Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragonreturned to TV in June, promising more fantastic battles, family drama and flying, fire-breathing lizards, with eight new episodes from the premiere onJune 16 to the finale on Aug. 4.
Season 2 of the series, set in the world of George RR Martin's epic fantasy novel A Song of Ice and Fire, but hundreds of years earlier, picks up with the Targaryen dynasty in turmoil. King Aegon's Green and Queen Rhaenyra's Black Councils are on a pathway for all-out war, with both factions claiming to be the one true monarch.
The new run of episodes sees the return of original stars Matt Smith, Emma D'Arcy, Olivia Cooke, Paddy Considine and Eve Best, while new cast members for season 2 include Raised By Wolves actor Abubakar Salim as Alyn of Hull, Glow's Gayle Rankin as Alys Rivers and Cucumber actor Freddie Fox as Ser Gwayne Hightower.
Here's how to tune into House of the Dragon, season 2. Plus, learn how a virtual private network can be useful while you stream.
Release dates for House of the Dragon season 2
Season 2 premiered in the US on linear channel HBO and the network's streaming service Max on Sunday, June 16 at 9 p.m. ET and PT. The remaining installments of the eight-episode season will be released weekly each Sunday at the same time, with the final episode released on Aug. 4. The only episode title HBO has released is for episode 4: A Dance of Dragons. The remainder of the release schedule is listed below:
- Episode 3: June 30
- Episode 4: July 7
- Episode 5: July 14
- Episode 6: July 21
- Episode 7: July 28
- Episode 8: Aug. 4
How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 from anywhere on VPN
So what if you're traveling outside your home country and want to enjoy the show or want an added layer ofprivacy for streaming? There is an option that doesn't require searching the internet for a sketchy website: You can use aVPN, or virtual private network.
With a VPN, you can virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the show. If you find yourself unable to watch locally, a VPN can come in handy. It's also a great idea for when you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.
Most VPNs, likeCNET's Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it easy to virtually change your location. Looking for other options? Be sure to check out some of the other greatVPN deals.
ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month. You cansave 49% plus get three months of access for free-- the equivalent of $8.32 a month -- if you get an annual subscription.
Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
How to watch House of the Dragon season 2 around the world
If you're not alreadysubscribed to Max(formerly HBO Max), you can get it for $10 a month (with ads) or $17 a month (ad-free). To watch in 4K, you can also sign up for the Ultimate plan for $21 a month.Read our Max review.
If you're in Canada, you'll be able to watch season 2 of House of the Dragon on Crave from June 16. A Crave subscription starts at CA$10 a month (plus tax) for its Basic with Ads tier. Standard with Ads costs CA$15, while its ad-free Premium Plan is priced at CA$20 a month.
Want to watch season 2 in the UK? You'll be able to watch it on Sky Atlantic starting Monday, June 17 at 2 a.m. BST. Episodes will also be repeated at 9 p.m. on Monday evenings. A Now TV membership starts at £7. (Sky TV package starts at £25 a month.)
If you're in Australia, you'll be able to watch the new season on Binge from June 16. (A Binge subscriptionstarts at AU$10 a month.)
Episodes will be released at 11 a.m. AEST each Monday, with the season finale set for August 5.
Tips for streaming House of the Dragon season 2 using a VPN
- With four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- experience and success may vary.
- If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.
- If you're having trouble viewing after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log in to your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is located in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.
- All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a network app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help since both devices appear in the correct location.
- Remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommendBrave.
