What a monumental disappointment.

The characters have not gravitas. The king speaks in a bored monotone. The princess looks bored, aloof and alas not very pretty. The kings brother (Matt Smith) is entirely miscast. There doesn't seem to be a compelling story here. Why did they not instead make a series of the prequel novel A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms which has a solid main character and story? Whereas the original series action moved at a gallop, the pacing here is barely a trot. I am half way through episode 2 and still nothing has happened. The Hand of the King (Rhys Ifans) manages to make something of his character, but the weak script leaves his performance hollow.