The Targaryens Are Back and Blazing

It’s hard to imagine the uninitiated viewer getting past the introduction to the “Game of Thrones” prequel “House of the Dragon” without thinking, “Wake up and smell the Kool-Aid.” The ponderous recitation of textual obscurities; the litany of unintelligible names; the holy tone—is this a TV show or a religious exercise? Some may suspect, with good reason, that the modus operandi of the entertainment industry now is to create experiences that not only amuse but indoctrinate. (See: The Marvel Cinematic Universe.)