This week's episode of the House of the Dragon took a rather different tact than any of the other episodes of the HBO Max series has and that particular approach worked out quite well for a series that is certainly blazing its own path from the show it's spun off from. At this point in the first season of Game of Thrones, there were already all kinds of people getting killed and thrones being fought over. In House of the Dragon, the show continues to be a slow burn as people gently and carefully position themselves into a spot where they might be able to take over ruling the land eventually.
Of course, one of the things that have made this HBO show stand out so well so early on is that the pacing seems to be perfect so far. It feels like the series has been going on for quite a bit longer than just four episodes now. Obviously, some of that is because there simply aren't as many characters to get to know so that when someone is introduced in House of the Dragon, the audience really gets to know them - with the exception of the Crab Feeder- and gets to know what kind of person they are.
There's also the fact that there are just some very good actors in this show and people like Matt Smith and Paddie Considine add a level of gravitas to a series that is driven quite a bit more by dialog than it is action. That's not to say that Game of Thrones didn't have really good actors at times, but it also had people who were mostly pretty and looked competent wielding a sword. Some of the scenes in this episode of House of the Dragon were staged in such a way that if felt as if each actor was delivering their lines just to show off how talented they are.
One particular scene with Paddie Considine and Rhys Ifans was impressive because the two actors played off of each other so well. Having been introduced to Ifans as the drunken, smoking kicker in The Replacements, its' been jarring to see him play the Hand of the King and carry himself with such great importance. He feels like someone who must be reckoned with at all times and yet, when he's speaking to Considine's Viserys, he's clearly uncomfortable and even small. Considering the topic of conversation, there's a reason why he should be uncomfortable and it really is a testament to both men that they look like two guys talking about something neither of them want to discuss.
The scene where they are discussing what Rhaenyra was up to when she went out into town does not look like a staged scene. It truly does look as though they are discussing a man's daughter and that man getting some very, very bad news. It was the kind of attention to detail that can be afforded when the show slows down and really dwells on the minutiae. It feels like Game of Thrones might have handled this same scene by having Ifans walk into the room, say "my lord, we need to discuss your daughter" and then a fade to black. Instead, the audience gets a longer look at the discussion and by extension what's going on in both their heads as trust between the two long-time friends and cohorts breaks down.
Speaking of Rhaenyra, Milly Alcock has at this point put any doubt of her ability to carry her weight to rest. While she spent the first episode or two of House of the Dragon feeling and behaving quite woodenly, it's not rather obvious that was exactly what was asked of her in those two episodes. It feels as if both the character and the actor are feeling quite a bit more confident in their own skin these days and both the character and the actor are also having quite a bit more fun.
Of course, this is the first episode of the HBO Max series where Rhaenyra seemed to have any real fun at all. She started off feeling rather annoyed that there were men (and boys) wanting to make their case for why they should marry her and she ended it by finally "living a little" outside of the palace and realizing what that really means when someone is of royal upbringing. She's also able to really feel like she has some control over her own life and that plays out a couple of interesting ways. That includes lying to her best friend, or the girl who was her best friend.
When it comes to Aycock's character as well as Considine and Emily Carey's Alicent Hightower there is a very interesting growth of all of the characters and the way they interact with each other. There's also the transformation from two women who were the closest of friends (and at least some hinting that they might have been more if given the opportunity) to two women who are not only no longer friends, but are almost enemies. There isn't that kind of hate there yet, but both Carey and Aycock have an edge when they're speaking to one another that like Considine and Ifans doesn't feel contrived.
It really feels like these two women are both rather disappointed that they are no longer friends and neither really understands why they aren't what they were anymore. House of the Dragon gives both actresses some very good lines and allows them to deliver some zingers. And then it allows one character to get the upper hand in a way that is almost certainly to come back to bite them.
When things shake out in this fourth episode of the HBO series, it's nice to be truly invested in what's going to happen next, while also not feeling as though the audience has to do research to follow along. House of the Dragon is quite a bit easier to follow, but in a way that also makes it fun to follow. The show continues keep the audience on the edge of its seat, and do so without leaning into action or supernatural creatures the way its predecessor did.
House of the Dragon airs on Sundays on HBO.