DVD Recommendation: Kings

I know critics and HBO fans will consider this sacrilege, but I've always thought that the TV series Deadwood was over-rated.  Filled with unlikable characters, morose, and pointlessly profane, the show tried so hard to be edgy that for me, it had the opposite effect and just bored me.  For me, the show's only draw was the character of Al Swearengen, played with relish by character actor Ian McShane.

If you liked McShane in Deadwood -- and maybe even if you didn't -- you'll like Kings.  The two shows may be a million miles apart in many ways, but McShane cleans house and kicks butt in both.  (figuratively)

Kings is set in an alternate universe in which contemporary America is divided into a group of absolute monarchies.  One of the most powerful of these nation-states is the Kingdom of Gilboa (the alternate reality's version of New York State), and standing rule over Gilboa from the capital city of Shiloh (Manhattan in our world) is King Silas Benjamin, played with the same gusto McShane earlier brought to the role of Swearengen.

Like Swearengen, Silas cannot be defined as either hero or villain, as he exhibits elements of both.  Yes, he is conniving and ruthless in his treatment of enemies both real and imagined (and enemies of the king are indeed many), and he has no qualms with ordering assassinations, cover-ups, executions, or invasions, if they suit his political needs.  However, he is also a loving father, and more to the point of the series, a mostly benevolent king whose concern for the well-being of his subjects is wholly sincere and not governed by politics.  He tries hard to be a good king, and often succeeds.

The story is set in motion when a soldier named David Shepherd rescues a P.O.W. from the enemy nation-state of Gath.  Unbeknown to David, the POW is actually Jack Benjamin, Prince of Gilboa.  As a reward, Silas promotes David to the newly created position of "military liaison to the press" -- basically an army-appointed press secretary for the Royal Court.  The show then becomes a study of the contrasting lives and personalities of David, a naive but virtuous young man who strives to fit in with his new world of constant palace intrigue, and Silas, Gilboa's complex and sometimes wise ruler.  Other key players in the series include Jack, the sorta-villainous prince who is primarily motivated by ambition, jealousy, and pettiness; Michelle, the virtuous princess who falls in love with David; and Reverend Ephram Samuels, a beloved spiritual leader whose political split with Silas is well-intentioned but could spell trouble for everyone involved.

One thing I like about this show is that nearly every character is deeply layered.  From the lead characters to the supporting players to the guest stars, and even often down to the bit players (such as a pair of bumbling security guards who are initially introduced as comic relief, but later become more nuanced), the people inhabiting the world of Gilboa are immensely interesting.  And although this is all set in an alternate reality, this is no fantasy tale.  No magic, dragons, or fairy-tale elements abound, as Gilboa, like the real world, is more concerned with computers, the stock market, tabloids, and pretty much everything else (save for elected officials!) we find in contemporary America.  Kings is, in other words, a delightful mixture of pure imagination and real-world issues.  It's one heckuva show.