By Michael McKee
Correspondent
For decades, George R.R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” saga has been perhaps the most important, popular and influential work of modern fantasy, with the sole exception of “The Lord of the Rings.” This is in great part due to the effect of the “Game of Thrones” television series that adapted the ASOIAF books, becoming one of the most popular shows of all time. Despite its weaker later seasons and hugely unpopular finale, GOT’s popularity led to HBO Max announcing a whole slate of other series set in the world of Westeros.
The project to expand the ASOIAF’s TV universe started with the unreleased prequel pilot “Bloodmoon” in 2019 and then “House of the Dragon” in 2022, adapting parts of Martin’s massive lorebook “Fire & Blood,” featuring stars such as Matt Smith and Rhys Ifans. “House of the Dragon” is now fast approaching its third season, and a movie based on Aegon’s conquest is being made. However, in the midst of all of this is a new Westeros show that comes across as comparatively humble.
The most recent show in the Westeros universe is “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” which is based on “The Hedge Knight,” a novella Martin wrote in 1998. “The Hedge Knight” is set before the downfall of the Targaryen dynasty and the events of the main series, but well after the extinction of dragons.
The show and the novella it’s based on are centered on the lowly hedge knight Dunk, a young man who came from the impoverished slums of Flea Bottom. He is heading to participate in the Ashford tourney shortly after the death of his master, Ser Arlan of Pennytree, the knight he squired for since boyhood. At the Ashford tourney, Dunk faces money issues, contends with smug, dismissive nobles and meets a precocious, intelligent bald boy named Egg who insists on becoming his squire.
Shortly after Dunk’s arrival, members of the Targaryen royal family show up. The Targaryens at the tourney are led by the wise and honorable heir to the throne and hand of the king Prince Baelor Breakspear, with Baelor’s stern youngest brother, Prince Maekar the Anvil and Maekar’s cruel, arrogant and mad son Prince Aerion Brightflame alongside him.
While the Targaryen princes play an important role in the story, the focus is more grounded. Instead of a king, prince or lord, Dunk is down on his luck hedge knight, a knight who is usually lowborn and isn’t affiliated with any lord, working for hire and sleeping under hedges. Dunk tries to participate in the Ashford tourney so he can live off the winnings and raise his standing as a knight.
Unlike the other TV shows, AKOTSK is made of humbler stuff. The show’s story isn’t focused on shadowy political intrigues, grand wars or epic computer-generated fire-breathing dragons, but instead on Dunk and Egg trying to make their way in the world, with the only dragon being from a puppet show.
On top of Dunk, Egg and the Targaryens, the audience also gets to meet the eccentric partier, Ser Lyonel Baratheon, the lovely puppeteer, Tanselle and the skilled blacksmith Steely Pate. They also introduce brutish Ser Steffon Fossaway, his amiable cousin and squire Raymun and the pious mad knight, Ser Robyn Rhysling.
The actors’ performances are definitely worthy of acclaim, especially rugby player Peter Claffey who does a fantastic job as Dunk, and Dexter Sol Ansell who is unusually talented for a child actor in his role as Egg. Also of note are Bertie Carvel as Baelor, Shaun Thomas as Raymun and Daniel Ings as Lyonel.
Particularly commendable is showrunner Ira Parker and the crew’s crafting of the show. The episodes were well-shot and directed with beautiful use of color and cinematography. The props and costumes were incredibly well designed, especially Ser Steffon’s golden armor engraved with the apples of House Fossaway. The music of the show is gentle and rustic, fitting the story’s vibe. The choreography of the jousts and fights is immaculate, leading to the best fictional fantasy combat in years.
The show’s writing is very accurate to the novella and much of it is lifted straight from Martin’s writing, leading to it having a very high quality, an incredibly positive reception and being the best direct adaptation of Martin’s work in over a decade. One downside is that there are quite a few crass jokes that muddle the tone and can take the audience out of the viewing experience, though this isn’t too huge a downside.
The show is both shorter in episode count and episode length, with only six episodes that are around 30-42 minutes compared to the eight or 10 episodes of the other shows. Due to the season being based on a novella rather than a novel, a shorter length was important as to not overstretch the story. However, a few smaller details from the novella were cut that don’t mess with the story overall but will be missed by certain fans.
With the first season done, the question remains: What are Ira Parker and HBO Max to do going forward? “The Hedge Knight” novella is only the first in Martin’s prequel series called “The Tales of Dunk and Egg,” with two more Dunk and Egg novellas currently released and another two close to completion. The show’s second season is already being filmed and is set to be released next year. It will presumably continue to be produced at that pace, with each season based on a different novella.
With an incredibly made and well-received first season and another soon to come, Westeros lovers, fantasy fans and TV buffs have much to look forward to.
