Bernard Cornwell's 'The Last Kingdom' episode 1 review

[MartinR]

Alfred did burn the cakes in the first series but it wasn't a big part of the plot and I think it was bread anyway IIRC.

Yes, when the Saxons were hiding in the marshes. Anyway, my wife and me thought it was great, a rattling good story and never mind any historical inaccuracies. Who can't love Alfred, standing just like his statue, while Utred mutters some insanity about destiny.

It's a story, not a documentary.

[Shamash-Bel]

Yeah, and it's put a bit of interest in me for playing Arthurian / Dark Ages games so there's that.

[Arlequín]

I'm no expert, but I gather the Anglo-Saxons and Vikings actually looked very similar in the main. While they could probably tell each other apart by details, I'm sure most TV audiences would be flummoxed if they had gone for 100% accuracy. Had that been the case only Rant Guy and his ilk would probably be watching and it would have been axed.

I'm more inclined to button-counting than most, but it is indeed a TV show, I want to sit back and be entertained, which it does.

[mweaver]

You can always spot the Viking bosses by the eye-liner is season 2.

[Harry Faversham]

If memory serves, they gave one side round shield and the other oblong ones...
so the thickos among us could tell who woz who!

 

[Little Odo]

I have enjoyed both series so far, historical inaccuracies aside. But, the main thing is, so have my kids - the next generation of potential gamers and historical re-enactors. We need things like this on TV to draw the kids in and get them interested in history, and then they will hopefully seek out 'real' books about the period themselves, or at least discuss it with their teachers at school like my 8 year old son does.

[Captain Blood]

I guess so.
Good if it gets youngsters interested.
The flip side, unfortunately, is that the other 95% of the population just takes it all at face value and goes: 'oh, well, I suppose that's what it must have been like' - and there are their opinions formed, right there.
The execrable 'The White Queen' was a perfectly reasonable and accurate representation of history as far as my wife was concerned... I had to explain that Edward IV almost certainly did not ride to the battle of Towton with his 'army' of three extras, and all wearing lycra leggings, pixie boots and faux-leather bomber jackets...
TV companies continue to produce this fancifully costumed tosh, and people think 'that's how it was...'

[Arlequín]

I had to explain that Edward IV almost certainly did not ride to the battle of Towton with his 'army' of three extras, and all wearing lycra leggings, pixie boots and faux-leather bomber jackets...

It's not been so long ago that that would have described the typical group of 'authentic' Medieval re-enactors. 

At least there was no knitted 'chain mail' sprayed silver.