TV's next great drama is here. It's called Kings, and for some of you, all I will need to say is that it stars Ian McShane of Deadwood fame. He's not as profane in this show, and he's not the villain (though it's not quite right to call him a good guy). Either way, he commands the screen. His kingdom is called Gilboa, not that it matters, really, as it's essentially America with a monarchist veneer. And Gilboa is a country at war. There are battle scenes, but this show is really about a different kind of warfare. We've seen it before, in shows like Gossip Girl or (to get old school on you), Dynasty. It's beautiful people with money and power and a thirst for more, more, more. Adding the royalty gives it a twist in Kings, as does the source material, aka Bible stories. Not for nothing does our soldier hero (David) "slay" a tank called a Goliath. "This court needs a new face to look up to," says the king. "We can use him." But will the earnest soldier/hero be so easily played?
Yes, the show is not necessarily surprising (The cute hero and the king's daughter together? Who'da thunk it? And the king faces treachery from within his own family? Really?). Plus, there's a scene involving butterflies that really beats subtext into text. That said, though, the storylines are compelling and the cast, well, let's just say McShane isn't the only memorable one. Our soldier/hero is played by Chris Egan, an Aussie with a Heath Ledger edge, and his princess is played by the Katie Holmesian Allison Miller. The double-length first episode is available free for a limited time at Amazon Video On Demand, where you can watch it on your PC, Mac or TV. Enjoy! -- Stephanie Reid-Simons, Amazon Video On Demand
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