Don't Ever Judge A Show By Its Pilot
Tuesday, March 17, 2009 2:47:22 PM
So it is thus dreadfully premature when I say I love Kings. It is the best pilot I've seen since Easy Money early last fall, and honestly, it's probably even better than that. The reasons? Well, let's list them.
It re-tells the story of King Saul and King David of the Old Testament, one of the truly great epics that is hidden in that treasure of a book. It has everything; war, intrigue, religion, politics, prophets, sex, scandal, divine music, great heroes and fallen Chosen Ones. This would be awesome all on its own. But Kings takes it one step further. A bold, stunningly daring step that I am still unsure if I approve of (I love period pieces), but that I'm loving nonetheless. It takes place in the modern world.
Not our modern world, but one with made-up countries and made-up rulers living in made-up cities fighting made-up wars. This is the big caveat that makes this change of venue possible, but that might also be the shows' failing. Will the average viewer be able to buy into a world that looks so similar to our own, but isn't? Time will tell.
The setting, however, is brilliant. It lets the show move all these incredible elements from the Old Testament into a modern situation, where the power of religion is matched by the power of the corporations, and where King Silas (Kings' King Saul) finds himself trapped in the middle at the same time as a young upstart named "David" is suddenly getting everybody's attention. They get to look at current, real-life issues, but do so in a context where we have people who have to wait for the king to rise before they get out of their chairs and Divine Revelations flaunted publicly by the same king of national television.
The show, thus, is extremely ambitious.
Now don't get me wrong. It isn't the strongest pilot I've ever seen. But it's a very, very, very good one. Very good one. And while you shouldn't judge a show by its pilot, I'm already all but ready to declare this my new favourite current show this spring when Battlestar Galactica finds its closure on Friday.
Oh, and by the way, I don't believe I mentioned, Kings has Ian McShane in the lead role.
Yeah, that's right. You're wasting precious time reading this when you could be watching McShane be a bloody king for a full double-episode. Why do you think I didn't mention it until now? You'd have never read all of this post if I opened with that.








Amrasananas # Wednesday, March 18, 2009 5:50:02 PM
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Wednesday, March 18, 2009 10:10:33 PM
Amrasananas # Thursday, March 19, 2009 7:51:07 AM
Oh, and Watchmen, if that counts
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Thursday, March 19, 2009 10:54:18 AM
Anonymous # Sunday, March 22, 2009 1:18:47 PM
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Sunday, March 22, 2009 2:07:30 PM
The modern setting seems to me done in a double-edged attempt at making it more relatable to the viewer whilst being able to discuss and showcase some unique current issues (the power of corporations, for instance). The only problem I have with the modern setting so far is that their and their enemies' modern military seem to be using clueless tactics that's been outdated since the invention of the machine-gun... but you can live with that. It's not a show about armies, anyway, it's about people and politics.
Glad you're wanting to check it out. Personally I'm hyping it up too much in my own head, as I'm basically drooling with anticipation for tonight's new episode. I want more Kings now!
Anonymous # Sunday, March 22, 2009 7:36:38 PM
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Sunday, March 22, 2009 8:14:23 PM
As for the cancellation, it's not cancelled yet. It just looks bleak, with the pilot having gotten very low ratings combined with them possibly deciding to air two episodes next week instead of one... But there's always hope, right?
Anonymous # Sunday, March 22, 2009 8:19:58 PM
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Sunday, March 22, 2009 10:01:43 PM
Amrasananas # Tuesday, March 24, 2009 4:25:00 PM
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Tuesday, March 24, 2009 6:10:38 PM
Terje "Smith"TheTerje # Wednesday, March 25, 2009 5:58:37 PM
Anyhoo, gonna make a mental note of this and see if I can get around to watching it once I get over my current West Wing obsession. (4-5 times since late September. Seriously.)
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Wednesday, March 25, 2009 7:42:56 PM
Terje "Smith"TheTerje # Thursday, March 26, 2009 12:10:26 PM
But I'm mostly kidding. That does sound like a stellar show. (Probably not gonna start following it on a weekly basis, though; I've found I prefer concluded or mature shows that I can watch by the buchetload without running the risk of running into an abrupt and annoying halt or pause in the narrative...)
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Thursday, March 26, 2009 1:01:56 PM
And I agre on Rome, I just consider the sex and most of the violence to be (major) parts of the soap elements.
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Thursday, March 26, 2009 1:01:57 PM
And I agree on Rome, I just consider the sex and most of the violence to be (major) parts of the soap elements.
Terje "Smith"TheTerje # Thursday, March 26, 2009 2:54:56 PM
And if you interpret "sex" as "things pertaining to sex" and not just "sexual intercourses", which is the only reasonable thing to do, I guess, then I agree.
Georgius the PeasantLoki Aesir # Thursday, March 26, 2009 3:03:06 PM