Pros: against my expectations it did hit the nostalgia note and the writing seems actually decent. It both feels GOT and it feels different. I loved most of the original show's world, but it was obvious it could not be recreated and not feel cheap and inauthentic. I can see a value in this being its own entity; at least I am willing to give it a shot at creating its own atmosphere.

The beginning is reminiscent of the first season of GOT with focus on court intrigue and I don't mind that, though the mystic element is yet lacking. Looking forward to the next ep. To get a better idea of where this is going.

Cons: Not a huge fan of casting, especially the Daemon character. Dragons' and landscapes are so CGI heavy that it reminds of JJ's Disney Star Wars (in the most awful way). Though, I am willing to overlook that if the writing can adequately compensate. The original wasn't always great in all respects either (e.g. Cheap Dornish sisters plot...).

All in all, it could never measure up to GOT, which is arguably one of the best shows ever. The cast is nowhere near, while the grandeur and vividness were swapped for CGI cr*p. But, it was unreasonable to expect that it would. I didn't, and therefore was able to have fun watching this.

P. S. Really funny and pathetic to see an outrage and accusations of "woke-ism" over a single Black actor who is not an extra... imo, the actor actually seems more solid than most leads.