When ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ opens with Dunk answering nature’s call behind a tree, it sets expectations quickly. Mud on boots, nerves, the ugly side of the life of a hedge knight, all have their time. However, even for a franchise that has a reputation for pushing boundaries, the new series found a limit it would not cross.
Such a choice speaks volumes about the creative priorities of the show. Although the premiere is tilted towards earthly humor to bring the story down to earth, the creators of the series deliberately chose to ensure that the jokes are purposeful, human, and character-driven, and not just used for shock value.
How ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Balanced Crude Humor
Showrunner Ira Parker recently told us that one of the ideas that the writers’ room did not make it through. The idea was historically correct and, in theory, unforgettable. Long trench latrines would be used by soldiers and travelers during a tournament, and occasionally ropes were attached to trees to assist people in squatting over the ditch.
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“They’re all out camping in the middle of nowhere, and back in the day, trough trenches were dug, and it was just a big long line. And there were also these things that were set up, like if you did it in the woods, there were ropes attached to trees so that you could lean back into a crouched squat-ish position over the top of this trench that was hopefully going downhill,” he told CBR.
The suggested scene would have involved Dunk and Egg talking as other people conducted their business around them until a rope broke and somebody fell into the mess. It was comic in theory, Parker said, but to watch it acted felt like overkill. For a show that wants laughs to reveal character rather than distract from it, that was a step too far. The decision to cut the scene was not about squeamishness, but more about tone.
Ira Parker On Why Earthy Humor Still Matters
The show does not give up on toilet humor even without that scraped scene. Parker has joked that there are only a handful of such gags across the entire season, and each one is tied to who Dunk is and how he experiences the world. “I only used like three poop jokes in this entire series,” Parker revealed. That style contributes to the reason why the opening of the premiere is met with a smile instead of an eye roll.
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The show is based on a low-born character who has to live in a world full of knights and lords. And the point of view is important. Life for the smallfolk is not elegant. Bodies get tired. Stomachs churn before big moments. Showing those details, even in slightly crude ways, brings a warmth and honesty that earlier Westeros stories often skipped. “What’s funnier than a fart? Come on, people. We don’t have to be so highbrow about everything all the time,” Parker joked.
The comedy does not diminish the cruelty. It lends it a human touch, and it provides the smallfold with deserved humanity. ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ demonstrates that it knows the distinction between being gritty and gratuitous. Eventually, the series balances itself out. It mocks the sloppiness of life without being too disrespectful. And there are occasions when what is not shown tells more about a story than any joke that makes it on screen.
