'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,' the latest 'Thrones' spinoff, is more muddy than magical

Cersei chose violence. Rhaenyra commandeered dragons. But the protagonist of HBO’s caller “Game of Thrones” spinoff, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”? Don’t expect vengeful wildfire oregon shouts of “Dracarys!” Wanna-be knight Dunk is earnest, gentle and enjoys sleeping nether the stars.

There are nary magic spells, dragons oregon large wars successful Dunk’s (Peter Claffey) timeline, which is acceptable astir 100 years earlier the events of “Game of Thrones,” and astir 7 decades aft 2022’s spinoff, “House of the Dragon.” But there’s inactive mud. Lots of mud, mixed with humor and guts, due to the fact that what’s Westeros if not a queasy swill of muck and bodily fluids? Here’s to consistency betwixt series.

But there’s a problem. It turns retired that sitting done scenes replete with diarrhea, snot, vomit and bashed brains isn’t each that tolerable without the payoff of royal feuds, sociopathic personalities, supernatural improvement and supra all, a communicative that promises to spell determination bigger.

Based connected the “Tales of Dunk and Egg,” novellas by writer George R.R. Martin (he wrote “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the caller bid that inspired “Game of Thrones”), “Knight,” premiering Sunday, takes a humble roadworthy into the realm, basing its communicative astir a simple, low-born wanderer who dreams of becoming a knight.

His communicative unfolds implicit six episodes that instrumentality spot implicit the people of a fewer days, which is rather a power from the immense timelines of “Game of Thrones ” and “House of the Dragon’s” debut seasons. The tighter scope and folksy attack — from a people with much spare acoustic guitar than sweeping orchestral numbers and an abundance of drab peasant rags implicit plush regal garb — is refreshing, astatine first.

Dunk, a.k.a. Ser Duncan the Tall, is simply a strapping but awkward young antheral with small assurance and fewer skills. We conscionable him upon the earthy decease of his mentor and adoptive parent, Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb). The aged antheral was a hedge knight, meaning helium wandered astir Westeros renting retired his protective services to monied houses and, occasionally, those successful need. One specified foundation lawsuit was young Dunk, whom the older knight saved from a thief’s weapon earlier taking connected the lad arsenic his squire.

Now connected his own, Dunk aspires to go a hedge knight too. On his mode to beryllium himself astatine a jousting tournament, helium meets a clever, bald-headed lad who calls himself Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). The kid is arsenic astute and cunning arsenic Dunk is heavy and guileless. They repetition past erstwhile the kid becomes the wanna-be knight’s squire, and unneurotic they hole for a lucifer that Dunk is wholly unsuited to win.

Created by Ira Parker, successful conjunction with Martin (“Game of Thrones” co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss had nary involvement), “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is simply a David and Goliath story, with a somewhat predictable outcome.

Granted, thing volition ever beryllium arsenic grandiose, addictive and astonishing arsenic the phantasy beingness that brought america White Walkers, the Red Queen and the Faceless Man, but to propulsion retired the magical realism, past capable the gaps with Dunk’s sincerity and honor-above-skill ethos is not a winning strategy.

One of the much palmy aspects of the bid is the show of Ansell arsenic Egg. The lad squire shines agleam successful the different drab surrounds of the tourney campgrounds. His wits and ingenuity versus the knights’ brutality and unit is simply a worthy match.

Nevertheless, the bloodiest forms of combat determine the time astatine the tourney, beryllium it by mace, conflict ax oregon bludgeon. The gore passim this play is connected par with immoderate of the much convulsive and ferocious scenes from erstwhile HBO bid acceptable successful Martin’s world. But without the anticipation of a communicative that rises supra Dunk’s slog connected the ground, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” stays stuck successful the mud.