House of the Dragon, Sky Atlantic review ★★★★★

Episodes watched: 6 of 10

In retrospect, Game of Thrones is wrapped in a certain cognitive dissonance. Not because of its much-hated conclusion, the vitriol for which this critic doesn't share, but its graphic, gratuitous, and outright silly bits that often rubbed against the more revolutionary aspects. (People often forget how absurdly sexual, close to pornographic, the first season was.)

But it was the characters, the politics, and the overarching, wintry prophecy of total war that made the series so fantastically inescapable. It was a rough, horny, but intelligent adolescence for prestige TV.

What, then, is its long-awaited prequel House of the Dragon? Well, the series feels more like a cautious, nostalgic and absorbing midlife crisis. It tries to recapture those headier days, avoiding the more troubling pitfalls, yet strives to be its own thing. It’s not quite successful, but the welcoming pull of Westeros is tough to resist.

Paddy Considine as King Viserys I Targaryen. Photo: Sky/HBO

This is a different era: 172 years before the birth of Daenerys Targaryen, when her dragon-riding ancestors resided in King’s Landing. And the dragons come swiftly and numerously. You’re thrown into the skies above the clouds, where the royals fly without much fanfare. King Viserys I (paternally played by Paddy Considine) sits on the Iron Throne, envied by his wayward, hedonistic brother Daemon (a perfectly cast Matt Smith, the series’ most gripping performance).

But it’s Viserys’s daughter Rhaenyra – played by the vigorous Milly Alcock, ageing into an exhausted Emma D’Arcy – who’s the main focus of this series. She’s something of a proto-proto-feminist in this ancient world, determined to be taken seriously as a princess and potential heir to the throne, even if none of the men agrees.

Her up-and-down friendship with the conservative Alicent Hightower (Emily Carey, growing into Olivia Cooke) keeps tearing and repairing, the latter so bent towards ‘honour and decency'. Does she know what series she’s in?

Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen. Photo: Sky/HBO

Whereas Game of Thrones savoured its time, House of the Dragon loves jumping forward: six months, two years, 10 years – all within the six episodes available to review. It’s a great way to cut to the meat, but sacrifices a lot of juicy potential.

Episode three yields a seaside battle scene, but the stakes and the enemy are difficult to define. Despite decent choreography, where’s the tension? Where’s our suffering? If a battle scene leaves a viewer’s face dry or unencumbered, then it’s a wasted opportunity.

Olivia Cooke and Emma D'Arcy as the older Alicent and Rhaenyra. Photo: Sky/HBO

Despite the connections to the original, House of the Dragon distances itself with mixed results. The dialogue is more refined and Shakespearean. The former geographical title sequence, perhaps the best in television history, is scrapped and you often lose your bearings. The disability representation that graced Game of Thrones is disappointingly absent here: relegated to a violent, cane-wielding stereotype that limps in two dimensions.

Potential brides as young as 12 are considered for much older men, and it’s uncomfortable to hear a child actor say ‘I wouldn’t have to bed you until I turned 14.’ On the whole, the sex and nudity are vastly reduced, though they often come all at once with several bodies bonking in a brothel. Rape scenes are thankfully spared, and there are more sensual moments in the bedroom. You wonder if the writers studied scenes from Normal People in preparation.

There's still plenty to re-enchant and to find disgracefully entertaining. The action is mostly contained to King’s Landing and the rancid Targaryen line, but what fascinating characters they are – plotting, resenting, seducing – in a world so beautifully shot and elegantly written. The compassion is largely lost; Rhaenyra is the only character worth rooting for. But there’s still something sadistically enjoyable about a brutal, incestuous family gradually turning against each other.

House of the Dragon airs on Monday 22 August at 9pm on Sky Atlantic.