"House of the Dragon" is an American fantasy drama television series created by Ryan Condal for HBO. It is a prequel to "Game of Thrones" and is set about 172 years before the events of the original series. The show is based on George R. R. Martin's book "Fire & Blood," which chronicles the history of House Targaryen. Season 1 The first season consists of 10 episodes and premiered on August 21, 2022. It received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its production values, performances, and faithfulness to the source material, although some critics found the pacing to be uneven. Plot The story revolves around House Targaryen, nearly 300 years before the events of "Game of Thrones." It begins with King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) choosing his daughter Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock as a younger version, and Emma D'Arcy as the older version) as his heir, bypassing traditional male succession. This decision sets off a chain of events that leads to a full-blown civil war within the house known as the Dance of the Dragons.