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Of Kings and Prophets

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Genre
  
Biblical Drama

Country of origin
  
United States

Final episode date
  
15 March 2016

6.1/10
IMDb

7.6/10
TV

Based on
  
First episode date
  
8 March 2016

Program creators
  
Bill Collage, Adam Cooper

Of Kings and Prophets wwwgstaticcomtvthumbtvbanners12390005p12390

Developed by
  
Adam CooperBill Collage

Starring
  
Ray WinstoneOlly RixSimone KessellJames FloydHaaz SleimanMaisie Richardson-SellersJeanine MasonMohammad BakriDavid WalmsleyLouis TalpeNathaniel ParkerLyne Renée

Composer(s)
  
Trevor MorrisMark Kilian

Network
  
American Broadcasting Company

Executive producers
  
Similar
  
The Family, Kings, Game of Thrones, The Leftovers, Greenleaf

Profiles

Of Kings and Prophets is an American television drama based on the Biblical Books of Samuel that premiered on ABC. The series follows an ensemble of characters including Saul and David, the successive Kings of Israel, their families, and their political rivals. Of Kings and Prophets is set in the Kingdom of Israel, but filmed in Cape Town, South Africa.

Contents

The series was originally scheduled to premiere in late 2015. However, due to creative changes, it was moved to mid-season in the 2015–16 television season, and premiered on March 8, 2016. Due to low ratings, ABC canceled the series after airing two episodes. The fate of the remaining episodes airing in the U.S. is as of yet undetermined. All nine episodes aired in New Zealand in March–May 2016.

Of kings and prophets new extended trailer hd


Cast and characters

  • Ray Winstone as Saul, the king of Israel
  • Olly Rix as David, a shepherd and the future king of Israel
  • Simone Kessell as Ahinoam, the queen of Israel and Saul's wife
  • James Floyd as Ishbaal, the younger son of Saul and Ahinoam
  • Haaz Sleiman as Jonathan, the elder son of Saul and Ahinoam
  • Maisie Richardson-Sellers as Michal, the younger daughter of Saul and a Kushite concubine
  • Jeanine Mason as Merav, the elder daughter of Saul and Ahinoam
  • Mohammad Bakri as Samuel, the prophet of Israel
  • David Walmsley as Yoab, the nephew of David
  • Louis Talpe as Eliab, the eldest brother of David
  • Nathaniel Parker as Achish, the king of Philistine
  • Christina Chong as Rizpah, the concubine of Saul
  • Rowena King as Zaphra
  • Lyne Renee as The Witch of Endor
  • Élodie Yung as Rizpah
  • Production

    Writers Adam Cooper and Bill Collage said at the Television Critics Association press tour that they hope to push the envelope "as far as we can" in regards to the amount of sex and violence featured on the series. Showrunner Chris Brancato later clarified "This story is an Old Testament [one that’s] violent [and] sex-drenched. It’s one of the world’s first soap operas. ... You will watch a show that is tasteful but that also tells the story you can read if you want to pick up the Bible." Then-ABC president Paul Lee (who was removed from the network before the show premiered) described the pilot episode simply as "muscular".

    Cooper suggested that if need be, some of the more graphic scenes on the series may be edited for public broadcast, and release the originally intended scenes for online viewing.

    Critical response

    The show has received below average reviews from critics, with many critics negatively comparing it to Game of Thrones. On Metacritic, the first season of Of Kings and Prophets received a score of 47/100 based on 16 media reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews". On Rotten Tomatoes, it holds a 35% approval rating based on 18 media reviews with its critical consensus: "Of Kings and Prophets tries to add a Game of Thrones-inspired spin to the Old Testament, but ends up an aimless muddle."

    Parental group reaction

    The Parents Television Council criticized the series for scenes of sex and violence and called for it to be removed from the network's schedule. The PTC has compared the show's content to a "broadcast" version of Game of Thrones.

    Ratings

    The first episode opened up to 3.32 million viewers. The second episode had lower ratings, having live viewing of 2.42 million viewers, assuring the show's cancellation. Beyond the Tank, which had aired several episodes in the fall and early winter in the same timeslot, returned for the remainder of the season.

    References

    Of Kings and Prophets Wikipedia