House Of The Dragon Episode 2 Review - 9 Ups & 1 Down

The usual court politics make their welcome return with several key developments in the burgeoning storyline, drawing the usual array of gasps and groans from fans. The Hightowers continue to slyly sow the seeds for the thoughts of marriage in the King's Head, while the Velaryons also ambitiously plot to marry Viserys to their twelve year old daughter Laena; the scene in which the two prospective, vastly age-inappropriate courtiers walk through the grounds was notably the most wince inducing moment in the show to date and try to bear in mind that last week's episode featured a castration.

Intriguing cracks also begin to appear in Rhaenyra and Alicent's relationship as the latter's engagement to King Viserys is revealed. Rhaenyra is visibly affected by the news and Corlys Velaryon's outraged reaction to the snubbing of his daughter ominously foreshadows the episode's conclusion where he is seen to be plotting with Daemon, going against the King's orders to resolve the conflict that is hurting the Velaryon family playing out in the Stepstones, led by the ominous Crab Feeder. The manner in which House of the Dragon is slowly ratcheting up the tension across the various plot lines can only indicate a series finale of explosive proportions.

This week's intricate and devious political plot lines did the usual first rate job of depicting the lengths at which the political players in King's Landing will go to clamber over one another to get closer to the throne. Bring on next week.