Why You Can Trust CNET 'House of the Dragon' Is Great. Too Bad It's Too Dark to See
Commentary: Episode 7 hurt viewers' eyes, and the creators did it on purpose.
- Co-author of two Gen X pop-culture encyclopedia for Penguin Books. Won "Headline Writer of the Year" award for 2017, 2014 and 2013 from the American Copy Editors Society. Won first place in headline writing from the 2013 Society for Features Journalism.
Candlelight isn't cutting it in Westeros.
Enjoying HBO Max's House of the Dragon? Me too. What I can see of it, at least. Seven episodes in to the Game of Thrones prequel, it's fair to say the show is abnormally dark, and I don't mean gloomy and pessimistic, though it is both of those things. I mean physically dark. As in, I cranked up the brightness on my laptop and I still need the captions to figure out who's zooming who. And trying to watch it on a regular television set is even tougher.
Episode 7, which aired Sunday night, was especially dark. Spoilers ahead.
Squint and maybe you can see them.
Laena Verlaryon's funeral scene was outside and mostly OK. But anything taking place inside the castle, or after nightfall? It was like I was trying to see my hand through a piece of black construction paper. There were shapes? And sometimes the Targaryen blond hair was visible? But when Otto cuffed a drunk Aegon, and when Daemon and Rhaenyra were walking on the beach, and especially when Aemond was trying to coax Vhagar the dragon to let him ride it? Yeah, it was like staring into a cup of black coffee squinting to see outlines.
This is a complex show. I've read Fire & Blood, the 736-page book it's based on, so I pretty much know what's going on. But for a more casual viewer, it's got to feel like you need a flowchart to keep up. Every other character's name is AE-something, or RH-something, they're all related and/or married to each other, and everyone's got some form of claim to the Iron Throne. I love the show, but that's why I just want to be able to see it.
I'm not alone. One Twitter user implored HBO to lighten things up on Sunday, tweeting, "Can I get a little light in this episode?"
Can I get a little light in this episode ? #HouseOfTheDragon pic.twitter.com/wM9wqy9vOT
— Nellie (@NellieWatches) October 3, 2022
Other people complained directly to the HBO Max Help Twitter account, but the official responses may not have been very satisfying.
"We appreciate you reaching out about a night scene in House of the Dragon: Episode 7 appearing dark on your screen," the response read. "The dimmed lighting of this scene was an intentional creative decision." (THIS scene? There wasn't just one, HBO!)
Hey there! We appreciate you reaching out about a night scene in House of the Dragon: Episode 7 appearing dark on your screen. The dimmed lighting of this scene was an intentional creative decision. Thanks! ^LL
— HBOMaxHelp (@HBOMaxHelp) October 3, 2022
So, OK, do not attempt to adjust your set -- the filmmakers want it this dark. But there's a rising tide on social media protesting the "creative decision."
One viewer wrote, "I get that the showrunners want to convey, 'sneaky shit happens at night' But ppllleeeeeaaaaasssseeeeee add a little more color, cuz this is me," adding the meme photo from the show Community showing actor Ken Jeong squinting at a tiny piece of paper.
#HouseOfTheDragonHBO
— mofempee (@mofempee) October 3, 2022
I get that the show runners want to convey “sneaky shit happens at night” But ppllleeeeeaaaaasssseeeeee add a little more color, cuz this is me— pic.twitter.com/8ZBz078XwH
Joked another, "The lighting budget for this episode: $12."
The lighting budget for this episode: $12 #HouseOfTheDragon
— Commute From Hell (@fromheretoNJ) October 3, 2022
And another Twitter user is trying to get the hashtags #HBOFixTheLighting and #HBOWeWantLight trending.
#HOTD episodes of lighting was atrocious as we will know and certain scenes are not being taken the way that they were written or even appreciated because of it so I ask that you spread the word and use #HBOFixTheLighting #HBOWeWantLight in your complaints CAUSE WHAT IS THIS? pic.twitter.com/zKLs91Nl4m
— Pink Portrait (Daemon Targaryen's Lawyer) (@PinkPortrait) October 3, 2022
One user shared two images of Daemon and Rhaenyra walking on the beach -- one in which they're clearly visible and easy to see, and another that might have been filmed through chocolate pudding.
the real question here is what does miguel sapochnik have against lighting??? pic.twitter.com/tjf8KrGnaJ
— j || hotd spoilers (@INEJSKNlVES) October 2, 2022
A cinematographer weighed in to say we shouldn't be blaming the lighting.
"This isn't a lighting issue; it's a color grading issue," Oren Soffer wrote. "The second still was shot in broad daylight -- plenty of light. It was graded to look this dark, though, which is the problem. Begging people to at least try to understand the things they are (rightfully) complaining about."
This isn’t a lighting issue; it’s a color grading issue. The second still was shot in broad daylight - plenty of light. It was graded to look this dark though, which is the problem. Begging people to at least try to understand the things they are (rightfully) complaining about.
— Oren Soffer (@orensoffer) October 3, 2022
Lighting or color grading, it seems like showrunners would want their expensive, carefully filmed scenes to be seen.
House of the Dragon has a dark plot -- with murder, torture and all kinds of bloody vengeance. Does it also have to be visually dark?
