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The Last Kingdom is a British historical fiction television series based on Bernard Cornwell's The Saxon Stories series of novels. The series was developed for television by Stephen Butchard, premiering on the 10 October 2015 on the BBC. In 2018 the show was acquired by Netflix.[1] The series lasted for a total of five seasons, with the final season airing on 9 March 2022. A feature-length sequel, titled Seven Kings Must Die, has been filmed for Netflix.

The Last Kingdom
Genre	Historical drama
Based on	The Saxon Stories by Bernard Cornwell
Developed by	Stephen Butchard
Starring	see below
Composer	John Lunn
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	46 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers	Stephen Butchard Nigel Marchant Gareth Neame
Producer	Ben Murphy
Production locations	Hungary, Wales
Cinematography	Chas Bain
Editor	Paul Knight
Running time	50–59 minutes
Production company	Carnival Film and Television
Release
Original network	BBC Two (series 1–2) Netflix (series 3–5)
Original release	10 October 2015 (2015-10-10) – March 9, 2022 (2022-03-09)
Chronology
Followed by	Seven Kings Must Die

Plot

Series One

The first series roughly covers the events of The Last Kingdom and The Pale Horseman, the first and second novels in Bernard Cornwell’s The Saxon Stories, however they are condensed for the screen. In the year 866, the Great Heathen Army's arrival in Britain is about to redefine the relationship between Vikings and Anglo-Saxons. Following the establishment of Danish rule in Jórvík and East Anglia, the show largely focuses on the resistance of the Kingdom of Wessex to ongoing Viking incursions to Southern England.

The first season covers the years 866–78. The main protagonist (named Osbert in childhood) is re-baptized as Uhtred after his elder brother Uhtred is killed by the Danes; his father, along with other Saxon noblemen of Northumbria, are killed in battle against the Danes. Only his uncle and stepmother survive. Uhtred and a Saxon girl named Brida are taken as slaves by Earl Ragnar to his home in Danish Northumbria. Ragnar comes to accept Uhtred as his own son, adopts him, and raises him as Uhtred Ragnarsson. Time passes, and Ragnar's daughter Thyra is about to be married, but fellow Danes attack the night before the wedding and set fire to the hall in which the family is sleeping. Ragnar is burned alive, and Thyra taken as a slave. Only Uhtred and Brida escape as they have spent the night in the woods tending a charcoal kiln. The attackers are led by Kjartan, a disgruntled Viking who had been banished by Ragnar from his lands years earlier for an offence committed by Kjartan's son Sven. Uhtred vows to avenge his father Ragnar's death, while simultaneously hoping to reclaim Bebbanburg his birthright from his uncle, who seeks to kill Uhtred to keep Bebbanburg for himself. Uhtred is forced to choose between the kingdom of his ancestors and the people who have raised him, and his loyalties are constantly tested. The plot of the series one culminates with the Battle of Edington.

Series Two

The second series roughly covers the happenings of Cornwell's third and fourth novels The Lords of the North and Sword Song. The second season covers the years 878 to 886, and shows Uhtred quests in Northumbria, and Wessex and Mercia conflict with the brothers Sigefrid and Eric.

This was the final season to air on the BBC, before moving to Netflix.

Series Three

Beginning with the third series, the show was solely produced by Netflix. The third series is based on Cornwell’s fifth and sixth novels The Burning Land and Death of Kings, however there are considerable plot changes compared to the previous seasons. The third season roughly covers the years 893 to 900.

These episodes cover the decline in King Alfred's health and the continuing conflict between the Christians and Danes. One reviewer indicated that Netflix had a positive effect on the series indicating: "With it came a certain increase in production values, most notably during the epic end-of-episode clash in which the swing of every sword and thwock of every shield hit firmly home," but added that "the blood-and-gore budget has also undergone a significant increase, thanks in large part to the arrival of the beautiful but psychotic Skade (Thea Sofie Loch Næss)".[2]

All ten episodes of series three appeared on Netflix on 19 November 2018.

Series Four

The fourth series is based on Cornwell’s seventh and eighth novels The Pagan Lord and The Empty Throne. Similar to series three, there are significant plot changes from the novels. The fourth season takes place around 901 to 912 and deals with Danish attacks and political struggles in Mercia and attacks on Winchester.

All ten episodes of series 4 appeared on Netflix on 26 April 2020.

Series Five

The fifth season was announced as the final season in 2021. It is based on Cornwell’s ninth, tenth and thirteenth novels Warriors of the Storm, The Flame Bearer and War Lord. Similar to series three and four, there are significant plot changes from the novels.

All ten episodes of the final series appeared on Netflix on 9 March 2022.

Cast

Main

Actor	Character	Series
		1	2	3	4	5
Alexander Dreymon	Uhtred	Main
David Dawson	King Alfred	Main
Emily Cox	Brida	Main
Tobias Santelmann	Ragnar the Younger	Main
Adrian Bower	Leofric	Main		Recurring
Thomas W. Gabrielsson	Guthrum	Main
Simon Kunz	Odda the Elder	Main
Harry McEntire	Aethelwold	Main
Rune Temte	Ubba	Main
Joseph Millson	Aelfric	Main			Main
Brian Vernel	Odda the Younger	Main
Amy Wren	Mildrith	Main
Charlie Murphy	Iseult	Main
Ian Hart	Father Beocca	Main
Eliza Butterworth	Aelswith	Recurring	Main
Thure Lindhardt	Guthred		Main
Eva Birthistle	Hild	Recurring	Main
Gerard Kearns	Halig	Recurring	Main
David Schofield	Abbot Eadred		Main
Peri Baumeister	Gisela		Main
Peter McDonald	Brother Trew		Main
Mark Rowley	Finan		Main
Alexandre Willaume	Kjartan	Recurring	Main
Julia Bache-Wiig [no]	Thyra	Recurring	Main
Ole Christoffer Ertvaag [no]	Sven	Recurring	Main
Björn Bengtsson	Sigefrid		Main
Cavan Clerkin	Father Pyrlig		Main
Arnas Fedaravičius	Sihtric		Main
Christian Hillborg [fi]	Erik		Main
Jeppe Beck Laursen	Haesten		Main
Toby Regbo	Aethelred		Main
Millie Brady	Aethelflaed		Main
James Northcote	Aldhelm		Main
Adrian Bouchet	Steapa		Main
Ewan Mitchell	Osferth		Main
Simon Stenspil [da]	Dagfinn		Main
Timothy Innes	Edward			Main
Thea Sofie Loch Næss	Skade			Main
Ola Rapace	Earl Sigurd "Bloodhair"			Main
Magnus Bruun	Cnut			Main
Adrian Schiller	Aethelhelm			Main
Kevin Eldon	Bishop Erkenwald			Main
Jamie Blackley	Eardwulf				Main
Stefanie Martini	Eadith				Main
Finn Elliot	Young Uhtred				Main
Ruby Hartley	Stiorra				Main
Richard Dillane	Ludeca				Main
Dorian Lough	Burgred				Main
Steffan Rhodri	King Hywel Dda				Main
Nigel Lindsay	Rhodri				Main
Eysteinn Sigurðarson	Sigtryggr				Main
Amelia Clarkson	Aelflaed			Recurring	Main
Harry Gilby	Aethelstan					Main
Patrick Robinson	Father Benedict					Main
Phia Saban	Aelfwynn					Main
Micki Stoltt	Rǫgnvaldr					Main
Harry Anton	Bresal					Main
Ryan Quarmby	Cynlaef					Main
Jaakko Ohtonen	Wolland					Main
Ossian Perret	Wihtgar				Recurring	Main
Ewan Horrocks	Aelfweard					Main
Sonya Cassidy	Eadgifu					Main
Rod Hallett	King Constantin					Main
Bamshad Abedi-Amin	Yahya					Main
Ross Anderson	Domnal					Main

Recurring

Episodes

Series	Episodes		Originally aired
			First aired	Last aired	Network
1	8		10 October 2015 (2015-10-10)	28 November 2015 (2015-11-28)	BBC Two
2	8		16 March 2017 (2017-03-16)	4 May 2017 (2017-05-04)
3	10		19 November 2018 (2018-11-19)		Netflix
4	10		26 April 2020 (2020-04-26)
5	10		9 March 2022 (2022-03-09)

Production

Development

The series started shooting in November 2014.[7][8] It is produced by Carnival Films for BBC Two and BBC America. Nick Murphy (Prey, Occupation) is co-executive producing and directing multiple episodes.[9] For portrayals of the Vikings at sea, the Viking ship replica Havhingsten fra Glendalough was used.^{[citation needed]} The series is filmed primarily in Hungary,[10] with most scenes at the eight acres near Budapest owned by Korda Studios[11] with its Medieval Village Set and surrounding mountains, forests and lakes.[12]

Filming for the second series began in Budapest in June 2016. Richard Rankin, Gerard Kearns,[13] Thure Lindhardt, Millie Brady, Erik Madsen,[14] and Peter McDonald joined the cast.[15] In August 2016, Aftonbladet reported that Swedish actors Björn Bengtsson[16] and Magnus Samuelsson[17] would join the main cast. Also that month, it was reported that Stephen Butchard would return as the sole script writer and that Netflix had signed on as an international co-production partner for the second series.[18][19][20]

In April 2018, Netflix confirmed that a third series was in production, based on the books The Lords of the North and Sword Song,[21] which would air exclusively on the streaming service, and Bernard Cornwell indicated that he had been offered a cameo appearance.[22] Swedish actor Ola Rapace joined the cast for series 3, as Jarl Harald Bloodhair.[23][24] Swedish director Erik Leijonborg was behind the camera for series 3; he has collaborated with Rapace on several Swedish TV series.[25]

On 26 December 2018, the series was renewed for a fourth series by Netflix.[26][27] On 7 July 2020, the series was renewed for a fifth series by Netflix.[1] On 30 April 2021, it was announced that the series would conclude with the fifth series.[28] Filming for season 5 wrapped in June 2021.[29]

The final season will be followed by a feature-length film titled Seven Kings Must Die, whose filming finished on 19 March 2022.[30][31][32]

Historical background

The main events of the reign of Alfred the Great and his heirs are well recorded, and a number of men called Uhtred ruled from Bamburgh Castle,[33] most notably Uhtred the Bold more than a century later.[34] The people identified as "Danes" came from many places in and around Denmark, including Southern Sweden and Norway. Historians believe that the Danish invaders of Northumbria came from Jutland in Denmark, as mentioned in Cornwell's books, as well as some of the Danish islands and East Denmark (southern Sweden).[35]

Release

The first series of eight episodes premiered on 10 October 2015 in the United States on BBC America,[36] and was broadcast shortly after in the United Kingdom on BBC Two on 22 October 2015.[37] It became available online in the United States via Netflix on 6 July 2016.[38] It was added to Netflix on 28 December 2015 in the following countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.[39][40] The first series was broadcast in the Spanish region of Catalonia on TV3 on 24 July 2017.[41]

The second and third series were released on Netflix in the US, Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Spain, Japan, Australia, and Portugal.[42][43]

Netflix was the sole distributor of the third series of ten episodes, produced by Carnival Films. On 26 December 2018, Netflix renewed the show for a fourth series, released on 26 April 2020 and once again produced by Carnival Films. It was renewed for a fifth and final season on 7 July 2020.[44][28] On 9 February 2022, it was announced that the fifth season would be released on 9 March 2022.[45]

Reception

The series has been met with a positive critical response. On Rotten Tomatoes, series one has an 87% approval rating based on reviews from 31 critics, with an average of 7.61/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "The Last Kingdom fuses beautiful cinematography and magnificent action sequences to create highly gratifying historical drama".[46] On Metacritic, series 1 has a score of 78/100 based on 15 reviews.[47] On Rotten Tomatoes, the second series received 86% (7 reviews) and the third series received 100% (7 reviews).[48][49]

Sam Wollaston reviewed the first episode in The Guardian and warned, "It's wise not to get too attached to anyone in The Last Kingdom".[50] Charlotte Runcie gave the opening episode four out of five in The Daily Telegraph, writing that the series had "satisfyingly high production values, a bloodthirsty appetite for violence and a proper cliffhanger."[51] Wollaston and Runcie both remarked on the similarities between The Last Kingdom and Game of Thrones.[50][51] Kari Croop of Common Sense Media also gave the series 4/5 stars, writing: "With high production values, strong writing, and compelling characters, this series rivals some of the best and bloodiest epics on TV".[52] Dennis Perkins of The A.V. Club gave the first season a grade of B+, writing: "BBC America’s sprawling, arresting eight-part historical miniseries The Last Kingdom proves that there’s room enough on television for more than one Viking invasion."[53]

Sean O'Grady in The Independent found that some of the language gave the series "a satisfyingly earthy quality", but he thought that the plot was "a little convoluted".[54] The television reviewer for Private Eye was more critical, arguing that The Last Kingdom demonstrates how Game of Thrones "haunts the BBC", and that the series was directly derivative of both fantasy series and European dramas such as The Killing and Wallander, yet lacking the features that have made such series successful.[55]

References

External links

• The Last Kingdom Official Website
• The Last Kingdom at BBC Online
• The Last Kingdom at BBC America
• The Last Kingdom on Netflix
• The Last Kingdom at IMDb
• The Last Kingdom at epguides.com
• The Last Kingdom at TV Guide

На других языках

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- [en] The Last Kingdom (TV series)

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[ru] Последнее королевство

«После́днее короле́вство» (англ. The Last Kingdom) — британский исторический сериал, который является телевизионной адаптацией популярной серии книг Бернарда Корнуэлла под общим названием «Саксонские хроники»[1]. Премьера сериала состоялась 10 октября 2015 года на телеканале BBC America в США[2], а в Великобритании — 22 октября того же года на телеканале BBC Two.

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