The Screen Scribe

It would be a fair assumption to claim that many…well, the majority of, Game of Thrones fans are still rather upset regarding how the final few seasons played out. In particular season 8. I would include myself in that for many years after, but lately I look back and can enjoy the show for what it was. A masterclass in high quality television production, character development and a faithful (for the most part) adaptation of a seminal piece of fantasy literature. It was also my first introduction to the world of Westeros, and I have gone on to absolutely devour every piece of it I can find in the interim. Which leads me nicely into my next point. The world of Westeros is more than just A Game of Thrones. Far more. It is perhaps the most complete and detailed fictional history I have seen and read since The Lord of the Rings, the Silmarillion, and all adjacent Middle-Earth works. Fans of Game of Thrones got a taste of this history when House of the Dragon was released to critical acclaim, renewing faith in the HBO draconic juggernaut. Since then there has been a clamour for more of Westeros’ prehistory, with calls for Aegon’s Conquest, Robert’s Rebellion, the 10,000 Ships of Nymeria, and of course the much beloved Tales of Dunk and Egg.

And last month, January 2026, we got our wish as A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was released to critical acclaim and feverish fanfare. Starring Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell (they literally are the embodiment of the characters as described in the novella), A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is set roughly 100 years prior to the events of a Game of Thrones and follows Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg as they seek glory, fame and meaning at the Ashford Meadow tourney of knights. Naïve and idealistic, Dunk attempts to live by the knightly code imparted to him by his mentor, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, while passing on these same teachings to his diminutive squire. But not all goes as planned, as Dunk finds himself embroiled in the social divide between the common folk and the highborn, all while sticking to his ideal of being ‘a true knight’.

My gripes with the first season are few, but significant. While the season stays about 90% faithful to the first novella, The Hedge Knight, down to the dialogue and scene settings, I found the extra scenes, especially the flashback in episode 5, to be quite jarring and unnecessary. In particular the flashback scene, which cuts the climactic fight down to just a brief 10-12 minutes. The novella was far more detailed in regard to the fight, but hell, it was still a brilliant clash of swords. I also found some of the comedic moments to be overplayed and unnecessary, such as the very opening scenes of episode 1 and episode 2. It was funny yes, but unnecessary.

Now, onto the good stuff. Don’t go into this expecting more of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon. Nay I tell thee, this is a lighter fare than the heavier vintages of past shows. Yes it has swearing, yes it has brutal violence, but at its core, Knight is about companionship, knightly honour, and defiance in the face of defeat. These are themes not exactly predominant in the previous shows, which focused on incest, court politics and intrigue, abuse of power and treachery. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is almost the antithesis of its predecessors despite being set in the same world and being written by the same author. But that is the beauty of it, proving that even in a world as brutal as Westeros, there is still room for honour, for chivalry, for doing the right thing, even when it costs you something.

Despite the short episodes, every character has depth, clear motivations and a sense of purpose. Every character is perfectly cast and superbly realised onscreen, and you can tell they are all immensely enjoying themselves within their roles. Claffey and Ansell in particular have wonderful chemistry and carry the heart of the show with their growing brotherly bond. Baelor Targaryen (Bertie Carvil) in particular has become a fan favourite, showing that not all the silver haired dragons are entirely terrible people.

Nothing in this show is superfluous. The sets are immaculately crafted as are the costumes, on what I would assume is likely a fraction of the budget afforded to not only its predecessors, but also other fantasy shows like the Rings of Power, the Wheel of Time, and the Witcher. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms looks far more polished, believable and grounded than those massively funded (and failed) fantasy shows. The lack of reliance of CGI (green screens, the Volume stage technology etc) has also been noticeable, and refreshing. For all the benefits of those technologies, nothing can ever replace real locations.

With season 2 already given the green light, we can only hope that the adventures of Dunk and Egg are only but beginning, for there are may tales yet to tell for the Hedge Knight and his squire as they traverse Westeros and find all manner of trouble together.

“In the name of the Warrior, I charge you to be brave.

In the name of the Father, I charge you to be just.

In the name of the Mother, I charge you to defend the innocent.

Arise, a knight of the Seven Kingdoms.”

5 / 5 ✨ from the Screen Scribe.

(All images and videos are owned by and courtesy of Youtube and HBO)