That Time House of the Dragon Tried to Be Wholesome and Y'all Just Ignored It
What could be cuter than a dying man meeting his grandchildren for the first time?
As a show primarily about political manoeuvring and a family on the brink of collapse, House of the Dragon wasn't exactly packed with touching, wholesome moments. And when it did include one, either no one noticed – or no one cared.
The question of who would succeed King Viserys was the main plotline of the entire season, and when it became clear that the elderly monarch was nearing the end, things began to ramp up in terms of positioning heirs and seizing power.
In the midst of it all, the bedridden king was introduced to his grandchildren – one of whom was named after him. It was a genuine family moment amidst the turmoil that was going on all around. And naturally the fans flocked to say how much they appreciated it.
Oh, actually, no, they didn't.
In fact, it was almost as if the scene hadn't been aired at all, such was the lack of interest in it.
So was this because viewers had no empathy for the situation? Or was it simply that the shenanigans outside the king's bedchamber were far more interesting, and at that point any distraction had to include the obligatory sex or violence we've come to expect from the franchise?
Either way, it's clear that the showrunners felt they had included a moment that would resonate with viewers – and you just ignored it.
So let's revisit it for a moment.
Rhaenyra is torn between celebrating a birth and seeing her father so obviously close to death. Despite his frailty, King Viserys almost manages to smile and his face lights up as he meets his newest grandson and assures his daughter that her son Viserys is well named to be a good king.
Everything else was forgotten for a moment as we saw a family focused on what really matters. The acting from everyone involved was sublime, the dialogue was on point and the sense of true family was clear.
And you didn't care!
It's like you're a heartless bunch of bloodthirsty viewers who only care about skullduggery and adult content.
Oh, is that so? Well, that's a good job. Because there's bound to be plenty more of that in Season 2.
Source: Reddit (AdLate3004).