The Game of Thrones Metacritic score roughly matches that of AKOTSK Season 1

Most of us are still reeling from the fifth episode of Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. In true Game of Thrones tradition, the final episode proved to be the most exciting – and bloodiest. While the first season isn't over yet, it's given us all a chance to see what this spin-off is capable of, and fans are definitely happy with what they've seen so far.

In fact, viewers are loving Knight of the Seven Kingdoms so much that it is already close to taking the Game of Thrones crown. Over on Metacritic, the show currently holds a score of 8.9/10. That's just a few points off Game of Thrones, which sits at 9.2/10 — a feat accomplished after eight seasons.

Can a Knight of the Seven Kingdoms take the Game of Thrones crown?

As many have pointed out, A Night of the Seven Kingdoms is off to such a good start that one of its episodes is already in the top five of all A Song of Ice and Fire adaptations. Previously, all episodes in the top five were from Game of Thrones, with no episodes from the first spin-off House of the Dragon.

Now, in the fifth place, we have the latest episode, in the name of mother. This is despite some concerns over Dunk's childhood-filled flashbacks—a decision that, in my humble opinion, elevated the fight scenes, rather than detracting from them. (This episode should rank above Game of Thrones' Battle of the Bastards for this reason, but I may be alone in that opinion…)

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Ser Duncan the Tall

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George RR Martin explains why Knight of the Seven Kingdoms exists in the first place

Martin reflected on his career in a recent interview.

Right now, the Knight of the Seven Kingdoms hype shows no signs of slowing down. Each episode has been better received than the last, and while next week is unlikely to be action-packed, it will round off a story that viewers have clearly enjoyed. A second season has already been confirmed, and the showrunners have plenty of source material to work with.

Meanwhile, House of the Dragon returns to our screens for its third season at some point this year. So far, it hasn't delivered as many fan-favorite episodes as its sister shows, but based on Metacritic, it seems likely that viewers value big battles and dramatic plot twists over intimate character moments. With that in mind, season three will depict the Civil War in full effect, which may resonate even more with viewers.