A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has breathed new life into the Game of Thrones TV universe, but one major complaint has emerged throughout the course of its debut season so far – and it’s something showrunner Ira Parker has now addressed.
Episode 4 of the Game of Thrones prequel dropped a couple of days early due to the Superbowl this past weekend, and it was another winner, centering on the fallout of Dunk’s defiance against Aerion Targaryen and his discovery of Egg’s true identity.
The episode was so well-received that it scored 9.7 out of 10 on IMDb, the highest rating for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and in the top three episodes in Game of Thrones TV history, including House of the Dragon.
Despite its widespread popularity, there are only two episodes left to go in its debut season. Fans have made it known since the premiere that they feel the runtimes are too short, but Parker has explained why it needed to be this way.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms showrunner addresses runtime complaint
In a new interview with GQ, Ira Parker was asked about his discussions with author George R.R. Martin over A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, saying he wanted it to remain faithful to the Dunk and Egg novellas. To achieve this, they had to keep the episodes short.
For the uninitiated, Season 1 of the show adapts ‘The Hedge Knight’, which itself is a short book. As such, there are just six episodes in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ debut run, each averaging approximately 30 to 35 minutes each.
Fans of the show have repeatedly complained that it feels too short, with many suggesting it should have been released in one go. But Parker has explained that it’s already a stretch as it is.
“A lot of that [‘The Hedge Knight’] is Dunk’s internal monologue as one of the angstiest characters in Westeros. There’s a lot happening up there that he’s worried about,” he said.
“Trying to figure out where we were going to – first of all, get out a little bit of that inner monologue, fill out this world and the color of this world, how to make it into a TV show. Can this even be a TV show?”
Parker said the team found it helpful that HBO was so flexible in regard to runtime and span, having initially been concerned he’d have to craft 10 hour-long episodes like other Game of Thrones shows.
“But the fact that we can do six episodes for 30 minutes a pop allows us to be more compact and deliver something which is just a treat. Hopefully, it doesn’t overstay its welcome and makes it all the more enjoyable,” he continued.
George R.R. Martin wanted a faithful adaptation
During the initial conversations about the show, George R.R. Martin reportedly mentioned the phrase “faithful adaptation” multiple times.
“He loves ‘The Hedge Knight’, and he loves these characters. These books are very important for him. He wanted them to be reflected well in a TV show, which was easy for me, because after coming to and reading these books, I very much agree with that,” Parker said.
“I like these stories as they are presented. I like the tone in which they are presented. We were of the same mind. The rest was, ‘Where are we going to fill out this series?’
“Obviously, these novellas are quite slim, even as novellas go, perhaps. I think the original publication of ‘Hedge Knight’ was something like 84 pages.”
That being said, even before going to Martin, Parker knew that the series would follow a 30-minute structure. “HBO had offered that up already,” he added.
“It made it easier to – [laughs] I don’t want to say convince, but sort of convince George that this could be done as a television series [and done] well. One of his big concerns with this being a faithful adaptation is that it just does not stretch out to that level.
“Him knowing that HBO wasn’t going to force that – then we could just have fun. Then we can hang out in Westeros. We can get to know Dunk and Egg better and their relationship better.
“Season 1, we can introduce a little bit of our Trial-ers [of the Seven] before it comes to the main showdown. Lyonel Baratheon has a much bigger part in the show than in the book, where I think he has one line right before the trial.
“A lot of that was very natural. It was very easy. We weren’t stretching. We weren’t doing any strange side quests with Dunk and Egg. We wrote it as if George had written a 300-page book.”
If you’re sad A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is nearly over, don’t fret, as Season 2 is officially in production and will adapt the second of the Dunk and Egg novellas, ‘The Sworn Sword’.
Although there’s no official release date, it’s set to drop some time in 2027. Until then, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Episode 5 airs on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, February 15, 2026.
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