House of the Dragon Season 3 Draws 21.5 Million Viewers, Martin Cites Daemon Targaryen as Favorite

George R. R. Martin revealed in a 2018 interview that his favorite character from the Targaryen era is the “rogue prince” Daemon Targaryen, noting his attraction to morally gray figures.

Season 3 of the HBO series House of the Dragon premiered with 21.5 million global viewers across HBO and HBO Max in the first three days, an 8 % decline from the Season 2 debut but still a strong audience retention. The launch coincided with the FIFA World Cup and secured the top position on HBO Max’s U.S. Top 10 TV Shows chart, outpacing titles such as Rick and Morty and Dune: Prophecy.

Critical reception remains favorable, with an 88 % critics score and a 74 % audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The eight‑episode season, airing weekly on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT, will conclude on August 9, 2026, after featuring the Battle of the Gullet and ongoing clashes between the Greens and the Blacks.