'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Review: A smaller, smarter return to Westeros

It’s always a delight returning to George R.R. Martin’s fantasy world of Westeros. Even with that infamously messy ending, Game of Thrones remains one of the greatest television achievements of all time. Then came House of the Dragon, doubling down on bloodlines, dragons, and slow-burning political drama. (Mr. Martin, if you're reading this, please finish the books as soon as you can.)

Now, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, streaming weekly on OSN+ in the UAE, does something far more interesting: it shrinks the world. The majority of the show doesn't sprawl across the seven kingdoms of Westeros; it takes place in one small town where a young and tall squire becomes a knight-for-hire, and is determined to prove his mettle by taking part in tournaments and doing small jobs.

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Adapted from Martin’s novella The Hedge Knight, the series is set roughly a hundred years before the events of Game of Thrones and follows the journey of Ser Duncan the Tall — Dunk — and his young squire, Egg. There are no iron thrones to seize here, no dragon armies looming in the distance. Instead, this is Westeros at ground level, where honour and identity matter just as much as power.

One of the show’s smartest decisions is its format. We get six episodes, each hovering around the 30-minute mark, and it works beautifully. The pacing is tight, the storytelling focused, and nothing overstays its welcome. Yes, there’s a weekly wait, which hurts in the age of binge culture, but these episodes feel deliberately shaped, not stretched to fill an hour-long template. That could mean several seasons, and season two was already greenlit, months before the show's premiere.

Tonally, it’s unmistakably Game of Thrones-coded, with a touch of House of the Dragon seriousness, but everything is scaled down for us to relate to someone like Dunk, or even Egg.

There’s also humour, but it doesn't feel forced. The laughs come from awkward interactions, class differences, and Dunk’s sheer inability to always read the room. It's established that he isn't exactly the brightest in the room.

The performances elevate everything. At just 11, Dexter Sol Ansell’s Egg is a standout. He's far more layered than you’d expect at first glance. His performance keeps you leaning in. And Peter Claffey’s Dunk is equally strong. Casting a lead who needs to convincingly stand at around 1.95 metres tall can’t have been easy. There are others, too — Daniel Ings, Sam Spruell, Bertie Carvel — but the short runtime would mean less focus on the supporting stars, without taking away anything from their strong performances.

A couple of episodes in, familiar house names start dropping — Targaryen, Baratheon — and as a longtime fan of this world, it's deeply satisfying hearing them again. Here, the families are stripped of the myth and spectacle they eventually acquire. These aren’t legends, not yet anyway.

What’s especially refreshing is that you don’t need to have read the novellas to enjoy any of this. I haven’t. The show works cleanly as an origin story, welcoming newcomers without ever diluting its depth for longtime fans.

Visually, it’s stunning in a restrained way. The cinematography and direction really comes into its own by episode five — you’ll know the moment when you see it. That episode also serves as a sharp reminder that, despite the younger cast and lighter tone, this is still Westeros. It’s not family-friendly, and it doesn’t soften its edges when it counts.

If I had to nitpick, the only real downside is the weekly release schedule, but that’s less a flaw and more a symptom of how conditioned we’ve become to instant gratification.

And honestly, the timing couldn’t be better. With House of the Dragon season three expected later this year (after a season two that delivered a lot of buildup with very little payoff), A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms could serve as something that takes you back to Westeros, but on a smaller scale, but perhaps richer in character.

This Westeros doesn’t need ice zombies or dragons to feel compelling.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Cast: Peter Claffey, Dexter Sol Ansell

Stars: 4/5

Written by

Husain Rizvi

Husain Rizvi is a Senior Features Writer who covers entertainment and lifestyle stories and has a profound interest in tech (games) and sports. When he’s not working, you can find him at the gym, or finishing a boss fight in a video game.