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Author Archives: Patricia

The Last Kingdom 5.7: Brida

Posted on March 16, 2022 by Patricia

The scripts for The Last Kingdom are based on the novels of Bernard Cornwell, on the history of 10th century England, and on what emerges from the creative minds of the showrunners. This final season has four previous seasons of … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 5.6: The Herepath

Posted on March 15, 2022 by Patricia

Most of this episode takes place in Mercia, somewhere between York and Aylesbury. Mind you, there are 200 miles between York and Aylesbury if one follows the ancient Roman roads that the Anglo-Saxons called herepaths. These were the roads that … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 5.5: Things Fall apart

Posted on March 14, 2022 by Patricia

In the middle of the previous Episode (4), Alfred’s widow says, as she mourns her daughter, “There has already been so much death, Uhtred, I could not bear more of it.” I’m with her. And so this 5th episode was … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 5.4: Fade to Black

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Patricia

Anyone who has read Bernard Cornwell’s novels Warriors of the Storm and The Flame Bearer must know by now that the series is straying significantly from the story lines of the books. Nevertheless, the series has embraced Cornwell’s characters, his … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 5.3: The Road to Aylesbury

Posted on March 11, 2022 by Patricia

At the end of the last episode we were holding our collective breath as Stiorra left hiding to face Brida. Thankfully, this third episode did not keep us in suspense for too long. Uhtred’s daughter has learned how to taunt, … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 5.2: Death, Danger and Heartbreak

Posted on March 10, 2022 by Patricia

Every single episode of The Last Kingdom has elements of tenderness, threat, heartbreak, tension and fear. The show pulls us into the lives of its characters and enfolds us in the history into which they’re mired; makes us care about … Read More →

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The Last Kingdom 5.1 Old Friends

Posted on March 9, 2022 by Patricia

This 5th Season of The Last Kingdom, if it follows the pattern we’ve seen in the past, will be based loosely on two of Bernard Cornwell’s novels: Warriors of the Storm and The Flame Bearer. Episode 1 opens with Uhtred … Read More →

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Vikings Valhalla 1.8: Trust No One

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Patricia

The Norway scenes in this episode are mostly invention, based loosely on saga material. For your edification, here is a very simplified account of historical events in Norway from 1000 to 1030 pulled from The Oxford Illustrated History of the … Read More →

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Vikings Valhalla 1.7: And Now–Too Many Kings

Posted on March 3, 2022 by Patricia

Let me begin with the Norway plot and then put it aside while I deal with events in England. Almost everything that happens in Norway is invented. Kattegat itself is invented and I suppose that having this imaginary place as … Read More →

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Vikings Valhalla 1.6: Too Many Queens

Posted on March 1, 2022 by Patricia

The episode begins in Norway as Freydis arrives at the healer’s cabin, alarmed and in search of her friend Yrsa. Unfortunately, she finds her. She also finds the Christian zealot who we learn is named Jarl Kåre. Later we will … Read More →

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