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Great acting, Borys Szyc was awesome. Good series, even for non-polish viewers. 8/10

I agree with most of the reviewers here. This is a very well done series, the year is 1937, Poland, you gotta know what's coming, and the folks there are largely clueless of this danger, being involved in politcal and criminal intrigues of their own. Szapiro, Buddy, Radziwilek and his side kick Eduardo are all exellent characters. What a dynamic of opposing forces. I thought the interiors, scenery and costumes were good, too. If you are a fan of Sopranos, Umbre and Gommorah, this is another good one for you.

In some ways, Jan P. Matuszynski crime noir 'Król' (or 'The King Of Warsaw') is as enjoyable as dramas set around the same time period like 'Peaky Blinders' and 'Babylon Berlin'. The adaptation of Szczepan Twardoch's best-selling novel for Canal+ doesn't flinch from its themes of gangland violence and the struggles of Warsaw's criminal underworld prior to the outbreak of WWII. But while the other two series allow their stories and characters to develop, Krol plays out over just one 8-episode season, and it looks like some of the drama was lost in all the blood-curdling violence. A major blood-letting appears to occur each episode, fair enough I suppose in a picture about crime and gangs, but the ominous rise of Fascism and the social and political upheaval it caused all over Europe are integral to the story. Its characters are a mix of fiction and history, so it would be a mistake to gloss over the dramatic detail of the story, and in fact a surprising choice given that Twardoch co-wrote many of the series' episodes.

'Król' is still impressive with its recreation of street scenes, cafes and bars and places depicting the cultural life of Warsaw during such a combustible time in the city's history. The acting is top notch, too, with Michal Zurawski excellent lead as boxer Jakub Shapiro chief enforcer for his gangster socialist boss Buddy Kaplica (played by Arkadiusz Jakubik), and notable performances among many of the ensemble cast, particularly Aleksandra Pisula who plays Jakub's long-suffering wife Emilia and a stylish performance by Lena Gora as the chief prosecutor's daughter Anna Ziembinska who Jakub has an affair with.

Personally, out of the 3 dramas, I thought 'Babylon Berlin' dealt with the historical period in a more authentic way than the other 2. For 'Król' that may be a missed opportunity, something which the series fails to address properly until the final episode. Poland had the highest Jewish population of any European country prior to the World War II, about 3 million, of which 374,000 lived in Warsaw. 85% of Polish Jews were murdered by the Nazis. You can get tired of all the violence in 'Król', but the real drama comes right at the end as a result of a decision Jakub makes which impacts profoundly and tragically on his family as Jews. So, my advice to the makers would be either increase the budget of the picture to make more episodes and seasons, or scale back some of the expensive 'effects' like the violent stunts and street scenes, concentrate on the story instead. You can still admire 'Król' as a beautifully conceived period drama and social history entangled with gritty gangland violence, but be patient as the storyline doesn't really comes good until the end!

To cap it all, marvel at composer Atanas Valkov's soundtrack of themes around the sounds of Jewish music created with traditional instruments like the zither, which adds a musical slowburn and energy to the unfolding events, and provides a neat sonic 'thread' that runs throughout the series.

Excellent series, I really enjoyed watching it. The plot is gripping from the start and keeps you engaged throughout, right up to the unexpected twist at the end. It manages to perfectly combine genres, with elements of both WW11 and gangster-type series. Historical references seem to be accurate.

Great acting by all involved, with particularly memorable performances by Michal Zurawski (Jakub Szapiro), Magdalena Boczarska (Ryfka Kij) and Borys Szyc, who is particularly sinister in his role as Janusz Radziwilek ("The Doctor").

Visuals are well done throughout, in particular some of the interior sets.

This is hands down the best European series of 2020/21, full credit to director Jan P. Matuszynski for creating a masterpiece. You don't need to understand Polish to enjoy it (I don't). English subtitles are available. Make the effort, it will not disappoint.

I would have enjoyed a second season but this seems unlikey as the plot reached a natural conclusion. As it stands, it is complete.

Not for the faint hearted , this is a fantastic Polish Gangster/Political Intrigue series with an eclectic range of psycho killers and an excellent performance as the lead anti-hero and actually ALL of the actors . Couldn't stop watching it ....on episode 8 and torn between wanting to see what happens next and needing to go to sleep .

This is an above average series from Poland. It describes the situation before WW2, and deals with the struggle between a number of factions fighting for control of the city. It has multiple timelines and multiple tracks, but the narrative switches between them all in a chaotic manner. This results in the story being told in a very confused manner and makes it difficult for non-Polish viewers to maintain any sort of continuity with the story. Obviously, it helps if the viewer has some knowledge of the history of that era in Poland. A few of the scenes appear to be randomly stuck in among others, which also does not help provide a linear way to narrate a story. The series is quite good, but the way the story is told leaves much to be desired!

Just brilliant. I live in Warsaw since I was born. And my grandma also. She told me how then life in Warsaw look like. Amazing series. Good creation, good stuf, good music and photos. Absolutly must see.

Absolutely great series I've ever seen. Everything it's just great there. Period of time makes this film fantastic as well.

Dark, grasping, brutal and extremely realistic. Beautifly played, with top notch costumes, locations. Highly recommended for all gangster-movies, or WW2 era fans.

Interesting story but very poorly made. Everything is hurting eyes: clean cut costumes, unconvincing acting, predictable dialogues, etc. If anyone likes these kind of stories and have seen Peaky Blinders then they will not be able to watch more than one episode. Beautifully wasted great potential for a superb film.

I thought that the novel would make a great TV series and it certainly has. Cinematic and better than a lot of actual films. A great ensemble cast of characters delivers a layered story. Not for the faint hearted.

Poland shows the USA and the UK how to make a great TV show ,no PC ,,no woke ,,just a real historical series no box ticking just great acting and a fabulous story that had me guessing until the end ,,,the sets the realism, all first class ,don't miss this show.

When I saw this series I was mightily impressed. The production standards are so high. I then bought the book, which, though excellent is superseded by the series. The mood, passion and desperation of the book are preserved entirely but the changes, if anything enhance it. Some issues are clarified and I would recommend the book as an adjunct.

The show brings to life pre-war Warsaw in a way that I couldn't shake. I always wondered where the attitudes of the Polish side of our family came from and the character and plot depictions in this story helped to explain it.

The story was skillfully told, parts of it dragged a bit (hence the 9 instead of 10 rating), but I couldn't stop watching in sections 7 and 8: themes began to gel and the ending blew me away.

The pacing reminded me of a Mark Helprin epic: it's a big story, with lots of entwined characters all building towards a revelatory ending that leaves you questioning a lot of things about your own life: what is true? What is so traumatic you invent another truth? How does that affect those around you (family, community, country)? Deep themes, interesting story, great plot, good acting/production: this has it all.

Parts are graphically violent which made it a no-go for my wife, but for me it only underscored how brutal life was in the pre-war period. Highly recommend this.

Poor sound, acting, dialogues, music and directing. Terrible interior set design - does not resemble Warsaw prewar style at all.

Jan P. Matuszynski's Król is a powerful and stylish Polish crime drama set in 1937 Warsaw. Based on a novel by Szczepan Twardoch, this one-season series mixes gangster action, history, and deeper ideas in a way that stays with you long after it ends.

The story centers on Jakub Szapiro (played by Michal Zurawski), a Jewish boxer who works for a gangster and political leader named Buddy Kaplica. Szapiro is a complex character, torn between crime, personal identity, loyalty, and the rise of fascism. The entire cast gives strong performances, especially Borys Szyc as the creepy Janusz Radziwilek and Magdalena Boczarska as Ryfka Kij, bringing depth to every role.

Some parts of the series may feel a bit slow-especially in the middle-but the ending is intense and rewarding. The last episodes bring together themes like truth, trauma, and the fear of the coming war in a powerful way.

The violence can be very graphic-similar to Tarantino movies-but it highlights how dangerous and unstable the time was. The show looks amazing, with detailed sets, costumes, and a haunting soundtrack by Atanas Valkov that brings 1930s Warsaw to life.

If you liked Peaky Blinders or Babylon Berlin, you will probably enjoy Król. It has its own unique Polish style and voice. While it doesn't always dig as deep into history as it could, it's still a bold, well-made series that's worth watching-just be prepared for some heavy, intense scenes.