As someone who binge-watched Game of Thrones years after it ended, I’ll be the first to admit that it was a daunting task. Getting into this world created by George R.R. Martin was intimidating, and I did it before the spinoffs existed. So, now, if I were someone interested in going to Westeros for the first time, I’d be overwhelmed. However, there’s a solution to this problem, because the GOT series that’s about to premiere on the 2026 TV schedule, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is actually a great “on-ramp” into this universe, according to the show’s boss.
To kick off 2026, we’ll get the Game of Thrones prequel series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. It follows Ser Duncan the Tall and his squire Egg, and the trailer for AKOTSK shows that this series has a much lighter and comedic tone than House of the Dragon and GOT. Speaking to differences like this and what sets this series apart from its predecessors with SFX Magazine on CinemaBlend, showrunner Ira Parker also noted that this spinoff is actually a great entry point into this franchise, saying:
What I love about this series is – and this was said to me, I didn’t come up with this – that it feels like an on-ramp for people who maybe didn’t watch the original series because it was very dark to begin with. We take you on a little bit of a lighter, more friendly path to Westeros. Get to hang out, enjoy yourself for a little bit, and then it becomes Westeros. So then things are gonna happen. But that’s the fun of this world. It’s like our world: anything could happen. Good and bad people die.
I totally see what he’s saying here. The world of Game of Thrones is intense, complex and, for lack of a better term, overwhelming. There’s a lot going on, it’s a lot to take in, and now that there are three shows, it’s tough to know where to start. Based on what I know about A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, this feels like a great jumping-off point.
You can wade into the world of Westeros. You won’t be thrown into the dark, deep end with this new series. It’s lighter, it does not take place during the events of House of the Dragon or Game of Thrones (it takes place between them), and as Parker explained, Dunk is also not in the know about Westeros royalty and politics. Speaking to how that fact impacts this show, the boss said:
He’s treading this strange world – he’s from the ass-end shithole of Westeros, the slums of Westeros of King’s Landing, and doesn’t have to know anyone, and he doesn’t know anything. So all of these lords and ladies and princes and kings and queens that he encounters, it all seems just a little absurd, and he doesn’t quite know if people are actually making fun of him or not, or if they’re being serious. This is just the way that it is. A lot of really good, natural comedy just comes out of that situation.
Overall, based on what was said here, I see two reasons why A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a great introduction show. First of all, it’s not as serious as Game of Thrones or House of the Dragon; it’s lighter, which will more than likely make it easier to watch. Secondly, this comedy comes from the fact that the main character is not like any other character we’ve met before in this world. He’s new to it all, too, and I have to assume that that will make this series easy for new viewers to dive into.
Now, while A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will be quite different from the shows that came before it, which could make it jarring to jump to the other projects, I still stand by it being a good on-ramp. You can take a little stroll through Westeros with Dunk and Egg, and get to know it. And then you can go to battle and dive into the massive, violent, world-changing stories of Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon.
Then, you’ll be all caught up, and ready for Seasons 3 and 4 of HOTD, Season 2 of Seven Kingdoms, and maybe even a rewatch of the show that started it all.
To get started, you can stream the Season 1 premiere of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms with an HBO Max subscription on January 18, 2026.
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