There’s always been a bit of a peculiar energy around House of the Dragon. A prequel series to HBO’s epic fantasy megahit Game of Thrones, the energy around the lead-up to the first season’s premiere was a bit muted; it was just that hard to escape the vibes still cast from the original show’s unpopular finale in 2019.
But then the show came out, and that kind of all went away. It doesn’t take long spending time in the Thrones world of Westeros to get sucked right back in and remember how much we all love this. Not only are we instantly treated to a show that truly looks as expensive as it is, but we’re treated to epic stories of political strategizing, extreme violence, and complex characters. House of the Dragon quickly reminded us what we loved about Game of Thrones in the first place, even as it told us a story set several hundred years earlier than that original series.
Season 2 came in with a lot of hype, because people by and large liked the first season’s story of friends, family, and conflict. While season 2 had its moments for sure, the arc was a bit flat — and the finale left some a bit underwhelmed. And so the enthusiasm heading into the third season was, again, a bit muted.
Well, guess what, folks: season 3 comes in and feels like the classic, old-school Game of Thrones epicness that we’ve come to love right from the jump. The season features The Battle of the Gullet in its very first episode, an epic battle that spans air and sea and includes several dragons breathing fire with characters we’ve gotten to know and understand aboard their backs. And, to reiterate: that’s just the first episode.
House of the Dragon will end with season 4, and creator Ryan Condal certainly has his work cut out for him when it comes to setting this story up for an endgame here in season 3, and eventually landing the plane for a satisfying finale. But it seems like lessons have been learned, because this is a season of television that feels vintage — and like everyone who’s ever been a part of the Game of Thrones viewership will be excited about.
When Is the Next Episode of House of the Dragon Season 3?
House of the Dragon season 3 episodes air on the HBO TV channel and release on HBO Max at the exact same time: Sunday nights at 9 p.m. ET. The next episode will debut on Sunday, June 28.
How Many Episodes Are in House of the Dragon Season 3?
Like the prior seasons of House of the Dragon, season 3 consists of eight episodes in total. The first has already been released, meaning there are still seven episodes — and seven weeks of high-flying dragon combat and Westeros scheming — remaining in the season.
House of the Dragon Season 3: Complete Release Schedule
- Episode 1, “Salt and Sea, Fire and Blood” — Now streaming on HBO Max as of June 21
- Episode 2, TBA — Airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max on June 28
- Episode 3, TBA — Airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max on July 5
- Episode 4, TBA — Airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max on July 12
- Episode 5, TBA — Airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max on July 19
- Episode 6, TBA — Airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max on July 26
- Episode 7, TBA — Airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max on August 2
- Episode 8, TBA — Airing on HBO and streaming on HBO Max on August 9
All episodes are available to watch on HBO Max.
