Kings

Biblical stories when transformed to the contemporary age can become extremely riveting - or so though the NBC execs who premiered Kings in the early 2009.KINGS tries to tell the tale of modern day David & Goliath set in an Manhatton-esque kingdoms where David transforms into a dove eyed young soldier facing enemy military Tanks - the Goliath. We follow the tale of David as he gets engulfed into the turmoil filled waters of royalty, power and Class structures. But the tale is short lived, Kings abysmal viewership rating led to its cancellation in first season itself.

In retrospect, Kings pilot pretty much told us everything about the shows fate. For the all beautiful visual imagery (yes scenic as well as youthful) could not save a show which cannot tell the tale. Kings is supposed to be serious drama that should have rested on two characters - David & King Silas - played by the fresh Christopher Egan and veteran Ian McShane. Only one of these two ended up rises to the requirement of their roles - no surprise who it is!

Ian McShane lives up-to this reputation of Deadwood and carries the role of complex, egoistical, insecure King Silas with intensity and calculated reservedness.

Christopher Egan on the other hand completely falters though the role, he seemed to have mastered a single painful expression - quite painful to watch for viewers that is. Egan inadequately fills in the role of the protagonist with whom the viewers were supposed to connect and root for - robbing the show of a reason to return viewings week after week

Not to say that Egan was the problem, the script also left much to be desired for! The show can be brilliant in mixing the real with the surreal - the instances of madness, ghosts and foreboding omens are immensely captivating. But Alas, if only there was more meat to the story.

Kings run ended with 13 episodes and with it took to grave the ideas of adapting biblical stories on network television. It is one of those cancelled shows, where i believe network took the right decision. (Yes, i still hold grudge for Firefly. We Browncoats don't forget)

Random Trivia - Macaulay Culkin was brought in as a special guest star, with a story arc of his own. No, it couldn't save the show - and i doubt that was the intention