It's been three years since HBO's juggernaut show 'Game of Thrones' came to a close.&nbsp;Now, the history of the throne is being examined in the prequel 'House of the Dragon,' which charters how the House of Targaryen falls into civil war. The series debuts on HBO on Aug. 21. &nbsp;The show starts with King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) having to choose an heir, either his dutiful daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, or his wayward and violent brother, Prince Daemon. 
 
"There's so much that Daemon gets away with because his brother is the king," Considine said in an interview with Reuters. 
 
"It's not until he breaks my heart with his words that I do act," Considine added. The show is based on passages of George RR Martin's 2018 novel 'Fire &amp; Blood,' which gave a brief history of the Targaryen family 200 years before 'Game of Thrones.' &nbsp; &nbsp; 
 
The crux of the show lies with the relationship between two women, Alicent Hightower and Princess Rhaenyra. &nbsp; &nbsp; The two are close until Rhaenyra`s mother dies and Alicent marries King Viserys and becomes the queen, demanding that her children become the heirs to the throne. 
 
"You're going there from the (point of view) of two women for the first time," said Emma D'Arcy, who plays the older Princess Rhaenyra in the generation-spanning story. "It's a show that interrogates patriarchy, misogyny and power." 
Some fans complained about the finale of the original 'Game of Thrones' series. 'House of the Dragon' co-creator Ryan Condal said the ending of the new series is already planned.&nbsp; 
 
"We do have a plan out in front of us, but the main idea is to tell as much story as the book gives us and instead of overstaying your welcome, to get out and leave them wanting a little bit more," Condal said.

It's been three years since HBO's juggernaut show 'Game of Thrones' came to a close. Now, the history of the throne is being examined in the prequel 'House of the Dragon,' which charters how the House of Targaryen falls into civil war.

It's been three years since HBO's juggernaut show 'Game of Thrones' came to a close. Now, the history of the throne is being examined in the prequel 'House of the Dragon,' which charters how the House of Targaryen falls into civil war. The series debuts on HBO on Aug. 21. The show starts with King Viserys Targaryen (Paddy Considine) having to choose an heir, either his dutiful daughter, Princess Rhaenyra, or his wayward and violent brother, Prince Daemon. "There's so much that Daemon gets away with because his brother is the king," Considine said in an interview with Reuters. "It's not until he breaks my heart with his words that I do act," Considine added. The show is based on passages of George RR Martin's 2018 novel 'Fire & Blood,' which gave a brief history of the Targaryen family 200 years before 'Game of Thrones.' The crux of the show lies with the relationship between two women, Alicent Hightower and Princess Rhaenyra. The two are close until Rhaenyra`s mother dies and Alicent marries King Viserys and becomes the queen, demanding that her children become the heirs to the throne. "You're going there from the (point of view) of two women for the first time," said Emma D'Arcy, who plays the older Princess Rhaenyra in the generation-spanning story. "It's a show that interrogates patriarchy, misogyny and power." Some fans complained about the finale of the original 'Game of Thrones' series. 'House of the Dragon' co-creator Ryan Condal said the ending of the new series is already planned. "We do have a plan out in front of us, but the main idea is to tell as much story as the book gives us and instead of overstaying your welcome, to get out and leave them wanting a little bit more," Condal said.

The Iron Throne up for grabs again in 'Game of Thrones' prequel series

After eight epic years of chivalry, sex, death and dragons, "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?q=game+of+thrones">Game&nbsp;of&nbsp;Thrones</a>" fans worldwide have just a few minutes remaining&nbsp;to get their final fix in one of the most <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-game-of-thrones-finale-is-unbelievable-reveals-former-cast-member-jason-momoa-25567">hotly anticipated events in TV history</a>.&nbsp;

The blood-spattered tale of noble families vying for the Iron Throne has just one episode to go and buzz is at a fever pitch for a ratings juggernaut that has demolished audience records like a Dothraki barbarian finishing off a skillet of horse meat.&nbsp;

"We want people to love it. It matters a lot&nbsp;to us. We've spent 11 years doing this,"&nbsp;Dan Weiss, who directed the 73rd and final episode with fellow showrunner David Benioff, told&nbsp;Entertainment Weekly.&nbsp;

While many will watch at home, perhaps with a goblet of Dornish red wine and a punnet of Braavosi cockles,&nbsp;thousands&nbsp;will celebrate and mourn the show's denouement at viewing parties in bars, banqueting halls and backyards from Alaska to Armenia.&nbsp;

One of the darkest and most controversial primetime series ever made, "GoT" has been the target of criticism over the years for senseless violence and its repeated use of rape as a dramatic device.

Hacked, burned, flayed

The scriptwriters have brutalised women, killed children, depicted graphic sex and had&nbsp;their characters hacked, stabbed, flayed, poisoned, decapitated, burned alive, eye-gouged and eviscerated -- all in glorious close-up.

Even principal character Jon Snow (Kit Harington), whose fellow Night's Watch troops would chant "And now his watch is ended" at comrades' funerals,&nbsp;suffered the indignity of being briefly dead after a particularly violent quarrel.&nbsp;

The adult themes have not deterred fans, however, nor the industry itself, which has seen fit to make it the most decorated series in history, with 47 Emmy Awards.&nbsp;

Airing in 170 countries under its portentous tagline, "Winter is Coming," the show is also the most expensive ever, with a budget of $15 million per episode in its final run.&nbsp;

The season seven finale set an all-time US record for premium cable TV with 16.5 million people watching live or streaming on the day of transmission and 15 million more tuning in later.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/game-of-thrones-season-8-is-the-lowest-rated-season-of-the-popular-series-218244">Viewing records also tumbled across the world</a>, with Britain's Sky Atlantic and OCS in France showing episodes in the middle of the night in sync with their US premieres.

Season six was the first to move beyond the source material, George RR&nbsp;Martin's&nbsp;"A Song of Ice and Fire"&nbsp;novels, and carve its own path.

Critics said it marked a return to form, with the narrative allowing female characters to demonstrate the complexity and moral agency lacking in some of the earlier seasons.

The shortened final two seasons have been more of a mixed bag, with many fans furious over what they consider poor writing.

Mass-murdering madness

Most controversial has been the rapid descent into mass-murdering madness by Emilia Clarke's fan favorite Daenerys Targaryen, arguably the lead character in an enormous ensemble that has called on the services of such luminaries as Charles Dance, Sean Bean, Jim Broadbent and Diana Rigg.

A Change.org petition called "Remake&nbsp;Game&nbsp;of&nbsp;Thrones&nbsp;Season 8 with competent writers" had passed one million signatures with more than 24 hours to go until Sunday's finale.&nbsp;

Assuming there is no do-over, the biggest mystery of all remains who will be sitting on the Iron Throne and ruling Westeros when "Game&nbsp;of&nbsp;Thrones" comes to an end.

To throw hackers and pirates off the scent, Benioff and Weiss shot several versions of the final episode, a tactic already used for "The Sopranos" and "Breaking Bad."

Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa Stark, has admitted that even she was fooled into believing a fake version of the ending.

Martin will himself discover the on-screen ending of his long-running masterwork before he has had a chance to conclude the fantasy on paper.

The plot lines for his long-awaited final two novels in the series &nbsp;-- "The Winds of Winter" and "A Dream of Spring" -- were adapted to the screen based on outlines Martin gave the show's writers. But there is no guarantee they will stick to his plan.

"Obviously, I wished I finished these books sooner so the show hadn't gotten ahead of me. I never anticipated that," Martin once told an interviewer.

After eight epic years of chivalry, sex, death and dragons, "Game of Thrones" fans worldwide have just a few minutes remaining to get their final fix in one of the most hotly anticipated events in TV history.

After eight epic years of chivalry, sex, death and dragons, "Game of Thrones" fans worldwide have just a few minutes remaining to get their final fix in one of the most hotly anticipated events in TV history. The blood-spattered tale of noble families vying for the Iron Throne has just one episode to go and buzz is at a fever pitch for a ratings juggernaut that has demolished audience records like a Dothraki barbarian finishing off a skillet of horse meat. "We want people to love it. It matters a lot to us. We've spent 11 years doing this," Dan Weiss, who directed the 73rd and final episode with fellow showrunner David Benioff, told Entertainment Weekly. While many will watch at home, perhaps with a goblet of Dornish red wine and a punnet of Braavosi cockles, thousands will celebrate and mourn the show's denouement at viewing parties in bars, banqueting halls and backyards from Alaska to Armenia. One of the darkest and most controversial primetime series ever made, "GoT" has been the target of criticism over the years for senseless violence and its repeated use of rape as a dramatic device. Hacked, burned, flayed The scriptwriters have brutalised women, killed children, depicted graphic sex and had their characters hacked, stabbed, flayed, poisoned, decapitated, burned alive, eye-gouged and eviscerated -- all in glorious close-up. Even principal character Jon Snow (Kit Harington), whose fellow Night's Watch troops would chant "And now his watch is ended" at comrades' funerals, suffered the indignity of being briefly dead after a particularly violent quarrel. The adult themes have not deterred fans, however, nor the industry itself, which has seen fit to make it the most decorated series in history, with 47 Emmy Awards. Airing in 170 countries under its portentous tagline, "Winter is Coming," the show is also the most expensive ever, with a budget of $15 million per episode in its final run. The season seven finale set an all-time US record for premium cable TV with 16.5 million people watching live or streaming on the day of transmission and 15 million more tuning in later. Viewing records also tumbled across the world, with Britain's Sky Atlantic and OCS in France showing episodes in the middle of the night in sync with their US premieres. Season six was the first to move beyond the source material, George RR Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" novels, and carve its own path. Critics said it marked a return to form, with the narrative allowing female characters to demonstrate the complexity and moral agency lacking in some of the earlier seasons. The shortened final two seasons have been more of a mixed bag, with many fans furious over what they consider poor writing. Mass-murdering madness Most controversial has been the rapid descent into mass-murdering madness by Emilia Clarke's fan favorite Daenerys Targaryen, arguably the lead character in an enormous ensemble that has called on the services of such luminaries as Charles Dance, Sean Bean, Jim Broadbent and Diana Rigg. A Change.org petition called "Remake Game of Thrones Season 8 with competent writers" had passed one million signatures with more than 24 hours to go until Sunday's finale. Assuming there is no do-over, the biggest mystery of all remains who will be sitting on the Iron Throne and ruling Westeros when "Game of Thrones" comes to an end. To throw hackers and pirates off the scent, Benioff and Weiss shot several versions of the final episode, a tactic already used for "The Sopranos" and "Breaking Bad." Sophie Turner, who plays Sansa Stark, has admitted that even she was fooled into believing a fake version of the ending. Martin will himself discover the on-screen ending of his long-running masterwork before he has had a chance to conclude the fantasy on paper. The plot lines for his long-awaited final two novels in the series -- "The Winds of Winter" and "A Dream of Spring" -- were adapted to the screen based on outlines Martin gave the show's writers. But there is no guarantee they will stick to his plan. "Obviously, I wished I finished these books sooner so the show hadn't gotten ahead of me. I never anticipated that," Martin once told an interviewer.

'Now our watch is ended': History-making 'Game of Thrones' wraps

Hit fantasy TV show Game of Thrones&nbsp;pulled in nearly 9 million viewers on Sunday, its highest one-day audience figures ever, for the season six finale broadcast on HBO. 
 
Nielsen said 8.9 million people watched the 10th and final episode of the latest season, either live or on playback, on Sunday. 
 
The Emmy-winning show tells the story of noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne, all the while keeping one eye on the &quot;White Walkers&quot; leading hordes of the undead toward an invasion from the North. 
 
Based on George R.R. Martin&#39;s A Song of Ice and Fire&nbsp;novels, the show has been distinguished by steadily rising audience figures. Just three million tuned in for the finale of season one. 
 
Its previous audience record for live and same-day viewing was 8.1 million for the last episode of Season five. 
 
Season six was the first time the show largely moved past the source material from the books. 
 
In an interview with Deadline Hollywood, the entertainment industry website, the show&#39;s creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss said the end is near. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s two more seasons we&#39;re talking about,&quot; Benioff was quoted as saying on Monday. &quot;From pretty close to the beginning, we talked about doing this in 70-75 hours, and that&#39;s what we&#39;ll end up with. Call it 73 for now.&quot; 
 
The creators said their intention was to tell one cohesive story and not overstay their welcome. 
 
&quot;We&#39;ve known the end for quite some time and we&#39;re hurtling towards it,&quot; said Benioff. &quot;We&#39;re definitely heading into the end game now.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

8.9 million people watched the 10th and final episode of the latest season, either live or on playback, on Sunday

Hit fantasy TV show Game of Thrones pulled in nearly 9 million viewers on Sunday, its highest one-day audience figures ever, for the season six finale broadcast on HBO. Nielsen said 8.9 million people watched the 10th and final episode of the latest season, either live or on playback, on Sunday. The Emmy-winning show tells the story of noble families vying for control of the Iron Throne, all the while keeping one eye on the "White Walkers" leading hordes of the undead toward an invasion from the North. Based on George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire novels, the show has been distinguished by steadily rising audience figures. Just three million tuned in for the finale of season one. Its previous audience record for live and same-day viewing was 8.1 million for the last episode of Season five. Season six was the first time the show largely moved past the source material from the books. In an interview with Deadline Hollywood, the entertainment industry website, the show's creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss said the end is near. "It's two more seasons we're talking about," Benioff was quoted as saying on Monday. "From pretty close to the beginning, we talked about doing this in 70-75 hours, and that's what we'll end up with. Call it 73 for now." The creators said their intention was to tell one cohesive story and not overstay their welcome. "We've known the end for quite some time and we're hurtling towards it," said Benioff. "We're definitely heading into the end game now." (AFP)

'Game of Thrones' season finale scores record ratings

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The Iron Throne up for grabs again in 'Game of Thrones' prequel series

'Now our watch is ended': History-making 'Game of Thrones' wraps

'Game of Thrones' season finale scores record ratings