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

[westwaller]

Didn't realise it had finished last Thursday... I reckon it was quite good in the end actually. Ignoring the rectangle shields/surcoats/mail coifs/Viking biker jackets/offensively simple Britons debates. It was much better than The White Queen, and more exciting than Wolf Hall, which was brilliant but a bit dull (sorry)

Hopefully there will be a Season two...

[Mason]

I just think historical issues aside, they would never be able to capture the first person narrative from the books.

Sums it up nicely.
I thoroughly enjoyed the books and realised after the first episode that it would not live up to them as so much is missing when you dont have a characters thought process available, which is where the books work for me.
Still, I cannot complain as I really began to quite enjoy it the longer it went on.

And, 'Yes', I did watch every episode and probably will do so again.
It was entertaining, and that is all that I was hoping for.

Looking forward to the next series too.
 

[wulfgar22]

What I do care about is the fact that, like most BBC attempts at drama set-pre 1700's, it's a lame, pantomime portrayal. It's not BELIEVABLE. It's dumbed down. It's got no dramatic weight or self belief. Essentially it's no good because it's not serious about what its doing. Just watch the extras cheering in the battle scenes: they're like really bad actors in a really bad school play.

Despite moaning, of course I watched it all, and it wasn't awful. Parts of it were enjoyable. The main actors were pretty good. One or two were excellent. But it doesn't make it any good overall.

How come the BBC (and ITV) can produce endless drama programmes set in the Regency, or Dickensian times, or the Victorian / Edwardian era, and make them look and feel utterly believable in every detail. And yet as soon as they go near anything from earlier periods, they end up as pap like this? It's just very odd. It's almost like they approach it having already given up on any attempt to try to do it properly or seriously. They're happy with a panto approach to the whole thing: characterisation, dialogue, production design. One notable recent exception was Wolf Hall, which was subtle, adult, brilliantly done in every detail, as well as sublimely acted. That's the difference we're talking about.

If it's serious, make it seriously, like Wolf Hall. If it's going to be a bit tongue in cheek, and an out and out romp, like The Musketeers, then fair enough. Play it like that. But I think, like so much historical drama, The Last Kingdom fell exactly into that trap of being neither one thing nor the other, and just ends up feeling lame as a result.

This perfectly sums up my feelings.

[Sir_Theo]

I enjoyed the series, and will watch season 2 if there is one. Nice to watch between seasons of Vikings!

That's my feelings too! I even became ok with thw wierd costume design (as I did with Vikings) in fact the only bit I didn't really like was the unecessarily long catch up at the start of each episode. It fits into the Vikings slot, great fun historically based (but not historically accirate) tele. I look forward to future series.

[Captain Blood]

Interesting.
I would say there's a quantum leap in design and production quality between Vikings and The Last Kingdom. I wouldn't personally put them in the same bracket at all.
I'm sure they're both full of historical, wardrobe and cultural inaccuracies as far as experts in the period are concerned.
But in terms of pure TV drama, which is the more fully realised, believable world, and which of these can I take seriously - Vikings is in a different league. It's not quite A Game of Thrones, but it's a credible attempt at the epic genre. The Last Kingdom feels like low-grade stuff by comparison.

Probably - sadly - it just comes down to money. The BBC can't (or won't) make the kind of investment necessary to compete with commercial producers like HBO, on this kind of epic subject. (Although as I say, they clearly managed it with a showpiece product like Wolf Hall).

[Mason]

Yeah, but it probably did not cost them too much when they made Wolf Hall as they already had all the cozzies from Blackadder to fall back on.
 

[Hu Rhu]

Yeah, but it probably did not cost them too much when they made Wolf Hall as they already had all the cozzies from Blackadder to fall back on.
 

 

Actaually, I rather enjoyed it.  But then my taste is awful. 

[LeadAsbestos]

I would say there's a quantum leap in design and production quality between Vikings and The Last Kingdom. I wouldn't personally put them in the same bracket at all.
I'm sure they're both full of historical, wardrobe and cultural inaccuracies as far as experts in the period are concerned.
But in terms of pure TV drama, which is the more fully realised, believable world, and which of these can I take seriously - Vikings is in a different league. It's not quite A Game of Thrones, but it's a credible attempt at the epic genre. The Last Kingdom feels like low-grade stuff by comparison.

Agreed on all points, but it was still entertaining to me. I liked Atlantis too, if that explains my standards!

[Mason]

Actaually, I rather enjoyed it.  But then my taste is awful. 

Enjoyed which?

Last Kingdom, Wolf Hall or Blackadder?
Or was it just the cozzies...?

Taste.....Awful...?
If yours is, then mine is too, as so did I.
 

[WillieB]

Loved every minute of it and I seem to be in good company taste-wise.

Now if we could just 'complain' hard enough to the BBC perhaps in season 2 the Saxons will have round shields, the Britons/Welsh won't look like runaways from a comic opera, and all furry animals will sigh with relief as extinction is averted, since Danes suddenly invented cloth.

[Volleyfire!]

I watched all the series, and whilst I might not be quite up to speed on some historical points, I enjoyed it and thought it entertaining. It fell down in places thanks in part to the BBC's tight budget I presume, and their attempt to make a screenplay out of a novel which is never an easy thing to do. I wonder, not having read Cornwell's books, how many volumes were covered in this series? Poldark managed to cover two books I believe in it's first series which left enough for another 3 -4 series. A friend told me there are 9 (?) books in Cornwell's series so I presume we could be in for quite a lot more episodes?
Even if it wasn't up to the standards of Vikings, of which I have taped 18 episodes but never remember to watch 
at least it was better than the seemingly endless food/cookery/baking programmes, reality tv, pottery, antiques etc and made a welcome change from the footie. 
 

[Captain Blood]

A friend told me there are 9 (?) books in Cornwell's series so I presume we could be in for quite a lot more episodes?

Apparently it hasn't been renewed for a second season - yet...
I think if it had proved an instant ratings smash, GoT-like, the usual process in TV-land is for an ensuing season to be announced as the first season is ending. Or immediately after.
Which would tend to suggest that - like we, the mixed bag of pro- and anti- LAF critics - the jury's still out.

[Mason]

I am pretty sure that the eight episodes shown cover the first two books.
I am hoping for more.

Apparently it hasn't been renewed for a second season - yet...
I think if it had proved an instant ratings smash, GoT-like, the usual process in TV-land is for an ensuing season to be announced as the first season is ending. Or immediately after.
Which would tend to suggest that - like we, the mixed bag of pro- and anti- LAF critics - the jury's still out.

There is always the chance that someone who makes the decision could be reading what some people see as wrong with it and correct some or most of the anomalies and everyone's a winner.
 

[Captain Blood]

Damn you, Paolo, with your relentless good humour and positivity - you are ruining Christmas     

[Little Odo]

I watched the final episode at the weekend from a recording and the voice-over person at the end mentioned that there will be a second series. Not sure what that means in terms of whether it is definite or not, but I hope they do make a second (and third etc.) series. I found it to be great fun although accuracy left a little to be desired.

From some of the other comments above: I think the BBC try to make their medieval/fantasy series include some of the fantasy tropes that ruin (for me) almost every other fantasy film and series I watch. I think they feel that they have to do things a certain way or no-one will watch the programmes, or directors are very stuck in their ways for this kind of drama. One day someone will make something that is either accurate to the book or history - i.e. take a chance. Until then, I will enjoy any historical or fantasy series as a bit of fun telly.