George R. R. Martin's Game of Thrones novels gained a whole new legion of fans when they were adapted for television by HBO. The series redefined genre television with its cinematic scope, large scale style of storytelling and larger than life characters. The recent prequel series, House of the Dragon, has largely retained the epic scope of the original, but the latest entry in the franchise has a smaller scale, more personal focus in mind.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, based on Martin's Tales of Dunk and Egg, tells the story of Ser Duncan the Tall, a "hedge knight" from a lowborn background who's a far cry from the larger than life Targaryens and Starks we're used to seeing in the previous series. After his mentor dies, "Dunk" travels to a tournament where he hopes to prove himself as a knight. Along the way, he encounters Egg, a young boy who offers to be his squire. The two unlikely heroes become friends, but there are challenges ahead that will test not only Duncan's mettle, but their friendship as well.
Set decades before Game of Thrones, this series trades continent-shaking wars, dragon fire and political machinations for something more intimate and small-scaled: at its heart, the show is a character study. Ser Duncan, who's earnest, kind, and often out of his depth, anchors the narrative as a decent man trying to live up to a knightly ideal in a less than knightly world. His companion and squire, the quick-witted Egg, provides both support and wise beyond his years counsel. Their growing friendship and respect for one another is at the heart of, and is the emotional core of, the series.
Despite the fact that, like its sister shows, some of the high born characters in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms are unlikeable and often downright villainous, there are people like Dunk and Egg who illustrate that decency and kindness still matter, even in an indecent world. The visual style of the series is a bit different from what we've seen before, as the show leans into providing a street-level view of the Game of Thrones universe. Taverns and tents are dirty and dusty, people are unkempt, and often revel in small pleasures like wild dancing, and singing colorful songs about loose women. There's definitely a more irreverent tone on display here than was featured in Game of Thrones, but it works well within the context of the series.
Peter Claffey as Dunk and Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg have strong chemistry, and they lead a fine ensemble which also includes Daniel Ings as Lyonel Baratheon and Shaun Thomas as Raymon Fossoway. The series was created by Ira Parker and George R.R. Martin, and the directors for the six-episode first season are Owen Harris and Sarah Adina Smith. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is now streaming on HBO Max, and this well-produced, well-acted, character driven tale is worth a look for Game of Thrones fans, and the show just might be a good entry point to those new to the franchise. Here's a look at the trailer for the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sItUCKJQLTU.
No comments:
Post a Comment