The premise relies heavily on the concept of speculative reality, sort of a "What If?" world that mirrors our own. An NBC series that ran for 13 episodes before reaching cancellation due to low ratings in the summer television season, Kings nevertheless benefited from top notch acting, thanks to an impressive cast of capable actors.
Basic Overview of Kings
The time is the present, and King Silas Benjamin (Ian McShane, TV's Deadwood) rules over the kingdom of Gilboa (imagine the United States as a monarchy), while doing his best to keep up with the many social and economical issues that come with the role.
As Gilboa deals with a protracted conflict with the neighboring nation of Gath, young soldier David Shepherd (Christopher Egan) and the members of his platoon, keep watch along the war front, hoping for an end to hostilities.
When news arrives that some Gilboan soldiers have been taken hostage by Gath, the idealistic yet righteous David decides to sacrifice himself for the sake of their safety, and as he stealthily rescues the prisoners single-handed, he finds himself face to face with an enemy tank (appropriately called a Goliath).
David defeats Goliath (yes, that was a biblical reference), and becomes a hero to his fellow soldiers. He becomes a national hero when it's discovered that one of the prisoners was the King's son, Jack (Sebastian Stan). It doesn't take long before young David is paraded and brought to the capital city of Shiloh. There he soon earns the King's praise, but the resentment of the rescued prince.
David soon begins a relationship with the King's lovely daughter Michelle (Allison Miller), and their relationship later becomes public knowledge.
As the series progresses, the audience witnesses the inner turmoil of the Benjamin royal family, and the dangers they face on a weekly basis, as they deal with dangers external and internal, especially at the hands of the King's politically ambitious brother-in-law, William Cross (Dylan Baker).
Analysis of Kings Season One DVD
Revisionist and speculative tales ar always fun to watch. In this particular case, viewers can enjoy a tale of royalty and monarchy, while dispensing with castles and horses, catapults and arrows. This is a modern-day world, and royal news is just as likely to be broadcast in HD, and the latest princely escapades at the local night club, can make its way to tabloid websites overnight.
Show creator Michael Green has some fun with this concept, and explores the possibilities of mixing both of these premises within one frame. for example, the King holds court with his various servants, however the setting looks like a an almost clinically bland boardroom.
The King's daughter, though known as part of the royal family, holds a role of public servant, fighting to get health reforms passed before her father's court. This is but one of many examples of how Green infuses his modern-day society with medieval political structures, and vice-versa.
Adding the semi-biblical elements to this story, only adds more content to the already politically charged intrigue of the show. However, since there are personal conflicts to be seen within the Royal Court, the show quickly delves into a Dynasty-type soap opera, with affairs and power plays being conducted behind closed doors. One could almost see Linda Evans or Joan Collins play a scorned wife, wary of her husband's cheating ways.
When all is said and done, there's enough adventure and intrigue to balance out the spots of melodrama which pepper this series.
The Cast of Kings
The producers struck gold in casting Ian McShane in the role of King Silas. Always coming off as a seasoned, world weary man burdened with years of secrets, McShane's booming voice and almost regal presence on screen, allows him to play King Silas without trying too hard. He is well supported by seasoned supporting actors Wes Studi (Last of the Mohicans, Mystery Men) and Eamonn Walker. They play his military commander, and his religious head of state, respectively.
The rest of the cast is somewhat forgettable, but the show does benefit from a nice bit of acting by Dylan Baker, known to most as Dr. Connors from the Spider-Man movies. Though he usually plays fairly benevolent supporting roles, he gets to have some good fun hamming it up as the evil William, without overdoing it.
The show does bring in some guests starts during the course of the 13-episode season, with names such as Macauley Culkin (from Home Alone), Brian Cox (X2: X-Men United) and Miguel Ferrer (Robocop).
Kings Overall Analysis
People interested in this show may benefit from being familiar with the biblical stories the characters are based on, however this reviewer didn't have much knowledge of those tales past the obvious David and Goliath references, and didn't suffer for it. The show does have some interesting political subplots which veer towards Shakespeare's plays, but the characters are well fleshed-out, and the show's episodes have a good pace. It's a pity the story stops at Episode 13. Like many other short-lived shows, it's rarely about the quality of the show, but rather the ratings one gets on the air
7.5 out of 10 for being a good bit of speculative fiction, though it often delves into a soap-operatic formula.
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