Millions of Westerosi are looking forward to seeing the Targaryens and their dragons return to our screens once House of the Dragon Season 2 makes its much-anticipated premiere. However, there’ll be less (sorry Stannis, we meant fewer) episodes this upcoming season, which won’t necessarily be a bad thing.
In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Director Clare Kilner revealed that the decision to cut down the number of episodes to eight was a strategic move to fit more “emotional and visually exciting events.”
Q: Can you give us a sense of why it made more sense for House of the Dragon to go shorter, with eight episodes in the new season instead of 10?
A: There are eight wonderful episodes with so much happening in every episode, and we have trouble, at times, bringing them down to one hour. Ryan’s decision was to give it a good opening and a good ending, and they’re jam-packed with emotional and visually exciting events.
Kilner has helmed some of the best episodes in the first season, namely Episode 4: King of the Narrow Sea, Episode 5: We Light the Way, and Episode 9: The Green Council. While these particular episodes may not have garnered the highest ratings, they undeniably held the most riveting and pivotal moments of the show.
For instance, in one, the ruthless Ser Criston Cole grisly murders a fellow knight, while in another, Princess Rhaenys orchestrates a daring escape on the back of her dragon Meleys, resulting in the tragic deaths of countless civilians. Kilner herself considers directing the latter episode her most noteworthy achievement of the season, stating:
Episode nine, when [Eve Best’s Rhaenys spectacularly interrupts a royal coronation on her dragon]. That was obviously a huge sequence, and I vividly remember grabbing the mic and screaming to all the supporting artists and actors, “The dragon is coming!” to whoop everyone up.
In the upcoming Season 2, we can expect a fresh wave of talent joining the cast, including Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers, Simon Russell Beale as Ser Simon Strong, Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower, and Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull. This infusion of new blood extends beyond the cast, as the show ushers in new perspectives from talented directors, with a particularly noteworthy addition being Alan Taylor.
A recipient of the Emmy award, Taylor boasts an impressive directorial portfolio that encompasses renowned series like The Sopranos, Mad Men, and Game of Thrones (he directed the unforgettable Episode 9 of the first season). Kilner was quick to express her admiration for Taylor, asserting:
He’s such an accomplished director, and I really love the way he uses depth of field and focus in his storytelling to bring viewers’ attention to certain elements in the frame. I’ve been watching that and going, “How can I evolve in that direction?”
The first season ended on a high but depressing note after Prince Aemond’s dragon Vhagar seemingly defied its master and devoured Rhaenyra’s son Lucerys, along with his loyal dragon, Arrax. Having lost her son so tragically, we can be certain that Rhaenyra will be out for blood, and those who’ve read the books know all too well how that goes down.
As of writing, the series is currently filming in Spain, despite the actors’ strike. This is attributed to the predominant presence of British actors in the cast, who operate within the jurisdiction of the British trade union for performing arts and entertainment sectors, Equity. Regardless, a specific launch date for the second season has yet to be announced.
