A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is only a few months away, and fans of the Game of Thrones saga are certainly hoping for this show to avoid the same mistakes that the original series made. With only six episodes and a straightforward story, this should be an easy endeavor.
The hit 2011 fantasy show captured the audience’s hearts worldwide, and that’s the same goal the upcoming spinoff aims to achieve. Based on George R.R. Martin’s Tales of Dunk and Egg, this new project will offer a fresh take on Westeros.
Below is a list of major errors Game of Thrones committed that HBO should avoid in its new series:
1. Rushing Characters’ Arcs In Favor of Shock Value
Everyone will agree that Daenerys’ descent into madness felt unearned. It’s not entirely impossible for this to happen due to the Targaryen family’s in-breeding practices, but the story needed more time to sow the seeds.
Game of Thrones lasted for eight seasons, yet it failed to establish this. This is now the challenge for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. Martin said that the new series is character-driven, so viewers will be expecting to see an in-depth exploration of Dunk and Egg.
2. Introducing An Important Subplot, But Later Forgetting About It
Remember the Faceless Men? It turns out Arya’s training in Braavos did not have any significant impact on her mission towards the end of the show. No one heard from the organization anymore after the character left the place.
It’s a shame because it’s one of the most fascinating subplots. Since the upcoming spinoff will only have a limited number of episodes, it’s unlikely that it will spend time on secondary storylines.
Showrunner Ira Parker previously confirmed that the series will mainly focus on Dunk and Egg, and it should stay that way until the season finale.
3. Altering Character Appearances and Personalities
The characters in Game of Thrones had iconic appearances, but some of them weren’t book-accurate. While this can be blamed on the budget, the show cannot say the same for altering personalities. Case in point: Euron Greyjoy. He was supposed to be the big, bad villain aiming for eldritch power.
Since Martin revealed he’s satisfied with the episodes he had seen, the new series most likely adapted the characters’ personalities. Without dragons and epic battles, the upcoming HBO show should be able to afford accuracy.
4. Deviating From The Source Material to GRRM’s Frustration
Martin’s biggest problem with Game of Thrones is the fact that the showrunners wanted to make it their own story. From omitting Lady Stoneheart to making a consensual consummation an assault scene, the show took several creative liberties and became a separate entity from the books.
The massive backlash endured by the original series should serve as a lesson for HBO when adapting books to screen. Hopefully, there will be no major modifications in storylines in the spinoff.
5. Overusing Gratuitous N*dity and Graphic Violence
It’s no secret that Game of Thrones oozes with so many raunchy scenes, and its overreliance on showing skin and depicting violence against women has become problematic enough to earn the disapproval of the audience.
Since the story of Tales of Dunk and Egg is set in the lower rim of Westeros, it is expected that there might be portrayals of sensitive content. Instead of giving focus to these, the spinoff should keep the spotlight on the main plot.
6. Not Paying Attention to The Production Set
Remember that coffee cup blunder in one of the scenes from Game of Thrones? It’s a small mistake compared to the others mentioned above, but for some reason, it’s the most embarrassing.
The staff of HBO’s upcoming show will need to be more vigilant this time and make sure no coffee cups or any modern material accidentally teleport to Westeros lands!
Rotten TomatoesIMDb89%9.2/10
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Game of Thrones is currently available to watch on HBO Max. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms will premiere on HBO in January 2026 (USA).
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
