Kurt Sutter’s Period Drama for FX - 'The Bastard Executioner'

[red snow]

I want to be interested in this show, but then Katey Segal pops up and it's like a mood killer.  Nothing against her acting, I'm just not ready to see her again in anything.  

 

It's unfortunate that her character in SOA has that affect and it's moreso when her husband is once again the showrunner. It's really not a good match (except for them).

 

As for the new trailer it looks like it promises to be as ridiculous as SoA from the get go. Maybe it'd be fun to watch it knowing that from the ourset?

 

"It's set in a world that's so far removed from everyday now"  I suspect it's the same for the actual period of Edward I .

 

Drama and acting looks briliiant "WHERE ARE YOUR MEN"

 

I just hope Sutter doesn't think a horse is a motorbike - otherwise a refueling scene could be disturbing.

 

As soon as there's a musical montage of the cast with medieval music, let me know, and I'll give the show a go.

[GallowKnight]

Wow, that looks really, really bad.

 

I wonder how many musical montages it will have?

[-Ghost-]

What was that accent supposed to be that Katey Segal was using?

[red snow]

What was that accent supposed to be that Katey Segal was using?

 

Medieveal American, probably...

[Joe Pesci]

I hadn't really paid attention to who was in charge of this, but now I can't help but think it should be called Sons of Medieval Anarchy.

[Jack Bauer 24]

Anyone actually going to watch this?

[matt b]

I'll be checking it out but my expectations basically amount to, "guys in armor swinging swords." If they can do that and make it at least vaguely interesting, I'm in. 

[Jack Bauer 24]

http://ign.com/articles/2015/09/14/the-bastard-executioner-pilot-review

Review is live.

[Tears of Lys]

I'll probably check it out, but my expectations aren't high.

I never saw Sons of Anarchy, but was under the impression that it was pretty good - or at least people got hooked on it, which isn't the same thing.

Am I wrong?

[Zorral]

The NY Times has a review of the first three episodes -- NY Times is limited view per month venue, thus it may not seem worthy for many to use one of those 10 to read it, though the description is kind of amusing.

 

But if you wish to read it, it is here:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/15/arts/television/review-in-the-bastard-executioner-a-warrior-switches-blades.html?ref=arts

 

A c&p of the crux of the reviewer's reaction:

 

“The Bastard Executioner” is also a sprawling primal scream of a story, about brooding beardos feeling and dealing pain. Wilkin assembles his own ride-or-die band of hirsute brothers, including his best friend, Toran (Sam Spruell), and Berber (Danny Sapani, Sembene on “Penny Dreadful”), a Moor converted forcibly to Christianity. His most mysterious ally is Annora of the Alders (Katey Sagal), a Central-to-East European-accented mystic who works with a hooded and scar-faced mute (Mr. Sutter) and uses blood magic to aid (and manipulate) Wilkin in his quest.

 

The plan is to steal the identity of an itinerant head-chopper and infiltrate the castle of the occupying English baron Erik Ventris (Brian F. O’Byrne), which is already rife with palace drama. Baroness Lady Love Ventris (Flora Spencer-Longhurst), a native noblewoman sympathetic to her rebellious countrymen, is at odds with the wicked adviser Milus Corbett (Stephen Moyer, Bill on “True Blood”), as if in a Welsh version of the Purim story.

 

The whole business risks mockery, but it’s played dead-sober, with only Mr. Moyer having some hint of preening fun with his villainy. (There is one comic-relief subplot, involving an orphan shepherd boy with a more-than-professional attachment to his sheep.) Ms. Sagal — Mr. Sutter’s wife, who gave a terrific performance in “Anarchy” over seven seasons — has an especially thankless job uttering Annora’s witchy portents.

 

“The Bastard Executioner” has some of the best assets of “Sons of Anarchy,” including the veteran director Paris Barclay. But it uses them in ways that recall that series’ biggest flaws: both its reveling in garish misery — I imagine Mr. Sutter binge-watching “Game of Thrones,” chuckling, and cracking his knuckles — and its undisciplined storytelling.

 

 

[Mexal]

Basically, all of the reviews say the same thing. First three episodes are average, ultra-violent, it takes itself too seriously and there isn't enough story to fill those episodes. That and Sutter's wife plays a ridiculous role that doesn't seem to fit. 

 

I'll likely check it out this week since there isn't a ton to watch tomorrow but I'm not as excited as I once was.

[Zorral]

Basically, all of the reviews say the same thing. First three episodes are average, ultra-violent, it takes itself too seriously and there isn't enough story to fill those episodes. That and Sutter's wife plays a ridiculous role that doesn't seem to fit. 

 

I'll likely check it out this week since there isn't a ton to watch tomorrow but I'm not as excited as I once was.

 

The Guardian says something a little different:

 

Is this show bad? Actually, it’s pretty good. I’m sure that the show will be a big hit and do quite well for FX, though it’s not really my cup of mead.

 

If it’s good, why don’t you like it? Given the preponderance of other medieval period pieces out there, it just seems very familiar. Even though Game of Thrones leans much more heavily on its fantasy aspects, they both share a certain aesthetic, and GoT just blows this Bastard out of the water. If I were going to watch something for the costumes and rebel intrigue, it would be Outlander. The period action adventure thirst can also be quenched by the better-than-it-should-be Vikings.

 

Also, the white male antiheroes of “peak TV” are becoming tired. Wilkin Brattle is a former soldier who was visited by an angel on the battlefield and pledged he would never raise his sword again. After his village is burned down, he not only picks it back up but takes on the mantle of the executioner. He is tormented by the conflict between his religious beliefs and what he has to do to get his vengeance and ply his trade. The conflict between faith and duty plays an interesting role here, but the show doesn’t really have anything new to say. The Bastard Executioner is treading a very well-hewn path.

 

 

[Dr. Pepper]

FX is really pushing this thing.  When I was at the gym last night, five of the eight screens showed a trailer for the show, all different channels and I don't think they were all associated with FX.   I queued it up on my dvr, but I'm still not at all excited about this.  

[-Ghost-]

I'm gonna watch it, or at least dvr it. I'm excited to hear more of Katey Segals accent.

[red snow]

I'm gonna watch it, or at least dvr it. I'm excited to hear more of Katey Segals accent.

 

She'll hopefully sing some songs with that accent too.

 

I like what the Guardian stands for but sometimes they try too hard with their agenda. You can't really complain that the lead for a knight in medieval England is a white guy though. Fair to complain about the show having that setting though. Plenty of other regions if they wanted to be a bit more diverse eg the crusades.

I also think "antiheroes" may be growing tired irrespective of labelling - part of the reason I think I enjoyed "sense8" this year was because it was actually a positive show about put-upon people generally winning.

[Astromech]

I'll dvr it. It may quench my thirst for something medieval until Vikings season 4. I've never watched SoA, only his documentary Outlaw Empires. It may be worth watching for some gritty action sequences. Like other posters have stated, I'll watch it with tempered expectations and hopefully be pleasantly surprised.

[Kindly Old Man]

I thought the first hour or so was kind of meandering, but the last half hour showed some potential. I liked the fight scene with the rebels and the set up with him embedded in his enemies' castle could be interesting.  I'll give it a few more episodes at least. It's definitely a Kurt Sutter show, for better or worse.

[Pliskin]

I endured it for 27 minutes and I couldn't do more.

That's some pretty really very bad and terrible terrible show.

 

I don't know what they were high on, but that shit gotta be really good.

[Corvinus85]

Not too impressed with this. I'll give it another episode or two. Spartacus was bad at first, and improved, so maybe this one will, too.

I deplore that Sembene from Penny Dreadful is dead, and the actor moved on to this show, and quite possibly was given a less interesting role.

I was mainly annoyed by the complete lack in trying to attempt some historical accuracy. I didn't know English lords referred to their troops as legions, or that Englishmen in the 14th century forgot what a shield was. And the battle with the rebels was ridiculous. Sure, it's hard to work with horses, but you can't have a shot showing a bunch of guys on horseback, and the next shot everyone is fighting on foot, and mingled with each other. Holding out hope that maybe The Last Kingdom will do it right.

One thing I appreciated was that this time the good guys actually brought their troubles onto themselves. And also that the tax collector, of all people, was a good man. RIP tax collector.

[Snowy89]

 

The NY Times has a review of the first three episodes -- NY Times is limited view per month venue, thus it may not seem worthy for many to use one of those 10 to read it, though the description is kind of amusing.

 

But if you wish to read it, it is here:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/15/arts/television/review-in-the-bastard-executioner-a-warrior-switches-blades.html?ref=arts

 

A c&p of the crux of the reviewer's reaction:

 

 

 

 

I have a hint for you: Use firefox incognito mode. When you used up your 10free  NYT articles, just close and restart the browser to enjoy your next 10 NYT articles :)