5 House of the Dragon episodes with IMDb ratings that don't make sense

HBO's House of the Dragon has been a huge success, both critically and in terms of viewership. Its first season received widespread acclaim and high ratings, generating lofty expectations for the rest of the series. As the series continued, several episodes saw IMDb ratings that shocked most fans and critics.

Certain episodes were rated extremely low, many of which were because of issues unrelated to the technical quality of the writing, acting, or production. In a few instances, backlash and review bombing of certain scenes or plot decisions resulted in ratings that were not representative of the overall reception or technical quality of the episode.

Five episodes of House of the Dragon, whose IMDb ratings appear mismatched with their content and the general response from audiences and critics

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 6: "Smallfolk" (IMDb Rating: 6.3)

With a 6.3 IMDb rating, Smallfolk is the lowest-rated episode ever in the series' run. This score is a significant drop from the season's average and previous episodes. This low mark looks mostly due to a controversial same-sex kiss between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Mysaria.

The scene resulted in review bombing—that is, users coordinated to leave 1-star reviews in response, rather than judging the program on its overall merits. Critics and many viewers noted that the uproar was a reaction to the inclusion of LGBTQ+ content rather than about the episode's acting, production values, or storyline.

This suggests that the 6.2 rating underrepresents both the quality of the episode and its placement in the narrative arc of the show.

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 8: “The Queen Who Ever Was” (IMDb Rating: 6.4)

IMDb gave Season 2 episode 8, the Season 2 finale, "The Queen Who Ever Was," a 6.4 rating, the lowest-rated HBO fantasy series season closer since the catastrophic Game of Thrones finale. Particularly considering how important the episode is to the narrative so far and its greater production level, the rating is unexpected.

Although certain fans were angry regarding the course of the narrative or decisions made about some characters, the negative response percentage is artificially inflated. The reviews show that the technical quality of the episode and the acting were comparable to earlier, highly rated ones, even if the rating reflects general unhappiness.

The lower rating seems to be more a reflection of let-down expectations than of declining quality.

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 5: "Regent" (IMDb Rating: 7.3)

"Regent" is another episode that was rated lower than it should have been, with a rating of 7.3 on IMDb. This was an important transition chapter, building up to significant events for the latter half of the season.

Although transitional episodes usually have lower ratings because of reduced pacing, the decline here is significant considering the significance of the episode and the excellent performances by the cast. The rating can be an indication of impatience by the audience expecting more action and not necessarily a dip in storytelling or production quality.

House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 3: "The Burning Mill" (IMDb Rating: 7.6)

With a 7.6 rating, "The Burning Mill" is the second outlier in a season otherwise heavy with high scores. This episode included heavy character development and moved several major storylines forward.

But its more conservative tempo and political machinations might have left some viewers rating it lower than they did those shows with plots involving more action. The rating is not in line with the generally positive critical response or with the episode's contribution to building tension for the season finale.

House of the Dragon Season 1, Episode 6: "The Princess and the Queen" (IMDb Rating: 8.0)

Though not as low as certain Season 2 episodes, "The Princess and the Queen" from Season 1 got an 8.0 grade, on the lower end for the show. This episode ushered in important time changes and featured fresh cast members in crucial parts.

Some fans responded negatively to the initial casting shakeup and time shift in the show's timeline at first. They later conceded that the writing, acting, and direction of this episode have been commended for successfully managing a problematic narrative shift. The first lower rating appears to be a resistance to change rather than the quality of this episode.