Two years after its epic first season, the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon returns for Season 2, and it's getting rave reviews.
The epic fantasy series is set nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and 100 years after House Targaryen conquered all Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.
The second season debuts Sunday, June 16 at 9 PM ET on HBO, with critics giving the season an impressive 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The first wave of reviews started coming in on Thursday, with just two "rotten" reviews of the 22 that were posted.
Those who have praised the show have done so for its gripping storytelling and monumental action that fans will see this season.
Two years after its epic first season, the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon returns for Season 2 , and it's getting rave reviews
The epic fantasy series is set nearly 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and 100 years after House Targaryen conquered all Seven Kingdoms of Westeros
The first season set the stage for the drama to come, centering on two young women - Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alco*ck) and her best friend Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey).
Rhaenyra was the daughter of King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) and Alicent the daughter of his Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans).
The first season primarily dealt with the succession of the Iron Throne as King Viserys fell ill, with a big time jump that saw Emma D'Arcy joining as the adult Rhaenyra and Olivia Cooke as the adult Alicent.
The season ended in quite the shocking manner - with the brutal death of one of Rhaenyra's sons - which set the stage for the Civil War between the Targaryen's and the Hightower's that would follow between what has been dubbed Alicent's 'Team Green' and Rhaenyra's 'Team Black.'
Empire's Dan Jolin praised showrunner Ryan Condal (who showran Season 1 with Miguel Sapochnik, who bowed out at the end of Season 1) for streamlining the show.
'Season 2... is more chronologically focused, less fidgety with its actors, and has its eye on the world (and the social strata) beyond the highborn Targaryen court,' he said.
While the first season practically exclusively focused on House Targaryen, Season 2 introduces characters in Winterfell - home to House Stark - and other 'smallfolk' who live under the rule of the House of the Dragon.
The Telegraph's Ed Power calls Season 2 a, 'soaring, roaring blockbuster to rival anything in the cinema.'
The first season primarily dealt with the succession of the Iron Throne as King Viserys fell ill, with a big time jump that saw Emma D'Arcy (above) joining as the adult Rhaenyra and Olivia Cooke as the adult Alicent.
The season ended in quite the shocking manner - with the brutal death of one of Rhaenyra's sons - which set the stage for the Civil War between the Targaryen's and the Hightower's that would follow between what has been dubbed Alicent's 'Team Green' and Rhaenyra's 'Team Black.'
'Season 2... is more chronologically focused, less fidgety with its actors, and has its eye on the world (and the social strata) beyond the highborn Targaryen court,' he said.
'The "bigger, badder," battles are coming, but the House of the Dragon writers understand that while dragons are fun and all, they’re best used as an off-screen threat,' he said
Uproxx's Josh Kurp was admittedly worried that Season 2 would just try to up the action stakes even further but insisted that was not the case.'
'The "bigger, badder," battles are coming, but the House of the Dragon writers understand that while dragons are fun and all, they’re best used as an off-screen threat,' he said.
One of the two negative reviews was from Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall, who says the second season, 'repeats the same thrills - and mistakes - as Season 1.'
He added the show, 'still thinks confusion equals complexity, and that the spectacle of hot dragon-on-dragon action makes up for interchangeable characters.'
TV Guide's Liam Matthews admitted the new season, 'feels like less of a major event' when compared to the original Game of Thrones series.
However, he added, 'In its best moments, it's still the grandest TV available,' though he added while the show is not, 'stale' it's still, 'familiar.'
