Overview
- HBO moved the episode up by a few days to avoid competing with the Super Bowl, boosting same-week engagement.
- Episode 4 holds a 9.7/10 on IMDb, the highest of the season and among the top-rated hours in the Game of Thrones TV universe, according to multiple outlets.
- Critics highlight a powerful, small-scale centerpiece and a pivotal character turn, with the season sustaining a 95% Rotten Tomatoes critic score.
- Showrunner Ira Parker says Season 1 comprises six episodes of roughly 30–35 minutes to stay faithful to the short Dunk & Egg novellas.
- Parker notes Season 2 is already in production, even as some reviews question brief runtimes and occasional juvenile humor.