House Of The Dragon

Sky Atlantic, 9pm

Once upon a time fantasy fiction was a niche genre for adolescents, but any such snobbery was dispelled after Game Of Thrones was adapted from the books by George R.R. Martin and became the world's must-watch show for almost a decade.

Now a prequel set two centuries earlier arrives for a ten-part season,telling the epic story of the battle for power in a Westeros ruled by a weak king, Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine), who is threatened by his aptly named brother Daemon (Matt Smith, right).

A corker of an opening episode shows that the saga is back in safe hands, and there's modern relevance, too, as Viserys's daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, tries to defy the strictures of a sexist society. The spectacle is jaw-dropping, and the violence is occasionally every bit as stomachturning as fans would expect. ★★★★★