Screen Queen review: House Of The Dragon S2, Sugar, Federer: Twelve Final Days, The Boys S4 & Bluey mini-sodes

House Of The Dragon S2

Monday, streaming on Binge

As an unabashed Game Of Thrones fan, I will admit to mixed feelings about House Of The Dragon.

I really enjoyed the first season — despite the jarring time jump, there were castles and swords and dragons (oh my!) and so much of the back-room scheming and world-building that I loved about the original GOT.

There were great performances from just about everyone, but let’s name-check Paddy Considine as King Viserys Targaryen, Milly Alcock and then Emma D’Arcy as his daughter Rhaenyra, her best-friend-turned stepmother/nemesis Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) and Matt Smith as the diabolical but magnetic Daemon Targaryen.

By way of recap, after Viserys’ death, his widow Alicent attempts to install their son Aegon on the iron throne in place of Rhaenyra, setting the stage for an epic and bloody, ahem, game of thrones. Season one ends with a lingering shot of Rhaenyra’s face, a mask of grief and rage, after her son is murdered on dragon-back by Alicent’s misfit son, Aemond.

Given the look in her eyes (D’Arcy can convey everything from searing fury to a mother’s tender devotion without speaking a word), season two would surely throw us headlong into all-out war.

But two episodes in and the opposing sides are mostly still in their favour-currying, bannerman-rallying, political-manoeuvring-in-gloomy-castles era, albeit with some pretty noteworthy acts of brutal violence thrown in.

That’s OK; Game Of Thrones seemed to move slowly at times too, and the pay-off was almost always well worth the wait.

But my main issue with this season of House Of The Dragon so far is that it is so relentlessly bleak.

There’s no moments of levity — no good-natured ribbing between the Stark siblings, no Tormund flirting with Brienne, no zingers from The Hound. As Vanity Fair put it, “there’s not a single character with the wit of a Tyrion or the sting of a Cersei”. Without a sprinkling of black humour, all the death and blood and plotting and betrayal feels a bit like a never-ending sea of grim.

And with the possible exception of Rhaenyra, there’s no one I care much about. There’s no Jon Snow or Arya Stark to barrack for, and no Joffrey or Tywin whose comeuppance I eagerly await.

Will I keep watching? Of course. As we Game Of Thrones fans know, when all those slow-burn narratives eventually intersect, it (usually) makes you glad you persisted. Maybe someone could crack a wee joke, though?

Sugar

Streaming now on Apple TV Plus

I really enjoyed this series, from its film noir feel and narration, through to its twisty storyline and enigmatic detective, played by Colin Farrell. The mystery that private investigator John Sugar is investigating — the disappearance of a wealthy producer’s granddaughter — is pretty so-so but the show is still so watchable because Farrell, excellent in just about everything, is just so charismatic. Sugar is, for want of a better description, a strange cat and Farrell plays his eccentricities perfectly, with an air of vulnerability that is really endearing. Please do yourself a favour and do not read up beforehand about the twist, which is surely one of the all-time greats — I quite literally gasped ‘WHAT?!’

Federer: 12 Final Days

Thursday, streaming on Prime Video

Aw Rog, bless ya cotton socks. This doco follows the nicest man in tennis and possibly anywhere as he prepares to call time on his 24-year professional career and captures the reaction of those around him, including friend and rival Rafael Nadal. Heartwarming.

Bluey minisodes

Today, 8am on ABC Kids

Everyone with kids (and some without) knows that too much Bluey is never enough, so rejoice that five three-minute shorts are on the way (20 in total will be rolled out). Excited to read that the awful/hilarious Unicorse might make an appearance.

The Boys S4

Streaming now on Prime Video

This show is, as the kids say, a lot. It pits a publicly revered, privately corrupt group of superheroes, led by the truly terrifying Homelander, against The Boys, the ragtag band that seeks to destroy them. This black comedy is packed with smart social critique, complicated characters and horrific, visceral violence. Mileage will vary.