by Jake Bourgeois, Contributing Writer
When it comes to franchise projects, finding the balance between providing something new so the audience doesn’t get bored, while still managing to produce something that evokes what people love about a property in the first place is a tricky balance.
Fifteen years into George R. R. Martin’s world of Westeros adaptations, we’re on project three as the first season of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms comes to a close, on HBO.
The story is based on the first of a series of novellas that Martin wrote in his A Song of Ice and Fire world, back when the world itself was still fairly new. We follow Dunk (Peter Claffey), who must find his purpose after his master, Ser Arlan (Danny Webb), a hedge knight sworn to no liege lord, dies. Deciding to make his name at a local tourney, he takes a young boy, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell), under his wing to be his new squire.
While I love all the Game of Thrones projects, this project in particular feels like a breath of fresh air, given the dark nature of House of the Dragon (HotD). Variety is the spice of life, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms provides much-needed variety in the world of Westeros. There’s a lightness to the tone that we haven’t gotten in quite some time with HotD and the latter seasons of Game of Thrones. Some of the best, most memorable moments are the jokes, the moments of humor. This show isn’t afraid to be funny again, whether it’s through dialogue or visual gags. It’s refreshing. There’s a pureness and earnestness to both the characters of Dunk and Egg that’s just heartwarming, and you can’t help but fall in love with and want good things to happen to them in a universe that is too often cruel to its characters. That’s not to say this show doesn’t have its moments where Martin goes “full Martin” and stomps on your heart—often in moments that subvert expectation—but it still acts as a nice change of pace, and it makes those moments of hurt all the more affecting. That change of pace is not solely due to the tone, either. While there is some stuff added to flesh out characters and the world as lore has been added in the three decades since the novella’s release, it’s still a quick watch at just six episodes, most not even eclipsing the 40-minute mark as more and more shows creep past the hour-mark routinely.
While we’ve talked about the show at large, it really is our two main characters that make the show, so let’s dive in.
Earlier, I mentioned the earnestness of both the main characters. Dunk enters the show with a very basic and simplistic view of what a knight should be, given his training. He has no nose for the politics of the realm, but that means his ideals haven’t been infected by the cruel realities of this world. That approach, and its impact, can be seen in many of those he interacts with, and all of whom are still open to the message he preaches. At the same time, there’s a reckoning waiting for Dunk. He has to take his rose-colored glasses off; while not letting it change him from the person he is. His ability to never give up in the face of reality makes him an admirable hero. While it can come across in many little looks and moments he has with individual characters, it’s laid out most effectively with the whole tourney with everyone in attendance at rapt attention.
Egg, on the other hand, seems to have a better grasp on the world at large (despite his young age), but flourishes in the unlikely bond that forms quickly between the two. There’s a real joy and precociousness he brings to proceedings and the young actor manages to steal your heart from jump. When he’s able to just be a child, it’s a quick and sure-fire dose of pure dopamine. Which, again, makes it only that much more effective when the harsh reality of the world comes crashing down.
Aside from our two main protagonists, the world is littered once again with memorable supporting characters. Chief among them is Baelor (Bertie Carvel), prince of the realm. In a world where many knights can disappoint, he stands as one of the few willing stand up for what’s right. Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings, not the soccer player), or the Laughing Storm, as he’s known, brings that sense of eccentricity and craziness that just brightens up proceedings in a much different way than Aerion (Finn Bennett); A Targaryen in the long tradition of Westerosi characters designed for you to relish hating and whose name is a fitting homophone, given his superiority complex. Finally, Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford) nominally plays the role of Dunk’s crush, a fellow “tall,” who catches his eye with her puppetry, but she’s more than just a love interest and a welcome addition in this male-dominated story.
Whether we love them or hate them, there’s one thing these characters share: they are not one note. Each of them brings that complexity, that shade of gray that I love so much from Martin. While Dunk’s eventual purpose may be to remind those in power their duty is to protect the innocent and make things as black and white as they can possibly be, it’s when the show explores the complexities of its reality that makes A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms so special. Case in point: neither our true knight himself nor his newfound companion gets to where they are without a bit of old-fashioned dishonesty,
With shorter and fewer episodes, the scale for the show is pared down. We’re at a time when there are no dragons in the land, so that’s not a worry for the effects department. Though largely a character piece, they make sure that the set pieces, when they do exist, have an impact. The novella is completely rooted in Dunk’s POV, which they largely stick to, but when they do divert, they do so with purpose. Largely sticking to the perspective limits the scope and is a nice change of pace from the often expansive, world-hopping storytelling Game of Thrones’ previous projects have conditioned us to expect. With a moniker like Duncan the Tall, the show has a reputation to both uphold, which it does effectively and subtly as Duncan looms large in any room or setting he finds himself in.
Overall, the smaller story makes for a change of pace, while not coming across as insignificant. There are still things at stake within the story, and the show makes sure we care, once it shows its hand.
The vibes are high right now. The fandom is in love with A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and it’s been growing steadily since the premiere. Martin is still in his honeymoon phase with this team of creators (we’ll see how long that lasts). We even get more of this show without having to wait an interminable amount of time for season two, as they’re releasing it next year, if you can believe it!
At this point, I’d watch these two do anything, so count me in.
Rating: Loved It
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is currently available to stream on HBO Max.
You can read more from Jake Bourgeois, and follow him on Bluesky and Letterboxd