Television Review: Kings

I’m really interested by this show. However, I preface this review with the fact that I haven’t seen up to the most recent episodes, so I may be a little behind the times. I agree wholeheartedly with some other reviewers of the new NBC series that say that they don’t really know where the show is going, or what its point is. But I also agree with them that this isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

I’ll attempt to summarize the plot and at least the point of the series on a superficial level. It’s the story of a kingdom in modern times, and the country boy David who slays a Goliath tank and is taken in by the king. We assume that he will eventually become king, but that hasn’t happened yet. It does, very loosely, follow the Biblical story by simply updating it, but as I haven’t ever actually read that part of the Bible I can’t say how much of the plot is taken from the book. I’m guessing not much. There are many sub-plots, counter-plots, and others so modern that they clearly couldn’t be from a story that old.

This show really brings together a huge amount of genres for its subject matter. There’s a lot of teen drama thrown in to the politics, a little comic relief (primarily given by two security guards that would typically [in another show] be inept and bumbling, but are actually just nice, entertaining characters not at the cost of their jobs, which is great, I think) mixed with warfare and social commentary. It has, I would think, something for everyone, which often has the side effect of having nothing to keep anyone’s interest for too long. I think this suffers from that problem, however the very fact that there are so many different parts of the show keeps me watching regardless.

There are a lot of things I like about the show. As I have previously mentioned, I love shows that are primarily real-life but with a little hint of the mystic, or magic, or supernatural. “Kings” hasn’t yet had this become any more than the briefest touch, but I have hopes. God is talked about a lot, and God’s plans for people do manifest themselves in signs, omens, and so on. I don’t expect this to become a supernatural epic (although it is from the creator of “Heroes”), but these little touches here and there are very nice. One of the big characters, who I expect will become bigger, is the Reverend Samuels, whose austere manner and polite animosity to the king are backed by his utter faith in the signs of God. There are points when it goes a little overboard, when David gets “crowned” by a swarm of butterflies in the pilot for example, but for themost part it is kept well inside the boundaries of cool.

The other thing I like about this show (and once again, many others) is that the dialogue is very stylised. Especially King Silas’ words, but almost every other character too, are essentially biblical. With one exception there is no “hath,” or “mine eye,” and other biblical phrases, but the same weight is there, the phrasing is right, and it feels just odd enough to be cool. It does flow in and out which is a little awkward, but when it’s fully there I love it. This makes Ian McShane, who plays Silas, even more entertaining and enthralling to watch than he already is (I’ve always wanted to see him in “Deadwood,” but never gotten around to it).

I have no idea where this show is going. I know it’s probably going to make up its mind towards a certain genre, and, depending on which genre it is, I might stop watching. But until then, it keeps me guessing—both as to the course of the plot and on a more meta- level, the general nature of the show—and that makes me keep watching it. If you’re interested, it’s broadcast every Saturday at 8 on NBC, or all of it is available on Hulu, where I’m watching it. [EDIT: Apparently this show has effectively been canceled, or at least not renewed for a second season. Sad. And also shows how behind the times watching things online makes you.]

N.B.: The pilot is often somewhat bad at times. But it gets better. Keep watching, keep checking it out, and it’ll probably end up worth it.

Tags: kings, review, television