Ima tell you right now. If you didnt like the end of got. You wont like the end of this. Just as anti climactic and fucked up. Itll make all the conflict feel useless and pointless that u wasted ur time onthese character arcs for nothing. Such is realism
Got season 1 can never be fairly compared. It was brimming with compelling world building, characters, and plot. And it truly shocked and surprised us as we learned about what this world was. It really challenged what we were used to seeing on TV and it asked the audience to broaden their expectations. I love hotd though. It is a great show about a political fantasy and a family drama in a world we understand and feel comfortable being in.
Agreed. The fault of HOTD is lack of discovery of a new world and how GOT left it’s final two seasons. Remove those two elements and there are both solid shows that you want more
For me early GOT was 10/10 and HOTD season one was a 6 at best. I keep seeing everyone praising the HOTD dialogue in this comment section but I can't remember it. Even when I ask people to provide an example I get nothing but silence. I enjoyed the show and I'm glad they made it but it's not this great show everyone should be praising. It lacked character development, world building, dialogue and even action. I'm not a big action fan on shows like this but without having the other good aspects it had nothing to fall back on. Season 8 of GOT packed most of that and fell back on the action scenes, HOTD fell back on tbe birthing scenes. In my honest opinion if it didn't have a massive fan base from GOT and the books I think it would have flopped.
Season 1 of GOT is one of the best things I have seen. Its very slow, but its really good with its dialogue and creating intrigue. HoTD is no where close, but that doesn't mean I hate it. Its far better than anything like S5, 7,8 of GOT.
GoT season 1 was not great. Fans are so blinded by its failures. It was the epitome of 'tell don't show'. The amount of times things were explained to the audience, the way the characters were clearly set up to be either liked or disliked, rather than being complex - it shocks me that GoT fans are so blind to it.
Personally I prefer GOT season 1's cinematography. The warm, Mediterranean colours are quite inviting and really make you feel like you're in a coastal city. To be honest, real life just doesn't look like how HOTD looks.
That may just be more that TV production has changed since 2009. Different cameras, different lenses, different editing software... And different people too, like the DP and editors for each episode. The trend for "high-end" productions seems to be to looks more artificial, but aesthetically better? Like screenshots look "cooler/more epic" from HotD, where as some shots from GoT s1 can look a little hokey depending on the framing and the set. Not saying I disagree, I prefer more "real" visuals, but it seems to be an industry-wide shift over the last 10 years.
Yeah. GoT feels more authentic, more personal, more real. Same with how the story plays out, too. HotD plays as an epic fantasy drama, but GoT is more down to earth with how it shows it's characters and there interactions. Like the scene where Sam and Jon talk about girls, or when Tyrion, Bron, and his girl are playing a game in his tent. It just feels more intimate and I love that.
I think they could become on par with the first four seasons of GOT if they work really hard. I also believe that they could easily make the ending better than Season 8. We’ll have to see, I’m just happy that Westeros is back in business
@@Rounderyathecruel the “best character in both shows” 🤔😂😂i absolutely love viserys mate, but you’re insane if you think he’s clear cut the “best character on both shows” and even if he was, that wouldn’t make hotd season 1 better than GOT season 1. One character doesnt lead or carry either show.
@@Rounderyathecruel Absolutley love Viserys, Paddy Considine did an amazing job. I'd put his character just below Tyrion from S1. Just. Was Considine's performance better than Peter Dinklage's though? Hmm. I'd probably say yes. In season 1 at least. The dinner table scene..oh man.
I think Alicent Hightower’s character arc is one of the best between both shows. The switch between Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke felt very fluid and Alicent’s character evolves so much over the season. She goes from the timid, anxiety-ridden girl who is “content to being the spectator” to the Queen and finding her footing there to finding her own wearing the green dress at Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding. Becoming a player of the game in her father’s absence and the overflow of jealousy and being gaslighted and betrayal at Driftmark and turning to religion to cope with what has happened. Not to mention that the juxtaposition between Alicent and Rhaenyra as mothers is phenomenal. Her arc is just fascinating and even the switch between actors felt so clean.
I see her placing religious imagery around the Red Keep as being a coping mechanism, I saw it as being a bit of a savvy political move, replacing Targaryen imagery with imagery of the Seven. That way, it doesnt look so much like they are muscling out Rhae and Daemon but at the same time, their influence and imagery have been removed from King's Landing, which is one less foot hold for them. When the Targaryen imagery returns, it is in endorsement of Aegon and therefore places The Greens as the side backing the true Targaryen succession.
@@all_out_tripp7220 but almost all of the dialogues were already written by GRRM whereas the writers of HoTd have to write most of the lines themselves
@@sanjaykarthicks1226 they might’ve been able to use a lot of the dialogue from GRRM, but they still had a lot to do that they couldn’t rely on from the books. They had to have good editors, good directors, good costume designers, good stage designers, amazing actors, and that was all the show
@@sanjaykarthicks1226 Probably why HOTD didn't have any good dialogue compared to GOT. If you think I'm wrong go ahead and give me some examples. Give me anything anywhere near as good as the Tywin introduction with Jaimie.
I think It's unfair to compare a show that comes from an amazingly-written novel with excellent existing dialogues and a structure that is already ideal to fit into a series because of the POV chapters with a show that comes from a fictional history book with a lot of different sources, much fewer dialogues and a structure that is quite hard to bring into television. In ASOIAF Martin has already done all the hard work, in HoTD the writers need balls. D&D could never adapt succesfuly Fire and Blood, it needs to actualy read a lot the source and have a full vision.
@@auranewaters9574 Miles ahead is no way true imo, Mr. I steal Cersei's ships. I just don't agree with it in any way. Also I hope you mean Season 1-4 because if you put the later 4 seasons of GOT then you are trolling, they are abysmal.
I think doing the scoring system with checkmarks (winner/loser) was a mistake cus it does HotD such a disservice. If you gave them each a score out of 10 (or 100), then we could visually see that yes, GoT was better, but it was really close. Otherwise I think you brought up some great points that I agree with for the most part (Although, I think Aegon, Aemond, and Corlys were more compelling than some of GoT's secondary characters like Theon, Jorah, or Sam, for example)
I personally find his picking GoT in the character category a little much. He even says multiple times the characters have more depth then backpedals to how likeable the cast of GoT is. I dont think they are unlikeable, but compared to HotD a lot of the secondary or (especially) the tertiary cast was as flat as a paper plate and about as colorful in GoT early on. I even find Ned to be more interestingly characterized because of later seasons more than the first, and when HotD only has one season, you dont get that benefit for its already deeper and more fleshed out characters.
@@SuperCrazy902 I think it comes down to nostalgia. People got to spend years watching and rewatching GOT(and book fans reading and re-reading the books over nearly thirty years) so naturally people would have more of a bias in favor of GOT.
Yeah I probably should have gone with a numerical presentation. Towards the end I was kind of regretting it because it made it seem like HOTD was blown out of the water. But I tried to be vocal that they were close in quality for each category. If I do this type of video again I'll probably go with an out of 10 rating for each category.
@@arthurr.r.lucasspublicdoma5621 That's kinda part of what I mean, I think if you look at GoT season 1 vs HotD season 1, HotD wins more than people would initially assume because a lot of the great parts of GoT are beyond season 1, and most of the character leg work (even/ especially for already dead characters) happens later on. Ned becomes more interesting after S1 because you learn more about him even after he is dead. In contrast, you have Viserys who is a more fleshed out (and imo more interesting character) in only 1 season than Ned ever is, but he doesnt have 5 more seasons ruminating on the effects of his death or flashbacks to earlier parts of his life like Ned eventually gets- nor does he have a 30 year long dedicated fanbase that has a supplement of 5 books on top of a full TV show to bolster him. I guess what Im saying is i think HotD with Vizzy T made stronger characters in 1 season, where GoT has a lot more material and time already invested which allows bias and uneven assessments to creep in.
In terms of pure single characters, Viserys is the best single-season character in both HOTD & GOT. We love Ned and Robert, but they did not have the pure development Viserys had. Certain characters overtook Viserys overall with time, such as Jaime by season 3 & 4, but for a single season Viserys is a masterpiece of character building.
I feel the same way but for episodes. I watched some of HOTD episodes 3-4 times but honestly I can’t think of any in season one of GOT that I found nearly as entertaining.
@@basketballgenesis8969 I thought I was going crazy beeing th e only one who felt this way, so many people saying he needs an Emmy and has so much character development and I’m over here like 👁👄👁 i didn’t know ignoring your family’s problems, getting plowed with cgi and dieing doing nothing was character development or even a goof character in general
I prefer GOT season 1 by a mile. Not only did i find the plot more compelling, the show also had the incredibly hard job of introducing the world (which i think it did masterfully), whereas Hotd didnt need to introduce the world. Feels like got season 1 was bigger accomplishment in that department
GOT had to just follow th excellent written novel that is already very well written for a series. HoTD had to completely change the nature of the story to bring it into TV.
HOTD season 1 had a more difficult job in my opinion, Love for GOT franchise was dead, it had to compress 20 years of history in to one season and it decided to not go straight into the dance of dragons story line in season 1 which was the whole reason it was adapted and still managed to make a compelling narrative with fleshed out characters and recapture the magic of GOT which was destroyed by dumb and dumber.
@@orashfordfranklin5814 Exactly. Dumb and Dumber could never make it with such a complex work as Fire and Blood. ASOIAF is already excellent to adapt into a TV series, it has everything on the plate, Martin has already done all the hard work.
Comparing HOTD season 1 to the legendary status of the first four seasons of Game of Thrones. There is no competition. The first four seasons would win. That said...... I think this first season of HOTD season 1 is the closest we've gotten to a good season in Westeros since those first four seasons of the Main Show. Now that it's got all the set up done. I think going forward the show has potential. That is if they can maintain the quality or grow from it. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
The only moment where HOTD came close to Got, was after the death of Vyseris, when Otto tries to steal the Throne. Still i didn't like how Ser Criston just killed the old man at the council with no consequences. I think GoT>>>
Yeah old Beesbury. IIRC nobody on the outside even knows he's dead yet, people assume he's locked up along with other dissidents. I agree though I like GoT more. Still enjoying HoT D quite a bit though
@@cheffdonty I was talking about the people in the council as well. A king's guard should not be allowed to murder coucilers on his own will with no consequences. Imagine if Merin Trant killed for example Varys or Littlefinger in front of Tywin or Tyrion... I'm enjoying Hotd as well anyway
@@Riccardo-wp5fv I'd say it's a testament to the corruption within the small council. The circumstance was also a bit unique, since everyone who supported the greens wanted to make absolutely sure nobody knew of the King's passing until they had the backing of the great houses. If Tywin were in Otto's place I wonder if he would have even protested.
@@Riccardo-wp5fv Why would you think they would have morals at a time like that. Tywin orchestrated the Red Wedding. That's one of the most foul things anyone could do. We going to pretend that Tywin didn't imprison his son for a crime he knew he did not commit? All of them are plotting to take the Throne. They are corrupt. Ned Stark literally chopped a Nights Watch head off for telling the truth. Jon Snow shopped someone head off for disrespecting him. Jaime Lannister was a kingslayer and still was part of the Kings Guard. lol. Not punishing Cole is part of their character.
@@G_Kchrst I know that and I don’t understand but I know the entire layout where GoT I didn’t. Overpricing for set design for a already hit show vs scratching money together for a show that doesn’t have its legs yet. GoT took place everywhere and every set looked like a new area. It felt BIG. I don’t care about price. They’re overpaying then.
I agree, but honestly it's not really fair because ASOIAF proper (not F&B) is much more nuanced, with more dialogue and incredibly character focused in order to tell the best story possible, so all the twists, lines, characters etc are there because GRRM wrote it that way and F&B Is just a companion book. So it was always going to be almost impossible for HOTD to win in anything other than cinematography.
If you just compare the books, yes. But if you take into account the shows and how much they can improve the source material, is a whole different story. If you asked anyone who was a better character between Eddard Stark and Viserys the I just 5 months ago, no one would say they prefer Viserys the Clown over the beloved Ned. HotD took that joke of a character and made him one of the most beloved on the whole franchise. If they keep doing this, HotD can be way better than F&B AND GoT
The only time we ever get about all the houses of HOTD is the part where Rhaenyra was introduced as the heir of the throne and every lord of all seven kingdoms swore their allegiance to her.
Yeah... I mean the battle of dragons was cool and all so maybe you forget the strategical meet at Dragonstone about allegiances of all the other houses.
@@michaelmcdoesntexist1459 how could I forget? Obviously the Starks made an undying Vow to the Targaryens. Other houses like Baratheons are skeptical or just hold a grudge about how Rhaenyra treated them with disregard of their hand in marriage, which I don't blame. They're very proud people and so are the Targaryens alike.
I like HOTD characters as they are more relatable on the personal level. With GoT, they seem like they were cut from a rpg video game where you customise their character attributes.
I think got season one has great lines because of the source material. Hotd didn’t have much dialogue from the source material to use and that makes their brilliant dialogue more impressive
@@albireo1533 yeah, people have analyzed GoT to the exhaustion at this point and we have a whole series to find callbacks, foreshadowing, and a better character study. The comparison is unfair as is comparing a child to an adult man as a better human being
"the gods have yet to make a man who lacks the patience for absolute power" "My wife and son are dead! I will not suffer crows who come to feast on their corpses" "The boy just turned 2, Otto" "I lost an eye but I gained a dragon" "He can keep his tongue" You'd be forgiven for thinking that this dialogue came from George. It's just as epic as GoT.
In terms of dialogue I think they're actually both equally good in completely different ways. GoT is a lot more memorable with it's iconic lines and how imbued with meaning every piece of dialogue is, in a Shakespearian literary kind of way, but I feel like HotD isn't because it's more focused on being believable and authentic which it is excellent at. GoT is clever with dialogue but in the way which highlights the talent of the writers and author, HotD is a lot more grounded in a way which isn't as obviously impressive but that ultimately helps the immersion. This might mostly be down to just how flawlessly the cast became their characters but I still think HoTD deserves a lot more credit
HOTD season 1 had a more difficult job in my opinion, Love for GOT franchise was dead, it had to compress 20 years of history in to one season and it decided to not go straight into the dance of dragons story line in season 1 which was the whole reason it was adapted and still managed to make a compelling narrative with fleshed out characters and recapture the magic of GOT which was destroyed by dumb and dumber...I do think season 2 will be better than GOT season 2 if it maintains this quality.
People wanna say love for the franchise was dead, but the pilot was literally the most watched tv event in history. Everyone saying HOTD “saved” the franchise when people were already heavily invested before the show even began
Well also showrunners did a great job. ASOIAF is comparatively easy to adapt than fire and blood. I bet dumb and dumber can't adapt that book as good as Ryan condall. They will probably fill all blank spaces with some cok jokes.
@@boppityboopy114Obviously as the show started, the love for the franchise was real. But after the disaster season 7 and 8 were, the fanbase quickly disappeared. And people were left with a sour taste in their mouth for anything related to Game of Thrones (except the books). That’s why people were skeptical and hesitant to watch HOTD. But after the show came out, it brought back the fanbase and people had hope for the franchise once again because of how good it was.
The fact that HoTD got CLOSE to season 1 of GOT that alone show how good of a story was, and that's a lot of quality in 1 season of TV, I wish OTHERS fantasy shows try this hard as much HoTD did, GOT is just on a whole different tier but again the fact that HoTD can compare says a lot. Awesome analysis....wonder if you will like to compare more shows like ROP with Willow, or Madalorian with Book of Boba Fett for example, or later on ROP vs HoTD (I know will be a massacre but still fun to watch if you do).
I beg to differ. House of the dragon is Way better than season 5 and 6 of game of thrones. They actually stay faithful to the source material and make the story come to screen perfectly. Season 5 and 6 of game of thrones was bad fan fiction. Stannis and Jaime Lannister were ruined. Absolutely ruined. House of the dragon has yet to ruin characters, it's in fact done the opposite by making them more complex
GoT S1-4 is a friggen masterpiece, so HotD coming even close in these categories is a great accomplishment. It's almost as if the HotD team created a redemption arc in response to what Derp&Derpier did to the GoT denouement.
Lets compare the shows when they are finished. Season 2-4 makes season 1 better in hindsight as well. If you take season 1 by itself i think it comes very close, with GOT coming on top. The dialogue is great. I just can’t wait to see more characters being introduced. Dragonseeds etc.
@@SomalianDuke Agree on all points. However I'd be surprised if the show-runners will destroy HotD ala GoT S7-8. It truly was one of the biggest travesties in series history.
What I liked with GoT season one is that it was very concentrated, while HoTD has big time gaps between some episodes, which gave me a very weird feeling when I was watching it.
This might be a hot take but the BETTER production quality of HotD is a negative. There's something about GoT S1 "low" budget where you kinda feel you're back in time, everything from the lighting and atmosphere feels "intimate". Whereas HotD feels too cinematic that it kinda puts an extra barrier between you and the cast. It's hard to explain, but it has this feeling of you just being a spectator, there in the room, just chilling and no one sees you. Of course this doesn't apply to the dragon and battle scenes, those benefit from the high budget value positively. Also, this a weird point, but GoT characters just have waaay more Aura than HotD.
My favorite part of HOTD is there is less amount of characters which makes things feel more Intimate and makes it easier to get to know the characters and I’ve always loved the Targaryens so I’m glad that in Hotd there’s a Targaryen in basically every scene 😂
When viserys slowly crawled his way to the iron throne with the "I don't care if this kills me, I'm going to set things straight" look on his face, I realized how invested in these characters I became.
If you consider the quality of the acting, I’d give that one to HOTD, on the basis of Paddy, Emma and Matt’s skillz especially. Most of the cast were pretty great, too. Should have been more Harwin, tho, because he is excellently hot. GOT’s acting was also great, but less consistent, as some of the (beloved) cast were learning on the job. Paddy and Emma had me in emotional knots. Too good.
I always feel this comparison is a tad unfair as the source material of AGOT is far superior to Fire & Blood, since obviously AGOT is Martin's magnum opus. Plus given the time and the moment, the first season of GoT changed how people viewed television forever. Nothing is gonna live up to that. However, there are certain things that HoTD did do better, especially the attention to details and medieval realism, which was visible from everywhere from the Viserys hunting scene to the details in the coup and the Aegon coronation ceremony. It was a lot less "we have a new king now" and a lot more "this is how it happens". The casting and the acting I would say was also on par with GoT and at times better, which is saying something given the calibre of actors GoT had. But overall I think there's no debate. HoTD Season 1 is a very good season. GoT Season 1 was a once in a lifetime season.
I find it very hard to judge characters in GOT s1 because we got attached to them after 3,4,8 seasons, we know well how complex they can be or where they are going to go. It's hard to comprehend how much of that is introduced in only the first season (Jaime for exemple only get really interesting in season 2-3). I'm still amazed by how many characters and plotlines were established in GOT s1though so I don't mind where this point went
@@barkley8285 Jaime, Cersei, Varys, Baelish, Theon, Sansa, Tywin, etc... and even Jon, Tyrion, Dany and Arya got most of their character depth later. Tyrion dealing with Kings Landing, the war and the responsibility. Danny learning to be a leader, Jon confronting his prejudices, Arya fighting to survive and experiencing the low born live. Yes, they were good and interesting characters in season 1 but became great starting season 2.
@@michaelmcdoesntexist1459 what the fuck are you talking about? Ive read and watched the series multiple times. The main characters of book 1/S1 are bran, arya, dany, jon, tyrion, and ned. They are the main focus pov's. Baelish, cersei, jaime, none of them matter in s1. Your supposed to latch onto dany, jon, and arya, and obviously ned so you feel somethign when he dies.
I'd wager a good number of the cinematography credits for HotD are the result of Miguel Sapochnik being so closely involved in the first season. Man is a legend in the GoT crew.
Great video, thank you! But I must say, the comparison is somewhat flawed since try as one might, you cannot think about GoT S1 without it being somewhat informs by the greatness that follows in seasons 2-4. Would be interesting to do this again at the end of HOTD.
"HOT D" My brain: "Stop giggling...STOP IT!" In all seriousness, this was a great comparison. I didn't really have anything to argue about. Thrones is better, but that's like saying milk chocolate is better than dark. Both amazing in their own way
Game of thrones season 1 is far better . Less random stuff like Raenys attacking the coronation and then leaving killing innocent people for no reason and Cristina Cole snapping constantly
@@auranewaters9574 “It’s look is nostalgic” what does that even mean? I just think they’re far more intricately detailed and match the late Medieval aesthetic better. In Season 1 of GOT it sometimes felt like the characters only had one outfit; a lord of a Great House like Eddard Stark should look like a lord, not a common man-at-arms.
I sincerely disagree, costumes and armor quality makes the world more realistic and "lived in". Where as hotd sets and costumes look like a movie to me.
@@zk3831 Nah the first season of GoT looks wayyy more costume-y to me than HotD. Later seasons were better, though the Freys dumb hats and Iron Islanders looked like they were wearing uniforms which is really silly. Especially when you read the books and almost every chapter describes the POV characters like Eddard or Tyrion different and wearing very detailed outfits in each.
I enjoyed S1 HotD and the biggest praise I can give it is that it's given me back a franchise I was super excited about. Game of Thrones is just better for me, top to bottom. I love Paddy Constantine's performance as Viserys, but I'm not cosigning him being the best character out of either seasons.
The only knock against HoTD is that the dialogue had to be made up by the show runners, whereas a lot of the character moments in GoT were taken strictly taken from the books. HoTD (the book) was designed that way intentionally, and honestly the writers and show runners did an amazing job in HoTD making dialogue for this series. Was it S1-S4 GoT good? No, but it's certainly better than most of the dialogue in the later seasons of GoT. This leads to a lot of character development in the first few seasons of GoT which despite budgetary reasons did the show a great service. As the budgets got bigger in GoT it reached a point where it no longer had source material to draw from and the action pieces pretty much drove the series (and as such, the dialogue and character development sort of went downhill IMO). HoTD (series) thus far has moments where it does both. The dialogue is still better than later seasons of GoT but we also get great action pieces and beautiful sets as well. There are absolute moments where HoTD does better than GoT (even the early seasons). I doubt it will ever usurp the feel of the first several seasons, but damn, thus far it's not that far off. Some of the performances and casting are excellent in HoTD, and it's certainly a worthy successor to the first several seasons of GoT. HoTD also has the unfortunate task of trying to bring good will to fans of the series after S7-S8 (especially S8).
I've already rewatched HOTD 5 times in the past year and i can never get enough of it. The writing of the characters, given the frequent time jumps in the first season alone is mind blowing. i just LOVE how engaging each episode is and has its own conflict unlike GOT that mostly focussed on the larger plot of the season or show. Every single episode of HOTD feels like a movie of its own written with such adherence to the story and character development. the conflicts and relationship dynamics between the characters is the best part.
The awkward time jumps honestly crippled the ability for HODT to match GOT. The time jumps were entirely necessary, however, they're still jarring and make it difficult to work around from a logistics and writing perspective. I have a feeling HOTD will have no problem matching or surpassing GOT in future seasons, mostly because they can now maintain a much cleaner sequence of events as the story in HOTD unfolds. So excited for the future of HOTD, and hopefully the few weird choices they made in the first season (mostly rhaenys' scene at the coronation) don't make much of a comeback and we can continue to see a tightly written epic unfold.
@@sanjaykarthicks1226 so they would have had to have like 9 seasons before we even got to the main conflict of the show? Maybe think about what you're saying one more time
@@sanjaykarthicks1226 i think they already pulled as many shits as they can out of their asses. though i agree that it needed like 1-2 more episodes, adding 10 would make it so slow that it will bore most people.
People are already complaining about "nothing happens" with one prelude season. Most viewers aren't patient enough to keep watching the show without big fights and tits and dragons.
Yup. Always felt like this should have been a 12-13 episode season. Time jumps did some of the character arcs dirty. For example, Rheanrya loved Harwin, we had one scene with them together. Could have easily been fixed if they had a dedicated episode prior. I felt like when they wanted to have great character interactions, they did a great job doing so. Like with Corlys and Rhaenys scene togethers discussing the Strong Boys. Rhaenys vs. Rhaenrya scene discussing that no women have ever became the heir + the scene discussing Laenor death. But, I also felt like they could have done so much more w/ character interactions. Felt like they could have had more great/iconic scenes if they wanted to. Would have loved to see Rheanrya interact with her brothers and sister. Could have been a great scene. I actually liked this season more than the first season of GoT despite some of it's flaws.
I wish there was a section for bad writing/contrivances. Daemon winning his 1v30, Alicent figuring out plot points because characters aren't speaking clearly etc
GOT also had a lower budget for season 1. And HotD got to skip a lot of world building since the audience is already familiar with Westeros and Essos, the wall, and the North aren’t included in S1 of HotD.
I liked HotD season 1 but GoT season 1 will remain the better season for me. I think that the Dance of Dragons and the Fire and Blood book has such huge potential to make for an amazing show. The showrunners just need to use the source material wisely. If done correct I would venture to say the show could overshadow peak GoT.
Game of thrones was really unique it was basically 4-6 separate shows that you watched together. All separate stories just playing side by side with each other will little crossover till later seasons
Dang that’s crazy because game of thrones is literally like 6 different shows in one show😂😂💯 and each character is the main character of their own storyline and show.
That's something I really liked about the show. It shows how big the world is, and just like in the credits, the gears are constantly moving on different sides of the map. With small references to other matters happening. Like Robert sending assassins to the east, or the rumours of the dragons on the other side of the world reaching westeros, everyone essentially ignoring the night's watch, where the real trouble lies. All in all, a great story.
The biggest issue of HoTD is it's time jump. I can't correctly identify each new adult cast untill half the episode. And then all of their sons .. so much rabbit hole the HoTD 1st season is.
I was surprised to learn that HOTD had a bigger budget compared to GOT. I thought GOT looked much better, the images are clearer and look more real. If anything, HOTD is excessive on FX and it almost looks like a PlayStation game.
I appreciate all these opinions and rankings; they're a great summary of what makes both projects amazing. However, I have a problem with the "twists" section. Like, none of the events described are twists; they're just events in the story. The story is already defined. There can be no Dance of the Dragons without the death of Lucerys. There cannot exist a death of Eddard Stark without the death of Robert Baratheon. Plot twists? You weren't expecting it? Sure enough, some events will have a bigger impact on the audience, but you shouldn't judge any of them in terms of how they affect the plot or the story as they are, in and of themselves, part of the story.
This style of video would be great to explore different shows with similar narratives and direction. GoT vs the Expanse comes to mind as one that could be really interesting
Early GoT is near impossible to beat, but the Expanse is consistently good throughout and lands it’s ending. Seasons 2 and 3 in particular of the Expanse are some of the best sci- fi ever made. The show is also very human and focuses a lot on its characters much like GoT. Definitely check it out if you’re a fan of GoT. The two guys who wrote the Expanse novels were actually understudies for GRRM while he was writing the first GoT books so there are a lot of similar elements.
My personal issue with hotd was indeed the 2:1 aspect ratio. I've hated that aspect ratio ever since it was introduced to the OTT platforms because firstly the black bars when you dont zoom that in, secondly when you DO zoom in, it's not a rectangle anymore because the stupid smartphone companies have to make the corners so round plus that big ass notch
Nostalgia aside episodes 1 and 2 GOT standalone back in 2011 when they were aired were barely watchable and I gave up on GOT afterwards. Then I decided to return to the show after episde 5 or 6 was aired, so I had to catch up previous episodes since the begining and oh boy did my perspective change.
I think a very telling sign concerning dialogue is the fact that even though you have been narrating over almost all of this video, a lot of the clips from GoT s1 I’ve been mouthing along to.. cannot say that for most of the hotd clips
For me the only problem with HOTD was just the skipping of some scenes and maybe a little more screen time for some characters or development. For example I would’ve loved to see more screen time of daemon fighting on the step stones, or more of Harwin and Rhaenera, I just felt like they had skipped some stuff viewers would’ve liked to see but at the same time I know it’s really just to set up the actual dance of dragons which pretty much starts in s2
Stupid comparison, two very different shows with two extremely opposite source materials. In HOTD, the creators have a bare minimum to choose whereas D nd D had surplus of everything. On execution-based on material, HOTD does a better job. If you have to compare HOTD, do it with latter seasons of GOT. This is totally unfair.
Watch season 1 from both shows now and you will see that HOTD can't even be compared with GoT. I didn't even watch last episode of HOTD, I just don't care what will happend.
All things considered I really am happy that HoD is off to such an impressive start. To be fair GoT was amazing for the first half of its run as well. I’m still on the fence for the shows potential going through a 4-5 season run since season 1 is more of an extended prologue and season 2 forward will be the main conflict/premise.
GoT is way better wayyyy better ! HOTD starts not so great , middle is even worse after episode 7 it all grew and gain momentum , it started reminding me of GoT in some ways and I love that , not so often that I feel excited and lose breath like GoT yet very enjoyable and the last episode ended very strong leaving me wanting more and anticipating quality season 2 with definitive interest . GoT10/10 HOTD 7.5/10 with potential to hit high 8s or even 9 :)
GoT had an impossible task to establish the GoT universe with its multitude of main characters and storylines. Think back to GoT Season 1 and you will be amazed by the different plots (Ned going to KL, Robert's death + Joffrey's installment as King, Robert's bastard, Jon Arryn's death, Jon going to the night's watch, Bran, Tyrion with Catelyn and Bron, etc). While it seemed impossible, it succeeded in every way. HoTD, therefore, could've been perfect and still fallen short in terms of overall quality and storytelling. HoTD Season 1 had the unfortunate task of getting us to the "meat and potatoes" of the plot so the time jumps were frustrating at times but necessary. However, it did its job of captivating new viewers and convincing GoT viewers that it was on par with early GoT's quality. After Season 7/8 of GoT, it just makes me happy to have HoTD be a successful show that I'm excited to watch each week.
I did not see that much of competitions between this two shows as u was portraying in this video especially in characters category. it is a OK show to watch but there is no chance for HotD to reach the level of greatness in earlier seasons of GOT. that is a fact.
Youre very clearly partial to GoT and some things you say make no sense, like there being no turning point in HotD when the turning point is what shapes the entire conflict for half the season and also what sets up the next season. Had Viserys married a Velaryon the entire conflict would be avoided.
I think it'd be interesting when HotD is done or closer to done to rank every season of both shows on a uniform scale and see where they compare overall. HotD season 1 might not match the first season of GoT but I say it's on par with the sixth season, imo the strongest of the second half of GoT. I also think it's worth talking about areas each show overwhelmingly excels in over the other, like GoT's worldbuilding versus HotD's use of themes and commentary.
I hated ery scene of viserys talking about aegons prophecy,got already showed us it's fucking pointless. It is just a reminder of the disgusting betrayal of dumb and dumber
What I think most people are overlooking is that HoTD is also building an entirely new world. GOT focuses on just King's landing, Winterfell, The wall and the Vale. It introduces only 3 houses and 4 major locations (and the 2 wildcards which are the night's watch and the Dothraki). While HoTD introduces the Targeryens, Valerions, Hightowers, Strongs, The Stepstones, Storm's end, Dragonstone(the one in its prime, not the one in GOT) and a whole new King's landing (the dragonpit, new small council chamber and gardens etc.) That is 4 major locations and 4 houses (the crabfeeder is also an interesting introduction). They are introducing nearly the same amount of world-building related things as GOT S1.
My favorite quotes from GOT S1 fall under the category of anything that Tyrion says 😂 "I once brought a honeycomb, and a jackass into a brothel..." "What happened next?"
Game of Thrones had 3-5 but plots moving simultaneously at all times. All interesting with long and short term pay offs. At most House had 1-2, the succession and bastard plot lines are good but not enough to bring the show to the heights of Game of Thrones.
It must have been so difficult for all the crew or HOTD to create a show they knew would get compared to a masterpiece and that people would inevitably say « it’s not as good as GOT season 1 » or even worse, « it’s nothing compared to GOT season 1 », shout out to them
Honestly I don't think tha HotD is a good show to begin with. HotD is a GoT wannabe. It mimics the setting, dialogs, style of narration and other elements, but all this without understanding what really made GoT a great show in the first place. GoT is a character-driven, character-focused show. We followed the characters, we cared about them, and that's why we were engaged in the story, because we were interested what will happen to our beloved characters, and also the hated ones. HotD is a story-driven show and the characters just happen to be there. There's nothing wrong with creating a story-driven show but you must have a really good story to tell and execute it perfectly. HotD does neither. Pretty avarage. 5/10.
Great arguments on both sides! Though I think some points on costume design (perhaps under production design) would’ve added more dimensions to the discussion. Personally, I feel the costume fittings for young Alicent and Rhaenyra were a bit awkward.
Another subjective factor to add is linked to the novels. When you have read ASOIAF you have a deep connection to the characters in the series as they are almost perfectly depicted. If you saw the show first you'll see the cast in the novels and if you read the novels first you'll meet the characters again, almost as you left them. The same doesn't go with HotD as the book takes the form of a chronicle with very little room to characterisation. It's more freeing for the mind but it reduces the attachment you can have for the characters.
I liked HOTD a bit more, but only because of the bigger budget and the deeper characters displayed in a single season. In every other category season 1 GOT and HOTD are basically tied for me. I hope season 2 can match the growth GOT had from the first season to the other 3.
HotD doesn't have to start as amazing as GoT... It just needs to end better.
As long as they stuck to the book, it will.
Bars right there
@@michaelmcdoesntexist1459 I don't think they will venture far from the books. There is a real life example of what happens if they do.
Big true
Ima tell you right now. If you didnt like the end of got. You wont like the end of this. Just as anti climactic and fucked up. Itll make all the conflict feel useless and pointless that u wasted ur time onthese character arcs for nothing. Such is realism
Got season 1 can never be fairly compared. It was brimming with compelling world building, characters, and plot. And it truly shocked and surprised us as we learned about what this world was. It really challenged what we were used to seeing on TV and it asked the audience to broaden their expectations. I love hotd though. It is a great show about a political fantasy and a family drama in a world we understand and feel comfortable being in.
Agreed. The fault of HOTD is lack of discovery of a new world and how GOT left it’s final two seasons. Remove those two elements and there are both solid shows that you want more
@@davidhooper259 Also HOTD has the privilege of having an enormous budget and an enormous fan base.
For me early GOT was 10/10 and HOTD season one was a 6 at best.
I keep seeing everyone praising the HOTD dialogue in this comment section but I can't remember it. Even when I ask people to provide an example I get nothing but silence.
I enjoyed the show and I'm glad they made it but it's not this great show everyone should be praising. It lacked character development, world building, dialogue and even action. I'm not a big action fan on shows like this but without having the other good aspects it had nothing to fall back on. Season 8 of GOT packed most of that and fell back on the action scenes, HOTD fell back on tbe birthing scenes.
In my honest opinion if it didn't have a massive fan base from GOT and the books I think it would have flopped.
Season 1 of GOT is one of the best things I have seen. Its very slow, but its really good with its dialogue and creating intrigue. HoTD is no where close, but that doesn't mean I hate it. Its far better than anything like S5, 7,8 of GOT.
GoT season 1 was not great. Fans are so blinded by its failures. It was the epitome of 'tell don't show'. The amount of times things were explained to the audience, the way the characters were clearly set up to be either liked or disliked, rather than being complex - it shocks me that GoT fans are so blind to it.
Personally I prefer GOT season 1's cinematography. The warm, Mediterranean colours are quite inviting and really make you feel like you're in a coastal city. To be honest, real life just doesn't look like how HOTD looks.
HOTD had a very artificial look to it, and it was washed out. S1 of GoT really had an authentic feel and look to it.
HOT isn’t supposed to look like real life that’s the point Lmaoo…
That may just be more that TV production has changed since 2009. Different cameras, different lenses, different editing software... And different people too, like the DP and editors for each episode. The trend for "high-end" productions seems to be to looks more artificial, but aesthetically better? Like screenshots look "cooler/more epic" from HotD, where as some shots from GoT s1 can look a little hokey depending on the framing and the set. Not saying I disagree, I prefer more "real" visuals, but it seems to be an industry-wide shift over the last 10 years.
Yeah. GoT feels more authentic, more personal, more real. Same with how the story plays out, too. HotD plays as an epic fantasy drama, but GoT is more down to earth with how it shows it's characters and there interactions. Like the scene where Sam and Jon talk about girls, or when Tyrion, Bron, and his girl are playing a game in his tent. It just feels more intimate and I love that.
Looking realer and better are different. HotD just immediately looks like it has a much higher budget
I doubt HoTD can ever be as great as the early seasons of GoT, but after this brilliant beginning I'd say they can come pretty close.
Agreed 💯
however they can certainly end it better which will leave a good lasting impression on everyone.
@@TheeChalk yeah that’s a good point lad💯
I think they could become on par with the first four seasons of GOT if they work really hard. I also believe that they could easily make the ending better than Season 8. We’ll have to see, I’m just happy that Westeros is back in business
Just think of the upcoming dragon battles though
LOVE HoTD but GoT is god-level TV. Pretty much near perfection.
Completely agree💯
I’d say HOTD wins because of Viserys, who’s the best character in both shows
@@Rounderyathecruel the “best character in both shows” 🤔😂😂i absolutely love viserys mate, but you’re insane if you think he’s clear cut the “best character on both shows” and even if he was, that wouldn’t make hotd season 1 better than GOT season 1. One character doesnt lead or carry either show.
@@Rounderyathecruel Absolutley love Viserys, Paddy Considine did an amazing job. I'd put his character just below Tyrion from S1. Just. Was Considine's performance better than Peter Dinklage's though? Hmm. I'd probably say yes. In season 1 at least. The dinner table scene..oh man.
@@stonecold6521 I’m taking characters as a whole. That’s what counts. Tyrion was destroyed in the final episode of season 4
I think Alicent Hightower’s character arc is one of the best between both shows. The switch between Emily Carey and Olivia Cooke felt very fluid and Alicent’s character evolves so much over the season. She goes from the timid, anxiety-ridden girl who is “content to being the spectator” to the Queen and finding her footing there to finding her own wearing the green dress at Rhaenyra and Laenor’s wedding. Becoming a player of the game in her father’s absence and the overflow of jealousy and being gaslighted and betrayal at Driftmark and turning to religion to cope with what has happened. Not to mention that the juxtaposition between Alicent and Rhaenyra as mothers is phenomenal. Her arc is just fascinating and even the switch between actors felt so clean.
It helps that they looked very similar to eachother too
I see her placing religious imagery around the Red Keep as being a coping mechanism, I saw it as being a bit of a savvy political move, replacing Targaryen imagery with imagery of the Seven. That way, it doesnt look so much like they are muscling out Rhae and Daemon but at the same time, their influence and imagery have been removed from King's Landing, which is one less foot hold for them. When the Targaryen imagery returns, it is in endorsement of Aegon and therefore places The Greens as the side backing the true Targaryen succession.
Let her Cooke
Loved the use of the word footing here
In favor of HotD, S1 had the heavy lift of bringing the franchise back from the dead and restore the fandom.
In favor of GoT, it had the heavy lift of creating a franchise for a general audience from a book series incredibly rich in detail
@@all_out_tripp7220 but almost all of the dialogues were already written by GRRM whereas the writers of HoTd have to write most of the lines themselves
In favor of HotD: rebuilding trust after that hell of a mess of seasons 7-8 is way hard to build faith in a new, interesting new project.
@@sanjaykarthicks1226 they might’ve been able to use a lot of the dialogue from GRRM, but they still had a lot to do that they couldn’t rely on from the books. They had to have good editors, good directors, good costume designers, good stage designers, amazing actors, and that was all the show
@@sanjaykarthicks1226 Probably why HOTD didn't have any good dialogue compared to GOT. If you think I'm wrong go ahead and give me some examples. Give me anything anywhere near as good as the Tywin introduction with Jaimie.
I think It's unfair to compare a show that comes from an amazingly-written novel with excellent existing dialogues and a structure that is already ideal to fit into a series because of the POV chapters with a show that comes from a fictional history book with a lot of different sources, much fewer dialogues and a structure that is quite hard to bring into television. In ASOIAF Martin has already done all the hard work, in HoTD the writers need balls. D&D could never adapt succesfuly Fire and Blood, it needs to actualy read a lot the source and have a full vision.
I totally agree
Sure but people need to hear this either way. GoT is miles ahead of HotD even if the comparison is unfair
@@auranewaters9574 Miles ahead is no way true imo, Mr. I steal Cersei's ships. I just don't agree with it in any way. Also I hope you mean Season 1-4 because if you put the later 4 seasons of GOT then you are trolling, they are abysmal.
@@G_Kchrst Cersei : Don't steal my ships. I want those elephants!
HotD is better in a lot of aspects. In the end, GoT relied too much on shock factor and plotwists since the first season.
For me seeing Viserys and his arc was definitely the highlight of HotD
I think doing the scoring system with checkmarks (winner/loser) was a mistake cus it does HotD such a disservice. If you gave them each a score out of 10 (or 100), then we could visually see that yes, GoT was better, but it was really close. Otherwise I think you brought up some great points that I agree with for the most part (Although, I think Aegon, Aemond, and Corlys were more compelling than some of GoT's secondary characters like Theon, Jorah, or Sam, for example)
I personally find his picking GoT in the character category a little much. He even says multiple times the characters have more depth then backpedals to how likeable the cast of GoT is. I dont think they are unlikeable, but compared to HotD a lot of the secondary or (especially) the tertiary cast was as flat as a paper plate and about as colorful in GoT early on. I even find Ned to be more interestingly characterized because of later seasons more than the first, and when HotD only has one season, you dont get that benefit for its already deeper and more fleshed out characters.
@@SuperCrazy902 I think it comes down to nostalgia. People got to spend years watching and rewatching GOT(and book fans reading and re-reading the books over nearly thirty years) so naturally people would have more of a bias in favor of GOT.
Yeah I probably should have gone with a numerical presentation. Towards the end I was kind of regretting it because it made it seem like HOTD was blown out of the water. But I tried to be vocal that they were close in quality for each category. If I do this type of video again I'll probably go with an out of 10 rating for each category.
@@arthurr.r.lucasspublicdoma5621 That's kinda part of what I mean, I think if you look at GoT season 1 vs HotD season 1, HotD wins more than people would initially assume because a lot of the great parts of GoT are beyond season 1, and most of the character leg work (even/ especially for already dead characters) happens later on. Ned becomes more interesting after S1 because you learn more about him even after he is dead. In contrast, you have Viserys who is a more fleshed out (and imo more interesting character) in only 1 season than Ned ever is, but he doesnt have 5 more seasons ruminating on the effects of his death or flashbacks to earlier parts of his life like Ned eventually gets- nor does he have a 30 year long dedicated fanbase that has a supplement of 5 books on top of a full TV show to bolster him.
I guess what Im saying is i think HotD with Vizzy T made stronger characters in 1 season, where GoT has a lot more material and time already invested which allows bias and uneven assessments to creep in.
@@SuperCrazy902 couldn't agree more
In terms of pure single characters, Viserys is the best single-season character in both HOTD & GOT. We love Ned and Robert, but they did not have the pure development Viserys had. Certain characters overtook Viserys overall with time, such as Jaime by season 3 & 4, but for a single season Viserys is a masterpiece of character building.
Insane take
@@jegangunnithan4565 lmao😂😂😂why do you think so??🤔😂
I feel the same way but for episodes. I watched some of HOTD episodes 3-4 times but honestly I can’t think of any in season one of GOT that I found nearly as entertaining.
Viserys' character is literally him dying and complaining about the Green/Black conflict while doing nothing about it.
@@basketballgenesis8969 I thought I was going crazy beeing th e only one who felt this way, so many people saying he needs an Emmy and has so much character development and I’m over here like 👁👄👁 i didn’t know ignoring your family’s problems, getting plowed with cgi and dieing doing nothing was character development or even a goof character in general
I prefer GOT season 1 by a mile. Not only did i find the plot more compelling, the show also had the incredibly hard job of introducing the world (which i think it did masterfully), whereas Hotd didnt need to introduce the world. Feels like got season 1 was bigger accomplishment in that department
its better but i wouldnt say by a mile
By 100 miles ✅️
GOT had to just follow th excellent written novel that is already very well written for a series. HoTD had to completely change the nature of the story to bring it into TV.
HOTD season 1 had a more difficult job in my opinion, Love for GOT franchise was dead, it had to compress 20 years of history in to one season and it decided to not go straight into the dance of dragons story line in season 1 which was the whole reason it was adapted and still managed to make a compelling narrative with fleshed out characters and recapture the magic of GOT which was destroyed by dumb and dumber.
@@orashfordfranklin5814 Exactly. Dumb and Dumber could never make it with such a complex work as Fire and Blood. ASOIAF is already excellent to adapt into a TV series, it has everything on the plate, Martin has already done all the hard work.
so hyped for season 2
Comparing HOTD season 1 to the legendary status of the first four seasons of Game of Thrones. There is no competition. The first four seasons would win.
That said...... I think this first season of HOTD season 1 is the closest we've gotten to a good season in Westeros since those first four seasons of the Main Show. Now that it's got all the set up done. I think going forward the show has potential. That is if they can maintain the quality or grow from it. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
The only moment where HOTD came close to Got, was after the death of Vyseris, when Otto tries to steal the Throne. Still i didn't like how Ser Criston just killed the old man at the council with no consequences. I think GoT>>>
Yeah old Beesbury. IIRC nobody on the outside even knows he's dead yet, people assume he's locked up along with other dissidents. I agree though I like GoT more. Still enjoying HoT D quite a bit though
@@cheffdonty I was talking about the people in the council as well. A king's guard should not be allowed to murder coucilers on his own will with no consequences. Imagine if Merin Trant killed for example Varys or Littlefinger in front of Tywin or Tyrion... I'm enjoying Hotd as well anyway
@@Riccardo-wp5fv I'd say it's a testament to the corruption within the small council. The circumstance was also a bit unique, since everyone who supported the greens wanted to make absolutely sure nobody knew of the King's passing until they had the backing of the great houses. If Tywin were in Otto's place I wonder if he would have even protested.
@@Riccardo-wp5fv Why would you think they would have morals at a time like that. Tywin orchestrated the Red Wedding. That's one of the most foul things anyone could do. We going to pretend that Tywin didn't imprison his son for a crime he knew he did not commit?
All of them are plotting to take the Throne. They are corrupt. Ned Stark literally chopped a Nights Watch head off for telling the truth. Jon Snow shopped someone head off for disrespecting him. Jaime Lannister was a kingslayer and still was part of the Kings Guard. lol.
Not punishing Cole is part of their character.
HoTD feels smaller. GoT every single set felt new but HoTD I know they entire layout of their sets. GoT was grand in scale of set building.
What, how. WInterfell set fo example is so cheap in early seasons compared to HoTD sets.
@@G_Kchrst I know that and I don’t understand but I know the entire layout where GoT I didn’t. Overpricing for set design for a already hit show vs scratching money together for a show that doesn’t have its legs yet. GoT took place everywhere and every set looked like a new area. It felt BIG. I don’t care about price. They’re overpaying then.
@@G_Kchrst bcs they don't have the budget yet they managed to make it SO good.
@@psiloki9054 Is there any denying that HoTD sets are very beautiful though? Production is excellent.
I agree, but honestly it's not really fair because ASOIAF proper (not F&B) is much more nuanced, with more dialogue and incredibly character focused in order to tell the best story possible, so all the twists, lines, characters etc are there because GRRM wrote it that way and F&B Is just a companion book. So it was always going to be almost impossible for HOTD to win in anything other than cinematography.
If you just compare the books, yes. But if you take into account the shows and how much they can improve the source material, is a whole different story. If you asked anyone who was a better character between Eddard Stark and Viserys the I just 5 months ago, no one would say they prefer Viserys the Clown over the beloved Ned. HotD took that joke of a character and made him one of the most beloved on the whole franchise. If they keep doing this, HotD can be way better than F&B AND GoT
The only time we ever get about all the houses of HOTD is the part where Rhaenyra was introduced as the heir of the throne and every lord of all seven kingdoms swore their allegiance to her.
tbf season 1 was to set up the civil war that is about to follow and why, the other houses will have a way more important role in the next season(s)
Yeah... I mean the battle of dragons was cool and all so maybe you forget the strategical meet at Dragonstone about allegiances of all the other houses.
@@michaelmcdoesntexist1459 how could I forget? Obviously the Starks made an undying Vow to the Targaryens. Other houses like Baratheons are skeptical or just hold a grudge about how Rhaenyra treated them with disregard of their hand in marriage, which I don't blame. They're very proud people and so are the Targaryens alike.
I like HOTD characters as they are more relatable on the personal level. With GoT, they seem like they were cut from a rpg video game where you customise their character attributes.
I think got season one has great lines because of the source material. Hotd didn’t have much dialogue from the source material to use and that makes their brilliant dialogue more impressive
And its also only been out for a couple months whereas GOT season one was over a decade ago.
@@albireo1533 yeah, people have analyzed GoT to the exhaustion at this point and we have a whole series to find callbacks, foreshadowing, and a better character study. The comparison is unfair as is comparing a child to an adult man as a better human being
"the gods have yet to make a man who lacks the patience for absolute power"
"My wife and son are dead! I will not suffer crows who come to feast on their corpses"
"The boy just turned 2, Otto"
"I lost an eye but I gained a dragon"
"He can keep his tongue"
You'd be forgiven for thinking that this dialogue came from George. It's just as epic as GoT.
You uploaded just in time for me to eat my dinner to watch this, thanks
Same! Sausages and chips (fries) for me.
Proper medieval dinner@@stonecold6521
In terms of dialogue I think they're actually both equally good in completely different ways. GoT is a lot more memorable with it's iconic lines and how imbued with meaning every piece of dialogue is, in a Shakespearian literary kind of way, but I feel like HotD isn't because it's more focused on being believable and authentic which it is excellent at. GoT is clever with dialogue but in the way which highlights the talent of the writers and author, HotD is a lot more grounded in a way which isn't as obviously impressive but that ultimately helps the immersion. This might mostly be down to just how flawlessly the cast became their characters but I still think HoTD deserves a lot more credit
HOTD season 1 had a more difficult job in my opinion, Love for GOT franchise was dead, it had to compress 20 years of history in to one season and it decided to not go straight into the dance of dragons story line in season 1 which was the whole reason it was adapted and still managed to make a compelling narrative with fleshed out characters and recapture the magic of GOT which was destroyed by dumb and dumber...I do think season 2 will be better than GOT season 2 if it maintains this quality.
28 or 30 years, Council of Jhaerys
People wanna say love for the franchise was dead, but the pilot was literally the most watched tv event in history. Everyone saying HOTD “saved” the franchise when people were already heavily invested before the show even began
Well also showrunners did a great job. ASOIAF is comparatively easy to adapt than fire and blood.
I bet dumb and dumber can't adapt that book as good as Ryan condall.
They will probably fill all blank spaces with some cok jokes.
@@boppityboopy114 well yes, but all of them were ready to shit on it even if it was just mediocre
@@boppityboopy114Obviously as the show started, the love for the franchise was real. But after the disaster season 7 and 8 were, the fanbase quickly disappeared. And people were left with a sour taste in their mouth for anything related to Game of Thrones (except the books). That’s why people were skeptical and hesitant to watch HOTD. But after the show came out, it brought back the fanbase and people had hope for the franchise once again because of how good it was.
The fact that HoTD got CLOSE to season 1 of GOT that alone show how good of a story was, and that's a lot of quality in 1 season of TV, I wish OTHERS fantasy shows try this hard as much HoTD did, GOT is just on a whole different tier but again the fact that HoTD can compare says a lot. Awesome analysis....wonder if you will like to compare more shows like ROP with Willow, or Madalorian with Book of Boba Fett for example, or later on ROP vs HoTD (I know will be a massacre but still fun to watch if you do).
GHotD vs RoP? Man, rape videos aren't allowed on XVideos, let alone RUclips.
People be getting carried away with hotd. It's GOT season 5/6 levels of good, miles away from GOT seasons 1 - 4
Agreed💯
I beg to differ.
House of the dragon is Way better than season 5 and 6 of game of thrones.
They actually stay faithful to the source material and make the story come to screen perfectly.
Season 5 and 6 of game of thrones was bad fan fiction.
Stannis and Jaime Lannister were ruined.
Absolutely ruined.
House of the dragon has yet to ruin characters, it's in fact done the opposite by making them more complex
Appreciate the use of the Regal Ancestor Spirit ost from Elden Ring during the dialogue segment! Love it! Also great video of course!
GoT S1-4 is a friggen masterpiece, so HotD coming even close in these categories is a great accomplishment.
It's almost as if the HotD team created a redemption arc in response to what Derp&Derpier did to the GoT denouement.
Lets compare the shows when they are finished.
Season 2-4 makes season 1 better in hindsight as well.
If you take season 1 by itself i think it comes very close, with GOT coming on top.
The dialogue is great. I just can’t wait to see more characters being introduced. Dragonseeds etc.
@@SomalianDuke
Agree on all points.
However I'd be surprised if the show-runners will destroy HotD ala GoT S7-8. It truly was one of the biggest travesties in series history.
What I liked with GoT season one is that it was very concentrated, while HoTD has big time gaps between some episodes, which gave me a very weird feeling when I was watching it.
This might be a hot take but the BETTER production quality of HotD is a negative. There's something about GoT S1 "low" budget where you kinda feel you're back in time, everything from the lighting and atmosphere feels "intimate". Whereas HotD feels too cinematic that it kinda puts an extra barrier between you and the cast. It's hard to explain, but it has this feeling of you just being a spectator, there in the room, just chilling and no one sees you.
Of course this doesn't apply to the dragon and battle scenes, those benefit from the high budget value positively.
Also, this a weird point, but GoT characters just have waaay more Aura than HotD.
you get it, otto would be cooked in GOT
My favorite part of HOTD is there is less amount of characters which makes things feel more Intimate and makes it easier to get to know the characters and I’ve always loved the Targaryens so I’m glad that in Hotd there’s a Targaryen in basically every scene 😂
nice video man, thanks for the dedication !
When viserys slowly crawled his way to the iron throne with the "I don't care if this kills me, I'm going to set things straight" look on his face, I realized how invested in these characters I became.
Keep making content bro it’s fire
If you consider the quality of the acting, I’d give that one to HOTD, on the basis of Paddy, Emma and Matt’s skillz especially. Most of the cast were pretty great, too. Should have been more Harwin, tho, because he is excellently hot. GOT’s acting was also great, but less consistent, as some of the (beloved) cast were learning on the job. Paddy and Emma had me in emotional knots. Too good.
I always feel this comparison is a tad unfair as the source material of AGOT is far superior to Fire & Blood, since obviously AGOT is Martin's magnum opus. Plus given the time and the moment, the first season of GoT changed how people viewed television forever. Nothing is gonna live up to that. However, there are certain things that HoTD did do better, especially the attention to details and medieval realism, which was visible from everywhere from the Viserys hunting scene to the details in the coup and the Aegon coronation ceremony. It was a lot less "we have a new king now" and a lot more "this is how it happens". The casting and the acting I would say was also on par with GoT and at times better, which is saying something given the calibre of actors GoT had. But overall I think there's no debate. HoTD Season 1 is a very good season. GoT Season 1 was a once in a lifetime season.
Hotd wouldve been 10x better without the timeskips happening so suddenly
I find it very hard to judge characters in GOT s1 because we got attached to them after 3,4,8 seasons, we know well how complex they can be or where they are going to go. It's hard to comprehend how much of that is introduced in only the first season (Jaime for exemple only get really interesting in season 2-3).
I'm still amazed by how many characters and plotlines were established in GOT s1though so I don't mind where this point went
you were connected to jon, ned, tyrion, dany, and arya in s1. What are you talking about?
@@barkley8285 Jaime, Cersei, Varys, Baelish, Theon, Sansa, Tywin, etc... and even Jon, Tyrion, Dany and Arya got most of their character depth later. Tyrion dealing with Kings Landing, the war and the responsibility. Danny learning to be a leader, Jon confronting his prejudices, Arya fighting to survive and experiencing the low born live. Yes, they were good and interesting characters in season 1 but became great starting season 2.
@@michaelmcdoesntexist1459 none of those are main characters. Jon, arya, dany, tyrion, and ned were the main characters and focus.
@@barkley8285 if you think they aren't you have not been paying attention.
@@michaelmcdoesntexist1459 what the fuck are you talking about? Ive read and watched the series multiple times. The main characters of book 1/S1 are bran, arya, dany, jon, tyrion, and ned. They are the main focus pov's. Baelish, cersei, jaime, none of them matter in s1. Your supposed to latch onto dany, jon, and arya, and obviously ned so you feel somethign when he dies.
GOT S1 is perfect and better than HOTD because of so much happening and you remember the characters even though you might forget their names.
I'd wager a good number of the cinematography credits for HotD are the result of Miguel Sapochnik being so closely involved in the first season. Man is a legend in the GoT crew.
I would find it really interesting if you made a video ranking all the main battles in Game of Thrones.
Great video, thank you!
But I must say, the comparison is somewhat flawed since try as one might, you cannot think about GoT S1 without it being somewhat informs by the greatness that follows in seasons 2-4.
Would be interesting to do this again at the end of HOTD.
"HOT D"
My brain: "Stop giggling...STOP IT!"
In all seriousness, this was a great comparison. I didn't really have anything to argue about. Thrones is better, but that's like saying milk chocolate is better than dark. Both amazing in their own way
Got season 1 felt miles better, specifically in pacing for me
Game of thrones season 1 is far better . Less random stuff like Raenys attacking the coronation and then leaving killing innocent people for no reason and Cristina Cole snapping constantly
I wish Game of Thrones season 1 had the costumes and armour quality of House of the Dragon
I dont tbh. Its look is nostalgic
@@auranewaters9574 “It’s look is nostalgic” what does that even mean? I just think they’re far more intricately detailed and match the late Medieval aesthetic better. In Season 1 of GOT it sometimes felt like the characters only had one outfit; a lord of a Great House like Eddard Stark should look like a lord, not a common man-at-arms.
I sincerely disagree, costumes and armor quality makes the world more realistic and "lived in". Where as hotd sets and costumes look like a movie to me.
@@zk3831 agree
@@zk3831 Nah the first season of GoT looks wayyy more costume-y to me than HotD. Later seasons were better, though the Freys dumb hats and Iron Islanders looked like they were wearing uniforms which is really silly. Especially when you read the books and almost every chapter describes the POV characters like Eddard or Tyrion different and wearing very detailed outfits in each.
Bro sounds like he’s got a degree in Game of Thrones
I enjoyed S1 HotD and the biggest praise I can give it is that it's given me back a franchise I was super excited about. Game of Thrones is just better for me, top to bottom. I love Paddy Constantine's performance as Viserys, but I'm not cosigning him being the best character out of either seasons.
The only knock against HoTD is that the dialogue had to be made up by the show runners, whereas a lot of the character moments in GoT were taken strictly taken from the books. HoTD (the book) was designed that way intentionally, and honestly the writers and show runners did an amazing job in HoTD making dialogue for this series. Was it S1-S4 GoT good? No, but it's certainly better than most of the dialogue in the later seasons of GoT.
This leads to a lot of character development in the first few seasons of GoT which despite budgetary reasons did the show a great service. As the budgets got bigger in GoT it reached a point where it no longer had source material to draw from and the action pieces pretty much drove the series (and as such, the dialogue and character development sort of went downhill IMO). HoTD (series) thus far has moments where it does both. The dialogue is still better than later seasons of GoT but we also get great action pieces and beautiful sets as well.
There are absolute moments where HoTD does better than GoT (even the early seasons). I doubt it will ever usurp the feel of the first several seasons, but damn, thus far it's not that far off. Some of the performances and casting are excellent in HoTD, and it's certainly a worthy successor to the first several seasons of GoT.
HoTD also has the unfortunate task of trying to bring good will to fans of the series after S7-S8 (especially S8).
nostalgia will never allow for a fair comparison
I've already rewatched HOTD 5 times in the past year and i can never get enough of it. The writing of the characters, given the frequent time jumps in the first season alone is mind blowing. i just LOVE how engaging each episode is and has its own conflict unlike GOT that mostly focussed on the larger plot of the season or show. Every single episode of HOTD feels like a movie of its own written with such adherence to the story and character development. the conflicts and relationship dynamics between the characters is the best part.
Big fan of the vs. style videos
Great Analyse Job. As Always.
The awkward time jumps honestly crippled the ability for HODT to match GOT. The time jumps were entirely necessary, however, they're still jarring and make it difficult to work around from a logistics and writing perspective. I have a feeling HOTD will have no problem matching or surpassing GOT in future seasons, mostly because they can now maintain a much cleaner sequence of events as the story in HOTD unfolds. So excited for the future of HOTD, and hopefully the few weird choices they made in the first season (mostly rhaenys' scene at the coronation) don't make much of a comeback and we can continue to see a tightly written epic unfold.
They could have done the time jumps between the seasons
@@sanjaykarthicks1226 so they would have had to have like 9 seasons before we even got to the main conflict of the show? Maybe think about what you're saying one more time
@@sanjaykarthicks1226 i think they already pulled as many shits as they can out of their asses. though i agree that it needed like 1-2 more episodes, adding 10 would make it so slow that it will bore most people.
People are already complaining about "nothing happens" with one prelude season. Most viewers aren't patient enough to keep watching the show without big fights and tits and dragons.
Yup. Always felt like this should have been a 12-13 episode season. Time jumps did some of the character arcs dirty. For example, Rheanrya loved Harwin, we had one scene with them together. Could have easily been fixed if they had a dedicated episode prior.
I felt like when they wanted to have great character interactions, they did a great job doing so. Like with Corlys and Rhaenys scene togethers discussing the Strong Boys. Rhaenys vs. Rhaenrya scene discussing that no women have ever became the heir + the scene discussing Laenor death. But, I also felt like they could have done so much more w/ character interactions. Felt like they could have had more great/iconic scenes if they wanted to. Would have loved to see Rheanrya interact with her brothers and sister. Could have been a great scene.
I actually liked this season more than the first season of GoT despite some of it's flaws.
I wish there was a section for bad writing/contrivances. Daemon winning his 1v30, Alicent figuring out plot points because characters aren't speaking clearly etc
I agree with the Daemon vs all those people. No way on earth could he survive something like that.
Best line in either show: “Wear it in silence or I’ll honor you again”
Yay to domestic abuse
GOT also had a lower budget for season 1. And HotD got to skip a lot of world building since the audience is already familiar with Westeros and Essos, the wall, and the North aren’t included in S1 of HotD.
I liked HotD season 1 but GoT season 1 will remain the better season for me. I think that the Dance of Dragons and the Fire and Blood book has such huge potential to make for an amazing show. The showrunners just need to use the source material wisely. If done correct I would venture to say the show could overshadow peak GoT.
Game of thrones was really unique it was basically 4-6 separate shows that you watched together. All separate stories just playing side by side with each other will little crossover till later seasons
Dang that’s crazy because game of thrones is literally like 6 different shows in one show😂😂💯 and each character is the main character of their own storyline and show.
That's something I really liked about the show. It shows how big the world is, and just like in the credits, the gears are constantly moving on different sides of the map. With small references to other matters happening. Like Robert sending assassins to the east, or the rumours of the dragons on the other side of the world reaching westeros, everyone essentially ignoring the night's watch, where the real trouble lies. All in all, a great story.
The biggest issue of HoTD is it's time jump. I can't correctly identify each new adult cast untill half the episode. And then all of their sons .. so much rabbit hole the HoTD 1st season is.
I was surprised to learn that HOTD had a bigger budget compared to GOT. I thought GOT looked much better, the images are clearer and look more real. If anything, HOTD is excessive on FX and it almost looks like a PlayStation game.
I appreciate all these opinions and rankings; they're a great summary of what makes both projects amazing. However, I have a problem with the "twists" section. Like, none of the events described are twists; they're just events in the story. The story is already defined. There can be no Dance of the Dragons without the death of Lucerys. There cannot exist a death of Eddard Stark without the death of Robert Baratheon. Plot twists? You weren't expecting it? Sure enough, some events will have a bigger impact on the audience, but you shouldn't judge any of them in terms of how they affect the plot or the story as they are, in and of themselves, part of the story.
This style of video would be great to explore different shows with similar narratives and direction. GoT vs the Expanse comes to mind as one that could be really interesting
I want to watch the expanse one day for sure lad. Which show do you think is better overall between those two?🤔
Early GoT is near impossible to beat, but the Expanse is consistently good throughout and lands it’s ending. Seasons 2 and 3 in particular of the Expanse are some of the best sci- fi ever made. The show is also very human and focuses a lot on its characters much like GoT. Definitely check it out if you’re a fan of GoT. The two guys who wrote the Expanse novels were actually understudies for GRRM while he was writing the first GoT books so there are a lot of similar elements.
I wanted to like HOD so bad but I guess I preferred the denseness of GOT. I couldn’t stay excited about one house for an entire season.
My personal issue with hotd was indeed the 2:1 aspect ratio. I've hated that aspect ratio ever since it was introduced to the OTT platforms because firstly the black bars when you dont zoom that in, secondly when you DO zoom in, it's not a rectangle anymore because the stupid smartphone companies have to make the corners so round plus that big ass notch
Nostalgia aside episodes 1 and 2 GOT standalone back in 2011 when they were aired were barely watchable and I gave up on GOT afterwards. Then I decided to return to the show after episde 5 or 6 was aired, so I had to catch up previous episodes since the begining and oh boy did my perspective change.
This video must've been tough to make
GOT>>>
I think a very telling sign concerning dialogue is the fact that even though you have been narrating over almost all of this video, a lot of the clips from GoT s1 I’ve been mouthing along to.. cannot say that for most of the hotd clips
For me the only problem with HOTD was just the skipping of some scenes and maybe a little more screen time for some characters or development. For example I would’ve loved to see more screen time of daemon fighting on the step stones, or more of Harwin and Rhaenera, I just felt like they had skipped some stuff viewers would’ve liked to see but at the same time I know it’s really just to set up the actual dance of dragons which pretty much starts in s2
Game of Thrones is to House of the Dragon as Breaking Bad is to Better Call Saul.
Better call Saul is prolly almost better in a way
except BB was good the whole way through, only half of GOT was actually good
hmm. a good comparison
Stupid comparison, two very different shows with two extremely opposite source materials. In HOTD, the creators have a bare minimum to choose whereas D nd D had surplus of everything. On execution-based on material, HOTD does a better job. If you have to compare HOTD, do it with latter seasons of GOT. This is totally unfair.
Watch season 1 from both shows now and you will see that HOTD can't even be compared with GoT. I didn't even watch last episode of HOTD, I just don't care what will happend.
made it to the end of the video
i usually watch and don’t comment but yes, please keep doing these videos!! i love watching these 😭
Is it possible to do a GoT season ranking some point? Curious to know your thoughts.
All things considered I really am happy that HoD is off to such an impressive start. To be fair GoT was amazing for the first half of its run as well. I’m still on the fence for the shows potential going through a 4-5 season run since season 1 is more of an extended prologue and season 2 forward will be the main conflict/premise.
Anyone else going to mention that there's an awesome mashup of AGOT and Star Wars music in the background of the video?
GoT is way better wayyyy better ! HOTD starts not so great , middle is even worse after episode 7 it all grew and gain momentum , it started reminding me of GoT in some ways and I love that , not so often that I feel excited and lose breath like GoT yet very enjoyable and the last episode ended very strong leaving me wanting more and anticipating quality season 2 with definitive interest . GoT10/10 HOTD 7.5/10 with potential to hit high 8s or even 9 :)
LOL what a L take. Starts not so great? Lmao did you even watch how great the first episode was?
Legendary comparison 👏👏
GoT had an impossible task to establish the GoT universe with its multitude of main characters and storylines. Think back to GoT Season 1 and you will be amazed by the different plots (Ned going to KL, Robert's death + Joffrey's installment as King, Robert's bastard, Jon Arryn's death, Jon going to the night's watch, Bran, Tyrion with Catelyn and Bron, etc). While it seemed impossible, it succeeded in every way. HoTD, therefore, could've been perfect and still fallen short in terms of overall quality and storytelling. HoTD Season 1 had the unfortunate task of getting us to the "meat and potatoes" of the plot so the time jumps were frustrating at times but necessary. However, it did its job of captivating new viewers and convincing GoT viewers that it was on par with early GoT's quality. After Season 7/8 of GoT, it just makes me happy to have HoTD be a successful show that I'm excited to watch each week.
I agree with everything you said💯
true
GOT s1 was wayyyy better tbh. The characters were a lot more intriguing and the plot too
I did not see that much of competitions between this two shows as u was portraying in this video especially in characters category. it is a OK show to watch but there is no chance for HotD to reach the level of greatness in earlier seasons of GOT. that is a fact.
Hot D is ok, but GOT season 1 is just amazing
great vid as usual
Good topic NGL
Youre very clearly partial to GoT and some things you say make no sense, like there being no turning point in HotD when the turning point is what shapes the entire conflict for half the season and also what sets up the next season. Had Viserys married a Velaryon the entire conflict would be avoided.
I think it'd be interesting when HotD is done or closer to done to rank every season of both shows on a uniform scale and see where they compare overall. HotD season 1 might not match the first season of GoT but I say it's on par with the sixth season, imo the strongest of the second half of GoT. I also think it's worth talking about areas each show overwhelmingly excels in over the other, like GoT's worldbuilding versus HotD's use of themes and commentary.
lmao, what? S6 was garbage.
I hated ery scene of viserys talking about aegons prophecy,got already showed us it's fucking pointless. It is just a reminder of the disgusting betrayal of dumb and dumber
Best GoT season 1 line has to be “Go get the damn breast plate stretcher”
if anyone genuinely thinks hotd season 1 is better, then they need to rewatch season 1 of Got because its not even close and i love hotd
What I think most people are overlooking is that HoTD is also building an entirely new world. GOT focuses on just King's landing, Winterfell, The wall and the Vale. It introduces only 3 houses and 4 major locations (and the 2 wildcards which are the night's watch and the Dothraki). While HoTD introduces the Targeryens, Valerions, Hightowers, Strongs, The Stepstones, Storm's end, Dragonstone(the one in its prime, not the one in GOT) and a whole new King's landing (the dragonpit, new small council chamber and gardens etc.) That is 4 major locations and 4 houses (the crabfeeder is also an interesting introduction). They are introducing nearly the same amount of world-building related things as GOT S1.
My favorite quotes from GOT S1 fall under the category of anything that Tyrion says 😂 "I once brought a honeycomb, and a jackass into a brothel..." "What happened next?"
Game of Thrones had 3-5 but plots moving simultaneously at all times. All interesting with long and short term pay offs.
At most House had 1-2, the succession and bastard plot lines are good but not enough to bring the show to the heights of Game of Thrones.
Hey can you do a house of dragon being devoid of logic
It must have been so difficult for all the crew or HOTD to create a show they knew would get compared to a masterpiece and that people would inevitably say « it’s not as good as GOT season 1 » or even worse, « it’s nothing compared to GOT season 1 », shout out to them
It's no contest for me, honestly. GoT season 1 was a lot better than HotD season 1.
Honestly I don't think tha HotD is a good show to begin with. HotD is a GoT wannabe. It mimics the setting, dialogs, style of narration and other elements, but all this without understanding what really made GoT a great show in the first place. GoT is a character-driven, character-focused show. We followed the characters, we cared about them, and that's why we were engaged in the story, because we were interested what will happen to our beloved characters, and also the hated ones. HotD is a story-driven show and the characters just happen to be there. There's nothing wrong with creating a story-driven show but you must have a really good story to tell and execute it perfectly. HotD does neither. Pretty avarage. 5/10.
Great arguments on both sides! Though I think some points on costume design (perhaps under production design) would’ve added more dimensions to the discussion. Personally, I feel the costume fittings for young Alicent and Rhaenyra were a bit awkward.
21:53 … oh my sweet summer child…. How much you were let down LMAOOO
Another subjective factor to add is linked to the novels. When you have read ASOIAF you have a deep connection to the characters in the series as they are almost perfectly depicted. If you saw the show first you'll see the cast in the novels and if you read the novels first you'll meet the characters again, almost as you left them. The same doesn't go with HotD as the book takes the form of a chronicle with very little room to characterisation. It's more freeing for the mind but it reduces the attachment you can have for the characters.
I liked HOTD a bit more, but only because of the bigger budget and the deeper characters displayed in a single season.
In every other category season 1 GOT and HOTD are basically tied for me.
I hope season 2 can match the growth GOT had from the first season to the other 3.