House of the Dragon S1-E1

This prequel series to Game of Thrones chronicles the fall of the Targaryen dynasty. , or at least in HBO's latest pilot episode where it does play it very safe, like a 'Greatest hits collection of GOT Vol 1! Which is not a bad thing per se. In this new pilot, it is a lavish production with high-end costumes and beautiful scenes. Where the focus is very much on a one-family house, rather than the sprawling epic of GOT. It wastes no time in setting the scene: Divisions in the house aplenty, and questions as to who will be the heir to this family house, and with all eyes on the future Iron Family throne, under the rule of a good( but ailing ) King Viserys I(Passy Considine).We join as various family members all seem poised to make their move as heir to a future thone left vacant due to the tragic events of the loss of the wife and son of King Viserys. The return of the King's younger wayward Brother Daemon Targaryen, (played with vigour by Matt Smith), at last given a centre stage role after being regulated to wasted side villains in various film features. Here Smith in this role steals every scene he is in, ( his Dr Who days are now well and truly behind him). Smith may prove to be the series saving grace, and is the driving antagonist force of this show, as he manoeuvres his eyes and ambitions towards the throne. The dynamic between brothers is very much the core of this series, a family soap.As well as the inner circle of Princesses,daughters and nieces that find themselves on the board , no doubt start to slowly reveal their hand. It does fall on some over familar beats, at reasons. As if a sibling series proving it can do gore, sex and shock as well as it's bigger older series brother. An opening raid of the royal guard on the Kingdom streets seems really to prove no purpose ,other than show it can do gore, as well an obligatory nude sex scene, that GOT long dispensed with as it matured. Despite these early fumbles, however, there is much new territory to explore and lore, that all sound for promising action beats to follow in the inevitable Targaryen civil wars to come. And the marquee spectacle of Dragons in full war combat we are sure, a safe bet.But is this all it enough to escape the shadow of its big brother series GOT in its prime, and catch cultural lightling in a bottle again . Probably early days yet. Time will only tell.