Keen for House of the Dragon? How to stream the hot new HBO show in Australia
The game of thrones is back, baby! And Westeros looks better than ever. We’re talking dragons. We’re talking political machinations, mediaeval tourneys, and the horrors of the patriarchy. We’re talking George R.R. Martin’s rich and complex lore brought lovingly to life for the first time in years. Did we mention dragons?
Here’s what you need to know about the exciting new prequel, House of the Dragon, and where you can stream it.
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Fire will reign in HBO’s House of the Dragon
Based on GRRM’s “historical” novel Fire & Blood, HBO’s newest flagship show House of the Dragon details a period in Westerosi history known as the Dance of the Dragons, a brutal and bloody Targaryen civil war that nearly destroyed their dynasty and the Seven* Kingdoms.
Two hundred years before Daenerys Stormborn (Emilia Clarke) became the Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains, the Unburnt, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm, her ancestor Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’arcy, Milly Alcock) found herself thrust into the line of succession for the wickedly sharp Iron Throne – and the tea only gets hotter from there.
*Technically six kingdoms since Dorne was TBD, but that’s a story for another time. I’ll put down my nerd goggles now.
New players, same game
Created by Ryan Condal and GRRM himself, House of the Dragon’s debut season lays the groundwork for the Dance by introducing viewers to the players of this particular game of thrones.
Caught in the middle and hoping everyone will get along is Rhaenyra’s father, King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) – a rare good man, but not-so-good king. When his beloved wife Queen Aemma Arryn (Sian Brooke) fails to give him a male heir, tradition dictates Viserys’s mercurial and dangerous younger brother Daemon, the Rogue Prince (Matt Smith) should inherit the throne.
But Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), the scheming Hand of the King, absolutely loathes Daemon, so vies to keep him from power – while acquiring some of his own.
One of Otto’s chiefest assets in the game is his mousey, anxious, rule-following daughter Alicent (Olivia Cooke, Emily Carrey), Rhaenyra’s childhood best friend. We won’t go into spoilers, but needless to say viewers should watch Alicent carefully over the coming weeks. If we know anything about Westeros, it’s that women should never be underestimated in the game of thrones…
Rounding out the cast is some sorely needed diversity with Lord Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint), the Sea Snake, a legendary seafarer and richest man in Westeros. He’s married to Princess Rhaenys Targaryen (Eve Best), the Queen Who Never Was, who stood to inherit the Iron Throne but was passed over by the lords of Westeros in favour of her younger male cousin, Viserys. If Rhaenyra is to succeed where Rhaenys didn’t, the young princess is going to need all the help she can get on her journey into power.
There’s also a handsome but lowborn Dornish knight to consider, Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel), who astonishes the court with his prenatural skill for the sword. And last but not least, Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno), a mysterious companion to Prince Daemon, known to Flea Bottom as ‘Lady Misery’ – who holds a few secrets of her own.
Just remember the cardinal rule: in the game of thrones, you win or you die. With the stakes set, it’s time to see who will come out victorious…and who we’ll mourn when the credits roll. Let the dance begin!
House of the Dragon Cast: Paddy Considine, Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Milly Alcock, Emily Carrey, Sonoya Mizuno, Fabien Frankel, and Rhys Ifans.
What can we expect from House of the Dragon?
The first season of House of the Dragon returns the IP to its early roots. Prepare for intimate conversations by candlelight, cunning plays for the throne, and angry blondes backed by firepower.
House of the Dragon will also update the Game of Thrones formula by covering a longer span of time from the get-go. Expect a few time-skips in the episodes to come as the deliberately paced political drama unfolds with all the brutal, character-driven moral complexity we’ve come to expect from Westeros. Themes of succession, power, ambition, gender, violence, love, honour, and duty abound.
While the original show was an expanding world that contracted in its highly divisive later seasons, this prequel is set to unfold like a Shakespearean tragedy. Fire cannot kill a dragon…but other dragons certainly can.
Casual viewers might be a bit sceptical of the show’s heavy emphasis on lore and reduced scope. After all, name likes Rhaenyra, Rhaenys, Rhaena, Laenor, Laena, Baelon, Baela, Daemon, Daenerys, Viserys, Valyria, and Velaryon get mixed up by even the most hardcore fans! Plus, where’s Winterfell in all this, you might be wondering? What in the glorious heck is a Hightower?
But if the first episode is anything to go on, the exposition might be easier to handle than you think. A slow burn is a hard sell – but with a stacked cast, devoted crew, and an impressive USD$20 million budget per episode, the one is definitely worth giving a chance. Plus, 83% on Rotten Tomatoes ain’t too shabby!
Even hardcore stans burned by the bitter season eight finale have reason to be cautiously optimistic for House of the Dragon. This is a new show, after all, with a new cast, new crew, and new creators – all stamped with glowing approval from the author himself.
So dust off your swords and brush up on your High Valyrian. It’s time to get hype for the Show That Was Promised.
When does House of the Dragon air in Australia?
HBO’s House of the Dragon premiered August 22 in Australia to generally rave reviews. New episodes will be released Mondays 11 am AEST (12 pm AEST after daylights savings in October) and can be streamed on Binge.
The streaming service has three different membership tiers – Basic, Standard, and Premium – priced at $10, $16, and $18 a month respectively. Unsure about diving in? There’s a 14-day free trial on offer at the moment, but make sure you cancel before you get charged if you change your mind.
Don’t want to miss out? Here’s the release schedule for season one of House of the Dragon in Australia.
- Episode 1, “The Heirs of the Dragon”: Monday, August 22
- Episode 2, “The Rogue Prince”: Monday, August 29
- Episode 3, "Second of His Name": Monday, September 5
- Episode 4, "King of the Narrow Sea": Monday, September 12
- Episode 5, "We Light the Way": Monday, September 19
- Episode 6, "The Princess and the Queen": Monday, September 26
- Episode 7, "Driftmark": Monday, October 3
- Episode 8, "The Lord of the Tides": Monday, October 10
- Episode 9, "The Green Council": Monday, October 17
- Episode 10, "The Black Queen": Monday, October 24
At the moment, Telstra’s offering a two-month Standard subscription on Binge when eligible users sign up to a new NBN plan. Browse the deals below, and make sure to read the T’s and C’s.
Want to stream House of the Dragon in high definition? Compare more broadband deals below.
