A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: Episode 1 Series Premiere Review

Full spoilers for”The Hedge Knight,” the archetypal occurrence of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms follow.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms hilariously establishes successful its archetypal 5 minutes however it is dissimilar immoderate different Game of Thrones show.

‘It fits my grips arsenic good arsenic it ever did his,” mutters the towering but sweet-natured squire Dunk arsenic helium holds his just-deceased master’s sword. As Dunk ponders whether to go a knight himself, the camera holds connected his look arsenic Ramin Djawadi’s rousing Game of Thrones taxable swells, cueing that large things are successful store for our protagonist…only to smash chopped to Dunk taking an explosive crap beside a tree. This is nary expansive leader we’re dealing with, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is not going the way that those acquainted with the Game of Thrones franchise mightiness expect. This is further established by the show’s deficiency of an opening credits sequence, with conscionable the bid rubric appearing connected its own.

Running astir 40 minutes, the bid premiere – directed by Owen Harris and scripted by showrunner Ira Parker – wastes nary clip successful mounting up its main characters and their world, with Dunk gathering co-lead Egg wrong the archetypal 10 minutes. The chemistry betwixt the characters is instant; actors Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell marque Dunk and Egg, respectively, an endearing, dopey large brother-precocious small member pairing. Their narration is the bosom of the amusement and keeps the spectator emotionally invested successful what is (so far) a fantasy-free trek done Westeros.

Season One adapts “The Hedge Knight,” the archetypal introduction successful George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novella series. From the get-go, this is simply a smaller Game of Thrones acquisition – 1 without dragons (it’s acceptable successful the period betwixt the extremity of House of the Dragon and the opening of Game of Thrones) oregon magic – but the Targaryen dynasty inactive sits connected the Iron Throne, truthful determination is immoderate acquainted connective insubstantial betwixt each the series.

"No homework is required to ticker and bask A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.“

Since Dunk is but a lowly, aspiring hedge knight, and Egg is seemingly without a location oregon loved ones, the amusement adopts a much grounded, unpolished presumption of Westeros. For present astatine least, Dunk and Egg are acold removed from the prophecies and apocalyptic stakes that people House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, and the amusement is liberated from being slavishly tied to those series’ storylines. Without immoderate of their communicative baggage to address, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is escaped to rotation disconnected connected its ain diverting journey.

This makes the amusement a large introduction constituent for those funny successful venturing into the satellite of Game of Thrones but who whitethorn beryllium daunted by implicit a decade’s worthy of TV episodes and books. No homework is required to ticker and bask A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, but if you person watched the different shows oregon work immoderate of the books, you should find overmuch to admit successful this refreshingly scaled down, character-driven series.

Poor Dunk is the Rodney Dangerfield of Westeros; helium gets nary respect, nary respect astatine all. Whether it’s from the insolent Egg (“Every knight needs a squire. You look similar you request 1 much than most.”) oregon the whores and lords of Ashford, wherever helium ventures to instrumentality portion successful a tourney, Dunk is mocked for his size, attire, and his precise meagerness. Yet helium goes on, contempt each the slights; helium whitethorn not beryllium peculiarly agleam oregon fearsome, but Dunk has tone and an innate kindness, particularly to animals, arsenic helium often talks to his horses and prioritizes their care. Dunk, we volition learn, has had a hard life, and is utilized to being counted out, but Egg sees thing successful him that Dunk himself mightiness not, and is relentless successful pitching himself arsenic Dunk’s squire.

In summation to Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell, Daniel Ings delivers a large show arsenic Ser Lyonel Baratheon, a debaucherous knight with swashbuckler vibes who takes a radiance to Dunk. Other notable supporting turns see Tanzyn Crawford arsenic Dornish puppeteer Tanselle, who catches Dunk’s eye; Shaun Thomas arsenic Dunk’s caller pal, a good-natured squire named Raymun Fossoway; and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor arsenic the steward of Ashmore, who gives Dunk a hard clip astir joining the games and besides has immoderate beauteous disgusting habits.

While Tom McCullagh’s accumulation plan and Lorna Marie Mugan’s costumes surely acceptable with the wide Game of Thrones aesthetic, Dan Romer’s lukewarm people and the bucolic scenery connection a harmony much associated with Middle-earth than a realm known for its Fire and Ice. This isn’t a criticism, conscionable an reflection of however this further differentiates A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms from its franchise forebears.