Why We’re Still Watching ‘House of the Dragon’
The draw of epic storytelling, from Ayodhya to Westeros.
In 2019, Game of Thrones wrapped its eighth and final season, making television history as 19.3 million people tuned in. Over its eight-year run, the show won 59 Emmys and six titles in the Guinness Book of World Records, including most pirated TV program. Its prequel, House of the Dragon — focused on the dragon-riding Targaryen family — drew 10 million viewers for its premiere. And this past Sunday, audiences returned to Westeros for Season 2.
The popularity of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon reflects a millennia-old obsession with epic storytelling, joining the ranks of the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Odyssey, and the Iliad. People often dismiss these tales as fantastical or escapist, but there’s a reason epics have enthralled us for ages.