This review includes spoilers.
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is a prequel that doesn’t feel like “Game of Thrones.” But it isn’t meant to.
The series serves as a prequel to the beloved show and an adaptation of “Tales of Dunk and Egg” by George R.R. Martin (Medill ’70, ’71).
The show follows the penniless and grieving knight Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his nine-year-old squire Aegon “Egg” Targaryen (Dexter Sol Ansell) as they make their way through the world. The show often feels like a renaissance fair — quirky, down-to-earth and utterly detached from the glamorous shock value that defined the staying power of “Game of Thrones.”
The show vaulted to the world’s attention when Episode 5, “In the Name of the Mother,” debuted with a perfect 10.0 rating on IMDb, tying with “Ozymandias” of “Breaking Bad” and launching a rating war that knocked both episodes off the top.
As a fan of both episodes, “Ozymandias” is definitely better.
“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” was both endearing and unsatisfying. Featuring only six episodes lasting about thirty minutes each, the small-scale reintroduction to the world of Westeros left me entertained but wanting more.
Watching this show felt like eating a miniature cupcake; it was fine, but where’s the rest?
Blending action and comedy, the show included smooth jazz, annoyingly frequent depictions of gross bodily functions, and an intro that reminded me of a Pinterest board. The banter between Dunk and Egg was heartwarming, but not necessarily laugh-out-loud funny, and the major death at the end of the show failed to elicit a shock out of me.
Unlike the plot-heavy “Game of Thrones” and “House of the Dragon,” “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is driven almost entirely by its characters. Although fights are frequent and friendships grow, the father-son relationship between Dunk and Egg is the heart of the show.
Dunk is honorable and vaguely dim-witted. Though I felt empathy for him after the poignant flashbacks in Episode 5, I never truly connected with him as a character. Egg, on the other hand, was cheeky and fun, and the characters balanced each other well.
Often, the side characters stole the show. Lyonel Baratheon, affable and animated, is a fan favorite. Aerion Targaryen lacked serious complexity as a villain, but I found him to be my personal favorite character because of his arrogance and volatility.
Then there’s Baelor Targaryen. After the release of Episode 5, my Instagram feed exploded with people discussing the death of Baelor, the honorable hand of the king, who deviated from the madness his house is known for.
Killed by his own brother with a mace to the head, his death seemed to surprise viewers despite the character being on screen for a total of 10 minutes.
I predicted his death the episode before.
Overall, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” was amusing and fun. “Game of Thrones” is an impossible standard to live up to, but the show made an effort as valiant as Ser Duncan the Tall.
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