‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Showrunner Admits This Book Change Was a “Mistake”

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I’m absolutely loving HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, and so are a lot of other fans! Episode four was just incredible – many are saying it’s the best one yet. It actually got a 9.7 on IMDB, which is amazing! It’s the highest-rated episode in the whole Game of Thrones universe since ‘The Spoils of War’ way back in season seven.

A major reason viewers enjoy the series is its faithfulness to George R.R. Martin’s books. Martin has consistently emphasized the need to remain true to his original story, and the show has largely succeeded in doing so.

Ira Parker, the creator of the show, recently confessed to one error in how the story was adapted for the screen. He revealed this during a question-and-answer session on Reddit, where a fan inquired about a scene from George R.R. Martin’s book, The Hedge Knight, that wasn’t included.

The scene features Dunk, played by Peter Claffey, and the blacksmith Steely Pate (Youssef Kerkour). As Dunk travels to a joust expecting to lose, he’s surprised when common people treat him with respect. He asks Steely Pate, puzzled, why they admire him. Steely Pate simply replies, “A knight who remembered his vows.”

A fan commented that many readers see this moment as the heart and central message of the story. They felt its power came from happening when the character was at their lowest, and noted it was a surprising choice considering how closely the adaptation otherwise followed the original novella.

Parker readily acknowledged the error. He explained, “To be honest, it was my mistake. I’ve made mistakes on this show before, and I probably will again. That scene was originally in the script, but it was removed. I agree that the idea of ‘a knight who keeps his promises’ is central to the story, and I believe that remains true for the show, even though I foolishly omitted this scene. It might not be stated directly, but Dunk’s behavior hasn’t changed.”

Fans praised Parker for being so open and truthful. One person on Reddit commented, “Your honesty is really refreshing.”

In a recent interview with THR, Parker shared details about the second season of the show. He confirmed it will still have six episodes, and explained that while the budget remains the same, rising costs due to inflation are presenting challenges. Additionally, because the second book is set during a drought, filming can’t take place in Belfast as it did in season one. They’ll need to find a sunny, dry location, which will add to the production costs. Despite these hurdles, Parker expressed excitement about the new season, stating it will be different and, hopefully, an improvement over the first.

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2026-02-11 22:22