'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Fixes What's Wrong With Modern Fantasy

When HBO announced another spin-off of its fantasy franchise, lingering animosity toward that franchise greeted the news. Despite coming from a different creative team, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms slowly won back favor over six half-hour episodes, earning rave reviews as it became the antithesis of what the original series had grown into in tone, style and scale.

Based on George R.R. Martin's collection of novellas, the first season adapts the opening story of Dunk and Egg. Political maneuvering and grand conflict take a backseat to an intimate tale of a man trying to make a name as a knight and a young boy attempting to escape familial trauma, with the pair’s relationship forming the heart of the show.

Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell bring a genuine chemistry to Dunk and Egg, their contrasting physicality and offbeat humor creating a lead duo that anchors the series. Co-creator Ira Parker is credited as a writer on every episode, which helps maintain the show’s smaller, consistent vision.

seven kingdoms, hbo, fantasy, dunk, egg, martin, novellas, ira parker, peter claffey, dexter ansell