House Of The Dragon Came This Close to Actually Being Canceled

When Game of Thrones ended, fans were crying out for more Westerosi action. And it seemed almost inevitable that there would be several spin-offs. And yet it took three years before the prequel show, House of the Dragon, aired.

In the meantime, HBO spent $30 million on a pilot episode of Bloodmoon (a working title for a show based on the Long Night). That was subsequently cancelled, and House of the Dragon looked to be going the same way until George RR Martin stepped in and saved it like Samwell Tarley saving Gilly and her son from a White Walker.

And why was the author so insistent that this prequel should be made? According to showrunner Ryan Condal, it 'was the spin-off that was most important to him (Martin)'. When you consider the opening episodes of Game of Thrones, it makes sense that the story of how House Targaryen ripped itself apart should have been the first prequel to it.

After all, everything that happened in Game of Thrones was on some level a result of what had come before. House of the Dragon spells out just how powerful House Targaryen was – and exposes its frailties that look set to explode in season 2.

Martin's intervention shows just how much he cared that this story was told. And also demonstrates that he still holds a fair amount of sway. It's well-documented that Game of Thrones dropped in quality as George RR Martin became increasingly less involved in writing it. And it's easy to see why.

He hasn't just written a story; he's created a whole world. His attention to detail when knitting together the various parts of that world, whether it be the lands themselves or the characters that inhabit them, is second to none.

And his deep knowledge of the way that world operates and what goes on within it cannot simply be replaced by someone who has read the books – or even worked on the TV show. Indeed, there is a lack of detail in Fire & Blood – the book on which House of the Dragon is based – that would have meant that, without Martin, the showrunners would have been made to interpret his world in their way to such an extent that it almost certainly would have been poorer for it.

Martin had to be the key voice in the production process. But he also needed top-quality TV writers and producers around him to ensure his vision worked on screen and made compelling viewing. Something which, after a slow start, it absolutely delivered on.

With recording underway for season 2, there is lots to look forward to. While season 1 was very much about setting the scene and establishing the background to the Dance of the Dragons, season 2 sees the story ramp up as the Targaryens battle it out for supremacy and the chance to sit on the Iron Throne.