Well, Kings is over. It’s over, but that finale was anything but an ending. This severely hampers my ability to view this first season as mini-series. After watching this episode, it is blatantly clear that this was really just the end of a first season. I was under the impression that we were going to get some closure on most of the story lines. What a disappointment.
The episode itself, however, was not that bad. In fact, it was pretty good, it just wasn’t a satisfying conclusion. For one, we didn’t find out what led to Andrew’s exile. While that was really not that important to the main story, and Andrew was a minor character, it was still a point of intrigue that captured my attention. Moving into a non-existent season two, it would have been interesting to see how Andrew would have been used. Would Silas have welcomed him into the family? How would that have worked?
I thought that Michele’s exile was a nice touch, showing again how shrewd Rose is. I have to assume that Rose sent her away to protect her, knowing that Silas could never abide by a daughter pregnant with David’s child.
A second season certainly would have looked a lot different, if this episode did indeed give a preview of what season two would have looked like. I’m not sure that I would have enjoyed that season, to be honest. It seems to follow the Bible story quite well, with David fleeing into the wilderness, but with the Benjamin family and David all scattered, I think some of the magic from these first season episodes would have been lost. Who would Silas be left with to spout that thick dialogue to?
I guess I don’t have to worry about any of that, because there isn’t going to be a second season. What a shame. So much potential, so few viewers.
Clacked by Bob Degon
on Jul 26, 2009 @ 14:00 EST5EDT
This concluding episode is probably the best of the year. Unfortunately, it is the last of the series. With David on the run, Michelle banished from the kingdom, Jack either dead or put in a dungeon, William more than likely shot out of the sky, and Silas at war with God, the king is heading on a downward spiral of depression and grief which will only serve to harden his demeanor that much more.
Even though this is the last episode of the series, one can almost see the story of the Bible come to life with David on the run. According to the holy book, David goes into hiding in a foreign country, comes to head an army of mercenaries, and goes back to seize the throne from the King. Man! That would have made a great second season.
It’s just too bad the average American viewer is too dim-witted to appreciate such an intricate story. Reality TV and competition shows have all but mushed the minds of America into thinking scripted television is evil. Yet, there are the few of us who can appreciate shows like Leverage, Burn Notice, and . . . Kings.
The show Kings is dead. Long live the Kings.
Sorry for spreading the rumor I heard about the closing off of storylines. I guess Dorv was right as this season finale seemed completely unaltered.
I did think this was an amazing episode all around. When Silas topped the crest of the hill, I braced myself for the cliché of the mob of unarmed citizens marching behind him. Instead, the column of Goliaths both floored and chilled me. And the rumbling of the tanks shaking the floating candles, when I couldn’t tell if the unblinking body of Samuels was still alive enough to feel it, or if God had denied his last entreaty.
Was God going to be walking and talking on Earth for the rest of the show, or was this to be a singular manifestation? And when would Silas have figured it out?
From Andrew’s humble suggestion, followed by Silas’s slight lip curl, I think his reintegration was definitely in the works for season two.
I don’t think Rose cared for Michelle so much as for her grandchild. And she definitely called for the exile so the pregnancy and birth would occur in secrecy (“no less than one year”), probably followed by the infant being spirited away to be raised by a retainer of the Cross family. Rose’s last whispered words to Michelle in that scene are “I told you I would take care of everything,” followed by “And nothing can take the future from this family” to Silas.
We don’t have to actually watch the family being scattered, as season two could easily have begun with “Five Years Later,” New Caprica-style. Silas could still lord it over his wife and children while cooking breakfast each morning. And hopefully David would not have stopped shaving, knocked up, married and beaten some Gath chick subordinate in his mercenary crew.
Man, William’s pet four-star general was quite the pansy, especially compared to Abner.
As Thomasina explained, Jack was neither to be executed nor thrown into a hole. He was to be locked in a warm, comfortable bedchamber with the woman who loved him and whom he despised until they produced a royal heir that would be snatched away and raised by the King as his own, Augustus-style.
My only complaint was the writers choosing not to justify the immediate reconciliation of David and Michelle after her earlier betrayal. Her revelation of their child would certainly have done it, but since they were saving that card for a later season, they should have had her invent some explanation for David as to how “Silas manipulated her.”
That being said, I still found their marriage literally before God to be incredibly touching. I’ll regret not seeing the ending to their story, Silas, Rose and Jack’s.
The level of bitterness that I now contain for this show is unparalleled.
Show runners, when given their 13 episode pick up, should not, in this day and age, assume that they will have a second season. They have a responsibility to their viewers, as few or vast as they may be, to finish a complete story, and not leave people hanging.
If anyone cares, I would point to the end of the 13 episodes of Journeyman (not picked up) and Leverage (picked up) if they’d like to see a clinic on how its done.
IIRC, Journeyman was canceled while still filming, and the showrunner even promised ahead of time that there would be some wrapup in the finale. Kings might have had all 13 episodes in the can even before the premiere.
Isn’t it lovely that it’s only after the loss of Life, Medium, The Listener and Kings that Silverman leaves NBC.
What an excellent, excellent show. Like all of you, I’m upset I won’t be able to see how more seasons would have played out. After finishing episodes like these, it really makes me rethink why I still watch other shows I don’t enjoy. Maybe this will give me the push I need to finally give up on Heroes in the fall…
This really bites! I love this show and more importantly the story of David (Yes, the biblical story). Being a man of faith and a “film nut”, I hate the fact that Hollywood hasn’t embarrassed the endless stories of God and the history of man. I felt the this show tried, and did the best of any.
Yes, the show did not take the story of David word for word, but when does this ever happen. “Kings” said the word God, spoke to God, had biblical characters, put an amazing modern view on the subject, all while having Hollywood high production value and great acting. These last two never being present in any films today with a faith message.
I only hope that we will all be surprised and a second season will be pushed. I can only hope, and pray.
Like all of you, and like most viewers, I am in awe at how good television can be shut down and left to rot.
The storyline in this great show was simply masterful and I really feel like some more marketing and push by NBC would have resulted in high ratings and a second season.
Whoever is in charge of deciding these kinds of responsibilities should have the decency to at least give us the second season(and might I ask for a third and fourth one)in another kind of medium, maybe a book, maybe web episodes, something.
Like someone said before… viewers today are being molded into sheep… reality TV, “unscripted” like most of them think… shame on you, shame on all of us for not being able to keep show like KINGS going.
I am not much for reading the bible, but I really felt strongly about this show and if you say it is similar to the story of David then I will begin to read it… it’s the only thing I have left.
My only hope is that I am proven wrong and we can have our second serving of one of the greatest stories ever told on TV.
It is my impression that Kings was following the David story, particularly with the way that the first season ended. In the Bible story, David flees into the wilderness to protect himself from Saul (as Silas was named in the Bible), and eventually… well, I don’t want to spoil it for you if you’re interested in reading it…
Wikipedia has a decent article on King David as well if you’d like to check that out.
The show has been cancelled? What? I’m confused. Great story, great actors, great dialogue… I guess that’s not what viewers want these days. If that is the case, then they should’t get it. No reason for throwing pearls before swine. I feel honoured to have watched at least one season. Thank you creator Michael Green.