Finally (or maybe it’s too soon?), the first Game of Thrones spinoff is upon us. House of the Dragon (which is already known as HotD by the internet) debuted on Sunday night, and people were… skeptical. Some were excited, yes, but there’s a certain amount of trepidation involved after how the flagship series ended. For that matter, the entire eighth season left people sour, given what the writers did to Daenerys Targaryen (the Khaleesi, the Unburnt Breaker of Chains, etc. etc.). She unleashed “Dracarys” all over King’s Landing, and now, viewers can visit this place afresh, as it stood over a century before the events of Game of Thrones.
Surprise, surprise, this spinoff is actually pretty darn good, at least when it comes to the handful of episodes screened for critics. We’ve got a ton of Targaryen wigs, obviously, but the pilot does a marvelous job of setting up the various players and houses (with the dragon riders obviously being the main focus). We got to meet Paddy Considine as King Viserys I and Matt Smith as the salty Prince Daemon, who’s already rather randy, and Matt Smith wasn’t joking about how he probably could have stood fewer sex scenes.
Of course, people love the dragons (which look bloody awesome), and they were definitely here for “the script” (meaning those fire-breathing beasts) Also, people were thinking a lot about Dany and how “Valyrian is their mother tongue.”
https://twitter.com/rebellegrrl/status/1561525446952591360
And now we’re getting to the character (Daemon) whose ambition and presumption that he’s getting that throne is, well, possibly wrong. But he has more going for him, including this “Tony Hawk” maneuver.
Daemon giving Tony Hawk a run for his money… #hotd #HouseOfTheDragonHBO #HouseoftheDragon pic.twitter.com/CXOw2GYaYY
— The Night King (@WightsKing) August 22, 2022
Yet then there was the first Daemon Targaryen sex scene, which put a confusing spin on the “HotD” moniker. Here we go, or not? As it turned out Daemon had a hard time focusing, or completing, or something. He was perhaps experiencing “an existential crisis while in the middle of an orgy.”
Daemon is absolutely relatable because dude can have an existential crisis while in the middle of an orgy. #HOTD
— Three Eyed Kraken (@Capt_Nowhere) August 22, 2022
His bedchamber companion even had to offer to bring someone else in to help. It wasn’t great! And Twitter went a little nuts over how Daemon’s a “lousy lay,” but they still somehow have the “HotD” for him. Yep, it wouldn’t be Westeros without a ton of sex!
Daemon can't finish…. #DragonsYall #HouseoftheDragon #HOTD pic.twitter.com/ADKgnFwAE4
— Black Girl Geeks (@BlackGirlGeeks) August 22, 2022
Oh Daemon’s got performance issues? Makes sense. #HOTD
— Jules Reincarnated (@Jules_SCXO) August 22, 2022
Daemon Targaryen in the first episode of #HotD pic.twitter.com/QR8x42XDsp
— hugeasmammoth.films (@hugeasmammoth_) August 22, 2022
And here goes the fucking. Wouldn’t be Game of Thrones without a whole heap of sex. #HouseoftheDragon #HouseOfTheDragonHBO #HOTD #DemDragons pic.twitter.com/JvGjk3VjLH
— The InFANdelity Podcast (@InFandelityPod) August 22, 2022
Daemon Targaryen is hot af #HOTD
— June Marbella (@_kimnamjune) August 21, 2022
Daemon is messsyyyy #HOTD
— 🐉Pisces King🐉 still celebrating my birthday! (@collegeking) August 22, 2022
https://twitter.com/itslenajune/status/1561531101176385536
“I don’t want to see DrWho’s a$$” might be the most perplexing tweet about Daemon, but I am giggling over it.
I don't want to see DrWho's a$$#HOTD
— Suzette M. (@Suzette11233) August 22, 2022
We’ll have much more House of the Dragon coverage for you soon. The spinoff airs on Sunday nights at 9:00pm EST.