Rhaenyra the Cruel [House of the Dragon, S2E2]

Get bonus episodes on Patreon! House of the Dragon is not Game of Thrones, but neither is it the same show that it was in Season One. This uneasy evolution has continued to haunt our discussions, and more than anything, this episode — “Rhaenyra the Cruel” — is a collection of growing pains. In addition to our beloved audience polls (conducted every week on Instagram), discussion topics include: abandoning the Team Black / Team Green framing, reevaluating Blood and Cheese, seasonal / episodic pacing, the Rhaenyra / Daemon duality, and the intricate work of dramatization. LINKS: Patreon, YouTube, Spotify, Instagram, Cam’s stories Feedback & Theories: [email protected]   Time Codes: 00:00 Reevaluating Blood & Cheese 06:09 Propaganda Redemption 15:56 Adding Rhaenyra to the Cargyll Duel 29:24 The Purpose of the Duel 36:05 Rhaenyra Out of Character 41:43 Rhaenyra vs. Daemon: Dialogue Dilemmas 44:58 Rhaenyra vs. Daemon: Victimhood & Duality 53:38 The Problem with Team Black / Team Green 59:57 The Shadow of Game of Thrones 01:04:18 Pacing Problems & Procedural Structure 01:13:16 Make This Into Two Episodes 01:16:44 Expectations & Optimism