After an agonising two-year wait, House of the Dragon has ascended once more, making a roaring, fire-fuelled return to our screens for its highly anticipated third season.

Following its slow and excruciatingly drawn-out second season – culminating in a finale that felt more like a set-up than a satisfying conclusion – this explosive premiere wastes no time. It instantly corrects the show’s previous pacing issues, injecting a dose of momentum back into the Targaryen civil war.

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When we return to Westeros, Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) is poised to take King’s Landing, backed by a ferocious army of dragons. Meanwhile, an increasingly isolated Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) attempts a desperate gambit for survival, offering her former friend a path to the Iron Throne.

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In exchange for quiet exile for herself and her daughter, Helaena, Alicent is willing to sacrifice her eldest son, the severely burned and broken King Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney), and ensure the sadistic Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) is lured away from the Red Keep.

But Alicent’s scheme soon crumbles when Aegon flees King’s Landing with his advisor Larys and Aemond goes rogue, abandoning his plans to go to Harrenhal to protect the Greens’ control of the capital.

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A lot has been packed into this episode. Daemon (Matt Smith) drums up vital support from armies of the North, Lady Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell) attempts to tame an unclaimed dragon and we get a brief introduction to James Norton as Ormund Hightower – an excellent addition to an already stellar cast.

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All of this builds to a brutal climax: The Battle of the Gullet. The almighty naval battle sequence delivers dizzying dragon warfare and flame-fueled destruction on the high seas as the Greens ambush Rhaenyra’s naval blockade, targeting her Hand, Lord Corlys Velaryon, the ‘Sea Snake’ (Steve Toussaint).

Having been recruited by Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall), the Triarchy – led by the fierce Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn) – has agreed to fight on behalf of the crown, seeking vengeance for their former leader, who was killed by Daemon in season one.

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While devoted fans of George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Blood will undoubtedly notice some significant deviations from the novel, the show undeniably delivers when it comes to scale.

The cinematography of this epic dragon showdown really is something to behold. Whizzing and whirling around staggering CGI creatures, the camera paints a searing canvas of destruction, capturing the visceral chaos of aerial warfare.

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The groundwork laid by the slow-paced second season has blossomed into an explosive saga. It appears the Dance of the Dragons has finally hit its stride. Bring on the rest.

Watch House of the Dragon on Sky, NOW or HBO Max in the UK or HBO Max in the US.

This review was first published in HELLO!’s What to Watch newsletter. Subscribe here to read our reviews early.