House of the Dragon episode 1 released on YouTube for free as Rings of Power premieres
The Rings of Power has debuted on Amazon two weeks after House of the Dragon premiered on HBO Max.
If you’re itching to watch HBO’s House of the Dragon, but haven’t signed up to Sky or NOW yet, then we have some good news for you.
The hotly-anticipated Game of Thrones spin-off kicked off in the UK on Sky Atlantic and NOW last month, shocking viewers with a graphic birth scene and garnering rave reviews.
And now HBO and Sky have made a decision that will make it easier than ever for all to see, releasing House of the Dragon episode 1 on YouTube for free. You can watch the first episode now.
The move comes at the same time as the debut of another big fantasy franchise spin-off: Amazon Prime Video series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, which tells the stories of the Second Age of Middle-earth prior to the creation of the One Ring.
With their shared love of dragons and big wigs, both spin-off series occupy the same fantasy space and, with both shows premiering in close succession, viewers have been anticipating a competition between the two for weeks.
Lord of the Rings showrunner Patrick McKay recently addressed the comparison between the fantasy series and HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel.
During an appearance at the Television Critics Association’s press tour, he was asked about the rivalry between the two series, to which he responded: “We talked about this a lot. It comes up and we totally understand where the question comes from.
“We don’t think of the show in terms of what genre or other shows might be out there. We think about [Tolkien] – his life’s work was creating this world."
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Set 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of Dragon revolves around House Targaryen and the ruthless civil conflict that ensues between Princess Rhaenyra Targaryen and Prince Aegon II Targaryen.
Based on Game of Thrones author George RR Martin's 2018 novel Fire & Blood, the spin-off is reportedly set to run for three or four seasons, around half the length of the original show.
House of the Dragon is available on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW.
With an Entertainment Membership, fans can currently bundle together NOW Entertainment and Cinema Membership for £14.99 per month for six months. All episodes of Game of Thrones are also available to stream on NOW.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power episodes 1 and 2 are out now on Amazon Prime Video – try Amazon Prime Video for free for 30 days.
Check out more of our Fantasy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
