HBO's ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2 will have 2 episodes less than Season 1

Rhaenyra Targaryen’s dragons will get less flying time in 'House of the Dragon‘s Season 2
PUBLISHED MAR 29, 2023
Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen and Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in 'House of the Dragon' (HBO)
Matt Smith as Prince Daemon Targaryen and Milly Alcock as Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen in 'House of the Dragon' (HBO)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: It is not unknown that HBO's 'House of the Dragon' is one of the most expensive and watched series on the channel. However, many tried to pit it again the post-apocalyptic series, 'The Last of Us' featuring Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, but fans stayed loyal to the fantasy drama. 'House of the Dragon‘s first season ended with an episode that found Rhaenyra giving birth to a stillborn daughter, getting crowned queen, and learning that her middle son, Lucerys, had been killed by Aemond Targaryen and his dragon. Afterward, showrunner Ryan Condal said that the show would no longer skip around in the history of Westeros or recast the main characters. The first season has an ensemble cast that featured Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Rhys Ifans, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Sonoya Mizuno, Fabien Frankel, Milly Alcock, Emily Carey, Graham McTavish, Matthew Needham, Jefferson Hall, Olivia Cooke, and Harry Collett. However, we are unsure if Considine will be seen this season as the creators showed his character Viserys' death in the first season. A proud moment for Condal was when the series won the Golden Globe Award for Best Television Series – Drama this year in January.

RELATED ARTICLES

'House of the Dragon': Showrunner Ryan Condal teases what to expect from Season 2

'Game of Thrones' star Charles Dance says show became wildly succesful thanks to HBO

From 10 episodes to 8

The 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 episode count has been revealed and some fans will be disappointed as the second installment of the 'Game of Thrones' prequel. As per a report from Deadline, which notes that it will likely premiere in the summer of 2024, the 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 episode count sits at eight episodes long. That is two episodes less than the first season, which was ten episodes long. Originally, it was set to be a 10-episode arc, although due to some script rewrites it was trimmed down to just eight. While Warner Bros. has become notorious for cost-cutting measures lately, this is said to purely be a creative decision due to the story structure. Not much is known about the upcoming season, although it has been said that more dragons will be featured.

'House of the Dragon' stole hearts

The first season received highly positive reviews, with praise for its character development, visual effects, writing, score by Ramin Djawadi, and performances (particularly Considine, Smith, D'Arcy, Alcock, and Cooke). However, the pacing, specifically of the time jumps, and the dark lighting of some scenes were criticized. The series premiere was watched by over 10 million viewers across the linear channels and HBO Max on the first day, the biggest in HBO's history. Nevertheless, let's be hopeful that the shortened season is part of a longer plan that includes the possibility of an early Season 3 renewal.

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

ABC suddenly changed 'The Rookie' schedule, shifting the hit drama from Tuesday nights as Season 8 continues with no breaks ahead
10 minutes ago
'The Last of Us' Season 2 ended on a cliffhanger, leaving Ellie's fate hanging in the balance
2 hours ago
The trailer of the third chapter packs quite a hit as it sees Dunk look at the tourney action unravel.
15 hours ago
The series is based on Belgian novelist Jef Geeraerts' De Zaak Alzheimer (The Alzheimer Case)
15 hours ago
A wildly popular dragon series announced in 2021 is inching toward the screen, and its success could change fantasy TV’s future.
22 hours ago
The finale of ‘The Night Manager’ Season 2 is close, the tension is high, and the ending may not be as final, and we have an update on the new season.
1 day ago
The series, a sequel to 'Young Sheldon' has officially been renewed for season 3
2 days ago
Fortnite released its first teaser ahead of the confirmed and official collaboration with the hit series
2 days ago
Kayce Dutton’s quiet ending doesn’t last as loss, danger, and unfinished business pull him back into Montana’s darkest corners.
2 days ago
A fan-favorite makes a surprise return to Grey Sloan, pulling Amelia back into the action as medical tensions rise fast.
3 days ago