Two episodes into House of the Dragon, and it's looked like the showrunners may be righting the wrong done to Stannis Baratheon in Game of Thrones by maintaining the complexity of Daemon Targaryen's character. Stannis Baratheon and Daemon Targaryen, both second sons with brothers as king, had quite a bit in common, as well as some stark differences. Each believed himself to be the rightful heir. After the death of his brother, Robert Baratheon, Stannis felt he was next in line for the Iron Throne, as he had learned that Robert's children were the product of incest and therefore not fully of the royal line. Daemon, next in line for the throne, was thwarted when his brother, Viserys Targaryen, named Rhaenyra, his daughter, as heir, despite the Westerosi tradition that frowned on women ruling.
Stannis Baratheon's and Daemon Targaryen's characters are, for a time, on their brothers' Small Councils, but neither was offered the role of Hand of the King. Stannis serves as Master of Ships, and Daemon serves as Master of Laws and Master of Coin. Where Stannis is steadfast and righteous, Daemon is defiant and capricious. Both have wives they weren't terribly fond of, and both have another woman close to them, acting as confidant and advisor. In Game of Thrones, Melisandre, the Red Woman, is a priestess of low birth from Essos. She attaches herself to Stannis' court and soon becomes close to him, to detrimental effect. Daemon, in House of the Dragon, has a paramour by the name of Mysaria, later called Lady Misery. She, too, is of low birth from Essos and becomes a trusted ally. Stannis and Daemon have each been Lord of Dragonstone, and both are highly skilled warriors.
The book Fire and Blood and its TV adaptation House of the Dragon make no bones about the character of Daemon Targaryen. He is an ambitious, arrogant, and dangerous man who drinks and frequents brothels in Flea Bottom. No attempt was made to alter this for the small screen. Daemon's lust for the Iron Throne is transparent. He wants to be King not for any altruistic motive, but rather for the power. His darker side, as well as the occasional moments of tenderness, make him morally ambiguous. He can't be called good or evil. He is somewhere in between, which always makes for a compelling character. Unfortunately, Stannis Baratheon, on the other hand, does not receive the same nuanced treatment.
Why Stannis' GOT Story Failed, But Daemon's HOTD Arc Won't
Stannis Baratheon suffers greatly at the hands of the Game of Thrones writers. George R.R. Martin portrayed him as a hard and serious man, one devoted to justice. He had a staunch sense of duty, and his declaration that he was the rightful heir to the Iron Throne came from this, not a hunger for power. The show instead portrays Stannis as having a great ambition for the crown and, manipulated by Melisandre, becoming a religious fanatic to the extent that he burns alive his only child as a sacrifice in order to win a battle. It is nothing short of character assassination. The Stannis of the television show is a far cry from the Stannis of the books who would never give up his daughter. David Benioff, one of the creators of Game of Thrones, on the topic of Shireen Baratheon's death by immolation said, "Horrible things happen to people in this show, and this is one that we thought was entiely justified. It was set up by the predicament Stannis was in." Game of Thrones does Stannis a great disservice in the interests of the plot.
Stannis Baratheon's character in Game of Thrones was handled badly by the writers. The show stripped away his depth and left a two-dimensional figure in his place. With House of the Dragon, the character of Daemon Targaryen, in his multi-faceted glory, could fix the wrongs done to Stannis Baratheon.