‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Is an Absolute Triumph

The success of Recreation of Thrones—divisive last season however—naturally impressed HBO to return for extra. Home of the Dragon arrived in 2022, a prequel about warring royals patterned so intently after Thrones that it makes use of the identical theme music. However A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, which premieres January 18, is reduce from a special fabric. A rougher, stinkier cloth. It’s an strategy that completely fits the supply materials, George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas—and it makes for a splendidly entertaining TV present that explores Westeros from a completely new perspective.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms—co-created by Ira Parker and Martin, and showrun by Parker—takes place between the occasions of Home of the Dragon and Recreation of Thrones, that are themselves separated by 200-odd years. The brand new present, due to this fact, takes place generations after the Dance of the Dragons however generations earlier than the Mom of Dragons. The Targaryens are nonetheless very a lot in energy at this level, one thing that’s of zero concern to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ protagonist… till it all of the sudden turns into his largest drawback.

Once we first meet Dunk (Peter Claffey), he’s burying his grasp, the very not too long ago deceased Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb). A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms takes place distant from the castles we’ve seen within the earlier Westeros exhibits. As a substitute, it exhibits us how folks not born with fancy titles get by on the day-to-day—together with hedge knights and their squires. It’s a lifetime of rain, mud, and sleeping below timber; coping with buzzing flies and unpalatable meals; and never proudly owning rather more than your horse, your sword, and the garments in your again.

Being a knight provides a person a sure standing, however there are limits to that. As Dunk—“Ser Duncan the Tall” is the plainly descriptive identify he chooses for himself—is made to grasp time and again, a dirt-poor hedge knight is the bottom rung of the ladder. That’s introduced into clear focus when he ambles to Ashford Meadows, intent on coming into a event the place the opposite opponents embody highborn lords and princes. He’s bought near no cash, and it is a place the place loyalty tends to be intertwined with whoever’s paying the very best value.

As A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms explores over its six episodes (all of which io9 was in a position to view for assessment), being a knight—sworn by oath to “shield the harmless”—and being an honorable man will not be at all times the identical factor. In truth, because the unintentionally blundering Ser Dunk discovers, there’s usually a deep divide between the 2. Even worse, the folks with probably the most energy can generally be probably the most despicable of all of them, a timeless lesson that Dunk learns within the hardest means doable.

Deciding to take a look at the tourney at Ashford Meadows is actually Dunk’s first transfer after Ser Arlen’s passing. And he’s not on his personal for lengthy; although he resists the thought, he’s worn down by a bald-headed little oddball named Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell) who actually, actually needs to be his squire. No spoilers right here, however even should you haven’t learn Martin’s novellas, shut viewing of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will reveal Egg’s secret earlier than the narrative comes proper out with it.

And that narrative is a compressed one, particularly in comparison with the sprawling likes of Recreation of Thrones and Home of the Dragon. Although there are flashbacks so as to add vital particulars—since Martin’s tales rely closely on Dunk’s inside dialogue, this frees the present from needing any voice-over—A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms principally takes place over a few days in a single location.

However the stakes are nonetheless sky-high. They’re life or demise each within the jousting ring, the place males compete realizing the appreciable dangers, and likewise within the rowdy camp that springs up across the tourney. There, Duncan sees firsthand what an offended, impulsive, bratty Targaryen prince is able to—bolstered by the arrogance that comes with being above the regulation merely due to who his household is.

Home of the Dragon followers are nicely aware of that signature Targaryen trait, however you don’t must have seen that present and even Recreation of Thrones to take pleasure in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Earlier Westeros know-how is a bonus, because you’ll acknowledge sure names and have a working familiarity with the dominion and its tumultuous historical past. However with Dunk—an unconventional, instantly likable protagonist—as its entry level, the attitude right here is rather more instant and intimate.

That extends to the supporting characters, who enter the story naturally as a part of the bustle of the event and make an instantaneous impression, because of the present’s constant mix of intelligent writing and fantastic performances. Claffey and Ansell are a incredible main pair, however the character actors who fill the remainder of the solid are additionally memorable, whether or not they’re taking part in sleazy villains, sleazy guys simply attempting to get forward, or sleazy good guys. That latter group consists of Daniel Ings because the raucous, terrifying but endearing Ser Lyonel Baratheon, in addition to Webb’s craggy previous Ser Arlen; the extra we find out about Dunk’s time with him, the extra it turns into a surprisingly touching spine to present-day occasions.

Touching and filled with deep ruminations on private integrity? Sure. Ugly violence? Certainly, a number of it. But in addition, bawdy humor and fart jokes? You higher consider it. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is assured sufficient to embrace all the above. It’s as self-contained as any Martin-adapted Westeros work may ever be, with an virtually anthology format set down by the Dunk and Egg novellas. (This primary season attracts totally from his first story, “The Hedge Knight.”) And whereas it takes place in a world Martin followers already know and love, it’s bought its personal taste.

One instance that illustrates this fairly nicely: whereas its most recurring musical cue is a whistling motif that underlines the story’s Western really feel, it additionally brings in that well-known Recreation of Thrones theme in two vital locations.

One is a stunningly heroic, goosebumps-raising second. The opposite is a cheeky-as-hell invocation—adopted by the present’s first show of ridiculously crude humor, a tactic used sparingly however successfully all through the collection. This present takes its characters and conditions critically, however it doesn’t take itself too critically, and that makes all of the distinction.

It’d be simple to complain that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is just too brief, as a result of we’d like to spend extra time hanging out with Dunk and Egg. However six episodes is definitely fairly good—very similar to the present itself finally ends up being. Thank the Seven there’s already a season two on the best way.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres January 18 on HBO and HBO Max, with a weekly rollout of recent episodes.

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