The world of "Game of Thrones" returns to the Internet from HBO with a prequel set 200 years in the past. Instead of a world afraid of winter, we get to finally see the ancestors of popular "Game of Thrones" characters during the reign of the fiery dragon-riding Targaryens.

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I have to start this review by admitting this entire time I thought the show was called, "HOUSE OF DRAGONS" -- not "HOUSE OF THE DRAGON," which threw me off quite a bit because I like the way "House of Dragons" sounds.

For those unfamiliar with the world of "Game of Thrones," here is some quick info below:

Set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, Game of Thrones has a large ensemble cast and follows several story arcs throughout the course of the show. The first major arc concerns the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros through a web of political conflicts among the noble families either vying to claim the throne or fighting for independence from whoever sits on it. A second focuses on the last descendant of the realm's deposed ruling dynasty, who has been exiled to Essos and is plotting to return and reclaim the throne. The third follows the Night's Watch, a military order defending the realm against threats from beyond Westeros's northern border.
(Wikipedia)

And here's some quick info about "House of the Dragon" too:

Based on parts of the novel Fire & Blood, the series is set about 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen. It portrays the beginning of the end of House Targaryen, the events leading up to and covering the Targaryen war of succession, known as the "Dance of the Dragons".
(Wikipedia)

Review

Just finished watching the first episode of HBO's HOUSE OF THE DRAGON, a "Game of Thrones" prequel series set two hundred years earlier the previous story. The series revolves around the royal succession of the powerful, traditionally white-haired, dragon-riding Targaryen family that Daenarys from "Game of Thrones" is descended from. My initial impressions are that the show lacks star power, charismatic newcomers, and sharp writing.

The first episode, "Heir of the Dragons," starts with dreary narration lacking any attention-grabbing material. An old king lets a council decide his next heir to prevent a violent internal struggle for power. A decade later, his successor is not having any less trouble with the same issue. With a sadistic power-hungry brother and a popular neglected sister breathing down his neck, he appoints his daughter as heir which understandably due to era-politics causes quite the upset. Anyone familiar with HBO's previous "Game of Thrones" series or the original material, "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R. R. Martin already knows how this ends and therein lies the problem. So many other aspects of the series could be explored -- perhaps the Doom of Valyria, the ancestral home of the Targaryens that mysterious disappeared in some unknown catastrophe. That narrative pursuit would peak the interest of not just long-time fans, a majority of which who were disappointed with how HBO ended the "Game of Thrones"s series, but also newcomers being introduced to a new world, a doomed world, an Atlantis-like story. Attention-grabbing opening scenes are what kicked off the original GAME OF THRONE series but in HOUSE OF THE DRAGON's pilot audiences are subjected to a boring who's who kicked off with lazy narration. Hopefully this is something they shy away from in the future.

Like the previous series, there are many characters in HOUSE OF THE DRAGON (why was it not called HOUSE OF DRAGONS? Which is so much cleaner, clearer, a war between dragons and their riders who fashion themselves like very said beast). There is the emotionally-weak king, his fragile pregnant wife, their stubborn dragon-riding daughter, her best friend and daughter of the king's right hand man, the king's sadistic power-hungry brother who is both mortal enemy to the king's right hand man and a very creepy uncle, the more-popular and manipulative sister of the king who feels the throne should've been hers, her dark-skinned presumably also Targaryen husband, and as far as I know that's everyone important. Other than the power-hungry brother/creepy uncle played by Doctor Who's Matt Smith, no one is recognizable to me -- and unfortunately they've stripped Smith of charm and replaced it with equal doses of psycho and creepy uncle so there is no one in the cast who yet stands out with charm.

And yet this is just the first episode so perhaps HOUSE OF THE DRAGON will provide much more needed flare in upcoming episodes and truly show us the so-called mighty majesty of the Targaryen family. Returning and first-time viewers will find out next week.

Here's a trailer for the series! Hope you enjoy!