We could never have imagined two of the most well-known high fantasy franchises competing for the television throne, but here we are in 2022, and House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power have been going head-to-head in the ratings war for a few weeks. There isn't a single fantasy television programme that reigns supreme, according to the showrunner of the former.
TheWrap released an interview with Ryan Condal where he explains why the fact that his show and The Lord of the Rings are premiering at the same time will ultimately benefit both names in the long run. This comes in the wake of the release of the eighth House episode, which has been receiving praise since last night and reminding everyone of the good old days when there was no question as to whether Game of Thrones is a masterpiece or not.
Growing up, I repeatedly read The Silmarillion, The Lord of the Rings, and The Hobbit. I frequently went to the movies directed by Peter Jackson. I adore all of that and high fantasy, and if they're excellent, I want to live in a world where they can all coexist together. I believe that all of us nerds want more high-quality, pricey science fiction and fantasy on television.
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In addition, how do we characterise the competition between George R.R. Martin and J.R.R. Tolkien's inventive works? Does someone watching The Rings of Power necessarily mean they won't watch the other HBO programme? That is hardly the case, according to Condal.
"In my opinion, watching Rings of Power does not exclude a viewer from watching House of the Dragon. I believe that one feeds the other, and I believe that the more high-quality genre entertainment airs on television, the more viewers it will attract who otherwise might not be inclined to watch it.
Whether you prefer the conventional escapism of Middle-earth or the dismal, gloomy realism of Westeros, one thing is for certain: this is an exciting time to be a fan of fantasy.
