House Of The Dragon co-showrunner Miguel Sapochnik addresses how the backlash to Game Of Thrones season 8 influenced the upcoming spin-off. Sapochnik is no stranger to the franchise and has directed several episodes of Game Of Thrones, including season 8's controversial "The Bells." Before his stint on GOT, Sapochnik directed several other shows, including House, Fringe, and Banshee. House Of The Dragon sees Sapochnik taking on a more prominent role as one of the prequel's showrunners, alongside Ryan Condal. The prequel series takes place 200 years before Game Of Thrones and will explore the events leading to the Targaryen Civil War, also known as the Dance Of Dragons.
The overall reception of Game Of Thrones season 8 was mixed, with criticism aimed at the season's shorter runtime and the creative decisions by showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. Daenerys Targaryen's transition from a benign liberator to a tyrannical conqueror received a lot of backlash, with many stating it was abrupt and a disservice to the character. This transition was codified in season 8's penultimate episode, "The Bells," which showed Daenerys laying waste to King's Landing with her Dragon and killing countless innocents. The divisive reaction to season 8 has caused many to speculate how the fans will respond to future GOT projects, such as House Of The Dragon.
Sapochnik discussed the backlash to the final season of Game of Thrones with Empire, specifically Daenerys' turn in the episode "The Bells," which he directed. The co-showrunner expressed gratitude for the franchise's passionate fanbase but pointed out that the backlash did not influence the show. While not going into details, Sapochnik stated that he and Condal were not "playing it safe," and fans should expect "no easy endings." Here's what he had to say:
“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 also participated in the interview and suggested Daenerys' turn resulted from the character being corrupted by her power, ultimately transforming her from a force of good to a tyrant. He further stated that the line between the two was thin and would be explored further in House Of The Dragon. Based on both showrunners' comments, fans seem to be in for a rocky ride, full of shocks and twists. However, that shouldn't be a cause of concern since Game Of Thrones has a long history of subverting expectations. From Ned Stark's unexpected death in Season 1 to the Red Wedding in Season 3, GOT has consistently upped the ante and gone in directions that fans did not expect.
If House Of The Dragon continues that tradition, that is undoubtedly a positive sign, even in light of the backlash to Game Of Thrones season 8. Fans who are skeptical should find solace in the fact that the prequel series is based on existing lore by George R R. Martin, specifically the novel Fire & Blood. In contrast, Game Of Thrones' final season was based mainly on original content by showrunners Benioff and Weiss. It remains to be seen how audiences will receive House Of The Dragon, but with House Targaryen being the primary focus, fans can expect a lot of twists, violence, and Dragons.
Source: Empire