IR TV Review: HOUSE OF THE DRAGON - EPISODE 2 [HBO-S3]

After the bombastic hellfire of the premiere episode, the aftermath apparent in Episode 2 of Season 3 of "House Of The Dragon" shows that not all the pieces really fall where they may. The death of Rhaenyra Targaryen's son is tempered beyond its standard familial context because of the two fold of what it actually means. Rhaenyra is actually much more vulnerable than she seemingly used to be. The main propellant thrusting her forward is Deamon…and, as Matt Smith plays him, there is always a certain chicanery behind any advice (and a hidden agenda). But that said, the witch beguiling him in a certain way offers an intriguing connotation though it is unclear what she wants (which even Daemon asks). Alicent (Olivia Cooke) seems to be losing control of the narrative even as another wild card is in play.

There are various other strands coming together but it is interesting because one outsider could change the course of the power dynamic undeniably but not the one you think. Rhaenyra knows what needs to be done though she is not sure if she can do it. Emma D’Arcy creates a much more fragile Queen almost as if once she turns completely to the dark side she might not be able to turn back. Daemon finds a tricky move which settles her intent but again it comes down to if the Queen has a basis for benevolence. She can be cold and yet she can be empathetic unlike certain descendants. But the dragons are the true power. The cool thing is that there are some things in nature that this uncle and niece cannot control and the end of this episode, though not as battle heavy at all as the previous episode, has just as much tension as any. B+

By Tim Wassberg