Summary

• House of the Dragon season 2 sets a streaming record despite earning lower ratings than season 1.
• A high view count signifies staying power and success for Max's international streaming platform.
• There have been positive reviews for season 2 so far, with a 92% Rotten Tomatoes score and 87% audience approval.

House of the Dragon season 2 has managed to set a streaming record despite receiving lower ratings than the first season. Continuing the story of House Targaryen, the Game of Thrones spinoff debuted season 2 on June 16. The HBO show will air weekly episodes through August, with eight installments planned. The talented House of the Dragon cast features Matt Smith, Emma D’Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Rhys Ifans, Fabien Frankel, Graham McTavish, Steve Toussaint, Eve Best, Matthew Needham, and Ewan Mitchell.

As per Variety, House of the Dragon has helped set a new streaming record despite performing behind the first season. The show helped Max score the biggest streaming day in its history. House of the Dragon racked up 7.8 million views, which was lower than the premiere of season 1, which had 10 million views. It's noted that 1 million fewer viewers watched the broadcast on HBO when compared to season 1. It's a 22% drop, but the show still demonstrates a strong audience.

How Is House Of The Dragon Season 2 Being Received?

House Of The Dragon Season 2 Is Off To A Good Start

Despite the decreased number of views from House of the Dragon season 1 to season 2, the view count for the sophomore season is still a good sign. Viewership this high comes rarely for Max, and it means that the series has staying power despite initially premiering almost two years ago. The record also bodes well for the success of Max’s international streaming platform, as House of the Dragon’s record-setting premiere will likely keep more people using the service.

In addition to the viewership numbers, House of the Dragon season 2 is also receiving positive reviews. At the time of writing, season 2 holds a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes. This rating makes the season almost exactly on par with House of the Dragon season 1’s 93% debut. Both are also well-liked by fans, with the first season getting an 82% audience approval score and season 2 thus far holding an even higher 87%.

*All scores are listed as of 6/18/24

House of the Dragon’s success bodes well for the Game of Thrones universe, which had fallen from critics’ good graces in the final season. House of the Dragon returns the franchise to its pre-Game of Thrones season 8 reception. For a franchise that already has more spinoffs planned, this reception and the TV ratings are tremendously hopeful news for the future as they embark on further projects.

Source: Variety