It certainly didn’t take long for HBO’s new Game of Thrones prequel to dominate streaming, as after just two days, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has already toppled three raunchy favorites. Premiering this past Sunday, Jan. 18, the series is based on book one in the Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas by author George R.R. Martin, The Hedge Knight, and takes place roughly 90 years before the events in Game of Thrones. Now sitting atop the Top 10 TV Shows chart on HBO Max (per FlixPatrol), A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has proved to be more popular than not only The Pitt, which sits in second place, but also Heated Rivalry in third, Industry in fourth, and Euphoria in fifth. Aside from The Pitt, all three of those shows have proven to be huge fan favorites due to their steamy content, compelling storylines, and raw angst, which all work together to create three vastly different series, but at the same time, three shows you can’t look away from. Starring Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall and Dexter Sol Ansell as Aegon Targaryen, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is definitely a huge shift in tone from Game of Thrones, despite taking place in the same world. It’s much smaller in scale, making it feel more intimate than the flagship series, and it’s more lighthearted than its predecessor. It’s proven to be a successful formula thus far, as the show holds a Certified Fresh rating of 88% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 78% score from fans. The official synopsis reads:
“A century before the events of Game of Thrones, two unlikely heroes wander Westeros. In an adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s novella The Hedge Knight, a young and naive but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall, and his diminutive squire, Egg, face a series of dangerous exploits. Set in an age when the Targaryen line still holds the Iron Throne and images of the last dragon have not yet passed from living memory, great destinies and powerful foes await these improbable and incomparable friends.”

Will There Be a Season 2 of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’?

Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell star in ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.’HBO

With Season 1 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms made up of just six episodes that run anywhere from 30 to 40 minutes, the show is going to be over before you know it. The final episode will air a little over a month from now on Feb. 22, and from there the wait will begin for House of the Dragon Season 3, which is expected to premiere later this year. As for Dunk and Egg? Fans can take comfort in knowing that they will return for more adventures.

Season 2 of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has been greenlit by HBO, and production is already underway. It will adapt Martin’s second novella in the series, The Sworn Sword (try saying that three times fast), and is expected to debut at some point in 2027. It will once again consist of six episodes, and feature the return of both Claffey and Ansell.

Release Date

January 18, 2026

Network

HBO

Showrunner

Ira Parker

Directors

Owen Harris

Writers

George R. R. Martin, Ira Parker

Peter Claffey

Ser Duncan ‘Dunk’ the Tall