House of the Dragon
Matt Smith has his eyes fixed on the Iron Throne in a fantasy prequel that sees us winging our way back to Westeros…
Monday, 9pm, Sky Atlantic Drama
Game of Thrones fans will be delighted now the show’s lavish prequel has arrived. Set 170 years before the original, there’s lots of firebreathing-dragon action and Iron Throne intrigues, as this epic 10-parter covers the legendary conflict within the Targaryen dynasty and shows how their mastery of dragons helped perpetuate their rule. Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Olivia Cooke and Rhys Ifans lead the cast.
Game of Thrones was one of the most successful TV shows of all time, and new 10-part prequel series House of the Dragon is all about the fall of one of the fictional world’s most powerful dynasties.
Set 170 years before the events of the original saga, the fantasy series tells how the Targaryen family – who have a historic kinship with dragons – lost their grip on the Iron Throne.
‘The series is filled with deceit, backstabbing, war, love, lust, passion and rage,’ says Matt Smith, who plays Prince Daemon Targaryen. ‘All the stuff that made Game of Thrones interesting is there. But our story is focused on just one family.’
The Targaryens are at the height of their power as this week’s first episode begins, yet King Viserys (Paddy Considine) has no son, meaning his ambitious and volatile younger brother Prince Daemon is his heir.
Radical plan
The Hand of the King, Ser Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) believes Viserys’ daughter, Princess Rhaenyra would be a more suitable candidate, even
though a woman has never taken the Iron ‘Viserys Throne. is a good man,’ says
Paddy. ‘He doesn’t make his decision on the succession lightly.’
Based on George RR Martin’s novel Fire & Blood, the series is full of special effects and terrifying dragons.
‘Prince Daemon is a dragon rider,’ says ex-doctor Who star Matt. ‘His dragon is moody and difficult, but he’s also very loyal. I treated my dragon like I treat my dog, with love and familiarity!’