The renaissance of high-budget fantasy
In early September 2022, Amazon Prime Video announced it would be delaying user reviews to tackle a spate of ‘review bombings’ – driven by a backlash against the Lord of the Rings prequel series. Concerns from fans that The Rings of Power wouldn’t live up to the reputation of the universally adored trilogy had seemingly set it up to fail. Similarly, Game of Thrones fans alienated by the conclusion of the fantasy saga let out a collective groan on learning of HBO’s plans for House of the Dragon – a spin-off series set 200 years prior. However, as each series has unfurled, their slow-paced beginnings have given way to nostalgic allure and world-shattering narratives, prompting a notable shift in audience opinion.
Amid a global polycrisis, people are yearning for familiarity, escape, and comfort. One survey of 2,000 Britons during the pandemic found that nostalgia generated feelings of happiness (44%) and relaxation (31%) during times of uncertainty, while another global survey showed that 69% of Gen Zers look to the familiar to find comfort. As people hungrily mine the past for a sense of stability, the draw of dissecting and discussing tales of heroism, evil, and mythical landscapes has endowed these shows with the greatest accolade of modern fandom: endless memability. The memetic potential of these shows signals how escapism operates in a modern context. As well as the shows themselves, their afterlives on social media are given almost equal importance, providing the chance to build community, share knowledge, and – as in the case of House of the Dragon – endlessly stan Targaryen blondes. The online cycle of fan creativity after each episode is a keen reminder not only of the need for escapist entertainment, but also of the power of fandoms to fuel those fantasy worlds long after a show’s end credits.
