Full spoilers for”The Hedge Knight,” the first episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follow.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms hilariously establishes in its first five minutes how it is unlike any other Game of Thrones show.
‘It fits my grips as well as it ever did his,” mutters the towering but sweet-natured squire Dunk as he holds his just-deceased master’s sword. As Dunk ponders whether to become a knight himself, the camera holds on his face as Ramin Djawadi’s rousing Game of Thrones theme swells, cueing that great things are in store for our protagonist…only to smash cut to Dunk taking an explosive shit beside a tree. This is no grand hero we’re dealing with, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is not going the route that those familiar with the Game of Thrones franchise might expect. This is further established by the show’s lack of an opening credits sequence, with just the series title appearing on its own.
Running roughly 40 minutes, the series premiere – directed by Owen Harris and scripted by showrunner Ira Parker – wastes no time in setting up its main characters and their world, with Dunk meeting co-lead Egg within the first 10 minutes. The chemistry between the characters is instant; actors Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell make Dunk and Egg, respectively, an endearing, dopey big brother-precocious little brother pairing. Their relationship is the heart of the show and keeps the viewer emotionally invested in what is (so far) a fantasy-free trek through Westeros.
Season One adapts “The Hedge Knight,” the first entry in George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novella series. From the get-go, this is a smaller Game of Thrones experience – one without dragons (it’s set in the century between the end of House of the Dragon and the beginning of Game of Thrones) or magic – but the Targaryen dynasty still sits on the Iron Throne, so there is some familiar connective tissue between all the series.
Since Dunk is but a lowly, aspiring hedge knight, and Egg is seemingly without a home or loved ones, the show adopts a more grounded, unpolished view of Westeros. For now at least, Dunk and Egg are far removed from the prophecies and apocalyptic stakes that mark House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, and the show is liberated from being slavishly tied to those series’ storylines. Without any of their narrative baggage to address, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is free to wander off on its own diverting journey.
This makes the show a great entry point for those interested in venturing into the world of Game of Thrones but who may be daunted by over a decade’s worth of TV episodes and books. No homework is required to watch and enjoy A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but if you have watched the other shows or read any of the books, you should find much to appreciate in this refreshingly scaled down, character-driven series.
Poor Dunk is the Rodney Dangerfield of Westeros; he gets no respect, no respect at all. Whether it’s from the insolent Egg (“Every knight needs a squire. You look like you need one more than most.”) or the whores and lords of Ashford, where he ventures to take part in a tourney, Dunk is mocked for his size, attire, and his very meagerness. Yet he goes on, despite all the slights; he may not be particularly bright or fearsome, but Dunk has spirit and an innate kindness, especially to animals, as he often talks to his horses and prioritizes their care. Dunk, we will learn, has had a hard life, and is used to being counted out, but Egg sees something in him that Dunk himself might not, and is relentless in pitching himself as Dunk’s squire.
In addition to Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell, Daniel Ings delivers a great performance as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, a debaucherous knight with swashbuckler vibes who takes a shine to Dunk. Other notable supporting turns include Tanzyn Crawford as Dornish puppeteer Tanselle, who catches Dunk’s eye; Shaun Thomas as Dunk’s new pal, a good-natured squire named Raymun Fossoway; and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor as the steward of Ashmore, who gives Dunk a hard time about joining the games and also has some pretty disgusting habits.
While Tom McCullagh’s production design and Lorna Marie Mugan’s costumes certainly fit with the overall Game of Thrones aesthetic, Dan Romer’s warm score and the bucolic scenery offer a harmony more associated with Middle-earth than a realm known for its Fire and Ice. This isn’t a criticism, just an observation of how this further differentiates A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms from its franchise forebears.
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