The Bastard Executioner

THE BASTARD EXECUTIONER: (FX) If you're going to steal ideas, steal from the best and that's what the Bastard has done. It out-bloodies Game of Thrones, it has the atmosphere and spectacle of Outlander and a plot devise taken straight out of The Return of Martin Guerre / Sommersby. and a cast of thousands. However, the show captures all this with a certain degree of success, if not excess. It is bloody (worth mentioning twice), gruesome, brutally violent (not for the squeamish) and all filmed in excruciatingly close close up. Basically, a good man from the 1400's turns vengeful when his family is massacred and his village is destroyed by the minions of the oppressive Baron when the people rebel against unfair taxation. He takes on the identity of another man and the wife of that man vouches for him because he displays a kinder version of the real SOB husband she had. His first duty is the execution the one man who knows who he truly is. And thus the tail begins. All the elements appear to be there. The language sounded a little artificial at first, but I guess that's the way they talked in 1400 Wales. Score: 8. It has potential.

OMG...I'm in so much shock. Being an avid SOA fan and After so much anticipation for this show, what a let down. The first scene (dream) was an absolute waste and shouldn't have been shown at all in my opinion. That actors "war cry" was more like a welp cry. If you don't have the conviction to do it, cut it out. Ugh. And while Katey Segal was absolutely brilliant in SOA, she doesn't feel right for this part at all. Perhaps it's the bad accent? Whatever it is, she doesn't fit. Stephen Moyer is great and more natural in this (I wasn't a fan of him in Trueblood). My favourite character is the guy who loves the animals and talks to them. And let's not even get started on how poorly done that white/grey castle in the background (and up close) is. Heck, when the band came across their entire village being killed, I felt like they lost their livestock...it was so bad (especially the primary actor). This felt like I was watching a high school play. Some actors were believable, but I think the failure here is on Sutter for how it plays out in the end. I hope they flesh it out and I hope it becomes brilliant...I don't think I will keep watching it though. Just being honest. Oh, btw, Griffith is pretty hot at least lol

I see this show as proof of how much the bar has been raised in television over the last ten years. I am sure that this show would have been seen as edgy and cool a decade ago, but today it feels distinctly mediocre.

The Bastad Executioner has a few major flaws which mostly emanate from the writing. First of all, it's difficult to really feel any sympathy for any of the characters, they feel very thin. Even though horrible things happen to them, I can't really be made to care. Also, this show has a staggering amount of very brutal violence. In my experience, violence and sex is often used to distract from poor writing, and this is a good example.

Acting is fair, although the main character has the charisma of a glass of water. With a strong lead, some of the weaknesses might have been alleviated. Stephen Moyer seems to have fun, but mostly the field is quite weak. I don't usually mind Katey Sagal, but she is awful here with her forced eastern accent.

In the end, this show is very forgettable (except perhaps to those sensitive to violence) and honestly you can probably find a dozen shows more worthy of your time right now.

If you are looking for complex character driven intrigue cloaked in a gritty, yet high quality medieval aesthetic, "The Bastard Executioner" is for You. TBE utilizes good looking props, costumes and sets and well choreographed action to create a exceedingly believable medieval world. Complex character interests ground a narrative with enormous entertainment potential. Driven by Lee Jones, who brings an atypical freshness to the lead role as Executioner. Additionally, Katey Sagal delivers in her performance as very cool and interesting druid character. As usual, TBE's future will ultimately rest on story quality and character development. For now, the show contains enough solid aspects to warrant continued watching as the intrigue unfolds.

This show gets better and better and is now my "top watch" for the week. The first 2 episodes are harder to deal with but set up the plot line somewhat. There will be gore so I don't allow my kids in room while watching. As the show progresses, you see a lot of characters evolving in a way that leaves you wanting more and more. I believe it to be fairly accurate in time, nothing is jumping out at me as incorrect. Dismiss early on reviews, this show has a lot of promise and later episodes really make for great TV. I DVR'd the first 5 episodes and ended up binge watching to find out what happens next, then was left with a feeling of incompletion and heaviness. Kept thinking about it throughout the week as well while waiting for the next episode. Not many shows can make you feel that way. (Have watched & reviewed: From series premiere through 10/20/15 showing. There is a 2 week hiatus and it returns on 11/3/15).