Beowulf

I just saw the first episode and I'd like to see the next one. It's not a bad show but its neither great.

First let me point out few bad things I've noticed in the episode.

1. Lots of similarities/resemblance with Game of Thrones -We can notice that even by watching the intro for Beowulf TV show, also the Wall, there is "bad" Queen and spoiled brat Prince who is Queen's son. Also we got here an adviser who "knows" almost everything and always remains in the shadow like Lord Varys, and etc etc.

2. Bad CGI and there is lots of CGI we can all agree on that. -I understand that the environment of the story requires CGI but hopefully they'll get better, they must get better if they wanna make great show.

3. Long pauses between scenes. -Its like they want to show us the stage they have set for the show over and over, and whenever a new scene is coming, the camera goes all over the scene mostly without people and talking.

Okay, these are the main bad things I've noticed in the first episode. Now the good things.

1. The writing! -Oh boy, I loved it! The dialogue isn't what you hear in almost 90% of the show, its so realistic, honest, logical and so on and on. I wish there was more of this!

2. The story. -I know nothing about Beowulf, except the movie, but I'm interested in learning more by watching this show. This show might just do that if its done the right way! It has it's potential, but they must be careful because in my opinion, I'd hate to see Beowulf as medieval detective who solves murders, catches bad guys and stuff like that which is so casual in todays shows.

3. The actors -This is not fashion show where we get to see every single actor to be like a model, which is perfect! They are all likable to look at and they blend in very well. The actors are rather good and they add huge amount of realism to the show.

Well to keep it short, an overall opinion: -I liked what I saw and I'm interested in seeing more with a bit of a hope that they'll try and keep trying to do better and better job!

Comparison inevitably will be made to The Vikings since these shows walk on the same genre. However, Beowulf is the more casual of the two, using special effect and colorful scenery for broader demographic, a bit like the animation from years earlier only without CG Angelina Jolie. This direction if fine, not all recent works must be brooding and gritty, although Beowulf suffers from erratic shifts in plot as well as a few dubious displays of mythical creatures.

It is noticeable that the story pushes the titular Beowulf into many tribulations from the first steps. Unfortunately, this sets up too many subplots at the same time. Characters are being murdered, betrayed and chased even before any connection could be made to any of them, which presents a couple of strange seemingly rushed developments. It also tries to present some mystery and political struggle, but these aspects lack depth since they have to share the scene with many other angles like childhood memories or shoehorned romance.

Much of the resources evidently went to costume and setting. The attires these characters don are incredibly polished, certainly different yet appreciated fashion from typical medieval series. Its surroundings are fairly gorgeous as well, colorful both in human settlement and natural landscape. If any flaws should come from this eye-catching presentation, it's that the characters look a tad too modern for the era.

CG effect is a toss-up, some scenes look terribly crude while few others look very meticulous. At its best, the display of creature is presentable, having decent features and surprising detail on fur or beastly motion. On the other hand, when it falters, it further weakens the immersion since the human characters already react unconvincingly to inorganic monsters.

Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands is a light excursion for wider audience with more colorful presentation, although the cumbersome plot and sloppy CG might undermine that effort.

Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands is one of those series that would have been better off re scripted as a comedy. Regrettably, the writers decided to play this series as a serious fantasy drama. What a mistake.

Almost everything about Beowulf screams comedy. From what appears to be an old mine site, which has been rehashed as an early medieval village, of sorts, through to the costumes, that look like they were recycled from a heavy metal concert.

The storyline is chuckle worthy too. The main character Beowulf is on a testosterone overdose. He's incessantly simmering with cheesy, macho rage, wanting to fight everyone and everything in sight. The rest of the cast are shoe horned into equally awful, clinched, characterizations. Imagine, if Game of Thrones had been scripted by Monty Python and you are there.

All this silliness is inexplicable given this series has an excellent cast of actors, including a cameo or two by William Hurt! If money could be spent on a cast of this caliber, why not a story fitting their talents?

If you can adjust your sights and view Beowulf: Return to the Shieldlands as a comedy of errors its actually not too dreadful. Try to take it seriously, however, and you may do yourself a mental mischief. Four out of ten from me.

Bad acting. Inaccurate view of the era/location, even considering it's based on a myth. Within the first 20 minutes of episode 1 you are introduced to a multicultural Britain. Several Africans and Indians are present. Even families who have integrated into the society. I could see MAYBE a foreign slave or two but even that would be far-fetched with no historical justification. In short, another attempt to infiltrate European history with multiculturalism and ruin a great piece of European identity. Even setting this aside, it still sucks. A clear (and horrible) attempt to ride the Vikings/Game of Thrones fanwagon.

When i saw Beowulf in the TV listings, i immediately hoped that a decent drama had been created, based on the historical poem, and produced to a high standard. I was quickly disappointed.

Although the story is very loosely based on the old English poem about a Scandinavian monster terrorising a Danish King, that is pretty much where the similarity ends. You are very quickly introduced to CGI trolls working a in human village in place of oxen, turning a wheel. It is at this point you realise the slant is farther toward the fantasy realm drama than the historical realm drama.

In terms of the characters, they are rather cliché and lacked depth. The sets are OK in parts and in others look like cheap fantasy set pieces. They also seem inconsistent as great halls with cast relief gates in bronze are hardly likely to be the product of a 20 person village. The grandeur of some of the buildings is far out of whack with the population size and any semblance of industry or agriculture.

Casting, and cast diversity - within minutes you are introduced to characters that are obviously Indian Asian, and also Black (African). There are quite a few characters with diverse ethnic origins. Again, if you were expecting something akin to the fantastic 'Vikings' or even the Stars productions like 'Spartacus' forget it.There is no attempt at historical, cultural, or geographic realism as a backdrop for this show.

A Black male actor appears in Arabic dress who speaks with a solid south England accent. I totally get diversity in a modern TV show about modern society, or even in culturally mixed locations like Rome, but in something apparently 'based' on an AngloScandinavian tale/poem it hardly fits. This reality works in both directions, if i were watching a show about the rise of a chieftain in Africa in 300BC, then i'd hardly expect to see the cast featuring heavily with Chinese and white Australian sounding actors (it just drags you out of the show). It's another element that constantly reminds the viewer that there is no historic setting for this and it is little more than a uber low budget Lord of The Rings rip off merged merged with the title Beowulf.

If this show were targeting adults, one has to ask, who watches stuff like this? The script, acting, story seems quite immature. It does feel more like a teen show, however it is on UK TV in a late evening slot. For this reason i suspect it won't pick up the viewers, and won't make a second season.