A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner addresses fans’ biggest complaint

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The new Game of Thrones series, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, has been well-received, but viewers have voiced one main concern during its first season. The show’s creator, Ira Parker, has now responded to this criticism.

Because of the Super Bowl, the fourth episode of the Game of Thrones prequel arrived a few days ahead of schedule, and it was another strong installment. The episode focused on the consequences of Dunk’s disobedience towards Aerion Targaryen and his realization of who Egg really is.

The latest episode was a huge hit, earning a 9.7/10 rating on IMDb. This is the highest score ever for “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” and places it among the top three highest-rated episodes in the entire “Game of Thrones” franchise, including episodes from “House of the Dragon.”

Even though the show is incredibly popular, only two episodes remain in its first season. Viewers have consistently commented since the beginning that the episodes are too short, but the creator, Parker, has explained the reasoning behind the shorter length.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner addresses runtime complaint

Ira Parker recently told GQ that when adapting George R.R. Martin’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, he prioritized staying true to the original Dunk and Egg stories. To do this, they decided to make each episode relatively short.

If you’re new to the show, the first season is based on the novella ‘The Hedge Knight’. Because the source material is relatively short, the initial run of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ only has six episodes, each lasting around 30 to 35 minutes.

Viewers have often said the show doesn’t feel long enough, and many believe it would have worked better as a complete release. However, Parker has stated that they’ve already maximized the content as much as possible.

The ‘Game of Thrones’ prequel has finally given fans what they’ve been desperate for…

— ScreenTime (@screentime) February 6, 2026

Much of the story focuses on Dunk’s thoughts and feelings – he’s a very troubled character. The book reveals a lot of what he’s worrying about internally, according to the author.

We were brainstorming how to turn this idea into a TV show – thinking about the setting, developing the characters’ thoughts and feelings, and generally fleshing out the whole world of the story. We were even questioning if it was possible to adapt it for television.

Parker explained that the team appreciated HBO’s willingness to adjust the length and scope of the show. He’d initially worried they’d be required to make ten hour-long episodes, similar to other shows like Game of Thrones, but HBO was accommodating.

He explained that the show’s six 30-minute episodes allow for a concise and enjoyable experience. He hopes the show is just the right length, making it even more pleasurable for viewers.

George R.R. Martin wanted a faithful adaptation 

George R.R. Martin apparently used the term “faithful adaptation” repeatedly when the show was first being discussed.

Parker explained that the fan, who loves ‘The Hedge Knight’ and its characters, feels a strong connection to the books. Parker shared that he understood why, as he also greatly enjoyed them after reading them and wanted to ensure the TV adaptation did them justice.

I enjoyed the stories and how they were told. We all seemed to agree on the approach. The main question then became how to complete the series.

These stories are quite short, even for novellas. For example, the first edition of ‘The Hedge Knight’ was only about 84 pages long.

However, Parker already knew the show would be around 30 minutes long, even before speaking with Martin. HBO had already decided on that format.

It helped – well, I wouldn’t exactly say I convinced him, but I managed to get George to see that this could work as a good television series. He was worried that the story wouldn’t be long enough to fill that format, and that adapting it faithfully wouldn’t allow for enough content.

Once we realized HBO wasn’t going to rush things, we could really enjoy the creative process. That meant we could spend more time exploring the world of Westeros and developing the characters of Dunk and Egg, and especially their connection with each other.

In Season 1, we’re expanding the roles of some characters who will become key players in the upcoming conflicts – specifically, those involved in the trial. For example, Lyonel Baratheon will have a significantly larger presence in the show than in the books, where he only has a brief line right before the trial begins.

Much of the writing process felt organic and flowed easily. We stayed true to the core story and avoided unnecessary detours or subplots involving Dunk and Egg. Our goal was to create something that read as if George R.R. Martin himself had written a 300-page novel.

Don’t worry if you’re disappointed that A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is ending soon! Season 2 has been confirmed and will be based on the second book in the Dunk and Egg series, ‘The Sworn Sword’.

While we don’t have a specific date yet, the new release is expected in 2027. In the meantime, you can catch the fifth episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, February 15, 2026.

While you wait, check out our guides to the Blackfyres, the reason there are no dragons in the show, a breakdown of the Seven Kingdoms, and a list of new shows streaming this month.

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2026-02-09 13:50