HOTD: Official Podcast: Season 2 In Review with Fabien Frankel 

Lovely to hear Fabien given the chance to explain Cole. People comparing Cole to Joffrey and Ramsey are actually insane.

Lol, love when Fabien said Criston Cole is ageless, from 48:38 "he's ageless ... , looked 25 since he's been 16"...

Kind of love Sir Simon Strong, getting excited that he has played his part to bring Daemon back under Rhaenyra's loyalty/ support.

Loved Fabien’s scene in the season finale! So cutting and nihilistic and so sad, what a performance! Wish he was getting more love for that! Love this season overall, cannot wait to rewatch it! ❤

Kudos to all of the unregonized work that it took to put this season together. Hard work should always be visualized, even if some fans did not agree with the writing. I personally enjoyed the season, as Fabien mentions, you can definitely appreciate the craft behind, everything that it took complete what we saw. Congratulations to all of the crew and cast 👏 🙌 ❤👏 🙌

"CONSORT by Frankel & Smith" -- I'm dead now 💀💀

Simon strong ain't getting the love he deserves 😤

LOL! "If anyone on Green has said Black, I'll have their names." THERE is Ser Criston.

Fabien is a legend. He brings such passion to Cole that people want to hate him. Give him credit and be nice.

37:40 Sir Criston Cole joins

Emo Cristen Cole is my new spirit animal 😂

i didnt love the season as much as the first one particularly because of some of the writing around certain characters and forcing scenes for the sake of it. But i do think a lot of the takes online have been very reactionary and that we will look book at this season way differently when the show does finally end.

My grandmum HATES Aegon.. & even she cried & said "awhhh oh no..." when Rhaenyra said she must have Aegon's head 😭

fabien just seems like the nicest guy lol

This is one of the best podcasts of this series with Fabien Frankel. Thank you!

To be honest, the GoT season 2 finale and the HotD season 2 finale are quite similar. Both episodes centered around character development and had a more subdued, relaxed tone, without any major explosive events. Both GoT season 2 and HotD season 2 delivered incredible, action-packed penultimate episodes. I'm not gonna lie it's quiet surprising and disappointing to see what the fanbase has become.

Loved this season!!! The dragon representation was spectular. Helena and Sir Simon Strong were massive stand outs!!!! Daemon's journey during this season and preview to a 3 Eyed Raven was genius. His glimpse of the future answers so many questions in GOT.

For everyone complaining that this season fell short, you’re right, but the fault lies entirely with WB cutting the budget just before filming. They wrote 10 episodes but because a decision was made to cut budgets across every single business, they were forced to condense it to 8 episodes. I truly believe none of the show runners or writers wanted this. No show, not even HOTD, is impervious to an accountant’s blade 😢. I sincerely believe the reviews would be complete opposite had we gotten those last two episodes.

Since this is an official podcast, are they even allowed to say things they didn’t like about the show? Because if not that makes their praise feel hollow.

Team Black here, as I've said before, but I think you do Alicent a disservice when you talk about her being a bad mother. I really don't buy into this myth that motherhood in and of itself transforms a woman into some kind of superbeing. Alicent is just a human - and, as you underline, _young_ - and reacts in a human way to the things that impact her. There has to come a point where the selfish or psycho behaviour of those you love - even as a mother - has an effect on you. Let us not forget that she has been supremely protective of Haelena through murder and mayhem, and that back in S1 during Aegon's coronation she very firmly placed herself between him and a huge fkn DRAGON who Rhaenys was a whisker away from ordering to dracarys the whole sorry lot of them.

Ser Criston Cole you are a man of honor and dignity.

great character development this season! just felt like we ended season 1 and season 2 in the exact same position of the story

Great actors (besides Mysaria) let down by questionable writer.

From the thumbnail I just misread "Season 2 Bonus Episode Preview"

I'm really beginning to hate this fanbase. "Too much spectacle in GoT!"....."Not enough spectacle in HotD!!"....."We want more political intrigue and good conversations like the best seasons of GoT"...."Too much talking and not enough action in HotD!"...."Why did they cut all the weirwood dreams from GoT?"...."There are too many weirwood dreams in HotD!!" This season was great considering HBO cut the last two episodes out, and due to strikes, they weren't able to rewrite it. Sucks, but it was still a good season. I can agree or disagree with valid criticisms, but it's really just turning into a bunch of whiney douches that refuse to be happy at all costs. It's almost as bad as the Star Wars fanbase. Even when Thrones is good, it's no fun to talk about anymore because every talentless loser out there just wants to complain about the writing knowing damn well they themselves can barely write a coherent sentence. Much less write a story.

I love fabian!!

I love Fabien but I don’t know what they’re doing with Alicent. At this point, I wish for the evil stepmother trope. And yes, if you enjoy Daemon being emasculated then sure it was great. I’m not referring to when he knelt to Rhaenerya but a storyline that went on so long to the point of humiliation, capping it all off by being bested by a kid. I didn’t find it boring but perhaps it could have benefitted with the most popular character of the series being able to interact with the other main characters. That said, I will be watching season 3. Hopefully some of these characters can be redeemed

Fabien Frankel brings a humanity to Criston Cole that likely fuels the hatred, as everyone knows someone like Cole, perhaps even seeing parts of him in themselves. Despite the limitations of the material he's been given in S1a little bit better in S2, Fabien has performed exceptionally.

Something I see both Alicent & Aemond having in common is their value of Duty & Obedience to authority/tradition. Alicent resented *and* envied Rhaenyra's seeming lack of a sense of duty or respect for tradition. Alicent was the dutiful daughter & Aemond has been a very dutiful son. But it sucks when "doing the right thing" isn't rewarded & you see people who you think are less moral, steadfast, worthy blahblahblah being rewarded with wealth/ power/status & it makes you punitive in thought & action. Criston Cole reacted similarly when Rhaenyra turned down his proposal. To him it wasn't just 2 people with different goals/values, Rhaenyra was a wanton, scheming, immoral person who sullied his honor & needed to be punished. All 3 of these characters are having their entire worldview challenged .

Fabien is so talented, unfortunately the show ruined Criston Cole

Lets go

History repeats itself again Amazing cast , breathtaking effects and environment, beautiful music , and trash writers who's ego can't allow them to adapt the source material without inserting their stupid changes Everything Grrm spoke of in his blog post

To the haters: Keep in mind that this is an actor, he's not Cryston Cole. Plus, it's not his fault that he was written in such a lazy and and one dimensional, bad way.

Are we talking at all about WB (possibly) being broke and (possible) executive meddling that might have led to what the showrunners & writers wanted to be a 10-episode arc being cut down to 8 so that the entire mess could not necessarily be down to "lazy writing", but fans need to be turning their ire toward Kaslav & the other executive meddlers instead ...?

The season being 8 episodes really hurt the season. It felt incomplete and really needed at least one more episode. I still enjoyed the season, it was an 8 out of 10 for me.

Which haircut are yall imagining Fabien in for this interview?

Will u have a podcast with Emma Darcy ???

Sir Criston deserves everything he's getting the dragons was around when he started the war lol

Someone needs to tell Fabien Frankel that House Cole is not Dornish. He's from the stormlands, in the area called the Dornish Marches, and is sworn to House Dondarrion. Dorne isn't even part of the 7 Kingdoms at this time.

To be fair, the Coles are at most ethnically stony Dornish (if that), but they were always a vassal house in the Stormlands serving House Dondarrion. His Dornish-ness derives from being on the Dornish Marches, which are squarely in the Stormlands, only bordering Dorne.

I was excited for this season had high expectations, i get that this show is based off of the relationship between 2 women under the pressures of the men around them . But i felt that they focused way to much on that . I felt that some relationships between the characters were underdeveloped , for example Aegons resentment towards Viserys for being an absent father , there weren't enough scenes between those 2 for me to belive it. And also Alicents character was always contradicting her self , her motives were lacking . Overall i can say that i enjoyed the show still disappointed by most scenes and lack of interactions but overall good show , talented cast and amazing directing and visuals as well as music.

White walkers 2d ,nice production bravo !

Poor Fabien, another guy who was underused.

Why dont U upload video?

Season was averaged but let's just wait because we all knew they are building for something way huge

Aegons sits on a wooden wheelchair Otto i think he got captured by the Reach Beesberry army's

Thank you HBO and congratulations to all the outstanding cast for a wonderful season.🎉 🤩🔥

37:35 fabiennn

These two amuse each other WAY more than they’ll ever amuse anyone else. It’s a bit mindless.

Great to hear from Fabien. Such a charmer, I can see what Alicent sees in him. Loved the season. Can we get a date when to expect Season 3, and can it be hurried up a bit please?

👍 👍 👍

Eugon: “Aemen is as loyal as a hound” Fast Forward: Aemen tries to kill him and takes his place on the throne 😂

Gayle Rankin her character Alys Rivers I like her character

Matt Smith's character Dameon interesting transformation

Vhagar did do a lot of work, lol - is it a question of having an MVP for each side ...?

Bring the man that carried the whole season on his back. Mr Ramin Djawadi and please ask interesting questions not that bullshit you guys did last year

I feel like Season 2 tried to turn this into an epic but lost the fact that it was the politics emotion and adventure that made Season 1 and GOT loved. All the dragons got more screen time sweet, It becomes very taxing to see we aren’t getting an actual war. Just nonsensical events progressing the timeline, totally over-dramatic and slow pacing. Then it’s all these empty undeveloped characters meandering and being linear while bad guys do bad things

Season 2 felt like a trailer for season 3.

I find it disappointing that Daemon spent the whole season facing his shortcomings and his general attitude toward wanting to be king, only to change his mind after an unnecessary fan baiting vision of whitewalkers. I would have liked him to realize his inability to lead on his own.

Yeah I'm gonna skip the next season. Binge it right before the 4th and final season.

Two of the best quotes in the ASOIAF multiverse.

After listening to this for a few minutes i get why season 2 was so terrible and pointless now. Well done! 🎉

In a nutshell, the ending of the HOD was underwhelming 😅

Davos Blackwood was the most intense character in the entire season. At least the Blackwoods and Brackens don't shy away from a fight.

Oscar i have no love for daemon Targaryan but i do have luv for our Rogue Prince

It was mediocre at best and not worth a 2 year wait 👍🏼 there’s the review

Overall i think hotd is pretty poor. Looks good but lacks good dialogue and the casting is pretty poor too. Its very difficult to follow and I think I've invested enough into this spinoff tbh. I felt the same about better call Saul. Disappointed 😮😢

The showrunners are not following the books, and it shows. Despite all the mistakes Dave and Dan made with Game of Thrones, the screenwriters still haven't learned.

The quality of this is so bad im sorry but it is. Its like a slap in the face of how awesome game of thrones is

At my age I might not see what happens. They should have gave us 2 more Episodes. Last Episode only 1 hour. Give this year 3-4 out of 10

The fake laughs are killing me

i’m so sick of these people singing mysaria’s praises. just because rhaenyra’s neurones have all died does not mean mysaria is any bloody good. ffs. mysaria is no ally, and she has nothing to offer, except intrigue.

what a shitty season

I think they spent way too much time on Alicient who inherently should not be a front and center character. Also they lack balls to make any woman character nuanced and intersting. All mary sues goody goodies .. cersei was an amazing character in GOT because she is power hungry, rhaneyra should be that as well, but the show runners are probably meant for a failed disney show spin off...

Dragons dance when men are dusty, and they'll be fined for thought crimes and endeavour to do nothing.

The podcast hosts' forced hysterical laughter, giggling, and cackling at things that are not funny is annoyingly cringe. I hope they will please stop.

Only good scene in the finale

Early

Team Emma Darcy Team Rhaenyra Team Black

Season 2 is trash unfortunately 😢

Sir crispin

The season was so bland and boring. The final episode was the most underwhelming and just lame finale. Talk about going out with a whimper… Unfortunately, I feel like the whole season was a waste of my time. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen - it never did… that should be the discussion on this pod. Discussing anything else is just blatant marketing

Omg I’m so early

yall should be fired

Crispy Cole, Crispy Cole, Crispy Cole, Crispy Cole.

Woke writers ruined this show too, unfortunately...

A full season of edging without any climax

The chick has such poor communication skills (constant use of filler words - "right?" "ya know" "literally" etc.), makes the podcast unlistenable. Do better.

I didnt care for the Criston Cole's pity Party. No i dont feel bad for you.

We waited 2 fuckin years for this!!!

The hosts with better voice should be casted for the season 3 podcast. The guests' voices tend to be better listened to than the hosts, which is unfortunate.

he is THE SWEETEST

Aegon is the MLB’s Mendoza Line lol