Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Season 2 Episode 6 of House of the Dragon.
It’s officially been one year since the nominees for the 2023 Emmy Awards were announced, thus making it one year sincePaddy Considinewas absolutelyrobbedof his immaculate performance inHouse of the Dragon. While the HBO-producedGame of Thronesprequel seriesHouse of the Dragongot an unsurprising Best Drama Series nomination,the cast of the hit fantasy series was completely shut out. Believe it or not,House of the Dragondid not get a single acting nominationdespite fans and critics praising the seriesfor its well-written characters and compelling performances.HBO did still win big with the 2023 nominations, having shows likeSuccession,Barry, andThe White Lotuspractically sweeping the acting categories with multiple nominations for the same categories.
It’s a remarkably perplexing upset, as so many actors are worthy of being nominated for their roles inHouse of the Dragon.Matt Smithwas a wonderfully slick antagonist as Prince Daemon Targaryen,Rhys Ifanspulled off the charisma of the manipulative Ser Otto Hightower with pristine precision, and both the young and older versions of Rhaenyra Targaryen and Alicent Hightower were executed thanks toMilly Alcock,Emma D’Arcy,Emily Carey, andOlivia Cookeflawlessly. However, as incredible as all those portrayals are, one particular performance’s omission stings more than an Essos Manticore.
In a year packed to the brim with snubs,Paddy Considine not being nominated for his Emmy-worthy portrayal of King Viserys the PeacefulinHouse of the Dragonwas the biggestGame of Thrones-related tragedy since the Red Wedding. And after seeing him in Season 2 Episode 6make a cameo in one of the most emotional scenes of the season, yes, we are still upset about it!
House of the Dragon
The reign of House Targaryen begins with this prequel to the popular HBO seriesGame of Thrones.Based on George R.R. Martin’sFire & Blood,House of the Dragonis set nearly 200 years beforeGame of Thrones, telling the story of the Targaryen civil war with King Viserys.
Who is King Viserys Targaryen in ‘House of the Dragon’?
The reign of King Viserys Targaryen the First began approximately a hundred years before the events ofGame of Thrones, chronicling the long history of the Targaryen dynasty before being overthrown by the Lannisters and the Baratheons.Long before the Mad Kingincited that historic coup, the Targaryens had a strong reign over Westeros, with one of the best examples of that being King Viserys the First, otherwise known as King Viserys the Peaceful. He is unlike any other monarch we have seen in theGame of Thronesuniverse before. King Viserys is gentle, kind, and a loving family member to his wife Aemma (Siân Brooke), his daughter Rhaenyra, and even his troublesome brother, Daemon.
For all intents and purposes, Viserys Targaryen is a truly good king. Well…he at leasttriesto be a good king. You see, what makes Viserys one of the most interesting leaders we’ve seen in this franchise is how vulnerable and human he is. He isn’t a drunken reprobate like Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) nor is he a selfish tyrant like Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey). He is an ordinary person with reasonable thoughts and desires who finds himself in the unenviable position of leading Westeros into peace and prosperity.
Throughout the eight episodes where King Viserys is present, he is consistently forced to make almost impossible decisions as king — decisions that affect not only the safety and preservation of the realm but also his own family. The first episode of the series makes this abundantly clear when Viserys is forced to decide the grim fate of his pregnant wife. This decision was so difficult thatfans of the show initially viewed this as Viserys murdering Aemma, even though this wasthe only decision where at least one life might have been saved. These decisions only get tougher as the seasons go on and the in-series years progress, such as repeatedly exiling/reinstating his brother and choosing between new potential wives who are his daughter’s age.
What makes these impossible decisions even more manic is that Viserys is making all of them on limited time. In a cruel feat of irony, a seemingly minor cut on his hand courtesy of his Iron Thronecauses Viserys to contract leprosy. The older he gets, the more his body begins to deteriorate as he tries in vain to salvage what’s left of his embattled family. Though he may not be able to achieve that goal while he’s alive,his final moments see the once-proud king finally have a peaceful respite.
Paddy Considine Delivered a Career-Defining Performance in ‘House of the Dragon’
Story and character writing are the first steps in creating a figure as compelling as King Viserys.House of the Dragon’s production takes that impeccable writing further through some sensational directing and production design, expertly showcasing the progression of Viserys' age and illness. All of these elements combined are undeniably important, butthe real secret ingredient is the man behind the mask, so to speak.
Paddy Considine has enjoyed a remarkably diverse career, with the two-time BAFTA Award-winner delivering compelling dramatic performances inDead Man’s ShoesandIn Americawhile also nailing his comedic presences inHot FuzzandThe Death of Stalin. We see both extremes utilized to incredible effect inHouse of the Dragon. The violent, raunchy, epic fantasy series is mostly a dramatic one, and Considine nails the emotional turmoil that Viserys experiences abundantly throughout the show. However, Considine’s comedic experience also makes the lighthearted and friendly demeanor of Viserys much more convincing.
However,where Paddy Considine shines brightest is the brilliant acting decisions he makeswhen portraying Viserys at the various points in his life, something made possible by the show’s many significant time jumps. When we first meet Viserys, he’sa confident and charismatic monarch who is quite popular among his subjects(which is something that is not very common in theGame of Thronesuniverse). The older he gets and the sicker he becomes, the more that likable presence begins to fade. However, we can see in the most recent episodes ofHouse of the Dragonthatthe smallfolk still remember Viserys fondly, with Ulf (Tom Bennett) even noting that while Viserys liked his feasts and drink, he also always looked out for the smallfolk.
‘Succession’ and ‘The White Lotus’ Hogged Up the Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Category During 2023
What makes Considine’s omission from the Emmys even more upsetting was howthe category he should have been placed in was held by only two showsdespite consisting of eight slots.Successionis represented byNicholas Braun,Matthew Macfadyen,Alan Ruck, andAlexander SkarsgårdwhileThe White Lotus' nominees includeF. Murray Abraham,Michael Imperioli,Theo James, andWill Sharpe.
First, there’s an argument to be made thatat least half of those nominees are more lead roles rather than supporting ones. Secondly, what is the point of having eight nominees if they’re only going to be representing two shows? This decision is not only a disservice to worthy performances like Considine but also to supporting actors fromother shows who deserved recognition and got snubbed. Thankfully,2024 has course-corrected with a more diverse variety of candidatesfrom a variety of different shows.
Paddy Considine Makes a Welcome Return in ‘House of the Dragon’ Season 2
Though he may have died a slow, painful, and agonizing death during the first season ofHouse of the Dragon,Paddy Considine returns as King Viserys in Season 2.Did the peaceful king become resurrected through some mysterious dark magic? Well, while there may be a supernatural component at play, the explanation behind his return is much more simple.
In Episode 6 ofHouse of the DragonSeason 2, titled “Smallfolk”,Prince Daemon continues to have strange and unusual villains during his stay at Harrenhal. Seeing visions of a young Rhaenyra anda questionable depiction of his own mother, not even Daemon is prepared for the most disturbing vision yet — his own brother.Daemon revisits several key moments of pain his beloved brother experienced, and the trauma and grief are simply too much for the usually brash and stoic Targaryen to bear.
Paddy Considine’s role inHouse of the DragonSeason 2 is incredibly brief. He’s essentially a cameo appearance that only has a couple of minutes of screen time. Still, once again, Considine gives 100% to playing the embattled King of the Seven Kingdoms. He’s able to revisit the most agonizing stages of his impeccable character’s journey, and it almost feels like he never left. If Considine makes more appearances in Daemon’s visions,perhaps the Emmys can make up for his 2023 snub by receiving a best guest star nomination.
House of the DragonSeason 2 is available to stream on Max.
