About this episode
Trials by Seven, Auditions by Fire
This week on the podcast, Brian and Darryl review the latest two episodes of HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (Season 1, Episodes 3 and 4), plus the full first season of Marvel Television’s Wonder Man on Disney+. RIP James Van Der Beek.
Episode Index
Intro: 0:07
RIP James Van Der Beek: 03:35
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (E3): 10:36
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (E4): 20:44
Wonder Man (Season 1): 42:00
In Memoriam: James Van Der Beek (1977–2026)
James Van Der Beek, the actor who became a defining face of late-1990s television as Dawson Leery on Dawson’s Creek, has died at age 48 after a short battle with an aggressive colorectal cancer. He passed peacefully on February 11, 2026, with his wife, Kimberly, and their six children by his side.
Van Der Beek’s breakout role on Dawson’s Creek helped shape a generation of teen storytelling on television, and the show’s honest exploration of adolescence made him a familiar presence to millions of viewers. After the series ran from 1998 to 2003, he continued working across television and film in a wide range of roles, from the high school football drama Varsity Blues to camera-savvy self-parody on Don’t Trust the B–– in Apartment 23 and crime procedurals like CSI: Cyber.
His candid sharing of his cancer journey in recent years also raised awareness of early-onset colorectal cancer. Friends, fans, and colleagues paid tribute to his warmth, humor, and impact both on and off screen. He is survived by his wife, Kimberly, and their six children, whose privacy the family has asked the public to respect during this time of mourning.
We celebrate James’s work, his openness, and the joy his performances brought to so many.
A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms (HBO)
S1E3: “The Squire” (Released Feb 1, 2026)
Summary: Egg pushes to become Dunk’s real squire while the Ashford tourney turns uglier. Aerion’s cruelty escalates both on and off the lists, and Dunk’s sense of “knightly justice” finally boils over, forcing Egg to reveal exactly who he is.
Main cast (key players in the series): Peter Claffey (Ser Duncan “Dunk” the Tall), Dexter Sol Ansell (Aegon “Egg” Targaryen), Finn Bennett (Prince Aerion “Brightflame” Targaryen), Daniel Ings (Ser Lyonel Baratheon), Bertie Carvel (Prince Baelor “Breakspear” Targaryen), Sam Spruell (Prince Maekar Targaryen), Tanzyn Crawford (Tanselle).
Production notes: Directed by Sarah Adina Smith. Written by Hiram Martinez, Annie Julia Wyman, and Ira Parker. Series created by Ira Parker and George R. R. Martin, and adapts the “Dunk and Egg” novellas beginning with The Hedge Knight.
Rating Out of 5 The Kingdom’s Most Dangerous Puppet Show
Brian: 4.12/5
Darryl: 4.2/5
S1E4: “Seven” (Released Feb 6, 2026)
Summary: With Dunk imprisoned and Egg’s identity detonating into the open, the consequence is pure Westeros: a tri
