House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 8: "The Lord of the Tides"

[DarthSkywalker]

While I'm still somewhat enjoying the show, I can't make up my mind if I think it's a good show or not. My biggest issue is how every episode more or less feels like the same episode. Almost 20 years have passed on the show, and they're still having the same disputes, and still fighting over who is going to be the successor. While we see characters age, time doesn't feel like it's passing. But the biggest problem might be how the characters only seem concerned about succession, and rumors regarding the legitimacy of children. They don't really have anything else to do. Even the Roys of Succession have scandals, power plays to deal with, so things don't feel nearly as stagnate. House of the Dragon just feels much smaller by comparison.

I agree with this. I feel like the first half of the season was much better in this regard, because even as it revolved around mostly similar things, the stability of the cast and the relationships being explored made it feel like more was going on. Since the big age up, the show has been one speed for 3 episodes. with a lot of obvious setup. Still enjoying it though.

 

[Drizzle]

I knew exactly where it was going, and it did not disappoint. I like how someone said to disarm Daemon, and he still just walked away.

Everyone in that room knew Vaemond was a goner when he said that, even if he was right. Even if he were to walk out of there alive, he'd still be short a tongue. It's interesting to think that even in relative peacetime of Viserys's reign, that's the second time someone has killed somebody in the throne room and gotten away with it in this show. Must be a Targaryen thing since this always seems to happen on their watch.

 

[squeekness]

Poor serving girl Alicent's struggle with the **** her son gets up to and the horrible things she has to do to fix them.

Aemond's eye patch looks pretty good. He may be a nasty piece of work but he is more convincing now as a baddie.

The dinner tributes from Alicent and Rhaenyra were touching if true, the others a bit less so lol.

"Mostly he ignores you except sometimes when he’s drunk"

"To you as well" *begrudgingly

I was concerned the serving girl was going to end up being Dragon food.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Poor serving girl Alicent's struggle with the **** her son gets up to and the horrible things she has to do to fix them.

Aemond's eye patch looks pretty good. He may be a nasty piece of work but he is more convincing now as a baddie.

The dinner tributes from Alicent and Rhaenyra were touching if true, the others a bit less so lol.

"Mostly he ignores you except sometimes when he’s drunk"

"To you as well" *begrudgingly

Alicent chooses to do those things to protect her sons. It's important to remember that she's very much responsible for the people they are. She's the one who raised them.

 

[Drizzle]

Speaking of Alicent's children, this was me having the lightbulb moment realizing that Aegon married his sister:

 

[Roose Bolton]

It’s a very interesting choice that they’ve made Helaena seemingly neurodivergent and a dreamer. That’s going to make an interesting wrinkle in the events to come. There’s also another brother that I have no idea how they’re going to introduce…

Seasonal pacing and book adaptations aside, they did great with Viserys here. The back to back of Rhaenyra begging him to defend her and her children and his big entrance managed to stir a bit of life into my cold dead heart. Really hope Paddy gets an Emmy for his work.

 

[squeekness]

Speaking of Alicent's children, this was me having the lightbulb moment realizing that Aegon married his sister:

Okay, I was wondering if I'd gotten that right. Ewww!

 

[legendkillin]

When keeping it real goes wrong

I didn't read the books but as the scene was happening I said they were bastards and expected him to follow it up with she is a ****e hahah. It was predictable lines yet so amazing.

 

[CaptainWagner]

I knew exactly where it was going, and it did not disappoint. I like how someone said to disarm Daemon, and he still just walked away.

I think that's Otto shouting to disarm him, and then Daemon quietly goes "No Need," like "my work here is done."

I am salivating at the thought at what's about to go down. Do we know how many seasons they expect this show to go?

Also have to give it up to Paddy. At first I agreed with some posters that a different actor should've been playing the king and not someone so "unintimidating", but seeing his performance as Viserys was decaying, it became very clear to me why Paddy was cast. Great job.

In early interviews they said they imagined "3-4 seasons." IMO, there's no way to cover the rest of this particular story in just twenty more episodes, so safe money is on 4.


This episode belonged to Paddy. He better be sweeping the next awards season. He was amazing all season, but this episode? Wow. Some of the most powerful scenes in both shows, IMO.

All in all, I loved the episode. I did take issue with Aegon being a serial rapist, though. They've tried so hard to make the Greens sympathetic, but now Aegon is already a total villain rather than just a slacker ****boi. Not a fan of that choice. But loved everything else. Little moments like Jace and Heleana dancing to show "what could have been," the pig being what sets Aemond off to ruin the night, Daemon and Aemond clearly wishing they were each other's father/son, respectively.

Geeta Patel killed the direction, too. Hope she gets more episodes next season. Sapochnik honestly might be the weakest director of their current lineup, based on the season so far. Can't say I'm sad to see him go at this point. (Hope they let Paddy come back to direct a few episodes in the future.)

 

[Drizzle]

Viserys coming back from the dead to side-eye Alicent for mishearing the prophecy

 

[CaptainWagner]

Viserys coming back from the dead to side-eye Alicent for mishearing the prophecy

Alright, I'm gonna say it...

House of the Dragon: Unworthy
starring Rafe Spall as Viserys II

Andy to Andy, let the circle be unbroken

 

[Weather Witch]

Greta Patel killed the direction, too. Hope she gets more episodes next season. Sapochnik honestly might be the weakest director of their current lineup, based on the season so far. Can't say I'm sad to see him go at this point. (Hope they let Paddy come back to direct a few episodes in the future.)

Yeah, I think Greta Patel and Clare Kilner are the best directors of the season so far. I'm really excited Kilner got the 9th episode of the season. Those are always a blast.

Greg Yaitanes is back for the finale. I feel like he has played it a bit more safe so far though.

 

[Drizzle]

Yeah, I think Greta Patel and Clare Kilner are the best directors of the season so far. I'm really excited Kilner got the 9th episode of the season. Those are always a blast.

Greg Yaitanes is back for the finale. I feel like he has played it a bit more safe so far though.

I was hoping that Sapochnik was at the helm for the finale. I thought the Yaitanes-directed episodes have been the weakest of the season but only by default because everything seemed to escalate afterwards, not that they were bad.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

As much as I'm going to miss Paddy Considine in this show as Viserys at least we still have more than enough drama and chaos surrounding these great characters and at this point I have no idea how its going to end.

All of these actors have been bringing their A game IMO.

 

[Drizzle]

As much as I'm going to miss Paddy Considine in this show as Viserys at least we still have more than enough drama and chaos surrounding these great characters and at this point I have no idea how its going to end.

All of these actors have been bringing their A game IMO.

I'm going to miss him too but I'm assuming these last two episodes are going to be nonstop **** hitting the fan so his absence is unlikely to grind the show to a halt.

 

[Iceman]

I'm going to miss him too but I'm assuming these last two episodes are going to be nonstop **** hitting the fan so his absence is unlikely to grind the show to a halt.

It would have been too much for the poor old guy, time to rest in peace.

 

[Drizzle]

It would have been too much for the poor old guy, time to rest in peace.

Speaking of which, I was curious so I looked up how old Viserys was when he died and according to the Westeros wiki he was only 52.

I'm also treading carefully because I don't want spoilers but was it ever stated exactly what disease Viserys died of?

 

[Iceman]

Speaking of which, I was curious so I looked up how old Viserys was when he died and according to the Westeros wiki he was only 52.

I'm also treading carefully because I don't want spoilers but was it ever stated exactly what disease Viserys died of?

Haha. Hard life in GoT land.

No idea, but it looked extremely unpleasant. Not planning on doing more research into that!

 

[CaptainWagner]

Speaking of which, I was curious so I looked up how old Viserys was when he died and according to the Westeros wiki he was only 52.

I'm also treading carefully because I don't want spoilers but was it ever stated exactly what disease Viserys died of?

I don't think it's a spoiler but IIRC Paddy confirmed it was

Spoiler

leprosy

 

[Drizzle]

I don't think it's a spoiler but IIRC Paddy confirmed it was

Spoiler

leprosy

Ah, makes sense. I didn't want to delve too deep into the Westeros wiki in case any story details post-Viserys's death popped up.

 

[CaptainWagner]

Ah, makes sense. I didn't want to delve too deep into the Westeros wiki in case any story details post-Viserys's death popped up.

Yeah, that's definitely wise. I had some stuff from GOT & ASOIAF spoiled for me that way.

 

[Drizzle]

Yeah, that's definitely wise. I had some stuff from GOT & ASOIAF spoiled for me that way.

My mistake was going on Wikipedia or some such site before the first season of Game of Thrones was even finished just to learn the characters' names and who was who. Sure enough something about the Red Wedding came up under Robb's description and I went, "Wait...WHAT?!". I read the books in between GOT S1 and S2 but I purposely decided not to read Fire and Blood before House of the Dragon to keep things a surprise. Of course I know that things aren't going to end well at all but the excitement is seeing how it gets there.

 

[CaptainWagner]

My mistake was going on Wikipedia or some such site before the first season of Game of Thrones was even finished just to learn the characters' names and who was who. Sure enough something about the Red Wedding came up under Robb's description and I went, "Wait...WHAT?!". I read the books in between GOT S1 and S2 but I purposely decided not to read Fire and Blood before House of the Dragon to keep things a surprise. Of course I know that things aren't going to end well at all but the excitement is seeing how it gets there.

Yeah, I read ASOIAF and F&B after GOT ended. It is a lot of fun to follow reactions from people who don't know what's coming and also, given the unreliable, non-omniscient narrator of F&B, there's still a good deal of surprises left for readers.

I am interested - do you have any predictions for these last two weeks?

 

[#root]

There was a lot to like in this episode but I really do not like that the Dance will be happening because of Alicent misunderstanding Viserys . Yes, there was years and years of resentment and fighting and all that but I just… do not like the execution of this.

Also. Alicent. Your son is a serial rapist. You clearly understand that he’s an evil little ****. Don’t make him king because your delirious husband said some nonsense that you don’t understand.

 

[Drizzle]

Yeah, I read ASOIAF and F&B after GOT ended. It is a lot of fun to follow reactions from people who don't know what's coming and also, given the unreliable, non-omniscient narrator of F&B, there's still a good deal of surprises left for readers.

I am interested - do you have any predictions for these last two weeks?

My only prediction is that

Spoiler

most of the characters in that dinner scene in episode 8 will end up dead by the time the credits roll in the season finale.

It's obviously a safer bet since this is Westeros we're talking about here but it's looking more and more like Laenor is the smartest man alive by getting the hell out of dodge and avoiding all of this although from what I understand he actually did die for real in the book.