If you found Game of Thrones bloodthirsty, then you need to be wary of House of the Dragon.

If you've ever felt like your TV opinions are being shouted into the void, then take heart that the team behind Game of Thrones heard you loud and clear when it came to crafting their prequel series House of the Dragon.

The fandom's calls for more spectacle, more action, and most importantly, more dragons (even though the slow build-up to the dragons was one of Game of Throne's best storytelling plays) have all been secured. Just seconds into the premiere episode the mythical winged creatures are soaring across the screen.

Yet the luxe special effects and sleek design of the series, while making you feel like you're in a movie theatre, are not the show's greatest asset.

Instead, despite the fact the majority of fans had a very bumpy breakup with Game of Thrones during its blockbuster eight-season run, it's truly enticing just to find yourself back in this world. Even with a new set of characters inflicting gruesome pain upon each other to get to know. 

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House of the Dragon was co-created by George R. R. Martin and Ryan Condal and is based on parts of Martin’s best-selling book Fire & Blood.

The series is set more than 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones and begins in the ninth year of King Viserys I Targaryen’s (Paddy Considine) reign, who was placed on the throne over his cousin Rhaenys (Eve Best), who had a stronger claim to the position but was effectively knocked out of the running on account of being a woman.

King Viserys and his wife Queen Aemma (Sian Brooke) have spent years attempting to produce a male heir and are now holding their breath that her current pregnancy will result in the long-awaited future king. 

Meanwhile, their only surviving child, 15-year-old Princess Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock) would prefer to fly dragons on the battlefield over marrying and continuing the family bloodline, but once again she is prohibited from taking the throne due to her gender (the patriarchy is really set up to be a central villain in this series).

Without delving too much into a spoiler-laden breakdown of House of the Dragon's sprawling plot lines, King Visery is faced with a series of impossible decisions when deciding who should succeed him on the throne.

His younger brother Prince Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith), the next successor, has displayed a dangerous streak of brutality and hotheadedness that makes the royal circles nervous about what would happen to them if he were to gain more power.

In the early episodes of the series, Princess Rhaenyra's closest ally is Lady Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey) whose father is part of the king's inner circle

As the series progresses Rhaenyra and Alicent are adults (now played by Emma D'Arcy and Olivia Cooke, respectively), and the war-like dissolution of their friendship, as they find themselves on different sides of the throne, is the driving force throughout the series.

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Nothing productive will come from comparing House of the Dragon too closely to Game of Thrones, especially since you could start watching Dragon with little to no knowledge of the Thrones universe and still find elements of it to enjoy.

Yet it's hard to ignore the fact that although Dragon has decided to be more character-focused than Thrones, by centrally focusing on one location and one plotline hooked to the King's heirs, it lacks the initial warmth and intrigue introduced in the Thrones pilot thanks to an array of interesting side characters. 

But if it's grit and gore you're looking for, then take heart in the fact that House of the Dragon serves up a series of bloody and brutal scenes in its opening episodes. All there to serve their intended purpose of adding a little shock value to what is at its heart a political and family-driven drama.

While Game of Thrones still holds the crown when it comes to the most disturbing on-screen moments in this franchise, thanks to their unfortunate habit of using rape as a visual storytelling device, House of the Dragon is not trailing far behind with its pilot episode.

There's one scene in particular, during the Queen's extensive labour, that is so confronting in its barbaric nature that you could be driven to cover your face with your hands and wait for it to pass.

So at least that particular tradition is still alive and well.

All in all, The Heirs of the Dragon episode is a solid and action-packed start to this new series, with enough blood, dragons, and problematic relationships to make you feel like you've returned home to Game of Thrones. 

Laura Brodnik is Mamamia's Head of Entertainment and host of The Spill podcast. You can follow her on Instagram here.

House of the Dragon is streaming now on Binge

Feature Image: Binge