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 trial by combat, except Aerion demands the rarer “trial by seven.” Dunk must assemble champions fast, loyalty gets stress-tested, and the episode ends with a big, crowd-facing choice that turns the whole situation into a franchise-sized moment.
Main cast (key players in the series): Peter Claffey, Dexter Sol Ansell, Finn Bennett, Bertie Carvel, Sam Spruell, Daniel Ings, Henry Ashton (Prince Daeron Targaryen), Edward Ashley (Ser Steffon Fossoway), Youssef Kerkour (Steely Pate).
Production notes: Directed by Sarah Adina Smith. Written by Aziza Barnes, Annie Julia Wyman, and Ira Parker. The season premiered Jan 18, 2026, on HBO and is planned as a six-episode season adapting The Hedge Knight.
Rating Out of 5 Seven Knights for Seven Gods
Brian: 4.57/5
Darryl: 4.571/5
Wonder Man (Disney+)
Premise (season-level): In the MCU’s version of Hollywood, the “Doorman Clause” bans superpowered people from working in entertainment. Struggling actor Simon Williams, who secretly has powers, teams up with Trevor Slattery as they chase roles in a remake of an in-universe Wonder Man movie.
Episode titles and summaries:
1. “Matinee” – Simon’s career day goes sideways fast, but meeting Trevor leads him straight toward the Wonder Man remake orbit, plus attention from Damage Control.
2. “Self-Tape” – Trevor’s deal with the DODC tightens while Simon’s attempt at a simple audition spirals, and his powers flare under pressure.
3. “Pacoima” – Trevor goes undercover at Simon’s family gathering, and Simon’s anger cracks the mask he has been wearing.
4. “Doorman” – The origin story of DeMarr Davis and the incident that turns a weird power into a headline, with consequences for superpowered performers.
5. “Found Footage” – (Add your recap notes here)
6. “Callback” – (Add your recap notes here)
7. “Kathy Friedman” – A spotlight moment turns into a pressure test for Simon and Trevor when the story around them starts to become the story.
8. “Yucca Valley” – Trevor makes a choice that reframes everything, the DODC plays its hand, and Simon makes his own counter-move in the finale.
Main cast: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Simon Williams), Ben Kingsley (Trevor Slattery), X Mayo (Janelle Jackson), Zlatko Burić (Von Kovak), Arian Moayed (P. Cleary), Joe Pantoliano (as himself), Byron Bowers (DeMarr Davis / Doorman), Josh Gad (as himself).
Production notes: Created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest, with Guest as showrunner. Filming began in Los Angeles in April 2023, paused during the 2023 WGA strike, then resumed and wrapped in 2024. Cretton directed the first two episodes, James Ponsoldt directed episodes 3 and 4, Tiffany Johnson directed episodes 5 and 6, and Stella Meghie directed episodes 7 and 8.
Rating Out of 10 Is it really that bad that Josh Gad disappeared into Doorman?
Brian (Season 1): 7.95/10
Darryl (Season 1): 7.65/10
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Our theme music is ‘Skate Beat’ provided by Michael Henry, with additional music provided by Michael Henry. Find more at MeetMichaelHenry.com.
The Infamous Podcast is hosted by Brian Tudor and Darryl Jasper, is recorded in Cincinnati, Ohio. The show is produced and edited by Brian Tudor.
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