'House Of The Dragon': Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Milly Alcock And Emily Carey On The Women Who Shaped The Targaryen Dynasty

In House of the Dragon, the prequel to Game of Thrones set roughly 200 years before the eight-season epic, viewers will look upon Daenerys Targaryen’s ancestors basking in the height of their power. 

HBO’s Game of Thrones introduced the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), the last of her bloodline, desperate to regain the former glory of the Targaryen dynasty.

The Targaryens ruled Westeros for some 300 years. When House of the Dragon opens, we meet them about 100 years into their reign, smack-dab in the middle of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood, which outlines the history of the Targaryen kings. 

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'House Of The Dragon' Showrunners Need You To Forget About 'Game of Thrones' Characters 'Without Discarding Them'

The heads of HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel series, House of the Dragon, have a messaage for fans.

When news broke that HBO was looking for a Game of Thrones spinoff series, many writers and creatives threw their ideas in the ring. In the end (at least for now), co-showrunners Ryan J. Condal and Miguel Sapochnik’s House of the Dragon was ultimately the sole project to get the green light. 

Co-created by Condal and fantasy novelist George R. R. Martin, House of the Dragon acts as a prequel to Game of Thrones. Set some 200 years before Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) tries to take back the Iron Throne, we find ourselves amongst her ancestors. A book loyalist, Condal draws the House of the Dragon source material from Martin’s Fire & Blood, a book that outlines the history of the Targaryen kings before the entire bloodline is nearly wiped out.

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In Rap Sh!t, Social Media Has Main Character Energy

The first 60 seconds of Issa Rae's new HBO series Rap Sh!t are a glorious whirlwind. The Earth spins, zooming into Google Maps’ street-level view of Miami before transitioning to a swirl of Instagram stories that moves down South Beach. We’re introduced to the show’s protagonist Shawna (Aida Osman) via a hotel guest’s video, and the texts and notifications don’t stop there — they’re constantly in frame, mimicking the 24/7 rhythm of life in the social media age. While the dramedy about two friends with rap girl dreams is nominally about music, it’s social media — and the ways Shawna and her friend Mia (KaMillion) use it as they navigate their lives — that steals the show.

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