House of the Dragon
After the divisive final season of Game of Thrones, people weren’t sure what to expect when the prequel series House of the Dragon came to HBO in August. What we got was a soapy, sexy Targaryen history lesson packed with the franchise’s trademark political intrigue and messy relationships, but also one that extended its scope over more than a decade and avoided the sexual violence that Thrones seemed to unfortunately revel in. Anchored by killer performances by Emma D’Arcy, Matt Smith, and Paddy Considine, House of the Dragon became appointment television instantly. And even if it isn’t the best TV series of the year, it’s definitely the blondest.
