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 14th
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.
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