“Kings” debuts to poor ratings, strong reviews

Already on its way to cancellation?

NBC’s  David and Goliath-themed new show “Kings” debuted last night to a meager 6 million average over the two-hour premiere. I’m surprised at how low the ratings were — the promos appeared promising, and the conceit of a modern day monarchy is more original than most other broadcast shows. Maybe the show will steadily gain a following, but with such high-production value (and thus cost) it seems unlikely that the show will make it to a second season.

Reviews for the allegorical series were more promising, garnering decidely high marks for star Ian Mcshane (“Deadwood”). Could the star get an Emmy nom even if the show itself doesn’t take off? Personally, I found the plot to be scatterbrained and unfocused. The story is highly confusing and could use a bit of exposition, as well as more character development. The aesthetics, however, were cinematic, and many of the stunning shots made the commercial breaks worth the wait. The premiere tried to throw in a cacophony of plot twists (political heir is gay! king has a bastard child!), but if the series settles on a few key plotlines a strong narrative could emerge. I think by episode three it’ll be clear if the show is all concept and no delivery.