This is real Marmite stuff. You're either going to love it or it's going to leave you cold. If you are the sort of viewer looking for something approaching historical accuracy, best look elsewhere because you won't find it here. Likewise, if you're after the new Game of Thrones, you're likely to be disappointed. It ain't that sort of contender.
Britannia is a fantasy that takes place in a fantasy universe loosely based around an invasion of Britain by the Romans in 43AD. And after that, the gloves are off. It's mad. Very mad. And it demands that either you accept it on its own terms or take heed of the advice given to the Romans by King Pellenor and "(Beep!) off back to Rome." Or wherever.
Early on, Britannia sets out it's stall. The kaleidoscopic into credit visuals, backed by Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" - a folk/pop/psychedelic/metal hybrid from 1968 - sort of makes it clear where it's headed. One half of Led Zep played on this track and it hails from a time of hippies and hallucinogenic overkill. Clearly this is a psychedelic journey into the heart of darkness set in a dirty, blood and guts world of organic drugs, random slaughter, supernatural horror, sweaty perfunctory sex, bad language and a smattering of hilarious one-liners. The dialog is unashamedly "modern."
The cast throw themselves into it whole-heartedly, especially Morrissey, Crook, Lie Kaas and Rhind-Tutt, who slice the ham as thick as it's possible to slice it, bordering on the darker side of pantomime. Initially, I wasn't fully sold on it, but three episodes in and I was starting to buy into the fun. By the end, which climaxes in an impressive apocalyptic firestorm, a lot of questions were left unanswered and scenarios set up but unexplored, and I found myself hoping for a second series, as, I'm sure, do the creators.
I liked it, and I'm glad I stuck with it. Rule Britannia!
Early on, Britannia sets out it's stall. The kaleidoscopic into credit visuals, backed by Donovan's "Hurdy Gurdy Man" - a folk/pop/psychedelic/metal hybrid from 1968 - sort of makes it clear where it's headed. One half of Led Zep played on this track and it hails from a time of hippies and hallucinogenic overkill. Clearly this is a psychedelic journey into the heart of darkness set in a dirty, blood and guts world of organic drugs, random slaughter, supernatural horror, sweaty perfunctory sex, bad language and a smattering of hilarious one-liners. The dialog is unashamedly "modern."
The cast throw themselves into it whole-heartedly, especially Morrissey, Crook, Lie Kaas and Rhind-Tutt, who slice the ham as thick as it's possible to slice it, bordering on the darker side of pantomime. Initially, I wasn't fully sold on it, but three episodes in and I was starting to buy into the fun. By the end, which climaxes in an impressive apocalyptic firestorm, a lot of questions were left unanswered and scenarios set up but unexplored, and I found myself hoping for a second series, as, I'm sure, do the creators.
I liked it, and I'm glad I stuck with it. Rule Britannia!