Ryan Condal, the esteemed showrunner of "House of the Dragon," has issued a response to George R.R. Martin's posting, which meticulously outlined the myriad issues he perceived in the HBO series. Last year, Martin, who also serves as an executive producer for the show, voiced his apprehensions about the fantasy drama in a candid blog post—a publication he swiftly removed within hours. Among his concerns was a pivotal alteration Condal made from Martin's original source material, "Fire & Blood," which the author vehemently disagreed with.
"It was truly disheartening," Condal recently confessed to Entertainment Weekly, months after Martin's initial critique. "As a devoted fan of 'A Song of Ice and Fire' for nearly 25 years, working on this series has been an unparalleled privilege, not just in my career as a writer, but in my life as a passionate aficionado of science fiction and fantasy. George is a towering figure, a literary legend, and a personal hero of mine, whose influence on my journey as a writer has been immense."
The showrunner further elaborated on the necessity of certain changes for the adaptation, pointing out that "Fire & Blood" was not a straightforward narrative. "It's a fragmented history, requiring extensive dot-connecting and considerable creativity as we progress," he explained. "I can assure you, I made every conceivable effort to involve George in the adaptation process. Over the years, we enjoyed a fruitful and robust collaboration that I believed was genuinely strong. However, as we ventured deeper into the project, he became increasingly resistant to acknowledging the pragmatic challenges in a sensible manner. As a showrunner, I must juggle my roles as a practical producer and a creative writer, both deeply in love with the material."
Condal continued, "Ultimately, I must steadfastly push forward not only the writing process but also the practical aspects of production for the sake of our crew, cast, and HBO, as that is my solemn duty. I can only harbor the hope that George and I will someday reclaim that harmonious rapport. But that sums up my position on the matter."
Martin particularly objected to the exclusion of Maelor Targaryen, Aegon and Helaena's third child, from the series, asserting that this omission impacted the pivotal "Blood and Cheese" scene in season two and would potentially cause further complications in seasons three and four.
Addressing this change, Condal told EW, "No decision we make on the show is made lightly. They are all meticulously deliberated over, often for months, if not years. Let me assure you, every creative decision that we make on the show passes through me. This is the show I want to create, and as a profound admirer of 'Fire & Blood' and a meticulous reader of the material, I believe it is the adaptation we ought to make to honor both 'Fire & Blood' and the vast television audience it attracts."
