KINGS: Prosperity

“No CGI pigeons were harmed in the making of this episode”

Before I start in on the review, can I just say how cool it is to have a review up on the internet, with people reading and commenting on it? Thanks everyone! And I apologize for the delay. Stupid work crisis. Next week I’ll do better (assuming KINGS is still on next week).

This week’s episode of KINGS revolved around the signing of the peace treaty with Gath, which David set in motion last week. The palace is preparing to host the visiting dignitaries, and everyone is trying to be on their best behavior. Except of course David who can apparently act with impunity whenever the ‘signs’ dictate it. I was going to leave this rant until later in the review, but his insubordinate behavior takes me out of the story sometimes. Grabbing the premier? Ramming his taxi into the hummer? I don’t care what kind of national hero he is, either of these actions should at least earn him some sort of punishment. He is first and foremost a soldier in the army, and he should be expected to follow orders. I understand that Silas forgives him for certain things because he helps in the long run, but it stretches believability for me.

Now that my rant is over, I really have to gush about how awesome Ian McShane is. Again this week, every scene he was in was enthralling TV. The two best scenes are his confrontations with his Brother-in-law and his old enemy. Watch the expression on Silas’ face when his brother-in-law (who is clearly wetting himself) says “Kill me. Your nation will die with me.” You can see the “Oh HELL no” flash across the king’s eyes and it’s amazing. This scene is outdone by Silas’ visit to Vesper (who I keep calling Vespa in my head). Brian Cox is an excellent deposed ruler. Viewers can feel the power between two rulers, which I actually feel is lacking in negotiations with Gath. Silas clearly respects Vesper as an opponent, where he seems to tower above the Gath premier. McShane acts with a power that I think will make this show really thrive over time.

Despite my rant about his behavior earlier, I’m actually really interested to see how David’s character develops over time. The prophetic nature of his dreams I actually find to be very interesting, and his attitude towards Silas is also very promising. Will he always see Silas as a good man, or will he turn against him? There are a lot of moral arguments in his future, which is always good TV.

Queen Rose was great as she ordered the palace servants around, and I enjoyed the scene with her brother. She is clearly more intuitive and sly about court politics than she seemed in most of the first episode, and I love the idea of this strong woman who knows exactly what’s going on. I also loved David’s mother, although I didn’t think I would at first. When she first showed up I thought “Oi, a whiny mother” but her lines with Princess Puppy in the VA office were great, and show that she also understands exactly what’s happening.

I think overall there is still a little lack of subtlety, but this week is much improved over last week, and I also care less. I found the “Kill David” plot to be a little far-fetched, as anyone could tell they wouldn’t kill off one of the leads in the second episode. It would have been interesting had it been a slightly more minor character whose fate was actually up in the air, or if someone else had been injured in the attempt. I thought Jack was underused, and they’re clearly placing him as the forgotten son, but he had good stuff last week. I cannot wait to see who’s picture Vespa was holding (and more importantly who’s on the other half), or what vow the princess made. I thought the financial crisis storyline was wrapped up a bit quickly, but I appreciate that the point was more to show what kind of power Silas weilds (and who needs a bad economy story given the ACTUAL bad economy?)

The ratings have been posted for yesterday, and they managed to suck even more than last week. 4.6 Million for a show this expensive does not bode well for the show. So it’s time to start recruiting every family member, friend, coworker, and smarter-than-average pet to watch this show and boost the ratings. And maybe next week the review will be half recap/half origami instructions.

How do you think the second episode stacked up? What are your guesses about the picture and the Princess? How do you think David’s opinions will develop? Leave a comment and let me know!

*Mattie B lives hear Washington, D.C. If he were Buffy, he would have picked Angel.*