House of the Dragon 3×07 “The Dragon in Winter” review

    House of the Dragon remains one of the most entertaining shows on television but also an immensely flawed one. Game of Thrones was able to manage most of its insane plot twists, melodrama, and other twists right up until the final seasons. House of the Dragon struggles due to the fact it doesn’t have George R.R. Martin’s novels, only an outline of the conflict from Fire and Blood, which hurts its dialogue as well as interactions. Likewise, many changes have been made from that outline for better and worse.

    This episode deals with Rhaenyra taking two steps forward and one step back from her degeneration into the Mad Queen. It opens with her berating her sister Helaena for visions of prophecy that will confirm her divinity despite (or perhaps because) it terrifies the latter. Rhaenyra also cheats on her husband, Daemon, with the mysterious Mysaria. This despite the fact she’s finally clocked to the fact that the White Worm is manipulating her against him. On the plus side, though, Rhaenyra takes upbrage at the fact that Daemon thinks he’d have murdered her stepdaughter, Rhaena. She even defends her against the murderous flames of Sheepstealer.

    The best story so far is Aegon the Second’s slow transformation from the spoiled brat and incompetent fool to someone who, in another life, might have been worthy of king. The thing is that as a rapist and brute who watched children fights, I’m not sure that redemption is possible. Still, it’s hard not to be at least a little enthusiastic when faced with certain death, Aegon is rescued by his still-alive dragon, Sunfyre. Indeed, Aegon’s relationship with the dragon is his only redeeming quality.

    Aemond’s storyline in Harrenhal is also hurt by the fact they decided to make his Oedipus Complex into actual incestuous feelings for his mother. Is it weird that I can support Daenerys and Jon while thinking about Jaime with Cersei as a fascinating plot but think of this as absolutely disgusting? Well, I certainly do and believe it ruins Aemond’s character. What’s weird is this is the second dream sex scene with a character’s mother in Harrenhal. Which is not a lot but weird that it happened twice. What is Alys Rivers motivation as well? She seemed to want Daemon to reach his potential but I’m not sure why she’s helping Aemond then.

    There are some good bits scattered throughout the episode too like the revelation that Ulf is Ormond Hightower’s “inside man” due to the fact, well, Rhaenyra and Daemon have treated him like garbage despite him having the keys to a magical nuke. I also like the ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ bit where Jeyne Arryn’s lesbianism is confirmed from the books. Would I have appreciated more if they’d had time to do it? Probably. Things like the unnecessary love triangle of Baela with Addam and Alyn are still more interesting than a lot of the crazier antics of our leads.

    In conclusion, “The Dragon in Winter” is a pretty good installment of the series but I’m not sure what it’s building up to. We’re almost to the end of the season and yet while pieces have been moved into place, I remain committed to House of the Dragon but I also feel like the series is far less epic in scope than Game of Thrones in its third season. Still, I’m watching.

7/10 

Fallout: The Series season two review

 
    I found season two was a bit...meh. Like eating Sugar Bombs that are two hundred years old, you're getting a lot of rads but not very much in the way of nourishment. Before you begin clutching your Pre-War pearls, I should clarify that I am both a huge Fallout fan who has played all the main games as well as a guy who actively hates those outrage merchants that reflexively despise everything on the internet. 

    I came into the franchise with Fallout 3, became a huge fan, and have generally followed its efforts ever since. But I’m not mindlessly supportive either. I felt Fallout 4 was a step-down storytelling wise from Fallout 3 (let alone New Vegas) and that Fallout 76 started in a state that was absolutely missing the point of the franchise. Nevertheless, I loved season one and thought it was a fantastic introduction to the setting for newcomers..

    This is frustrating because I was super excited about them visiting New Vegas and the greater Mojave Wasteland after the teaser for it in the previous season’s finale. Unfortunately, there’s something to be said about being careful what you wish for. In this case, the attempt to write around the events of Fallout: New Vegas while paying homage to them proves to be a needle that the showrunners just can’t thread. More on that later.

    The premise is Lucy Maclean (Ella Purnell) and Cooper/The Ghou (Walter Goggins) are on the trail of Hank Maclean (Kyle MacLachlan), Lucy’s father and the mastermind behind Shady Sands’ destruction. Hank has a nefarious plan to use mind-control technology to build the kind of paradise that the vaults were intended to be (or so he claims).

    Maximus (Aaron Moten), meanwhile, is now a highly decorated Brotherhood of Steel paladin and preparing for his Chapter’s overthrow of the Commonwealth Elders. Norm (Moisés Arias) is meanwhile trapped in Vault 31, surrounded by cryogenically frozen middle managers from Vault-Tec and Chet (Dave Register) is unwillingly caring for his sorta-girlfriend, Steph’s (Annabelle O’Hagan), baby. Oh, and Mister House shows up (Raffi Silva, Justin Theroux).

    There are a lot of plots and eight episodes mean that we move around at lightning pace to deal with each of them. Unfortunately, the season just keeps adding new plotlines while not taking sufficiently long enough to develop its current plot. There’s the Great Khans, Caesar’s Legion, The Kings (now feral ghouls), a focus on who is behind Vault-Tec, what Cooper’s wife’s true motivations are, and how the US government is involved. No sooner does it introduce a new element to the show than we move on to introducing another one.

    The biggest problem with season two is lore bloat. The first season was perfectly enjoyable if you’d never experienced Fallout as a gamer (my wife is proof) but the second season I suspect must be damned near incomprehensible to anyone who hasn’t played Fallout: New Vegas. It’s not terrible but I feel like they could have cut two subplots (probably Norm’s and Chet’s, entertaining as they may be) or at added another couple of episodes to develop the existing ones. Probably both.

    The show also feels like it’s in conversation with the online critics of its first season. A lot of the more controversial decisions of season one like Vault-Tec being behind the war, Mrs. Howard being evil, and the death of the NCR are all walked back. But this happening didn’t feel organic. It also does its best not to provide any answers as to what happened at Hoover Dam or the Courier’s existence, which is a bit like ignoring who won WW2 in the Fifties, A lot of beloved franchise elements are also treated for laughs that don’t really work like the Brotherhood of Steel chapters feeling like they belong on Rick and Morty.

    Season Two isn’t bad, at least if we’re measuring whether I’m entertained. I was, mostly. I loved things like finally getting to see Pre-War Canada and now think that would be the perfect place for the next Fallout game. I also felt the acting of all the leads and recreation of Vegas was well done. I think Caesar's Legion was well realized if terribly underused. Sadly, everything else was a bit too exaggerated and comical. Will I watch season three? Yes. However, I hope they dial everything down and focus on the things that matter most: the characters and their journey.

7/10 

House of the Dragon 3×06 “Faceless Men” review

 
    Queen Rhaenyra is a woman that is interesting to examine in the context of Queen Daenerys. The character of Rhaenyra is a foil to the Stormborn Dragon Queen in both her origins as well as how the show is treating her. Queen Daenerys is the Chosen One who fulfills Aegon's prophecy and unites the Seven Kingdoms against the others before successfully defeating them. You know, regardless of the fact that Arya is the one who managed to slay the Night King (who doesn't exist in the bookverse the same way anyway). Daenerys was also a friend to slaves and the oppressed people of the Seven Kingdoms as well as Essos. Rhaenyra, in simple terms, is not.

    It's actually a pretty good contrast to see how quickly Rhaenyra becomes disenchanted with ruling. While she wants to actually help the populace of King's Landing, she doesn't have any solutions and is unwilling to take drastic measure to help anyone. In one of the genuinely affecting scenes, a woman talking of a sept being raided before one of the girls being carried off to a horrific fate. Rhaenyra's reaction is not Daenyers, who would do something stupid but bold. Instead, she's simply bored and annoyed before saying she'll pray for her. It reminds me of certain politicians in the real world after a tragedy, but I won't go into that.

    The continued circling of plotlines without any actual progress on them is a problem, though. For example, Rhaena shows up at Lady Aeryn's home to remind us she exists and is living in exile. This does nothing to further their plots or provide any real character development for her. This is because the writers are unwilling to invent much in the way of actual character development plots and when they do, like Daemon learning to be a better husband, they don't necessarily match with what the characters are doing on screen. For example, Alys Rivers is now trying to educate Aemond Targaryen about dragon eggs. Where did she get these? Why? What is her motivation? 

    The best part of the episode is undoubtedly putting to bed the story of Ser Criston Cole and that is sadly a mercy killing. I've been looking forward to his death for some seasons now and have to say that I am underwhelmed. I wish they would have used the iconic line from the book: “I’ll have no songs about how brave you died, Kingmaker.” The sentiment is still there but the scene lacks a lot of the emotional resonance it might have otherwise had. I do give credit for him holding Lady Alicent's favor as he died even if I don't understand why he cherishes that right as he complains previously about being a tool of high born. It also ignores he led his own men to their doom just like one of the people he claims manipulates others.

    I think what's going wrong with the show can be summarized by the fact they have characters make progress in their stories and development but oftentimes in ways that contradict the book characters. Then they attempt to shove the characters back into the role that they were originally meant for. Ser Hugh in the show is an honorable, righteous, and brave man that the show is now having his wife berate for going off to become a dragonrider. She blames him for her brother's death and assault versus, you know, the Hightowers that he's now going to be waging war against. Its nonsensical but Hugh has to become disillusioned with the Blacks.

    In conclusion, this is an episode that should be incredibly important but suffers for the fact that the characters really aren't possessed of much natural development. They need to establish the characters and their motivations before moving them to the next set piece. Unfortunately, I don't think the showrunners really have a good handle on many of these individuals. Also, why is a show called "Faceless Men" lacking in Faceless Men?

6/10 

House of the Dragon 3x05 "Unbowed and Unbent"

    The Dance of the Dragons has been a war we've not seen much of due to the focus on both the dragons as well as the politics thereof. The actual Dance was a series of battles that included armies, ships, and a variety of parties that had their own stories. These have been finally coming to the forefront with the Battle of the Gullet and the movement of the various armies across Westeros. However, the show has still run into the uncomfortable reality of prestige TV: big battles are expensive and Warner Brothers has been slashing costs everywhere.

    I bring this up because this episode changes the scope of the war as a (presumably) cost cutting measure. Instead of the great conflicts of the book, we are having the forces of the Greens transformed into a guerilla army. This was a somewhat unpopular plotline in A Song of Ice and Fire and the show where Daenerys seemed powerless against the Sons of the Harpy when she was the ruler of Meereen. Guerilla warfare has always existed in history but was never quite the organized thing that states engaged in and would have been classified as banditry.

    This is particularly noteworthy as the decision to engage in it is undertaken by Ser Criston Cole who is tormented by the inability to live up to his vows. If anyone should be wanting to engage in "honorable" warfare, it is he. Mind you, he has been somewhat adrift plotline wise ever since he left King's Landing and the show seems to have settled onto the idea he's wanted to die in battle since parting from Alicent Hightower or at least when his forces were decimated by Rhaenys' dragon during the Battle of Rook's Rest.

    Honestly, I find this something of a disappointment as I felt the relationship of Ser Criston Cole to the Greens and Black was one of the most compelling ones of House of the Dragon. Part of this is due to Fire and Blood not giving them much to do after certain events. It is something the show attempted to rectify with generating new plots for Alicent (to mixed results). I feel they could have done the same for Criston and that he's now just killing time until his next part in the story.

    Sadly, Alicent's own plots are ill-conceived with an intention to spirit away herself and Helaena but not the Crown Princess. This is such an appallingly evil act that she lies to her daughter regarding repeatedly that any sympathy for trying to do something other than wait around as Rhaenyra's prisoner. Most would side with a woman protecting their child but not at the expense of their grandchild.

    Ormund Hightower is also financing guerilla warfare within the walls of King's Landing, which I would love to understand how he's doing. Are they Hightower loyalists, sellswords, or the common folk? The show is not interested in this question, though. Instead, they just have him continue to do atrocity after atrocity in hoping they can make him the next Joffrey or Ramsey Bolton. I do like he recites some Dornish history regarding Aegon the Conqueror's reign.

    In conclusion, this was an episode that feels like it doesn't know quite what to do with its characters. The show is still better than season two but this is a low bar to clear. I feel like I'm understanding what George R.R. Martin had as a problem with this season.

7/10 

House of the Dragon 3x04 "Rhaenyra Triumphant" review

    The first three episodes of the third season did a lot to finish up the plots of season two before setting up a new status quo for the series. Queen Rhaenyra has managed to finally set herself on the Iron Throne but the consequences of doing so are ones she was not prepared to deal with. Rhaenyra hates charming nobles, loathes bribing individuals, and prefers to exalt in the worship of the common folk but is the primary instigator of their woes due to the siege she placed around King's Landing. Even her so-called alliance with Alicent has fallen apart because she executed Otto Hightower herself.

    Rhaenyra continues to cause no end of alienation to her followers by insisting on doing things that seem specifically designed to annoy them. In one case, she has Ulf the Dragonrider forbidden from taverns and associating with his former friends. This despite the fact she has only elevated him to knighthood rather than true nobility. She is also more focused on finding out who "killed" Jace and the dragon rider of Sheepstealer despite that person only distracting him rather than being the one who did him in. Rhaenyra, you know who killed Jace, they were the archers who were sunk at the bottom of the bay.

    This plot gets a surprising bit of attention as the only time Daemon is probably going to be punished for his failures is when he tries to do the right thing. Daemon discovers Rhaena is responsible for the disaster at the Gullet and deeply traumatized. Daemon being a disaster of a person at the best of times, proceeds to fake another dragon rider that he's killed. This is something that Rhaenyra believes, reluctantly, but Mysaria doubts.

    We also get a new villain to replace Otto Hightower and Aemond when the former is killed while the latter is injured thanks to his stupid attempt to takeover Harrenhal. Ormund Hightower is shown to be a vain, effete, tyrannical, and psychotic individual who seems to take a lot from Waukeen Phoenix's Commodus. He is attempting to teach his nephew Daeron how to wield power and it is as twisted as it sounds with him first punishing a soldier for attempting to rape a peasant then punishes her brother with execution for striking said soldier.

    I like the character of Daeron as while it's pretty late to be introducing another child of Alicent Hightower (who looks fantastic for a mother of four), he is definitely the white sheep of the family. He doesn't want to hurt anyone but Ormund only holds violence as a way to display oneself. It's very similar to Samwell Tarly and his father but, unlike Samwell, Daeron is willing to do what his evil father-figure wants. Even if it's reluctantly. 

    In conclusion, this is a solid episode but not quite as impressive as the previous three. Rhaenyra's degeneration as a ruler makes her harder to root for, though. Daemon is getting some decent character development as a father, though. Ormund is a guy that can theoretically fill the role of providing some antagonist motivation to get everyone to work together.

House of the Dragon 3x03 "Rhaenyra Triumphant" review

    House of the Dragon season three should have begun on this episode because it is essentially a restarting of the series. I think this would have been a strong opening for the series entering its third year but now we have to deal with the fact we're almost halfway through the third season. This is the last time I will comment on the fact that HBO's decision to cut the seasons into episode episode was a mistake, though. At least until we reach episode eight and I'm certain we're going to feel cheated of a full season. I'm sorry, I'm sorry (not sorry).

    The premise for this episode is that Rhaenyra has managed to establish herself as Queen of Westeros in name but not in actuality. Aegon has managed to escape to Harrenhal, Aegon is missing (but she declares him dead anyway), and there is now a third candidate with Daeron Targayren supported by Ormund Hightower. Ser Criston Cole's army is also out there with the renegade Lord Commander preferring death to surrender despite no indication that they have a chance of winning.

    Unfortunately, Rhaenyra's problems do not end with just the uniquely large number of kingly rivals she has. No, Rhaenyra also is lacking the royal treasury that was absconded with by the Lannister family. Worse, the city still has no bread and it is now no longer planting season. The number of issues facing the city that she doesn't have the resources to address are tremendous as is the fact the show is taking a surprising take: Rhaenyra is actually a terrible ruler.

    With so much prophecy and meaning hinging on the show being about how Rhaenyra was unfairly denied her throne based purely on sex, it's an interesting choice to have it clear that Rhaenyra doesn't know what the hell she's doing. Rhaenyra manages to alienate the Goldcloaks, the lesser nobility, her strongest allies (Daemon and Corlys), plus the dragon riders she's created all in the span of a single episode.

    Rhaenyra seems to adopt the attitude that she is a ruler by divine right and because of that there is no need to reward her followers, only punish her betrayers. This complete lack of acumen in the realm of politics is something that we know is going to bite the Queen who ever Was in the ass badly. However, it actually makes Cersei look like a more capable politician as she was someone who constantly cultivated alliances while punishing her enemies. The fact poor Corlys only wants new heirs after giving so much to her cause is especially galling.

    In conclusion, the seeds are already being sewn for the fall of Rhaenyra from power or at least losing all of her present gains. I think there's some really good moments in this episode like the false surrender of the Hightowers (reminding us they're honorless trash even when Rhaenyra is drowning), Corlys' explosion when Rhaenyra refuses to legitimize his bastards, and Daemon's insane plan to conquer all of the world. If nothing else, this season is moving at a far faster pace then season two.

9/10 

House of the Dragon 3x02 "Queen's Landing" review

    This should have been the finale for the second season of House of the Dragon. It was meant to be the finale for the second season but HBO's cuts to the budget meant what was going to be a ten episode season became an eight-episode season. This almost caused me to drop the show. However, I turned around my opinion and gave the first episode a shot to my considerable delight.

    The episode opens with the body of Jace being brought back to Queen Rhaenyra by her followers, only for this to trigger a mental breakdown from the Queen that Ever Was. Daemon Targaryen can persuade her to leave her fugue before it removes the opportunity they have to invade King's Landing, however. With the Triarchy defeated, at horrific cost, Daemon and Rhaenyra have a chance to seize the capital from their enemies.

    Meanwhile, Queen Alicent is doing her best to cripple the defenses of King's Landing in hopes of saving the lives of her family. Unfortunately, for her, Alicent's treason doesn't go smoothly. Her son Aemond mistakes her concern for sexual attraction (eww, even by Game of Thrones standards) before departing. Aegon Targaryen has already fled the city as well, meaning the war will go on despite her efforts. There is also a gross scene where Master of Laws, Jasper Wylde, attempts to sexually assault her. Really, House of the Dragon? You had to go there?

    Rhaenyra proceeds to get written as an idiot. Basically, Rhaenyra leads her and Daemon's dragons to King's Landing and proceeds to invade the palace...by themselves. It's a thing that almost results in the war being won by Aegon's forces by the sheer stupidity. They're not the protagonist of Skyrim and can't slaughter armies by themselves.

    The ending is good, though, and I have to say I appreciated the episode despite its flaws. It is an excellent finale to season two and an okay episode of season three. Rhaenyra manages to achieve her supposed goal of becoming Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and acquiring the Iron Throne but at horrific cost. Two of her children are dead and the difficulty of executing Otto Hightower shows she might not have the temperament for the violence necessary. Certainly, executing Otto Hightower destroys whatever rapprochement that Alicent and he gets.

    Aemond is a character that I feel was done dirty by this episode as while he had mommy issues, I don't think they should have gone full Oedipus here. We also see him single handedly take Harrenhal in a way that is significantly more believable, both in the fact he burns down most of the garrison and then is stabbed to near-death by the Strong suns. Because, you know, it's stupid to invade a castle by yourself.

    In conclusion, "Queen's Landing" isn't nearly as good an episode as its predecessor, but it was an improvement on the majority of season two's episode. A lot of things happen, and we've started to see some serious analysis of while Rhaenyra may become queen, she's not necessarily qualified to become monarch of the Seven Kingdoms. Neither was Aegon, mind you, but that just makes the war even more fascinating.

8/10