Hi Mark, you saw the first six episodes of House of the Dragonthe prequel to Game of Thrones. What did you think of it?
‘I’m still a bit hesitant, because after six episodes I can’t make a final judgment at all. But in my review of House of the Dragon (HBO Max, fantasy, ten episodes) I do write that this first half of the season is not yet fully released. Three stars, it could go either way. I will definitely come back to this series.
‘Which in any case seems to be a big difference with Game of Thronesand therein lies my criticism, is that not the entire continent of Westeros and its future is at stake in House of the Dragon. Viewers of Game of Thrones were presented with many storylines and locations, with filming in Iceland, Malta and Dubrovnik. That Croatian city is now overrun by tourists, everyone wants to see what the capital of Westeros looks like.
‘Game of Thrones was therefore constantly on the move. That dynamic is missing in prequel House of the Dragon, which is kind of a footnote and tells the history of one family, the Targaryens. Character Daenerys Targaryen is in Game of Thrones an exile, who uses dragons to reclaim the throne once occupied by her family. Now we get in House of the Dragon Daenerys’ story, when her family sat on the throne two hundred years ago.
“As a result, this prequel is less about dangerous outside forces – other families trying to take the throne – and all the more about internal family conflicts. Relatives mistrust each other, several people think they claim the throne. although House of the Dragon looks spectacular, the dragons fly around your ears, scenes often take place in the same places. That makes the whole thing more static. That made me feel more The Crown then think of Game of Thrones.
‘That’s also because there is a nice role for Matt Smith. He bets The Crown a strong Prince Philip, a man who must surrender his identity while his wife sits on the throne. Now he’s playing that kind of role again, as the king’s brother, the unpredictable keg of gunpowder this series needs. Definitely a reason to go and watch House of the Dragon.’
And then you tip Only Murders in the Buildingthe second season of which is now available.
“Yes, primarily because I’ve been a long-time fan of actor and comedian Steve Martin. He has Only Murders in the Building (Disney Plus, mystery comedy, ten episodes) and also plays one of the lead roles. The first season was very well received by critics and viewers, as it is a refreshing Agatha Christie-esque detective series starring all kinds of colorful characters and celebrities, such as Sting.
‘Martin plays here together with Martin Short, with whom he has been making films and theater shows for years, and – a strong find – the wildly popular actress and singer Selena Gomez. The dynamics of a younger woman partnering with a quirky duo in their 70s just works really, really well.
“It all starts with those two men looking for a new purpose in their lives. When a murder is committed in their apartment, they decide to make a podcast about it together with the young Mabel, played by Gomez. This makes the series also a parody of the popularity of the true crime podcast, in which no detail about a murder case is left unspoken through endless detours. Only Murders in the Building It’s also just really funny, I often laugh really hard. Episodes last half an hour, perfect for relaxing.’