The Winter King [MGM+ / ITVX]

JP Liz V1 · 20-08-2023 11:22pm #1

Iain De Caestecker as King Arthur

CastorTroy · 21-08-2023 12:47am

When reading the description about how it's a reimagining of the legend and what it was about, it reminded me of that Clive Owen film which was the supposedly the true story that inspired the legend. So it was a lot more boring.

pixelburp · 21-08-2023 7:17am

10 seconds in: welp, that's going to immediately annoy some people.

Being from the author of The Last Kingdom turned my head: is this supposed to be based in "reality", or is it going to embrace the magical aspect?

Hodors Appletart · 21-08-2023 7:34am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121005733#Comment_121005733

On your first point, there is an African person in the books

21-08-2023 7:53am

Thin enough pilot, I was expecting better. Might be a slow burner.

ejmaztec · 21-08-2023 8:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121005768#Comment_121005768

All of the one star reviews on IMDB criticised the diversity aspect, there were 4 or 5 of them early yesterday (and one 10 star review), and all were gone when I looked this morning. Now there are only high rated reviews criticising the one star reviewers and making the series out to be the best thing since sliced bread.

The Winter King (TV Series 2023– ) - IMDb

Hodors Appletart · 21-08-2023 8:57am

Criticising diversity is so stupid, so I support the removal of such reviews.

pixelburp · 21-08-2023 9:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121005982#Comment_121005982

IMDB and those sites of that ilk are a trash-fire at the best of times: but review bombing a show 'cos it has a few black faces is inane and utterly stupid - not to mention invariably distracting from the more important question of whether this show is any good or not. Something tells me those 1-star reviews weren't even aware the book also had black characters, as @Hodors Appletart notes.

Sidebar but I only just realised that Arthur himself is being played by Fitz from Agents of SHIELD; he has bulked out a bit, lol.

Hodors Appletart · 21-08-2023 9:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006048#Comment_121006048

I didn't say black, just to be clear. I said African - the character is a north african who used to be involved with the Roman empire. Not a sub-saharan african.

pixelburp · 21-08-2023 9:41am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006186#Comment_121006186

Fair enough; though I suspect were the character more accurate to the books & rendered as Tunisian / Moroccan etc, the usual crowd would still be about complaining. The point about Roman North African colonies is relevant, and good historical context - but again tends to be ignored at the altar at the Church of the Perpetually Angry.

Anyway, I will keep an eye on this 'cos with The Last Kingdom finishing, another Cornwall adaption would turn my head - if it's any good.

tibruit · 21-08-2023 9:45am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121005560#Comment_121005560

"supposedly true story that inspired the legend."

Not so much. Owen`s character was based on a real man called Lucius Artorius Castus. It is open to interpretation how important a man Castus was but he was certainly real and he served some time in Britain in the second half of the second century. But the movie put him in a Saxon war that took place about three centuries later. Other than that it was a decent movie though.

silverharp · 21-08-2023 9:47am

they are going back to the well a bit , there are only so many medieval Dallas tv shows I can watch

CastorTroy · 21-08-2023 10:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006214#Comment_121006214

I was referring to the poster's tagline

pixelburp · 21-08-2023 10:35am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121006360#Comment_121006360

Who'd have thought of thsoe in that poster, only Knightley's career would be still strong ~20 odd years later; never quite rated her as an actor behind being a pretty tomboy type, while at the time Owen and Gruffudd had what seemed like rising stock in Hollywood.

Slydice · 23-08-2023 10:59pm

1: Feels like I'm learning a bit more about the Camelot backstory than I picked up before. Haven't watched the Charlie Hunnam one though.

This show feels pretty well made. Didn't feel like some of the boring-feel productions that I associate with some english shows. Almost feels like they want the audience to think 'Game of Thrones' in places.

28-08-2023 9:12pm

Didn’t enjoy second episode at all.

Slydice · 28-08-2023 10:03pm

2: Yikes! 😦 Wasn't expecting the likes of..

a Game of Thrones red wedding level event so early on in a tale I'm associating with Camelot

Though really I don't know a huge amount of Camelot backstory

Did think Eddie Marsan did well in this one. He carried through

the idea of the passage of time with his ailments and getting old and such

Brief_Lives · 14-05-2024 7:27am

I started watching this over the weekend. I am a few episodes in….

I will admit to fast forwarding through most scenes with that blond actor Derfel, such a painfully boring human to watch.

Good to see Fitz back on screne since Agents of shield. He does a lot of staring, does he get paid by word count, or episode, I wonder?

The Winter King [MGM+ / ITVX]

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