House of the Dragon finished off strong in terms of viewership. According to reports, the season finale was the highest-watched finale for HBO since the finale of its predecessor, Game of Thrones.

House of the Dragon was off to a strong start from the beginning. The House of the Dragon premiere knocked down HBO Max's servers due to high demand, prompting customers to complain, and it secured a second season renewal immediately after its premiere. The show continued to draw in strong ratings throughout the season, consistently bringing in viewers for HBO. Its greatest hurdle - the ten-year time jump between episodes 5 and 6 and the resulting cast shift - did not affect the numbers in any meaningful way.

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According to a report by Deadline, the House of the Dragon season finale was the biggest finale for HBO since 2019, when Game of Thrones aired its series finale. A total of 9 million viewers tuned in to view the show, and an average of 29 million viewers watched every episode of the season. This tripled its debut numbers due to strong catch-up viewings, and season 7 of Game of Thrones, near the height of its zeitgeist, averaged 32.8 million viewers per episode.

House of the Dragon Finale Daemon Rhaenyra Matt Smith Emma D'Arcy

The show has apparently surpassed Game of Thrones in foreign markets, with strong showings in Latin America, Europe, and Eastern Asia. “We’re so thrilled to see House of the Dragon catch fire with Game of Thrones fans around the world, as well as new viewers who are discovering the world of Westeros for the first time," Casey Bloys, chairman and CEO of HBO and HBO Max, said in a statement. "Congrats to George, Ryan, Miguel and the whole House of the Dragon team on an incredible first season.”

House of the Dragon's ratings success story bodes well for the franchise. The series has several spin-offs in development, though some Game of Thrones spin-offs may have been axed. Several of the productions in development focus on the Targaryens, and it’s possible that HBO will take the opportunity to capitalize on House of the Dragon's success and focus its energy on the dragon-riding family.

One project in development is Dunk & Egg, an adaptation of Martin's Tales of Dunk and Egg. Set about a hundred years after House of the Dragon and a hundred years before Game of Thrones, the story follows young Prince Aegon, the fourth son of House Targaryen, as he squires for Ser Duncan, a hedge knight. Though the books have not been completed yet, it is known that the story culminates in Aegon (cognomen The Unlikely) ascending the Iron Throne, becoming the great-grandfather of Daenerys Targaryen and the great-great-grandfather of Jon Snow.

House of the Dragon is streaming on HBO Max.

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Source: Deadline