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

[Ninefingers]

I haven't read the books but I can see it being a bit of an 'anguish' piece as the lead fellow struggles between his Saxon blood and Danish upbringing (?).

That's a Cornwell trope, Sharpe was a common soldier made an officer, Starbuck was a Northerner fighting for the South, Derfel was a Saxon raised as a Briton etc. etc.

[swiftnick]

Have finally caught up with the series on I player. Not too bad by God that theme tune us hellish.

[Brian Smaller]

Well. Read the books before this show destroys them forever.

The first few are good.

I have to take issue with comments like this. I read the books and have watched the series so far. If I am unhappy with the series as a whole will my books spontaneously ignite? How do they get get 'destroyed forever'?

The books are still there with their historically dodgy story line that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I like the TV series too - biker leather jackets and all. Now I hope someone makes Robert Low's Oathsworn series.

A comments on the TV series and the Saxon's use of rectangular shields - there is film precedent - 1969 movie Alfred the Great.

[Mr.J]

I have to admit, I watched the first four episodes and then ran out of steam. O have just seen the adverts for ITV's Beowulf and have to admit this looks far more appealing. Might pick it up again but I am unlikely to now.

[Atheling]

To summarize, I've watched all of the episodes and I can't help but feel that real history gets in the way of enjoying the story.

It just does- at least for me.

It can be a bit slow then jumpy too.....

Darrell.

[Jeff965]

Read all the books and enjoyed them, watched the first episode and haven't bothered since. It's going to sound stupid but the lead actor isn't how I pictured Uhtred in my minds eye when reading the books and it's put me off.  (I know weird  )

[frank xerox]

I'm going to miss Ubba, easily the best character so far. As for the rest of it, it's Ok, the books were Ok nothing more. I always found Uhtred an unlikable character compared with Derfel and his adventures got awful repetitive. Still, so so Vikings are better than no Vikings.

[Captain Blood]

Episode 5, a bit better I thought. Things happened. More drama, more action. Now some of the Saxons have acquired teardrop shields. Things are looking up 

[LeadAsbestos]

I am up to date with reading the books, still waiting on getting the very latest one, and have enjoyed them all, some more than others, but still, they are pretty entertaining.

I'm enjoying the series quite a bit too. Agreed that Uhtred does not look like I imagined him, but it is pretty damn good.

Black Sails? Having trouble sleeping? If so, watch it. 

[Atheling]

Black Sails? Having trouble sleeping? If so, watch it. 

It is that good? What am I missing?!?!

Darrell.

[WillieB]

I am up to date with reading the books, still waiting on getting the very latest one, and have enjoyed them all, some more than others, but still, they are pretty entertaining.

I'm enjoying the series quite a bit too. Agreed that Uhtred does not look like I imagined him, but it is pretty damn good.

Black Sails? Having trouble sleeping? If so, watch it. 

If by the latest one you mean Warriors Of The Storm you're in for a very pleasant surprise as it is IMHO one of the best in the series.
Agree that Uthred doesn't fit the book description at all. Still, the actor isn't all that bad either. I would have expected Leofric to play a more prominent part.
If they (eventually) downplay Finan to the same degree I'll be cross.

Again agree on Black Sails, Parley, talking, intrigues, hardly any action, but occasionally jolted awake by a shapely... ( fill in favourite female bodypart)

[Gracchus Armisurplus]

I have to take issue with comments like this. I read the books and have watched the series so far. If I am unhappy with the series as a whole will my books spontaneously ignite? How do they get get 'destroyed forever'?

I guess it's like pouring barbecue sauce on your sponge cake. The cake isn't destroyed, but it's no longer the same either.

Once you associate both things (the show and the books together) it takes a superhuman effort of mindfulness to ever disassociate them. I read the LotR many, many years before I saw the peter jackson films, but forever more Aragorn will look like Viggo Mortensen, Gandalf will be Ian McKellen, etc. The memories of one, colour the other.

[Atheling]

Very well put Gracchus Armisurplus.

Darrell.

[Captain Blood]

I guess it's like pouring barbecue sauce on your sponge cake. The cake isn't destroyed, but it's no longer the same either.

Once you associate both things (the show and the books together) it takes a superhuman effort of mindfulness to ever disassociate them. I read the LotR many, many years before I saw the peter jackson films, but forever more Aragorn will look like Viggo Mortensen, Gandalf will be Ian McKellen, etc. The memories of one, colour the other.

I think this is a good analogy.
Game of Thrones is another good example. A lot more people have watched the HBO series than have read the books, and they therefore have a view of that world which (in some cases) is a very long way from what Martin actually describes in the books. But hey, that's ever been the case with adpatations. I remember my dad moaning about the movie of Ice Station Zebra, and how much better the book was... 

Black Sails: Well, for what it's worth, I like it a lot. It's not to everybody's taste I understand, in that it's not all out and out action - there's quite a lot of politicking, scheming, copulation and back story. But the difference (for me anyway) between Black Sails and something like The Last Kingdom, is that (despite the far fetched storyline) the setting and characterisation of Black Sails feels inherently believable. It's exactly what I imagined the world of pirates to be like and it's very well realised in every respect and detail. Unlike The Last Kingdom, which just looks like a load of people in fancy dress. Essentially not believable as 'this is what it was ike in C9th Britain'.

But, as ever, you pay your money and take your choice 

[Vermis]

I read the LotR many, many years before I saw the peter jackson films, but forever more Aragorn will look like Viggo Mortensen, Gandalf will be Ian McKellen, etc. The memories of one, colour the other.

... and Arwen and Legolas are incredibly wooden, and Bilbo actually turns into some kind of goblin-vampire for a split second, and uruk-hai are somewhere about seven feet tall, and Treebeard is a bumbler who has to be tricked by Hobbits, and Faramir is a jobsworth, and dwarves get tossed, and elves go shield surfing, and armies of the dead are seas of green oliphaunt-eating army ants or something, and... and...

Yup. I get the feeling. In fact...

Game of Thrones is another good example. A lot more people have watched the HBO series than have read the books, and they therefore have a view of that world which (in some cases) is a very long way from what Martin actually describes in the books. But hey, that's ever been the case with adpatations.

"The book is better" happens to me a lot; so I made a conscious decision to avoid ASoIaF until I watched the first season of Game of Thrones, to prevent the books colouring my view.

I still think the book is better.