KNIGHTFALLs Heavily

Article first published as TV Review: KNIGHTFALL on Seat42F.

ALERT: This article contains spoilers from the KNIGHTFALL pilot. It does not spoil anything beyond episode one.

History channel has a new drama called KNIGHTFALL. Following the Knights Templar in the 14^th century, we see the titular group trying to recover the Holy Grail, which they lose when fleeing their stronghold. The action quickly picks up fifteen years after that event in Paris, in the final days of the Knights’ existence. What will they accomplish before they disappear from history, and will they recover their most holy of artifacts?

KNIGHTFALL reminds me a lot of Vikings, a sister series on the network. It focuses a lot of violence and brutality. There are slow-motion fight scenes with plenty of blood punctuated throughout the first hour, and presumably, each hour after. The political drama is secondary, though there is also focus on sex and personal relationships. Characters don’t age as much as they should. In those aspects, KNIGHTFALL tries to build upon Vikings’ success.

Another thing KNIGHTFALL has in common with Vikings is that it is set during an era and concerning a people whom very little is known about. There are rumors and myths mixed with fact, and a lot of gaps exist in the history books. This allows the show to take much creative license without worry of offending anyone or being challenged too much by those who study the era. Though, in my opinion, it does tarnish the authenticity of the network’s name.

KNIGHTFALL does not have a very recognizable cast, a rarity in a television show today, though not necessarily a bad thing. Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey) is the lead, Landry, and perhaps the most well-known face in the pilot. Landry has just been put in charge of the Knights as KNIGHTFALL gets under way, a strange decision since the previous leader didn’t exactly agree with much of what Landry urged him to do. But he is a typical Hero, so there’s no doubt he can guide the group through whatever is coming their way.

Of course, given that KNIGHTFALL is airing in this particular age, the Hero must be flawed, too. We soon find out that Landry has a lover, a big no-no for members of the group. Worse, his sex partner is none other than Queen Joan (Olivia Ross, War & Peace), whose husband, King Philip (Ed Stoppard, Upstairs Downstairs), trusts Landry. (This isn’t, by far, the only glaring mistake Philip makes. He is not a wise monarch.) So we have the added, forced drama implicit in such a triangle.

It’s decisions like these that keep KNIGHTFALL down. It chooses to follow worn-out plots and open easy doors to drama, rather than trying to build something special. It may well satisfy the audience History is going for, but it tends to take some of the weaker parts of Vikings and ignore the better ones, at least in the pilot (the only episode I’ve seen). This is not the recipe for a ground-breaking show, but it’s fine if you just want popcorn entertainment.

I will say, KNIGHTFALL looks pretty good. I don’t know how accurate it is, and it certainly doesn’t rise to the level of a Game of Thrones in sweeping vistas. But it’s pretty enough, foreign and dated, and the costumes are pretty cool. This will lend it some legitimacy to the casual viewer, and also means if the writers do find their groove later on, some of the ingredients are already in place for a superior recipe.

KNIGHTFALL isn’t terrible, it just isn’t great, and in this day and age, that’s a dangerous thing to be if it wants any critical attention or to compete for viewers outside of a narrow demographic. Which doesn’t mean it won’t do well if it finds the right audience.

KNIGHTFALL airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on History.

Two Four SIX Eight

Article first published as SIX Review on Seat42F.

History Channel begins its eight-episode series tonight entitled SIX. A fictionalized account of the activities of SEAL Team Six, a.k.a. those guys that took out Bin Laden, it covers a bunch of men who serve hard in the field, and the homes they come back to. In the central thread, a former member of their squad, now working in the private industry, has been captured by terrorists, and his comrades must get him back before the bad guys do something horrible to him. But it’s also about their relationships with their wives and one another, too.

The Seal Team SIXers are Bear (Barry Sloane, Revenge), Alex (Kyle Schmid, Copper), Buddha (Juan Pablo Raba, Narcos), and Robert Chase (Edwin Hodge, Chicago Fire). Each of the first three has some slight differentiation, but are pretty much bearded white guys who aren’t young any more, but aren’t old either. They care about brotherhood, they care about children, and they care about their country. Robert is the new guy, because there’s always a new guy, and some of the plot deals with him integrating into the group.

The problem with SIX is, this is not a lot to hang a show on. I know military dramas aren’t exactly meant for everyone, but the very good ones, like HBO’s The Pacific, are enjoyable to a broad audience. SIX has much less complex characters, lacks the development of the moral conflict, and reduces its bad guys to one-note stereotypes of its better forbearers. Subject matter aside, in the age of peak TV, that isn’t the way to make a show that people will want to tune into. It’s shallow and boring.

I applaud that two wives, Lena (Brianne Davis, Hollywood Heights) and Jackie (Nadine Velazquez, The League), are part of the main cast. But neither is interestingly sketched enough to hold much attention. They are pretty much just there to have emotional conflict with their spouses, with few characteristics to set them apart as individuals.

That’s too bad, because the idea of showing families of the soldiers is a strong one that helps humanize them and draws the very stark contrast between their professional and personal lives. The nature of this groups’ work is such that they aren’t on the long deployments, instead sent on targeted missions, and they get to spend a lot of time back in the U.S. The dichotomy is rich territory to explore that SIX underuses majorly.

The show does pick up a bit when it focuses on Rip (Walton Goggins, Justified, The Shield), the former team member who has been captured. Part of this is because there’s more action and depth to Rip’s scenes, and part of it is because Goggins is a magnificent, magnetic actor who captures audience attention easily. Rip is far from a saint, but I would expect nothing less from this actor, who excels at playing shady characters whose redemption you root for, even while knowing there’s a fifty-fifty chance, at best, he will come to the light.

Still, that’s not enough to save a series that drags and is only thinly drawn. I think the concept of SIX is a good one, and I am definitely in favor a television program that shows the reality of war and deals with the mental state of the modern United States serviceman or woman. Something like that is important in this age of long, drawn-out conflicts that mostly go on to the ignorance of the American public, who know very little about the reality of the situation. Unfortunately, SIX isn’t that, it’s a mediocre series, and it will do little to shine the spotlight where it needs to be shone.

SIX premieres tonight at 10/9c on History Channel.

"Mercenary" for VIKINGS

Article originally published as VIKINGS Review Season 3 Episode 1 Mercenary on Seat42F.

The History channel’s VIKINGS returns for a third season tonight, and boy does it start off on a high note! Ragnar’s (Travis Fimmel) people are anxious to get back to England, and as spring approaches, their King sets sail for the more civilized land. Upon arrival, King Ecbert (Linus Roache) does give them the farmland promised, but he also has a favor to ask, and his eye is on one of the savages.

The season premiere, titled “Mercenary,” really highlights the differences between the English and the Vikings. The English naturally think they are better than the non-Christians, assuming that since the Vikings don’t pray to the same savior, they are unevolved. We can see at a dinner held that these Englishmen consider themselves above the others, and feel they are manipulating them to their advantage. The Vikings, for their part, have their own gods and beliefs, as we see when Lagertha (Katheryn Winnick) consults The Seer (John Kavanagh) at the start of the hour, and think the English ways are stuffy and ridiculous. The warriors feel they know better, and are only willing to help the English in as much as it suits them.

This is obviously heading for a serious split, but that doesn’t come in “Mercenary.” Instead, Ecbert’s people are united with Ragnar’s in helping Princess Kwenthrith (Amy Bailey) win back her crown. Thus, Ecbert’s English benefit from the Vikings’ tactics when the large battle late in the episode comes to a head, the Vikings showing a different stripe than either group of English, who operate by tradition and ceremony, expect.

The battle is probably my favorite part of “Mercenary.” It’s intriguing to examine the differences in the people and the personal drama going on, but sometimes bloody sword battles are most welcome. After a slow burn through much of the episode, it feels earned when the forces finally engage.

There is an interesting moment at the end where Ragnar’s face turns unexpectedly. If you haven’t watched the episode yet, you’ll see what I mean when you get to it. It makes me wonder how happy he is. He clearly isn’t well-suited to be King; he likes the power, but not necessarily the responsibility or airs. But there’s a bit where he might finally see himself as the English do, he always being particularly empathetic towards others, and it begs the question, how much will Ragnar change? In the past, he’s only been willing to go so far, but as VIKINGS pushes on, that could shift, for better or for worse.

Ragnar isn’t the only restless one in “Mercenary.” Athelstan (George Blagden) might not be satisfied with his position. He gets quite chummy with Ecbert, and while he expresses continued loyalty to Ragnar, his interests are starting to seem divided. It makes sense for him to want to go back to his people, especially when he’s made to feel needed and accepted by the king.

And there are others feeling off. Floki (Gustaf Skarsgard) is much displeased to be with wife (Maude Hirst) and child at home, feeling things are too peaceful and happy, thus luring him into getting too comfortable. Bjorn (Alexander Ludwig) isn’t too pleased that his woman of choice, Porunn (Gaia Weiss), takes after his mother, not content to stay at home, instead riding into battle alongside him. Aslaug (Alyssa Sutherland) doesn’t look too happy to see Ragnar sailing off with his ex, Lagertha, as she stays behind with a crippled child that is a source of discord in their marriage.

Aslaug needn’t worry, as Lagertha stays behind when Ragnar goes to war, and seems to have a new love interest in King Ecbert. Ecbert likely doesn’t understand the shield maiden, no matter what he thinks, and I don’t see any lasting union between them. But it’s a fun little side story, and it likely will be enough to distract her as a turncoat, Kalf (Ben Robson, Dracula: The Dark Price), prepares to betray her.

“Mercenary” has a lot going on, and while there are slow parts, especially early in the hour, overall this installment holds up to the quality storytelling one expects from Vikings. It may not be historically accurate, not surprising, given how few formal records were kept of these people, but it is entertaining. The world of the show is ever-changing and expanding, and that only draws viewers deeper into the action.

Vikings airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on History.