The Last Kingdom - General Discussion

[IndianPaintbrush]

I had absolutely no use for Iseult, so I wasn't sorry to see her die.  Too bad she gave up her "gift" or else she might have foreseen her own death. 

 

The battle scene was very well shot and I loved Alfred's speech.  I am way more interested in Alfred's next adventures than I am in Uhtred's.

[SimoneS]

So Uhtred is all broken up over the death of the son that he ABANDONED. Got it.

 

I bought Uhtred's guilt and regret. He is so impulsive. I always felt that he would come around once he got over his anger that the baby had been baptized. Of course, now that his son is has died, he is wrecked by guilt and loss. 

[lucindabelle]

Hr left his son behind, he hadn't diseoned him.

Poor yseult.

I loved the priests godly thirst for blood.

All in all an ok ending.

[pasdetrois]

When Iseult dropped her clothes and gave her noble speech about sacrificing her gift and virginity, I snorted. It was a scene out of a bad romance novel. After they did the deed and were perched in that uncomfortable pose, I thought "well, there's the novel's cover." Monty Python would have been all over this.

 

The battle scene was very well done. We got to see the commands they might have used while crouching to hold the shield formation. And the shot from above, when the solid wall of shields withdrew, and revealed all the carnage, was clever. I enjoyed the series and hope it will be back.

Edited November 30, 2015 by pasdetrois

[Captanne]

I mentioned earlier that she was a classic Monty Python "watery tart" without the watery or the tart business.  She was such a cliche.  

 

What bothered me the most about her, though, was that we've spent the entire series in the realm of reality (brutal reality, for that matter) and she brings this complete non-sequitur mysticism.  It's not only fairy stuff but it's supposed to be within the reality of the series -- she has sex and loses her ability to see the future.  That literally happened in the reality of the series. She had sex and slowly lost her super-power.

 

I mean, that makes no narrative sense as they have set it up -- thus far, there have been no elves or magic mirrors.

 

As a matter of fact, Ubba's reader was specifically limited -- we knew that the "runes" were not necessarily accurate and that his peers held that habit of consulting them as sort of a tolerated quirk.

 

Also, the minute she lost her super-power, her days were numbered.  And that says a lot about this show and where women stand.  I have liked all the other women so far and they have been treated well within the boundaries of the "real" story.  

 

Iseult's character threw all that to the wind.

 

ETA:  I have no problem with her healing with her "witchy ways" -- the mud bath for the baby and the soothing herbs for the king's tummy.  I'm down with all that -- even if they (the characters) wanted to believe it was druidic witchcraft.  It's the ACTUAL future-telling which was so real that when she had sex she lost it.  That's what I take issue with.  That tiny bit reeks of MarySue-ism.  Someone let a MarySue in the plot line and the editors didn't catch it (or her, for that matter.)

Edited November 30, 2015 by Captanne

[sugarbaker design]

Wow, that was a finale!  Uhtred Jr, Leofric, Odda Jr, Skoppor and Yseult!  Those are big casualties, I can't believe I'm watching a show where death actually means something.

 

One question.  Who was Uhtred riding off into the sunset with?  There were two riders.  Who replaces Leofric as sidekick?

Edited November 30, 2015 by sugarbaker design

[khyber]

The nun turned her horse when Uhtred turned his so I think she is one of the two.

[Captanne]

I think his new sidekicks are the nun and the fellow they met in the woods (Hedwig?  That's what I'm calling him until I get a real name.)

[sugarbaker design]

Hedwig and the Angry Nun!

[ZoqFotPik]

Uhtred's companions are, Hild the nun and Halig, the guy who was watching the horses for the guy who turned traitor and later became one of Alfred's messengers.

[sugarbaker design]

Uhtred's companions are, Hild the nun and Halig, the guy who was watching the horses for the guy who turned traitor and later became one of Alfred's messengers.

 

Thanks for the specifics!

 

So Hild, Asser and Halig were the three messengers.  Besides the battle scenes, my favorite scene was Alfred watching his armies ride in the valley.

[pasdetrois]

I will really miss Alfred if Uhtred heads north next season. Fantastic acting.

[Captanne]

Wasn't he wonderful?!  Looking like such a milquetoast and becoming Alfred the Great.  The actor sold it to me hook, line, and sinker.

 

If you want to see some more of him, watch "Ripper Street" -- he plays a yellow journalist in 1890s London, Whitehall.  He and Matthew MacFadyen (Uhtred's father) are in that together.

[StrictTime]

Unlike Vikings, I bought everything this series tried to sell me this season, even the Virgin Queen subplot. My take on the character is that she was a healer who had been raised to believe that she has this gift, so whether or not it is "real", everyone around her and even she herself, thinks that it is real. I have no doubt that the belief in this sort of mysticism existed at the time--in fact it's pretty well documented way into the 1400's. I thought her predictions were pretty standard, like horoscopes. "A child will lose its life." Well, duh. I do think there is more to the story of how Uhtred's son died, that Mildreth wasn't revealing.

I have to say, I'm more impressed with the first season of this show overall than I have been with any since Mad Men. The casting director just freakin nailed it. I am especially impressed by Harry McEntire as Aethelwold. What a fascinating dickweed! Perfect. I will miss Leofric and hope that we will revisit King Alfred again in the future (spectacular portrayal by David Dawson).

I'm most disappointed that BBCA doesn't repeat this show, so that my friends can get in to it. Something this excellent deserves to be viewed by more than just the lucky ones who watch Doctor Who and stumbled upon it.

ETA: I LOVE that I got what I wanted--

to see Odda the Creepier get a knife to the gut. Wish it could have also happened to Alfred's horrible wife,too.

Edited December 1, 2015 by StrictTime

[Captanne]

We'll have to agree to disagree about the "visions" thing.  I thought they did exactly the same thing really well with Ubba's rune reader and advisor.  He was viewed with skepticism by everyone but Ubba* who took him seriously and was led to many victories.

 

9th Century Stevie-Nicks-meets-Enya whose talent rests entirely on one good "hump", on the other hand, was just ridiculous.  [see comment above.]

 

*Hilariously, my spell check makes "Ubba", "Abba".  Heh.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Captanne

[jastar14]

Hey guys, i have started a channel collecting the soundtracks of 'the last kingdom" that i could find here is the link

 

Any suggestions are welcome thanks 

[Dolan621]

Iseult was consistent with what happened in the books, and knew she would die soon.

And man, I wish Leofric was still alive. Now does Uhtred meet his other friend, Staepa, a Wessex soldier of great size and strength who travels much with Uhtred I. The books? (Uhtred was actually supposed to fight Staepa in the 1 on 1test of combat)

[Dolan621]

Where's Staepa? Where's Pyrrig? Loved those characters!

Uhtred finding his son in the show hit way harder than in the book. Great acting.

[frenchtoast]

I miss Steapa a lot. I think they combined Steapa and Leofric to streamline things because that duel interrupted by Danes was supposed to be Steapa. I just finished Sword Song and am most likely going to ask for the series for my e-reader because there are a few things I want to check. I finished The Pale Horseman while in a car on the way to the airport listening to kids argue trying to finish it so they could return the book for me. So...I may not have  completely absorbed it.

 

And yes, if we get stuck with Asser we should at least get Pyrlig. He was at the marshes the whole time. He, Iseult and Hild made a lovely group and family for Uhtred. Understandably we saw how it affected Alfred more, but there was no fortress building and we didn't get to see how much Uhtred needed that family to keep him going. Also, I think Pyrlig helped Uhtred see the long game better. He was a good influence in being patient and seeing different viewpoints before acting.

 

In the books, since we get to see what Uhtred is feeling and thinking, we get to see the sympathy and kindness underneath the gruffness and pragmatism. His Danish side, the joy of people and life, is missing from the show. I was glad when Hild pointed out to him that he does care about people and that he carries quite the burden keeping them safe.

[John Potts]

I did like Leofric's conversation with Uhtred before their duel to say "No hard feelings" because that seemed to ring true to both their characters. However, slightly disappointed that it was resolved in the obvious "Deus ex Machina" way. Was it Brida (presumably posing as a "harmless" Saxon woman) who opened the gates to the Viking raiders (presumably killing the guards first)?

 

I found it interesting that the Queen wouldn't have anything to do with Uhtred's "Witch" but the nun spoke up for her - even warned her that trying to intervene could prove fatal if it didn't work. And Uhtred was actually smart in talking to Alfred (who burnt the cakes!)* about how if "his" God worked in mysterious ways, maybe he was using a pagan to save a Christian Kingdom. It's almost like he's growing smart in his old age!

 

snowwhyte I found it hard to watch the Vikings randomly killing helpless men and women and raping the nun.

 

I thought it was a good inclusion - easy to make a show all about "heroic" battles and not about the inevitable brutality that accompanied them (on both sides - the Saxons had no compunction about slaughtering the Vikings stuck in the swamp).

 

thuganomics85  I'm a bit confused over what Uhtred's plan was with burning down the ships... Or be in the same place so the Saxons can take them out?  All that went over my head.

 

I think the idea is to bring the Vikings into the marshes where the Saxons can ambush them (basically the skirmish in this episode writ large)

 

Magdalene  Has the show even aired in the UK yet where it is produced?

 

It aired tonight (3/12/2015). Latest BARB figures gave it a solid 2.5m for the week ending 22/11 (by contrast, Masterchef was BBC2's top show with 3.4m and Strictly topped BBC1 with 11.8m). So OK, but not spectacular numbers - it could probably go either way.

 

* Basically, this is the ONE fact you could expect an average Briton to know about Alfred (if they know anything)

 

[Anothermi]

...And Uhtred was actually smart in talking to Alfred (who burnt the cakes!)*

 

* Basically, this is the ONE fact you could expect an average Briton to know about Alfred (if they know anything)

 

Thanks for highlighting that bit. I had never heard that story before and thought the cakes burning bit in the show was just a way of highlighting how much time Alfred spent with and how comfortable he had come to be with Uhtred's little "family".  Which is to say I thought it was part of the fiction that Cornwell had added to "known" history.

 

I love the fact that that is part of Alfred's lore that carried on for hundreds of years.

[GaiusB]

Hm, i think i liked this episode less then any other. The main reason was that it revealed some serious flaws of the show. Its incredibly rushed and as result only Uthred have enough screetime to develop his character, expect he is a total moron with little character development. His lovers, wifes, companions, enemies exist only for few episodes and than they are replaced with other ones. I heard it is pretty much same in the books, so that sucks for me.

 

Beyond that Uthred is for me the worst character, his action scenes are about as tense of those of Jack Bauer, but the worst thing is i can not root for him, because essentially he is a classical traitor scumbag, who betrayed his people for profit. Now if he reconnected to his Saxon origin, it would be fine, but that not what happened, he dont belong to Saxon culture, he dont respect Saxon culture, he is still a Dane, who joined Alfred, because it was more convenient way to get what he think belongs to him.

Edited December 4, 2015 by GaiusB

[John Potts]

I was expecting the "price" of saving Alfred's son to be the death of Uhtred's son - although given he's disowned him, I'm not sure how painful that will be for him (I don't recall from the book). And yes, Uhtred Junior's death (if it comes) could easily be explained by the high infant mortality, but it will certainly be taken as a magical price. 

 

Anothermi I love the fact that that is part of Alfred's lore that carried on for hundreds of years.

 

Kind of sad, really - Alfred has many achievements to his name (uniting most of England, founder of the Navy, warrior and scholar) and yet it's the most famous fact about him (it'd be like Julius Caesar being remembered mainly for inventing the comb over). Edward II may be known mostly for the manner of his murder (it involved the insertion of a red hot poker), but he was pretty much a failure as a King.

[tenativelyyours]

No spoilers, but in the books you see things through Uhtred's perspective.  So his mistakes make more sense in being made even when the reader sees the mistakes before the character does.  Here you see everything.  And Uhtred looks fooilsh. 

 

Plus the slant on Uhtred to me seems like the show, direction, casting and even styling is to make the tv character a mix of trendy anti-hero and poster boy.  Complete with flowing Legolas locks coupled with hipster man-bun and even a mix of post modern cavalier type romanticized facial hair with coffee house "I'm so deep I only read authors in their native language" goatee.  Even the clothes they put him in are supposed to convey a certain action figure (yet are so tight he walks most of the time like he just too a dump) dynamic image.  All in contradiction to not just a true to the books hot headedness but also, unfortunately in either the acting or directing, a dim and downright idiotic foolishness that just comes off as petulant and uninteresting.  I think they should have cast the guy who plays his brother Ragnar as Uhtred.  As written and directed, the actor who was cast seems so insipid and just not providing the force that Uhtred in the books did.  And it showed in what was supposed to be this stirring and rousing climax.  Even the cheap freeze frame of Alfred in his battle moment of glory just looked kind of silly to me no matter how much fake blood they slathered on his face.  But the role of Alfred does play well with the right mix of piety and ambition and the hyprocrsy that Alfred possesed in the books. 

[Anothermi]

 Kind of sad, really - Alfred has many achievements to his name (uniting most of England, founder of the Navy, warrior and scholar) and yet it's the most famous fact about him ...

 

That is a little sad, but what I loved about it is how people latch on to the things that make historical figures human and therefor relate-able. I'm assuming this story is 1st told to school age children, who can relate to failing to accomplish an assigned task so will remember that part, but perhaps also take on board the lesson that you can still go on and do other things well. It is a funny story - a memory worm so to speak - and it keeps the name of Alfred, ancient King of England, known at least. Now we can google him (like I did) to find out the rest.

[Dolan621]

Yes, I was a little surprised with the casting for Uhtred. In the books he is BIG, and also fair haired "like a Dane".

I like the show (I think it will be tough to replace Leofric), but after getting all other casting on the mark, they missed a bit with the primary player.

[thuganomics85]

Dammit, had a feeling Leofric wasn't going to make it out of this season alive.  Judging from the rest of the body-count, it pretty much everyone who was important to Uhtred getting the ax, except Beocca.  Leofic.  Iseult.  His son.  Yeah, not a good week for Uhtred.  But I'm still bummed about Leofric.  Hope the actor appears in something else soon.

 

At least Skorpa got taken out, and Young Odda ended up paying for his treachery.  Alfred doesn't fuck around though.  Even after Older Odda kills his own son, he begs Alfred to forgive his son, and Alfred's just like "Yeah, no" about it.

 

I'm honestly kind of tickled that Aethelwold managed to survive all of this.

 

So, if this show does end up getting a second season, I'm guessing Uhtread and his new companions (Badass Nun an d Not-Leofric) trying to save his sister will play a big part, but they still are going to check in on Alfred and the rest, right.  Especially with Ragnar and Brida as prisoners and Guthrum getting baptized.  I certainly hope it won't be the last of those characters. 

 

Really enjoy the season.  Glad I gave it a go.

[Which Tyler]

Possibly the best book to screen adaptation I've seen. A few little bits here and there that let it down; whilst in other areas it actively improves from the source material. Probably even ahead of S1 GoT

[tenativelyyours]

Yes, I was a little surprised with the casting for Uhtred. In the books he is BIG, and also fair haired "like a Dane".

I like the show (I think it will be tough to replace Leofric), but after getting all other casting on the mark, they missed a bit with the primary player.

 

Yeah.  And I should point out that the show as a whole does really well. It is rather good.  I just think with the right lead it could have been riveting instead of just entertaining. 

[Captanne]

The lead actor keeps making me think of Orlando Bloom in LoTR if he had been allowed to keep his natural hair colour.  

 

So -- what is supposed to be a reality piece, turns into Elves for me.  

 

I think that's why my response to Iseult the Faerie Queen bordered on resentment.

[John Potts]

I really liked the battle: yes, it was no Game of Thrones style, budget busting, Cast of thousands, but it was actually believable: once the shield wall failed (and the Saxons always had the advantage, as they were upslope from the Vikings), the battle was going to be over quickly. Loved Father Beoca & the nun going all psycho in battle!

 

Dolan621 And man, I wish Leofric was still alive

Me too, but I'm reminded of something David Weber said: "Military history in which nobody dies - or which only the bad people die - isn't military history, it's military pornography." A battle shouldn't kill only the bad guys, so while I'm sad to lose Leofric, it's good to see our heroes taking casualties.

 

lucindabelle He left his son behind, he hadn't disowned him.

 

The previous time Uhtred spoke to his wife, he said he'd disown the pair of them if she baptised their son. Last time they spoke, she revealed she had baptised their son and Uhtred was mad about it. So while I'm sure in time Uhtred would have come round, he'd certainly said he wanted no part in his life.

 

Oh and GOOD NEWS! Over the closing credits, the voiceover revealed they are making a second season.

[Dolan621]

Agree with the need for major characters to take casualties, but considering Earl Ragnar, Odda the Elder, etc I think they could have kept Leofric around a bit more, considering he is an amalgam of a couple of characters from the books....

[orza]

Executive Producer Gareth Neame talks about plans for season 2 in this recent article.

 

http://www.ibtimes.co.in/last-kingdom-season-2-spoilers-king-alfred-achieves-dream-unified-england-657916

[halkatla]

I love this show with all my heart. The best thing about it is that so much happens each episode, so much stuff starts and gets resolved. I´m up and down on some of the characters, like Uhtred, but overall I find them all interesting. Uhtred made up for his vile ways in ep 6 in this episode. The nun they saved was nice. I like how the show deals with religion, both of the christians and the danes. Alfred is totally lovable to me, and his wife doesn´t deserve him. I loved Uhtred´s and Mildreds relationship, I´m so unhappy with the way it ended. I can´t stand having Isold there simply because she came between them. She´s one of those people who are really cool and all, but still unlikable in a way. I wish all these people could just be friends, but I guess I can´t change history.

Edited December 18, 2015 by halkatla

[supposebly]

Netflix keeps telling me I would like this so, after a bingewatch of season 4 and 5 of Game of Thrones over the last few weeks, I thought, at least, I could check it out. I really liked it. Memorable characters although most of the ones I liked are now dead, so I hope there will be more of them. Uthred however has his work cut out for him. He might need some kind of army and I wonder whether it will be Danish or not. I know nothing about this period in English history, so I'm unspoiled in the best sense. However, name dropping of this king or that one doesn't work well for me since I don't have any idea who they are or their significance.

 

I loved young Uthred's conversation with Beocca which pretty much ended with, because I'm right and they are wrong, so shut up! Singleminded faith against youthful teasing. Still, he cares for Uthred, so I can't be too annoyed. Although the baptism went on quite long.

 

That was an interesting battle, I've never seen anything quite like it and it was impressive compared to most of the TV battles where everyone seems to be yelling and running. I know very little about real battle techniques and GoT or LotR are certainly not historical anything but it was a refreshing and quite effective change.

[LakeGal]

I watched this on Netflix.  I really enjoyed it.  I also watch "Vikings" so I like this type of show. I am ready to see where season 2 goes.

[Which Tyler]

http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/last-kingdom-season-two-bbc-netflix-1201792085/

 

Season 2 filming has started; with Netflix getting involved to provide $$$ and overseas distribution. Premier due "next year", so awaiting scheduling slots.

 

Hopefully they can use that extra cash to build a boat this time (I know, Vikings? with boats? whoever thought of such a thing?) - better late than never.

Edited June 10, 2016 by Which Tyler

[Haleth]

Funny.  I had just checked yesterday to see if this show was coming back.  Glad to hear it.  I just finished Cornwell's latest (and hopefully penultimate) in the series last night.  At this point it's pretty much lather, rinse, repeat as far as drama, but it's always good to revisit Uhtred and the gang.

[LocimusPrime]

• Archers where under used in battle. They had their moments in the swamp 
• Did Odda Sr. Kill Odda Jr. Only because he saw King Alfred in the crowd?
• Alfred's wife is a bia bia 

[LocimusPrime]

Odda Jr is weak and frail. How could anyone think he bested ubba in combat lol  

[KaleyFirefly]

On 11/1/2015 at 5:57 PM, seacliffsal said:

I didn't understand why Alfred wouldn't just wait out the Danes rather than feed them and give them hostages. I really like this series but am sad that the priest was killed.

I didn't understand that either. The Danes had just killed all the Saxons in that fortress. And Alfred offers them hostages and one month's supply of food and ale. What?

On 11/1/2015 at 10:03 PM, ZoqFotPik said:

1. His army is mostly levies and they were needed to work their fields. I believe Alfred says he will disband the army so they can do exactly that.

2. He doesn't know how long Ubba will be in Ireland. If he comes back early, Alfred would be trapped between two armies

3. Both sides know he can't retake the fortress so a siege is largely an empty threat.

4. He seems to know that his war with the Danes is just beginning, so giving them food and hostages to save his army is probably better in the long run.

He doesn't need to re-take the fortress by force -- he can just starve them out. They mention this in the show.

[KaleyFirefly]

On 11/3/2015 at 8:50 PM, Haleth said:

The only complaint I have with this show compared to Vikings is the language between the Danes and Saxons. I love when Vikings has the characters speaking (approximate) language of this day so that a translator is needed. The parlay between Alfred and Guthrun would have been better spoken in olde Anglish and Norse.

This show seems to be mostly British actors, so sometimes I'm not sure exactly who is speaking -- a Dane or a Saxon, because they both have almost the same accent. I can usually tell by the hair and clothes, but not always.

[KaleyFirefly]

He should just go back to the Danes already. It's obvious he'll never fit in with the Saxons.

[Which Tyler]

12 hours ago, KaleyFirefly said:

I didn't understand that either. The Danes had just killed all the Saxons in that fortress. And Alfred offers them hostages and one month's supply of food and ale. What?

He doesn't need to re-take the fortress by force -- he can just starve them out. They mention this in the show.

I can't remember if it's covered in the show; but basically, Alfred has no standing army. For every day that he has his army assembled, it's a day the farms go without farmers.

Siege warfare is essentially impossible with a Fyrde.

 

Of course, Alfred has much greater faith in diplomacy, and belief in the Danes keeping their word... he's still learning how to deal with them.

[Which Tyler]

But he doesn't want to be a Danish puppet; he wants to be lord of Bebbanbugh; in his own right.

[KaleyFirefly]

11 hours ago, Which Tyler said:

I can't remember if it's covered in the show; but basically, Alfred has no standing army. For every day that he has his army assembled, it's a day the farms go without farmers.

Siege warfare is essentially impossible with a Fyrde.

 

Of course, Alfred has much greater faith in diplomacy, and belief in the Danes keeping their word... he's still learning how to deal with them.

Oh, OK. I didn't get that from the show. Maybe they mentioned it though and I missed it.

[KaleyFirefly]

On 11/28/2015 at 11:24 PM, SimoneS said:

I had to laugh at the Danish king converting. 

Apparently that really happened, historically. Guthrum converted to Christianity and ruled East Anglia for a time.

[KaleyFirefly]

Well, I enjoyed this Season overall. I just wish it were a show about Alfred, not Uhtred -- he was by far the more interesting character and the better actor. Oh well. If there's a Season 2 I guess I will still watch it.

RIP Leofric! He was one of my favorite characters throughout the show.

I wondered, when both armies had the shield walls up, why did they not have archers behind the walls sending arrows flying into the opposing army, over the wall? I have seen that in other shows/movies, and I thought that was one of the main points of having a shield wall. 

Nice to see the nun and priest kicking ass, but I guess they forgot that whole "thou shalt not kill" commandment. I liked both of them though, especially Beocca.

Will not miss pagan "queen" very much at all.

[KaleyFirefly]

On 12/1/2015 at 8:54 AM, StrictTime said:

Unlike Vikings, I bought everything this series tried to sell me this season, even the Virgin Queen subplot. My take on the character is that she was a healer who had been raised to believe that she has this gift, so whether or not it is "real", everyone around her and even she herself, thinks that it is real. I have no doubt that the belief in this sort of mysticism existed at the time--in fact it's pretty well documented way into the 1400's. I thought her predictions were pretty standard, like horoscopes. "A child will lose its life." Well, duh.

  Reveal hidden contents

to see Odda the Creepier get a knife to the gut. Wish it could have also happened to Alfred's horrible wife,too.

I agree with this -- it's not that she actually had any "powers," she just believed that she did. (Although when she was first introduced, I thought that maybe her claim to having powers, but only if she remains a virgin, might have been her clever way to avoid rape or forced marriage -- two things that women had to worry about even more in that time period).

Then later it seemed like she really did believe she had those powers (as when she was crying after saving Alfred's baby). But there need not have been anything "supernatural" about her saving the baby or her tonic that helped Alfred -- it was just natural medicine. And as for her "visions" they were always pretty vague -- much like, as you pointed out, horoscopes.

So I think we were supposed to believe that she, like the Danish "sorcerer" throwing the bones on the ground and making predictions from them, were merely products of their superstitious times and cultures, or maybe even outright charlatans taking advantage of others' superstitions to get ahead in the world. 

[Heathrowe99]

I just watched the finale and I thought it was really good. I cried over Leofric. I highly, highly recommend the books. They are really great. There's a lot that is based on history-it's kind of fun to go back and read the facts vs the book/show version. Many of the battles in the series are real battles. One thing I miss from the books is the humor and the insults. Leofric calling Uhtred Arsling is the tip of the iceberg, insult wise. Uhtred is constantlly making fun of himself in the books, which is missing from the show. But that said, I like the show a lot and think it's well done and very fun to watch. I don't think Iseult is supposed to be a really sorceress-I think she basically a healer and she throws in a little razzle dazzle mysticism because that's what she was taught. It's more superstition than magic. And Uhtred likes that she's pagan and makes him look badass like he has his own Shadow Queen and riles up the priests and all the good Christians. I will watch season 2 for sure.