The Last Kingdom - General Discussion

[Meredith Quill]

Your Media Topic!

[Meredith Quill]

Anticipate Here!

[Meredith Quill]

Discuss Here!

[catray]

So basically what I can tell from the previews and Wikipedia, this is BBC's version of Vikings. Which... hmmm, I don't know. I am huge fan of Vikings and I feel like this may suffer in comparison. Trying to keep an open mind, as the time period is a fascinating one and this takes place slightly later historically than Vikings does (though, not by much). To be sure I'll watch it, but it's going to be hard to avoid comparisons.

[Meredith Quill]

I can see why you say that catray, but this quote from Deadline.com:

 

In part the epic quest of our hero Uhtred, it is also a fascinating re-telling of the tale of King Alfred the Great and how he united the many separate kingdoms on this island into what would become England…

 

Makes me think it will focus quite heavily on the Vikings from the English viewpoint of the period also, which will be interesting to me. 

[Which Tyler]

The other major points of difference are that this is based on history rather than myth; and that  it's based on a very popular (and very good) series of books.

 

Of course it will be broadly similar (Vikings go around invading people, some fights happen) and will presumably be visually similar; but that's like saying that all cop shows are the same (someone dies, the cops investigate). Plenty of room for both on my tellybox.

[Which Tyler]

So this is airing on Saturday, though still without a release dsate, or even a "coming soon" for its country of origin.

A little surprised there's no movement on this board currently, and furious with the BBC for not showing it at home.

[Which Tyler]

Inside the Last Kingdom:

Shield Wall:

9th Century:

Wessex:

Uhtred:

England Is Born:

Trailer 1:

Trailer 2:

Preparing for Battle:

First Look:

Edited October 7, 2015 by Which Tyler

[Which Tyler]

Yay, we have an air date for the UK.

Host broadcaster is getting this programme a full 2 weeks after the US. Oh joy!

http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2015/10/bbc-two-sets-premiere-date-for-the-last-kingdom/

[mjc570]

I really liked the books, and was SO excited to see that this was coming.  I think my expectations were so high, though, that I've doomed myself to disappointment.  I don't know the actor who's playing Uhtred, but the fact that he has dark hair is already making me concerned.

[solea]

[Mod Note: This topic is a result of separate episode topics being merged into one, as such some comments may be out of order.]

Hope it's ok to start an episode thread.

I really liked it. However, especially at the beginning, I couldn't distinguish one male character from another. They were all dressed pretty much the same, had grizzled beards, and had a lot of facial similarities. But I think I've got it straight now that most of them are dead.

The kid that played young Uhtred was really good I thought. Grown up Uhtred is Channing Tatum's hotter brother. I LOLed at the bathing-in-the-river fake out.

I'll definitely be back for more.

Edited April 16, 2017 by SilverStormm
Merging

[Haleth]

I haven't seen the episode yet but have been waiting not very patiently since last spring.  Loved the books.  Any Vikings fans should probably enjoy this story.

[IndianPaintbrush]

I liked it too.  It portrayed some pretty awful brutality and violence without being overly gratuitous.  And I liked how both the Vikings and the Saxons had good guys and bad guys.

[magdalene]

Well, I was hooked from the start, very compelling and well acted. I never did read the books but I will definitely continue to watch.

[Auntie Anxiety]

Loved it.  And since I also watch Vikings, I recognized some of the characters' names and had a little knowledge of the back story which helped me figure out who was who and what was going on.  Always nice to see Rutger Hauer on the screen.

[mjc570]

 I liked it a lot, too.  Uhtred wasn't the way I had visualized (drooled over) in the books, but the actor was fine.  I thought the episode did a great job, without being too expository, in explainaing the background and characters.  I'm sorry more people aren't watching it (based solely on the number of posts here).

Edited October 11, 2015 by mjc570

[Blue Chihuahua]

I loved it! I have read some of the books (in the middle of book 5 now).

[Blue Chihuahua]

I was inwardly cringing every time someone said England or English in the show and I have to admit I wasn't as devastated at the hall burning and Ragnar's death as I was when it happened in the books. I think it's because we didn't spend as much time with him and Uhtred living with his family as we did in the books. I was more attached to the book characters. Still, really looking forward to future episodes! :-)

[Humbugged]

The other major points of difference are that this is based on history rather than myth; and that  it's based on a very popular (and very good) series of books.

 

Of course it will be broadly similar (Vikings go around invading people, some fights happen) and will presumably be visually similar; but that's like saying that all cop shows are the same (someone dies, the cops investigate). Plenty of room for both on my tellybox.

 

The books were written by Bernard Cornwell the guy who wrote Sharpe

 

Like you said it is set in England just before and during the Danelaw ,Like Sharpe all the main historical players like Alfred the Great and Guthrum are in it .

Wessex is The Last Kingdom

[Grommet]

I liked it. Not my usual genre but I thought it was really well done.

[Which Tyler]

I liked it a lot, too. Uhtred wasn't the way I had visualized (drooled over) in the books, but the actor was fine. I thought the episode did a great job, without being too expository, in explainaing the background and characters. I'm sorry more people aren't watching it (based solely on the number of posts here).

I suspect the number of posts will increase once this airs in it's home nation. Whilst we now have an air date, we still haven't had any promotion yet though; so quite possibly not.

[karasmom]

it was interesting but I kept on comparing it to "Vikings" and Last Kingdom came out far behind.  "Vikings" has many of the same characters and they are much more fleshed out.  IMHO, "Vikings" is one of the best shows on tv.  LK needs to get much better if it wants to stay on my DVR.

[GaiusB]

I liked it a lot, more the then the first episode of Vikings. Vikings improved a lot over time though and have characters played by actors with amazing charisma. This show sure have a potential to be great. I am bit unsure about lead character, he is too much generic pretty boy for my taste, i thought that  his younger version was actually played by better actor. I like both young ladies, Brida and readheaded Ragnar´s daughter.

 

Overall i feel it could easily be my favorite new show this year and the guy responsible for The Bastard Executioners should take note how to create medieval drama.

[proserpina65]

Well, other than the usual complaint that everyone was too clean, attractive and had good teeth, I liked this a lot.  It's not my particular time period (about 300-400 years too early) so I can't speak to the historical accuracy in anything other than a general sense, but it certainly did capture the brutality of medieval warfare and the precarious nature of medieval life.  Too bad about Ragnar - I rather liked him and Uhted's father, but oh well.  The kid playing Uhtred was quite good.

[frenchtoast]

I stumbled upon The Empty Throne and realized that it was a series and so started at the beginning. I've enjoyed them so far but the pronunciation of names is throwing me off because I never heard it. I'm so grateful for the blending to show the place names. Now I just need name tags for everyone. I know who they are in the books, but the Aeth--- names are going to throw me off! I might actually have to switch on closed captioning just so I can figure out the names.

 

I can see why they compressed some stuff and left incidents and characters out, and they've definitely planted the seeds for Alfred's One England idea. I should be starting the 4th book soon, so I'm not up to speed on the entirety of the series. But I do see how they're trying to depict the conflict of Uhtred--loves the Danes, wants his independence, and he can see why the "English" would want that too. And how he's a pretty good representation of the conflict at the time. It's interesting and touching and I'm looking forward to it. 

 

Is the series just going to be The Last Kingdom? Because I can't see fitting in the other books at this rate. Which is fine, but I just finished Lords of the North and I'd like to see that, especially that last battle.

[frenchtoast]

I had tried to watch that Vikings show but it was so dark and mumbly I stopped after one episode. I think because I read the books, and I have a feel for it, I like this better. Also, I like how they've shown that although brutal, people still cared. I am going to have to turn on closed captioning because I'm losing the names. But I enjoyed, it made me care about characters in a short time, it laid out the long running conflict in an entertaining way.

[Pogojoco]

This was really well acted and well written. Both Uhtreds had a lot of charisma. And adult Uhtred is a seriously pretty man. I kind of like that his girlfriend is not as pretty as he is. Don`t get me wrong, Emily Cox is a really cute, but Dreymon is ridiculously pretty. 

 

“I need to kill someone. And I choose him.”

[SimoneS]

I watched the first two episodes of this show on the recommendation of someone on the Bastard Executioner forum and boy am I glad. I love this show. It is an entertaining show with good acting. Alexander Dreymon is gorgeous and is a talented actor. The plot actually makes sense and is very promising. I hope that Uhtred eventually finds out that his foster sister is alive and saves her. I cannot wait for the next episode.

Edited October 15, 2015 by SimoneS

[bunnyblue]

I know nothing of the books (though I have a vague memory of seeing them on the shelves when I worked in a bookstore) and almost nothing of the series. Entertainment Weekly had a tiny positive review in last week's issue - along with a picture of the hottie who plays Uhtred - so I decided to give the show a try. After the disaster that is The Bastard Executioner, I was expecting to be disappointed by The Last Kingdom but I really liked it. Quality and production-wise, it's more Vikings than Bastard.

 

I agree that the boy who played young Uhtred was a very good little actor. I'm kinda bummed we won't see him again, unless the show is into flashbacks. 

 

The shield wall that trapped the Saxons was impressive. I don't think we've ever seen one quite like that on Vikings. Poor Matthew MacFadyen being nailed to the post and left for the vultures. 

 

Sven ripping the shirt off young Thyra made me cringe in fear they might show a bit too much or take it too far. So glad Uhtred came to her rescue.

 

I liked the relationship between Uhtred and Earl Ragnar. He was certainly more paternal to the boy than his biological father was. Was sad to see him die so soon. But what a badass to set himself on fire and take out some of Kjartan's men before he succumbed to the flames.

 

Earl Ragnar's fondness for his slave reminded me of Ragnar's relationship with Athelstan on Vikings. Which brings me to a question.There were 2 Ragnar's in this episode, the Earl and his son - also called Ragnar. There was also mention of King Aella, who is connected to the real Earl Ragnar. So, book readers, are either of these Ragnars supposed to be the same Ragnar Lothbrok of Vikings? Or was Ragnar just a common name?

 

The guy who plays Kjartan looked to so much like Michael Fassbander that I was distracted during all his scenes. I had to look up the cast list to make sure it wasn't MF in a cameo appearance. 

 

I'm looking forward to future episodes where the action looks to really pick up.

Edited October 15, 2015 by bunnyblue

[Haleth]

There was also mention of King Aella, who is connected to the real Earl Ragnar. So, book readers, are either of these Ragnars supposed to be the same Ragnar Lothbrok of Vikings? Or was Ragnar just a common name?

 

Ivar and Ubba Ragnarson are in the books so this is like the next generation.  In Vikings is one of Aslaug's spawn named Ragnar?

[Pogojoco]

In the case of Too Many Ragnars: Ubba, the older Dane with face tattoos, is Vikings' Ragnar's son. It's a little confusing who his mom is,  with Vikings, for instance, they made Bjorn Lagertha's son and he's actually Aslaug's. Viking's Ragnar is dead by now. And I think Aslaug in Vikings does have a son named Ragnar, but I mostly ignore everything involving her on that show. He's not Uhtred's master/foster dad, though. 

 

In the Last Kingdom books, Ragnar (the younger, also handsome blonde Dane) is known as Ragnar Ragnarson. 

[bunnyblue]

In the case of Too Many Ragnars: Ubba, the older Dane with face tattoos, is Vikings' Ragnar's son. 

 

Ah ha, thank you! Dude is crazy scary. He seems nothing like Vikings Ragnar.

[thuganomics85]

Finally got time to catch this, and I really enjoyed.  Way, way better then The Bastard Executioner.  It wasn't quite up to Vikings-level yet, but to be fair, Vikings needed about a season to get to where it is now.  So, if anything, I think this show might have a head start if I compared the premieres.

 

There are a few characters I still don't know the names off, but I at least got the main one down, and find them interesting enough to watch.  I actually thought the kid actor playing young Uhtred was really good, which is a pleasant surprise.  But older Uhtred was still good too, and I'm curious to see how he is going to attempt to reclaim his lands.  Already loving Brida, the actress, and the way the two play off one another.  Good to see Ian Hart as Beocaa and back with a British accent (his American one never seemed to work very well).  Matthew Macfayden and Rutger Hauer made the most of their limited screen time.

 

They didn't hold back on the brutality, even if it didn't show that much blood and guts.  Really feel bad for Thyra being back in the hands of that creep, Sven.

 

Wasn't even aware that there was book series.  I have to check it out.

[Marianne]

Didn't anyone watch Episode 2? How does one get a thread started for an episode?

 

That said, I love this show and find myself impatient for the next episode.  The writing, the acting, the directing, are all top notch, and not hackneyed. David Dawson as King Alfred is especially awesome. The story is also seems not to be dummied down, even though at least for a non-Brit it might be difficult to keep the facts straight.

 

Here's  great review that better articulates the things that make the show so engaging. http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/faith-and-loyalty-add-depth-weeks-last-kingdom-226987 

[mjc570]

Thanks, Marianne, for the link.  I was starting to wonder if I was the only person watching this in real (or slightly shifted) time.  I'm glad it isn't too violent - when King Edmund had his test of faith, I wasn't horrified but amused.  The proto-English do come off as more civilized than the Danes. 

[magdalene]

Are the few of us the only ones watching this show? What a pity. I liked the second episode just as much as the first and am impressed with the actor playing Alfred. He is subtle but believable as this very important historical figure.

[gator12]

Maybe when it start airing in the UK more people will hear/watch it. Its a good show.

Didn't anyone watch Episode 2? How does one get a thread started for an episode?

 

That said, I love this show and find myself impatient for the next episode.  The writing, the acting, the directing, are all top notch, and not hackneyed. David Dawson as King Alfred is especially awesome. The story is also seems not to be dummied down, even though at least for a non-Brit it might be difficult to keep the facts straight.

 

Here's  great review that better articulates the things that make the show so engaging. http://www.avclub.com/tvclub/faith-and-loyalty-add-depth-weeks-last-kingdom-226987 

I think you can start a thread by clicking of Start Topic button

[Captanne]

I just caught up.  I'm rather enjoying it!  

[Blue Chihuahua]

I loved yesterday's episode and I, too, am impatient for the next one! I'm loving the book series as well.

[Haleth]

That was very good. I'm really liking the casting of all the lead characters.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Haleth

[GaiusB]

The second episode only confirmed my good feeling about this show. Hopenfully more people will learn about it and will watch it. I dont want this gem to be cancelled prematurely. I am also liking Alfred. After Vikings it feels so unusual to have likeable English characters....

[sugarbaker design]

I'm loving this show.  The poor king explaining St Sebastian to the Danes and then getting treated exactly like St Sebastian was simultaneously horrifying and hysterical.  And then Ubba says "I like this game" in reference to Uhtred!

[Haleth]

That was good. I like Show Uhtred and Show Alfred better than their book counterparts.

[thuganomics85]

I'm really enjoying this show too.  I'm already enjoying Uhtred and find him better then a lot of these type of lead characters son similar shows.  And Brida is awesome. I loved when she met Beocca, and he was somewhat surprised she was a woman, and she was just like "I have tits." about it.  She wasn't even being sarcastic about it: it really sounded like she was trying to be helpful, like Beocca doesn't know the difference between the sexes.  And then I loved both Uhtred and Brida figuring out their plan to kidnap the sorcerer, "mid-hump."

 

Once I got past getting use to seeing David Dawson playing someone other then Fred Best on Ripper Street, I really found Alfred to be intriguing, and I can't wait to see what he will bring to the show going forward.

 

Jason Flemyng made the most out of his scene(s) as Edmund.  Those scenes with Ubba were so dark, but yet kind of funny.

[Haleth]

Once I got past getting use to seeing David Dawson playing someone other then Fred Best on Ripper Street, I really found Alfred to be intriguing, and I can't wait to see what he will bring to the show going forward.

Omigosh, I can't believe I didn't notice this! <smacks forehead>. I loved him in RS!

[bunnyblue]

I adore Brida and her relationship with Uhtred. I love that she's not just his lover but also his best bud and a trusted warrior who's got his back. I really hope they don't turn her into a damsel-in-distress. I LOL'ed at her coming up with the hostage plan while "humping". The actress looks like a makeup-less Rose Byrne and, from certain angles, like Jennifer Connelly.

 

I'm was surprised by how quickly Uhtred shed his Danish identity. First he tells Brida they are no longer Danes, then he has the blacksmith set his bio father's stone into the handle of his sword, and then his gives Alfred intel on the approaching Danish army. Granted, after his meeting with Ubba, he was probably feeling betrayed and adrift, but I thought he'd be more conflicted in joining the Saxons. Brida certainly was. Although after ending up locked in a cage, I wouldn't be surprised if he flips sides again. 

[John Potts]

I've read a couple of the books and so I'm pretty much inured to the fact that nothing ever works out for Uthred (OK, obviously ultimately the English DO drive off the Danes and unite England, but Uthred is essentially a historical Butt Monkey). Did like the way that the brutality of the Vikings was pretty evident without ever really showing it (we know exactly what's in store for Thyra without any of the torture porn they could portray). I knew as soon as the Vikings just stood there waiting to meet the Saxon attack that it was a trap (evidently Uthred senior realised it too) and I thought Ragnar was surprisingly considerate towards his slave (I guess he was just impressed at his bravery).

 

I'm quite surprised that we haven't met a few of the Game of Thrones actors here - at least the dead ones, it's not like there aren't plenty of them (and on that subject, Hi Haleth!).

[shandy]

I really enjoyed the second episode. It was very interesting to see the portrayal of the court at Winchester and the Christian Saxons repairing and using the Roman buildings, surrounded by scrolls and priests. The irony was subtle but there that 4 centuries before, the invading Saxons were pressurizing the romano-britons in a similar fashion. 

[molshoop]

Uhtred wins the protection of Alfred. He believes his commitment to the newly crowned King will help ensure he continues on the path to reclaim his birthright, but this newfound allegiance might also cost him his relationship with Brida.

[solea]

I was confused when Brida told Uhtred that she didn't know she was pregnant when she drank the concoction she made. I assumed she was mixing something to make her miscarry when they showed her doing it. I never heard her mention a "vision quest".

In fact I have a hard time understanding a lot of the dialogue. The unfamiliar names don't help.