A new report in Deadline confirms that A Knight of the 7 Kingdoms has been a hit on streaming. It reports that “the first season is currently averaging around 14M U.S. viewers and 26M global viewers per episode, ranking as the third-largest series debut since the launch of HBO Max.” The show was renewed for a second season before its debut, and is expected to return next year.
Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg and Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – HBO
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As HBO looks to build momentum for its latest entry in the Game of Thrones franchise, fans and industry insiders alike are considering what made A Knight of the 7 Kingdoms a success.
Critics Weigh In
Based on The Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas by George R.R. Martin, A Knight of the 7 Kingdoms is set in Westeros nearly a century before the events of Game of Thrones and 72 years after House of the Dragon. It stars Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall and Dexter Sol Ansell as his squire Aegon “Egg” Targaryen.
Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.-HBO
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In her review of the season finale, “The Morrow,” Geeks + Gamers critic Virginia Kublai wrote that the show had “gone from insignificant and painfully unfunny to meaningful in its smaller-scale exploration of a knight’s quest to be noble and good.”
Critics have praised the series’ lighthearted, optimistic tone, a sharp contrast to the darker world of Game of Thrones. In his review, YouTuber The Critical Drinker expressed his appreciation for a show featuring “a genuinely brave, likable, decent protagonist to cheer for, who wasn’t harboring some dark secret or Machiavellian scheme to destroy everything and everyone around him.”
Drinker said that he found it a relief to see a sincere story “that explored concepts like honor and heroism without trying to mock or belittle them as outdated relics from a different age.” He went on to say that it was also a relief to see a show with unapologetic masculinity without the addition of some “ridiculous 100b girl boss pretending like she can fight just as well as the guys.”
Fan Reactions
A Knight of the 7 Kingdoms is also doing well with fans. On the fan-review site Criticless, the show has an 87% Most Excellent rating with 48 users.
It’s been 15 years since Game of Thrones premiered, 4 years since House of the Dragon began, and now A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is already wrapping up its first season!
Have you been enjoying this new entry into the world of Westeros? Make sure to drop a review on Criticless… pic.twitter.com/QE80OMMpZ4
— Criticless (@Criticless_inc) February 23, 2026
User Samwise_Geegee said in a review on the site that the show differentiates itself from Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon by being less cynical than those entries, adding that it’s “a breath of fresh air and it allows viewers to more openly root for the protagonist.”
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms was a simple hero’s journey story and just good TV.
I’m ready for my Queens now. pic.twitter.com/BAx33Iescy
— Verbal Riot (@verbalriotshow) February 24, 2026
On X, the response has been much the same. Verbal Riot noted that A Knight of the 7 Kingdoms succeeds in part because of its simplicity. Other accounts have suggested the show has been a success for remaining true to the source material.
You could learn a lot from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Stick to the source material and stop race-swapping characters.
— Aesthetica (@Anc_Aesthetics) February 17, 2026
Looking Ahead
Dexter Sol Ansell as Egg and Peter Claffey as Duncan in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms – HBO
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With compelling characters, faithful storytelling, and a hopeful tone, A Knight of the 7 Kingdoms shows that audiences still crave clear, inspiring stories in Westeros—proving that courage, honor, and optimism captivate viewers as powerfully as dragons and intrigue.
Did you watch A Knight of the 7 Kingdoms? What did you think? Sound off in the comments!
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It being part of Game of Thrones means I won’t be watching it.
But is it gay? Because I’m not supporting media anymore, that depicts gays as anything other than abnormal and disgusting.
This show is just a good story about honor, heroism and friendship, pure medieval fantasy without any modern agendas. And I am surprised that those weird degenerate lunatics in Hollywood allowed something like this to be made.