HotD Showrunners Didn't Want 'Another Bunch of White People,' Tried to Right GoT's Misstep
That’s not exactly what people meant, but good for them.
Let's face it, even though George R.R. Martin's universe is extremely popular and has brought viewers around the world to rally around HBO's adaptation of Game of Thrones, it hasn't been without its problems.
Partly because of the original source material and partly because of the creative choices made by co-showrunners Ryan Condal and Miguel Sapochnik, the show has been heavily criticized for its lack of diversity and representation of slavery. When the network greenlit the prequel, House of the Dragon, it was seen as a chance to right the wrongs of the past.
At least that's how the creators explained the thought process behind changing the canonically white characters of the Velaryon family in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Though it didn't affect the show's plot or major storylines, the decision was met with backlash from die-hard fans of the story.
What is truly great is how the writers decided to take an unapologetic position about it.
“It was very important for Miguel and I to create a show that was not another bunch of white people on the screen. We wanted to find a way to put diversity in the show, but we didn't want to do it in a way that felt like it was an afterthought or, worse, tokenism,” Ryan Condal said.
The change fit the story and made even more sense in terms of the visual division of the families. Realistically, it would be very difficult for any viewer to tell one family from another if the entire show consisted of similar-looking people in similar-looking white wigs. Even if the source material called for it.
Besides, the performance of Steve Toussaint as Corlys Velaryon, and Bethany Antonia and Phoebe Campbell as his granddaughters Baela and Rhaena, went to show how perfect things have worked out.
What about other GoT mistakes?
Not all fans were willing to give the prequel a chance, simply because they were so hurt and disappointed by the finale of the original series. Knowing the tragic fate of the fan-favorite Targaryen character, the deep dive into her story felt like a laugh in the face.
However, the first season made viewers change their minds and have more faith in the showrunners this time around. Plus, House of The Dragon has a huge advantage that Game of Thrones doesn't: all of the original books have already been written.
So if the showrunners don't decide to tell their own story instead of the one George R.R. Martin created, we should be fine. If you are interested in seeing how the Targaryen family will deal with all the hardships that will come their way, stay tuned to not miss any upcoming news about House of The Dragon season 2.
Source: Entertainment Weekly