The Last Kingdom

Pleasantly surprised by the first episode *Spoilers*

As a fan of Cornwell's Warrior Chronicles/Saxon Stories I've been looking forward to this series for quite some time. Mentally prepared for a major disappointment I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.

If you haven't read the novels the story of Uhtred unfolds fast, perhaps too fast. This first episode covers more than half of the first novel. Although a lot has been omitted, many of the aspects that make the novel such a pleasure to read are there, but (very) subtle.

If you have read the novel you have to accept that many events concerning Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his character traits are only touched upon or skipped: his loathing for his father, his fascination for the religion of his forefathers, his contempt (or rather boredom) for Christianity, the stories the blacksmith tells him, Beocca's attempts to teach him to read, his first encounter with an adulterous Alfred (the not so Great yet), his admiration for the Romans, his growing love for Ragnar and Ragnar's family, his arrogance and big mouth, his humor and much more. I would have loved to have been able to watch at least four episodes in which of all of the above is featured but that is not going to happen.

Then why did I like it so much?

I have to admit I'm a sucker for guys with long hair and pretty faces, but besides that, the episode had enough to offer: Uhtred's Christian/Saxon upbringing and his pagan beliefs are represented by his two necklaces: the amber stone and Thor's hammer. I hope Uhtred's internal struggle will be featured more prominently in the episodes to come. A baptism scene in which Beocca could easily have drowned Uhtred making an end to the series after only half an episode. Young Uhtred is a smart-mouthed little brat (like when he is trying to get his way with Beocca). Young as he is, he is the ealdorman of Bebbanburg and is willing to die for it. He is doesn't think first but acts, and so we see a child going to war and attacking a Danish warlord. We are treated to the sight of a massive shield-wall in which it becomes clear that there is almost no space to move and that movement is slow. If you die, you become an obstacle that your fellow comrade-in-arms have to be beware of or else they will fall too. (Even after two viewings still a bit surprised that Lord Uhtred (Matthew MacFadyen) stepped through the shield-wall so easily. I must have missed the Danes letting him through.) Thyra is mentally broken after the awful hall-burning, and not just by Sven. Could Uhtred have saved her? It seems Thyra expected him to. Ubba, though a great Danish leader, and despite having humor, is very cautious and heavily depends on the signs the gods send him, making him very unpredictable, according to Ravn, earl Raganar's father. Brida is portrayed as a strong young woman, more Dane than Saxon. But above all, I liked Uhtred. I liked the way he looks and moves. I did miss his humor but I have hopes that we will be treated to that in the next episodes. He was powerless during the hall-burning, and devastated by the deaths of Ragnar and his family. For now, he is still a boy. Can't wait for him to become a man.

"Wyrd bið ful ãræd"

This is a great medieval TV show. It got great soundtracks. Great acting, great characters and great story. If you're fan of medieval TV shows especially TV shows like Vikings, you should definitely give this TV show a chance. It's worth it. Just one thing that I see issue about this TV show is the last season where years passed, but characters still look same. Characters that must be at least 50 years old looks like 25 years old. I don't know how or why they made such a mistake, but it's very visible sadly, however in any other aspect this TV show is very good.

If you're wondering if this is like Vikings... It is, but it's better! I'd say there are two minor points against The Last Kingdom: in the 1st season, the camerawork and lighting are at times somewhat amateurish and, from what I recall, compared to Vikings, the fight/battle scenes aren't as well choreographed/edited/filmed.

Apart from those points I'd rate The Last Kingdom over Vikings in every way. Even the guest star at the start of season 1 of The Last Kingdom is better than the one at the beginning of Vikings. I mean... Rutger Hauer's just perfect! Gabriel Byrne on the otherhand... why? Just why?

10.0 out of 10.

If you've watch other similar Shows on the history of great Countries, Empires and people in history like Rome, Vikings, Britannia, and others you must watch this one.

I absolutely love this show, it has a great story, excellent actors, overall slightly better than Vikings, but Rome is still my Favorite.

They do kill off some top Characters but as far as History goes, some have to go, but 2 or 3 others I thought they should have kept that they were excellent and should have kept them.

For me it just gets better, definitely check it out.

Every season is worse than the previous one. Perhaps the death of Alfred and his reconciliation with Uhtred in season 3 was the only memorable moment from the whole series, the rest was just yet another dumb TV series for the millennial audience ordered by a streaming service. Cheap, dull, shallow and just absurdly stupid with its pathetic attempts to catch extra points for gender and ethnic equality.

**Great, but could be better and decreases in quality in season 4.**

I am writing this review after having watched season 4. I have binge watched this TV show and loved it overall, but I was disappointed of how the show decreased in quality in season 4.

One reason for that decline might be that the former showrunner and head writer Stephen Butchard quit as the head writer after season 3. Another one might be that a central character of the seasons 1-3 died at the end of season 3 - resulting in a major shift for all the other characters and especially for the main protagonist of the show.

Another reason for the decrease in quality seems to be that it becomes more unrealistic, inconsistent and carricaturistic in season 4 than it already was to some extent in the seasons before.

To give some examples: I simply hate it when stupid stuff is presented, like kings (or even queens) unnecessarily throwing themselves into the frontlines of battles and thus stupidly (and out of character) putting the whole kindgom under unnecessary risk (as it is very destabilizing for a kindom when a king unexpectedly dies and finding a good successor who is capable of keeping peace and order is difficult and takes time). It may be important if the king is present at the battlefield, but it's ridiculous when they are fighting in the frontlines, they are too valuable to do such things and when they do, it should mean something and not just happen on a regular basis. Especially, since it is established in the show that sudden death in the battlefield frontlines is a likely thing to happen even for the most capable fighters.

Or, I hate it when characters do stupid stunts which would get them killed in no time in real life (like running through a shield wall alone and then finding themselves fighting alone surrounded by enemies). I don't mind in general when characters do stunts like that, but it should be consistent in terms of world-building and it should be explained how the characters can do such things without wearing plot armor and for example without enemy fighters who are surrounding them just standing there, doing nothing and just waiting for their turn to be attacked for no good reason.

So, it has always been a problem in the show that such stupid stuff happens. But season 4 took that to a new level and I hated it. Especially when we are looking at the character of Brida for example - she is transformed into an inhuman monstrocity regarding her capabilities and her motivations, therefore I can't take anything that happens with her seriously anymore.

This review is more a rant about season 4 than it is a balanced and complete review of the whole show. So let let me give an overall review with this short summary: it is or at least was a great show and seasons 1-3 would deserve to rightfully be given 8 or 9 stars out of 10, but right now after season 4 it is just a 7/10. The show is still good and it has the advantage that it is based on an already finished book series of 13 titles (2 book titles resulting in 1 season each, so there are probably 3 or 4 seasons more to come if the show remains successful) - so that it probably won't get much worse than season 4 as the new authors don't have to come up with a plot from scratch and thus will be able to hold some level of quality thanks to the already existing books. But I really hope that it gets better than that again, just as it was in seasons 1-3.