A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ just proved ‘Game of Thrones’ is back with the best show episode of the year so far

Even better, it’s arrived on HBO Max a few days early

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(Image credit: Steffan Hill/HBO)

“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” didn’t exactly start with an all-time great episode. It was good, but the series premiere was nowhere near as memorable as the “Game of Thrones” show it spun off from. I’d argue that even “Winter Is Coming,” the series premiere of the original show, was far better and left a more lasting impression. So, it was fair to wonder if this six-episode season of mere half-hour(ish) episodes would ever reach the highs of its predecessor. Especially since, arguably, the other spin-off, “House of the Dragon,” has largely failed to do so.

But with today’s surprisingly early episode, “Seven,” which HBO moved up on HBO Max from Sunday to today (Friday) to avoid airing against Super Bowl 2026, we finally have this show’s first prestige moment. Is “Seven” as good as “Baelor,” or “Blackwater”? Perhaps not, but it’s a masterpiece nonetheless that deserves to be spoken of in the same conversation. It’s the first truly memorable moment this show has had, and it’s also the best episode of any show that I’ve seen all year so far.

Malcolm has been with Tom’s Guide since 2022 and thinks that reading A Wiki of Ice and Fire might be better than reading George R.R. Martin’s books.

Spoilers ahead for “Seven,” episode 104 of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”

‘Seven’ feels like an episode of ‘Game of Thrones’

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Up to this point, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” had dabbled with being like its predecessor, but it had intentionally tried to be something different. There was less sex, a bit less violence and more (literal) potty humor. But one thing the show managed to replicate was the focus on men talking in rooms, even if the rooms were sometimes outside and the men were sometimes women.

But those moments of men talking in rooms were always building to something more. Those scenes were there to craft tension between parties until it had no choice but to boil over epically.

That is what we got in “Seven.” We finally got the moment where the tension building all season can no longer be contained. Aerion’s decision to opt for a Trial of the Seven rather than simply trial by combat is the first truly stunning moment of the season.

And when Baelor reveals himself to defend Dunk against his fellow Targaryens, that is this show’s moment that will live on. It’s the moment this show finally declared itself a peer to “Game of Thrones” and not just its little sibling, and “Seven” will now be discussed in the same breath as “Baelor,” Blackwater” and “Hardhome.” And just to drive that point home, the showrunners hit us with the “Game of Thrones” theme right as Baelor declares his allegiance, right before we cut to black.

Verdict: This is the moment ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ became must-see TV

Of course, now we have to get to the trial itself. But after watching “Seven,” you’ll now be eagerly awaiting the next episode of “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.” You’ll no longer be debating if this show is worth your time; it’s now earned your Sunday night appointment viewing.

Or, at least, that’s where I’m at now. After what’s already been a pretty good to great first three episodes, this show just delivered a masterpiece. For that, it now has my attention for good, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

“Seven” (“A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms,” season 1, episode 4) final rating: 5 out of 5 stars