Move over The Last Kingdom and The Witcher—the BBC has unleashed its own sweeping historical saga, King and Conqueror, but does this tale of clashing kings and fractured crowns live up to its epic ambition?
James Norton trades his clerical collar from Grantchester for a crown, embodying the earnest and doomed Harold Godwinson. Opposite him, Game of Thrones alum Nikolaj Coster-Waldau channels a world-weary gravitas as William, Duke of Normandy. The series meticulously charts the parallel paths of these two rulers, destined to collide in the fateful Battle of Hastings in 1066.
A Tale of Two Thrones
The narrative's strength lies in its dualistic structure. We don't simply follow a hero and a villain. Instead, the drama invests time in both courts—the fraught political machinations in England and the brutal, ambition-fueled environment in Normandy. This approach creates a compelling and tragic inevitability, where both men are products of their circumstances, hurtling towards a devastating conflict.
Norton's Harold is a nuanced portrait of a decent man trapped by duty and honour. Coster-Waldau’s William, meanwhile, is a fascinating study of hardened resolve and calculated ambition, a performance that echoes his work as Jaime Lannister but with a more grounded, historical weight.
Spectacle Versus Substance
Where the series occasionally falters is in its pacing. The eight-episode build-up to 1066 is a slow burn, rich in political dialogue but sometimes lacking the visceral punch audiences might expect from a show about conquest. The production values are solid, if not quite matching the cinematic scale of its premium cable rivals.
The final episode, depicting the brutal chaos of the Battle of Hastings, is where the show truly finds its footing. It’s a grim, muddy, and exhausting sequence that captures the horror of medieval warfare, serving as a powerful payoff to the protracted political groundwork.
Verdict: A Worthy Contender for the Crown
King and Conqueror may not quite dethrone the very best in the genre, but it stands as a robust and intelligent historical drama. Its commitment to character over mere spectacle is both its greatest strength and its potential drawback for those seeking constant action.
For history buffs and fans of meticulously crafted political dramas, this is essential viewing. Norton and Coster-Waldau deliver commanding performances that elevate the material, making the journey to that famous field in Hastings a compelling and ultimately heartbreaking watch.
