House of the Dragon: Season 3 review

The long-awaited, highly anticipated third season of the House Of The Dragon has finally arrived.

And with it, the expectation of many fans who were disappointed not to see the Battle of the Gullet as the second season wrapped up.

Suffice to say, the return to Westeros will prove to be satiating to fans and bizarrely, feels like it could entice new ones on board who have no prior knowledge of what's gone on before.

This time, it's even more about the personal and the political - and the dragons - as the final pieces move into place ahead of the potential season finale in series four. But while the action begins early on in the season during the first episode with the aforementioned battle, what transpires in the following episodes, four of which were screened to media, is more about the emotional fallout of Queen Rhaeneyra's move to take power.

READ AN INTERVIEW WITH THE SEA SNAKE, STEVE TOUSSAINT

With a thread of scattered stories around, there's much that House Of The Dragon season 3 has to do to keep viewers engaged - but with careful pacing and subtle character work, the show does well with its focus on a diaspora of disparate characters.

From Emma D'Arcy's multi-faceted turn as the Queen who has an unenviable journey (most of which is being kept under wraps by HBO) to Steve Toussaint's Sea Snake who finds himself tested in ways he'd never expected, the show has spent more of its time and pace on the emotional core elements this time around.

That's not to say there's a languorous pace here either; the story is propulsive as it juggles its priorities and the political machinations of everyone. There's a degree of briskness where it feels like in some parts, nothing happens, but everything changes - it's a hard line for the show to walk but it does so with aplomb.

If the human element is strong again this time, much needs to be made of the FX of the dragons and the practical work put in by the crews who've added scope and scale to the battle sequences. As dragons deliver fiery vengeance through mist-filled skies, there's a gentle worry that everything that transpires on screen will be too shrouded in darkness, but the visuals this time are clearer and more concise.

Ultimately, it does remain to be seen if the final episodes of season three of House Of The Dragon stick the landing. There are both seismic events and intimate moments in the first four episodes that clearly will have an impact on both legacy and the show's final destination.

But based on these alone, the House Of The Dragon is on fire when it comes to delivering the premium drama and scope that Westeros has demanded for years.

Episodes one to four of Season 3 of House Of The Dragon were made available for the purpose of this review.

The new season of House Of The Dragon begins on HBO Max on Monday, June 22. For details of how to subscribe in New Zealand, visit hbomax.com