NBC's 'Kings' Pilot : First Impressions

Right before New York Comic Con last week, the powers that be invited me to a screening of the pilot for NBC’s upcoming drama “Kings.” I was definitely psyched for this and have been looking forward to the series ever since first hearing about it last spring when NBC announced their programming schedule.

Chances are that you haven’t heard of it yet or are scant on details, so here’s the 3,000 foot rundown: Kings is a modernized and bold take on the biblical story and plight of David. Like many allegories based on the storied man, Kings depicts his eventual rise to power after he becomes an unlikely war hero in slaying Goliath. This David, played by Chris Egan, inadvertently immerses himself in the public eye after besting an enemy army’s tank (named Goliath) whilst saving the only son of the King Silas Benjamin.

Of course, there is much more story to be told after Goliath is slain and this is where Kings finds its footing. Its universe is set in the fictional kingdom of Gilboa, a monarchy led by King Silas Benjamin, played brilliantly by Golden Globe winner Ian McShane (Deadwood). And while he can’t use profanity to lace his chilling delivery like Al Swearengen, McShane is equally effective as the centerpiece of this show. However, as great as he is, the creators did a great job of making sure that the grandness of the story even trumps his outstanding performance.

The show is loaded with supporting characters who are also very rich. While some are based on their biblical counterparts, others also are painted to have their own depth and history. I enjoyed Eamonn Walker as the Reverend (Silas’ spiritual advisor) and his antithesis, Dylan Baker as Silas’ war advisor and brother-in-law. The two already clashed somewhat in the pilot and I imagine they’ll be at each other throats by episode 2.

At its surface, the show seems to boil down to the traditional coming-of-age story: Innocent boy becomes unlikely hero, becomes fish out of water, clashes with those in power, learns a bunch of lessons, comes out on top and so on. But I suspect that there is some fine storytelling down the road, with deep development and complex turns on the horizon.

The pilot itself does a great job of presenting a universe that the viewers can buy into. Overall, Kings is an ambitious effort for NBC and you can count on the two hour pilot piquing the interest of many viewers. Besides the aforementioned cast, its strength lies in its broad appeal. There will be spiritual viewers that want to see the tale of King David unfold on the small screen. Pure drama fans will tune in, anxious to know what happens when their favorite characters interact and ultimately clash. And then there will be those who like the thrill and suspense of a serialized show that keeps you wondering what happens next.

All praise aside, I’m a little worried about NBC’s choice of time slot. The show will air on Sunday nights at 8PM, fighting for eyeballs with The Simpsons on Fox, The Amazing Race on CBS and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition on ABC, all shows that have their collection of faithful viewers.

NBC also has been having trouble lately with its hour long dramas, aside from venerable mainstays like ER, Law and Order and SVU. Heroes fans can attest to this, with the writers having alienated the fans they captured just two short years ago with a lackluster second season and a convoluted (current) third season. Friday Night Lights, while being a great show, suffers in the ratings probably because of the night it airs. And don’t get me started on Crusoe and The Black Donnellys (which I’m still bitter about them canceling prematurely). The good news is that the network is giving Kings a heft of interactive online content, which will help people further buy into its mythos.

I’m really exciting to see how Kings does and am anxiously awaiting to watch the rest of the 13 episodes in its first season. I will leave you with a teaser trailer of the show below. Tune in to Kings for its 2 hour season premiere on Sunday March 15 at 8PM / 7PM Central.