Jump to content

‘The Last Kingdom’ - based on Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon series


AncalagonTheBlack

Recommended Posts

How has it been performing over the pond? Since BBC America gets to air it first, I figure they must have put in the most cash. If it does well with them, we'll probably get a second season no? :) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure what the numbers look like for viewers in North America. The problem I have with BBC America is the promotion of its content. The only time I ever see its shows being advertised is on BBC America. Basically, if you're not already hip to the station or its content, you're missing out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure what the numbers look like for viewers in North America. The problem I have with BBC America is the promotion of its content. The only time I ever see its shows being advertised is on BBC America. Basically, if you're not already hip to the station or its content, you're missing out.

That's the same for BBC in the uk though. In the UK it's to do with licensing afaik 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finished the third book yesterday. I have to say, I was pretty disappointed. Definitely the weakest book out of the first three, which bodes well for the adaptation, for I see massive room for improvement.

 

There were three things that really brought the book down imo:


1) Guthred was about as charismatic as a piece of wet sheepshit. Don't tell me he's charismatic, show it to me Cornwell. I was waiting for Alfred to come along and pimpslap him into submission, despite the fact that he's a pious boor according to Uthred, he's interesting to read about.

2) The time he spent in captivity felt like every other slavery tale in every other historical fiction/fantasy book ever. In fact it really reminded me of this series of young adult novels I once read called Ranger's Apprentice. Cornwell was probably first, but there wasn't really anything captivating about it.

3) Probably my biggest qualm with the book, the big battlescene at the end was boring as shit. I really hope they cut those fucking dogs out of the series, because what the fuck was that all about. So Ragnar's sister is a magic wolflady :thumbsdown: I call bullshit on that. It felt like a really cheap deus-ex-machina kind of twist. I mean, you saw it coming from the moment they mentioned Thyra not getting ripped apart by the dogs, but I expected something clever. What I got was just "magic" and then Cornwell pult another fast one when Beocca walked unarmed through a pack of dogs who had just torn dawn a shieldwall in their mad rage :dunno: Really I can't stress enough how much I disliked that stupid plottwist. It ruined the final battle, which was such a highlight in the previous books and it cheapened Ragnar and Uthred's revenge on Kjartan and Sven imo.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Cornwall episode seemed a bit of an odd one to me - not bad but weaker than the others. I liked Skorpa and I can see why they changed given that they need a big scary baddie to replace Ubba and Svein of Whitehorse seemed like a rather okay chap all things considered.

The Cornish dress and hair thing they had going on seemed a bit weird (care to confirm for us Theda)

Plus it had a couple moments of book herasy of the highest order.

1. No Steapa (Boo!)

2. Asser was almost a head taller than Uhtred.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Cornwall episode seemed a bit of an odd one to me - not bad but weaker than the others. I liked Skorpa and I can see why they changed given that they need a big scary baddie to replace Ubba and Svein of Whitehorse seemed like a rather okay chap all things considered.

The Cornish dress and hair thing they had going on seemed a bit weird (care to confirm for us Theda)

Plus it had a couple moments of book herasy of the highest order.

1. No Steapa (Boo!)

2. Asser was almost a head taller than Uhtred.

agreed. No Steapa sucks. Also, wasn't Uhtred plundering by sea in the books, because he was given charge of a small naval force? Or is that later? 

Didnt mind Skorpa too much, though the name change seems pointless.

I was hoping for Asser to be a bit more irritating and easy to dislike as he is in the books...but then, I suppose he is presented from Uhtred's POV there, so maybe I'm being unfair. 

I feel like there is more missing from the book that I wanted to see but can't place what it was.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

agreed. No Steapa sucks. Also, wasn't Uhtred plundering by sea in the books, because he was given charge of a small naval force? Or is that later? 

 

You're right, Uhtred and Leo get put in charge of a part of Wessex's little navy in Last Kingdom. Which makes sense cause Uhtred unlike most of the Saxons actually spent time in a ship at sea when he was with the Danes rather than in the show where he for some reason needs to explain the concept of the shieldwall to them

 

Didnt mind Skorpa too much, though the name change seems pointless.

Maybe they were worried about people confusing him with Kjartan's son?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe they were worried about people confusing him with Kjartan's son?

I think you're 100% correct here. There really is no other reason to change the names (well, outside of the fact that Skorpa sounds way more badass :P )

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe they were worried about people confusing him with Kjartan's son?

Except who, among the non-readers, remembers the name of Kjartan's son? Or even Kjartan's name for that matter; most people just think, that asshole who killed Uthred's adoptive family.

Considering that by the end of this season 

Skorpa/Svein of the White Horse will be dead, and Sven Kjartanson will be coming back only next season, there is really no point in the name change.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Except who, among the non-readers, remembers the name of Kjartan's son?

People who were paying attention? Sven name's been mentioned enough times that you would have had to have been half asleep not to know who he is. I totally get why they changed the name. I'm no expert on Danish pronunciation but pretty sure a non-native would be hard pressed to tell the difference between Sven and Svein.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

People who were paying attention? Sven name's been mentioned enough times that you would have had to have been half asleep not to know who he is. I totally get why they changed the name. I'm no expert on Danish pronunciation but pretty sure a non-native would be hard pressed to tell the difference between Sven and Svein.

By enough times I think you mean maybe twice. The guy has not appeared since episode 1.

I'm fairly certain that the showrunners have the same confidence in their audience that the GoT showrunners have.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That was probably my favorite episode of the season. That battle was very good. I also appreciated the fact that no character came across as superhuman. Alfred got stronger as the season went on. He really shined in these last two episodes. However, the relationship between Uhtred and Iseult fell flat for me. There was no emotional investment for me in their relationship or Iseult and Uhtred's fate. I wasn't a fan of Ragnar and Brida's endings either. Having not read Cornwell's novels, I can only assume there is more in store for those two.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...