When A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premiered on HBO in January 2026, it was filed for many of the uninitiated under “Game of Thrones spinoff.” The series adapts George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas, set roughly a century before the events of Game of Thrones.
For some who never saw GoT, the association was enough to keep them away from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, signifying a possible tie-in that could render it too hard to understand. It gets overlooked as a Game of Thrones spinoff, but it has so much to offer everyone.
A hugely lovable lot
At A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' heart are Dunk and Egg, the fantastic lead duo played by Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell. They manage to have all of Jon Snow's low-born humility without any of the shallowness of House of the Dragon’s Ulf the White.
Likewise, they have gentle heroism with a steel edge, the kind reserved for the franchise’s best characters, from Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) to Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) and Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy).
Ser Lyonel Baratheon is an inspired character
Ser Lyonel Baratheon (Daniel Ings) is an inspired character. His debauching bluster presents as the kind of life-threatening arrogance possessed by many hard-headed semi-villains in Game of Thrones.
That’s what makes it such a revelation to watch him gradually be exposed as an actual stand-up guy and the closest thing Game of Thrones has had to a side hero since Robb Stark (Richard Madden). Sorry, Robb, we all know Jon was the main event.
But Lyonel may well be the most lovable of the bunch. The long-running in-joke about the Baratheons’ sexual tastes that he brings to the screen never fails to amuse, while he remains low-key inspiring and kind. This throws a bone to the fans while keeping all content relevant for newcomers. He’s an unforgettable character in a hugely lovable lot.
A soft, kind, funny fantasy
What’s extraordinary about the show is its refusal to become too dark, even in such a horribly dark world. It’s a soft, kind, funny fantasy, really quite far in tone from House of the Dragon, or even Game of Thrones.
In streaming’s goth era, this presents a unique and welcome escapism: heartwarming medieval fantasy. Who would have thought? In this sense, it’s deeply original in the fantasy genre. It is pioneering in just the same quiet way it unfolds its characters and plotlines: unobtrusively but seriously and with sophistication.
It’s for this reason that all fantasy fans should look to A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms for their next fix, regardless of whether they’ve had anything to do with Game of Thrones before. Nothing about any former TV show or book needs to be known to enjoy and understand this series fully.
Most importantly, this TV show holds something for everyone, far beyond the fantasy crowd. Those who appreciate sharp humor in a well-built world won’t complain. Perhaps most of all, neither will those who appreciate the profound human drama of trying to get a job in a cold, unfriendly world, with nothing but a friend or two beside you. Strangely relevant to the most contemporary of times, this is one of the most moving and affectionate creations of the decade.
Season 1 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is streaming now on HBO Max. The second season premieres on HBO and HBO Max sometime in 2027. Stay tuned for more news about the upcoming season of the Game of Thrones spinoff.
Find more TV reviews and recaps on Show Snob.
Add us as a preferred source on Google