[REVIEW] It’s All Fun and Games Until Somebody Loses an Eye

Tensions reach a boiling point when the children from both houses clash (with an eye lost). Kids, don’t try this at your next Raya or CNY reunion ok?

We like how both Rhaenyra and Alicent fiercely stood by their children. They are not afraid to confront each other, even at knifepoint. This fierce motherly love is only rivaled by Catelyn Stark from Game of Thrones. Long live Lady Stoneheart (anybody get that reference?).

Unlike Catelyn, we didn’t feel comfortable with Alicent asking Ser Cristen Cole to take Lucerys’ eye. It’s a bit too extreme and unexpected for us. But we will give it to the writers to relate it to the saying “an eye for an eye”.

True colours

The dirty laundry of the royal family is now aired for all to see. All the rumours and hidden intentions are now brought to light with no holds barred.

Alicent has really come into her own here. From a sweet young girl who follows the rules to a queen who knows how to play the game of thrones. Some may call her crazy, but we think she has what it takes to win the Iron Throne for her son.

Meanwhile, peace-loving beatnik King Viserys continues to show why he's not fit to be king. If this was any other king, Alicent would have to suffer consequences for her actions. This has set even more precedent for people to go against his wishes. We feel for him though.

Cinematography

Let’s take a little detour from the plot and enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the show.

The way the producers portray Driftmark is nothing short of cinematic. We can feel the chills of the ocean breeze and smell the sea. It is one of our favourite locations in the series. In fact, some of us prefer it over the Red Keep.

That said, a fair chunk of Episode 7 was shot at night. But it was a little too dark for us. We could barely see what was happening, even with our screens at maximum brightness. This gave us The Long Night vibes and after some digging we found the reason: Miguel Sapochnik directed this episode.

Why do the showrunners, even after backlash for The Long Night, insist on making the same "creative decision"? Look, if enough people online are making a fuss about how dark an episode is, maybe don't doggedly stick to your vision and try listening to your fans. Maybe the brightness on his computer screen is so low that he can't see those negative comments.

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Catch House of The Dragon On Demand on Astro with new episodes every Monday, or watch it on the same day at 10.00pm on HBO CH411. Open to all Astro Movie Pack customers