Summary
Episode 6 of theHouse of the DragonSeason 2 now holds the unfortunate distinction of having the lowest IMDb rating in the series' history. Although there could be many reasons for the low rating, fans suspect that one controversial scene in the latest episode turned out to be the biggest reason for the review bombing.
House of the Dragonhas been one of the most critically acclaimed shows for HBO. Season 1 turned out to be really successful and won several accolades. Similarly, the second season opened to a bumper response and garnered positive reviews from the critics as well as audiences. However, the show’s recent episode, Smallfolk, got bombarded with 1-star reviews from the fans and eventually garnered the lowest rating (6.2) in the series' history. Although the rating drop was not as notable as Game of Thrones Season 8, it was much lower than the previous episodes of the ongoing season. Some suspect that the rating drop is because of one controversial scene in the latest episode.
According toIMDb, the episode currently holds a rating of 6.2 on the website. The main reason for the review bombing for House of the Dragon Season 2, Episode 6 appears to be its inclusion of a same-sex kiss between Rhaenyra Targaryen and Lady Mysaria. Although the scene is not long in duration, it was enough to cause a backlash on social media and review websites. As per the IMDb, most of the 1-star ratings came from the fans in Saudi Arabia. After 7,900 votes, the average rating coming from Saudi Arabia is 2.4. On the other hand, more than 70% of the users from Saudi Arabia have given Smallfolk a rating of 1. As far as votes are concerned, 5.5k users gave the episode a 1 star. On the other hand, fans from Iraq gave the episode an average rating of 3.7 out of 10. Iraq and Saudi Arabia, are among the countries where same-sex marriage is illegal.
So, it makes sense why users from Saudi Arabia and Iraq have given the lowest ratingto Episode 6 of Season 2. Meanwhile, this episode received more 1/10 ratings on IMDb from users in the United States (802) than the previous five episodes of season 2 combined. This is not the first time that a show emphasizing diversity, inclusivity, and representation has faced criticism from a certain section of society. It might begin with a relatively small number, but it could turn out to be a bigger targeted attack as time passes. It happened withanother HBO series -The Last of Us- that started to get negative online reviewsfrom fans because of a same-sex relationship storyline.
The backlash againstHouse of the Dragonis appalling and can be disheartening for the people who worked on it. The series has been providing enthralling content from the very first episode and continues to be a force to be reckoned with. As of now, there is no confirmation if any of the upcoming episodes will feature a same-sex kissing scene again. But if they do, it might once again force viewers to review-bomb the series.
All six episodes ofHouse of the DragonSeason 2 are streaming exclusively on MAX.
