Kings

[Squeemonster]

Kings

Here be the place to discuss your favorite moments on Kings. Only discuss that which has aired--those who post spoilers will be beheaded at our earliest convenience.

[Sue]

Reference material:

I&II Samuel
I&II Kings
I&II Chronicles?

[jeff]

Man, last night was a good show. I don't know how , but Ian McShane had me feeling sorry for the king. That had to be a hard choice to make. To walk away. I don't know, I felt bad for all three people in that scene.

I really am liking this show.

[Spaced Out Looney]

Thoughts about the first two episodes... um, I don't have many. I think it's a show with a well executed concept and everything about it, writing, acting, production values, is top notch. It's just that, much like the Sopranoes, it doesn't get my analytical wheels turning. Not yet, at least. I think rereading the books of the Bible that Sue mentioned above will help, but I'm not sure when I'll do that. In the meantime, I am really, really enjoying it.

Things in the first two episodes that I thought were neat:

*David pushing for health care and pissing off the King. Hee.

*The misdirection about the treasury being emptied. That you thought at first the Jack and his minions ended up having a *really* good party, but it actually was Corporate Guy (brother?) who pulled his support.

*The whole thing with the pigeons and the thwarted assassination attempt was a great payoff.

I am also in love with the casting. This show plays like a veritable Who's Who.

Now to watch the third episode.

[Spaced Out Looney]

Man, Jack is a scary dude, isn't he? I mean you could see that before, but it was powerful to see him in action. That actor is doing a great job.

Jack and David are totally going to do it at some point, aren't they? They are so very pretty together.

I liked the theme of private lives and pretense in the episode.

[Sue]

Mar 31, 2009 10:01:05 GMT -5 Spaced Out Looney said:

Man, Jack is a scary dude, isn't he? I mean you could see that before, but it was powerful to see him in action. That actor is doing a great job.

Jack and David are totally going to do it at some point, aren't they? They are so very pretty together.

I liked the theme of private lives and pretense in the episode.

googled "Bible, David and Jonathan"

Got directed to plenty of websites using their relationship as portrayed in I Samuel as evidence of a (presumably if not God-condoned at least not God-condemned) homosexual relationship in the Bible.

And an equal number of websites explaining how that's not what was meant by those passages.

This one

www.afterelton.com/TV/2009/3/kingswronggaypart

specifically dissects the (theoretical and potential) David/Jonathan (apparently "Jack" in the show?) dynamic and points out where they feel the show does NOT parallel the biblical text.

But then, it's not supposed to be an exact retelling is it? Silly people.

However, their complaint is that the gay character is also being made to be the "bad guy."

Still, I clearly recall that David "loved" Jonathan. I doubt that the show would have them "do it" [and, no, I didn't take your comment seriously] given that I'm guessing David is the "hero" and there will be entanglements with women.

It would be awfully ground-breaking to have him not just sleep with Jack but then lust after Bathsheba as well and therefore be the first lead on network TV to be bisexual. (Well, there was Willow of course.... )

[KMInfinity]

I'm also loving this show. One big interest is in how they "twist" the biblical events and elements, so I'll have to reread Samuel and Kings (and Chronicles?). But....will it last long enough to really play with the source material? I remember feeling sorry for Saul in the version I read and thinking he lost God's favor rather suddenly and without cause. I need to reread that part for sure, because so far I love IM's King Silas a bit more than David Shepherd.

Reading the Old Testament with faith is tough.

I love some of the visual material...the butterflies, the tank scene, the court...

[Spaced Out Looney]

Mar 31, 2009 18:25:41 GMT -5 Sue said:

Mar 31, 2009 10:01:05 GMT -5 Spaced Out Looney said:

Man, Jack is a scary dude, isn't he? I mean you could see that before, but it was powerful to see him in action. That actor is doing a great job.

Jack and David are totally going to do it at some point, aren't they? They are so very pretty together.

I liked the theme of private lives and pretense in the episode.

googled "Bible, David and Jonathan"

Got directed to plenty of websites using their relationship as portrayed in I Samuel as evidence of a (presumably if not God-condoned at least not God-condemned) homosexual relationship in the Bible.

And an equal number of websites explaining how that's not what was meant by those passages.

This one

www.afterelton.com/TV/2009/3/kingswronggaypart

specifically dissects the (theoretical and potential) David/Jonathan (apparently "Jack" in the show?) dynamic and points out where they feel the show does NOT parallel the biblical text.

But then, it's not supposed to be an exact retelling is it? Silly people.

However, their complaint is that the gay character is also being made to be the "bad guy."

Still, I clearly recall that David "loved" Jonathan. I doubt that the show would have them "do it" [and, no, I didn't take your comment seriously] given that I'm guessing David is the "hero" and there will be entanglements with women.

It would be awfully ground-breaking to have him not just sleep with Jack but then lust after Bathsheba as well and therefore be the first lead on network TV to be bisexual. (Well, there was Willow of course.... )

I was sort of being facetious about them actually getting together on the show. Maybe. Who knows. I do recall David and Jonathan's relationship being a subject of debate and I think they definitely have a thing going on.

As far as the article... I think they have a good point, and I sympathize with the way Hollywood handles minority characters. However, I don't think that Jack is being characterized as a villain. He's seriously screwed up, but I wouldn't consider him to be evil. I actually really like him. I sort of feel like in season 7 of Buffy how everyone was criticizing Joss for making Rhonda and Wood as black characters really unlikeable, and I'm like but, but... I like them! I think they're really great! I dunno, I think it's a matter of perspective sometimes. Unless we're dealing with fairytales, I don't think it's so easy to divide characters into categories and judge them.

[Spaced Out Looney]

I am really loving the music on this show, so that's another plus.

I thought that one of the guards/clowns was Adam Benrubi, but it turns out that he just looks like him.

David looks a little bit like Matt Damon circa Talented Mr. Ripley.


And I have finally gotten my lazy ass to start rereading those books in the Bible. Yay.

[Sue]

Well, I was channel surfing last night when I should have gone to sleep, but I do that when Jim is out of town.

Sci-Fi was showing all of the Kings episodes. (NBC affiliate, but show also has tiny bit of AU vibe).

Came in half way thru first ep---and wound up watching 90 minutes (end of 1st ep which was 2 hours long).

Yeah, it's that kind of show -- watch 90 seconds and you're there for 90 minutes. Superb production values, no skimping. Great cast (both the young leads, David and Jack, are wonderful, wonderful actors). Sweeping plotlines.

Plus, one thing I really like is how it goes along like any fictional political thriller and then suddenly throws in the tiniest reference to the biblical underpinnings = God's hand in at least some of the events. It's small enough that if that doesn't interest you you can ignore it probably. But I find it intriguing.

IF it stays on hopefully there will be another mini-marathon so I can tape for Jim to catch up. It's not exactly West Wing because of the AU nature of the set-up but I can't think of anything else on TV currently similar in genre.

[Spaced Out Looney]

Ah, Jack and Michelle are twins. I'm not sure we knew that before.

I'm finding Jack really compelling.

And I wonder if Michelle is promised to Macaulay Culkin.

[Sue]

NBC has once again shuttled around Kings, its ambitious if poorly received new drama series, yanking it from its Saturdays-at-8 slot after just one airing. Kings originally called Sunday home, but was banished after four low-rated outings.

Kings now will conclude its freshman run (seven episodes remain to be seen) over the summer, airing Saturdays at 8 pm/ET, from June 13 through July 25.


Well, I guess that gives me a chance to catch up if the eps are posted somewhere.

I surely hope that they do some re-runs of the first 5(?) episodes before just starting up again in June.

[Spaced Out Looney]

Man, I'm really enjoying this show. It's too bad that nobody else was watching it.

The strummy guitar parts are reminding me a little of the Deadwood score.

I'm really feeling for Jack, mostly because he always seems like he's 2 seconds away from crying.

[Sue]

Jul 1, 2009 14:42:52 GMT -5 Spaced Out Looney said:

Man, I'm really enjoying this show. It's too bad that nobody else was watching it.

The strummy guitar parts are reminding me a little of the Deadwood score.

I'm really feeling for Jack, mostly because he always seems like he's 2 seconds away from crying.

I enjoyed what I saw, but decided not to invest further time in a show with a total of about (what?) 8 or 9 episodes?

You know they are showing the last couple on a few Saturdays in July.

[KMInfinity]

Jul 1, 2009 14:42:52 GMT -5 Spaced Out Looney said:

Man, I'm really enjoying this show. It's too bad that nobody else was watching it.

The strummy guitar parts are reminding me a little of the Deadwood score.

I'm really feeling for Jack, mostly because he always seems like he's 2 seconds away from crying.

I'm watching even though they're burning off the last episodes.

Besides all of the other great things, they've really done a great job creating a mood or epic sense.

Given we're only, what? 6 or seven episodes into the story, it feels well developed, a fully fleshed out *world* with characters I feel I already know well.

I'm sorry this won't be back.