House Of The Dragon Episode 3 Review - 9 Ups & 1 Down

The interfamily politics concerning the Royal Family made for gripping viewing this week. The relationship between Rhaenyra and her family has deteriorated after Viserys' remarriage to Alicent; the onscreen result is a host of barely veiled jabs, flexing of status, and a hilariously uneasy carriage journey.

The scenes between Rhaenyra and Viserys were the strongest turned in by Milly Alcock and Paddy Considine to date. Considine was particularly excellent this week, bringing every tortured emotion in the book to life as the internally tormented Targaryen King, while Alcock does a top notch job of conveying her reality to audiences through a brave faced combination of both resolve and apprehension. Rhaenyra appears to have realized that when it comes to support from Viserys, she can only rely on the King and the idea of what he should be, as opposed to the man who is her father.

In addition to her relationship with the King, the bubbling tension between Alicent and Rhaenyra appears set to boil over imminently; while Alicent tries to mend fences between herself and her old friend following her marriage to Viserys, Rhaenyra is clearly uninterested in reconciliation following what she perceives to be an unforgivable betrayal. The fact that Alicent remains invested in salvaging her relationship with Rhaenyra despite the Princess' icy facade is untouched by Martin's canon and adds a fascinating new wrinkle to the relationship; this will likely make it all the more emotionally devastating (and even better television) when the Queen and the heir to the throne inevitably find themselves at each other's throats.