As a Game of Thrones fan, the first 8 episodes of this show were thoroughly a let down, with the 9th and 10th actually being interesting. But considering all episodes, HOD lacked the frivolity and the characters of the original. There's really no one here to like or get attached to. It seems more like a book report on the first 193 years before Game of Thrones than a stand alone prequel. So I almost don't think IMDB should allow ratings based on 1 or 2 episodes, which swings the vote so far that there's really no point in other people giving a rating. This show definitely doesn't rise to the level of a 8.5 or 9.