Miguel Sapochnik, a co-showrunner on “House Of The Dragon“, discusses how the backlash against “Game Of Thrones” season 8 affected the upcoming spin-off. The controversial “The Bells” episode from season 8 of “Game of Thrones” was directed by Sapochnik, who is no stranger to the franchise. Sapochnik directed a number of other shows before his time on “Game of Thrones“, including House, Fringe, and Banshee. Sapochnik, along with Ryan Condal, assumes a more significant role in “House Of The Dragon” as one of the prequel’s showrunners. The prequel television series, which takes place 200 years before “Game of Thrones“, will examine the occasions leading up to the Targaryen Civil War, also known as the Dance of the Dragons.
“Game of Thrones” season 8 received a mixed response overall, drawing criticism for the season’s condensed length and the showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss’s artistic choices. Many people criticized Daenerys Targaryen’s transformation from a kind-hearted liberator to a brutal conqueror, saying it was abrupt and did the character an injustice. This change was formalized in “The Bells,” the penultimate episode of season 8, which featured Daenerys destroying King’s Landing with her dragon and murdering countless innocent people. Many have made assumptions about how fans will react to upcoming GoT projects like “House Of The Dragon” due to the polarizing response to season 8.
With regard to the criticism of “Game of Thrones’” final season, specifically Daenerys’ appearance in the episode “The Bells,” which he also directed, Sapochnik spoke with Empire. The co-showrunner expressed gratitude for the franchise’s ardent following but made clear that the negative feedback had no impact on the program. Without going into specifics, Sapochnik said that Condal and he weren’t “playing it safe” and that viewers shouldn’t anticipate “easy endings.” He said the following:
“Life doesn’t end the way you want it to! I think we very much wanted to pay attention to not that. It doesn’t really factor in at all. I think the minute you as a creator start playing defense, you’re just taking the ground from beneath your feet. Should we be so lucky to have such a large and passionate fanbase that will debate our show! I think that in itself is a sign of success.”
Condal, who took part in the interview, hypothesized that Daenerys’ turn came about because the character had become corrupted by her power, going from being a force for good to a tyrant. He added that the distinction between the two was tenuous and would be further examined in “House Of The Dragon“. According to both showrunners’ comments, viewers can expect a bumpy ride with lots of surprises. However, considering how frequently “Game Of Thrones” defies expectations, this shouldn’t be a cause for alarm. From Ned Stark’s unexpected passing in Season 1 to the Red Wedding in Season 3, “Game of Thrones” has consistently raised the stakes and taken fans in unexpected directions.
Even in light of the criticism of “Game Of Thrones” season 8, it is unquestionably a good sign if “House Of The Dragon” upholds that tradition. The fact that the prequel series is based on already-existing George R. R. Martin lore, specifically the novel Fire & Blood, should comfort fans who are skeptics. In contrast, the showrunners Benioff and Weiss’ final season of “Game of Thrones” primarily relied on their own original material. House Targaryen is the main focus of “House of the Dragon“, so fans can expect a lot of twists, violence, and dragons. It remains to be seen how audiences will react to “House of the Dragon“.