's daughter and was married to Viserys before his death. Being the daughter of the Hand of the King, she's enjoyed many privileges throughout her life. Raised within the Red Keep (the castle in King's Landing) and amongst King Viserys's trusted inner circle, Alicent is both beautiful and politically minded, and champions her own family's right to rule.

Where else have you seen Olivia Cooke? Olivia has been featured in Vanity Fair, Bates Motel, Slow Horses and Modern Love. She also played a main role in Steven Spielberg's adaptation of Ready Player One.

Emily Carey (Casualty) portrays the younger version of Alicent Hightower in the show.

Eve Best as Rhaenys Targaryen

Like Daemon and Rhaenyra, Rhaenys is a dragonrider. In the past, she was in line for the Iron Throne but was passed over in favor of her cousin, Viserys, simply for the fact she was female and he was not, hence her title "The Queen Who Never Was." She is married to Corlys Velaryon, a powerful Lord, though the lead up to the Dance of the Dragons brought much trouble to their door.

Where else have you seen Eve Best?
Eve Best is likely best known for having played Dr. Eleanor O'Hara in Nurse Jackie and for her appearances in The Honourable Woman and The King's Speech. More recently, she appeared in Lucky Man, A Woman of No Importance and Fate: The Winx Saga.

Steven Toussaint as Lord Corlys Velaryon

Lord Corlys Velaryon — otherwise known as "The Sea Snake" — is a sailor whose adventures have made him a true legend across Westeros. He's the head of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline as old as the Targaryens; he built House Velaryon into a true seat of power, one which claims to have the largest navy in the world and that is even wealthier than the Lannisters.

Where else have you seen Steve Toussaint?
Steve Toussaint has appeared in a variety of British dramas over the years, including appearances in The Bill, Holby City, Silent Witness, Scott & Bailey, Death in Paradise and Lewis, along with film roles in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Judge Dredd. Recently, he's featured in It's A Sin, Small Axe and Before We Die.

Fabien Frankel as Ser Criston Cole

Ser Criston Cole is not a lord or lady. He's Dornish, a common-born man who is the son of the current steward to the Lord of Blackhaven. He makes up for his lack of any claim to land or titles with his impressive swordplay and his own personal honor. He was once a paramour of Rhaenyra; having been spurned, he's now a close ally of Alicent Hightower.

Where else have you seen Fabien Frankel? Fabien Frankel is a British stage performer, but he's also been seen in The Serpent and in Last Christmas, which featured Game of Thrones alum, Emilia Clarke.

Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria

Mysaria came to Westeros with nothing and has been bought and sold over and over again. What's unique is that she did not wilt in Westeros, but instead rose to prominence and forged a strong bond with Prince Daemon to become his paramour and an unlikely ally. 

Where else have you seen Sonoya Mizuno? Fans of Alex Garland's work will recognize Sonoya from both Annihilation and Ex Machina, but Sonoya has also appeared in Devs, Crazy Rich Asians, Maniac and La La Land.

Matthew Needham as Larys Strong

Larys Strong is the second son of Lord Lyonel Strong. Cruelly nicknamed "The Clubfoot" on account of his physical disability, Larys is still a very impactful member of court who is clued into the latest goings-on in Westeros. Across season one he develops a secretive alliance with Alicent, putting him in a very powerful position. 

Where else have you seen Matthew Needham? Needham has made guest appearances in TV series such as Doctor Who, Sanditon, Casualty, Sherlock, and Endeavour, and he had a role in The Ritual

Graham McTavish as Ser Harrold Westerling

Former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Harrold Westerling is one of the most honorable men at court. He served proudly as the head of the Kingsguard, but refused to follow the orders of Otto Hightower when the Greens stole the Iron Throne and named Aegon as the new king out of loyalty to Viserys' wish to see Rhaenyra on the throne. 

Where else have you seen Graham McTavish? Scottish actor Graham McTavish is likely best known as Dwalin, one of the dwarves in The Hobbit trilogy, though he also appears in The Witcher, Preacher, Outlander, Prison Break and Taggart, and and he lent his voice to Dracula in Netflix's animated Castlevania adaptation.

Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon Targaryen II

Aegon was Viserys and Alicent's first child together, making him the heir to Viserys' throne in many people's eyes. However, he is seemingly indifferent to his responsibilities, preferring instead to drink and harass women working in the castle. He tried to flee King's Landing before he was crowned the new King by Otto and Alicent. 

David Tennant's son Ty Tennant played the younger version of Aegon earlier in the series. 

Where else have you seen Tomy Glynn-Carney? Glynn-Carney is currently playing Mike Sadler in SAS Rogue Heroes, but he's also appeared in The King, Tolkien, Domina, Casualty, The Last Post and Dunkirk.

Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen

Aegon Targaryen is Alicent and Viserys' secondborn son. A fearsome warrior, he is known for being a serious, determined figure, and is very open with his disdain for his nephews on Rhaenyra's side. Notably, he claimed the humungous dragon, Vhagar, as his own after Laena Velaryon's funeral. 

Leo Ashton played the younger version of Aemond Targaryen in season 1. 

Where else have you seen Ewan Mitchell? Aside from House of the Dragon, Mitchell has appeared in The Last Kingdom, Trigger Point, World on Fire and The Halcyon.

Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon

"Jace" is Rhaenyra and Laenor Velaryon's firstborn son, though it is heavily suspected that he (and his brother, Lucerys) were actually Ser Harwin Strong's children. Jacaerys stands to inherit the Iron Throne after Rhaenyra and works hard to ensure he will be a respected ruler when the time comes. His dragon is called Vermax. 

Leo Hart played the young version of Prince Jacaerys in the earlier parts of the show.

Where else have you seen Harry Collett? House of the Dragon is Harry's most prominent credit so far, though he played a recurring role in Casualty and played Tommy Stubbins in Dolittle.

Elliot Grihault as Lucerys Velaryon

Lucerys Velaryon was Rhaenyra's second son with Laenor (or Harwin Strong). He was the heir to Driftmark, and was also dragonrider, just like his brother. "Luke", as he was known, rode Arrax, though both met their doom at the hands (and teeth) of Aemond and his dragon, Vhagar, in the series finale.

House of the Dragon is Elliot's first major credit; Harvey Salder played the younger version of the character.

Who else stars in House of the Dragon?

We've listed some of the most prominent figures in House of the Dragon (so far) above, but it takes an awful lot of people to populate the many Houses of Westeros. Below, you can find more of the stars that have cropped up in House of the Dragon so far:

• Sian Brooke as Queen Aemma Arryn
• Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen 
• Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen 
• Phil Daniels as Maester Gerardys 
• Paul Kennedy as Lord Jasper "Ironrod" Wylde
• Ryan Corr as Ser Harwin "Breakbones" Strong 
• Jefferson Hall as Tyland Lannister and Lord Jason Lannister 
• David Horovitch as Grand Maester Mellos 
• Kurt Egyiawan as Grand Maester Orwyle
• Wil Johnson as Ser Vaemond Velaryon 
• Bill Paterson as Lord Lyman Beesbury 
• Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen 
• Gavin Spokes as Lord Lyonel Strong 
• Savannah Steyn as Lady Laena Velaryon
• Elliott Tittensor as Ser Erryk Cargyll
• Luke Tittensor as Ser Arryk Cargyll
• Roger Evans as Lord Borros Baratheon
• Alexis Raben as Talya
• Max Wrottesley as Ser Lorent Marbrand
• Nicholas Jones as Lord Bartimos Celtigar

House of the Dragon season one has finished airing, though the first season can now be streamed on HBO Max in the US and Sky TV and streaming service, NOW in the UK.

• What to watch while you wait for House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon, HBO’s highly anticipated Game of Thrones prequel, launched Milly as a household name around the world, and now she is appearing in Netflix hit, Sirens, alongside Julianne Moore, Meghann Fahy and Kevin Bacon.

Although having had previous acting roles on Australian TV, Milly is a relative newcomer to Hollywood, and just a few years ago was washing dishes in a restaurant to make ends meet.

However, Milly is now a superstar thanks to her standout performance as steely Rhaenyra in House of the Dragon. But what else is there to know about the star?

Here is everything you need to know, from her past TV and film jobs to her newfound love of photography...

Milly Alcock started acting as a young girl 

Amelia May Alcock was born on April 11, 2000, and was raised by her parents in Sydney, Australia, alongside her two brothers. Having been bitten by the acting bug young, Milly’s first stage performance was at six years old, when she donned a denim skirt and cowboy boots in a production of Little Red Rocking Hood at her local church theatre. 

In an interview with the American fashion title, Flaunt, the actor revealed her fascination with storytelling had started even earlier, after continually pressing rewind on a stolen Blockbuster DVD of the Audrey Hepburn classic, Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

She made her small screen debut in Australia

Milly’s TV debut came in 2014 when she had a bit part in romantic comedy, Wonderland. Roles in other Australian shows soon followed — playing Isabella Barrett in High Life, and Cindi Jackson in the third series of Janet King. Milly also hosted her own programme, The BF Chefs, which aired on the Disney Channel and was filmed in her native Sydney. 

The actress has a number of TV adverts on her CV, for big brands such as Cadbury, KFC and Woolworths. And Milly isn’t just a star of the small screen, her film credits include The School, Reckoning and The Gloaming.

She quit school to pursue her dream career

Milly was a year 12 pupil at Sydney’s Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, when she was cast to play runaway teen Meg in the Australian drama Upright, alongside acclaimed comedian Tim Minchin.

Due to the nature of the filming schedule, Milly made the decision to quit her education in order to pursue her acting career. The gamble paid off, and her portrayal of misfit Meg in the eight-part series won her the 2018 Casting Guild of Australia Rising Star Award.

Speaking to Miss Vogue Australia, Milly admitted she has no regrets: “I knew that this opportunity would be so much more of a valuable experience than getting my piece of paper. I was like: ‘No, this is what I’ve been working towards and I’ve been given this amazing opportunity with this amazing cast, with this beautiful script.’”

Since its debut in Australia, Upright has also been rolled out in the UK and Canada, and in March 2022, Milly traveled to Queensland to shoot the second series.

She used to live in her mum’s attic

Milly currently resides in London, but it wasn’t long ago she was living in the attic of her mum’s house in Australia. In-between acting roles, she had taken a job washing up in a restaurant to earn extra money. And it was during that time she sent off two self-tapes for an ‘unknown HBO project’. 

Just two weeks later, Milly received a life-changing call from her agent, confirming she’d won the coveted role of Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon. Telling Stellar magazine about that pivotal moment, Milly said: “I never thought this would happen to me. I froze, and took a deep breath and said to my friend, "Do you have wine?" Then I called my mum.”

She bonded with her House of the Dragon co-star

Shooting House of the Dragon was a real baptism of fire for Milly, who relocated from her family home in Sydney to a flat in Primrose Hill. Living alone for the first time in the middle of a global pandemic and working on a big-budget production, Milly admitted she felt out of her depth and relied on the support from her fellow cast and crew. 

In particular, she became close to her co-star Emily Carey (who plays Alicent Hightower). “We met virtually before the show and both had the same feelings about this job,” Milly revealed in a chat with Hype: “We’re both young women, doing a major show that is usually based around men, so we developed a kindred relationship. I adore Emily, I’m very protective of her, I feel like she’s my little sister.” Aww.

• Meet the House of the Dragon cast

She's a pro at riding a pretend dragon

As the title of the show suggests, Milly’s character Princess Rhaenyra is a dragonrider. Her steed, called Syrax, is based on an eagle, and in the context of the series, is like a pet to Rhaenyra. Syrax is, of course, an optical illusion, which required Milly to do a lot of interacting with a fake blue screen, something she found rather amusing. 

Speaking to fans at the San Diego Comic Con 2022, the actress described what it was like to ride Syrax. “You’re propped up on what looks like a mechanical bull that you might ride in a bar or pub,” Milly shared. “It lifts up six feet in the air and there are four guys with leaf blowers — it’s strange!”

She’s a keen photographer

While acting is currently Milly’s number one passion, she’s also developed a flare for photography. She picked up the hobby during lockdown, and has posted a selection of her stylish shots on her Instagram account. One that stands out is a black and white image of Parisian children playing ball in the streets. For Milly, the photograph she captured is full of beauty. 

In an interview with Flaunt, she expressed: “Some people might see the photo of the kids in Paris and say, ‘Oh the composition is wrong—it’s a bit slanted.’ I think the beauty is in the mistakes because it’s alive. The ability to control an image and evoke a certain feeling is what drew it to me.”

Milly Alcock’s fact file

Frequently asked questions about the star...

Instagram: @millyalcock

We work hard to ensure that all information is correct. Facts that change over time, such as age, will be correct, to the best of our knowledge, at the time of the last article update.

• How to watch House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon star Graham McTavish has teased that the second season is heading for civil war and that House of the Dragon season 2 is going to venture beyond the likes of King's Landing and Dragonstone.

In an interview with Metro.co.uk, McTavish — who played Lord Commander, Ser Harrold Westerling under King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) — has explained how he thinks things in Westeros will progress.

"I think the way that it's going, is it's leading towards civil war", the House of the Dragon star said. "Civil War is that great thing that countries indulge in when they haven't got anybody else to go and fight, they seem to just like fighting amongst themselves just to keep their hand in, and this is no different. They've had peace for a long, long time, and suddenly they are quite literally destroying the kingdom from within and that's what makes it so interesting, so I would expect more of that — more division, more taking sides", he said.

As for how those divisions will appear on screen, Graham McTavish expects that we'll be seeing more action and more storylines playing out in parallel across the world of Westeros. 

"I think it'll ramp up in terms of the action and I think it will move out of just the locations that we've been in up until now. I think season one was a much more domestic experience whereas this one will be much more fractured, and possibly move a little more into the world that people are familiar with, with Game of Thrones, where there were multiple storylines existing at one time. But who knows? But I would imagine that’s what it would be. And more dragons! A few will have been born by the time the show comes out again. And they grow very quickly…" He added.

This interview comes after a recent chat where Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin revealed he would have liked to change the point at which House of the Dragon season 1 started from.

House of the Dragon season 1 is available to stream on HBO Max and on NOW in the UK. 

• House of the Dragon vs Rings of Power
• House of the Dragon: The Catspaw dagger prophecy explained
• House of the Dragon director on episode 8's emotional scene

House of the Dragon season 2 has arrived, taking us deeper into the war between the Blacks and the Greens.

House of the Dragon season 1 delivered everything Game of Thrones and fantasy fans could want from the show: politicking, brutal deaths, tense rivalries, and fearsome dragons. Having met our main stars and witnessed friendships being broken and scraps being fought, the stage is now properly set for a bloody conflict. 

With season 2 wrapped up, find all the info you need on House of the Dragon season 2.

How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 

House of the Dragon season 2 is not available to watch entirely on-demand. For US viewers, it is available exclusively on Max. For those in the UK, the show is streaming on Sky Go and NOW TV.

House of the Dragon season 2 recaps

• House of the Dragon season 2 episode 1 recap: A Son For A Son
• House of the Dragon season 2 episode 2 recap: Rhaenyra the Cruel
• House of the Dragon season 2 episode 3 recap: The Burning Mill
• House of the Dragon season 2 episode 4 recap: The Red Dragon and the Gold
• House of the Dragon season 2 episode 5 recap: Regent
• House of the Dragon season 2 episode 6 recap: Smallfolk

House of the Dragon season 2 plot

After House of the Dragon season 1 introduced us to the main characters and took course over many years, the table for season 2 was truly set in the final episode.

Following the death of King Viserys, his wife Alicent misconstrued his final words and believes that he wanted their son Aegon II to become king over Viserys' daughter Rhaenyra, Alicent's former friend now rival. This puts chaos into motion as each side — the Blacks, loyal to Rhaenyra, and the Greens, loyal to Alicent.

As the two sides try to secure their position by bringing other strong houses to their side, Rhaenyra's son Lucerys was sent to meet with House Baratheon. However, he was met their by his cousin, Alicent's son Aemond. When attempting to leave, Aemond taunts Lucerys as they both ride their dragon, but things get out of hand and Aemond loses control of his dragon, Vhagar, who winds up killing Lucerys. 

While the act may have been inadvertent, it will lead to a now inevitable war between the two sides for control of Westeros.

How many episodes will House of the Dragon season 2 have?

Deadline has reported that House of the Dragon season 2 will be a shorter season than the first. According to their report, we'll only be getting eight episodes in the show's sophomore season.

However, House of the Dragon season 3 has already been confirmed, so we know there is still more story to tell with this series.

House of the Dragon season 2 cast

All the major players who survived House of the Dragon's first season will be making their return. Here's a quick reminder of who is playing who and their affiliation:

• Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenyra Targaryen (Black)
• Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen (Black)
• Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower (Green)
• Eve Best as Rhaenys Targaryen (Black)
• Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon (Black)
• Fabien Frankel as Cirston Cole (Green)
• Ewan Mitchell as Aemond Targaryen (Green)
• Tom Glynn-Carney as Aegon II Targaryen (Green)
• Sonoya Mizuno as Mysaria (TBD)
• Rhys Ifans as Otto Hightower (Green)
• Harry Collett as Jacaerys Velaryon (Black)
• Bethany Antonia as Baela Targaryen (Black)
• Phoebe Campbell as Rhaena Targaryen (Black)
• Phia Saban as Helaena Targaryen (Green)
• Jefferson Hall as Tyland Lannister (Green)
• Matthew Needham as Larys Strong (Green)

There are also a number of new cast members joining the show in season 2. Here is a rundown of who you need to know:

• Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull 
• Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers
• Freddie Fox as Gwayne Hightower
• Simon Russell Beale as Simon Strong, 
• Clinton Liberty as Addam of Hull
• Jamie Kenna as Alfred Broome 
• Kieran Bew as Hugh
• Tom Bennett as Ulf 
• Tom Taylor as Cregan Stark 
• Vincent Regan as Rickard Thorne

House of the Dragon season 2 trailer

Yep, there's tons! The latest trailer teases all the drama soon to come our way. It features tons of dragons, battles and looks forward to the inevitable war that's on its way. And it looks like there might be some tension between Rhaenyra and Daemon; does he see her as capable of uniting the realm? Here's the trailer

On March 21, HBO released two new trailers for the series, inviting us to pick our preferred side in the war. The two trailers are themed around the Greens and Blacks, each showing what is to come for their respective factions. You can find them both below: 

Below, you can find a previous teaser for the series that set the stakes and showcased the massing military might of the two factions. 

Towards the end, Rhaenys warns that there's 'no war so bloody as a war between dragons', and the trailer proves this, erupting into brutal conflict towards the climax. 

*This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon season 1*

House of the Dragon's first season might already have come to an end, but Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin has revealed that there was one big thing he would have changed about the series: the point at which the series began.

House of the Dragon's first season began with a flashback detailing how a young Prince Viserys Targaryen (played by Paddy Considine) was named as the successor to King Jaehaerys at a Great Council meeting instead of his cousin, Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best).

We then skipped forward nearly a decade into Viserys' rule over the Seven Kingdoms, where he cause all sorts of trouble by naming Rhaenyra Targaryen (then played by Milly Alcock) as the heir to the Iron Throne. This controversial decision then set the stage for all the drama that played out across the first season.

In a recent interview with fellow fantasy writer, David Anthony Durham (as reported by Entertainment Weekly, George R.R. Martin revealed that he would have preferred the series to start much earlier, and he said there were 'spirited discussions' among the writers when they were deciding where the HBO adaptation was going to start.

"One of the writers wanted to begin it later, with Aemma dying. Skip the Great council, skip the tournament, a scream sounds out, Aemma is dead, that's where you begin. That was one possibility", Martin told them. "Another of the writers wanted to begin even later than that, with Viserys dying. But what happens there? Then you have to present all that material in flashbacks or dialogue, which becomes challenging too. But we discussed all these possibilities."

Martin went on to explain that he was actually in favor of starting much earlier in the Targaryen timeline, though he claims he was "the only one who was really enthused" about his plan. 

"I would've begun it like 40 years earlier, with an episode I would've called "'The Heir and the Spare'. Jaehaerys' two sons, Aemon and Baelon, are alive, and we see the friendship but also the rivalry between the two sides of the great house."

"Then Aemon dies accidentally when a Myrish crossbowman shoots him by accident on Tarth, then Jaehaerys has to decide who becomes the new heir. Is it the daughter of the son who's just died, or the second son who has children of his own and is a man where she's a teenager? You could've presented all that stuff, but then you would've had 40 more years, and even more time jumps and recastings. I was the only one who was really enthused about that."

You can watch the full interview below:

House of the Dragon season 1 has finished airing. The whole season is available to stream on HBO Max and on Sky TV and NOW in the UK.

When it was officially announced that House of the Dragon and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power would premiere just a few weeks apart, an epic showdown was set. Which fantasy series would prevail? Rule them all, if you will.

Now that House of the Dragon has concluded its first season, a couple weeks after The Rings of Power wrapped things up, we here at What to Watch are making our cases for which fantasy series’ first season we preferred more before turning it over to you, our readers, to cast your votes.

Of course there’s room for both epic fantasy series to be enjoyed by any and all viewers (they air on different days after all), but let’s have some fun and see where everyone stands on two of the biggest TV shows of the year.

Martin Shore, writer: The Rings of Power is my winner

As a huge fantasy fan, choosing between House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power was no easy task, though ultimately I have decided to side with the latter. Whilst I’d say I think House of the Dragon is technically the better show, when both were airing, I was always just slightly more excited to find out what was going to happen in the next installment of The Rings of Power because I just had more fun watching it. 

Amazon’s take on J. R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it was mine. Working with the source material they had access to, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay captured a similar sort of vibe that enchanted me the first time I visited Middle-earth. 

Much was made about the show’s colossal budget, and it’s easy to see where it went. Its world is beautifully realized with some of the best visuals on TV in a very long time.

It was then populated with characters who I really warmed to; specifically Morfydd Clark’s version of Galadriel, Prince Durin IV (Owain Arthur) and his formidable wife Disa (Sophia Nomvete), Elrond (Robert Aramayo) and Ismael Cruz Córdova’s Arondir were stand-outs. 

No, the show isn’t perfect, suffering as it does with pacing issues and some clumsy dialogue throughout, but I never really felt put off at any point. Taken in its entirety, I found this first season to be a really compelling watch and a strong enough foundation to work from.

Sean Marland, writer: House of the Dragon in a league of its own

If you want a set of kettlebells or a brand new video game delivered to your doorstep within 24 hours, then Amazon is the place to go. But if you’re after a finely wrought and visually spectacular TV drama, then HBO is undoubtedly your best bet. 

It’s for that very reason that despite spending millions of dollars and plundering the back catalog of one of history’s most popular authors, The Rings of Power was always bound to come off second best in this fantasy face-off. In the words of a famous character from another great HBO series: "If you come at the King, you best not miss." 

It’s not that Prime Video’s odyssey through Middle-Earth’s history was bad, but it was painfully boring during the early stages — stretched like butter across too much bread — and contained none of the light touches that made Peter Jackson’s film trilogy so popular. The last couple of episodes were great, but we were hoping for more than something to be tolerated until it got good.

Meanwhile, George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones spin-off series started like an express train fueled by dragonfire and Westeros Easter eggs, basking in organic internet buzz fueled by a show attracting a bigger audience every week, paving the way for the spectacular finale. 

The result was must-see TV that was littered with subtle political maneuverings, captivating female stories, stand-out set pieces and even another Red Wedding. Dracarys!

Michael Balderston, US editor: The Rings of Power edges it

If you had asked me which series I was more excited for before either aired, I would have said House of the Dragon by a pretty safe margin. I loved Game of Thrones during its original run and was excited for the franchise to get some redemption after the disappointing conclusion (more how it was handled then the story choices, to be fair). 

House of the Dragon did not disappoint; it was well acted, well made and it took its time in reaching the tipping point in the last few episodes; much like the original Game of Thrones did in its first season. But I couldn’t shake a "been there, done that" feeling while watching House of the Dragon and its machinations. The Rings of Power, on the other hand, felt fresh.

Taking the story thousands of years before the events of The Lord of the Rings presented an exciting world that while familiar, was something that had not been seen on screen before. Each season was basically a prologue to set the stage for what's to come, but I found the journey of the creation of Mordor and the reveal of who is Sauron and the Stranger to be more enjoyable (not least of which because I didn’t have to figure out what new actor is playing what character with time jumps every two episodes).

Also, I have to admit that I enjoyed the (somewhat) lighter tone that Rings of Power had. It leaned more into humor (does anyone in HotD ever laugh?) and, even as Sauron is sure to build his power, has that spirit of hope that the movie trilogy had.

I’m excited to see where each series goes, but forced to pick an early favorite, I’m going with The Rings of Power.

It's your turn now. Which fantasy series do you prefer so far: House of the Dragon of The Rings of Power? Cast your vote directly below.

All of House of the Dragon season 1 can be streamed on HBO Max in the US and Sky TV and NOW TV in the UK. The Rings of Power season 1 is available in its entirety on Prime Video.

House of the Dragon is coming to a close.

Though plenty of people felt burned by how Game of Thrones ended, HBO has plans to unload a plethora of spin-offs based on their fantasy epic. The first series to emerge from the planning stages is House of the Dragon, which surrounds the legendary conflict within House Targaryen that happened 200 years before the events of the original series.

House of the Dragon co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik (who has departed the series for season 2) has spoken about how he feels “loyal and responsible" to Game of Thrones and the responsibility that he bears.

He said in an HBO chat: "I have a great kind of desire to even be in the same room as that show because it was a game changer. George and his writing was a huge influence on me. It’s an incredible feeling to achieve my dream job. You get that great call which is the thing that every writer is hoping for, telling you, 'We’re gonna go make this thing'. And you’re happy for a few seconds… and then you realise the responsibility that’s on your shoulders."

The series has garnered rave reviews so far, in line with what Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin himself had to say of the show. At Comic-Con earlier this year, he said: "I've seen nine of the ten episodes, and it's pretty amazing, I'm really very happy." 

Here's everything you need to know about House of the Dragon...

When is the House of the Dragon season finale?

The House of the Dragon finale airs on Sunday, October 23 at 9 pm ET in the US, and on Monday, October 24 on Sky TV's Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.

This August 21 release date meant House of the Dragon premiered just 12 days before Prime Video's highly-anticipated fantasy TV series, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

House of the Dragon trailer

HBO steadily built up the hype for House of the Dragon for months before the show finally arrived with a steady stream of trailers. The official trailer teased the "ugly game" of what's to come in the new fantasy series and shows us a few hints at the plot and set up the trouble that's brewing between Daemon and Rhaenyra. 

You can check them out below

What's the plot of House of the Dragon?

House of the Dragon takes place 200 years prior to the Game of Thrones storyline, with the plot being derived from George R.R. Martin's novel, Fire & Blood. The book begins with Aegon's Conquest, which established the new world order over much of Westeros and saw the foundation of the Iron Throne as the unified seat of power over the realm. From there, we follow the Targaryen dynasty as many kings and queens (both good and evil) rule over the Six Kingdoms.

This eventually leads to the vicious civil war between Aegon II and his half-sister, Princess Rhaenyra, who battle over the throne currently occupied by their father, Viserys I. As the trailers all pointed to Rhaenyra being named Viserys' heir, we expect this eventual civil war is likely the endpoint for House of the Dragon, too. 

We'll also be exploring some new parts of Westeros in the new show. One of those new worlds is Driftmark, the seat of House Velaryon and the Sea Snake which is situated in Blackwater Bay, near Dragonstone.

Now that the show is underway, we've got full summaries of what's happened so far listed below, but beware: there are spoilers ahead.

House of the Dragon episode recaps

What happened in episode one?

After a brief history lesson revealing how Viserys came to succeed King Jaehaerys after 60 years on the Iron Throne, (over his cousin, Princess Rhaenys), we jump forward nine years into Viserys' rule. 

After we're introduced to some of the major players at court, we learn that Prince Daemon Targaryen is Viserys' current heir apparent, as the King's only child is his daughter, Princess Rhaenyra.

Daemon has troubled Viserys throughout his time on the Throne, leaving him with few friends at court. He draws even more ire after we witness one of his brutal, violent raids on King's Landing as the Commander of the City Watch.

Viserys' wife, Aemma Arryn, is preparing to give birth to Viserys' latest child; the pair have suffered miscarriages and lost children after birth in the past, and Aemma tells him that she wants this to be their last child, as she can't grieve another.

Whilst Viserys is at a jousting tournament held in celebration of his second child, Aemma goes into labor. The King is summoned to her chambers as there are complications during the birth. The Grand Maester in attendance then tells him the only way to save the child is to perform a Caesaerean section. Aemma dies during the operation, and their son, Baelon, also dies shortly after his birth.

At the tournament, Daemon proves an early favorite, though he is unseated by Ser Criston Cole, a lowborn Dornish man who subsequently defeats Daemon in hand-to-hand combat. 

The small council calls an emergency meeting about Viserys' succession just days after Queen Aemma and Baelon's funeral. At the meeting, tensions rise as the members debate whether Daemon is a suitable heir, before Viserys storms out in a rage.

Word gets back to Viserys that Daemon had mocked Baelon's death, calling him the "heir for a day". In response, Viserys tells him he intends to name Rhaenyra as his heir, and orders Daemon to return to his wife in Runestone. 

Before she is sworn in in front of the lords of the other Great Houses, Viserys apologies to Rhaenyra for wasting all these years chasing a son when she already had the makings of being a good queen. 

He reveals the prophetic dream that Aegon had about the Great Winter — known as "A Song of Ice and Fire"— and swears that a Targaryen must be sitting on the Throne to defeat the great evil when it arrives. Then, she is led out, and Viserys names her his heir, whilst Daemon flies away with Mystaria on the back of Caraxes.

What happened in episode two?

Six months on from the events of episode one, the Triarchy are proving to be a bigger nuisance to Lord Corlys Velaryon’s fleet, but King Viserys still refuses to send help as he doesn't want to start a war with the Free Cities. Viserys also faces the conundrum of what to do about Daemon, who's been squatting in Dragonstone. Rhaenyra is dismissed from the small council meeting and tasked with selecting a new Kingsguard, and opts for Ser Criston Cole.

Viserys (who is being compelled to take a new wife) confides in Alicent that he wishes to close the gap between him and Rhaenyra. Later, Corlys collars the king and tells him he thinks their enemies are eyeing up King’s Landing. To cement the bond between House Velaryon and House Targaryen, he suggests Viserys marry his daughter, Laena.

An emergency small council is convened after it’s revealed that Daemon has stolen a dragon egg; he’s also left a note inviting his brother to a wedding. Daemon says he intends to take Mysaria as his second wife (who is pregnant), and the egg—which is the same one that sat beside Viserys son, Baelon—is to sit in the cradle with his child, according to Old Valyrian customs. 

Viserys is furious and wishes to go to Dragonstone, but Otto Hightower placates him and offers to go in his stead as a show of force. Before any blood is shed, Rhaenyra arrives on her dragon to confront Daemon and talk him down. He’d actually lied about Mysaria’s pregnancy and marriage and returns the egg.

After a heart-to-heart with Rhaenyra, Viserys summons the small council to reveal he’s taking a new wife, though he snubs Corlys and announces he intends to marry Rhaenyra’s best friend, Alicent Hightower. Corlys storms out of the meeting and seeks out Daemon to ask for his support in taking the Stepstones islands back from The Crabfeeder, suggesting this could be a prime opportunity for him to demonstrate his worth as a potential ruler.  

What happened in episode three? 

Two years on, Alicent and Viserys have had a son together: Aegon II, and the lords and ladies are the realm have gathered for a Royal Hunt for his second name-day. Relations between Rhaenyra and her father and best friend-turned-queen, Alicent, have grown frosty, and she is unwilling to participate.

Jason Lannister seeks to marry Rhaenyra, though she rebuffs him; after confronting her father about it, she rides off into the King's Wood, closely pursued by Ser Criston Cole. 

Viserys grows increasingly frustrated by suggestions of suitors to marry Rhaenyra. Jason Lannister tells him many of the lords expect he will name Aegon his new heir, something which he makes clear is not the case. 

Rhaenyra and Criston bond during their time away and are attacked by a wild boar, though they return the following day unharmed after the hunt is deemed a success. Back at King's Landing, Otto speaks to Alicent to use her influence as Queen to urge Viserys to "see reason" and name their son as his new heir, though she seems unwilling.

Over in the Stepstones, Lord Corlys and Daemon's fight against The Crabfeeder is not going well, and Viserys had, up till now, ignored any requests for assistance. However, after chatting with Alicent, he sent word saying that soldiers and ships would be arriving for the war effort. 

Daemon receives this message unfavorably and sets off on his own to confront the Crabfeeder's soldiers head-on on the beaches. He gets wounded in the process, but when The Crabfeeder's men surround him, the Velaryon forces Including Laenor Velaryon and his dragon, Seasmoke) storm the beaches, leaving Daemon to rush off and kill the Crabfeeder himself.

What happened in episode four?

Rhaenyra is approached by a range of potential suitors, but finds them all lacking. Daemon makes his return from the Stepstones, having been named King of the Narrow Sea for his defeat of the Crabfeeder and Viserys embraces him.

Daemon invites Rhaenyra out with him on a trip to the shadier parts of King’s Landing during the middle of the night where they take in a pantomime and then he takes her to a brothel together. They kiss, but Daemon abandons her before things progress any further.

Upon her return to King’s Landing, Rhaenrya invites Criston Cole to share her bed. The following morning, Otto Hightower tells Viserys that Rhaenyra had been spotted together with her uncle in the pleasure house, a report which Alicent overhears and frets about.

She confronts Rhaenyra, who lies about the encounter and says that Alicent should not question her virtue whilst Daemon is brought before a furious Viserys. Daemon says he should wed Rhaenyra to him to “restore the House of the Dragon to its proper glory”, but Viserys instead demands Daemon return to the Vale. 

When he speaks to his daughter, Viserys threatens to strip her of her title and name Aegon II as his heir, though she says she will wed Laenor Velaryon and unite their two houses to strengthen her own claim, whilst also accusing Otto of being desperate to see his own grandson on the Iron Throne. Viserys then strips Otto of his position as the Hand of the King.

What happened in episode five?

In The Vale, Daemon confronts his wife, Rhea Royce; she is thrown from her horse, and he kills her. Alicent sees her father off, and he warns that she must prepare Aegon to rule, foreseeing Viserys’ death. 

Viserys and company travel to Driftmark, where they are not greeted by Lord Corlys, much to their frustration. To repair their relationship, he has traveled to offer the proposal of a marriage between Laenor and Rhaenyra, prompting Corlys to question how succession would be handled immediately.

Both Laenor and Rhaenyra have their own secret partners: Joffrey Lonmouth, and Criston Cole. Criston asks whether Rhaenyra would consider running away and marrying him instead. She rejects this, but suggests that they could keep up their relationship in secret. Criston is furious and storms off.

Criston is summoned by Alicent, who wishes to question him about what happened between Rhaenyra and Daemon. Criston misunderstands and confesses that he has been sleeping with Rhaenyra, contravening his vow of chastity, leaving Alicent feeling betrayed that her close friend had lied to her.

Wedding celebrations begin and everyone is in high spirits, though the mood shifts as Alicent arrives late, sporting a lush green gown, the same color that the Hightowers display when they call their bannermen to war. 

Gerald Royce challenges Daemon over his daughter’s death, though Daemon refutes this and explains that he plans to petition for everything owed to him as they had no heirs. Laenor’s lover taunts a guilty Criston over his affair with Rhaenyra, prompting him to brutally attack and kill Joffrey in front of everyone. Later, whilst Laenor and Rhaenyra say their wedding vows, Criston prepares to take his own life, but Alicent stops him.

What happened in episode six?

Years down the line, Rhaenyra is seen giving birth to her third son. Alicent demands to see the baby at once, and taunts Laenor over the child’s parentage, and it’s pretty clear that both Rhaenyra and Alicent’s children hate each other.  

Despite rumblings of infidelity, Viserys refuses to accept that the children are not Laenor’s. Daemon and his wife Laena Velaryon have children of their own, and have been offered permanent residence in Pentos, away from court drama. Laena wishes to return home, but Daemon refuses.

It becomes clear that Commander Harwin Strong is really the father of Rhaenyra’s children, though Criston (who has been training Alicent’s sons in swordplay) is still wounded by Rhaenyra’s rejection, and he bears a grudge against her family. He provokes Harwin into a brawl (which Criston loses), leading to Harwin’s expulsion from the City Watch.

Rhaenyra confronts Laenor about the rumors surrounding their children. Though they had agreed to keep seeing their respective partners after their marriage, these rumors could lead to their exile from court. Laenor wishes to escape everything and go out to sea, but she commands him to stay at her side. 

Lyonel Strong offers to resign as the new Hand of the King over his son’s outburst at Criston earlier. Viserys refuses this, but grants him leave to return his son to Harrenhal. Unbeknownst to them, Larys Strong sent agents to set their home on fire, and both Lyonel and Harwin are killed in the blaze. Larys approaches Alicent and tells her he believes she will reward him “when the time is right”.

During a problematic birth, Laena stumbles out to her dragon Vhagar and commands her to burn her alive. Rhaenyra tells Laenor they will be leaving the Red Keep behind and returning to Dragonstone.

What happened in episode seven?

The two houses meet again at Laena Velaryon’s funeral. Rhaenys suggests to Corlys that they should disinherit Rhaenyra’s children in favor of Laena’s two daughters, but Corlys refuses.

In the middle of the night, Aemond Targaryen lays claim to Laena’s dragon, Vhagar, prompting a fight between him Rhaenyra and Laena’s children in which Aemond loses an eye and blasts the Queen’s children as illegitimate.

The families are called together to discuss the matter. Viserys demands to know where the rumors about Rhaenyra’s sons have come from, labels them treason, and demands the matter be settled. Alicent, though, demands Criston bring her Lucerys’s eye in compensation, though he is stopped. 

Furious, Alicent rushes at Rhaenyra and slashes her with a dagger in front of everyone. Otto has been reinstalled as Hand of the King, and he tells Alicent he is pleased to see her resolve and promises they will “win” the brewing conflict. Larys seeks her out again, and offers his services to her to get revenge. She declines but is thankful for his loyalty.

Laenor confesses he’s failed Rhaenyra, but vows to support her properly. Rhaenyra seeks out Daemon, after the pair spent the night together, and asks him to marry her. Daemon notes this could only happen if Laenor were dead, so the pair brew a plan to secure Laenor his freedom to flee with his lover, Ser Qarl and fake his death, leaving Corlys and Rhaenys with no surviving children. 

What happened in episode eight? 

Six years on from the last episode, we find Lord Corlys afflicted with blood fever after being wounded at sea, with Rhaenys sitting on the Driftwood Throne in his absence. Corlys’ brother Vaemond believes he is now Corlys' rightful heir instead of Lucerys, who stands to inherit Driftmark as his older brother is in line for the Iron Throne. 

At a small council meeting, Alicent (who leads in place of an ailing Viserys) agrees to hear petitions from all parties about the matter. Daemon and Rhaenyra return to King’s Landing, and they beg Viserys to back Lucerys as Lord Corlys's successor if he dies, and they introduce their new sons to him.

Rhaenyra seeks out Rhaenys to beg her to back Lucerys's claim and offers to betrothe her sons to Rhaenys’ granddaughters. Otto Hightower takes the Iron Throne and begins hearing the petitions, though the ceremony is interrupted by the dramatic arrival of Viserys.

The king struggles to the Iron Throne and asks Rhaenys what Corlys’s wishes were. She announces support for Rhaenyra’s son and their marriage proposals. Incensed, Vaemond flies into a rage about breaking traditions, though Daemon kills him.

The two families share a banquet, though the peace is soon disturbed by a sarcastic toast to Rhaenyra’s sons by Aemond Targaryen. Rhaenyra says she will see her sons home but will come back to King’s Landing soon after.

In his final moments, Viserys relives Aegon the Conqueror’s prophetic dream of “the Prince that was promised” who is set to unite the Seven Kingdoms against a looming threat (which Thrones fans know to be the Night King). Alicent interprets Viserys’ words to mean their son Aegon. 

What happened in episode nine?

News filters around the Red Keep of Viserys’ passing, and Alicent tells Otto about his perceived desire to see Aegon II crowned as his successor. Otto reveals this at a small council meeting, where it becomes clear that members of the council had been plotting against Rhaenyra and Daemon all along.

Otto sends Sers Arryk and Erryk of the Kingsguard to search King’s Landing for Aegon; Alicent sends Ser Criston Cole on a similar mission, though Aemond insists on coming along with him. Whilst on the hunt, Aemond confides in Criston that he believes he should be the one to take throne, not his brother. 

Alicent seeks out Rhaenys and asks if she will back Aegon II’s claim. Meanwhile, Otto Hightower forces the senior members of various Houses to swear loyalty to Aegon; those who do not bend the knee are led away and, in one instance, killed.

The knights’ search sees them crossing paths with the “White Worm”—aka Mysaria—who offers to reveal where Aegon is hiding in exchange for some off-the-record assistance shutting down a fighting pit. Criston and Aemond overhear this exchange, and they follow the two knights and step in to recover Aegon themselves.

Aegon confesses that he has no wish to rule and believes himself to be unsuited to bearing the crown, though Alicent is determined to have him installed. She tells Otto that she is not willing to have Rhaenyra killed, as the small council wishes, but will instead send terms of negotiation to her about surrendering her claim to the Seven Kingdoms. 

Ser Erryk does not believe what’s transpired is fair, and he tries to free Rhaenys from the capital, though the pair are separated in the crowds on their way to Aegon’s coronation (which is also Viserys’ funeral).

At the ceremony, Aegon is crowned, and clearly enjoys stepping into the limelight. His moment in the sun is brutally cut short as Rhaenys crashes up through the floor on the back of her dragon, Meleys. The pair bare down on Alicent and the rest of her allies, before flying off and leaving King’s Landing behind. 

Who worked on the series?

The series’ showrunners are Ryan Condal (Colony) and Miguel Sapochnick. Fans might recognize the latter as the director of some of Game of Thrones' most iconic episodes such as "Hardhome" and “Battle of the Bastards." 

He even won the Emmy for Best Drama Series as an executive producer. Outside of the expected increase in dragon-based violence, many are speculating that this show is going to be the most true-to-form of the planned GoT spin-offs. 

At Comic-Con, George R.R. Martin revealed his confidence in the new series. "It's pretty exciting", he said, "You're always nervous at the beginning because these books, these characters are like my kids, and when you give your kid to someone for adoption, you wonder how they will be treated...I think Ryan has done a good job of adapting the books. Well, so far."

Clare Kilner (The Alienist: Angel of Darkness, The Wedding Date) and Geeta V. Patel (Meet the Patels, The Witcher) will also direct the series. Greg Yaitanes (Banshee, House) is serving as a director and co-executive producer.

Game of Thrones and Westworld composer Ramin Djawadi  returned to provide the score.

House of the Dragon cast

The House of the Dragon cast is stacked with incredible talent. Here’s what HBO has to say about the cast: 

King Viserys Targaryen will be played by Paddy Considine (Hot Fuzz, Peaky Blinders), the successor of the Old King. He’s said to be a warm, kind, and decent man who only wants to continue the legacy of his grandfather. Place your bets now on how many people mistake that kindness as weakness.

Olivia Cooke (Bates Motel, The Sound of Metal) stars as Alicent Hightower. She’s the daughter of Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, and was raised in the Red Keep (the castle on Aegon's Hill in King's Landing), close to the king and his innermost circle. Alicent possesses she possesses both a courtly grace and a keen political acumen.

Emma D’Arcy (Truth Seekers) is Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the king’s first-born child. She is of pure Valyrian blood, and she is a dragonrider. Rhaenyra is almost everything a royal family could want in an heir... except she's not a man.

Emily Carey (Casualty) and Milly Alcock (Upright) will portray younger versions of Alicent and Rhaenyra, respectively. 

Likely the biggest fan favorite is the Doctor himself, Matt Smith (Doctor Who, The Crown) who will play Prince Daemon Targaryen, the younger brother of King Viserys and heir to the throne. Daemon is a dragonrider with the true blood of the dragon, but as King Jaehaerys once said, “madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin. Every time a new Targaryen is born, he said, the gods toss the coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land.” 

Steve Toussaint (Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, Judge Dredd, and Shooting Dogs) joins as Lord Corlys Velaryon aka “The Sea Snake.” The lord of House Velaryon, a Valyrian bloodline. “The Sea Snake,” is the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros. He built his house into a powerful seat that is even richer than the Lannisters. 

Princess Rhaenys Velaryon will be played by Eve Best (Nurse Jackie, The Honourable Woman) Rhaenys is a dragonrider and wife to Lord Corlys Velaryon, and was known as "The Queen Who Never Was" after she was passed over as heir to the throne at the Great Council as they favored her cousin, Viserys.

Rhys Ifans (Notting Hill, Berlin Station) stars as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, a loyal steward to both the king and his realm. As the Hand sees it, the greatest threat to the realm is the king's brother, Daemon, and his position as heir to the throne.

Fans of Alex Garland’s Ex Machina and Annihilation will be thrilled to know Sonoya Mizuno has been cast as Mysaria. Her character came to Westeros with nothing, sold more times than she can recall. Instead of wilting, but instead, she rose to become the most trusted — and most unlikely — ally of Prince Daemon Targaryen, the original heir to the throne. 

British theater actor Fabien Frankel (The Serpent, Last Christmas) has been cast as Ser Criston Cole. Of Dornish descent, Ser Criston is the common-born son of the steward to the Lord of Blackhaven. Criston has no claim to land or titles; all he has to his name is his honor and his preternatural skill with a sword. This tells us we shouldn’t sleep on the potential of him becoming a major player. 

Where can I watch House of the Dragon?

As we've mentioned, House of the Dragon will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on the same day, so you'll need an HBO account whether it be through your cable provider or HBO Max. 

UK audiences are able to watch the series on Sky TV on Sky Atlantic or stream it on NOW.

Will there be a House of the Dragon season 2?

House of the Dragon season 2 is officially a go. HBO announced that the Game of Thrones prequel series would be getting a second season just days after the premiere episode, though the timeline for House of the Dragon season 2 is still TBD.

As we mentioned, co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik has decided to step down from the show. Ryan Condal will continue to serve as the sole showrunner. Fellow Thrones veteran, Alan Taylor, will be stepping in as an executive producer and as a director for multiple episodes in season 2 (via THR).

• Best fantasy TV shows

House of the Dragon's eighth episode featured a touching moment between two of the series' most prominent characters — and we've now learned that it wasn't even planned.

*spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon *

"The Lord of the Tides" featured a pivotal scene in which an ailing King Viserys (Paddy Considine) made a surprise appearance at a meeting where Vaemond Velaryon was petitioning to be named the true heir to Driftmark instead of Rhaenyra's son, Lucerys, if Lord Corlys fails to make a recovery from his injuries.

Viserys struggles to make it to the Iron Throne and initially rejects the assistance of his guards. During the walk, the crown slips from Viserys' head; in a shocking turn of events, his estranged brother Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) picked the crown back up and crowned him once again. Unlike before, Viserys accepts his help to the throne, signaling that there's still a bond between them despite everything that's happened in the show so far. 

Whilst speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Geeta Patel — who directed episode 8 — revealed that this exchange between the two stars was just a happy accident that occurred whilst filming, one that just so happened to help tell the story of Viserys and Daemon's changing relationship.

In the interview, Geeta said: "When we were shooting that — I think the rehearsal again, the first day — the crown fell off Paddy's [Considine] head and Matt picked it up and we just kept going. We didn't stop. There was a discovery there of this moment."

"I was so thankful that accident happened, that the crown fell off because it proved to be, at least for me, quite a heavy moment and quite a turning point for a storyline that had started in the pilot: Hey, I want your crown and by the end here I'm gonna put the crown back on your head and I'm gonna help you to your throne", she added.

House of the Dragon continues on Sunday, October 16 at 9 pm on HBO and HBO Max in the US, and on Monday, October 17 at 9 pm on Sky TV on Sky Atlantic and NOW.

More House of the Dragon

• House of the Dragon: The Catspaw dagger prophecy explained
• House of the Dragon season 2 confirmed after huge series premiere
• What is House of the Dragon based on?
• Meet the House of the Dragon cast
• The best fantasy TV shows

NOTE: The following article contains spoilers for Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon episode 4.

Sharp-eyed viewers won't have missed the appearance of the Catspaw Dagger in the first episode of HBO's House of the Dragon and the iconic weapon returned for a crucial cameo in the fourth episode. 

Game of Thrones fans remember the Valyrian steel dagger from the very first episode of the hit fantasy series, in which a Catspaw assassin tried to murder Bran Stark (Isaac Hempstead Wright), only to be killed by the youngster's dire wolf, Summer. 

Later in the series, Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) gave it to Bran, who in turn gave it to his sister Arya Stark, who used it to kill the Night King, in the epic third episode of the final season, "The Long Night."

It felt like a fitting plot arc for the prop, yet we had no idea of the knife's full story until King Viserys (Paddy Considine) began explaining how tightly the weapon's fate is intertwined with the past, present and future of Westeros.

Where did the Catspaw Dagger come from? 

The Catspaw Dagger was forged in Valyria, centuries before the events of House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. The blade was made from Valyrian steel and decorated with dragonglass, which explains why it was able to kill the Night King. 

In this week's fourth episode of HOTD, King Viserys told his daughter Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) that the dagger once belonged to Aegon the Conqueror, who left Valyria and arrived in Westeros with a host of dragons and became the first Targaryen to ascend the Iron Throne. 

He also revealed that before it belonged to Aegon, it was the property of Aenar Targaryen, who moved his family to Dragonstone after his daughter Daenys the Dreamer predicted the Doom of Valyria, making them the only surviving family of dragonlords. 

Since then it has been passed down the line of Targaryen rulers, from King to heir, until it arrived in the hands of Viserys. 

What is the Catspaw Dagger prophecy? 

At the start of the series, King Viserys tells his daughter that just as Daenys foresaw the end of Valyria, Aegon had a dream that foresaw the end of the world of men, beginning with a terrible winter that destroyed all before it. The dream became known as "A Song of Fire and Ice," the name George R. R. Martin used for his entire series of novels. 

He told Rhaenyra that when that winter did come a Targaryen strong enough to unite Westeros must be seated on the Iron Throne, otherwise, the world would be doomed. 

Yet when House of the Dragon premiered we learned a little bit more about that prophecy, when Viserys explained that, before Aegon's death, the last of the Valyrian pyromancers hid his song in the Valyrian steel of the Catspaw dagger. 

When the dagger was heated in the fire, Rhaenyra was clearly able to read the High Valyrian script, which said... "From my blood, come the prince that was promised and his will be the song of ice and fire."

What does the Catspaw Dagger prophecy mean? 

Even people who've never seen an episode of Game of Thrones are aware of the doom-laden words "Winter Is Coming," so it doesn't take a Grand Maester to work out what part of the saga Aegon's dream refers to. 

As for the referring to a prince from "my blood," surely Aegon is referring to Jon Snow — who was revealed to be the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Ned Stark's sister, Lysa. 

Rhaegar was the son of the Mad King Aerys II and older brother to Daenerys, making him the direct ancestor of Aegon, Viserys — and maybe Rhaenyra too. Technically Jon Snow wasn't on the throne when the white walkers arrived in Westeros and it was Arya who ended the war, but the prophecy is broadly correct. 

Yet when we start to look at the 170 years that come in between the rule of King Viserys and Game of Thrones, things start to become more interesting. 

If we presume the prophecy continued to be passed down through the Targaryen generations then it may explain the final words of Aerys — aka The Mad King — who was pushed off the Iron Throne by Robert Baratheon immediately before the events seen in Game of Thrones. 

"Burn them all" he is said to have spent hours saying before Jamie Lannister killed him. Could he have been referring to the white walkers he knew were coming? Aerys was also known to have had a keen interest in wildfire, with Tyrion using the silo he created to defend King's Landing during The Battle of the Blackwater. With no dragons alive during his reign, it makes sense that Aerys would have been interested in finding another way of fighting the wights he knew were coming.

With Alicent Hightower (played by Olivia Cooke) seen charging at Princess Rhaenyra during a trailer for the show (below) it's clear we haven't seen the last of the weapon yet and who knows what other secrets it's keeping. 

What does the future hold for the Catspaw Dagger? 

With two books still to come in his A Song of Fire and Ice series of novels — Winds of Winter and A Dream of Spring — it's possible that George R. R. Martin has added the prophecy to the show as part of a grand plan. 

The author, who has been a consultant on House of the Dragon has revealed his literary series won't end in the same way as the TV series — who can blame him? — so maybe he's laying the foundations for the end of the saga. Let's just hope he has time to finish it! 

What do The House of the Dragon showrunners say about the Catspaw Dagger? 

Ryan Condal has described the Catspaw dagger as "connective tissue to the original Game of Thrones series."

"There's gonna be a lot of linkage in terms of places you go and buildings you see," he told EW. "That's 200 years before the original show. So there's gonna be a ton of shared imagery."

"It's a line to walk in terms of things that you bring back from the original show and pass in a different way. I think that it's important to have connective tissue there to show people that it is the same world and history reflects on objects and the cast of people and sigils as we move on down through time without it becoming too self-referential."

Condal also explained that the Targaryen's ability to produce Valyrian steel was lost during the Doom of Valyria, so the dagger would be an extremely precious commodity in both House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones. 

"It's a technology that doesn't exist anymore. Their blades are not made anew," he explains. "So all the Valyrian steel is a fixed number of assets in the world. Even in a time when Targaryens are in power, they themselves as Targaryens are not able to make Valyrian steel. So they're going to take care of it. So it's believable that something that did exist in the original show would've existed here, perhaps in a slightly different packaging."

How was the Catspaw Dagger made?

In an interview with the Game of Thrones studio tour in Northern Ireland (where the original Catspaw Dagger is currently on display alongside costumes and other props from the show) the series' weapon master, Tommy Dunne, revealed his inspiration behind the making of the storied weapon.

"The only brief I was given for the Catspaw Dagger was that the 'opulence' had to be there and that it needed to have a Targaryen look and feel to it", he said, adding that seeing it reappear in House of the Dragon was a "very proud moment" for him. 

"For me, it joins up the two worlds. I am proud of all the equipment and weapons made for Game of Thrones. It's great that fans can watch the world of Westeros on screen, whilst also delving behind the scenes of the making of this world at Game of Thrones Studio Tour.”

New House of the Dragon episodes air every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max in the US and on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK.

Paddy Considine got the shock of his life when he was offered the role of King Viserys I in House of the Dragon, but it's certainly not an opportunity he was going to pass up. 

The Targaryen ruler, the British star — whose previous credits include Peaky Blinders and Hot Fuzz — finds himself at the center of a bitter family dispute that triggers the downfall of one of Westeros' most powerful dynasties. 

Yet when HBO first contacted him about being in the highly-anticipated 10-part Game of Thrones spin-off, he almost rejected it out of hand as he didn't realize what a large part he'd been offered.

'I've been offered parts in big projects in the past and been very excited,' he says. 'But then I read the scripts and I'm only in a couple of scenes. I don't take them because I'm not prepared to sign my life away to stand in the background. 

'So when they asked me to play Viserys I was expecting to another one of those, but when I read it I realised it wasn't. My first question was: "Who's turned this down?" but no one had and I was the first actor to be cast in the show, which was really flattering. Oddly enough, I felt like I'd been waiting for a part like this to come along because I loved Viserys immediately.'  

With no son and heir to secure his legacy, Viserys' reign is soon engulfed by a succession crisis as his volatile younger brother, Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) and his teenage daughter Princess Rhynaera (Milly Alcock and later Emma D'Arcy) jostle for position.

Rhynaera is a more suitable candidate, but she would be the first woman in history to ascend the Iron Throne and Viserys knows overturning centuries of history could plunge the Targaryen dynasty into turmoil.

'People say he's a good man and a good man can't be a good king, but I think that's a bit derivative,' explains Paddy. 'He’s a good man and he wants to be a peaceful King, so he's perceived as weak or not doing his job, but just because he’s a good man, doesn’t mean he’s not a wise man. In reality, he has a lot of weight on his shoulders.

'As I play a character during a long shoot, you start to bring elements of yourself into it and it used to secretly annoy me that people perceived him as being weak and vulnerable because he's not. It made me a bit angry. That was something that struck a chord in Paddy, not Viserys, I'm not f*****g weak. I'll show you that. I'm not weak. I can't cut your head off. But I'm going to show you that I'm not weak."

House of the Dragon airs on Sundays on HBO in the US and on Mondays on Sky TV in the UK.

More House of the Dragon

• Meet the House of the Dragon cast: who's who in the Game of Thrones prequel series
• Can I watch House of the Dragon without watching Game of Thrones?
• House of the Dragon viewers are thrilled to be back in Westeros once again
• Who is The Crabfeeder in House of the Dragon?
• House of the Dragon: the Catspaw dagger prophecy explained
• Who plays Prince Daemon's wife in House of the Dragon?

NOTE: This article contains spoilers for House of the Dragon

Throughout the first season of House of the Dragon, one of the main sources of drama in the show is Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith). Members of King Viserys' (Paddy Considine) court do not believe he is suitable to serve as Viserys' heir apparent for many reasons, including his violent tendencies as the Commander of the City Watch.

Another reason is his reluctance to spend time with his wife. But who is Prince Daemon's wife? And who will play her in House of the Dragon? Here's what we know so far.

Who is Daemon Targaryen's wife?

Prince Daemon's estranged wife is Lady Rhea Royce. She's also known as Lady Rhea of the Vale and resides at Runestone, House Royce's castle in the Vale of Arryn. 

Their marriage was meant to strengthen the bonds between House Targaryen and House Royce, but the pair quickly developed a dislike for one another and, as such, do not spend much time together. 

During a small council meeting in the opening episode, the Hand of the King, Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), mentions that Daemon has not been home to his wife for some time. Daemon responds by calling Rhea a "bronze b***h" and claims that she's bound to be happier with him staying in King's Landing.

Despite being challenged for his comments, Daemon continues to insult Rhea during the meeting and even offers her up to Otto as his own wife to help "warm his bed," mocking the fact that Otto's wife had passed away recently. 

In episode 2, Daemon causes Viserys and the rest of court headaches when he claims that he is taking Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) as a second wife, though the planned marriage is all a setup by Daemon; Mysaria wasn't even let in on the scheme.

Episode 4 takes place years after the first few episodes, but Daemon's feelings for Lady Rhea Royce have not softened. When referring to the prospect of children with her, he calls her inhospitable. Daemon also makes another move to add a new wife, suggesting to King Viserys that he be allowed to marry Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock), his niece, as a second wife. Though gross (to audiences and King Viserys alike), marriage between such close relations was a tradition of House Targaryen in the fantasy world's lore. Daemon is denied this request for Rhaenyra.

Then in episode 5, Daemon returns to the Vale and for the first time we meet Lady Rhea in person. However, we only get to know her for a short time, as Daemon startles her horse, who rears and then lands on Lady Rhea, killing her.

Who is playing Rhea Royce?

Playing Lady Rhea Royce is Shadow and Bone star Rachel Redford. Redford played Fruszi in the Netflix fantasy series and is also known for appearances in The Riot Club and Gap Year. 

New episodes of House of the Dragon air weekly on HBO on Sundays at 9 pm ET/PT in the US and on Mondays on Sky at 9 pm UK. Previous episodes are available to stream on HBO Max, Sky TV and NOW. 

• Meet the cast of House of the Dragon
• What is House of the Dragon based on?
• Can I watch House of the Dragon without watching Game of Thrones?

 *This article contains spoilers for the first two episodes of House of the Dragon*

As it turns out, Daemon Targaryen isn’t the only threat to the stability of Westeros, as the second episode of House of the Dragon introduced us to one of our looming bad guys: The Crabfeeder. 

This ruthless new threat was namechecked in the first episode, but we got our first glimpse at him (and what he does to his victims) in episode 2. As if Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) didn't pose enough of a threat to the stability of the Targaryen dynasty, now they've got to contend with this mysterious new figure.

Who is The Crabfeeder? And who plays him in the Game of Thrones prequel? Read on to get the lowdown on the newest House of the Dragon baddie. 

Who is The Crabfeeder?

Craghas “Crabfeeder” Drahar is first mentioned by name by Lord Corlys Velaryon in a small council meeting in the season premiere. Craghas is a Prince-Admiral from Myr (one of the Free Cities), and he's seized the Stepstones— a series of islands that lie between Westeros and Essos— with his army, the Triarchy, which is an alliance that has been formed amongst several of the Free Cities.

Why's he called the Crabfeeder? Well, that's because his enemies meet a rather gruesome fate. Instead of killing them, Craghas has taken to restraining and leaving his foes on the beaches, where they're eaten by the hordes of crabs.

Lord Corlys worries that the Triarchy are growing in power, though his calls for support go unanswered by King Viserys. Even though they're removing the threat of piracy on the Narrow Sea, seizing the Stepstones means the Triarchy are expanding their territory. At present, they sit in an uneasy alliance with Westeros, one that is being stretched even further by the high tolls he's enforcing on Westeros' ships.

By episode 2, (set six months later), we learned Corlys' fears had come true, as The Sea Snake revealed one of the ships attacked by Craghas’ crew was flying his own banner, yet Viserys still refused to send aid as he does not want to go to war with the Free Cities.

The Crabfeeder looks like he'll play a bigger role in the third episode. With Viserys still refusing to combat the rising threat (and after he snubbed his daughter in favor of marrying Alicent Hightower), Lord Corlys stormed off to seek out Daemon Targaryen's help at the end of episode 2, and the pair can be seen in the preview for episode 3 taking the fight right to Craghas together in what looks set to be an epic battle scene.

Who plays The Crabfeeder?

British actor Daniel Scott-Smith plays Craghas Drahar in the Game of Thrones prequel. 

Aside from appearing on stage also showed up in Men in Black: International, and is due to appear in the upcoming UK Prime Video original, Jungle. 

House of the Dragon airs Sundays at 9 pm ET on HBO and on Mondays at 9 pm on Sky Atlantic in the UK. You can catch up with the season so far on HBO Max and NOW.

Dragons will continue to reign on TV, as House of the Dragon has been officially picked up for a second season. HBO announced the news that House of the Dragon season 2 is on its way less than a week after the Game of Thrones prequel series premiered to the largest audience for any new original series in the cable networks history.

House of the Dragon takes place about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and is based on George R. R. Martin’s book, Fire & Blood, which details the family history of House Targaryen (Daenerys Targaryen’s ancestors). Specifically, the show is said to cover an era in Game of Thrones history known as "The Dance of the Dragons."

The House of the Dragon cast features Matt Smith, Paddy Considine, Emm D’Arcy, Milly Alcock, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Olivia Cooke, Fabien Frankel and Sonoya Mizuno.

What to Watch's House of the Dragon episode 1 review called the new series a return to form for the popular TV franchise. The premiere was watched by nearly 10 million people on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, August 21, Deadline reported. Since its original airdate the show was been watched by more than 20 million viewers across HBO platforms. 

The series airs on Sky Atlantic in the UK where it also set records, per Variety, with nearly a million people watching the simultaneous airing at 2 am UK time; total viewing numbers for Monday, August 22, reached 1.39 million when including the primetime broadcast of House of the Dragon. These numbers resulted in the biggest drama debut ever on Sky Atlantic, besting Game of Thrones.

Executive Vice President of HBO Programming, Francesca Orsi, said this about the renewal: "We are beyond proud of what the entire House of the Dragon team has accomplished with season one. Our phenomenal cast and crew undertook a massive challenge and exceeded all expectations, delivering a show that has already established itself as must-see-TV. 

"A huge thank you to George [R. R. Martin], Ryan [ Condal] and Miguel [Sapochnik] for leading us on this journey. We couldn’t be more excited to continue bringing to life the epic saga of House Targaryen with season two."

House of the Dragon is aiming to run for three to four seasons, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The quick renewal for the show means that it is well on its way to being able to tell its complete story.

As far as when House of the Dragon season 2 may come, unsurprisingly there were no details on that. Though our earliest guess would be a year from now — late summer/early fall 2023 (takes a lot of work to get those dragons camera ready.)

House of the Dragon season 1 episode 2 premieres on Sunday, August 28/Monday, August 29, with new episodes releasing weekly. With a 10 episode season, the House of the Dragon season 1 finale should air on October 23 for US audiences, October 24 for UK.

More on House of the Dragon

• Can I watch House of the Dragon without watching Game of Thrones?
• Matt Smith's House of the Dragon character is like Prince Phillip
• Who is Daemon Targaryen's wife?

At long last, House of the Dragon has taken flight; judging by the initial reactions to the new Game of Thrones prequel, it seems HBO have hit the mark once again.

*there are spoilers ahead for House of the Dragon episode one*

Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the series transports us to a period of Westeros' history where House Targaryen are at the height of their power following Aegon's conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. 

The Targaryen rule the lands (and the skies) with their dragon companions, though all is not right at court: there are growing concerns over King Viserys's (Paddy Considine) successor. His closest male heir is his brother, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), though some fear he's not suitable for the Iron Throne. 

The other option is Viserys' daughter, Rhaenyra (played by Milly Alcock), but there are members of Viserys' court who aren't sure that Westeros is ready for its first queen...

Given how poorly the ending of the original HBO series was received by viewers, the stakes were very high indeed for the first of many planned Game of Thrones spin-offs. Luckily, it seems that everyone is excited for more from House of the Dragon.

In our House of the Dragon episode one review, we called the season premiere "a fire-scorched return to form", and it seems the viewers at home were just as excited by what we've seen so far. 

Talking about the show online, one viewer wrote: "One episode in and I'm absolutely and completely OBSESSED with House of the Dragon".

Another called it a "great start to the season" and said "it really feels like Game of Thrones is back" whilst praising the creative teams across the board.

A third added: "I'm thrilled to say that I thought the #HouseOfTheDragon premiere was fantastic. The entire cast was INCREDIBLE. Shoutout to Milly Alcock, Matt Smith & Paddy Considine in particular. Loved the rich character moments. A truly devastating & moving opener".

There were plenty more fans who were full of praise for the series' opener, too.

What happened in House of the Dragon episode one?

In episode one, we're introduced to the main faces in the Targaryen dynasty around 170 years prior to the birth of Danaerys Targaryen.

There's King Viserys, who currently occupies the Iron Throne, his brother Daemon, ruthless Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing, Princess Rhaenyra, Viserys' daughter, and his cousin, the "Queen That Never Was", Rhaenys.

Whilst he has no son, Daemon is next in line for the Throne, though his behavior leads many of Viserys' Council members to believe he would not be suitable for the throne. 

Aemma, Viserys' wife, is due to give birth once again, though the couple has endured multiple failed pregnancies, and she doesn't wish to experience another if their latest child doesn't survive. 

Viserys is called away from a jousting tournament to her chambers, where he is asked to choose between the mother and baby's lives. He opts to save his would-be heir, though the baby dies shortly after the emergency operation.

Viserys is barely given time to grieve before the Council summons him to discuss his successor. Otto Hightower puts the case forward that a new heir should be named instead of Daemon, though others do not support the notion of naming Rhaenyra.

After Daemon is overheard celebrating the death of Viserys' son, Viserys reveals he intends to name Rhaenyra as his new successor, much to Daemon's anger. He reveals to Rhaenyra that Aegon foresaw the Great Winter in his dream and that there needed to be a Targaryen on the Throne to unite the realm when it arrived; then, he has her sworn in as his heir in front of the other leaders of the Houses of Westeros.

House of the Dragon continues Sunday at 9 pm on HBO and HBO Max in the US and Mondays at 9 pm on Sky TV and NOW in the UK.

NOTE: This review contains spoilers for House of the Dragon episode 1.

It’s been over three years since one of the greatest sagas in the history of TV came to a climax in a hail of dragon fire and online fury. 

Yet while the Game of Thrones finale was rightly maligned for its clunky plotting, a disappointing ending could never obscure the legacy of a fantasy show that truly changed the way we look at television. After all, sometimes it’s all about the journey rather than the destination. 

In its heyday, the HBO saga was appointment viewing — miss it at your peril. Fans will be delighted to hear House of the Dragon takes us right back to those early seasons when Westeros felt fresh, dangerous and unpredictable. 

Full of vivid characters, destructive rivalries and some terrifying tastes of the spectacular action to come, the first episode of this new prequel spin-off is a return to form for the monstrous franchise. 

Set 170 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the origin tale traces the dramatic fall of the Targaryen dynasty. It begins in Kings’ Landing with the family at the height of their power. Rather than the warring clans we’re so used to, this is a time when one family has absolute power, like Roman Emperors looking out at a dark world from a shining metropolis. 

When the original show began all those years ago and Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) gazed across the narrow sea and spoke of her family’s claim to the Iron Throne, we can’t help but feel this was the halcyon gilded past she was harking back to.

With 17 dragons at his back — the equivalent of owning all the world’s nuclear warheads — King Viserys’ (Paddy Considine) grip on power is secure, yet he knows that without a son and heir, the future of his legacy is uncertain. However, Viserys knows the only threat to the Targaryen dynasty comes from within, not without.

When tragedy strikes and his baby boy dies in a moving Sophie’s Choice moment, we also get an early glimpse of Viserys as a good man with compassion in his heart, who is also determined to preserve the Targaryen dynasty at any cost. It’s a great scene from Considine, which suggests that a good man can be a good king — a running debate throughout the series. 

Good king or not, Viserys is now at the center of a fully-blown succession crisis. Will he pick his ambitious and volatile younger brother Prince Daemon (played with relish by Matt Smith, of Doctor Who and The Crown fame) or will he plump for his teenage daughter Rhaenyra (rising Australian star Milly Alcock)?  

As far as the viewers are concerned, Daemon laid his cards on the table when he set off on a blood-soaked rampage through Flea Bottom at the start of the episode, hacking off the hands, heads and various other parts along the way. Yet characters such as him are two-a-penny in George R. R. Martin’s brutal world and we’ve certainly seen — or will see — far worse on the Iron Throne. Joffrey, we’re looking at you...

One man who certainly doesn’t trust him is Ser Otto Hightower. Hand of the King, he's a machiavellian operator played with simmering intent by Rhys Ifans of Notting Hill fame. We’ll be sure to keep an eye on him and his daughter Allicent (Olivia Cooke) as the series goes on.  

But despite Daemon’s shortcomings, Viserys’ daughter has a trait that disturbs the small council far more than a few maimed beggars. She’s a woman. No female has ever sat upon the Iron Throne before, so naming her as his heir could risk sowing the seeds of Targaryen destruction.  

It’s only a few decades since the Targaryens found themselves in a similar predicament, with Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best) — or The Queen Who Never Was — being passed over for her cousin Viserys, despite having a better claim to the throne and being more suited to life as a monarch. 

Whether the King wanted to correct the mistake made all those years ago or he finally sees his younger brother for the viper he is, he opts for Rhaenyra and another one of the series’ main themes is set in motion. 

George R. R. Martin’s works have been branded as misogynistic and while there’s no shortage of that here, choosing this story, in which Rhaenyra and others challenge the patriarchy, feels apt. Confronting those attitudes within the world of Westeros feels like a fitting retort. 

We also get an interesting glimpse of Daemon and Rhaenyra's relationship, which will be pushed to the limit in the weeks to come as the uncle and niece line their dragons up against each other. We’re expecting some Cuban Missile Crisis vibes, except that these two are more than ready to push the nuclear button. We definitely sense Daemon would burn Westeros to the ground, so long as he could survey the ashes from the Iron Throne. Maybe Rhaenyra too, as the story unfolds. 

Indeed the triangular tug-of-war that runs between Viserys, Daemon and Rhaenyra is what this show will ultimately be built around and the focus on one family, rather than a sprawling mass of warring clans, is a real strength. Game of Thrones became bloated with storylines by the end of its run, inadvertently causing the saga to crash under its own weight. This looks set to be a leaner and equally mean offering. Prepare for plenty of fire and fury.

New House of the Dragon episodes air every Sunday on HBO and HBO Max in the US and on Sky Atlantic and NOW TV in the UK.

More on House of the Dragon

• Meet the House of the Dragon cast
• What is House of the Dragon based on?
• Matt Smith: 'My House of the Dragon character is like Prince Phillip'

At long last, we'll soon be able to watch House of the Dragon and revisit the world of Game of Thrones in this new prequel series.

Set 200 years before the events of the original HBO series, House of the Dragon is the first of the planned Game of Thrones spin-offs and delves into the history of one of George R.R. Martin's most infamous families: House Targaryen.

This story takes place during the height of Targaryen's reign over Westeros and transports us back to a time when they sat on the Iron Throne, and their dragons still ruled the skies. Although they wield great power, trouble begins to brew for the Targaryen dynasty when King Viserys threatens to name a new, female heir to the throne.

Here's how to watch House of the Dragon so you're ready to get sucked back into the world of Westeros all over again and see the drama unfold.

How to watch House of the Dragon in the US

House of the Dragon finally gets underway on Sunday, August 21 at 9 pm on HBO. New episodes will air weekly, following the same schedule, with the season 1 finale planned to air on October 23.

Thankfully, that means you have a range of options for watching the show. The network is available on cable packages, but if you've cut the cord, you can add it to a range of over-the-top streaming services like Hulu, YouTube TV, and Sling TV.

Of course, as the series is airing on HBO, this also means you'll be able to stream the series on HBO Max (though you'll still be waiting for each episode to air, you won't be able to binge House of the Dragon until all 10 episodes have aired).

There are two plans available for HBO Max: the basic plan costs $9.99 a month and will let you watch House of the Dragon, but it will include ads and you won't be able to download episodes or watch them in 4K resolution.

To remove ads and stream in 4K, you'll need to opt for the ad-free plan, which costs $14.99 a month.

How to watch House of the Dragon in the UK

UK Thrones fans will find House of the Dragon in the same place as the original series, as the show premieres on Sky TV on Sky Atlantic on Monday, August 22 at 9 pm and will air weekly at the same time, in the same place, just one day after the show first airs across the pond. 

There are a range of options for Sky TV packages to suit anyone's needs, all with different channel selections and optional extras like including Paramount Plus or Sky Sports so you can watch Formula 1 or the Premier League. You can always find the latest Sky TV deals over on the Sky.com website.

House of the Dragon will also be available to stream on NOW with a NOW Entertainment Membership, which costs just £9.99 a month.

How to watch House of the Dragon in other regions

As it's such a huge new show, House of the Dragon is airing all over the world. For example, the series will be made available to stream on Disney Hotstar in India at the same time as it airs on HBO, and it will be streaming on Neon in New Zealand.

King Aegon — or Aegon the Conqueror — is a name steeped in legend for Game of Thrones fans and they'll be delighted to hear he could get his own spin-off series. 

Showrunner Ryan Condal has taken us back through the history of Westeros in House of the Dragon, which charts how the Targaryen dynasty first began to crumble, and he hopes to take us even further!

King Aegon became the founder and first king of the Targaryen dynasty after leaving Dragonstone and conquering Westeros. He is famous for uniting six of the seven kingdoms — excluding Dorne — with fearsome dragons Vhagar, Meraxes and Balerion, the greatest Targaryen dragon who ever lived and the largest since the fall of Valyria. 

Yet while Condal is keen to share his story, he felt it was important to explain how the Targaryen family fell from power first...

"Aegon's is definitely an interesting story, but I didn't feel like it was the first story to tell," says Condal. "Aegon's conquest is really about a man with three dragons conquering a kingdom that has no dragons. So there certainly is an inherent conflict and dramatic story to be told there, but it I think you need to build greater context around it to understand what's at stake."

Set 170 years before the events of Game of Thrones, this year's House of the Dragon tells the story of the Targaryen dynasty and how its fall from power began with a succession crisis during the reign of King Viserys.

"I would love to go back and tell Aegon's story at some point, but the reason we went with House of the Dragon is because the story has great resonance with Game of Thrones," explains Condal. "The reason the Targaryen dynasty fell apart began with with this tale. When you see Daenrys looking across the Narrow Sea and the first episode of the original series, this is the great shining memory that she's thinking of."

House of the Dragon begins on Sunday 21 August on HBO in the US & on Monday 22 August on Sky Atlantic in the UK.

The world of Westeros, which fans came to know so well with Game of Thrones, is back with the all-new series, House of the Dragon. George R. R. Martin’s fantasy world was taken from pages to TV screens and has become a prominent figure in pop culture. Though many were introduced to Martin’s work through the show, others had an introduction to it through his A Song of Ice and Fire books. That begs the question, is House of the Dragon based on any of Martin’s other work?

Long-time fans may be weary of that question because of what happened with the ending of Game of Thrones. The TV series began in 2011, just a few months ahead of when Martin released the fifth book in the series, A Dance With Dragons. The first five seasons covered the first five books, but then the show began to move ahead of Martin’s writings with its final three (the author still hasn’t released the sixth book in the franchise). 

That’s where complaints began to creep in from fans that the writers, while having a broad outline and a few key moments of Martin’s intentions, began to lose control of the intricate plot and sow doubt about the show without the heavy guide of Martin’s source material.

So, does House of the Dragon have a source that serves as a playbook for an adaptation or is this an example of the writers set loose to play in the sandbox of Westeros with endless possibilities at their disposal? Well, in a way, both are true. Let us explain.

What is House of the Dragon based on?

Though George R. R. Martin hasn’t finished book six in the A Song of Ice and Fire series, The Winds of Winter, he certainly hasn’t been avoiding the world of Westeros in his writing. In 2018 he wrote a book called Fire & Blood; it is this writing that serves as the inspiration for House of the Dragon.

Many fans recognize Fire & Blood as the words of House Targaryen. Fittingly, Fire & Blood is a history of the legendary family that ruled the Seven Kingdoms for hundreds of years. It starts with the first Targaryen to come to Westeros, Aegon the Conqueror, who forged the Iron Throne, and chronicles the family's reign until a civil war that nearly destroyed their dynasty known as the "Dance of the Dragons." It is this latter event, the Dance of the Dragons, that House of the Dragon is expected to portray. 

George R. R. Martin has admitted though that those who have read Fire & Blood are likely to find some differences with how things play out in House of the Dragon.

"Sure, there are some changes from Fire & Blood — we could not present three alternative versions of every major event, not and keep our sanity — but I think Ryan Condal [the showrunner] and his writers made good choices. Even some improvements," Martin wrote on his blog.

However, the author stressed that "it IS my story," meaning House of the Dragon isn’t going to go off and change the ending to what Martin has already written.

But that doesn’t mean the show won’t be able to expand on Martin’s story. Fire & Blood is 736 pages long, which would be the second shortest among his A Song of Ice and Fire books, and it covers hundreds of years of Targaryen history before it gets to the Dance of the Dragons. So the show is going to have the opportunity to expand on the story that Martin has laid out in ways that could surprise even those who eagerly read everything he writes.

House of the Dragon cliff notes

While it’s always a joy to read Martin’s writing and Fire & Blood is easily available if you want a bit of backstory for House of the Dragon before you start watching it on TV, the author recently gave a brief history lesson on the key events and players leading up to the start of House of the Dragon. Give it a watch below: 

House of the Dragon premieres on Sunday, August 21, at 9 pm ET/PT on HBO and is available to stream simultaneously on HBO Max. For UK audiences, the show debuts on Sky TV on Monday, August 22. 

House Of The Dragon has one of the most enviable tasks in television history: following Game Of Thrones. 

Despite the lukewarm response to Game Of Thrones’ eighth and final season, anticipation is still exceedingly high for HBO’s return to Westeros. Which is exactly as it should be, because Game Of Thrones was one of the smartest, most action-packed, immersive, and shocking television shows ever made. More than that, it was also populated with memorable characters that you just fell more and more in love with over the course of each season. 

House Of The Dragon, though, will introduce television fans to a whole new ensemble of characters and actors. This includes Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Steve Toussaint, Emma D’Arcy, Graham McTavish, Bill Paterson, and Rhys Ifans.

There have been some major changes behind the camera, too. Ryan J Condal has been brought in as the writer and executive producer of House Of The Dragon, which he co-created with George R. R. Martin. For those of you who are unaware, Martin is the genius novelist behind the epic fantasy series A Song Of Ice And Fire, which was adapted into Game Of Thrones. 

But what if you’re still yet to finish or even start Game Of Thrones? Can you still watch House Of The Dragon? This leads us to the burning question...

Can I watch House of the Dragon without watching Game of Thrones?

Yes. While they’re both set in Westeros, House Of The Dragon unfolds during a different time period to Game Of Thrones. But it should be pointed out that if you have watched Game Of Thrones you’re almost certainly going to have a deeper understanding of the narrative, and get the many, many references that will probably be littered through the show. 

Condal has already been teasing that House Of The Dragon will have a slightly different structure to Game Of Thrones.  During his interview with The Hollywood Reporter back in July, Condal revealed that, partway through this batch of episodes, House Of The Dragon will move ten years into the future. 

"This is how you tell this story correctly. We’re telling a story of a generational war," said Condal. "We set everything up so by the time that first sword stroke falls, you understand all the players."

During the same interview, Martin added that House Of The Dragon will be “powerful,” “visceral,” and “dark,” while he even went as far as to compare it to a “Shakespearean tragedy.” 

When it comes to exactly when House Of The Dragon is set, there’s another question that has been on the mind of Game Of Thrones fans …

Is House Of The Dragon a prequel? 

House Of The Dragon is indeed a prequel. In fact, it is set two hundred years before Game Of Thrones. It will tell the story of how Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), and Prince Aegon Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) start a Civil War to take over the throne as King Viserys I Targaryen (Paddy Considine) nears the end of his reign. 

It’s not just the Targaryens that become embroiled in this fight, though. Several other houses, including the Hightowers, Velaryons, and even the Starks, soon get involved and pick sides. Those who have seen Game Of Thrones will be fully aware that this will probably include plenty of back-stabbing and treachery, as each family looks to move their way into even stronger positions of power. 

Since Game Of Thrones was based on Martin’s previous novels — along with the two which we are still waiting on — you might be wondering whether House Of The Dragon is from similar source material …

Is House Of The Dragon based on a book? 

Technically, yes, House Of The Dragon is based on a book. That novel is Fire And Blood, written by Martin and released in 2018. House Of The Dragon will reportedly cover the last third of the book. 

Fire And Blood tells the story of House Targaryen’s rise and fall. Known as The Dance Of The Dragons, this is regarded as one of the most brutal time periods in the history of Westeros. 

However, Fire And Blood isn’t quite the same as Martin’s A Song Of Ice And Fire series. Unlike the former series, Fire And Blood is essentially a fake history book, told from the point of view of a Maester that is trying to piece together the 150 years of Targaryen kings. This style gives the House Of The Dragon’s crew a lot more leeway to tell the story in their own way.

 We’ll finally start to see how they plan on doing just that when the first of House Of The Dragon premieres on HBO on August 21, 2022, with the UK premiere following on Sky TV's Sky Atlantic and NOW on Monday, August 22.

House of the Dragon won't be the first time Matt Smith has played a prince and the British star says he's spotted a few similarities between Daemon Targaryen and another famous royal he's portrayed on screen. 

Smith played Prince Philip for two series in hit Netflix show The Crown, but he'll have his eyes fixed on a very different throne when HBO's Game of Thrones spin-off gets underway this month. 

Based upon George RR Martin's novel, "Fire and Blood", the 10-part series is set 170 years before the original show, during a time when the Targaryen family were at the height of their power as the rulers of Westeros. 

Yet with no son and heir, King Viserys (Paddy Considine) must choose a successor from his ambitious and volatile younger brother, Prince Daemon, and his daughter Princess Rhynaera (Milly Alcock) — who would be the first woman to ascend the Iron Throne. 

"Prince Daemon is a very complex character, which is one of the reasons why I was drawn to him," says House of the Dragon star Matt Smith. "He's not black and white and at any point, you never really know what he's going to think. He’s ambitious and ruthless, but he’s also loyal and has a set of values that he sticks to, they’re just different to other people’s values!" 

Daemon is hungry for power, but constantly finds himself being pushed out of the spotlight. It's a feeling Smith, who famously played a young Prince Philip opposite Claire Foy's Queen Elizabeth in the first two seasons of The Crown, recognises. 

"Both characters are princes, they're both blonde and they're both mavericks to a certain degree," he explains. "Playing someone from history comes with pressure, but you've got a whole load of source material, although there's a lot of source material for Prince Daemon too. Both characters allowed for a lot of scope and both have an energy of defiance about them, which is again, quite similar!" 

One major difference between the two characters is Daemon's choice in pets, with his dragon Caraxes a far-cry from the corgis that pad around Buckingham Palace, not that Matt treated them any differently. 

"Daemon’s dragon is cantankerous, moody and difficult, but he’s also very loyal, so he’s a bit like Daemon I suppose," he explains. 'It’s a bit like having a mad, rabid and very dangerous dog. I treated my dragon in the show like I treat my dog, with love and familiarity!" 

Yet while House of the Dragon might be set nearly two centuries before the events of Game of Thrones, Smith says fans of that iconic show will be right at home with this new spin-off. 

"The world of House of Dragon feels familiar, but I think it’s very original," he says. '"The series is filled with deceit, backstabbing, war, love, lust, passion and rage, so all the stuff that made Game of Thrones interesting is there, plus some brilliant new characters. Our story is slightly different in that it’s focused on one family, while Game of Thrones spanned all of George RR Martin’s world."

House of the Dragon begins on Sunday 21 August on HBO in the US & on Monday 22 August on Sky Atlantic in the UK.

Loved Game of Thrones and now you're wondering what to watch before House of the Dragon arrives on your screens?

It’s now more than ten years since Game of Thrones first hit our screens and thrilled us with political intrigue, epic battles, dysfunctional families — and some rather explicit romances.

While the first spin-off, House of the Dragon, is almost here, it might feel like it's just not coming quickly enough.

So, let’s take a deep dive into some other shows that might fill the gap while we wait. We’ve tracked down shows featuring magical world-building, brutal wars and a few political rivalries, to find the shows to watch after Game of Thrones.

So, prepare yourself for battle and check out our list…

Our guide to what to watch while you wait for House of the Dragon

Vikings

Okay, there aren't any dragons in this one, but there are sweeping vistas of faraway lands (well, as far as Greenland), epic battles, and a driving thirst for power, all of which might just scratch your Game Of Thrones itch. 

Based on the real-life Viking chieftain Ragnar Lothbrok (Travis Fimmel, Raised By Wolves) and his crew, Vikings takes us through the raid on England, his rise to Scandinavian King and follows his sons to Iceland, the Mediterranean, and North America. It's one of the best TV shows with Vikings around.

Spanning several years, and splashing out on a couple of good battle scenes every season, it has that Game Of Thrones epic feeling. If you were squeamish at some of the bloodier scenes in HBO's fantasy saga though, make sure you have a cushion ready to hide behind; these Vikings take no prisoners when it comes to revenge.

Number of seasons: 6
Episodes: 89
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Where to watch: Prime Video

Britannia

It’s A.D. 43 and the Roman Imperial Army headed by Aulus Plautius (David Morrisey, The Walking Dead) has returned to Britain for a second go at conquering the country. This time, they find themselves up against wild warrior women and mysterious druids who can channel sinister supernatural forces. 

Two Celtic warriors — Kerra (Kelly Reilly) and Antedia (Zoe Wanamaker) — once arch-rivals, are forced to band together to save their country from the Roman invaders. Britannia was created by award-winning playwright Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem) alongside his brother Tom and has a more heightened tone, with plots that are more sorcery-heavy than some of the other, grittier dramas on this list.

This one falls under the "ludicrous but fun" category, although it doesn't shy away from the blood and gore of its rivals! Sit back and enjoy the ride.

Number of seasons: 3
Episodes: 27
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Where to watch: US, Prime Video | UK, Sky TV

Rome

While many big, bold shows have tried to emulate Game of Throne’s success, this series, which kicked off in 2005, had us gripped with political intrigue, bloody battles, and explicit sex scenes long before we’d ever heard of Westeros. Rome, unsurprisingly, follows Rome’s transition from republic to empire. 

In the show, we meet the rulers and see many of the historical events, much of it through the eyes of two ordinary soldiers, Lucius Vorenus (Kevin McKidd) and Titus Pullo (Ray Stevenson). 

Rome was one of the most expensive TV shows ever produced, with a large-scale recreation of ancient Rome and a starry cast that featured some future Game of Thrones stars including Ciarán Hinds, Tobias Menzies, and Indira Varma. Sadly, its cost meant the drama was brought to an end after just two seasons, but it nevertheless proved there was a public appetite for this kind of epic drama.

Number of seasons: 2
Episodes: 22
Average episode length: 60 minutes
Where to watch: US, HBO Max | UK, Sky

Outlander

If you enjoyed Game of Thrones's tortured couples, then Outlander might float your boat. This series follows World War II nurse Claire Randall (Catriona Balfe) as she is transported back to 1793 via some mystical stones, where she falls for Highland warrior, Jamie Fraser (Sam Heughan). 

At first, Claire finds herself embroiled in the Jacobite rebellion, but the show skips between time periods including wartime England and the American Revolution. Claire and Jamie are separated and reunited over the years, while wars, betrayals, sexual indiscretions, and pregnancies keep the drama bubbling along. 

Overall, Outlander offers a more romantic take on things compared to Game of Thrones' brutal approach. A seventh season is on the way.

Number of seasons: 6
Episodes: 67
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Where to watch: US: Starz | UK: StarzPlay (via Prime Video Channels)

Shadow and Bone

Like Game of Thrones, this one is based on a series of hit fantasy novels by Leigh Bardugo. Bardugo's young-adult "Grishaverse" introduces the viewer to a new (and slightly complicated) world. 

Alina Starkov (Jessie Mei Li) is a young, orphaned soldier who discovers she is a Grisha, a group with supernatural powers. However, her gift is unique and could help reunite her split world ­­but she’s thrown into a world of political and magical intrigue, unsure who to trust. 

While reviews were mixed, the series has plenty of the elements we’re looking for: a large ensemble cast, various locations across an epic world, as well as some great action sequences. With only eight episodes to binge, it’s definitely worth a punt.

Number of seasons: 1
Episodes: 8
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Where to watch: Netflix

The Tudors

This show stars Natalie Dormer — better known as Margaery Tyrell by Game of Thrones fans — but there's much more than just one actress to keep you entertained. 

Dormer plays Anne Boleyn, one of Henry VIII’s infamous six wives. Jonathan Rhys Meyers (Vikings) plays King Henry himself.  The Tudors follows his political and spousal troubles. If the royal family intrigue was your thing in Game of Thrones, this is well worth a look. 

While critics claimed it took a soap opera approach to history, over telling historical accuracies and highlighting broader societal issues, The Tudors is still a bold, provocative watch.

Number of seasons: 4
Episodes: 28
Average episode length: 47 minutes
Where to watch: US: Showtime | UK: All 4 (Channel 4's streaming platform)

Merlin

If you want something to fill your Game of Thrones gap, but that's also something you can watch with the rest of the family, try taking a trip to Camelot. 

This BBC series is a prequel to the Arthurian legend we all know and follows a young Merlin (Colin Morgan) and Prince Arthur (Bradley James) in their early years. Great news: there’s a dragon under the castle. Not such good news: as Merlin was designed for a family audience, it features fewer swords and more sorcery. Game Of Thrones-style gory deaths and battles are out. 

However, it’s full of intrigue, adventure, and romance, and manages to tell an epic story featuring a great range of characters across five seasons.

Number of seasons: 5
Episodes: 65
Average episode length: 45 minutes
Where to watch: US: Netflix | UK: BBC iPlayer

The Wheel of Time

The Wheel of Time is, like Game of Thrones, based on a huge series of novels by a beloved fantasy author. This time, it's Robert Jordan's smash-hit Wheel of Time. Want to get ahead of the series? Find out how to read The Wheel of Time books in order.

In this Amazon Original series, powerful magic-wielding member of the all-female group the Aes Sedai, Moiraine Damodred (Rosamund Pike) and her Warder, Lan (Daniel Henney) set out in search of The Dragon Reborn — the reincarnation of a legendary hero who is prophesied to stand against an evil entity known as the Dark One.

The pair set out for Two Rivers, recruiting a group of four youngsters from the village who could all fit the bill in order to bring them to safety in the White Tower. As you might expect, this does not go at all smoothly, as the Dark One's forces already plague the land. 

The series is full of shock twists, hideous monsters, loads of lore and plenty of compelling characters. If you're a fantasy TV fan, The Wheel of Time might just be perfect for filling the Game of Thrones void.

Number of seasons: 1
Episodes: 10
Average episode length: 55 minutes
Where to watch: Prime Video

Game of Thrones

We're cheating slightly here, but why not do it all again? 

There are eight seasons and 73 episodes, so unless you’re an uber-dedicated fan and have already watched every season multiple times, you can’t possibly remember every single thing that happened in Game of Thrones. So, why not go back to the start? 

You won’t get the thrill of the shock deaths and the many dramatic twists, but there’s a different pleasure to be taken from watching the drama unfold knowing exactly what will happen next. It's a perfect opportunity to brush up before House of the Dragon, plus the ending didn’t universally unite fans...maybe it’s time to reassess the whole thing and give it a second chance?

Number of seasons: 8
Episodes: 73
Average episode length: 50 minutes
Where to watch: US, HBO Max | UK, Sky and NOW TV

Whether it will be the last hurrah for a show that we all love or the possibility of discovering a brand new one that will become a favorite, these are the new TV shows for 2022 that we have our eyes on.

We’ve broken them down by release date, with those we’re still waiting to hear when they’re going to launch grouped together as "coming soon." Read on to see what you might be adding to your ever-growing watch list.

January

black-ish final season

When to watch: the finale episode of black-ish has aired.
Where to watch: ABC; ABC.com or Hulu on-demand, the next day. When black-ish season 8 arrives in the U.K., it is likely to be available to stream on Disney Plus.
Why you should watch: the Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis-Ross-led black-ish is giving its curtain call. The long-running sitcom set out to tell the story of a black family working to establish a sense of cultural identity in a predominantly white, upper-middle-class neighborhood. It has done so with many memorable episodes that dealt with tough but important issues. Willing to bet there will be a few more as they close out this eighth season.

Euphoria season 2

When to watch: season has concluded
Where to watch: HBO; streaming on HBO Max anytime. Airing on Sky and Now in the UK
Why you should watch: the teen drama starring Zendaya (who won an Emmy for her performance), was an instant hit when its first season premiered in 2019, depicting the life for a group of high schoolers as they grapple with drugs, sex and violence.  Now, after a long wait, fans can finally pick back up with the characters from East Highland with season 2.

This Is Us final season

When to watch: the This Is Us series finale has aired.
Where to watch: Peacock or Hulu on-demand. Streaming on Prime Video and Disney Plus in the UK
Why you should watch: This Is Us, with its fantastic ensemble and tear-inducing moments, is coming to an end. Having told the story of the Pearson family in the past and present, This Is Us has been known to big audiences to tears (in a good way). Have the tissue box handy as the final episodes are sure to bring out all the feels.

How I Met Your Father

When to watch: All episodes are out in the US and UK.
Where to watch: Hulu in the US; Disney Plus in the UK.
Why you should watch: How I Met Your Mother was a beloved sitcom (despite fans not being overly pleased with the ending) from the late 2000s and early 2010s. How I Met Your Father looks to recapture that magic for a new audience with new characters but the same basic premise, this time telling the story of Sophie (Hilary Duff) and her close-knit group of friends as they figure out their personal and love lives in New York City.

Ozark final season

When to watch: all episodes of the final season are now available.
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: the Byrde family is back for one more season (if broken in to two parts). Ozark is about a financial advisor who is forced to move his family to the Missouri Ozarks to launder money for a drug bossAll the main cast of the Emmy-winning series — Jason Bateman, Laura Linney, Julia Garner — is back, and the stakes are higher than ever and not everyone may make it out alive.

The Gilded Age

When to watch: season has concluded
Where to watch: HBO; streaming on HBO Max. On Sky and Now in the UK
Why you should watch: Julian Fellowes, the creator of Downton Abbey, hopes to find similar success with this series set in late 19th century New York City and following as a young woman from a conservative family who attempts to infiltrate the world of a wealthy family. The Gilded Age stars the fantastic trio of Cynthia Nixon, Christine Baranski and Audra McDonald.

The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window

When to watch: premiered January 28
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: Kristen Bell helps send up the popular trend of mystery thrillers like The Girl on the Train and The Woman in the Window in this comedy miniseries. When a handsome neighbor moves in across the street, Anna a heartbroken, for whom, every day is the same, starts to see a light at the end of the tunnel. That is until she witnesses a gruesome murder. Or did she? This will be Bell’s most high profile TV role since The Good Place.

The Afterparty

When to watch: season has concluded
Where to watch: Apple TV Plus
Why you should watch: This comedy crime story revisits the scene of the crime at a high school reunion, with from different characters’ perspectives used to reexamine the case. Those characters are played by the likes of Tiffany Haddish, Dave Franco, Ilana Glazer, Sam Richardson, Zoë Chao, Ike Barinholtz, Ben Schwartz and Jamie Demetriou.

February

Pam & Tommy

When to watch: all episodes are now available
Where to watch: Hulu; Disney Plus in the UK
Why you should watch: while the hook into the Hulu miniseries Pam & Tommy is the story about how the infamous Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee sex tape was shared to the public, the series will look at the famous couple’s whole relationship. Lily James and Sebastian Stan star.

Suspicion

When to watch: all episodes are now available
Where to watch: Apple TV Plus
Why you should watch: Apple’s The Afterparty looks at the comedic side of the crime thriller, Suspicion is more of the traditional drama, following an American businesswoman (Uma Thurman) trying to find her kidnapped son and whose target falls on four seemingly ordinary British citizens. This could be the perfect kind of story to get swept up in when bundled inside this winter.

Inventing Anna

When to watch: all episodes are now available
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: Shonda Rhimes is one of the most prolific producers for TV right now, but Inventing Anna, based on the true story of a fake heiress that stole from New York’s elite, will be the first show she has written since Scandal premiered. Any fans of the Queen of TV should have this one marked on their calendar. Julia Garner and Anna Chlumsky star.

Bel-Air

When to watch: all episodes of season 1 are now available.
Where to watch: Peacock. Airing on Sky and Now in the UK
Why you should watch: Bel-Air is not just a reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air but an entire reimagining, as the story of the ‘90s sitcom is transformed into a modern-day drama, and the trailer certainly makes it look like they pulled the genre switch off. In case you need a reminder, Bel-Air tells the story of a Philadelphia kid who moves to the wealthy California neighborhood Bel-Air with his cousins after he gets into a brush with a gang. Newcomer Jabari Banks takes over Will Smith's role, who is also on board as an executive producer.

Law & Order

When to watch: season has conclucded
Where to watch: Peacock or Hulu on-demand
Why you should watch: after more than 11 years off the air, the original Law & Order is returning to NBC, with original series stars Sam Waterston and Anthony Anderson reprising their roles alongside some new cast members. The legendary procedural will once again depict the police and the prosecutors that deal with crime in New York City, with story often based on real events. With SVU and Organized Crime, Thursday will be Law & Order night on NBC.

Vikings: Valhalla

When to watch: All episodes are now available
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: a sequel series to the popular History Channel show Vikings, Vikings: Valhalla will take place 100 years later and depict the adventures of Leif Erikson, Freydis, Harald Hardrada and the Norman King William the Conqueror. The original Vikings was an epic, but just imagine how much bigger Vikings: Valhalla will be with Netflix footing the bill. The show was created by Die Hard and The Fugitive writer Jeb Stuart.

Peaky Blinders final season

When to watch: all episodes are now available in the US and UK
Where to watch: BBC/Netflix
Why you should watch: Peaky Blinders season 5 left off on a cliffhanger that has been driving fans of the series crazy for more than two years, but answers are finally coming as the early 20th century crime drama about the Shelby family heads into its final season. Created by Steven Knight, Peaky Blinders stars Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, the late Helen McCrory, Finn Cole, Natahsa O'Keefe, Sophie Rundle and Tom Hardy.

March

The Dropout

When to watch: All episodes are now available
Where to watch: Hulu in US, Disney Plus in UK
Why you should watch: Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes was found guilty of four federal offenses recently, and now you can learn more about her story with the Hulu original series The Dropout starring Amanda Seyfried. The series will chronicle Holmes' career as she drops out of college and tries to start a technology company to revolutionize the healthcare industry.

The Thing About Pam

When to watch: all episodes are now available
Where to watch: Peacock and Hulu on-demand
Why you should watch: two-time Oscar-winner Renée Zellweger stars in this broadcast drama series about the true 2011 murder case of Betsy Faria. The true story saw Ross Faria convicted of his wife Betsy's brutal murder, even though he insisted he did not kill her. The truth, however, ultimately lines with a woman named Pam Hupp (Zellweger). The Thing About Pam is the broadcast TV debut for Zellweger.

Atlanta season 3

When to watch: season 3 has concluded
Where to watch: FX and Hulu in US; Disney Plus in UK
Why you should watch: Atlanta is one of the most critically-acclaimed shows since it debuted in 2016, which has made the nearly four-year wait since its season 2 finale that much harder for fans. But the wait is finally over as Atlanta season 3 is coming and will find Earn, Paper Boi, Darius and Van in Europe.

Halo

When to watch: season 1 has concluded
Where to watch: Paramount Plus
Why you should watch: the popular video games series is getting the TV treatment in what should be a massive space adventure, as viewers will be transported to the distant future where humanity is fighting off an alien invasion. Pablo Schreiber, Natascha McElhone, Yerin Ah and Bookem Woodbine headline the cast, while fans of video game are sure to be thrilled that Jen Taylor is reprising the voice of Cortana from the games.

Bridgerton season 2

When to watch: all episodes are now available
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: Bridgerton set the TV world on fire when it debuted in the winter of 2020, showcasing the wealth, lust and betrayal of the Bridgerton family in Regency-era England. Though season 1 star Regé-Jean Page will not be in this new season, anticipation is palpable for the drama to pick up once again and introduces a new character, Kate Sharma, played by Simone Ashley. Season 1 stars Phoebe Dynevor and Jonathan Bailey are set to return.

Moon Knight

When to watch: all episodes are now available
Where to watch: Disney Plus
Why you should watch: the Marvel series on Disney Plus have been a whole lot of fun as they expand the Marvel universe in exciting ways. In Moon Knight, we get introduced to a brand new hero who will be played by Oscar Isaac. The show is about a former US marine who is given the powers of an Egyptian moon god, but he soon realizes this powers are both a gift and a curse. Ethan Hawke also stars. 

Julia

When to watch: season 1 has concluded
Where to watch: HBO Max; Sky Atlantic and Now TV in the UK
Why you should watch: Julia Childs is one of the most famous cooking personalities ever, and her life’s story and how she helped introduce French cooking to America is the subject of this new HBO Max original series. Sarah Lancashire (Happy Valley, Everybody's Talking About Jamie) stars as Julia Child alongside David Hyde Pierce (Fraiser) as Paul Child.

April

The First Lady

When to watch: all episodes are now available
Where to watch: available on Paramount Plus in the US and UK.
Why you should watch: there have been plenty of TV shows and movies about some of our most influential presidents, but now their better halves are getting the spotlight in The First Lady. Depicted in this anthology series will be Michelle Obama (Viola Davis), Laura Bush (Kathleen Garrett), Nancy Reagan (Kylie Delre), Betty Ford (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Eleanor Roosevely (Gillian Anderson).

Better Call Saul final season

When to watch: part 1 episodes have aired, part 2 begins on July 11
Where to watch: AMC/AMC Plus. Netflix in the UK. Past seasons of Better Call Saul are on Netflix in both US and UK.
Why you should watch: the Breaking Bad spinoff has earned legions of fans in its own right as it tells the origin story of slimeball lawyer Saul Goodman (nee Jimmy McGill), played by Bob Odenkirk. The journey for a character that was almost a caricature in Breaking Bad has been surprisingly tragic and poetic. The story will come to the end with this final season, which consists of 13 episodes airing in two parts.

Gaslit

When to watch: all episodes are available
Where to watch: Starz and Starplayz
Why you should watch: Julia Roberts, Sean Penn, Dan Stevens, Patton Oswalt and more star in this look at the untold stories and forgotten characters of the Watergate scandal that brought down President Richard Nixon. Even 50 years on Watergate remains one of the most interesting points in American history filled with entertaining tidbits, enough for two shows (see below).

The Shining Girls

When to watch: all episodes now available
Where to watch: Apple TV Plus
Why you should watch: this sci-fi crime series sees a serial killer in 1930s Chicago discover a time-traveling device — you can imagine the mess that will follow... Phillipa Soo, Amy Brenneman, Jamie Bell and Elisabeth Moss star in the series based on the novel by Lauren Beukes.

May

Conversation With Friends

When to watch: all episodes now available
Where to watch: Hulu in the US; BBC Three in the UK
Why you should watch: Normal People, an adaptation of the Sally Rooney novel, swept up viewers in 2020. Now the author’s debut novel, Conversations with Friends, is also making its way to TV. This story follows two Dublin college students and the strange connection they forge with a married couple, with Joe Alwyn, Jemima Kirke, Sasha Lane and Alison Oliver on board to lead the series.

Obi-Wan Kenobi

When to watch: all episodes now available
Where to watch: Disney Plus
Why you should watch: Ewan McGregor reprises his role of Obi-Wan Kenobi in this new Star Wars original series that takes place between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope, when the Jedi master exiled himself to Tatooine. Can this prove to be as big a hit as The Mandalorian? It will certainly help that, in addition to McGregor, Hayden Christensen will return as Darth Vader, with additional cast including Joel Edgerton, Kumail Nanjiani, Moses Ingram, Rupert Friend and Benny Safdie.

Stranger Things season 4

When to watch: all episodes now available
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: Stranger Things is one of the biggest TV shows of recent memory, as it blends fantastic sci-fi and horror thrills with a boat load of '80s pop culture nostalgia. Having seen the young cast grow up as they battle the mysterious forces of the Upside Down, this upcoming season — the series' penultimate — is sure to be the biggest one yet.

The Time Traveler's Wife

When to watch: all episodes now available
Where to watch: HBO; streaming on HBO Max. Sky and Now TV in the UK.
Why you should watch: The Time Traveler’s Wife was previously made into a movie in 2009, but it didn’t receive the warmest of receptions. This TV adaptation will give fans of Audrey Niffenegger’s novel another chance to see the love story between a woman and a man who has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel play out. Rose Leslie and Theo James are playing the central couple this time. 

June

Ms. Marvel

When to watch: currently airing
Where to watch: Disney Plus
Why you should watch: another entry into Disney Plus’ Marvel originals is Ms. Marvel, which will introduce the titular hero, Marvel’s first Muslim superhero, played by newcomer Iman Vellani. This will be the first appearance of the polymorphus superhero, but the show could very well lead into The Marvels, the Captain Marvel sequel, in which Vellani's character is set to appear.

Queer as Folk

When to watch: all episodes are now available
Where to watch: Peacock
Why you should watch: Based on the UK series of the same name from 1999, this is the second US adaptation of Queer as Folk, which will focus on a group of club-going friends who find support in the gay community following a tragedy. This new series stars Devin Way, Fin Argusand, Jesse James Keitel, with Juliette Lewis, Kim Cattrall and Ed Begley Jr. as recurring characters.

August

The Sandman

When to watch: August 5
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: Based on Neil Gaiman’s popular DC Comics character, The Sandman has been in development for a long time but is finally making its way to fans, with Tom Sturridge leading an impressive cast that includes David Thewlis, Patton Oswalt, Gwendoline Christie and Stephen Fry. The story centers on Dream, the personification of dreams, as he escapes a decades long imprisonment and sets out to reclaim his lost equipment.

House of the Dragon

When to watch: August 21 in the US, August 22 in UK.
Where to watch: HBO; streaming on HBO Max; Sky and Now TV in the UK.
Why you should watch: the first Game of Thrones spinoff will look to remind fans what they loved about the original epic series (George R.R. Martin has given his early vote of confidence). The series takes place a few hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones and puts the Targaryen front and center. Matt Smith, Paddy Considine and Olivia Cooke headline the new series.

She-Hulk

When to watch: August 22
Where to watch: Disney Plus
Why you should watch: Mark Ruffalo won’t be the only one who gets angry in the MCU anymore — Tatiana Maslany joins the expanded universe as Jennifer Walters, also known as She-Hulk. Ruffalo will also star in the original series, which will be the first Hulk stand-alone project from Marvel since The Incredible Hulk in 2008.

September

Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power

When to watch: September 2
Where to watch: Prime Video
Why you should watch: The Lord of the Rings comes to TV, as this premiere season — reportedly the most expensive TV season ever made — will transport viewers to the second age of Middle Earth, a time period never before shown on screen, as a new evil is emerging. The Lord of the Rings movies (and of course the original books) are absolutely beloved, and fans will once again get the delight to see J.R.R. Tolkien's world manifest on screen in a new and exciting story.

Coming Soon

His Dark Materials final season

When to watch: TBD
Where to watch: HBO; streaming on HBO Max. BBC One has aired previous seasons of His Dark Materials in the U.K.
Why you should watch: HBO’s fantasy series His Dark Materials, based on the series of books by Philip Pullman, is ready for its final season. The books tell the story of a young girl destined to liberate the world from a group that represses people's ties to magic. This season is based on the third book in Pullman's series, The Amber Spyglass. Dafne Keen, Amir Wilson, Ruth Wilson, Simone Kirby, Ruta Gedmintas, Will Keen and James McAvoy are all  returning. It is sure to be an epic conclusion. 

Interview with the Vampire

When to watch: Fall 2022
Where to watch: AMC and streaming on AMC Plus.
Why you should watch: Based on Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles series (previously a movie starring Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise and Kirsten Dunst), Interview with the Vampire sees vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac tell his life story on how he became a vampire. Game of Thrones star Jacob Anderson will star as Louis, while Sam Reid (Belle, The Newsreader) will star as his vampire companion Lestat.

Monarch

When to watch: premieres September 11
Where to watch: Fox. No details on a UK premiere yet.
Why you should watch: Susan Sarandon and Anna Friel lead the cast for this country music drama that is reminiscent of another Fox hit series, the long-running Empire. Monarch tells the story of the Romans family, who have created a country music dynasty. But when their reign is put in jeopardy, who will step up to protect the family? Originally set for a Jan. 30 premiere, Monarch has been pushed to the fall because of COVID-related production delays.

Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story

When to watch: TBD
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: For whatever reason, we as a viewing culture are obsessed with true crime stories and this year we’ll be getting one of the biggest of them all in the story of Jeffrey Dahmer. Ryan Murphy (Glee, American Crime Story) is behind the series, with Evan Peters (Mare of Easttown, WandaVision) on board as Dahmer.

Wednesday

When to watch: TBD
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: So many enjoy their time with the Addams family, but this new series will focus primarily on Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) during her formative school years. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán also star as Morticia and Gomez Addams, while Tim Burton is directing.

The White House Plumbers

When to watch: TBD
Where to watch: HBO; streaming on HBO Max. Sky and Now TV in the U.K.
Why you should watch: The second Watergate-themed series expected in 2022, The White House Plumbers tells the story of E. Howard Hunt and G. Gordon Liddy and how their missteps destroyed the presidency they were trying to protect. Woody Harrelson, Justin Theroux, Lena Headey and Kathleen Turner are set to star.

The Witcher: Blood Origin

When to watch: TBD
Where to watch: Netflix
Why you should watch: The Witcher has proven to be a big hit for Netflix, and now the streamer is expanding the world of the show. The prequel series, which is being written by The Witcher scribe Declan De Bara, will tell the origins of the very first witcher and stars Michelle Yeoh.

Move over Starks vs Lannisters, there’s a new rivalry in town — House of the Dragon and Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. The two highly anticipated 2022 TV shows from two of the biggest fantasy franchises of all time were already likely to be compared to each other, but with the announcement of House of the Dragon’s premiere date, things just got ratcheted up to 11. 

House of the Dragon has officially been given an August 21 release date on HBO and HBO Max in the US and August 22 on Sky Atlantic and Now TV in the UK. That is just 12 days before Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is set to premiere on Prime Video, September 2. So not only will people be able to make their case for which of the series are better just based on their opinions, but we could have actual data as to which one has more viewers.

House of the Dragon is a Game of Thrones prequel series. The story is set 200 years before the events of the Game of Thrones and, as the title suggests, focuses on the story of House Targaryen, Daenerys’ (Emilia Clarke) ancestors. The series stars Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke, Emma D’Arcy, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Fabien Frankel and Rhys Ifans. Check out the teaser trailer for House of the Dragon right here:

Premiering more than three years after the Game of Thrones series finale, we’ll see if fans are ready to head back to Westeros after the final season of the much-loved show drew lots of criticism for feeling rushed and making what felt like odd choices after they no longer had George R.R. Martin’s books to guide them. For what it’s worth, Martin has weighed in on what he’s seen from House of the Dragon so far, writing on his blog, "what I’ve seen, I have loved."

Meanwhile, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is the first time Middle Earth will be getting its own TV show. The show will also be a prequel to Peter Jackson’s beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy (though Jackson is not involved in the TV show), taking place thousands of years before those stories, but featuring familiar characters like Galadriel and Elrond. See what’s in store with its teaser trailer: 

The debut season of House of the Dragon will feature 10 episodes, while The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will have eight. So, if we go under the assumption that one episode will debut per week for each show, there will be eight weeks where both shows will have new episodes, and the season finales will arrive on Friday, October 21, for The Rings of Power and Sunday, October 23, for House of the Dragon.

Fall TV viewing just got that much more epic. Can’t wait.

With 2021 just days away from wrapping up, HBO is getting ready for its 2022 slate of content that it will have on both its traditional cable channel and the HBO Max streaming service. They’re doing so with a special preview trailer that features fresh or first look footage at shows like Westworld, the Game of Thrones prequel series House of the Dragon, Peacemaker, The Flight Attendant, The Gilded Age, and more.

HBO has long been the home of some of the most prestigious shows on TV. Just in 2021 the cable network has had hits with Mare of Easttown, Succession season 3, The White Lotus, Landscapers, Curb Your Enthusiasm season 11 and the final season of Insecure. Plus, HBO Max added a number of its own original series that grabbed viewers’ attention, including Hacks, And Just Like That …, a Gossip Girl reboot and Station Eleven.

Things aren’t slowing down in 2022 one bit, as the preview trailer showcases a number of high profile shows set to return for new seasons and brand new shows waiting to entertain viewers; in addition, the trailer highlights new movies that will be coming to HBO and HBO Max, including a number of HBO Max exclusive movies.

Here’s a breakdown the returning shows HBO/HBO Max will have in 2022: A Black Lady Sketch Show season 3, Barry season 3, Euphoria season 2, The Flight Attendant season 2, Gossip Girl season 2 (HBO Max original), Hacks season 2 (HBO Max original), His Dark Materials season 3, Legendary season 3 (HBO Max original), The Nevers season 1 new episodes, Raised by Wolves season 2 (HBO Max original), The Righteous Gemstones season 2, Sesame Street new season (HBO Max original), Westworld season 4.

Here’s a complete list of the new HBO and HBO Max shows for 2022 showcased in the trailer: DMZ (HBO Max limited series), The Gilded Age, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai (HBO Max original), Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts (HBO Max special), House of the Dragon, Julia (HBO Max original), Love & Death (HBO Max original), Our Flag Means Death (HBO Max original), Peacemaker (HBO Max original), Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin (HBO Max original), The Staircase (HBO Max limited series), The Time Traveler’s Wife, We Own This City (limited series), The White House Plumbers (limited series), Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

It’s not all just TV shows though, HBO will also be adding some high-profile movies to its library, including Free Guy, The Last Duel and F9: The Fast Saga. This is in addition to a slate of HBO Max original movies coming in 2022, including a Father of the Bride remake with Andy Garcia, the new Steven Soderbergh movie KIMI, The Fallout, Scoob: Holiday Haunt, House Party, and Moonshot. 

See them all in the HBO 2022 preview trailer:

All of these new and returning shows and movies can be watched on the HBO Max streaming service. Should also be noted that there is not going to be any restriction on content for subscribers to either the $9.99 per month or $14.99 per month HBO Max plans, just that the $9.99 version will feature ads while the $14.99 version is ad-free. Should be noted for U.K. viewers, many of these shows are likely to air on Sky and the NOW streaming service.

HBO appears intent on getting its Game of Thrones prequel series out before the final book in the GoT series is finally finished. And to that end, it's released the first images from House of the Dragon. The series, based on the 2018 George R.R. Martin  novel Fire & Blood, tells the story of the Targaryen family some 300 years before our first journey to the Seven Kingdoms.

The series very much will have the look and feel as Game of Thrones as we came to know and love (and occasionally loathe), as evidenced by the first three pictures released.

The include images of Steve Toussaint (It's a Sin, Pine Gap) as Lord Corlys Velaryon, who is known as "The Sea Snake." House Velaryon is as old as House Targaryen, and Corlys is "the most famed nautical adventurer in the history of Westeros." The house claims the largest navy in the world, and is even more rich than the Lannisters.

There's also a look at Rhys Ifans (Elementary, Berlin Station) as Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King who seeks to protect the realm from the king's brother, Daemon. With him is Olivia Cooke (Ready Player One, Sound of Metal) as Otto's daughter, Alicent, the most beautiful woman in Westeros. She grew up in the Red Keep and is close to the king and his innermost circle.

And finally there's a shot of Emma D'Arcy as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen, the first-born child, dragonrider and of pure Valyrian blood. She's got everything, if only she weren't a woman, apparently. And with her is Matt Smith (Doctor Who, The Crown) as Prince Daemon Targaryen, brother to King Viserys, a fierce warrior and dragonrider himself. 

House of the Dragon is in production now. It'll premiere sometime in 2022 on HBO and HBO Max.

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Almost two years after the Game of Thrones finale, the show is finally reentering the public consciousness. For at least six years, Game of Thrones was the touchstone of pop-culture: a multi-Emmy winning series that ruled Twitter feeds and could be discussed with anyone from your best friends to your not-so-media-inclined relatives. But after a major drop off in quality and its awful final season, Game of Thrones basically disappeared from the pop culture landscape. After loudly airing their grievances, fans seemed content to let the show fade into the past. Behind the scenes, HBO is a lot less willing to let the property go quietly.

In the past year, HBO has floated more sequels, prequels and spin-offs than one can reasonably keep track of. Among them is a scrapped project starring Naomi Watts. Tentatively titled Blood Moon, the studio produced a pilot before officially cancelling production in 2019. This proves that while HBO is definitely serious about pursuing these projects, it's unlikely they will all make it to series.

More recently, The Hollywood Reporter detailed author George R.R. Martin’s eight figure deal with HBO to continue bringing his stories to life. In addition to executive producing the projects, Martin is working closely with the writers. Over the past few years, Martin has insisted that these shows be called “successors” rather than “spin-offs” — hinting at how much distance they will have from the flagship series that preceded them.

Keeping that in mind, here is everything we know so far about the many Game of Thrones spin-offs.

House Of The Dragon

First on the list — the only show that has been officially ordered to series. As you can guess, House of the Dragon follows House Targaryen, long before the reign of Queen Daenerys. Set 300 years before the events of Game of Thrones, the story will likely lead up to the famed Dance of the Dragons, also known as the Targaryen civil war. 

Based on Martin’s latest book, Fire and Blood, this story promises to marry political strife and fiery action much like the original series. Book readers know from experience that the Dance of Dragons was a dark and bloody period in Targaryen history, pitting both family and dragons against one another.

Scheduled to begin filming this month, the House of the Dragon stars Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen (who Daenerys' brother and dragon were named after) and Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen (his younger brother and heir to the throne). Alongside them is Emma D’Arcy as dragonrider Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Olivia Cooke as the clever Alicent Hightower. Other cast members include Eve Best, Steve Toussaint, Sonoya Mizuno and Rhys Ifans.

The series will be helmed by co-showrunners Ryan Condal (Colony) and Game of Thrones alum Miguel Sapochnick, who directed some of the show's most beloved episodes, including ‘Hardhome’ and ‘Battle of the Bastards.’ Given what we know so far, it's safe to assume this show will be closest to Game of Thrones in tone, leaving room for more experimentation from the other spin-offs. 

The first season is 10 episodes long and expected to premiere in 2022.

Tales of Dunk and Egg

Based on Martin’s popular novellas, this series follows the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg, a disguised Targaryen who would later before King Aegon V Targaryen. Taking place 90 years before the main series, the show would follow their travels across the country, tracing their many chivalrous deeds.

Among Game of Thrones fans, this is likely one of the most anticipated successors. The three novellas Martin has penned, The Hedge Knight, The Sworn Sword and The Mystery Knight offer source material to directly translate to screen. Since it's widely agreed that Game of Thrones was at its best when adapting Martin’s words, this may be a chance for history to repeat itself. 

Dunk and Eggs’s stories also offer the possibility of fun in the world of Westeros. Their many antics include famed tourneys and legendary battles. Plus, there’s a chance for the story of Dunk and Egg to directly tie into the events of Game of Thrones. We may be greeted by familiar characters or (more likely) their ancestors. 

This show is still in the early stages of development and beyond the source material, much is left unknown.

Nymeria / 10,000 Ships

In the very first episode of Game of Thrones, Direwolf pups are found near Winterfell. Quite perfectly, there’s one wolf for each Stark child. Arya famously names her pup after the legendary warrior Queen Nymeria, a major inspiration to the future assassin.

Queen Nymeria ruled over the Rhyonar people, who lived in city-states along the Rhoyne River. Attacked by the Valyrian Freehold (the origin empire of House Targaryen) and on the verge of defeat, the queen ordered her people onto all 10,000 of her ships. It took much wandering, but they eventually found a new home in Dorne. The show's working title, ‘10,000 Ships’ indicates that the series will center around this journey.

The Rhoynish migration took place thousands of years before the events of Game of Thrones, making this story the oldest of the potential successors. Still, this exploration of Dorne connects to the main series in an unexpected way.

The Dorne plotline, which focused on House Martell, is considered one of the shows early failures. The messy storyline was especially painful given the way Pedro Pascal’s Oberyn Martell became an instant fan favorite. Returning to Dorne through the epic tale of Queen Nymeria would mean more than a brief excursion: here, the franchise has a chance to fully explore the potential of Sunspear and the fascinating Dornish culture.

9 Voyages / Sea Snake

From Rome creator Bruno Heller, this project follows Lord Corlys Velaryon aka the Sea Snake. Though he is set to appear in House of the Dragon, portrayed by Steve Toussaint, this series would give him the space to really shine.

Lord Corlys’ life has been documented in Martin’s Fire and Blood, where he is heralded as the greatest seafarer the Seven Kingdoms have ever known. He is said to be as adventurous as he is ambitious, promising an epic journey all the way through. Best known for his nine great voyages to Essos, Corlys filled his ship with gold and treasures before adding 14 more ships to his fleet along the way. The wealth he accumulated served him well into old age (but it helps that he later married Princess Rhaenys Targaryen). With what little we know, it's safe to assume Lord Corlys Velaryon’s life is chock full of legendary adventures. 

So far, Toussaint’s casting means this is the only Game of Thrones project with a person of color in the lead role. 

Flea Bottom

As the name suggests, this series will be set in the winding slums of Kings Landing (Westeros’ capital city). Fans will remember this as the birthplace of Ser Davos Seaworth and the bastard Gendry Baratheon.

Again, little is known about the story or plot details but there is plenty of inspiration to be drawn from Martin’s books. Given Flea Bottom's location, the show will likely include a royal presence, yet it offers a look at those the main series had a penchant for ignoring.

There was much debate surrounding the people of King's Landing and their perspective on rulers, especially during the final episodes of Game of Thrones. Whether or not this story takes place around the time of Queen Daenerys or even King Robert is to be seen; regardless, Flea Bottom can finally delve into these unanswered questions. What does life in Westeros look like when you aren’t lucky enough to be a lord, a lady or even just a name in a prominent family?

Untitled Game of Thrones Animated Series

Little is known about the Game of Thrones animated project; to date, no details have been shared about the story, setting or characters. This project is very much in the early stages of development yet the tone of the show promises to capture Game of Thrones and match its violent darkness.

Animation presents fascinating possibilities for just how experimental this project could be. Some speculation indicates the show will have an anthology style, allowing the story to span beyond Westeros and even across different eras. Given that Martin and his collaborators have produced encyclopedic amounts of writing on the world of Fire and Ice, there’s no shortage of material to make this possible. 

Without the constraints of the CGI budget that so often plagued the early seasons of Game of Thrones, we may get a chance at even more intense action.

Bonus: West End Play

Remember Coldplay’s Game of Thrones musical from 2015? It was a 12 minute long special that poked fun at the idea of adapting Game of Thrones for the stage. Well, it appears we’ve come full circle because George R.R. Martin is currently developing a stage play based on  his books.

The story is set during The Great Tourney at Harrenhal, a pivotal moment in Westeros history that ultimately leads to the events of Game of Thrones. Though no characters have yet been confirmed, given the story as told in the books, this play may mark the return of many beloved characters. Among them are Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon and the Lannister twins, Cersei and Jaime. This would also provide the rare appearance of Jon Snow’s parents (spoiler alert?) Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen.