I watched all of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms — and the new HBO Max show is the triumphant underdog tale that HBO's Game of Thrones franchise needs

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms finally introduces two beloved characters from George R.R. Martin's popular high-fantasy universe to a wider audience – and their live-action debuts have been worth the wait. A classic soul-stirring story about overcoming adversity that's also as faithful an adaptation as you're ever likely to see, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms makes HBO's Game of Thrones universe all the better for having the fan-favorite pair in it.

Light spoilers follow for all six episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

HBO's Game of Thrones (GoT) franchise could use a boost right now. The eponymous show's incredibly divisive finale is still being discussed to this day, and while House of the Dragon's (HotD) first season repaired some of the damage its forebear's last-ever episode caused, its most recent eight-part installment was similarly not without criticism for ...