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  4. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms becomes the highest-rated first season of any Game of Thrones show on Rotten Tomatoes

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By Lauren Milici published 21 January 2026

And rightfully so

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Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell as Dunk and Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms
(Image credit: HBO)
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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms now holds the record for highest-rated first season of any Game of Thrones show on Rotten Tomatoes – and we're so happy for Dunk and Egg.

The spin-off series sits at a whopping 95% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, compared to Game of Thrones season 1 and House of the Dragon season 1, which both hold a 90%. Originally titled A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight, the series is based on George R.R. Martin's Dunk and Egg novella series and follows the adventures of Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).

Dunk, who was once a squire himself, is determined to be a great knight and decides to enter a tourney to prove himself. Egg is a sweet little bald boy who wants nothing more than to be Dunk's squire... but there's more to Egg than meets the eye, and Dunk finds himself face to face with the Targaryen dynasty. It's also worth mentioning that it takes place some 100 years before the events of Game of Thrones, and is therefore absent of any and all dragons.

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  • Peter Claffey and Dexter Sol Ansell as Dunk and Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms reviews call the Game of Thrones spin-off "charming", "cheeky", and the best visit to Westeros in nearly 10 years

Because the book series consists of three novellas in total, there are three seasons planned thus far – and the early success of the show bodes well for renewal.

For more, check out our A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms release schedule, or see our A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms review for our spoiler-free verdict on the whole show.

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Lauren Milici
Lauren Milici
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Senior Entertainment Writer

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ based in New York City. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.

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