House Of The Dragon Episode 1 Review - 8 Ups & 2 Downs

10. Down - Rhaenyra is not Daenerys

Let's get this out of the way; Milly Alcock is superb as Rhaenyra Targaryen from start to finish. Effortlessly exuding the casual arrogance associated with royalty and demonstrating an appropriately fiery side within her, she is the consummate Targaryen princess and looks like an incredible character to carry the show forward as she is named the heir to the Iron Throne.

And yet...

She's just not Daenerys Stormborn.

Rhaenyra is still missing that special something that made Daenerys such a mysterious and captivating character from the get go. Obviously, it is still early days and Milly Alcock has only had one episode to make her impression but she is already highlighting what a mammoth task picking up Emilia Clarke's mantle of the Mother of Dragons truly is. Somewhat unsurprisingly, given the court backdrop of her character arc at present, Rhaenyra currently gives off more of a Margaery Tyrell vibe.

Still, the fact that it is such early days and the accomplished level of performance turned in by Alcock in her very first episode in a strange new world means that this is by no means a foregone conclusion. Indeed, the fact that Rhaenyra produced such a wonderful first impression means that even though she may not be Daenerys, she is more than capable of carrying this exciting new show forward.