Lovers of fantasy have been spoiled recently with both the Game of Thrones prequel House of the Dragon and a step back into Middle Earth with Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power currently hitting our screens. Fantasy has become a huge genre in television, no small thanks to Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy which forever changed the face of fantasy on screens big and small, but with two great powerhouses of fantasy releasing at the same time, it's hard not to make comparisons, which fans of the genre are already tiring of.
Both House of the Dragon and The Rings of Power originate from the mind of exceptional authors, though their writing styles and the content of their work are highly different, both are phenomenal world builders. They have created other universes entirely that fans can disappear into whether through the books or through visual media. Both have strong fan communities with very strong views and opinions on the work and any adaptions that have sprung from them. But neither has been "pitted" against one another before in the way they are right now.
Though the characters of these worlds are very accustomed to fighting battles, here in the real world another battle entirely is being fought, a battle for ratings. Both have a lot riding on them, with The Rings of Power standing as the most expensive television series ever made, and after the much-maligned final season of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon will be trying its hardest to make amends. As it stands, according to Business Insider India Tolkien's spin-off is losing ground in this fight, with audiences less enthusiastic than Amazon execs would like whereas House of the Dragon seems to be taking off.
Over on Reddit though, fantasy fans are fed up with the way the two shows are being compared after one user shared the recent statistics.
Though, of course, there were many replies to the post that did in fact pick a side there were also a lot of fans that wonder why on earth it needs to even be a competition.
This fan thinks that we have all won bu having two amazing fantasy shows at once.
Many feel the rivalry is unnecessary.
This user thinks this is the equivalent of first world problems for fantasy fans, and that we should enjoy it whilst it lasts.
Many pointed out that both shows are only three episodes in, so we can't judge just yet.
This is certainly a more positive less cynical way to look at the situation.
We have to remember that liking something is subjective, and a show's success shouldn't be down to which mega-corporation comes out on top.
Though this user gets that for the businesses a lot is on the line, they are just happy to be so spoiled.
It is still early days for both shows, and both have taken very different approaches to their pacing, so though the figures say one thing right now, there is still a lot of room for them to change. At the end of the day, should our enjoyment of either show come down to which one is doing better in regards to ratings? Or should we just enjoy them for what they are, two epic fantasy series that can transport us out of the mess of our own lives and into the mess of fictional characters' life for an hour or two a week?