HOUSE OF THE DRAGON 2x08 REVIEW | Game of Thrones | HBO Max | THE GEEK BUDDIES

[@Melodicroger]

Shannon hit the nail on the head. It had some really well acted scenes but did not deliver on what finale expectations are. Also John had a great analogy of Ulf being a lottery winner and losing his mind.

[@joes9288]

Simon Strong - Hey I think we’re treasoning 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂Fuckin Vogel😊

[@michaelvogel7026]

Hey! You know that’s what he was thinking!!!

[@philrm99]

Argon revealing the extent of his "injuries " was a surprise 😬

[@TheRoyalFino]

"The Realm's Delight" is Rhaenyra's nickname when she was younger. I think Aegon saying that nickname is telling us he is jealous of how she is viewed and maybe wants to erase her legacy.

[@Tuscar]

The season finale was a bad season finale, but it was an amazing episode. All the acting was incredible, all the writing was on point, and everything that we got was solid. We're just missing the final two episodes of the season. The biggest problems of this season has been the budget cuts dictated by Zaslav. This literally felt like they weren't given enough money to do the usual ten episode season, so they filmed eight of the ten episodes, and pushed the remaining two episodes into next season. If they're willing to cheap out on their Game of Thrones Flagship series, this really makes me worried for what's going to happen to The Last of Us season 2.

[@Michael.Miles1]

My hats off to the female writer of this episode who may have written one of the best depictions of a strained father/son relationship I have ever watched on the screen. ✌🏾✌🏾

[@Michael.Miles1]

@Cuban-Jo Yeah you're right. There really isn't any examples of absentee fathers trying to make amends with children they abandoned in real life. 🤡🤡

[@FdotStizzy]

SMH

[@ricardothompson2700]

I agree. It was really well written and performed.

[@ricardothompson2700]

@Cuban-Jo there are 8.1 billion people on this planet and you feel so confident in speaking for all of them. SMH.

[@vernontk]

That was powerful. Loved that scene for Alan

[@roberthaley3254]

Daemon's change is only about not seeking the throne. He will still make a lot of hot headed and possibly horrible political decisions, while also being a fearsome and excellent battle strategist.

[@michaelvogel7026]

Good point

[@michaelmccarstle4527]

Daemon's vision isn't retconning anything by showing Daenerys instead of Jon. That vision was showing him what he needed to see in order to get him to do what he needed to do. If he saw Jon, someone who for all intents and purposes, did not visually represent his Targaryen heritage, Daemon would not have gotten as much out of it as he would seeing someone who is very clearly Targaryen. He saw Danny, because that's who he needed to see, not because it throws some wrench in a prophecy that was already vague to begin with.

[@adultishbambino7296]

The finale that never was.

[@majorlazor5058]

Ulf prove Jace correct and reversed every good will Addam earned for the commoners riding Dragons.

[@commandZee]

17:13 I thought the same as Shannon. I even think the finale could have been more satiating if the episode closed with a scene, or even just a shot, of Rhaena epically pairing with Sheep Stealer; they probably just didn't have the budget. Overall I still feel it was one of the best seasons of series television this summer, it just felt a bit front waited and truncated. I suspect for a little longer across all streamers we'll be seeing similarly "compromised" executions from all large scale cgi heavy series until all their seasons of COVID era productions have finally aired.

[@louissanchez4073]

Helaena is THE gangsta of the episode….”you going to burn me too?!”

[@sharmarvgeorge]

I don't think it was a bad episode. I liked the episode, but as a finale, it felt underwhelming or it wasn't the finale I was expecting. I let my expectations not ruin, but messed up my enjoyment for the season. I think it's partially the marketing, but I also blame myself.

[@majorlazor5058]

Technically the war has started…just not the huge battle between Rhaenyra’s army and the Greens army:

[@joerossi6595]

GoT season 1 had little action. This is a chess game, not checkers. The political aspect is what made GOT. Same here. Excellent show.

[@aaronhall5715]

Am I the only one who immediately thought of Michael Cera in Superbad when Tyland was singing to everyone? I loved this season. this was the march to war and they delivered on that. Absolutely can't wait for season 3.

[@CPTEP46]

Watching Ulf I’m thinking “Does Team Black REALLY need three more dragons? Can they get by with two?” 😃

[@jamescferguson5566]

The more I hear Mike talk in your reviews the more I hope someone hires him to write on this new batch of Phineas & Ferb episodes. He is so smart and funny.

[@SteelerSpartan]

As another episode in the overall story they are trying to tell...this was a 9(Assuming they deliver on the battles and dont skip over on too much action in S3)....but it just hurts that this is where we are left to sit for another two years. :( As was said...when the series is done and we can binge to our hearts content, we'll appreciate this season more.

[@ricardothompson2700]

I entirely agree with Vogel on his take on this season 2 of HOTD.

[@michaelvogel7026]

🥰🤓🥰🤓

[@MelLovesMoviesAndBooks]

I AM UPSET ON HOW LONG WE HAVE TO WAIT

[@phoenixrising8231]

Dany was there just to remind the audience that she brought back the dragons. After HOD killed them all through this war. That's what Daemon was speaking about to Rhaenyra in High Valerian. That this will all go to shit. But we must try to continue our specific line of succession. So Dany can be born. To rebirth the dragons and give Westeros a dragon. I think Helena is the first 3 Eye Raven. The one Bran met was a Targaryen too. He said he lived for a 150 years. 30 years after the Dance of the Dragons concluded. So Helena must have lived 30 years more after the Dance. A seer cant be in 2 places at once. But the 3 eyed raven could. I would rather have Helena sit on the Iron Throne in S8 of GOT than Bran.

[@deonjames1041]

Nah Blood Raven was the Green seer in the cave sending visions to Bran he was a Targaryen bastard. He was a former Lord Commander of the Nightswatch who went missing north of the Wall about 50 years prior to GOT. The weird thing they did with Helaena in that vision is probably one of the things that got George all grumpy.

[@rachelmoses3059]

Seasmoke, (Addam's rider and formerly Laenor's dragon) is also a more seasoned dragon, in battle. So it makes sense that Rhaenyra would take him rather than Jace and his dragon

[@emilnikolov_96]

I feel like we could have condensed these 8 episodes into 5 and got into the war in the last 3. Even tho it's a full season of setup, I very much enjoyed it.

[@majorlazor5058]

Maybe condensed to 7 episodes with 1 battle episode

[@jamescferguson5566]

And how do we get John more VO work? He’s exceptional!

[@RolandMIA71]

When that music started I thought “oh no”

[@RolandMIA71]

@Cuban-Jo we will forget about it,then when the build up to season 3 starts the hype will be there

[@groov3hero]

Thought the episode was great but terrible as a finale. It really seems like, due to production costs or the time it takes to make good dragon cgi, they just cut the last two episodes of season 2 and pushed them into season 3. All the fair-weather fans who complain about nothing happening on the show will be back in season 3 I think.

[@sp3ctat0r]

I'm done with this show! ...Until season 3. Oh, and I'll probably finish Fire & Blood in the mean time. And we got a short promo for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms!

[@jawadkhelil5742]

Al Pacino's 1992 "Scent of a Woman" where he asks his friend if he'd like to butter his toasts, he also famously or infamously played the father of Lies Aka the devil in the devil's advocate. Next

[@VioletaElena19]

If Rhaenyra was allowed to become queen to begin with she wouldn't have killed Alicents children. It would have been kinslaying and it's one of the worst things in Westeros. But Aegon was crowned king, so now Rhaenyra doesn't really have a choice...she saw what happens with a claimant alive and it would be dangerous not to kill him

[@deonjames1041]

She didn’t kill Alicents children.

[@jim1242]

It was great to see essos again ( I beleivve it was near Tyrosh ) especially due to the stroy being focused in Kings Landing, Dragon Stone and harrenhal. Thats one thing I think has been missing from HOTD , compared to Game of Thrones that allowed us to see distinct and exotic locations during Daenerys in Essos or John at and beyond the wall.

[@louissanchez4073]

Loved the episode Great episode, awesome Not good finale of a season

[@sprr13]

I think this season will be amazing when the series is done and you can do a full binge.

[@vernontk]

Totally!

[@crystall.411]

yes the showrunner said Daemon does not know that is Daenerys he might think it is his future daughter.

[@raidersfaninreno1045]

Omg John. Mike--burst like a sausage. John: flame on 😂

[@JustinShrader]

This season had the perfect serve from last season to win big. But damn it was all so flat. The characters we grew attached to had very little scenes together when you think about it. Most of the time they were talking to new characters who aren’t nearly as interesting

[@Lisence2chill]

8:06 spot on, Michael!

[@michaelvogel7026]

Why thank you!

[@matthewheywood8532]

Jon Snow doesn’t didnt birth the dragons and Jon Snow doesn’t look Targaryen. If Daemon saw him he would have thought who is that Stark ?

[@JohnRochaSays]

@@matthewheywood8532 Even though he knows with Rhaenyra that Targaryens like to have babies outside their marriages??? I mean Jace is right there! lol

[@jamescferguson5566]

Shannon just booked a job so he’s all set. :)

[@Bnpearce76]

Is that it ? Was what my family said when it was over 😂 Great episode but not a finale episode in my opinion.

[@vernontk]

I think it was a great finale, I'm very excited about what comes next. I see your point about not enough happening from ep 1 to 8 though. But I like the pacing and slow build up, personally.

[@jawadkhelil5742]

The Oakmont hotel sorry I forgot to add that

[@ZachBobBob]

I got HUGE deja vu watching the end of this review and I think it's because y'all said the same thing on The Boys finale review

[@VioletaElena19]

can't believe John is not upset that we saw all the white dudes claiming their dragons, but we have now two season where the women get nothing. They just mentioned Laena claiming Vhagar at one point in season 1, but we saw Aemond claiming her...and now Ulf and Hugh, while Rhaena is just looking at Sheepstealer. Guess Seasmoke claiming Addam was enough diversity for HOTD

[@bermudabengal]

i thought they said it was only 3 seasons......looks like its on pace for that.

[@JohnRochaSays]

Nope. Ryan Condal came out today and said that it would be 4 seasons and then it's done.

[@kerraii2008]

What if the Ice Walker Daemon sees is him? Maybe he see himself in that vision. I think Larys Strong has Otto held by some other house and on the move to Essos. That way he can teach Aegon going forward.

[@crystall.411]

the white walkers existed long before this they are just asleep, also the main white walkers have Andal or Freefolk blood not Valyrian.

[@bermudabengal]

At 14:26.....proof that Vogel is a cyborg!

[@JFizz76]

Loved the season, but the season DJ forgot to put in the drop.

[@FriendPal92839]

Selfishly, I’m annoyed cuz I don’t see my self rewatching the first two seasons before season 3. So, a lot of the small moments here will be forgotten and my personal payoff will be affected unlike if we got something this season

[@zacharyalanlean]

They did cut episode count correct?

[@phoenixrising8231]

By 2 episodes.

[@luckyday8522]

Not a huge fan of this finale ep but I did like the freaky weirwood business

[@brianinglis3805]

The end of season 2 was the end of season 1. Season 3 has to be the last season. This series can't be stretched out any more.

[@JohnRochaSays]

@@brianinglis3805 There’s like 10 more battles to go. Plus a few new characters to come in. We got a long way to go.

[@brianinglis3805]

@@JohnRochaSays Like Prince once said: Hold on to your soul, we got a long way to go.

[@halfrocanadianv5086]

Glad youre feeling better micheal and agreed with a lot of qhat you saud. Love the episode, but it was a terrible finale. I dont know if youve caught up with the latest dragon prince seasin but its the best so far and had a phenomenal ending

[@phoenixrising8231]

Dunk and Egg comes out in 2025. The book is a history book. There outline of events. Especially the ending will be aheard too. But the know nothing of what thd

[@emeraldarcher4258]

Lame season. Bad writing. Repetitive storytelling. Bad dialogue. They needed four more episodes in between the repetitive episodes.

[@iamjarrettdean9358]

Thank you Vogel! This episode as a season finale was lame @$$. It was bad enough the two episodes before it were lame and action less, but to end like that, BLAH

[@starhawk63]

O ye of little faith! Yes, this was a spectacular season. Why are y'all not trusting that the showing and his people know what they are doing? I have faith that our patience (waiting however long for the next season) will be rewarded with an even more spectacular season. They made a bunch of promises here. They gave us a thrilling penultimate episode, where an army of dragonriding bastards was started. Then they set up the next season in the finale, like they usually do in the GoT shows.

[@mulligd4]

The same female writer who has written the two worst episodes of the series

[@ThisIntrovertLife]

Very anticlimactic and disappointing season and finale. The season peaked on episode 4 and it’s been downhill from there.

[@LukeTG1_TTV]

I liked it. i never have any expectations with a TV show. Accept for what it is. Being a fan of the show doesn’t mean you’re entitled to the finale you want. Simple as that.

[@deonjames1041]

So on reflection this season really dragged. So many scenes so much dialogue just redundant. I mean that’s nine straight episodes of Emma D’arcy talking about wanting to avoid all out war! Most of Rhaena’s scenes were redundant. Rhaenyra & Alicents scene gave me late stage Peter Dinklage monologue vibes.

[@scottbarkley496]

Disappointing finale

[@gustavoolivieri6568]

Well, Mike... they HAVE BEEN doing everything that isn't in the book already! 🫤 The only complaint I have of this series is that it would really be so much more interesting if they played with "a version of history" that at least had something from the book, but no: it has departed from the book a long time ago... (And, above all, I really miss Mushroom!) About the episode: as you guys said, great episode, horrible season finale. But I really commemorated when Daemon bent the knee! 😄 That made me so happy! I don't usually react (I would do terrible reaction videos...) but when that happened I said an audible "yess!!" ✊🏻 Do you guys think the other spin-off (Dunk and Egg) will come out before HotD season 3?