A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Review: Discovering Westeros on 123movies
I spend most of my days as a freelance graphic designer, which basically means I am tethered to a dual-monitor setup in a small apartment in Bristol, nursing a lukewarm cup of coffee while I wait for massive files to export. When you spend ten hours a day staring at vectors and color palettes, your brain starts to crave a different kind of visual stimulation once the sun goes down. I’ve always been a fan of the sprawling epics like the original Game of Thrones, but after the high-stakes political maneuvering of House of the Dragon, I was looking for something that felt a bit more grounded and perhaps a little more human. I didn't want to see a hundred dragons burning down a city; I wanted to see a story that felt like it had some dirt under its fingernails.
I actually discovered the show on 123movies while procrastinating on a set of logos for a local bakery late one Tuesday night. I had seen a few snippets of Peter Claffey looking absolutely massive in a suit of armor and realized that the "Tales of Dunk and Egg" adaptation was finally out. I wasn’t sure if I was ready to commit to another long-running fantasy series, but as soon as I started the first episode, I realized this wasn't the typical Westeros experience. It felt earthy, intimate, and surprisingly funny. It was the perfect companion for my late-night rendering sessions, providing a sense of adventure that felt much more personal than the "end of the world" stakes we usually see in the A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on 123Movies.
A Hedgehog in the Game of Thrones
The series, which premiered in January 2026, is a breath of fresh air because it ignores the Iron Throne for a while. Instead, it focuses on Ser Duncan the Tall, or "Dunk" as he is affectionately known. He is a hedge knight—a knight without a lord, a horse-mounted wanderer who sleeps under the stars and tries to find work wherever he can. The show starts in a very somber, quiet way, with Dunk burying his mentor, Ser Arlan of Pennytree. There is something profoundly moving about watching this giant of a man grapple with the sudden responsibility of being a knight when he clearly feels like an impostor. He takes Arlan’s armor and his sword, heading toward a tournament at Ashford to win some coin and prove that he belongs in the company of heroes.
Unlike the previous series, the stakes here are remarkably low, and that is exactly why it works. Dunk isn't trying to save the world; he is just trying to find a way to enter a jousting competition and maybe buy some salt beef. The show embraces the "smaller" side of George R.R. Martin's world. There are no dragons in sight, even though the Targaryens are very much in power. It’s a world of mud, traveling puppeteers, and local blacksmiths. This "lower angle" perspective gives us a look at how the common people live while the high-born lords play their dangerous games.
Meeting the Tall and the Small
The heart of the show is the relationship between Dunk and his unexpected squire, a bald, know-it-all kid named Egg. When they first meet at an inn, Egg is essentially a runaway, and Dunk has no interest in taking on a child. However, the chemistry between Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell is magic. Claffey, who used to be a professional rugby player, brings a physical sincerity to Dunk that is impossible to fake. He looks like he could crush a helmet with his bare hands, yet he has these kind, expressive eyes that betray his constant self-doubt.
Dexter Sol Ansell is equally impressive as Egg. For an eleven-year-old, he carries a massive amount of weight on his shoulders, especially given the secret royal identity his character is hiding. Watching them bicker while traveling through the Mourne Mountains is the highlight of every episode. Egg is clearly the brains of the operation, often correcting Dunk on his etiquette or history, while Dunk provides the muscle and the moral compass. They are an improbable pair, but you find yourself wanting to watch them do nothing but wander through the woods forever.
Key Cast & Crew
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Creator and Showrunner: Ira Parker
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Executive Producer: George R.R. Martin
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Lead Actor: Peter Claffey as Ser Duncan the Tall
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Lead Actor: Dexter Sol Ansell as Aegon "Egg" Targaryen
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Supporting Actor: Sam Spruell as Prince Maekar Targaryen
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Supporting Actor: Finn Bennett as Prince Aerion Targaryen
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Supporting Actor: Bertie Carvel as Prince Baelor Breakspear
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Director: Owen Harris and Sarah Adina Smith
The Muddy Road to Ashford
The plot of the first season follows the novella "The Hedge Knight" quite closely. Once Dunk reaches Ashford, he realizes that being a knight is more about paperwork and social status than it is about bravery. He struggles to find someone to vouch for his knighthood because he was never officially dubbed by a lord. This leads to some incredibly tense and awkward interactions with the Targaryen princes, who are visiting the tournament. Some of these Targaryens are honorable, like Baelor Breakspear, while others are absolute nightmares, like the cruel and arrogant Aerion Brightflame.
One of the most talked-about scenes in the early episodes isn't a battle at all, but a very human moment where Dunk is dealing with a bout of explosive illness behind a tree while pondering his destiny. It’s that kind of crude, grounded humor that sets this show apart. It reminds you that these characters are real people living in a world without modern medicine or plumbing. When the violence does eventually break out—usually sparked by Aerion’s dishonorable behavior—it feels much more visceral because we’ve spent so much time with the characters in their quieter moments. The "Trial by Seven" that concludes the season is one of the most well-choreographed and emotionally draining sequences I’ve seen in years.
Essential Show Details
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Premiere Date: January 18, 2026
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Episode Count: 6 episodes in Season 1
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Filming Location: Northern Ireland (Titanic Studios and the Mourne Mountains)
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Based on: Tales of Dunk and Egg by George R.R. Martin
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Network: HBO and HBO Max
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Genre: Fantasy Drama / Comedy-Drama
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Running Time: 31–42 minutes per episode
Why This Smaller Scale Works
There is a certain "Mandalorian" energy to this show. It’s about a man in armor traveling with a mysterious child, moving from one location to the next. By stripping away the epic battles and the complex family trees, showrunner Ira Parker has allowed us to focus on the themes of honor and mentorship. We get to see what it actually means to be a "true knight" in a world that is often cruel and unfair. Dunk isn't a brilliant strategist or a master politician; he’s just a guy trying to do the right thing when it would be much easier to keep his head down.
The production design also deserves a shout-out. Filming in Northern Ireland was a brilliant move, as it recaptures the look of the early seasons of Game of Thrones. The environments feel lived-in and gray, exactly as they should. Using real locations like Glenarm Castle and Tollymore Forest Park gives the show a tactile quality that you just can't get with a green screen. You can almost feel the grit under Dunk’s fingernails and the cold wind biting at Egg’s bald head.
The Final Judgment
In the end, I think this is the best spinoff yet, and seeing it on 123movies has been a real treat for my quiet evenings. It doesn't demand that you remember the names of fifty different noble houses or the history of a dozen different wars. It just asks you to care about a giant man and a small boy trying to navigate a world that doesn't always have a place for them. If you want a grounded fantasy that prioritizes character over spectacle, you should definitely go watch it on https://123movies.soap2day.day/ right now.
The show has already been renewed for a second season, which is great news because I’m not ready to leave these characters behind. There is so much more of Westeros to see through their eyes, and I suspect that Dunk and Egg’s journey is only going to get more interesting as the stakes eventually begin to rise. For now, I’m happy to just sit back and watch them wander.