• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
George RR Martin praises House of the Dragon writers for making a major change in season 2

Home> Film & TV> News

Published 16:47 9 Jul 2024 GMT+1

George RR Martin praises House of the Dragon writers for making a major change in season 2

George RR Martin has addressed House of the Dragon screenwriters 'adding characters to the source material'

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

Featured Image Credit: Max/Getty/Paras Griffin

Topics: Books, Entertainment, Film and TV, Game of Thrones, House Of The Dragon, HBO

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

Advert

Advert

Advert

George RR Martin has addressed House of the Dragon adding 'a brand new character' and 'recreating' others.

A Song of Ice and Fire author - later adapted into hit HBO series Game of Thrones and Fire & Blood now being adapted for the prequel series - George Raymond Richard Martin has shared his honest review of the first two episodes of season two of House of the Dragon.

**Warning: Spoilers for season two ahead.**

Game of Thrones stayed pretty faithful to George RR Martin's novels, featuring the same main characters and themes. However, leaving out certain events and moments - given just how long the books and overall series is, this didn't come as much of a surprise to fans.

But House of the Dragon - based on the book Fire & Blood - has introduced a 'brand new character' by season two episode two.

Advert

And the character is noticeable enough that even George RR Martin has taken to social media to address their presence. Not only to address the character either but actually admit he 'wish[es]' he'd 'thought' of it first.

Mark Stobbart and Sam C Wilson in House of the Dragon (HBO)
Mark Stobbart and Sam C Wilson in House of the Dragon (HBO)

In a 'Not a Blog' post uploaded on 5 July, Martin revealed he's 'not usually a fan of screenwriters adding characters to the source material when adapting a story[...] especially not when the source material is [his]'. However, he can't deny that House of the Dragon season two screenwriters' decision to add 'that dog was brilliant'.

By 'that dog,' Martin is referring to Cheese's dog - Cheese (Mark Stobbart) and Blood (Sam C. Wilson) a pair of rat-catcher assassins hired by Prince Daemon Targaryen to murder one of the two sons of King Aegon II Targaryen.

Advert

Martin said: "I was prepared to hate Cheese, but I hated him even more when he kicked that dog. And later, when the dog say at his feet, gazing up… that damn near broke my heart. Such a little thing… such a little dog… but his presence, the few short moments he was on screen, gave the ratcatcher so much humanity.

"Human beings are such complex creatures. The silent presence of that dog reminded us that even the worst of men, the vile and the venal, can love and be loved.

"I wish I’d thought of that dog. I didn’t, but someone else did. I am glad of that."

And the dog wasn't the only tweak from the original books that Martin had praise for either.

Advert

The poor kicked dog (HBO)
The poor kicked dog (HBO)

The writer commended House of the Dragon for 'essentially recreat[ing] King Viserys' in the last season, 'giving him a much different backstory and far more depth than the jolly party-loving king [Martin] created for Fire & Blood'.

"I talked about that last year, so I won’t repeat myself, save to say it was very well done, and DAMN but Paddy Considine was glorious in the role. (He should have won an Emmy)," he added.

Martin also praised actor Phia Saban for her 'wrenching, powerful, heart-breaking performance as Helaena Targaryen, Aegon’s doomed, haunted queen and mother to his children,' explaining Saban's performance is 'especially noteworthy' because 'very little of what she brings to the part was in [his] source material'.

Advert

He added 'none of the strangeness' Helaena's character 'displays in the show was in evidence in the book, nor is her gift for prophecy'.

Martin resolved: "Those were born in the writers’ room… but once I met the show’s version of Helaena, I could hardly take issue. Phia Saban’s Helaena is a richer and more fascinating character than the one I created in FIRE & BLOOD, and in "Rhaenyra the Cruel" you can scarcely take your eyes off her."

High praise indeed.

House of the Dragon continues on HBO every Sunday.

  • House of the Dragon finale brought back a Game of Thrones character and fans are losing it
  • House of the Dragon actor speaks out after fans make insulting comments on his birthmark
  • New trailer for season 2 House of the Dragon has been released
  • Emilia Clarke reveals which was the most 'awkward' sex scene to film in Game Of Thrones

Choose your content:

4 hours ago
12 hours ago
16 hours ago
23 hours ago
  • 4 hours ago

    Happy Gilmore 2 director defends movie's shocking twist that left fans 'extremely disappointed'

    Kyle Newacheck has spoken out about Adam Sandler's decision to kill off Happy's wife in the movie

    Film & TV
  • 12 hours ago

    Fans are demanding an entire new series after streaming 'excellent' thriller that 'needs more publicity'

    The movie has been reviewed well by critics, and fans are loving it

    Film & TV
  • 16 hours ago

    New Netflix series praised for 'incredible' fight scenes and 'no love story' has already been viewed for 85,000,000 hours

    The hit show clocked more than 85 million views in less than a month, with viewers raving over the 'must-watch' production

    Film & TV
  • 23 hours ago

    Netflix to add '11/10' comedy classic and sequel labeled the ‘perfect 90s movie’

    'Won't get any movies like these anymore'

    Film & TV