It is always an exciting yet worrying feeling when your most cherished show or movie is set for a remake or spin-off series. In 2022, diehard fans of both George R.R. Martin and J.R.R. Tolkien’s written masterpieces would have been counting down the days with their fingers crossed behind their backs.
Unfortunately, a spin-off series rarely comes close to meeting the standard of the original, this year it was a mixed bag.
Both of these franchises ended in very different ways but yet have restarted in opposite positions.
Lord of the Rings came to an end in 2003, with a standing ovation and a host of Oscars but the new spin-off series has sullied that tremendous reputation.
Whereas the disappointing final season of Game of Thrones led to pitchforks and torches, the new series is a triumph and breathes fire into the ashes of Westeros.
Story
House of the Dragon
The story picks up around 200 years before the original Game of Thrones series took place. It follows House Targaryen as they struggle to maintain balance within their family, slowly brewing into a civil war Martin coined the “Dance of the Dragons”.
It does not rely on old tropes from the main series, but we are given a very insightful look into the Targaryen house lineage. It is hard not to smile when we see the Stark banner again or when we hear the prophecy of “Ice and Fire” repeated, but they are not relied upon to captivate the audience.
You could enjoy this series just as much if you knew nothing about Game of Thrones.
The Rings of Power
This series also takes place before the original movies, but there is a much bigger time jump, thousands of years instead of hundreds.
The story is set in the second age of a relatively peaceful Middle-Earth, instead of the story revolving around one ring, we are shown a time when many existed. Just like in the original series the Dark Lord Sauron is the main villain, and we have a wide range of characters who band together to fight evil.
But unlike House of the Dragon, the story has no real momentum, yes, the characters are on a mission but there never seems to be any real destination, it feels empty.
Budget
This is the real kicker and why criticism of The Rings of Power is so strong. Don’t be mistaken, House of the Dragon is no independent project, it has received huge backing from HBO but pales in comparison to Amazon’s investment.
The Rings of Power is the most expensive TV show of all time, averaging $60 million per episode. Comparatively, House of the Dragon costs a third of that at $20 million per episode.
Both of these shows have been renewed for a second season.
Expectations and histories aside, House of the Dragon has surprised a lot of doubters and looks to finally do justice to the controversial Game of Thrones ending.