Unfortunately, this whole series has too much Brida. I have read the books and she is in the background, with her dreadful deeds being reported rather than watching endless footage of her.
24 Reviews
Brida is back
Calicodreamin9 March 2022
Always love to see all the main actors coming back, and this episode was star studded so to speak. The storyline has jumped forward many years, which you can't tell by some of the older actors, but I digress. Well developed storyline and setting up well for a bloody good final season.
Destiny is All
bbevis-4795410 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I missed the Last Kindom. There is a time jump in the season opener that takes some getting used to because things do not slow down. It's been so long since the last season I had to watch a recap video of all the previous four seasons. The recap Netflix provides at the beginning of the episode does not help jog the memory too much. It feels good to be back with old friends. With the exception of Brida since he appears to completely have gone made. Everything in the Last Kingdom is as fun and tense as you remember and the pacing never lags, making for an entertaining episode. A few nitpicks for this episode and acting in general. Uhtred's reaction to his son being castrated was awkward, rushed and poor acting overall by Dreymon. Some of the cast members are great and others remind me of professional larpers. Dreymon honestly looks bored this episode and he is the lead. The storming of Sigtryggr's stronghold felt a little flat in terms of intensity and the cheap looking CG blood ruins a bit of the immersion. Overall, a good opener and I'm excited to see where the rest of the season goes.
Yes there were Black people in Anglo-Saxon England
mmcinern-983821 April 2022
... the one we know most about was Bishop Hadrian who is mentioned in Bede's History of the English People. This makes perfect sense since North Africa had been Christian since the time of Augustine. What there wasn't was "Viking fundamentalism" as practiced by Brida. Now that history is out of the way (it's not a documentary, people), I enjoyed the episode. It is a pleasure to see these characters again, and I especially enjoyed the development of the younger generation.
Love it but the characters are supposed to have aged!
kwelsh-5082921 May 2022
I love this show, have from the start, but Aelswith and Athelfled are supposed to be mother and daughter and seriously look 3 days apart. The actresses are the same age! Surely technology has progressed enough that we can add some grey hairs or something!
Otherwise a fantastic episode, just personal annoyance.
Otherwise a fantastic episode, just personal annoyance.
Just one question...
songod-9500322 April 2023
How old should Uthred be? King Alfred, historically, reigned 28 years. Even if Uthred was 20 when he began service to him, he'd be 48 when he died. Now Ethelstan is from what I can tell about 15 maybe 18... this would put Ulthred at about 66! Yet he looks no older than 30. 66 was ancient for a person in those rough times. He'd be gray and toothless!
Seems he, Brida, the Irish warrior, and Aleswith, Alfred's widow, do not age in this saga!
And why do I see two sentence reviews when I have to drone on to fill a character limit?? Are they Premium users or something??
Honestly have not much to say. Season five begins and I look forward to it and then the Netflix movie.
Seems he, Brida, the Irish warrior, and Aleswith, Alfred's widow, do not age in this saga!
And why do I see two sentence reviews when I have to drone on to fill a character limit?? Are they Premium users or something??
Honestly have not much to say. Season five begins and I look forward to it and then the Netflix movie.
OTT BRIDA
b_clerkin6 May 2024
In this episode, Brida is revealed as the Rachel Dolezal of 10th century Britain. Born a Saxon, she is enslaved by a benevolent Dane and winds up going all in on adopting everything Danish. Howver, she has out-daned any normal Viking- becoming a crazed religious zealot and messianic leader of a death cult that accepts no deviation from the prescribed religious customs- ironically, the thing she most detested about the Christians.
She was getting more and more unhinged in season four, but has now become a caricature of her former self. And it looks like she's turning her kid into a mini- me nutter as well. She is exhausting.
Someone needs to put the pointy bit in front and shove it into her heart.
She was getting more and more unhinged in season four, but has now become a caricature of her former self. And it looks like she's turning her kid into a mini- me nutter as well. She is exhausting.
Someone needs to put the pointy bit in front and shove it into her heart.
End it
mike-tan-58-41254022 March 2022
I want whatever anti-aging cream they're on!
grantss24 September 2023
Several years have passed. Uhtred and his crew are based at Runcorn on the border of Mercia and Northumbria. Under their training Aethelstan has grown up to be a great fighter, a skill which serves him well when three would-be assassins try to kill him. Brida, still bitter, is alive and well and along with her followers is living in Iceland. She and her band are now heading to Britain.
It's been an obvious weakness of the show but until now I was happy to overlook it as everything else about the show was so good. However, it's at ridiculous levels now. Not a single character has aged over the five seasons of the show despite at least thirty years having passed. Uhtred is at least in his mid-50s now, yet is still 20-something physically. Don't even get me started on Aelswith/Eliza Butterworth, who was too young for her character from the start. Was there no budget for make-up artists?
Otherwise, the episode is okay but not great. Admittedly, being the first episode of the season it is still just scene-setting but still feels quite clumsy and flat. Brida is particularly one-dimensional and incredibly irritating.
It's been an obvious weakness of the show but until now I was happy to overlook it as everything else about the show was so good. However, it's at ridiculous levels now. Not a single character has aged over the five seasons of the show despite at least thirty years having passed. Uhtred is at least in his mid-50s now, yet is still 20-something physically. Don't even get me started on Aelswith/Eliza Butterworth, who was too young for her character from the start. Was there no budget for make-up artists?
Otherwise, the episode is okay but not great. Admittedly, being the first episode of the season it is still just scene-setting but still feels quite clumsy and flat. Brida is particularly one-dimensional and incredibly irritating.
Are the characters just idiots nows?
acj-6500411 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Some spoilers here... I had to come write this review just because of how incredibly stupid the end of the episode was. Sigtryggr and his men must be some of the dumbest people on the planet. Either that or they are all blind as bats. A large procession of armed soldiers starts marching towards your town and begins slaughtering everyone outside the walls and Sigtryggr is just like, "Yeah, hey it's cool guys, they're with my brother, just go ahead and open them gates up."
And his men are like, "Yeah, sure, no prob boss!", as if they can't see with their own eyes all the murdering that's already taking place...
Also, my goodness, Brida is such an annoying and poorly written character at this point. It's starting to ruin the show a bit for me; and I really can't figure out why anyone would follow her?
The age differences between everyone are likewise annoying at this point. Uhtred and everyone else all look the exact same age as their children. I don't think Uhtred has aged a single day in the 20+ year time span that the show has covered. It's not just Uhtred either... Aelswith and her daughter and granddaughter all look like they are only a few years apart in age at the most. Many other characters appear unaged as well. This is honestly a minor gripe compared to the poor writing, but I still felt compelled to complain about it.
Anyways, the episode ended so stupidly and none of the other reviews talked about it, so I felt the need to come make some complaints.
Also, my goodness, Brida is such an annoying and poorly written character at this point. It's starting to ruin the show a bit for me; and I really can't figure out why anyone would follow her?
The age differences between everyone are likewise annoying at this point. Uhtred and everyone else all look the exact same age as their children. I don't think Uhtred has aged a single day in the 20+ year time span that the show has covered. It's not just Uhtred either... Aelswith and her daughter and granddaughter all look like they are only a few years apart in age at the most. Many other characters appear unaged as well. This is honestly a minor gripe compared to the poor writing, but I still felt compelled to complain about it.
Anyways, the episode ended so stupidly and none of the other reviews talked about it, so I felt the need to come make some complaints.
Brida - written out of history presumably because she's annoying
RetroRick5 May 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I've looked ahead at the episode ratings so based on that I'm going to stick with this season, just as I've stuck through the series, but it really isn't off to an auspicious camp.
There are lot of objections here to the black priest in 10th century england. I'm generally historical licence for the sake of diversity, but I think too many people are getting worked up about something that could quite well have occurred, givven its prominence in north africa centuries earlier. What people fear is that a show that was defined by story & realism may now have been taken over by imperatives that relate more to diversity.
I am more inclined to see this direction in the character of Brida, who clearly is irritating many people on this board. She was fine as a feisty & fiery side character, but now as the head of an army, she is just annoying & unbelievably so. Whether the purpose here was to give a female character a bigger role I don't know - we'll have to see how it plays out - but if so, it seems kind of pointless, given that the show has a major historical queen in the cast of characters in the form of Aethelflaed. Why not just give her a bigger part & leave the done to death viking women were warriors theme alone. It's just tired & exaggerated at this point.
As others point out the writing so far has been uninspiring & the final battle scene where Brida takes the town was just lacking.
I'm going to keep watching because this is a great show, and the episode ratings suggest it's going to get better in due course, but I can't say I'm not disappointed so far.
There are lot of objections here to the black priest in 10th century england. I'm generally historical licence for the sake of diversity, but I think too many people are getting worked up about something that could quite well have occurred, givven its prominence in north africa centuries earlier. What people fear is that a show that was defined by story & realism may now have been taken over by imperatives that relate more to diversity.
I am more inclined to see this direction in the character of Brida, who clearly is irritating many people on this board. She was fine as a feisty & fiery side character, but now as the head of an army, she is just annoying & unbelievably so. Whether the purpose here was to give a female character a bigger role I don't know - we'll have to see how it plays out - but if so, it seems kind of pointless, given that the show has a major historical queen in the cast of characters in the form of Aethelflaed. Why not just give her a bigger part & leave the done to death viking women were warriors theme alone. It's just tired & exaggerated at this point.
As others point out the writing so far has been uninspiring & the final battle scene where Brida takes the town was just lacking.
I'm going to keep watching because this is a great show, and the episode ratings suggest it's going to get better in due course, but I can't say I'm not disappointed so far.
Sign language
josephabraun6 April 2022
No era is safe!
Snow-White-Tears13 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Here we go again.
This time we go back, way back to 9th century England, 20 minutes or so in, the mandatory "diverse" character rides in.
Apart from the obvious, this is even more ridiculous as it's someone with Sub Saharan African ancestry (discovered by the Portuguese in the 15th century). Now, an actor with North African heritage would be more plausible.
In 1950, 60, 70 and even 80's England people used to stop and stare at anyone who was not white, this was out of pure curiosity as the vast majority had never seen anyone like that in person, but here we have the character's not even batting an eye-lid...and this is 9th century England.
Oh, and the characters, name is Father Benedict (of course).
Diversity has a place, even to the point it's over represented in recent years, but going back into history and re-telling it in the image of the 21st century is just insulting to everyone involved, particularly the viewers.
This time we go back, way back to 9th century England, 20 minutes or so in, the mandatory "diverse" character rides in.
Apart from the obvious, this is even more ridiculous as it's someone with Sub Saharan African ancestry (discovered by the Portuguese in the 15th century). Now, an actor with North African heritage would be more plausible.
In 1950, 60, 70 and even 80's England people used to stop and stare at anyone who was not white, this was out of pure curiosity as the vast majority had never seen anyone like that in person, but here we have the character's not even batting an eye-lid...and this is 9th century England.
Oh, and the characters, name is Father Benedict (of course).
Diversity has a place, even to the point it's over represented in recent years, but going back into history and re-telling it in the image of the 21st century is just insulting to everyone involved, particularly the viewers.
Cheap timeskips
naveenmanik28 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
So brida just starts commanding an army out of nowhere? There are so many problems with the timeskip but this was way tooo bad
Until s3 every dialogue was a quote. Can't say the same for a show that's been written by netflix.
Until s3 every dialogue was a quote. Can't say the same for a show that's been written by netflix.
Worst "invasion" ever
pajapan15 March 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Watching how Brida "invaded" Syg-what's-his-name's castle with her 13-man "army" is just ridiculous.
And her trying to appear menacing in a psycho way looks ridiculous. She can't pull it off as an actress and with those ridiculous lines given to her.
Watched the first 4 seasons but I just can't invest any more time on this; it's too dumb to bear.
And her trying to appear menacing in a psycho way looks ridiculous. She can't pull it off as an actress and with those ridiculous lines given to her.
Watched the first 4 seasons but I just can't invest any more time on this; it's too dumb to bear.
Historically off the rails
wgborders30 March 2022
Sadly after four believable seasons,in the interest of "diversity" a character is introduced who would in no way been in England in the 10th century. Sad to see another series ruined by this madness. Just give us accuracy instead of a rewrite of history to please some shadow demographic.
Dramatic crime of the century
mulcahy-stephen17 April 2022
Firstly I'm going to admit that I was completely stoned off my head when I watch this episode and I'm glad I was because it softened the pain. I also think that whoever wrote this rubbish was on some devil's weed skunk so strong that they totally lost touch with all reality and thought they were writing a episode for the Friends sitcom series.
Firstly let me say, up to this point, I thought that The Last Kingdom was the best historical drama TV series since Rome.
Sanity alert.
I had to pause this Episode on at least 10 occasions in cry. The first thing that raised an eyebrow was the opening scene with Brida which gave one the feeling that one was no longer watching a historical drama but rather watching a fantasy series. Then I noticed that the beautifully constructed authentic sets of the first four seasons had been replaced by the curse of CGI that makes one feel one's in a computer game rather than watching a TV series. When we first see Utred he is now attired like a samurai warrior rather than a Viking. Then there was a scene with Utred and his extended family and friends that was reminiscent from a cafe scene from the sitcom series Friends. When the colourfully attired black priest arrived on the scene I realised that the show had been hijacked by the wokeness brigade and the sadness I was feeling turned to complete dispair. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse they kicked off with a bit of sign language for a little more wokeness. Finally it turns out that Aethelflead gets diagnosed with breast cancer and I got the feeling that this scene was being sponsored by some pharmaceutical or healthcare company. Why the the show's makers decided we needed to see her diseased breast which looks more like she had leprosy than cancer, I will never know.
My advice is to only watch this episode if you can get your hands on some OxyContin beforehand.
This episode wasn't The Last Kingdom, this was The Lost Kingdom.
😱😱😱😱😱
Firstly let me say, up to this point, I thought that The Last Kingdom was the best historical drama TV series since Rome.
Sanity alert.
I had to pause this Episode on at least 10 occasions in cry. The first thing that raised an eyebrow was the opening scene with Brida which gave one the feeling that one was no longer watching a historical drama but rather watching a fantasy series. Then I noticed that the beautifully constructed authentic sets of the first four seasons had been replaced by the curse of CGI that makes one feel one's in a computer game rather than watching a TV series. When we first see Utred he is now attired like a samurai warrior rather than a Viking. Then there was a scene with Utred and his extended family and friends that was reminiscent from a cafe scene from the sitcom series Friends. When the colourfully attired black priest arrived on the scene I realised that the show had been hijacked by the wokeness brigade and the sadness I was feeling turned to complete dispair. Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse they kicked off with a bit of sign language for a little more wokeness. Finally it turns out that Aethelflead gets diagnosed with breast cancer and I got the feeling that this scene was being sponsored by some pharmaceutical or healthcare company. Why the the show's makers decided we needed to see her diseased breast which looks more like she had leprosy than cancer, I will never know.
My advice is to only watch this episode if you can get your hands on some OxyContin beforehand.
This episode wasn't The Last Kingdom, this was The Lost Kingdom.
😱😱😱😱😱
Good episode except one new character doesn't make sense.
johnhsmith-0005618 December 2023
Europe didn't send missionaries to sub-Saharan Africa until the 15th century, about 500 years after this episode takes place. So why is there a black priest in 10th century England? I have a feeling that the studio bowed to pressure to include this character.
Even if by some miracle this was possible, this was still in an age of extreme tribalism where the Welsh hate the Saxons, Saxons hate the Danes, Scots don't trust anyone, etc. But they easily accept an African as their village priest with no issues? No questions at all? As someone else pointed out, even in the 1950s an African would turn heads in Britain. In the 10th century he would be extremely unusual, and how he got there should itself be a story on its own.
He's not even a bad character, or a bad actor, but the just doesn't fit here, and breaks the authenticity of the series up to this point.
Even if by some miracle this was possible, this was still in an age of extreme tribalism where the Welsh hate the Saxons, Saxons hate the Danes, Scots don't trust anyone, etc. But they easily accept an African as their village priest with no issues? No questions at all? As someone else pointed out, even in the 1950s an African would turn heads in Britain. In the 10th century he would be extremely unusual, and how he got there should itself be a story on its own.
He's not even a bad character, or a bad actor, but the just doesn't fit here, and breaks the authenticity of the series up to this point.
Absolute travesty
amn-336982 April 2022
This show has strayed so far from the books that I don't even recognize it. With such great source material, how did it come to this? The writing is absolutely terrible. It's seems to be that changes were made solely for the purpose of change and not any rational reason. So far, this season feels totally different from the previous seasons. In aesthetics, in tone and in the acting. It is bordering on silly. I also never thought wokeness would corrupt this show, either, but here we are. I'll watch the next episode to see if things improve, but I may have to abandon my favorite series if it doesn't.
Hard to get back into
ashrielpp8 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A new season's first episode should be a grand welcome and big hurrah. This felt rather unpleasant for a few reasons: despite the apparent passage of what must have been at least 6+ years, the main cast was completely physically unchanged. A little makeup can go along way, but when you take some 8-year-old actors and swap them out for 15-year-olds and do nothing with the main cast at all, it's a little jarring, especially if you're binge watching. Not only that, their personalities haven't changed, such as poor old Aldhelm not getting his time as Jorah Mormont crushing on Aethelflaed. Oh well, another episode with no character development except for Finan laughing about Uhtred getting some ass.
Well, it's still a fun show, well-acted, choreographed and shot, but the lack of exposition two-dimensionality when it comes to the characters, especially in a final season opener like this, really leaves something to be desired. You'll notice I didn't even mention the opening with Brida and her seer kid who had the random guy commit no-question emotionless suicide in the volcano pit and apparently actually cause an awesome fateful sign to go into battle - yeehaw, actual death magic and gods and stuff. Yeah, I just don't know about this one - suspend your disbelief.
Well, it's still a fun show, well-acted, choreographed and shot, but the lack of exposition two-dimensionality when it comes to the characters, especially in a final season opener like this, really leaves something to be desired. You'll notice I didn't even mention the opening with Brida and her seer kid who had the random guy commit no-question emotionless suicide in the volcano pit and apparently actually cause an awesome fateful sign to go into battle - yeehaw, actual death magic and gods and stuff. Yeah, I just don't know about this one - suspend your disbelief.
First GMF, now Cornwell.
llareggub13 April 2022
A couple of weeks ago, I watched and weeped as Hollywood took George McDonald Fraser's 'Flashman and the Redskins' and turned it into a moronic travesty called '1885'. Now they have done it to Bernard Cornwell. Fraser is dead. All the Master can do is turn in his grave. But I believe Mr Cornwell is still alive, and I understand that he took a very active part in bringing the Sharpe series to the small screen. Amazingly, he insisted upon meeting Sean Bean before okaying him for the part of Richard, as Cornwall apparently wasn't sure Bean was macho enough! What he makes of this drivel I cannot conceive. If he lacks the cash to take on Netflix, I am happy to donate to any crowd funding effort. The rules of historical fiction used to be very clear- one fictional character narrates scrupulously accurate history. Fraser is still the nonpareil, but Cornwell is very close, especially given his enormous range. Please sir, sue the grubs that did this to your art.
P. S. The first four installments were magnificent.
P. S. The first four installments were magnificent.
Gave season 5 a shot anyway...
venitianfun20 June 2022
Loved the first 3 seasons, pretty much fast forwarded through season 4, watched 20 or so minutes of the first episode of season 5 and I'm done. I'm sure there will be plenty of viewers who will like it. I'm just not one of them.
Disappointment in a nutshell
andreadjokickv7 October 2022
Warning: Spoilers
After 4 amazing seasons where I literally wasn't sleeping just to see yet another episode, I now cry myself to sleep in disappointment in what I just saw in season 5.
Firsly - black priest in England in 9th/10th century - a real joke to British history and us, viewers.
Secondly - Uhtred being overly emotinal and overly shy for a warrior he was in the last 4 seasons. Screaming Brida's name in the huge nothingness - it's funny and pointless and looks nothing like Uhted we liked.
Thirdly - Brida's revenge on Uhtred kids - what's the point of that? Seriously? Seriously? She came all the way from Iceland to take revenge on Uhtred kids..
Come on guys, you can do better than this.
Firsly - black priest in England in 9th/10th century - a real joke to British history and us, viewers.
Secondly - Uhtred being overly emotinal and overly shy for a warrior he was in the last 4 seasons. Screaming Brida's name in the huge nothingness - it's funny and pointless and looks nothing like Uhted we liked.
Thirdly - Brida's revenge on Uhtred kids - what's the point of that? Seriously? Seriously? She came all the way from Iceland to take revenge on Uhtred kids..
Come on guys, you can do better than this.
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