George R.R. Martin’s Favorite ‘Game of Thrones’ Series Is Officially the King of Streaming

3 days ago 11

Aerion Targaryen in armor in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

Published Oct 6, 2026, 7:45 PM EDT

Chris is a Senior News Writer for Collider. He can be found in an IMAX screen, with his eyes watering and his ears bleeding for his own pleasure. He joined the news team in 2022 and accidentally fell upwards into a senior position despite his best efforts.

For reasons unknown, he enjoys analyzing box office receipts, giant sharks, and has become known as the go-to man for all things Bosch, Mission: Impossible and Christopher Nolan in Collider's news division. Recently, he found himself yeehawing along to the Dutton saga on the Yellowstone Ranch.

He is proficient in sarcasm, wit, Photoshop and working unfeasibly long hours. Amongst his passions sit the likes of the history of the Walt Disney Company, the construction of theme parks, steam trains and binge-watching Gilmore Girls with a coffee that is just hot enough to scald him.

His obsession with the Apple TV+ series Silo is the subject of mockery within the Senior News channel, where his feelings about Taylor Sheridan's work are enough to make his fellow writers roll their eyes.

Lots of fantasy shows are based around fire, blood, dragons, war, and all manner of adult subjects that make us cringe as much as they make us cheer, so when a show set in a world that includes all of those provides you with a simple and wholesome story, it's a lovely surprise. After dragons, dynasties, civil wars, and enough Targaryen family drama to make you want to become a hermit and avoid your own Aunt and Uncle who are probably actually doing the funky dragon, HBO’s latest return to Westeros took a smaller road.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is continuing to smash all expectations HBO Max, ranking among the service’s top 2026 titles and remaining in top ten lists months after its January debut. FlixPatrol has already listed the series as one of HBO Max’s biggest titles of the year, while the show has also continued appearing in Top 10 rankings in several markets, including Germany, where it ranked No. 5 on HBO Max’s October chart after spending ages in the Top 10.

What Is 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' About?

The series is based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg novellas and follows Ser Duncan the Tall, known as Dunk, and his young squire Egg, who is secretly a Targaryen prince. Set long before the events of Game of Thrones, the story offers a more intimate view of Westeros, trading palace-wide bloodshed for wandering-knight adventure, moral tests, and the early shadows of larger conflicts still to come.

Collider's Therese Lacson wasn't a fan of the series, criticizing it for its lack of stakes, action, and female characters, in her review. She noted that, given the novellas the series are based on stop after three, continuing the story in a cohesive manner would be an issue, citing the problems with Game of Thrones beyond Season 5.

The cast includes Peter Claffey (Bad Sisters) as Ser Duncan the Tall, Dexter Sol Ansell (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) as Egg, Finn Bennett (True Detective: Night Country) as Aerion Targaryen, Bertie Carvel (The Crown) as Baelor Targaryen, Tanzyn Crawford (Tiny Beautiful Things) as Tanselle, Daniel Ings (The Gentlemen) as Ser Lyonel Baratheon, and Sam Spruell (The North Water) as Maekar Targaryen.