The pilot episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms brings familiar audiences back to a smaller, calmer Westeros while simultaneously grounding new viewers in a tangible, breathing world. In isolation, the pilot tells the tale of a squire, Dunk, burying his mentor, the knight Ser Arlan. From there, Dunk makes his way to a jousting tournament (or “tourney”), meeting a mysterious, ambitious, bald young boy at a nearly-empty tavern. A bulk of the episode is contained within the tourney, as Dunk interacts with the numerous people who populate the more down-to-earth side of Westeros. Dunk spends his time trying to find someone to vouch for his Knighthood, as that is his only way to participate, which he navigates clumsily, given his awkwardness and fear. While he struggles to find a Lord to validate him, he finds himself in the tent of Lyonel Baratheon, who serves as the show’s first introduction to some of the larger-than-life people of the world. The episode concludes with Egg, the boy from the tavern, roasting a fish at the tree Dunk chose for sleeping. Dunk, now “Ser Duncan the Tall,” allows Egg to squire for him. Finally, they see a shooting star, which Egg says is a sign of good luck. 

Throughout this introductory episode, two major stylistic choices shine through. Firstly, there is incredible attention given to the ordinary people of Westeros, such as the woman at the tavern or the patrons at Lyonel Baratheon’s table. Secondly, beyond the expected banter of the cheeky Egg and gullible Dunk, the episode utilizes comedic editing and visual gags, such as flashbacks to Dunk’s upbringing with Ser Arlan or Lyonel’s unhinged dancing. With extremely consistent cinematography, excellent sound design, and a surplus of interesting characters, the comedy stands out as the most hit-or-miss aspect of the episode. More specifically, while the visuals, sound, and content of the episode are married perfectly, some jokes feel less seamlessly integrated, while others seem like they only exist for a quick laugh. That said, for every awkward joke, there is another bit of banter or facial expression (namely from Dunk) that works excellently. 

Beyond some of the comedy, this episode was extremely engaging. The locations and landscapes look beautiful and feel alive, with the constant sounds of fighting and shouting making for an incredibly immersive experience. These aesthetics are nothing, however, without the characters. All of the characters make the patient, contained, slower story all the more encapsulating. Dunk is a great character, but he would be much weaker if he didn’t bounce well off of Lyonel or other minor characters. Similarly, every named character would be far less interesting if they walked through an unpopulated tourney. Luckily, the pilot gives background characters a purpose and personality, laying the groundwork for a story that could, at any moment, elevate anyone to having more importance. The standout scene of the episode follows Dunk into a gorgeous puppet show, in which he locks eyes with the young puppeteer woman through the crowd. The only dragons featured in the episode, being charming, human-operated puppets, serve as an excellent encapsulation of this show being grounded in the ordinary, person-to-person dynamics of the rich, fascinating people of Westeros. 

Rating: 8/10