Mary and Blake

House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 5 Review: “Regent” Lets The War Choose Its Rulers

Mary & Blake chat about House Of The Dragon Episode 2.05 – Regent.

We discuss the writer’s unique journey, highlight the spectacular craft on display from the production team (especially the editing and sound mixing) and why creepy people belong together…

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House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 4 Review: “The Red Dragon And The Gold” Turns War Into Family Tragedy

Mary & Blake chat about House Of The Dragon Episode 2.04 – The Red Dragon And The Gold.

We we raise a glass to Rhaenys, talk about how this episode and the last are better each other because of context, why the motivations for all the characters are clearly defined, and why we STILL can’t get over that movie Wild Mountain Thyme…

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House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 3 Review: “The Burning Mill” Makes War Feel Inevitable

Mary & Blake chat about House Of The Dragon Episode 2.03 – The Burning Mill.

We discuss why this show is starting to feel more like Game Of Thrones but is also setting itself apart from GOT at the same time, making the best scene yet in all of House Of The Dragon (and the one of the best in the GOT universe), and why Mary absolutely CANNOT get any of these names right…

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House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 2 Review: “Rhaenyra The Cruel” Turns Grief Into Propaganda

Mary & Blake chat about House Of The Dragon Episode 2.02 – Rhaenyra The Cruel.

We discuss why Ser Criston is the absolute WORST, but also why that makes him the best, establishing a visual grammar to make your show stand out, and why Daemon has suddenly become Bobby Kennedy Jr.

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House Of The Dragon Season 2 Episode 1 Review: “A Son For A Son” Turns Grief Into Revenge

Mary & Blake chat about House Of The Dragon Episode 2.01 – “A Son For A Son”.

We discuss why the show wants to have its cake and it eat it too, the dynamic marketing strategy for season 2, we introduce a new segment, why Criston Cole might be the most unlikeable and interesting character, expanding the visual palette of the show, and why Mary can’t get Elf off the brain…

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House Of The Dragon Season 1 Episode 10 Review: “The Black Queen” Makes Peace Cost Rhaenyra Her Son

Mary & Blake recap and review House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 10, “The Black Queen,” where Rhaenyra is crowned, tries to prevent war, loses her child, sends Luke to Storm’s End, and learns what peace costs.
We discuss the use and abuse of theme, why this show is best interpreted as a family drama, and we get into some pretty heavy cereal talk…you don’t want to miss the end of this episode 🙂

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House Of The Dragon Season 1 Episode 9 Review: “The Green Council” Crowns A Lie

Mary & Blake recap and review House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 9, “The Green Council,” where Alicent turns Viserys’ last words into a coup, Aegon is crowned, Rhaenys chooses mercy, and the Greens move before Rhaenyra can enter the room.
We discuss why for characters to be believable, they must do everything in their power to achieve their wants, why Alicent is still in service to men, and why Ser Harold Westerling is a good boss because he always gets the Starbys for his crew…

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House Of The Dragon Season 1 Episode 8 Review: “The Lord Of The Tides” Lets Viserys Save Rhaenyra — Then Doom Her

Mary & Blake recap and review House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 8, “The Lord Of The Tides,” where Viserys saves Rhaenyra, Daemon kills Vaemond, the family shares one last dinner, and one misunderstood prophecy dooms the peace.
We discuss why the characters are finally starting to feel true to the story, the irony in King Viserys’ final night, and why the dragon keepers need to invest in Shout sticks…

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House Of The Dragon Season 1 Episode 7 Review: “Driftmark” Makes The Children Pay In Blood

Mary & Blake recap and review House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 7, “Driftmark,” where Aemond claims Vhagar, Lucerys takes his eye, Alicent snaps, Laenor escapes, and the children pay in blood for their parents’ lies.
We discuss the validity of the show holding the twist from you, why the night scenes look so…odd, and why Mary always gets her christmas shopping done BEFORE Halloween(!)…

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House Of The Dragon Season 1 Episode 6 Review: “The Princess And The Queen” Turns Motherhood Into War

Mary & Blake recap and review House of the Dragon Season 1 Episode 6, “The Princess And The Queen,” where the time jump turns Rhaenyra’s children into evidence, Alicent into open opposition, Laena into tragedy, and motherhood into war.
We discuss the effectiveness of the time jump, how two characters go from 0 – 100 real quick, and why Viserys totally has dragon stick figures on the back of his carriage…

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