TV Show: Kings

[ztiworoh]

Did anyone else watch the premiere? Thoughts?

I thought it was excellent - love seeing a story in a world that looks a lot like ours but actually isn't. Acting was great. The butterflies were a bit cheesy but overall the show looks very promising.

[jabber]

I didn't like it. I could not have cared less about any of the characters and I thought the writing was melodramatic.

When I heard about the show, I thought or hoped it would be a speculative alternate history about what America might be like under a monarchy. It does appear to be that way a bit, but the fact that the kingdom names were fictional made me think that perhaps this was an alternate universe rather than an alternate history. Then I grew more confused about the world when I heard David playing a piano piece by Franz Liszt (I'm not a music whiz; he identified the composer) and Silas King was driving a Mercedes Benz. I suppose if this was an America divided into separate kingdoms, New York City could have been renamed Shiloh but if that is the case, it would have been nice for the audience to get that background early. I know that sounds nit-picky but I'm just trying to illustrate my confusion.

The show clearly has some big plans and I'd hate to bail on it so early but I'm not sure it piqued my interest enough to spend my Sunday evenings with it. I understand that pilot episodes are difficult to judge because the creators have to cram so much material into 44 minutes, but last night's 2-hour premiere didn't leave me wanting to know more. Some shows grab you right away. This one didn't.

[ztiworoh]

Well I think it's an alternate universe definitely - but the place names are pulled from the Bible - Gath was Goliath's home city and Gilboa is part of Israel.

I think it's sort of like Battlestar Galactica in that you just have to accept that somehow they have mercedes cars and piano composers and eat pancakes - etc.... Just like how the last BSG episode mentioned Champagne - named after a region of France.

[lavahot]

I watched about half of it, then I couldn't take it anymore. I concur with the confusion over the alternates in history and the geography. There's nothing to hint at mystery over this so I am completely uninterested. I have to say the the drama and the acting were spot on. The pretty guy going out and saving the king's son was a great scene.

I have to say that I simply can't suspend my disbelief over a modern monarchy with this sort of structure. There's no free press, freedom of speech is limited, the people's right to petition goes unheard and unheeded. It's frankly disgusting.

[jay_ray]

I have to say that I simply can't suspend my disbelief over a modern monarchy with this sort of structure. There's no free press, freedom of speech is limited, the people's right to petition goes unheard and unheeded. It's frankly disgusting.

That still exists in a large part of the world, its not unfathomable to believe that.

The show is on my PVR, I'll eventually get to it. Hope it'll be at least entertaining.

[tokenuser]

Watching via Hulu.

I am undecided if it is an alternate history, or a "near future".
Our DVR is busy on Sunday's, so it will need to be a watch via Hulu thing for me I think.

[lavahot]

That still exists in a large part of the world, its not unfathomable to believe that.

The show is on my PVR, I'll eventually get to it. Hope it'll be at least entertaining.

I'm by saying there aren't modern monarchies, they just aren't world powers like Shiloh is. I mean there are countless monarchies in Africa, but they don't hold sway over the world agenda like Shiloh does.

[dolson]

I thought this thread was about that WiiWare game... Thought I wasn't the only one who wasted their Wii Points on it.

[skin87]

I didn't watch the show, but I am glad to hear it bombed ratings rise. One less show Chuck has to compete with for a 09-10 pickup.

[simontrent]

Just finished watching. IMO it has potential.. some of the dialogue was a bit blah but over all I enjoyed. Cant wait to see the next episode.

[stopikingonme]

I don't think it was supposed to necessarily be a strict alternate history so much as an interpretation. I also was hoping this would be a more "We're not the USA we are the Kingdom of Amerigo" or something.

I still am very interested in this though. For a pilot it has a ton of potential. Someone mentioned Battlestar Galatica in an earlier post referring to the alternate history version of that show, but I think there are much more similarities. In BSG you have the control of an entire nation run by the president, who has been having power struggles with the military. It is similar to Kings in the sense that it is a political thriller with a (potential at least) for a ton of sub plots running in tons of directions.

To clarify what I think they are trying to do is not a strict alternate history, but more of a parable. I say parable because those of you who may not be as bookwormy into the Bible as I am would not get that the whole story including names of people, nations, and even incidents (David vs Goliath) are being taken directly out of the Old Testament of the Bible. The part of the Bible that both Christians and the Jewish faith take their fundamentals from.

There is no doubt in my mind that David, the main character is David from the Bible, King Silas is Saul, Rev. Samuals is Samuel.

Can I just say that I love this premise. There are so many incredible stories from the Bible with love, tragedy and pain, that I can't believe no one has done this before! The story of King David is such a great story to put a present day spin on it just can't fail I think. (or I guess hope)

http://www.projo.com/photos/20090314/SCC.200_03-14-09_N9DLIV0.jpg

[logant]

I thought it was great.

[blackwolfvii]

I very much enjoyed it. I also liked picking up on subtle things they included that unless you have inside knowledge about the story you wouldn't have really picked up.
An example being when Samuel's car broke down and David came to fix it, he had a bit of oil on his head from working under the hood and Samuel rubbed it in, also that biblical David played Harp, modern David plays Piano, and there are many other things to pick up on, so I'm looking forward to other slick references and interesting ways they modernize and parallel the story.

[afidler]

Somehow this show managed to miss my radar. I had no idea this show was even about this when i loaded it up on Hulu. I have only watched the pilot so far, but I am very excited about the potential for this show. I definitely agree with the BSG feeling. Digging the alternative history premise. Plus, Ian McShane is a great actor--the replacement for Edward James Olmos???

Looking forward to what this show will bring.