spinoff

Cersei chose violence. Rhaenyra commandeered dragons. But the protagonist of HBO’s new “Game of Thrones” spinoff, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms”? Don’t expect vengeful wildfire or shouts of “Dracarys!” Wanna-be knight Dunk is earnest, gentle and enjoys sleeping under the stars.

There are no magic spells, dragons or major wars in Dunk’s (Peter Claffey) timeline, which is set about 100 years before the events of “Game of Thrones,” and roughly seven decades after 2022’s spinoff, “House of the Dragon.” But there’s still mud. Lots of mud, mixed with blood and guts, because what’s Westeros if not a queasy swill of muck and bodily fluids? Here’s to consistency between series.

But there’s a problem. It turns out that sitting through scenes replete with diarrhea, snot, vomit and bashed brains isn’t all that tolerable without the payoff of royal feuds, sociopathic personalities, supernatural phenomenon and above all, a story that promises to go somewhere bigger.

Based on the “Tales of Dunk and Egg,” novellas by author George R.R. Martin (he wrote “A Song of Ice and Fire,” the novel series that inspired “Game of Thrones”), “Knight,” premiering Sunday, takes a humble road into the realm, basing its story around a simple, low-born wanderer who dreams of becoming a knight.

His story unfolds over six episodes that take place over the course of a few days, which is quite a switch from the vast timelines of “Game of Thrones ” and “House of the Dragon’s” debut seasons. The tighter scope and folksy approach — from a score with more spare acoustic guitar than sweeping orchestral numbers and an abundance of drab peasant rags over plush regal garb — is refreshing, at first.

Dunk, a.k.a. Ser Duncan the Tall, is a strapping but awkward young man with little confidence and few skills. We meet him upon the natural death of his mentor and adoptive parent, Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb). The old man was a hedge knight, meaning he wandered about Westeros renting out his protective services to monied houses and, occasionally, those in need. One such charity case was young Dunk, whom the older knight saved from a thief’s knife before taking on the boy as his squire.

Now on his own, Dunk aspires to become a hedge knight too. On his way to prove himself at a jousting tournament, he meets a clever, bald-headed boy who calls himself Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell). The child is as smart and cunning as Dunk is thick and guileless. They repeat history when the child becomes the wanna-be knight’s squire, and together they prepare for a match that Dunk is wholly unsuited to win.

Created by Ira Parker, in conjunction with Martin (“Game of Thrones” co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss had no involvement), “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” is a David and Goliath story, with a somewhat predictable outcome.

Granted, nothing will ever be as grandiose, addictive and surprising as the fantasy universe that brought us White Walkers, the Red Queen and the Faceless Man, but to pull out the magical realism, then fill the gaps with Dunk’s sincerity and honor-above-skill ethos is not a winning strategy.

One of the more successful aspects of the series is the performance of Ansell as Egg. The boy squire shines bright in the otherwise drab surrounds of the tourney campgrounds. His wits and ingenuity versus the knights’ brutality and violence is a worthy match.

Nevertheless, the bloodiest forms of combat decide the day at the tourney, be it by mace, battle ax or bludgeon. The gore throughout this drama is on par with some of the more violent and ferocious scenes from previous HBO series set in Martin’s world. But without the possibility of a story that rises above Dunk’s slog on the ground, “A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms” stays stuck in the mud.

Fans of The Traitors are searching for answers over the show’s new twist – the Secret Traitor. But viewers think they may have spotted a massive blunder in the background of The Traitors: Uncloaked

Eagle-eyed Traitors fans are convinced they have sussed out who the secret traitor is, after an apparent blunder on spin-off show Uncloaked. With the most recent season of The Traitors starting on New Year’s Day, the format was switched up slightly by BBC bosses, who added in a ‘secret traitor’, as well as the three traitors as usual.

But when fans were watching The Traitors: Uncloaked, they spotted what some thought was a blunder on the show’s behalf. Clocking the photos on the wall behind the hosts, one X user wrote: “Why are the 3 traitors pictured on the wall…..with Harriet.”

Another added: “Spoiler: The portraits of the traitors are in the background of #traitorsuncloaked…. Plus an additional one. Harriet the secret traitor! #TheTraitorsUK #Traitors”

READ MORE: Unmasked star of The Traitors reveals mistakes he made which led to downfall in first interview

A third posted: “Have Uncloaked revealed the identity of the Secret Traitor already?… Imagine though, what a plot twist!? #TheTraitorsUK #TheTraitors”. Although it’s unlikely the producers would make a mistake so obvious, fans are so desperate to crack the puzzle, they are getting “suspicious” over anything – including contestants’ handwriting and choice of words.

During a confessional, psychologist Ellie said she was hesitant as she didn’t want people to think she is the “Secret Traitor”, leading fans to question how she knew those words if the Faithfuls are unaware of this year’s twist. In the interview room, Ellie said: “People will question whether you are sitting and watching as a kind of Secret Traitor…”

Picking up on her choice of words, one fan asked: “Anyone notice Ellie talking in the interview room and saying ‘people will question whether you are sitting & watching as a kind of secret traitor’.”

Another added: “Ellie saying ‘don’t want to look like a secret traitor’ as a faithful who don’t know about a secret traitor??? Suspicious wording.” And a third agreed: “Ellie saying ‘thinking I’m some secret traitor’, why would you say secret and not just traitor unless it’s on your mind?”

Host Claudia Winkleman introduced the new twist to the show on January 1, revealing that for the first time, there would be a fourth traitor, who is unknown to everyone – including traitors and viewers. This secret traitor, who is awarded a scarlet cloak, would call the shots, picking a shortlist of three people that the other traitors could murder.

Speculation is rife among fans, with everyone dying to know who the new secret traitor could be. Last night’s episode (January 3) saw tensions only rise among the traitors, with viewers almost witnessing the uncloaking of the secret traitor.

After Hugo was betrayed by fellow traitor Stephen, the first traitor was banished. The remaining two were set a secret mission that could help them uncover the identity of the secret traitor.

Stephen and Rachel had to highlight the family tree of players with red ink, saying who could be murdered. If they marked nine names, they would not only get to murder a player that evening, but they would also meet the secret traitor.

They succeeded in their mission, but not before almost giving themselves away to Reece. As such, that night, the secret traitor made their way to the traitors’ turret.

But with the credits rolling, viewers will have to wait until at least Wednesday 7 January to find out who it is. That’s if the show reveals it at all.

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READ MORE: Hours remain to grab Amazon’s Fire TV Stick at better than half-price

The Stranger Things finale included a few Easter Eggs, but only one is the real clue to what The Duffer Brothers’ new spin-off will be about.

The finale episode of Stranger Things has arrived and fans are already picking it apart to find clues for an upcoming spin-off. Since the finale aired on Netflix last week, The Duffer Brothers have confirmed which Easter Egg viewers should look out for that will be an important clue to the series they do next.

One popular fan theory, which had been quickly gaining traction, was that Hopper and Joyce would have their own show when they move to Montauk, a real town that partially served as the inspiration behind the creepy experiments we see in Stranger Things.

However, in an interview with Deadline, The Duffer Brothers clarified that this was simply a cheeky Easter Egg about Stranger Things’ original name, as it had originally been a supernatural drama called Montauk back in 2015 before the location was changed to the fictional Hawkins, Indiana.

“There’s no Montauk spinoff,” Ross Duffer confirmed. “That was more of a wink to the fans, deep-cut fans that know that the show started as Montauk.”

However, fans who had been to see Stranger Things spin-off play The First Shadow on London’s West End spotted a few other Easter Eggs in the finale, with Henry Creel’s origin story reportedly being a crucial clue to the real spin-off.

During the season 5 finale, we learn Henry found a rock inside a scientist’s brief case that gave him powers and connected him to The Mind Flayer. This adds more context to the play, as The First Shadow previously revealed he went missing in the desert and came back changed by what he found there.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Matt Duffer confirmed: “I’ve been pinned down and forced to blow this already, so I might as well tell you. There’s lingering questions about the rock and where the rock came from [in Henry’s story in the finale] and the scientist and all of that.

“Because we had said that there is something in the finale that is going to connect to the spinoff. The spinoff is not about rocks or mining the rocks, but I would say that’s the loose end that’s not that’s not tied up that will be tied up.”

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He went on to explain that there would be “an entirely new mythology” but that the spin-off “does connect and will answer some of the lingering questions”, adding: “It’s not specifically about the Mind Flayer or the Upside Down, but hopefully it provides some answers to that at least those lingering questions related to Henry’s memory.”

The show creators also told Variety that they would start working on the spin-off from Monday, January 5, with Matt revealing: “You don’t understand. My favorite part of the show is working on it. It’s not releasing it — that’s just stressful, no matter how it goes when you release it.

“It’s maybe my least favorite part of the process. I like the creative part. I like making it. So, we’re actually really excited, and it’s very exciting to work with a clean slate: completely new characters, new town, new world, new mythology.”

As well as the new spin-off, an animated series featuring the original Stranger Things characters has also already been confirmed. It will be called Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 and is reportedly set to come out some time in 2026.

Stranger Things seasons 1 to 5 are available to stream in full on Netflix now.

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The Duffer Brothers have teased more details about their upcoming spin-off following Stranger Things’ epic finale

Warning – this article contains major spoilers for the Stranger Things finale

Stranger Things creators Ross and Matt Duffer have confirmed a popular fan theory about the Netflix show’s upcoming spin-off isn’t true.

The hit supernatural drama set in the 1980s concluded with an epic finale on Thursday (1st January) that brought an end to the Hawkins gang’s battle against Vecna (played by Jamie Campbell Bower) and the Upside Down.

During the epilogue, after a terrifying encounter with the Mind Flayer on Dimension X and an emotional farewell to Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), we see where many of our favourite characters end up 18 months later.

After five seasons, Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) finally get to sit down for a romantic dinner at Enzo’s, where Hopper proposes.

Joyce, of course, says yes, and they enjoy a swoon-worthy dance with some magical backing vocals that set audience hearts a-flutter all across the globe.

During the date, Hopper also suggests a move away from Hawkins after a friend in New York tipped him off to a position for chief of police opening up in Montauk.

Not only would it give Stranger Things’ fan-favourite couple a chance at a fresh start, but fans were also quick to guess that the haven in Long Island could be the perfect setting for the series’ confirmed spin-off series.

One X user said: “WAIT HOPPER WANTS TO GO TO MONTAUK?!!! #montauk that is where the whole story of Papa’s Dad started. Is that the spinoff town?!!!”

And another fan predicted: “Oh you caught that huh? Montauk is the Easter egg for the next spinoff.”

However, in a post-finale interview with Deadline, the Duffer Brothers have sadly confirmed this is not the case. Instead, the reference to Montauk is actually a cheeky allusion to Stranger Things’ origins, which was initially announced as a supernatural drama called Montauk back in 2015 before the location was changed to the fictional Hawkins, Indiana.

Ross Duffer confirmed there is indeed a hint towards the offshoot, but said: “I don’t know if I want to, but I will say, though, it’s not Hopper mentioning Montauk.

“There’s no Montauk spinoff. That was more of a wink to the fans, deep-cut fans that know that the show started as Montauk.”

Keeping their plans under wraps, the co-showrunner continued: “It’s obviously not Holly (Nell Fisher) and the kids or anything like that. It’s something much smaller than that.

Watch Stranger Things on Netflix for free with Sky

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“We’ve said this before, the spinoff idea we have, it is early days, but it is an entirely new mythology.

“So, it is connected, and it is going to answer some questions that people have, and there’s some lingering questions that weren’t answered in the finale that will be answered in the spinoff. But at the end of the day, it’s got its own story and its own mythology.”

In an earlier interview with Variety, Ross also confirmed there will be some “connective tissue” between the shows, but maintained the spin-off won’t be like Star Wars with characters and locations crossing over.

Even so, the Duffers have confirmed there’s a hint towards the new series hidden somewhere in the finale, so fans had better get started on their next rewatch if they want to dig up some answers.

Stranger Things is available to stream on Netflix.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website**