(Image credit: Ollie Upton/HBO)
Tom's Guide Verdict: "House of the Dragon" season 3 premiereRating: 4/5 StarsVerdict: "House of the Dragon" heard the cries for more battles and more dragons, and delivered an epic battle in this season 3 premiere. It finally made it feel like anyone and everyone could die in Westeros again. I just wish we had gotten to the battle quicker.Premiere date/time: Out nowChannel: HBO and streaming on HBO MaxTonight's "House of the Dragon" season 3 premiere had one job: wash away the stench of season 2. The season 2 finale (all the way back in August 2024!) felt like it was building towards a major showdown... only to pull the rug out from under us with a cliffhanger ending. People felt cheated, and suddenly, there was concern that the show and franchise as a whole had lost their way.Having nearly two years to sit in those bad vibes didn't help. And when "A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms" arrived this year to critical acclaim, it felt like "House of the Dragon" had been eclipsed.After tonight, though, I think we can put our concerns to rest. Or, at least, lock them in a room in Dragonstone for the time being. Tonight's season 3 premiere wasn't perfect, and frankly, it would have worked so much better as the finale of season 2. But it delivered epic battles on dragonback and brought back the expectation that anyone and everyone can die in Westeros.Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022 and thinks that reading A Wiki of Ice and Fire might be better than reading George R.R. Martin's books.Spoilers ahead for "House of the Dragon" season 3 premiere
