A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms 1x01 Full Reaction!
Added 2026-01-19 21:45:20 +0000 UTC
Comments
Though I’ve not read them, I am aware of the novellas. I’m down for plenty more to come with this. Likewise, I have been hearing how Martin’s working relationship with the creative staff here has been better than what’s happened behind-the-scenes with House of the Messy. Does have a Hobbit feel to this, yes. Timeline-wise, yeah, I heard the time from this show to the parent show is about the time it’s been since 1931’s Dracula first hit theaters. Maybe exact timeline is different, but that’s the frame of reference that I’m working with. Know the tidbits that you refer to. The Winter Soldier comparison sounds apt. Me too in keeping mum about certain details until the information can be talked about. And yes, we do recall Joffrey dropping the one big spoiler about House of the Messy. Still have not seen the Hunger Games prequel, though your reference is recognized. Notice that it’s never been up on the polls for obvious reasons. Saw the one trailer in the theater, and said something about knowing that Jess would LOATHE certain aspects of it. The humor is a nice change of pace. The shit scene does get a huge laugh, so no worries. Dunk and Egg are getting along well. Good job with the tone. I have seen a few comments on the absence of the one flashback. See how that goes. Good War Horse nod. The shipping of Lord Lyonel Baratheon, black of hair, and Dunk, well, I mean, I don’t hate the idea. Can’t speak to the Steffon of it all. Nice to see Jess have a strong initial response to this. I’m liking it so far. Waiting for my presumed pick for favorite character to show up, but in the meantime, this is fun.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-19 23:48:31 +0000 UTCMy favorite is when the crew of The Witcher said that as far as they were concerned, Geralt's horse dies between every episode and he just keeps getting the same kind of horse and giving it the same name. Granted, they had to come up with something to explain its apparently staying through the decades the show covers, but that's really the best they came up with?
Ryan
2026-01-19 23:44:46 +0000 UTCThis show is based on a side set of novellas that Martin started alongside the main books, collectively called Dunk and Egg, so you were spot on with how much of a pair they'll make. He's only finished three, but gave the show runners the outlines for a whopping TWELVE more, so if the show catches on there should be material for quite a while. He also spoke shortly before the premiere that after his relationship with the House of the Dragon crew soured pretty much irredeemably during Season 2, working on this show was a joy with everyone very happy to listen to his suggestions. Also nice that there's just six episodes to work with rather than stretching these stories out more than they were ever built for, Hobbit-style. In case anyone's feeling lost in the timeline, this takes place between the two other shows, but closer to Game of Thrones time. The current king is Daeron Targaryen II, whose teenage grandson Aemon is now at the Citadel studying to be a Maester, which he'll put to use at the Wall for the rest of his long life. And you heard several mentions of Ser Duncan the Tall in that show, revered as one of the greatest knights who ever lived, who embodied everything the title should be and so rarely is. So the appeal of these stories is basically like Captain America: The Winter Soldier, with a purely good person thrown into the middle of a gritty complicated world and bending it to his will wherever he goes. There are a few other references to these characters, but they get into major spoilers (not quite as bad as Joffrey revealing the end of House of the Dragon, but significant) so I'll hold off on pointing them out. So of course, seeing the truth of how he started out could be quite disillusioning, but he's still such a likable, admirable guy through it all that we still quickly get attached and want to see him succeed. Maybe his influence can even stop Egg from growing up into President Snow. One of the big appreciations I've seen for the show is returning more of a sense of humor after how comparatively grim HOTD was, maybe even going further than GOT level, made clear right away when we're duped into thinking we're getting a spine-tingling lead into the opening credits before cutting to Dunk taking a shit. If anyone doesn't think this is hilarious, I don't care to know you. He and Egg are immediately clearly meant to be best buds, even if they're interrupted by a guy with a dagger that looks very much like Valyrian steel. Eh, I'm sure that won't come to anything. The show's tone is hammered in as Dunk meets with both the man running the tournament entries and the set of camp followers who are very standoffish at first, but just spending a few minutes with him gets them to let their guard down and sincerely try to help. The reveal of the Ashford Chair being BS especially seems like a message to the viewers that this show won't be doing things like that. Though we also get a hint that Dunk may not be as on the up and up as we might wish, since the knighting he claims so insistently is conspicuously absent among the many flashbacks to his time with Arlan, who doesn't come off at all like the kind of guy who'd do it. And I'm very impressed that Tanselle's simple marionette show from the book has been upgraded to a Warhorse-level spectacular that I'd definitely buy a ticket for. The entire scene in the Baratheon tent is added for the show, so I have no idea where anything involving Lord Lyonel Baratheon, black of hair, is going. But how can I mind when he's such a delight, and brings out such a fun side of Dunk? Yeah, I ship it a bit, and it's probably clear by now how much it takes to get me to say that. My one real issue with any of these characters is Steffon Fossoway, who's made much more of an outright jerk than in the book, which I suspect is going to badly impact certain scenes later on. My whole time watching this episode, I suspected it would be right up your alley, even more than usual in this franchise. It's going to be a joy seeing you discover all there is to see with these stories.
Ryan
2026-01-19 23:19:55 +0000 UTCStart by saying that your voice sounds fine, Jess. Better than it did in the recent Fallout reaction, so there’s that. Now to this show. Same as not having read the source material. And I didn’t see the trailers. Your knowledge going into this is about the same as mine. I know bits and pieces from fandom talks over the years, and a few recollections from what’s said in Game of Thrones and House of the Messy. Shared general excitement going into this. Noted about the horses rule which is tame compared to the Walking Dead universe. And hopefully, Jack Woltz isn’t around preventing Johnny Fontane from getting the part in the war picture. From the beginning, this feels like an Unforgiven/Liberty Valance feel of peeling back the legend and seeing the facts, albeit more lighthearted and humorous. At least thus far. The music has a touch of Ennio to it at spots, which is most pleasing. Without wishing to detract from how you wanted a bright and beautiful day, it gets a huge laugh over your reaction when seeing the shitting scene. Sets the tone right out of the gate, give it that. It is very you, Jess, how quickly you’ve gotten attached to Dunk. And his horse. Love how obsessed with this show you are already. Good words on the flashbacks. Quite enjoyed the scene with Squidward, er, uh, the guy in charge of the sign up. Liked how he paints the one graphic picture and then has that great, “I’m just fucking with ya, man.” line. Can respect how he has the job of not letting anyone with a sword to sign up, yet he gives Dunk the time to find someone to vouch for him. The ladies at the camp were giving poor Dunk a hard time. Nice that when Dunk asks the ladies why they’re mocking him, they do genuinely ease up on that and apologize. Sidenote on the comment on gout making for restless nights: Not really, no. Sleeping with the gout’s reasonably fine, long as you don’t move much; maybe have some padding here and there. See the Baratheons proclivity of being crazy fucks remains consistent. Lyonel is at least an entertaining one. Great to see you get several laughs from him. I do feel his “...Fuck was I going to say?” moments. Knew you’d vibe with the dancing scenes. Then there’s young Egg, who came to the library to read, as you say. Egg’s a sharp little thing, isn’t he? Love how you’ve assessed that with Dunk and Egg: you think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Your joy about that is quite infectious. We assess about the same that said beautiful friendship is likely the heart of at least this season. And they are doing a very efficacious job of showing us the start of that. Again, fun start. No sign of my favorite character yet, but I’m sure that they’ll be along soon enough. Not much else to say as this was such a lowkey premiere, which is great. You spoke well about the endearing vibe thus far. Contrast to Cersei, whom, the controversial opinion you have is shared as I LIVE for her as well. I have the same funko as the one you pointed to in the corner. Just all in all, a fun start. Great to share it with you, Jess. Thanks for the fun reaction.
Thomas Corp
2026-01-19 22:36:08 +0000 UTC
