View Full Version : Kings
zantarous
18-03-2009, 20:13
Anyone else watch this? I sat down to watch just the first episode but stayed and watched the second as well.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1137462/
This a modern day retelling of the David and Saul biblical story set in an alternate reality starting Ian McShane who was spot on as the king and as always a joy to watch.
I really enjoyed this and looks like there will be lots of on going family squabbling but all the while watching you just want McShane to bust into Swearagen mode.
I was impressed with the CGI city, I am sure many will say it looked crap, but to me it looked very well done. Well worth checking out.
Captain_Howdy666
18-03-2009, 21:04
I thought this was fantastic so I'm expecting it to be cancelled soon.
SIMON ADEBISI
18-03-2009, 21:31
This looks good.
It will be weird not hearing McShane say cocksucker every 2 minutes though :lol:
zantarous
18-03-2009, 23:07
But you know he so wants to say it, he does have some good lines and he plays his part so well.
I am with you too Captain I liked it so I guess it will get canceled quite quickly, maybe not out their enough for the fantasy fans and not ground in reality enough for people just looking for a good drama.
This was a bit of an oddity, I thought.
It seems like they've played so fast and loose with the details it almost seems pointless basing it on the biblical story. They've even changed things that there was absolutely no point changing too. If they're keeping the names David, Goliath, Jesse, Samuel/Samuels, Michelle/Michal and Jack/John, then why change Saul to Silas?
Thought McShane's acting was a cut above everyone else, though the Reverend Samuels character did pretty well with the little air time he got. The CGI was reasonably good, and I liked the occasional bits of "Bible-speak" that the speech writer produces.
I'll carry on watching, but more out of curiosity than anything else. I think it could be an interesting concept if each season (presuming it continues) deals with the reign of a different king (Saul/David/Solomon etc).
Saw McShane on . . er, one of the US chat shows . . the other day and thought this looked promising so got hold of the first two eps (feature length pilot, maybe, not sure). Haven't watched it yet, but sounds great.
Watched it. Definitely very promising, if they can maintain quality - and this is HBO, so they can. Loved the script, the whole thing is gorgeous, and it's got Lovejoy in it.
Sprout Crumble
21-03-2009, 13:32
Lets hope they don't 'tinker' with it then.....
I'll get me coat.
zantarous
21-03-2009, 13:38
Watched it. Definitely very promising, if they can maintain quality - and this is HBO, so they can. Loved the script, the whole thing is gorgeous, and it's got Lovejoy in it.
Is it HBO I thought it was a network show hence no swearing or nudity?
Oops, my bad, I had the idea it was HBO from somewhere, it's actually NBC. I'm now officially less excited. Still pretty good though.
Thought this was excellent. Had a different feel to a lot of stuff. Hope the ratings pick up a bit!
When I first read about this, I didn't think it would work, especially on a Network channel like NBC, but I was pleasantly surprised by the opener & really enjoyed it. McShane is a joy to watch as always, getting all the best lines. Production values were high, the CGI was convincing, the writing very good at times & I'm eager to see more.
My only gripe was it did get a little pretentious at times, David's no-man's land speech being the worst, toe-curling example.
Highly recommended. :thumbs:
Another good episode this week. Great to see the addition of Brian Cox & Miguel Ferrer to the cast-list.
Unfortunately the ratings were appalling, no surprise really as I don't see your average US couch-potato enjoying this kind of show. Fingers-crossed it at least survives through the 10 episode first series.
I really don't know who they're pitching this at TBH. It certainly feels like it would be better served at HBO.
WeaselFierce
23-03-2009, 21:35
Unfortunately the ratings were appalling, no surprise really as I don't see your average US couch-potato enjoying this kind of show. Fingers-crossed it at least survives through the 10 episode first seriesst.
.
Bugger! Opener was superb stuff.
sleepy67
23-03-2009, 22:37
Bugger! Opener was superb stuff.Aye got round to watching the opener yesterday and really enjoyed it but I wish it had been on cable cos I don't think its going to survive on network :(
Great stuff, this. Ian McShane is superb as always. I hope it lasts.
cockbongo
31-03-2009, 03:15
Yeah, this is going to die a death, but i'm really enjoying it so far. Great seeing Miguel Ferrer back on telly. McShane's US accent is slipping a bit these days mind you, but then after watching ep 1 of The Wire again tonight i'm still constantly amazed we put up with Dominic West's dreadful attempt at a Baltimore drawl for 5 years....
zantarous
31-03-2009, 03:44
Watched episode 3 and 4 in the last few days and really enjoyed both of them. Although one plot point in 3 simply didn't make sense why did the King want David to be killed there seemed no logival reason.
And how hot was the girl that David was dancing with in 4?
And again McShane steals every scene he is in without even trying. I read earlier that 13 episodes had been filmed so hopefully we will get to see them all.
Although one plot point in 3 simply didn't make sense why did the King want David to be killed there seemed no logival reason.
Young, popular, took it on himself to offer the truce - can't leave people like that running around.
Just watched Ep.4, still quality stuff. If we only get one season so be it, I just hope we get the full season and a decent ending.
WeaselFierce
31-03-2009, 07:13
Although one plot point in 3 simply didn't make sense why did the King want David to be killed there seemed no logival reason.
Also, at the end of the previous episode he saw David crowned by butterflies in the garden. He therefore sees him as a direct threat to his crown now.
Couldn't remember if he'd seen that or not, so I didn't mention it, but that as well . . .
CANCELLED! :eek:
No surprise really. Far too intelligent for standard US Network television on a Sunday evening. Ratings were appalling. Should have been a Showtime/HBO cable show.
Fortunately, they are going to show the remaining 8 episodes, on Saturday evenings, starting 18th April.
CANCELLED! :eek:
Least surprising move by the networks ever - in fact the real shock is that it ever got the green light in the first place.
cockbongo
07-04-2009, 23:44
Awwww ****. I'm loving this.
And i haven't seen a TV show look *this* good in HD. It's just beautiful.
Disappointed, me and the misses were both enjoying this
zantarous
08-04-2009, 21:46
All I can see is that it has been moved to another night of the week not that it has been canceled although seeing as the rating were not great I am sure that will come next.
True, we should hopefully get to see all that was filmed, but it certainly is cancelled, as in, no more episodes. No word yet if the story concludes properly or ends in a cliffhanger that'll leave us ....ummmmmm hanging I guess. :|
Hmmmm, seems that moving it to Saturday evenings was even more disastrous than anticipated. It's now off-air until the summer, returning on Saturday June 13th. Hopefully they'll then show the remaining seven episodes.
cockbongo
22-04-2009, 12:13
Oh, bum. I love this show.
Sprout Crumble
21-07-2009, 18:10
Continues to be quite superb. A crying shame this isn't going on past the current run.
zantarous
21-07-2009, 19:31
I am saving them to watch over a few days once all episodes have been broadcast. There really doesn't seem to be much love out there for this show.
Shey Tapani
21-07-2009, 21:20
does the first season has a decent ending?
I am going to start watching this and then.....
Who knows?
Cracking final ep!
Wish there was a second series coming :(
So Wishy, is this worth 551 minutes of anyone's time? Does it end satisfactorily?
Not a gigantic cliff-hanger (Like Jericho S1 or Dark Angel S2), but it would be nice to see what happens next.
I certainly enjoyed watching it.
Shey Tapani
26-07-2009, 14:44
Owrite, i give it a shot then.
anephric
26-07-2009, 14:49
So Wishy, is this worth 551 minutes of anyone's time? Does it end satisfactorily?
It's terrific. Haven't watched the final ep yet but even if they haven't tied it up well considering no second season, it's great.
Nice one! Will deffo give it a watch then! :thumbs:
Brozyniak
27-07-2009, 12:32
Finished now, a pretty good final episode with a bit of 'twist' in the end where Sylas calls for David and you're supposed to expect him to hand him the crown rather than beat him to bloody pulp but it doesn't take much knowledge of Sylas to work out how things would go.
I had a feeling that this was written for a second series. Certainly set up for one now.
watched the first two episodes and really enjoying it - great cast, nicely shot
Sprout Crumble
28-07-2009, 21:39
Finishes in complete style. Without doubt one of the best series I've seen in some time. McShane continues to be a revelation in every role he plays and the rest of the cast was perfect.
Terrible that its going to end unfinished and with such unfulfilled promise.
Finished now, a pretty good final episode with a bit of 'twist' in the end where Sylas calls for David and you're supposed to expect him to hand him the crown rather than beat him to bloody pulp but it doesn't take much knowledge of Sylas to work out how things would go.
I had a feeling that this was written for a second series. Certainly set up for one now.
If you know the source material then it wasn't much of a surprise. Saul's attempts on David's life become so blatant that David eventually flees to the wilderness, and Saul eventually dies in battle, at which point David becomes king.
alsemail
31-07-2009, 05:37
Just started watching this, 4 eps in and I'm completely hooked. This should definitely have been on a cable channel, there it might have stood a chance of a second season.
US network TV chiefs really are amazingly stupid at times.
*Actually make that a lot of the time, as well as UK TV terrestrial bods, does anybody that works at ITV at a senior level actually ever watch TV?
Finally caught up with the last few episodes. Great show, the writing & acting remained good throughout. Despite leaving you wanting more & not having a proper resolution, it still remains a fine tv-show that was far too good for US Network television. :notworthy
zantarous
30-08-2009, 20:22
Finished watching all the episodes now and what a wonderful series which kept twisting an turning right till the end. I found this http://ifmagazine.com/new.asp?article=8490 while browsing imdb.
Makes for interesting reading about why NBC cancelled Kings and not to expect any more highbrow programming from them in future.
I wish the dvd set wasn't so damn expensive!
WeaselFierce
01-09-2009, 21:46
Finished watching all the episodes now and what a wonderful series which kept twisting an turning right till the end. I found this http://ifmagazine.com/new.asp?article=8490 while browsing imdb.
Makes for interesting reading about why NBC cancelled Kings and not to expect any more highbrow programming from them in future.
Very sad. Seems to suggest, basically, that networks can only succeed at developing new series we already have and are familiar with... :thinking: :shrug:
sparkyrob
04-09-2009, 11:14
Craziness that this didn't get a second series. Phenomenal show from beginning to end, but definitely didn't fit in with the mindless pap that fills the majority of the US schedule.
AMC (home of 'Mad Men' and 'Breaking Bad') would've been the right network for this show. Still at least one season made it to air, that's gotta count for something!
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