EDIT!

Okay, so when I am wrong, I can admit it. House of the Dragon is NO GoT Seasons 1-4.

The third episode was still beautiful, but it just lacked heart, soul, fire ... I don't know precisely, but SOMETHING. We watched 40 minutes of whiney Targaryens, and were rewarded with a good (not great) scene, that missed showing the most important fight sequence / kill.

I would like to think it is going to get better, but I believe they really tried with the last two episodes (2 & 3), yet could not quite sell it. As much as I hate to say it, this might just be a miss. :(

________________________________ Original review:

OMG. It's like looking at GoT, but with better production value - it is beautiful in the way this (these) series SHOULD be, and as realistic and 'gritty' and bloody as it should be without going overboard. The mix of every element which made the first seasons of GoT great, are present, and they are all presented fluidly without any one theme overpowering the other. From the opening musical sequence to the "LoTR's-like" narrative (which BTW, is a spot-on kicker if you're a woman) and JUST the facial expressions ... you can't help but become immersed.

Small disappointments, were the dragons themselves, or at least for me, the very first glimpse we get of one. Intermittently, it looked better (in some scenes great; others, not). I was expecting MORE, or at least more consistency on this all-so-important aspect of the series. I mean, It IS House of the DRAGON(s). The dragons must be irreproachably, impeccably, PERFECT.

Also, although it may be an unpopular opinion, and not very "PC" of me to say ... the actress who plays the young princess Rhaenyra, IN MY OPINION, just does not meet the level of physical 'perfection' a Targaryen merits in my mind. In Got-Speak, I see "commoner", or at best, tavern wench. While unique looking, which is surely what they were searching for, I think - almost as with the dragons - that I was expecting MORE. This is meant with no offense to the actress who plays her, as I am certain she is great for/in other roles. Goddess Emilia Clarke, however, she is NOT. Then again, perhaps she is not meant to be.

Lastly, not to sound snarky or worse, as I am sure I will be accused of being, but the platinum-hair thing I thought (erroneously, apparently), was caused due to a bit of Albinism or lack of pigment. I guess I was wrong?

In closing (because we are about to watch it again - EDIT: we've watched it 3x's), all I can do is PLEAD with the show-runners that this not be a let-down and that they see it through, unrushed, and with the intent of being a series that will surpass others in creativity and scope, rather than being led solely by the mighty dollar. ...So far, they seem to be on the right track.