It’s almost time to return to Westeros (cue the sweeping, epic orchestra). A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is the latest entry in the Game of Thrones franchise to hit HBO. Adapted from the first novella in George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg series, The Hedge Knight, the new show takes place 89 years before the events of Game of Thrones. It follows Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall and his squire Egg and their adventures across the realm, starting with a well-attended tournament. This marks the third adaptation of Martin’s Westeros-set bibliography to debut on the small screen. While the flagship series maintained quality for most of its run before crashing and burning (ahem, Season 8), House of the Dragon took a swing and a miss in its sophomore season.
Is it because viewers are suffering from Westerosi fatigue? Is there such a thing as too many dragons? Or is the magic simply not there anymore? Believe it or not, but none of the above. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is poised to be the hard reset this franchise has needed for seven years. Let’s dive into why that is.
‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Gets the Stamp of Approval
With the review embargo lifting this week, critics shared their thoughts on A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 1. So far, the consensus is that it’s a faithful adaptation of Martin’s source material. Currently, it sits at 87 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, with 54 critic reviews. Not only is it critically lauded, but it also has a certain author’s stamp of approval. Martin has been singing its praises for quite some time, even as early as January of last year, as he mentioned on his blog:
“I’ve seen all six episodes now (the last two in rough cuts, admittedly), and I loved them. Dunk and Egg have always been favorites of mine, and the actors we found to portray them are just incredible. The rest of the cast are terrific as well. … It’s as faithful as adaptation as a reasonable man could hope for (and you all know how incredibly reasonable I am on that particular subject).”
Considering how polarizing House of the Dragon Season 2 is among fans and how far it veered away from Fire & Blood, this series should be a welcome palate cleanser. In a since-deleted blog post from 2024, titled “Beware the Butterflies,” Martin voiced some of his criticisms about the second season. The Hollywood Reporter‘s bombshell interview with Martin pulled back the curtain regarding the friction between him and the House of the Dragon showrunner, Ryan Condal. Martin described their relationship as “abysmal” and explained his original intention to release a whopping six blog posts detailing his complaints.
Condal ignored Martin’s notes during production for Season 2, taking a hard left from his Targaryen compendium to make bewildering narrative choices. Then, during a Zoom call with Condal in which the latter laid out his vision for Season 3, Martin allegedly remarked, “This is not my story any longer.”
All this to say, Martin’s extolling of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms should be the greenest of green flags for fans. It’s proof positive that this train is back on the tracks, and the franchise is heading in the right direction again.
Subverting the ‘Game of Thrones’ Storytelling Formula
The Game of Thrones spin-off will turn the franchise formula on its head in more ways than one. For starters, Season 1 is only six episodes, with an average 30-minute runtime. This creative decision makes sense given the series’ more intimate nature. It’s smaller in scope than its predecessors. Also, as noted by reviewers, it’ll offer a heftier dose of levity. It stands out as tonally different than Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. Considering the budding friendship between Dunk and Egg, even as evidenced by the clips released online, viewers can expect heartwarming moments aplenty.
Beyond the humor and heart, Ramin Djawadi, a venerated franchise staple, didn’t compose the show’s score. Instead, Dan Romer stepped in to craft the music. There also won’t be an opening credits sequence with that iconic theme song. There’s something refreshing about breaking tradition in this regard. Yes, Djawadi is a top-tier composer, and his creations were a highlight in House of the Dragon Season 2. However, this allows a different musical voice to shine.
Speaking of thrusting new faces under the spotlight, this series has relative unknowns as the leads, a stark departure from House of the Dragon‘s recognizable roster. It’s a boon for the audience in terms of focus – they can home in on the actual characters and performances instead of names bolstered by star power. There’s also less storytelling focus on the major houses of the realm and more on the smallfolk and lowborn people. Since the fate of the entire seven kingdoms shouldn’t be hanging precariously in the balance, the stakes should feel more personal.
Back to the Franchise Basics
As mentioned in our review, the series is “a brilliantly immersive story with rich characterizations that largely ignores fantasy elements. The result is a distinctly human tale told in six compelling episodes with stakes that remain grounded and believable.” It’s common knowledge that the last dragons have died out by this point in Westeros. The show seems to strip away those magical flourishes and get back to basics, as it were. This, in itself, is a creative swing, considering the nature of the two previous adaptations.
Fans can brace themselves for a return to the franchise’s foundation and a potentially straightforward, zero-to-hero knight’s tale. This homecoming will undoubtedly be a smacking of that reset button. What more could one want?
- Release Date
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January 18, 2026
- Network
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HBO
- Showrunner
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Ira Parker
- Directors
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Owen Harris
- Writers
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George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker
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Peter Claffey
Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall
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This story originally appeared on Movieweb
