Optimism prevails for House of the Dragon.
Following a flood of disappointment over the pacing in the series’ season two finale, Ryan Condal, who leads the writing and production as the drama's showrunner, shared an update on the upcoming third season’s plot that might provide unsatisfied fans hope.
“I apologize for the wait,” Condal explained during an Aug. 5 virtual press conference, per The Hollywood Reporter. “But… we’re going to pull off a hell of a win with The Battle of the Gullet.”
And he insisted the big moment would come sooner rather than later.
“We are building to that event that will happen very shortly in terms of the storytelling, and it should be the biggest thing to date that we’ve pulled off,” Condal continued. “We just wanted to have the time and the space to do that at a level that is going to excite and satisfy the fans in the way it’s deserved.”
As for when fans can expect to see the upcoming third season? Condal shared that scripts are currently being written, and production should begin in early 2025.
Condal’s comments arrived the day after House of the Dragon’s controversial season two finale, which many complained failed to show any battle between the dueling Greens and Blacks, despite the entire season building up to an impending war.
“House of the Dragon is just a show where everything is constantly about to happen but doesn’t actually happen,” one user posted to X, formerly Twitter. “The finale was the worst finale I’ve seen.”
“The 2nd season finale wasn't as amazing as I had anticipated; instead, it was just another typical episode,” another user shared. “This finale only set the tone for the upcoming season.”
And while Condal knew that he would be dealing with tough fan expectations, he encouraged viewers to trust his team heading into season three.
“I would just say,” the Colony creator shared, “that we don’t do any of this stuff lightly.”
Read on to see which shows are premiering in 2024.
Virgin River (Netflix) - Dec. 19
This sixth season promises fresh twists and turns, escalating love triangles, delightful wedding drama, as well as uncovered secrets from Mel’s father’s past which will transport us to the magic and mystique of Virgin River in the 1970s.
Laid (Peacock) - Dec. 19
In the new series, a woman finds out her former lovers are dying in unusual ways and must go back through her sex timeline to confront her past in order to move forward. Laid is a f--ked up rom-com where the answer to “why can’t I find love, is there something wrong with me?” is a resounding “Yes. There is. The problem is definitely you.”
Ilana Glazer: Human Magic (Hulu) - Dec. 20
The Broad City alum tackles everything from motherhood to being a stoner in her new stand-up special.
Josh Groban & Friends Go Home for the Holidays (CBS) - Dec. 20
Hosted and executive produced by Josh Groban, the special features a new format combining compelling stories, music, comedy and a live adoption on stage, celebrating the creation of a new family. Musical performances include holiday classics, new releases and original duets with Groban and his guests, including James Bay, Jennifer Hudson, Tori Kelly and The War And Treaty.
2024 Back That Year Up with Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson (Peacock) - Dec. 23
2024 Back That Year Up With Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson returns for a third annual special highlighting the biggest moments of the year. The comedic duo will close out the year with their unfiltered humor as they recap the past year of pop culture, sports, social media and politics. The special will feature guest appearances from the year’s most talked about celebrities, including Nate Bargatze, Mookie Betts, Kenny G, Blake Griffin, Jon Hamm, Jonquel Jones, Seth Meyers, mgk and Rashida ‘Sheedz’ Olayiwola.
The Flipping El Moussas (HGTV) - Dec. 26
Real estate power couple Tarek and Heather Rae El Moussa will continue to grow their working relationship while juggling the addition of a rambunctious toddler to their busy family life in the newest season of their follow-doc series.
The season will kick off in Hawthorne, California, where Tarek and Heather Rae tackle their most extreme flip project to date.
Squid Game 2 (Netfix) - Dec. 26
Three years after winning Squid Game, Player 456 gave up going to the states and comes back with a new resolution in his mind. Gi-hun once again dives into the mysterious survival game, starting another life-or-death game with new participants gathered to win the prize of 45.6 billion won.