The Last Kingdom is my personal favorite show of all time. Set during the invasion of the Great Heathen Army and its aftermath, it follows Uhtred, a warrior born as a Saxon but raised as a Dane, as he treads the line between the warring factions while going after his own stolen birthright. It's also based on the Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell and follows the storyline quite faithfully by most accounts, though I haven't read the books (I can't get through a Cornwell book without being bored to tears).
Gratefully, The Last Kingdom is far from boring. It treads many years of political strife, the rise and fall of many well-developed characters of all moral persuasions, and showcases many heart-pounding battles with historical relevance. The culture of both Saxons and Danes is highlighted here, as is the era's Christian influence and Norse mythology. Never before have I been so immersed in any show, let alone one with a historical context; every time I binged episodes I found it hard to get into anything else. Aiding this immersion is a tear-inducing soundtrack, characters you learn to love, gorgeous vistas, and a sense that you've been uprooted and transported to a vastly different time.
Let me double down on the "great characters" bit for a minute: the characters here are what differentiates The Last Kingdom from many shows that try and fail to reach its heights. I could be here all day listing characters and why they're enticing, but I'll settle for this: Uhtred is a tragic hero that is also a puzzle, Brida's character arc is as full of rises and falls as she is of powerful warrior moments, Aethelwold is the sneakiest snake that ever sneaked and was a joy to love (or hate), Alfred the Great (played to perfection by David Dawson) is an intriguing yet troubling juxtaposition of kindness and betrayal, and each and every antagonist of the series is interesting, even if they don't last very long (Haesten, Aethelred, Cnut, Skade, Erik, Bloodhair, the list goes on). The Last Kingdom is notorious at killing off its characters, but it develops them so well that with each death the viewer feels either grief or the sense of the end of an intriguing era. This show is simply magic.
My only criticisms of the show are nitpicky. At times it's obvious they use a filter to darken scenes with a gray-blue tint because natural lighting didn't fit the mood. Some fighting scenes were filmed in such a way that it's hard to grasp what's happening (usually during the large-scale battles involving clashing armies). However, this lasts for a few seconds out of the occasional episode, so it's not an issue. Another reviewer mentioned how frustrating it is that Uhtred is constantly treated horribly by the people he tries to aid and ally with, and I agree it can get frustrating. But without conflict, the show wouldn't just be boring, it wouldn't exist at all.
The Last Kingdom is a masterpiece of historical fiction that all lovers of history owe it to themselves to try. Many have likened it to Game of Thrones despite the genre difference because of its nasty game of politics, but the difference here is that The Last Kingdom keeps its quality consistent throughout its seasons. As old characters die off, those who have been rising in the background take center stage until the cycle begins anew. Watching this show feels like a journey because its plotline continues to develop in new and intriguing ways, mercilessly pulling its transformative cast along with it. Netflix, thank you for bringing this show back for a third and fourth season, but Uhtred's story is not over. You are lucky to have such a show under your control; don't drop it.
Amazing show, and the only one I can in good faith give a 10/10. Please support it!
Gratefully, The Last Kingdom is far from boring. It treads many years of political strife, the rise and fall of many well-developed characters of all moral persuasions, and showcases many heart-pounding battles with historical relevance. The culture of both Saxons and Danes is highlighted here, as is the era's Christian influence and Norse mythology. Never before have I been so immersed in any show, let alone one with a historical context; every time I binged episodes I found it hard to get into anything else. Aiding this immersion is a tear-inducing soundtrack, characters you learn to love, gorgeous vistas, and a sense that you've been uprooted and transported to a vastly different time.
Let me double down on the "great characters" bit for a minute: the characters here are what differentiates The Last Kingdom from many shows that try and fail to reach its heights. I could be here all day listing characters and why they're enticing, but I'll settle for this: Uhtred is a tragic hero that is also a puzzle, Brida's character arc is as full of rises and falls as she is of powerful warrior moments, Aethelwold is the sneakiest snake that ever sneaked and was a joy to love (or hate), Alfred the Great (played to perfection by David Dawson) is an intriguing yet troubling juxtaposition of kindness and betrayal, and each and every antagonist of the series is interesting, even if they don't last very long (Haesten, Aethelred, Cnut, Skade, Erik, Bloodhair, the list goes on). The Last Kingdom is notorious at killing off its characters, but it develops them so well that with each death the viewer feels either grief or the sense of the end of an intriguing era. This show is simply magic.
My only criticisms of the show are nitpicky. At times it's obvious they use a filter to darken scenes with a gray-blue tint because natural lighting didn't fit the mood. Some fighting scenes were filmed in such a way that it's hard to grasp what's happening (usually during the large-scale battles involving clashing armies). However, this lasts for a few seconds out of the occasional episode, so it's not an issue. Another reviewer mentioned how frustrating it is that Uhtred is constantly treated horribly by the people he tries to aid and ally with, and I agree it can get frustrating. But without conflict, the show wouldn't just be boring, it wouldn't exist at all.
The Last Kingdom is a masterpiece of historical fiction that all lovers of history owe it to themselves to try. Many have likened it to Game of Thrones despite the genre difference because of its nasty game of politics, but the difference here is that The Last Kingdom keeps its quality consistent throughout its seasons. As old characters die off, those who have been rising in the background take center stage until the cycle begins anew. Watching this show feels like a journey because its plotline continues to develop in new and intriguing ways, mercilessly pulling its transformative cast along with it. Netflix, thank you for bringing this show back for a third and fourth season, but Uhtred's story is not over. You are lucky to have such a show under your control; don't drop it.
Amazing show, and the only one I can in good faith give a 10/10. Please support it!
