Lucian Woolley
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has concluded its six-episode run, successfully recapturing the imaginations of millions and igniting a war of televisual ratings. All whilst remaining (mostly) faithful to the literary works of a veteran fantasy kook with a penchant for late releases. So, it’s definitely worthy of the cultural mantle it has placed itself upon, but does it hold up to HBO’s flagship programs like Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon?
Showrunner Ira Parker was faced with the task of adapting the comparatively short novella The Hedge Knight into a season of television that would not drag on (pardon the pun) nor completely diverge from the subject material. This led to the less than two-hundred-page novella translating to six thirty-five-minute episodes, which some accused of being unfulfilling and short; however, my view is that the runtime of the episodes dedicated just enough time to characterising the vibrant players of this story and the relationships between them. This leads to a tight, entertaining and altogether complete narrative that will certainly sate the fantasy fixations experienced by many.
In fact, the show is incredibly funny.
In particular, the lead characters of Dunk (played by former Ireland U-20 Rugby player Peter Claffey) and Egg (played by the lovable Dexter Sol- Ansell) have an immense chemistry that is almost ripped straight from the page. It is their bantering and bonding that formed the plot of the initial episodes. In fact, the show is incredibly funny. Ditching the grim seriousness of war and winter for the setting of a summery tournament, the show is irrevocably bawdy with moments of spectacular irreverence that may put some viewers off (see the defecation in episode one and the cartoonish proportions displayed in episode two). Indeed, the portrayal of Lyonel Baratheon by Daniel Ings is a comedic highlight, with his swaggering glibness contrasting with the awkward dullness of Dunk within the pair’s bromance.
The brutal exhaustion of the action is so painful and grim to digest, yet equally so impressively captivating.
One complaint that has been levelled at the show is that it can be boring in parts. Whilst it is true that the high-fantasy epic set pieces of its Westerosi predecessors are missing and that the show is somewhat of a slow burner, it is very much worth the wait. The climaxes of episodes three and four offer jaw-dropping cliffhangers of revelation and much awe, especially the entrance of Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel) in the latter. Whilst composer Dan Romer’s contribution is earthier and neatly fits the vibe of the series, the all-conquering notes of Ramin Djawadi’s Game of Thrones Opening Title swell to magisterial effect during this scene, which was the best any George R.R Martin adaptation had been since season 4 of Game of Thrones. Until episode five.
The action-packed, well-directed, well-shot, well-acted, ultimately well-done episode is simply a tour de force in television making. The brutal exhaustion of the action is so painful and grim to digest, yet equally so impressively captivating. Even the placement of the multiple flashbacks during the fight, whilst jarring for but an instant, serves to complement the motifs of bravery, perseverance and heart that are championed by the show and its protagonist. Episode five was so well received that it earned a ten out of ten episode rating on the reviews platform IMDB, before it was reviewed poorly by fans of the drama Breaking Bad, which previously held the record for the only episode to be perfectly acclaimed, which prompted a response of downvoting from the Game of Thrones fanbase. This war of, let’s be honest, unemployed activity, has captured and further propelled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms into the cultural zeitgeist.
Concluding the series is episode six, a neat epilogue that compounds the emotion of the previous installments, and ties off loose ends whilst gearing up the viewer for a new adventure with the main cast.
And whenever the next instalment drops, I know I’ll be watching.
Lucian Woolley
Featured image courtesy of Paolo Chiabrando on Unsplash. Photo edited for Impact on Canva. Permission to use granted to Impact. No changes were made to this image.
In-article image courtesy of @gameofthrones via Instagram. No changes were made to these images.
For more content including uni news, reviews, entertainment, lifestyle, features and so much more, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like our Facebook page for more articles and information on how to get involved.
If you can’t get enough of Impact Reviews, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and like our Facebook page for updates on our new articles.
