Reception
Ratings
In the United States, "Rhaenyra the Cruel" was watched by an estimated 1.3 million viewers during its first broadcast on HBO alone on June 23, 2024. [6] This was a 1.8% decrease from the previous episode. [7]
Critical response
The episode was met with highly positive reviews from critics. On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, it holds an approval rating of 100% based on 20 reviews, with an average rating of 7.7/10. The site's critical consensus says, "An episode punctuated by grief and retribution, 'Rhaenyra the Cruel' deepens House of the Dragon's ensemble with new emotional layers while heaping on memorably bloody countermoves." [8]
Haley Whitmire White of TV Fanatic rated the episode 4.5 out of 5 stars. [9] Alec Bojalad of Den of Geek gave it 4 out of 5 stars, calling it "one of the more thematically-disciplined episodes of the show yet." [10] James Hunt of Screen Rant , who previously found the Blood and Cheese scene disappointing, praised the episode's depiction of its aftermath. He commended the compelling and emotional character work and superb performances, describing it as "another solid installment as the Dance of the Dragons edges closer to truly catching fire." [11] Katie Doll of CBR scored the episode 9 out of 10, stating, "It's clear by the end of this episode that no one is winning this war. House of the Dragon has moved the pieces so that everyone loses in some shape or form. [...] It's invigorating for a fantasy show to humanize itself by exploring all facets of war and its consequences. With a mix of manipulative politics and soul-shattering action sequences, [the series] is on track to be an arresting fantasy war drama." [12] Carly Lane of Collider gave it 8 out of 10, while Helen O'Hara of IGN rated it 7 out of 10, noting it was a "heavy-hearted episode, weighed down by the grief of almost all the main cast." [13] Moreover, Kayleigh Dray of The A.V. Club graded the episode with a "B+", writing, "This episode cleverly builds upon the tensions of the season premiere, weaving in subplots and drama and dragon-sized Easter eggs. [...] It's another beautifully subtle episode, laden with suspense and quiet melancholy." [14]
The performances of the cast received widespread praise from critics, particularly those of Glynn-Carney, [9] [11] [15] [14] [16] D'Arcy, [10] [12] [17] [18] [16] Saban, [11] [18] [19] Ifans, [11] [15] and Cooke. [19] James Hunt highlighted Glynn-Carney's performance as "terrific", especially for showcasing not only showing his acting range but also Aegon's emotional range. He also praised Saban, noting her ability to "[convey] so much with her eyes and [nail] the complexity of a grieving parent", and Ifans, saying that it was "his best performance as Otto to date." [11] Proma Khosla of IndieWire , who graded the episode with a "B", singled out Saban and Glynn-Carney for their outstanding performances, and called Cooke's performance "excellent". [19] Haley Whitmire White and Kayleigh Dray also singled out Glynn-Carney's performance, with White describing his portrayal of a grieving father as "outstanding", and Dray naming him "this week's MVP". [9] [14] Alec Bojalad praised D'Arcy as "one of the show's most elite performers", commending their ability to "[capture] both Rhaenyra's belated understanding of what Daemon really is and her political blindspots in equal measure." [10] Alexandra Bullard of Daily Express specifically praised D'Arcy and Saban, calling the former "magnificent" and the latter "phenomenal". [18]
Critics also highlighted several specific scenes, including the fight between Erryk and Arryk, [10] [11] [15] [20] [21] the argument between Rhaenyra and Daemon, [12] [15] [19] [17] Otto scolding Aegon, [15] and Rhaenyra's interaction with Mysaria. [16] Proma Khosla described the fight as "a magnificent farewell for the Tittensor brothers," calling it "memorable" and "impactful", while Santanu Das of Hindustan Times named it "one of the most brutal and compelling moments of the season so far". [19] [20] Additionally, critics also praised Kilner's direction, Hess' writing, [11] [19] Djawadi's score, [19] [20] Martínez's cinematography, [20] and camerawork. [19]
