The Last Kingdom
Alexander Dreymon plays Uhtred the Saxon-raised-Dane-turned-back-into-Saxon, sort of, but really-still-a-Dane in Netflix’s The Last Kingdom. The actor is actually German, but raised primarily in France and speaks French, German, and English fluently — but, heck, who’s keeping track? If you are in a slump because GOT’s is taking forever to come out with season 8 — get your medieval fix here!
The show is based on Bernard Cornwell’s Saxon Series – novels based loosely on English history before England became united. It’s all about Alfred the Great and his fervent desire to defeat the invading Danes and bring about this dream of a kingdom that would unite the warring countries of Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia, etc. All places of the Southern England that we know today. But back then the hopes of uniting such vast and hostile lands seemed impossible. But the pious Christian King Alfred keeps dreaming, and luckily he has the fictional Uhtred of Bebbanburg — a pagan and a brilliant warrior — put at his side.
The series is good. The acting is wonderful. The story lines (which do not stick strictly to those in the books) sometimes get a little far fetched and contrived, but overall are both entertaining and heart-wrenching at times. There are no dragons, nor many threads of story that carry us across seas and continents like in GOT, but sometimes you don’t need that. The real star of the show is Uhtred himself. Both the actor, Alexander Dreymon (who is, let’s face it, dishy beyond all get out — and a very good actor to boot) and the character he plays — Uhtred the Ultimate (Bad-Boy, Warrior, Lover, Self-Sacrificing Friend, Man of His Own Mind) are very compelling.
They have just finished up Season 3 and have been renewed by Netflix to do a Season 4. If you haven’t had the chance to binge watch this yet, get on it! My only question is, where was Alexander Dreymon when they were casting for John Snow in GOT? I mean, of course I love me some Kit Harington as much as the next guy, but . . . dang could you imagine Mr. Dreymon as King in the North? I sure could . . .