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Column: Two seasons in, ‘House of the Dragon’ feels like a flop. There’s a glaring reason why

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Column: Two seasons in, 'House of the Dragon' feels like a flop. There's a glaring reason why

As a lifelong fan of epic sagas and high fantasy, I find myself yearning for a dash of humor in the latest offerings from our favorite storytellers. Having spent countless hours immersed in the world of Westeros, I can’t help but feel that “House of the Dragon” is missing an essential element: a healthy serving of wit and charm.

After two seasons of HBO’s “House of the Dragon”, this is what I’ve gathered: Pre-“Game of Thrones” Westeros was teeming with amazing dragons, yet it lacked any semblance of humor. For the first time, I find myself yearning for Lannister rule more than ever.

In the first season, succession was central, but lacking the witty satire or emotional depth characteristic of “Succession.” The finale saw the House of Targaryen divided, with some backing Rhaenyra (Emma D’Arcy), while others unexpectedly placed her half-brother Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) on the throne.

In the recently concluded second season, both sides primarily focused on gathering armies and dragons for a forthcoming battle. Struggling with a shortage of riders, Rhaenyra, who secretly hopes that more dragons will mean less conflict, has resorted to an unconventional approach – enlisting common folks with enough Targaryen lineage in their veins to avoid immediate execution (however, many of these individuals did not make it through this unique selection process).

As the final act concluded, dragons soared, flags fluttered, and the melody grew more intense. Various characters gazed intently towards the future with deep emotions, yet I could only feel drained.

As a movie enthusiast, I found myself not on the edge of my seat with bated breath as was often the case with its predecessor, “Game of Thrones.” Instead, it felt more like a tiresome struggle – a longing to appreciate this series yet being met with an unwelcoming heaviness that keeps me at arm’s length.

As a cinephile who’s seen more films than I care to count, I must say that whoever coined the phrase “blondes have more fun” evidently never watched “House of the Dragon.” This series is brimming with high-octane action sequences, gruesome deaths, devious scheming, sensual love scenes, and an abundance of visually stunning CGI dragons. However, the characters are far from enjoyable company.

Last season’s spirited character, Rhaenyra, has now transformed into a restless, anxious worrier. Her husband/uncle Daemon (Matt Smith), who was once a daring, passionate troublemaker, spent most of this season in the dilapidated Harrenhal, his duties to mobilize the Riverlands hindered by what seemed like a hallucinatory experience and his own claims for kingship. Prince Jacaerys (Harry Collett) appeared dejected, longing for a different appearance and pushing his fiancée Lady Baela (Bethany Antonia), to follow him and encourage him to pull himself together. Rhaena, her sister without dragons yet, was dispatched to the Vale, where she seemed consistently and monotonously unhappy, while Princess Rhaenys (Eve Best), the only Targaryen with intelligence and elegance, has passed away.

She went out in a blaze of glory, but now there appears to be no one left in Westeros who understands the power of the side-eye.

Despite being notorious for their villainous actions – King Aegon’s spoiled behavior, Aemond’s psychotic tendencies, and Larys Strong’s devious advisory role (portrayed by Matthew Needham) – they somehow, astonishingly, fail to keep our interest, becoming rather dull.

If an evil leader and his henchmen can’t quip, what’s the point of a coup?

Yearning for the charmless Joffrey from “Game of Thrones” is not unreasonable; despite his cruel nature, he seemed to revel in life. As for Cersei, it’s best to move on and leave her behind, as looking back only brings more pain.

If only “House of the Dragon” co-creator Ryan Condal could lighten up a bit, this show has the potential to be fantastic! When tavern-fly-turned-dragon-rider Ulf White (Tom Bennett) joked about needing humor during the finale gathering of Targaryens, I couldn’t help but cheer.

As a movie enthusiast, I found myself defensive when faced with constructive criticism about my dining etiquette. In hindsight, it felt like I was conversing with the creative minds behind the scripts, challenging their dialogue and character development.

Why would you place Matt Smith in a world devoid of sharp, humorous remarks? And why populate at least two grand royal courts without including a disillusioned minister, a seasoned lover with wisdom, or a quick-witted sibling? Where can we find the Targaryen counterpart to Roman Roy, who brings both drama and wit to his court?

Regardless of the seriousness of the situation or the genre, many top-tier action-adventures and power struggles are characterized by humor. For instance, “Slow Horses” on Apple TV+, a suspenseful espionage series with a high death toll, boasts more sharp dialogue than most comedies. Alternatively, you can find humor in shows like “Succession,” “The Sopranos,” or “Deadwood” on HBO – all of which are intense and violent examinations of power that recognize the importance of comic relief.

Humor serves as the sturdy bond linking fiction and its readers, and genres such as fantasy often require a greater degree of credibility than others. To convince us that dragons, or the undead, or superheroes exist within their stories, authors must create characters that we can empathize with: These are individuals who might react in ways similar to how I would cope when confronted with extraordinary circumstances.

In “House of the Dragon”, is there no character who can utter a phrase similar to “We’ll need a larger vessel” in the Westerosian dialect?

Dramatic tension requires variation, like laughter interspersed with serious scenes. Epic stories often use these contrasts to balance out grand moments. That’s where characters like sidekicks come in. However, in the series “House of the Dragon,” there seem to be many secondary characters appearing occasionally for explanatory purposes; wouldn’t it be interesting if some of them provided comic relief or displayed nervousness in a humorous manner?

As the second season ventured beyond the Targaryens with new storylines, I initially had great expectations. However, so far it appears only Ulf truly grasps the issues at hand. Perhaps now that he’s been granted a dragon, his unerring honesty might hold more weight and influence.

It’s clear that “House of the Dragon” aims to distinguish itself, both in terms of its tone and storyline, from “Game of Thrones.” However, it seems that in an attempt to evolve as a franchise, they sometimes discard the sharp humor along with other elements.

In Amazon Prime Video’s “The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power,” similar concerns arise as in Tolkien’s original work, humor is primarily attributed to hobbits (with occasional humor from Gandalf). When Peter Jackson adapted it for film, he added or even fabricated humorous dialogues; for instance, Legolas did not ask Gimli, “Shall I find you a box?” when they stood on the ramparts of Helms Deep in the book. However, the elves and men portrayed in “The Rings of Power” seem overly serious or stiff, lacking the light-heartedness that was present in the original work, much like the Targaryens.

Even Marvel, which initially found great success with the charismatic character Tony Stark, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., has faced challenges more recently. While Iron Man’s charm was not derived from his suit but his quick-witted quips, many of its recent productions have taken on a more serious tone, with only a handful of exceptions that still manage to keep the humor alive.

“The movie ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is doing exceptionally well at the box office due to its hilarity. Deadpool, in a way, resembles a budget-friendly Iron Man; he never misses an opportunity to crack a joke, whether it’s making his comrades or the audience laugh.”

It’s clear that Deadpool doesn’t fit in Westeros, and no one is eager for Ulf or Larys to breach the fourth wall to deliver a humorous remark about their behinds. (Trust me, that’s not what we want.) However, for drama to be impactful, it needs moments of relief. Sure, we recall battle cries and threats of vengeance, but more frequently, audiences find solace in lines that strike a chord because they address the gravity of the situation with the most relatable human response: telling a joke.

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2024-08-05 13:33

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