![\"Rhaenyra](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/1783279510_369_0x0.jpg\")
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House of the Dragon<\/p>\n
Credit: HBO<\/p>\n
The third season of HBO\u2019s Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon is off to the races. The season premiere and its bloody Battle of the Gullet<\/a> debuted with 21.5 million viewers, just short of the 23.4 million viewers who watched the Season 2 premiere, though still massive numbers for HBO.<\/p>\n The war for succession continues apace as we head into the third episode of Season 3. I\u2019ve watched the first four episodes, and Episode 3 was easily my favorite of the batch, so I\u2019m excited for everyone to see it and for us all to chat about it afterwards. My recap of Episode 3 will go live here on this blog<\/a> after it airs this evening, so be sure to subscribe.<\/p>\n You can also check out my weekend streaming guide<\/a> for all the best TV shows and movies out this weekend.<\/p>\n ForbesWhat To Watch This Weekend: New Shows And Movies To Stream On Netflix, Hulu, Prime Video, Apple TV And MoreBy Erik Kain<\/a>What Time Does \u2018House Of The Dragon\u2019 Season 3, Episode 3 Premiere?<\/p>\n House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 3 drops at 9pm ET \/ 6pm PT on Sunday, July 5 and will run for a total of 56 minutes, or 60 minutes including end-credits. An updated opening credits sequence and theme music accompanies the new season.<\/p>\n \u2018House of the Dragon\u2019 Season Release Schedule<\/p>\n Like Season 2, Season 3 will be just eight episodes long instead of 10. Here\u2019s when they air on HBO and HBO Max:<\/p>\n Episode 1: Sunday, June 21, 2026<\/a> (Recap<\/a>)Episode 2: Sunday, June 28, 2026<\/a> (Recap)<\/a>Episode 3: Sunday, July 5, 2026 (Tonight)Episode 4: Sunday, July 12, 2026Episode 5: Sunday, July 19, 2026Episode 6: Sunday, July 26, 2026Episode 7: Sunday, August 2, 2026Episode 8 (Finale): Sunday, August 9, 2026What Happened In ‘House Of The Dragon\u2019 Season 3, Episode 1<\/p>\n House of the Dragon<\/p>\n Credit: HBO<\/p>\n For a full recap and review of the Season 3 premiere, \u201cSalt and Sea, Fire and Blood,\u201d be sure to check out my House of the Dragon Season 3 Premiere review<\/a>. I had pretty mixed feelings about the episode, which had some great moments but a lot of frustrating changes from the source material.<\/p>\n Forbes\u2018House Of The Dragon\u2019 Season 3, Episode 1 Recap And Review: The Battle Of The GulletBy Erik Kain<\/a><\/p>\n The Season 3 premiere largely focused on the infamous Battle of the Gullet, when Triarchy forces attacked Lord Corlys Velaryon\u2019s blockade of King\u2019s Landing. Outnumbered, Team Black risked losing their naval dominance. Just in time Prince Jacaerys and Princess Baela arrived on dragon-back.<\/p>\n The tide turned, the battle all but won, Triarchy archers managed to hit Jace\u2019s dragon, Vermax, and both dragon and rider crashed into the waves. While the crown prince managed to free himself from the dragon before sinking, Triarchy crossbowmen peppered him from a nearby ship, and both dragon and rider perished.<\/p>\n Elsewhere, Daemon and his forces celebrated victory and joined with the men of the North. Gwayne Hightower and Criston Cole continue their march across the Riverlands, fearful of Team Black\u2019s dragons with no support from Team Green\u2019s own winged beasts. Plots and machinations have been set in motion in King\u2019s Landing as well, where Alicent conspires against her own sons, sending Aemond out of the city and paving the way for Rhaenyra to take the city. <\/p>\n What Happened In \u2018House Of The Dragon\u2019 Season 3, Episode 2<\/p>\n House of the Dragon<\/p>\n Credit: Netflix<\/p>\n In the second episode of House of the Dragon Season 3, titled \u201cQueen\u2019s Landing,\u201d Rhaenyra discovers that her eldest son, Jacaerys, is dead, slain at the Battle of the Gullet. This breaks her. She\u2019s determined to discover who Sheepstealer\u2019s rider was and bring them to justice, not knowing yet that it was Rhaena. Rhaena goes to the Vale and begs Lady Jeyne Arryn for sanctuary, but the noblewoman wants nothing to do with her. In the end, she allows Rhaena to live in the wild, her dragon a defense of Arryn lands.<\/p>\n Rhaenyra and Daemon head to King\u2019s Landing, where Alicent has done all she can to provide them a smooth landing. Alicent is very nearly raped by the Lord of Laws, Jasper Wylde, but the High Maester, Orwyle, intervenes. The Gold Cloaks end up turning on Team Green, allowing Rhaenyra to take the Iron Throne.<\/p>\n Daemon, set to execute Orwyle since Aegon has absconded (and is off on a fun adventure with Larys), decides to spare the High Maester, who offers him Jasper Wylde instead. But Daemon makes another discovery. Larys has imprisoned Otto Hightower beneath the Red Keep. Daemon brings both men to Rhaenyra, who lops off Otto\u2019s head \u2013 though it takes two swings, the first wedging into the older man\u2019s back. Just as she climbs the Iron Throne, Alicent and Helaena arrive, horror written over their faces as they see Otto\u2019s decapitated body on the floor.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a gripping end to the episode, setting the tone for what\u2019s to come. You can read my recap\/review of House of the Dragon Season 3, Episode 2 right here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Watch The \u2018House of the Dragon\u2019 Season 3, Episode 3 Teaser<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the Episode 2 teaser:<\/p>\n We see Rhaenyra in her first days as queen, and not all appears to be going according to plan. She appears haunted. We see her notice, with disgust, a rat at her feet. Recall, Aegon had all the rat-catchers executed after the Blood & Cheese incident. We also see Daemon meeting with Ormund Hightower and his forces on a wide field. Team Black might feel secure in their power now that they control King\u2019s Landing, but Rhaenyra looks anything but at ease . . . and rightfully so.<\/p>\n \u2018House Of The Dragon\u2019 Season 2 Recap<\/p>\n Season 1\u2019s time-jumping plot ended with the death of King Viserys I and the fractious road to succession, with both Team Black, led by his daughter Rhaenyra and her husband and uncle, Daemon, and Team Green, led by the Hightowers and Visery\u2019s sons with Alicent, Aegon and Aemond, vying for power.<\/p>\n At the end of the first season, when Rhaenyra\u2019s son Lucerys visits Storm\u2019s End to petition House Baratheon to join their cause, he and Alicent\u2019s second son, Aemond, trade barbs. This escalates into a dragon chase and Aemond\u2019s giant, ancient beast is overcome with bloodlust, killing Luke and his dragon much to the dismay of Aemond One-Eye.<\/p>\n If peace could have been reached before, there\u2019s no turning back now. In Season 2, Daemon sends assassins to kill Aemond in retribution, but they cannot find him so they behead Aegon and Helaena\u2019s young son and heir, Jaehaerys, instead<\/a>. The second season continues a very slow build as both sides navigate alliances and shore up their power, though the Battle of Rook\u2019s Rest gives us our first real dragon battle. Rhaenyra\u2019s aunt, Rhaenys, is slain in the fight, and Aegon is mutilated, his own dragon left for dead on the field. Team Black gains an advantage when they recruit dragonriders for their spare dragons from the common folk, but Team Green still holds King\u2019s Landing.<\/p>\n All that might change, however. In a secret meeting between Rhaenyra and Alicent, the queen dowager agrees to help Rhaenyra take King\u2019s Landing, even if it costs her son Aegon his head. Meanwhile, Lord Corlys Velaryon and his fleet have the city blockaded, while Team Black commands from Dragonstone and Daemon battles in the Riverlands and Aemond broods on the throne, which he\u2019s taken from his maimed brother. Larys sneaks Aegon out of the city and we see Otto Hightower languishing in what appears to be a prison cell.<\/p>\n \u2018House of the Dragon\u2019 Cast<\/p>\n House of the Dragon stars:<\/p>\n Matt Smith as Prince Daemon TargaryenEmma D’Arcy as Queen Rhaenyra TargaryenOlivia Cooke as Queen Dowager Alicent HightowerRhys Ifans as Ser Otto HightowerSteve Toussaint as Lord Corlys VelaryonEwan Mitchell as Prince Aemond TargaryenTom Glynn-Carney as King Aegon II TargaryenFabien Frankel as Ser Criston ColeSonoya Mizuno as MysariaHarry Collett as Prince Jacaerys VelaryonBethany Antonia as Baela TargaryenPhoebe Campbell as Rhaena TargaryenPhia Saban as Queen Helaena TargaryenMatthew Needham as Larys StrongFreddie Fox as Ser Gwayne HightowerAbubakar Salim as Alyn of HullGayle Rankin as Alys RiversTom Bennett as Ulf the WhiteKieran Bew as Hugh Hammer<\/p>\n Newcomers include:<\/p>\n James Norton as Ormund HightowerTommy Flanagan as Roderick DustinDan Fogler as Torrhen ManderlyTom Cullen as Luthor LargentJoplin Sibtain as Jon RoxtonBarry Sloane as Adrian RedfortAnnie Shapero as Alysanne Blackwood<\/p>\n Look for my review of the Season 3 Premiere here on this blog<\/a> directly after the episode airs, and let me know your thoughts on House of the Dragon on Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, or Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n