THE STORY – A century before GOT, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his squire, Egg, wandered through Westeros while the Targaryen dynasty ruled the Iron Throne, and dragons were still remembered. Great destinies and enemies await the incomparable friends.
THE CAST – Peter Claffey, Dexter Sol Ansell, Finn Bennett, Bertie Carvel, Tanzyn Crawford
Daniel Ings & Sam Spruell
THE TEAM – Ira Parker (Series Creator/Writer), George R.R. Martin (Series Creator), Owen Harris (Director) & Sarah Adina Smith (Director)
“Game of Thrones” and the world of Westeros have long passed the point of novelty for casual viewers, mainly since HBO’s attempt to resurrect its flagship franchise led to a prequel series that more often than not pales in comparison to the original, even with that tumultuous final season still widely debated today. It doesn’t help that, like many other big-budget IP-oriented series, the years between seasons often reduce anticipation for what’s to come rather than increase it. So it’s somewhat refreshing that, in the lead-up to the upcoming third season of “House of the Dragon,” George R.R. Martin and the team at Warner Bros. Television decided to take an inspired pivot with their latest spin-off series, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” Palace intrigue and the drama that stem from such revelations are gone, replaced by gags about bodily functions and anchored by an unlikely duo, resulting in an enjoyable season that marks the franchise’s first true “comedy.”
Series creator Ira Parker, along with Martin himself, clearly wants the legend of Sir Duncan the Tall to stand apart from the series that came before it. Longtime fans will immediately notice the tonal shift from what is typically associated with “Game of Thrones,” as the show opens on Peter Claffey’s former squire, “Dunk,” burying his mentor, the hedge knight Ser Arlan of Pennytree. With only three horses, a longsword, and a shield to his name, Sir Duncan hopes to make a name for himself as a knight, yet he doesn’t know where to begin. His journey of self-discovery leads him to Ashford, where a tourney offers not only celebration but also the chance for a man of his standing to solidify himself as a newly minted knight, ready to serve someone of righteous character. Duncan is all brawn and no brain, but his sincerity, perfectly conveyed by Claffey, makes him more than just a towering figure to marvel at. This first season is essentially an adaptation of Martin’s first novella from “A Tale of Dunk and Egg,” playing as a coming-of-age story filled with far more attempts at potty humor and “Family Guy”-esque cutaways.
While the show leans heavily into humor, many jokes unfortunately fail to land, particularly in the early episodes as the series struggles to find its footing in this unfamiliar territory. After the pilot, however, the show settles into a more confident rhythm, especially as it adopts the traditional half-hour format used by many television comedies. Where the humor succeeds is not in the cutaway gags but in the central dynamic between Dunk and Dexter Sol Ansell’s Egg, an intelligent runaway child who aspires to be Dunk’s squire. Both characters are deeply lonely and find kinship in one another, as Dunk’s honorable nature makes him a fitting mentor to Egg, whose sharp intellect, in turn, refines Dunk in more ways than one. Claffey and Ansell share a chemistry that becomes the primary reason to keep watching, with both emerging as terrific discoveries. Claffey’s embodiment of Duncan’s gentle giant persona is so effective that he becomes a protagonist difficult to find grating, even as the season heads toward its most predictable resolutions.
Viewers expecting large-scale battles and dragons will likely be left scratching their heads at how little spectacle unfolds over the course of the season. Still, Parker and Martin’s adaptation, grounded in low-stakes, patient storytelling, represents a much-needed divergence from what the franchise has pursued over the past decade. The comedic subversion injected into this world almost gives the series a parodic quality, which can be distracting at times. It’s not that the production value has declined; rather, the quick-gag editing and visual style occasionally make the series feel unlike a show airing on one of television’s most prestigious premium cable networks.
The season ultimately rewards patience, as the final two episodes feel as though the series has finally found its identity, even if that realization arrives too late for some viewers. By season’s end, it becomes clear that even if it ultimately lives in the shadow of its more dramatic predecessors, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” has enough charm to leave audiences eager to follow the future adventures of Dunk and Egg.
THE GOOD – Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell’s chemistry makes for a charming comedy in the world of “Game of Thrones,” even if the humor isn’t as consistent as these two performances.
THE BAD – It feels like series creators Ira Parker and George R.R. Martin drag the novella past its limits, even given how brief the series is. Their commitment to keeping this a far more grounded narrative makes up for the storytelling’s overall predictability.
THE EMMY PROSPECTS – None
THE FINAL SCORE – 6/10
