"Kings" Brings Ian McShane, War, Peace and Religion to NBC

I've been excited about the show Kings for quite some time now. Not only is it a modern soap opera that is based on the biblical story of King David but it also stars some of my most favorite people. First and foremost is Ian McShane.  Ian McShane has been helping to create amazing art for quite some time but I only recently came to know him from his work on Deadwood (so great!).  His portrayal of Al Swearengen is without a doubt one of my favorite television performances of all time.  Kings also features Wes Studi - whom I have adored since he played Magua in The Last of the Mohicans.  Studi was also in two more of my favorite films - Heat and The New World and was great in both.  But back to Kings, Studi and McShane aside, the rest of the cast is pretty strong and includes Eamonn Walker (of Oz fame), Dylan Baker and apparently some episodes even feature Macualy Culkin. I sat down last night to catch up on the first episode (which I missed on Sunday because I was seeing Laurent Cantent's beautiful film The Class) and while I wasn't blown away I think it is definitely worth watching.  As with most first episodes there was a lot of exposition, which is never that engaging but is kind of necessary.   We learned who is who and what the main conflict of the show will be - which is actually pretty interesting and relevant to today.  Beyond the specific relationships between characters the plot hinges on a society's desire for peace, the King (McShane) that has promised it to them and his "brother" that threatens to take away the society's money if the King doesn't continue with the war (which is profitable for him).  Also at the forefront of the show is the issue of religion and its role in government - which couldn't be more timely. I also adore the language used on the show - the patterns of speech really add a layer to the flow and feel of the show. I hope folks will give the show a chance as a lot of good people are behind it and there are some important issues at play that are worth discussing.  I've posted the first episode below - so if you have time give a watch and let me know what you think.  Also, in connection to ideas of war and veterans, please takepart with IAVA today.