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Reviews
The Bastard Executioner (2015)
Has excellent potential but pilot could have been stronger.
This is the first time that I have felt it necessary to review a series so I shall keep it short and spoiler free.
Maybe I am at an advantage, having never seen any of Mr Sutter's other work. My interest in this series was piqued by the fact that it is set in Wales and is being filmed close to my home. I have visited the film location and found it intriguing. I am not a history buff so cannot attest to the accuracy of the set itself, the props or the period clothing. I suspect that these aren't intended to be the main focus of the production anyway.
The pilot was aired in two parts and I believe offers a good basis for what will hopefully become at least a couple of seasons of vicious, medieval action loosely depicting life in those times. Yes, I spotted a few minor flaws in the sets etc, even with my limited knowledge of history. The story, however, although not the most original, leaves many avenues for exploration.
I felt the need to stick up for the pilot because I think it was fine in terms of content and character development. I have seen a lot worse in shows which went on to become very popular and score highly on IMDb stats etc.
The main prompt for this review though is that many critics here seem to be comparing Kurt Sutter's other work to this and I struggle to see how this is relevant. To me, this is akin to comparing Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with one of the Bond movies, they are very different pieces.
Being unburdened by experience of Sutter's other works meant that I could take the pilot on face value and, whilst I would have made a few changes, I believe he deserves the benefit of the doubt and that the end result will vindicate him.
On the definite plus side for me, it is nice to see Katey Segal again, the last time being Married With Children. Her character in The Bastard Executioner is quite a contrast and in my opinion she aces it.
I look forward to seeing what happens next.