Andor, Episode 4:
This was another solid episode. Moved the plot along and introduced some reasonably interesting characters. But continued the pattern of being very predictable. Given the setup, I think it's hard to create a series where Andor's becoming a devotee of the Rebel cause is NOT predictable to a large extent. The Imperial intelligence and special operations services depicted in this episode seem only slightly more competent than their combat forces (who, as I have pointed out before, are spectacularly awful, to the point where they can't shoot straight, routinely make basic tactical errors, and can't even defeat an uprising by stone-age teddy bears). Given their incredible incompetence, it's not easy to understand how the Empire ever lasted as long as it did. But this general shortcoming of the Star Wars mythos is less blatant in this series than elsewhere in the franchise, however.
Rings of Power:
Much action in this episode. But very bad plotting. Relies way too much on dubious coincidences (multiple times key characters and/or military forces just happen to arrive at exactly the right time to move things in the direction the showrunners want). Also, SPOILERS: Sauron's imminent rise seems to occur because supposedly intelligent characters (Galadriel, especially) behave incredibly stupidly. And, as I've noted before, the Numenorean expedition to Middle Earth seems to far too small to have any real impact, and is a tiny fraction of the one in the book.
House of the Dragon, Episode 7:
I think this was generally a solid episode, though it rushes through several plot points at a much faster pace than in the book, so much so that it feels rushed.
SPOILERS below:
The episode where Aemond claims the dragon, but then loses an eye in a scuffle with Rhaenyra's sons closely follows the book. It's a powerful scene, as is Viserys failed attempt to make peace afterwards.
The episode diverges from the book in having Rhaenyra (working through Daemon) order the murder of Laenor. In the book, he is also killed in a brawl with one of his lovers, but there is no indication Rhaenyra had it done. With this event, Rhaenyra (the show version) crosses the moral Rubicon and becomes at least as much a villain as her enemies. The effect is underscored by her realization that Laenor is an honorable man who is doing his best under the circumstances. Daemon is also more a villain here than in the book (having killed his first wife!), so Rhaenyra having her husband killed so she can be with her uncle becomes even worse.
While all of this is generally consistent with the story in the book (though usually choosing the most negative possible interpretation of events that are ambiguous in the book, which is told by an non-omniscient historian/narrator), we are quickly running down the stock of characters the audience has any sympathy for. Unlike in Game of Thrones, which always had at least a couple sympathetic major characters (Arya, Jon Snow, Sansa, Tyrion, Daenerys until Season 8 etc.), HOD at this point has virtually none. How they handle this problem will be interesting to see.
I didn't get this when seeing the episode. But reading reviews, it appears Laenor's death is faked, and he and his supposed killer in fact get to go into exile, where they can live as they wish, but under assumed names. This nicely handles the moral Rubicon issue, and enables Rhaenyra to remain a sympathetic character, at least for now. The fact that this was sufficiently unclear in the last scene of the episode that I had to read reviews to grasp it, is a flaw in the way the scene was filmed.
And, BTW, this development is NOT in the book, where Laenor very clearly DOES die.