Kings: "Goliath" and "Prosperity"

So I've finally gotten around to reviewing the first three hours of Kings in all its majestic glory. It's ambitious and visceral and awe-inspiring. And it has a lot of promise. I just hope that the viewers give it the opportunity to tell its story.

"Hope lies in bravery. And we need hope." -- King Silas Benjamin

It's clear after watching "Goliath" and "Prosperity" that Kings is a puppet show. No one character seems to be in charge of their own destiny. They are all dependent on those pulling the strings. Theoretically, King Silas (the commanding and entrancing Ian McShane) should be the puppet master, but he's not. Not by a long shot. Gilboa and all it entails (Shiloh, Unity Plaza, Port Prosperity) appears to be a manufactured dynasty, one born out of necessity and a desire to please and unite the people. Only Gath, in its poverty and grit and true patriotism, appears to be the real deal.

Silas is a mere pawn on the chessboard and I would have said that the "king" seems to be William (a surprisingly frightening Dylan Baker), but Queen Rose (the luminous and perfectly icy Susanna Thompson) can wield control over her brother like no one else can. Rose is the master of illusion -- as evidenced by her "army" of servants -- and so much of Gilboa feels like an illusion that I wouldn't be surprised to see that she's the one truly in charge, not that she'd ever let anyone realize it. She's the butterfly in everyone's ear.

As for David, he's appropriately conflicted and earnest. He wants to do right by everyone, but he has yet to learn that you can't please all of the people all of the time. He is also oblivious to the fact that he's being used. Chris Egan has done a nice job thus far of conveying David's inner turmoil over his act of pseudo-bravery and his desire to make his family proud. His scenes with Ian McShane, though, are falling a little short. McShane is so engaging and so mesmerizing that he has a tendency to suck all of the oxygen out of the room leaving Egan to gasp and grasp for any shred of the scene. Hopefully in time -- if ratings improve -- Egan can power up David and imbue him with some of the gravitas needed to go toe-to-toe with McShane and Silas.

"Goliath" randoms...

• New York, as the Kingdom of Gilboa, has never looked so gorgeous. The sparkle and the sheen of the city is intoxicating, and it's no wonder that Shiloh is apparently the crown jewel.
• The imagery of the butterflies forming a crown was magnificent CGI. A breath-taking sight. Silas viewed the butterflies as a symbol of being crowned King directly at the hand of God, but has Silas' time passed? Is God now crowning a new king in David, or is David there to serve his king?
  
• Prince Jack is gay and Silas doesn't seem to care on a personal level -- only on a political one. I get the sense that if the Benjamins were a regular family, Silas wouldn't take any issue with Jack's sexuality and that's a refreshing change of pace when dealing with such a macho, intensely male figure.
• David's grand act of bravery turning out to be an imagined falsehood provided a stronger base for the character. In a world built on illusion, the people saw what they wanted to see in David and he let them. Now he feels as though he needs to earn the respect that he's so willingly been given. It gives the character a grander ideal to strive for and thus a broader arc for the series.
• Reverend Samuels (the perfectly theatrical and inspiring Eamonn Walker) appears to be molding David. But in whose image is he being molded?
• Politics and religion have always had a tenuous and conflicting relationship and it's interesting to see the dichotomy made flesh in Silas and Samuels.
• The battle scenes left me a little bit underwhelmed, but the idea that the war is virtually in their own backyard is intriguing. For whatever reason, war always seems so far away, so to know that the front lines are a mere few hours away is almost unsettling.
• Silas has two families -- one living in the spotlight and one living in shadow. But his second family almost feels more real. Pretense can change the entire image.
• Silas may not be the puppet master, but he does wield some incredible power. Purely by accident did a member of his cabinet stand up before the king did, and with one look, the audience knew that that politician was not long for this world. Yikes.

"Prosperity" randoms...

• The mirroring visions between Silas and David beg a more metaphysical connection between the two. Given that this is based on the Bible, I'm inclined to think that God is guiding the two men in some way. But are they being brought together or torn apart?
• "He has a destiny in him. People with destinies -- things don't go so well for them." Mrs. Sheppard is letting Princess Michelle and the audience know that before David ever has a shot at the crown, he'll lose most anything that would make it meaningful. Is it worth it?
• To what was it that the Princess asked the King to bear witness? Has she taken a vow of chastity or is she promised to another? Either way, David's love life doesn't look promising.
• Even though it still feels like Gilboa is fabricated, the monarchy has a long history. And a history rooted in violence to boot. Silas only achieved the crown through a coup, and instead of killing Abaddon -- of which we know Silas to be very capable -- he kept him imprisoned and told the kingdom that Abaddon was dead. Why? Because "I'm the only one who tells you the truth." Interesting, and I'm thinking that Abaddon and Silas are related in some way.
• Who was in the picture that Silas was lording over Abaddon? It clearly touched a nerve.
• Once again, we see imagery involving flying creatures. This time out those winged beings were birds. Pigeons, no less -- the most unattractive birds ever created. Pigeons are the bastard step-children of the Aves class, much like Gath is sort of the bastard step-child of Gilboa. And the birds saved David's life as the Premier of Gath spared his life. All of this seems to hold deep meaning, so why is it that the bird crap was a sign of luck?

Kings has a lot of potential. And the world that it creates is so, so interesting. I have always thoroughly enjoyed television series that present ideas that are so very modern while existing in a very fantastical setting. Mix in politics and religion, sex and romance, and an overwhelming sense of foreboding and you've achieved my ideal show. Now let's hope that Kings can reign.

Thoughts?