7 reasons you should watch House of the Dragon

House of the Dragon is based on the George RR Martin Game of Thrones prequel, Fire & Blood, and depicts the struggle for the Iron Throne after the death of King Viserys I between Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and her brother Aegon II, as well as the younger brother of the king, Prince Daemon Targaryen, played by Doctor Who and The Crown actor Matt Smith.

The ensuing Targaryen civil war, depicted in House of the Dragon, follows the Targaryen civil war, which took place 200 years before the events in Game of Thrones, when House Targaryen ruled Westeros. All eight seasons of Game of Thrones are streaming on Showmax, too.

Whether or not you’ve watched Game of Thrones, here are the reasons you should stream House of the Dragon on Showmax, where new episodes stream express from the US every Monday in sub-Saharan Africa, excluding South Africa.

1. Find out where Daenerys Targaryen came from

Given the events of Game of Thrones, where Daenerys played a crucial role, there was no doubt that fans wanted to know more about Daenerys’s past and her family’s background in Westeros.

2. Fights and action

Sibling rivalry: Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and her half-brother, Aegon II, fight over which one of them will succeed their father, Viserys I, to the throne.

3. World-building in House of the Dragon

If you watched Game of Thrones, you know how crazy it was when Dany brought her dragons to the battlefield. On House of the Dragon, you’ll witness the relationship that the Targaryens share with the dragons. Dragons symbolise wealth, power and leadership.

4. Woman-centred plot

Similar to GoT, the women in House of the Dragon are the centre of the plot. The relationship between Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Milly Alcock) and her bestie Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) is a focus during the season and there is so much drama. Princess Rhaenyra’s claim to the throne is stalled over the fact that she’s a woman.

5. Visual effects

The show relies on Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) to make the dragons come alive. We see Daemon and Rhaenyra flying on top of the dragons in the battlefield.

6. Characters

Are these people even acting? Our hearts and minds are in House Targaryen and we are living with the dragons. The characters draw us in and Princess Rhaenyra in particular gives a stunning performance in showing great leadership skills and fighting for what’s rightfully hers.

7. Plot twists

Will friendships last longer or will one betray the other? Who will get to sit on the throne of responsibilities? Because House of the Dragon is also dropping weekly in the US, nobody knows the answer.

Where can I watch House of the Dragon?

All episodes of House of the Dragon are now streaming on Showmax.