Kings (Retro TV Review)
Review by Nathan James Norman
Following the biblical narrative of Saul and David, this
short-lived NBC series explores the story in a present-day setting. King Silas
of the modern-day kingdom of Balboa struggles to keep the peace as the voice of
God turns against him, and a heroic young captain, David Shepherd, begins to
capture the hearts of Silas’ subjects.
More-so than any other prematurely cancelled series (I’m
looking at you Firefly), I
wish this series had lasted beyond the thirteen produced episodes.
The portrayal of the Silas/Saul character by Ian McShane is
worth the price of admission all by itself. McShane perfectly captured the
emotionally volatile character of Silas/Saul. His constant flip-flopping
between loving and hating David would have seemed ludicrous if portrayed by a
lesser actor, but McShane brings the biblical character to life. We at once
love and loathe this king.
The rest of the extensive cast is equally stellar- so much
so that the show feels more like an epic film than a weekly series.
The setting of the show is utterly unique. It is a
modern-day absolute monarchy, surrounded by other monarchies. The show-runners
went all-out in creating a believable setting and weaving modern twists into
the biblical narrative.
For instance, just like in the Bible, mid-season we see
Silas meeting David for the first time (as yet unknown to Silas), playing a
piano that soothed Silas in a flashback that occurred after David destroyed a
“goliath-tank.”
The spiritual center of the story is Reverend Samuels, who
used to be a friend to the king, but because of the king’s corruption has now
become his enemy, giving Silas oracle after oracle of God’s displeasure.
Christian authors need to take note of this series because,
with only a few exceptions, the way conversations with God, prayers, and
theology are handled in this series is very effective and powerful. There were
several moments throughout the series where goose-bumps formed on my arms as I
listened to words of Silas, David, and Reverend Samuels.
There are, of course, imperfections in the show.
The Jonathan/Jack character is portrayed as a closet
homosexual (a decision based on a very poor exegesis of the text). However, the
show seems to identify Jack’s homosexuality as his core identity, while
simultaneously communicating that Jack, at the same core, is a very dark
person. It is a very complex situation… at the least worth pondering even if
you don’t agree with the show’s view (whatever that is). Additionally, Jack is
neither David’s friend nor heroic at the beginning of the series, in contrast
with the Biblical narrative.
Another imperfection is the sexual ethic of the world.
Mid-way through the series, the ethic seems to be “sex is good if you love the
person,” but later on, Reverend Samuels seems to say that two characters were married
long ago because of the depth of their love (or perhaps the recognition that
they belonged together). The sexual ethic is odd and confused to say the least.
Despite these issues, Kings
is a marvelous achievement. Each and every character is imperfect and must work
through their imperfections under God, or be destroyed by their own sins. Even
Reverend Samuels finds himself disobedient to God mid-season and needs to
repent.
Wonderful storytelling, great sets, great locations,
near-flawless acting, and top-notch writing combine to re-tell a timeless
story.
Discerning individuals should watch this show. It is by no
means perfect theologically, nor line-by-line matched to the text, but it is a faithful
adaptation at its core. I suggest reading the biblical text (1 Samuel 1-21… or
8-21 if you’re in a hurry) in conjunction with watching the show.
Quality: 10/10 (I loved it!)
Relevance: 10/10 (Try NOT
talking about God after watching this show!)
Trailers for Kings
can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1yz-ihdUf4 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5c1Vr1fcZI
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