The competition on TV is as cutthroat as it's ever been. With the rise of streaming services, and the need to keep up, every network and streaming platform knows that it needs to bring it's A-game with each new release. Whether it's Netflix, CBS, or something in between, the competition is fierce.

It could be argued that House of the Dragon, a Game of Thrones spin-off with otherworldly expectations, and The Rings of Power, the most expensive show ever made, are the two biggest players right now.

While art is subjective, fans have a preference between the two, and we have the details on that below!

'House Of The Dragon' Is A 'Game Of Thrones' Spin-Off With A Lot Of Hype

After falling out of favor with fans, Game of Thrones made the bold decision to return to the small screen for a prequel series focused on one of its most famous families. Fans were skeptical, but so far, House of the Dragon has packed a massive punch.

The prequel series is largely focused on House Targaryen, and it's doing an exceptional job of adding to the lore that fans got a taste of during the events of Game of Thrones. Characters from the original series mentioned these tales, and now, we are getting to see how things really played out.

House of the Dragon is several episodes in, and already, it seems like the pop culture hive mind is back to being obsessed with Westeros, and the people that are responsible for keeping it running smoothly. Yes, it's been that good so far.

There are two combatants in this small screen affair, and we need to head over to Middle-earth to size up House of the Dragon's competitor.

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'The Rings Of Power' Is Amazon's $1 Billion 'Lord Of The Rings' Baby

The Rings of Power has been one of the most talked-about projects in recent memory. Amazon was able to secure the rights to J.R.R. Tolkien's works for a TV project, and the rights, as well as production, cost the studio a whopping $1 billion.

Instead of retreading previously-told tales, the show, much like House of the Dragon, is heading back in time to focus on other characters. The Second Age of Middle-earth is a fascinating time, and so far, fans have been getting a deeper understanding of some familiar characters from the beloved trilogy.

Not only are some characters getting a richer backstory, but new ones are being introduced, and even entire groups of beings, as well as their dynamics with others, are getting more context, as well. It's a robust offering, and the show has generated a lot of chatter with each new episode.

It's perfectly acceptable to enjoy both shows, and truthfully, most people do. That said, there's nothing wrong with a little competition, and when sizing up these two powerhouse shows, there is one that the fans clearly prefer more, if scores are to be believed.

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Fans And Critics Prefer House Of The Dragon Over The Rings Of Power

So, between these two titans of television, which ones do the fans prefer? Well, if we're going by the scores given on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, then we have one clear winner: House of the Dragon!

Over on Rotten Tomatoes, the show is sitting with an impressive 85% with the fans, while also enjoying the same score with critics. It's doing wondrous things so far in its freshman season, and it has people once again interested in the goings-on of the royal family in King's Landing.

Now, you might be wondering how close The Rings of Power got to claiming the title, and surprisingly, this was not much of a contest. The show's audience score on Rotten Tomatoes is a paltry 39%, but there have been allegations of fans review bombing the show, so it's probably best to take that percentage with a grain of salt. That said, the score on IMDb is an unimpressive 6.9 stars. Again, it could be due to review bombing, but we have to take these numbers at face value for now.

Critically on Rotten Tomatoes, The Rings of Power's 84% is a shade below House of the Dragon. While that's great, it does not change the fact that Westeros is currently toppling Middle-earth on the small screen.

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Both of these shows still have quite a few episodes left, and we could be talking about an entirely different outlook in several weeks time. Until then, House Targaryen reigns supreme on television.

Next: The Rejected Game Of Thrones Spinoff That Turned Into House Of The Dragon